The Sum of All Fears by Clancy is absolutely great. Kinda long winded--I use audio tapes and a Walkman. If you haven't seen the movie it blows chunks.

cryptonomicon by neal stephenson, i think. partly hi-tech business intrigue (michael crichton style, sorta) partly ww2 fiction. its looooong, over 1000 pages.

also just read a trashy historical fiction called the spoils of hanover. it was like reading a soap opera script but there was lots of sex. [shrugs nonchalantly]

You want steamy historical sex? Read THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE by Michael Faber. I challenge anyone to resist becoming engrossed by this novel.

'steamy historical sex'
lol