I'm also very excited, having just stumbled across the mumsnet bookclub.

Lisa, thank you - I am still casting about for inspiration for July and this is great. Enjoyed The Observations, and heard lots of good things about Guo.

July page on its way. Promise.

Hi everyone

Sorry for muscling in like this, never having posted here before, but if you're looking for something summery, how about Jane Harris's The Observations or Xiaolu Guo's A Concise Chinese English Dictionary for Lovers?

Both shortlisted for last year's Orange Prize (must declare an interest: I edit the Prize website). And from this year's longlist, Deborah Moggach's In the Dark is fantastic: full of humour and surprises… it's also concise…

Hope that's helpful rather than interfering!

Lisa

Good thinking. Have wanted to read that for ages.
I am getting there with the page, sorry about the delay (have someone helping me next week which will mean I can get a bit of time at my computer away from the two nippers)

That Alan Bennett one about the Queen is light but intelligent...

Sorry everyone, am doing it now, have been slightly struggling to find happy books ( I agree, i think we want something feelgood for the summer nights). But I think I'm almost there. Promise I'll have it up by mid next week.

<<taps fingers impatiently>>

sorry Tilly, I know you've got your hands full

Yes, please please please can we have a selection of books that are funny/happy? We seem to have a plethora of books that, whilst moving and excellent, I have found quite depressing really.

Have had The Kite Runner sitting on my kitchen worktop for months. Am avoiding it on the advice of everyone I know who has read it!

How about summer reads?

I've seen the Richard and Judy list, and read one of them - The Outcast by Sadie Jones.

I can't stop raving about that book, it's wonderful, but it's not my idea of a 'summer read' in that it is an incredibly sad book, and when I finished it I felt emotionally wrung out.

So, how about "literary fiction" that is also light-hearted and fun?

I asked for some suggestions before my holidays (now sadly long gone) on this thread (under a different name!).

Well, we were thinking of putting forward a few summery suggestions and then reconvening in September to chat about the winner - thought most people would be on holiday during Jul/Aug etc so not around for chat nights.

Just putting together a selection now and will post page next week. Any type of thing you particularly fancy?