People of Britain, I thank you

... for borrowing twice as many of my books from our excellent public libraries in 2006 as in 2005. This I have learnt today from my annual public lending right statement. And as per last year, guess what, the hack work is streets ahead of Original Ben.

The precise numbers are between me and the taxman, so let's just say that the following titles have paid for the following percentages of our bathroom redecoration:

• Vampire Plagues London: 30%
• Vampire Plagues Paris: 25%
• Vampire Plagues Mexico: 17%
• Midnight Library: End Game: 12%
• The New World Order: 6%
• The Xenocide Mission hb: 4%
• The Xenocide Mission pb: 3%
• His Majesty's Starship: 1%
• Winged Chariot: 1%

Which doesn't quite make 100% but that's because some figures are rounded up, down or sideways. But my gratitude is a full 100% yours.