Stephen Fry

have read The Liar, and the first volume of his autobiography. both easy reads, well-written, witty and insightful. at times, a very considerable level of emotional intensity is achieved. there's a great serious novel in The Liar that Fry doesn't choose to write. instead, the book tails off into a bit of a happy-ending, how life should be, rather than how it is, spies and detectives thing. unlike Fry in his avuncular, public guise, the books don't want to be liked too much. they drive the car towards the edge of the cliff. but they lack real daring, and Fry always pulls the car to a halt well before reaching the edge. then the ever-bashful (but not really) Fry gets out to tumultuous applause. still, both well worth reading.

I've read several of his. My favorite is Making History. It is about time travel and what might happen if Hitler had never lived. This idea has been done before in various forms, but Fry's take on it was fascinating, at least to me. He also used just enough historical fact, much of it very obscure details about Hitler's parents etc, that it was believable in a way. Anyway, I liked it very much, and incredibly, it is funny as well in places. I read The Liar, and two others, something like Wapshot is my Washpot (?) and another about a Hippopotamus (?) I found them all quite enjoyable. And chant is right, Fry's writing is very different from his public personna. Don't start reading Fry with the idea you will be getting Fry & Laurie on the printed page.

I've also read several. I found them to be witty, insightful, self mocking and hillarious. On the other hand there's a fair bit of poposity in there too which i expect would put most people off. Still.... worth it for holliday or long journey's definately

thankyou - I'll try another in time. Oh and it's Moab is my Washpot (a Biblical reference) Justyn!