Stapfam's recall of his boyhood reading reminded me of a mighty book that's stayed with me from childhood to now. I re-read 'Huck Finn' every decade, each time with new joy.

And now to a completely unsorted farrago of beloved books: 'Birdsong' (Sebastian Faulks) - an original and terrible view of WWI; 'Persuasion' (AS Byatt); anything by John Banville; 'Wife to Mr Milton' (Robert Graves - reminded by the mention of the Claudius books); Mary Renault's novels about Alexander the Great. Finally two marvellous recent Australian books should you be interested: 'Breath' (Tim Winton) and 'The Secret River' (Kate Grenville - a great insight into the interaction between British settlers and the Australian Aboriginal people).

Should keep you busy for a week or so. Get back in touch when you've finished those and we'll have some more for you.