I, too, am taking copious notes. Surprized no one has mentioned Bill Bryson's books by now. If you haven't read them all, Rick, they are perfect waiting room reading...very funny, episodic and...very funny.

Chantyranger...I took a quick look at the Threads website, having never seen the movie. Not at all based on Riddley Walker, which takes place long, long after nuclear winter, so that a whole new environment and civilization, such as it is, has evolved. I'm not usually into fantasy and sci-fi (aside from a few classics like Canticle for L.) but the writing and imagination in Riddley Walker is so superior to most books of any genre that it surpasses them all.