The book I most recently read was Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley (Penguin, £4.99 in UK). The idea of creating a "perfect" human being and bringing it to life made for an absorbing read - an early idea of genetic engineering, perhaps? However, when Frankenstein realised what exactly he had created, he was horrified. The repercussions are also horrific and result in Frankenstein losing all he holds dear. This novel was written in a remarkably clever way, with the "hero" striving for greatness and hoping to benefit mankind, yet it all goes wrong for him, as his dreams are shattered and his life utterly destroyed. It is a moving novel, written with perception, and it resonates today in light of current concerns about scientific advances. Shelley's novel certainly does deserve its place among the classics.