On this subject, there's been uproar on both sides regarding the suggestion of Idris Elba as the next James Bond.

To me, James Bond is the quintessential white British secret agent as has been portrayed since Dr No. That's not racist, it comes from years of watching white British men playing him. I'm fairly open to a black man playing Bond, but by moving away from the established vision of the character it could become just another action film. Fleming certainly visualised him as white. As it happens I think Elba could probably do a very good job but for me Bond is what Bond has always been.

Anyway, on books - has anyone tried Iain M Banks' Culture series? Some are a bit long-winded and a self-indulgent but the concept behind the Culture universe is superb, fairly hard sci-fi but with plenty of humour and twists. Think I've got through most of them. The idea of The Minds is fascinating.

Finally, anyone else browse the 'cheap' sections of Amazon from time to time? Plenty of unknown authors flogging their works for less than a pound, or even for free, who have kept me entertained on many trains and planes. Doubt many would be considered literary classics and I've abandoned more than a few but also come across some very entertaining reads - the sort of books or series you can plough through in a few hours.

I agree re Bond. It's not racist it's just I've always visualised Bond as white. It's the same as if he were to be American rather than British.

Having said that I think it'd be quite good with Elba as Bond. A big change but maybe that's what it'd need when Daniel Craig finishes.

I also think Fleming meant him to be white but that's just because there wouldn't have been a black MI6 officer at the time he was writing.

I'm back having a revisit at the Karl Malantes novel of the Vietnam War,Matterhorn.
Did a hundred pages or so of it in previously but gave it up due to extra-curricular at the time.
Was enjoying it as well so here goes with another attempt.

Just finished porno very predictable obvious Renton was far too clever for sick boy, didn't see Begbie's demise coming though.

Now reading "last night a DJ saved my life" bringing back a few memories

Just finished Eltons latest ' Time and time again ' as usual it sets an interesting conundrum

" If you had one chance to change history ...

Were would you go?

What would you do?

Who would you kill? "

Gives thought to current world events , and where we are headed

Well, I gave in and put away the first six Reacher books last week. It's trash and about as superficial as a layer of frost in September. But the lunacy is so enthusiastic you find it hard not to like it. I junked the book on the ranch in Texas but the rest are ok.

If you want a good sci-fi which is contemporary, in the post-apocalypse genre without conforming to the usual stereotypes, has great characters, plenty of laughs and unlike 99 percent of all sci-fi is beautifully written try "Tales From The Radiation Age" by Jason Sheehan.

Just started One man, one murder by Jakob Arjouni - first two chapters are promising.

After going to the "pictures" to see "The Theory of Everything" at the weekend I am re-reading that old popular classic "The Brief History of Time". I'll let you know if I get to the end of it.

If you like physics books, I'd recommend Brian Greene's The Fabric of the Cosmos.

Speaking of science-y books, Science: A History by John Gribbin is brilliant. Covers basically everything from the Renaissance onwards across all fields of science.