Hic recommended the The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin: Gentleman-Burgler by Maurice LeBlanc. It was originally written in French, and Shu's and my version was translated by George Morehead.

It is very funny, easy reading, and has lots of great words. I am enjoying this one and intend to find some more. How about it? It's written with a short story format (though they are connected), so it should be easy to discuss. I just love the references to French streets and cafés, having been there in October. You find yourself rooting for this fetching "gentleman-burgler," which makes it even funnier.

It may be available on Amazon, though we got ours via the library. What do you think?

Hmmm, I guess not. Well, I am enjoying the books, anyway.

I was waiting to read your impressions of Jerome K Jerome...

Hi, Kalleh. Will post something once I get my copies from ebay.fr & dig in-- I ordered 3 A. Lupin mysteries & I'm pretty sure one of them is the same (in Fr.) as you are reading-- it has the subtitle "Gentleman-Burglar".

I am quite partial to early A Christie & others from 19teens thro the '40's (spent most of my childhood reading my grandmother's & others' castoffs) so I'm expecting to enjoy these.

Roughly coeval with Lupin was Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman, whose adventures were chronicled by EW Hornung. These stories date from 1899, six years earlier than those of Lupin. Thirty years later, in 1928, The Saint series started, written by Leslie Charteris. I wonder if there was any cross-pollination?

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I was waiting to read your impressions of Jerome K Jerome...

Is he any relation to Ford Madox Ford?

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I was waiting to read your impressions of Jerome K Jerome...

I did read it, and I enjoyed it...but that was ages ago. The timing of reading these books is hard, isn't it?

I didn't realise you'd finished it. What did you think of it? Did it make you want to spend a few weeks rowing down the Thames?

I loved it, Richard. It was hilarious. I think I am getting into the British humor.

I had to leave the chat room today before i got it said, Richard, but I, too, am a member of the group that has never yet read a Potter book ......... is it just you and I, or are there othrs here ??

I haven't read any of the Potter books, but I have seen some of the movies. I tutor a group of adults in Latin, and one of them is translating from the Latin version of the first book. (I've been meaning to get it and the Greek version, too.)

I confess that these days I read very few books other than non-fiction to do with my work. Before I bought a TV, in my late 30s, I read between two and three books every DAY. Now with TV and the computer I only read on trains and aeroplanes. My train trip across the USA last April allowed me to catch up on several novels.

Currently, during breaks from the computer, I'm reading "Bush On The Couch," which I strongly recommend -- partcularly to Americans.