This has been a fascinating thread. As both a lover and teacher of literature it never ceases to amaze me that writers such as Swift,Dickens and Tolstoy not to mention Tolkien and Heinlein seem to hold their own. For anyone who hasn't come across this guy can I strongly recommend 'The River Why' by David James Duncan.Its still available I think in King Penguin I used to think I was such a cynic that it would take a miracle to get me to grin and cry through words again but this did For all you aging hippies out there that feel like a reaffirmation of life and joy. Buy it. E-mail me and tell me what happened to you. Cos I'll tell you what-all of you -it changed my life.

Phil