This book's got an unwritten history already:

It's a US edition, so presumably bought there.
Found in a box of novels (oh, bookcrosser heaven) amongst the anatomical model section of the library at Jamkhed Comprehensive Rural Health Project in rural Maharashtra, India.
Read over coffee & divine chocolate pudding in Juhu Beach, Mumbai.
Home to Australia via Sydney.
Finished on a trip to the Twelve Apostles and Lorne.
Now to wing its way with Santa to Brisbane.

I received this as a Secret Santa gift just before Christmas. I was a very good girl and waited to open it until Christmas morning. But then I have been a very naughty bookcrosser, as I have not got around to journalling it (or another pile of BC books) until today. *grovels humbly*

I have never read anything by this author. Lots of people have recommended his work of late, and spoken in glowing terms of this and others by him. I've been wavering about buying one to see whether the advice that I will enjoy this author is right or not. And here one turns up for me in a Secret Santa bag!

Bookcrossing is all about serendipity and kindness - and this is just another example of bookcrossing karma in action!

Thanks so much Gooby (aka Santa)!

All my attempts to describe the Thursday Next series ("well, it's like England in 1985, only the Crimean War's still going on, and you can jump into books, and there's airships and reconstituted dodos") sound incoherent and overly twee.

THE EYRE AFFAIR and its sequels lie somewhere in the realm of speculative fiction, probably in the near vicinity of Douglas Adams, that is if Adams had been obsessed with the Great Books of English literature.

This book is a really interesting look at a world where everybody takes literature seriously - very seriously. Fforde's heroine, Thursday Next, is a Special Operative in Literary Detection with too much on her plate - an arch nemesis Hades Acheron who is killing off minor Dickens characters, an aunt trapped in a Wordsworth poem, a father who is a rogue "Chrononaut" currently preoccupied with Lady Hamilton (only because he believes Lord Nelson's untimely death to be the work of rival French agents), and a love life on hold due to the disastrous Charge of the Armored Light Brigade.

To be sure, this is pure escapism and the idea that literature would play such an important part in everyday life is a nice bit of wishful thinking. However, there is enough wit, intelligence and laugh out-loud humor to entertain the most jaded bookworms.

I'll certainly be following the adventures of Thursday Next with interest.

Arrived this morning. Hubby thinks I am starting a library with all the books coming and going in the mail.

Can't wait to read this one. Thanks jawin.

From Jawinn... "well, it's like England in 1985, only the Crimean War's still going on, and you can jump into books, and there's airships and reconstituted dodos"... Yes there are all those things - all very bizarre!

It is set in 1985 in a sort of alternate reality. Terry Pratchett meets Orwell meets Bronte.

There was probably a lot of literary jokes that I didn't get. Some people's names cracked me up; notably Jack Schitt, and of course the main character Thursday Next.

I wonder what books people would chose to visit if they actually could?

I'd quite like to drop in on Precious Ramotswe (the No 1 Lady's Detective) for a cup of bush tea!

Back to jawin! Thank you. I am going to look for the rest of the series.

Arrived safe and sound - thanks hillcat.

Off it went in the mail today to S-Andrea, as the first step in a ring.

Received in a book bag from Jawin. To read as a companion to Jasper Fforde's Lost in a Good Book. Looking forward to it. Thanks!

As I started to read I realised it's pretty much exactly the same as Lost in a Good Book - so I didn't read much of it. Have sent it on to Tramgirl.

Got this in the mail from S-Andrea, will be read next. Just curious...is it the start of a the Thursday Next series? Or where does it feature in the order?

This was a very interesting book! It was weird reading a sci-fi/fantasy book that is set in the 1980/90's...not in the future as is the norm! Anyway it had a bit of everything which I liked and it was interesting hearing about the 'classic' books that were referred to, makes me feel I should pick up Jane Eyre and give it another read! I look forward to reading the others in the series.

7/4: To Pixette.

Received in my postbox today. I love getting book parcels. This weekend, I intend to get serious about recommencing reading - I've been so busy I've barely read anything for the last fortnight.

Wasn't sure whether I liked the book or not. It was a great deal of fantasy for sure and parts were quite funny. A stranger read I don't think I've ever had. I caught the book at a meeting in Sydney NSW in June and took it to Vancouver Canada with me.

My Mother-in-law gave me this book after her trip to Australia. It was not a book I would normally read but I really enjoyed it. I am taking this book with me to Vancouver to give to my brother.

CAUGHT IN CALGARY ALBERTA CANADA