> Yes, I immediately agree with the selection of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. I have a big pile of Pratchett books by my bedside and the five Hitch Hiker books in one omnibus. In fact, I hardly ever read anything else. JK Rowling's pretty cool as well, but I still don't think she's as good as Pratchett. Incidentally, is Pratchett big over in the States (or Australia, New Zealand, Bongo-bongo land, wherever anyone comes from)? Over here the critics slate him without reprieve, conveniently not noticing that he's Britain's biggest-selling living author. I know the Harry Potter books have gone down well in America; have you got all four there yet? Oh yes, and (last question, I promise) has Terry Pratchett's work been changed in a similar way to JK Rowling's, in order to make it more accessible for the American market?
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I live neither in the States, nor Australia, nor Bongo-bongo land, but since you also listed "wherever anyone comes from" I think I should reply. In Germany Terry Pratchett isn't that big, but we (=my family) buy every book of his that we can get, in English, because the translator is, frankly, not good. For example he didn't spot the obvious, obvious, obvious Mary Poppins reference somewhere at the beginning of Hogfather: "Susan swore that she would beat herself to death with her own umbrella if she ever caught herself dancing on rooftops with a chimneysweep", or something in that direction, I don't have the book ready right now. Pratchett's and Adams' books are how I learnt English, basically. Incidentally, I *still* can't find Life, The Universe And Everything anywhere.

I haven't heard about books being manipulated for the American market before; to what extent does that happen? I think it's a terrible thing to do to debase a good author's works that way. I suppose I've read the original British versions of the Harry Potter books, since there would be no point in shipping them from the US.

Fuzzpilz