Lady Florida. Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Happy Birthday Violet Crown! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 VC -- Happy Birthday!!!! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 VC-- HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! :party: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Happy birthday VC! I hope you get lots of new books and none of them written in the last century! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Today I read Lilith Saintcrow's Trailer Park Fae. Perhaps it's more appropriate to say that I read some sixty pages, moved ahead, read a few bits, and then read the final hundred pages. While I've read (more completely) and enjoyed some of this author's books in the past, this one didn't quite work for me. Here's an interesting review by Liz Bourke, the last line with which I agree with wholeheartedly. "Not every book, sad to say, is for every reader." A more favorable review can be found here. Regards, Kareni 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Happy Birthday Violet Crown! :) 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 A day late, but Happy Birthday Violet Crown! Sending you best wishes for a delightful year. Trumpet fanfare! Jane 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 A few weeks ago Kareni discovered one of my favourite authors had a new book coming out. Not part of the Pink Carnation series that I have been reading at a leisurely pace but a stand alone. Her series has two separate storylines both of which I enjoy but they can be disconcerting. Rarely do I read huge chunks of those books at once. Honestly I wish they were separated but they are good. Lauren Willig's The Other Daughter was great. :) I started it this morning because I need to return it soon. Dh had a business meeting and the dc's were busy with independent work and I just sat there and kept turning the pages until it was over. A young woman discovers that her dead father is still alive after her mothers death. Not just alive but an Earl with a family. The book is her reation to her new situation set in the post WWI world. Quite Downton Abbey in places. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23014679-the-other-daughter By the way I like this author much better in the first person without the time shifts. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Happy birthday Violet Crown! I hope it was a fun day. I finished When the Emperor Was Divine. It was written before, but takes place after The Buddha in the Attic. I read Buddha first for no good reason. I didn't even set out to read both, lol. These are both beautifully written, very easy to fall into, and also quite short. Each one took me a couple hours to get through. If you are looking for something that doesn't have a huge commitment I highly recommend them. They are not a series or anything like that, just deal similar topics. They can be read together, one not the other or in any order you wish. I will finish Suspended Sentences by Modiano this week and have "A Sense of an Ending" to start next. After that, I am thinking I will read "White Teeth". However, I have several books on hold, so we'll see if any of those come in first. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Lauren Willig's The Other Daughter was great. ... By the way I like this author much better in the first person without the time shifts. Have you also read her book That Summer: A Novel? It's not part of the Pink Carnation series, but it does have the two time lines. "2009: When Julia Conley hears that she has inherited a house outside London from an unknown great-aunt, she assumes it's a joke. She hasn't been back to England since the car crash that killed her mother when she was six, an event she remembers only in her nightmares. But when she arrives at Herne Hill to sort through the house--with the help of her cousin Natasha and sexy antiques dealer Nicholas--bits of memory start coming back. And then she discovers a pre-Raphaelite painting, hidden behind the false back of an old wardrobe, and a window onto the house's shrouded history begins to open... 1849: Imogen Grantham has spent nearly a decade trapped in a loveless marriage to a much older man, Arthur. The one bright spot in her life is her step-daughter, Evie, a high-spirited sixteen year old who is the closest thing to a child Imogen hopes to have. But everything changes when three young painters come to see Arthur's collection of medieval artifacts, including Gavin Thorne, a quiet man with the unsettling ability to read Imogen better than anyone ever has. When Arthur hires Gavin to paint her portrait, none of them can guess what the hands of fate have set in motion. From modern-day England to the early days of the Preraphaelite movement, Lauren Willig's That Summer takes readers on an un-put-downable journey through a mysterious old house, a hidden love affair, and one woman's search for the truth about her past--and herself." Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I will finish Suspended Sentences by Modiano this week and have "A Sense of an Ending" to start next. After that, I am thinking I will read "White Teeth". However, I have several books on hold, so we'll see if any of those come in first. Let me know what you think of White Teeth. I thought the Masterpiece dramatization of Zadie Smith's novel that aired over ten years ago was quite interesting. In fact, I think that I have been telling myself for the last ten years that I really should read the book. Thanks for the reminder! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Thanks y'all for the birthday greetings. :) Actually I spent most of the day in a walking coma because we got back from our family weekend at Carlsbad Caverns at two a.m. after a long drive across the Whole Lot of Flat Nothing that is west Texas, and the cat decided to punish me by spending the rest of the night throwing up on the carpet. So today is the Transferred Observance of my birthday. And yes, I am hoping for books out of it. Anyone want an elderly obese cat with occasional digestive problems? Favorite excerpt from A History of Private Life: "The tonsure was a sign of slave status, which the clergy used to signify subservience to Christ. Women's hair was left uncut, and judging by the long hairpins that have survived, it must have been artfully displayed. To tonsure a free boy or girl was punishable by a fine of 45 solidi under Salic Law, reduced to 42 solidi in the case of girls under Burgundian Law. Burgundian Law further specified that the offense should not be punished if it occurred outside the girl's house during the course of a battle in which she took part." 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 A late happy birthday, VC! I'm currently reading Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote to check it off my list. It is different from the movie, of course. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 White Teeth is a book I've been meaning to read for years too. (Or any Zadie Smith book, really.) Lol about the cat, VC. ;) :tongue_smilie: As a fellow cat co-exister, I feel your pain. They are totally worth it, imo. If you get any books, please be sure to come share titles here. :laugh: I have (barely) started The Martian & it's a rip-roaring tale so far. Really enjoying it. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Have you also read her book That Summer: A Novel? It's not part of the Pink Carnation series, but it does have the two time lines. "2009: When Julia Conley hears that she has inherited a house outside London from an unknown great-aunt, she assumes it's a joke. She hasn't been back to England since the car crash that killed her mother when she was six, an event she remembers only in her nightmares. But when she arrives at Herne Hill to sort through the house--with the help of her cousin Natasha and sexy antiques dealer Nicholas--bits of memory start coming back. And then she discovers a pre-Raphaelite painting, hidden behind the false back of an old wardrobe, and a window onto the house's shrouded history begins to open... 1849: Imogen Grantham has spent nearly a decade trapped in a loveless marriage to a much older man, Arthur. The one bright spot in her life is her step-daughter, Evie, a high-spirited sixteen year old who is the closest thing to a child Imogen hopes to have. But everything changes when three young painters come to see Arthur's collection of medieval artifacts, including Gavin Thorne, a quiet man with the unsettling ability to read Imogen better than anyone ever has. When Arthur hires Gavin to paint her portrait, none of them can guess what the hands of fate have set in motion. From modern-day England to the early days of the Preraphaelite movement, Lauren Willig's That Summer takes readers on an un-put-downable journey through a mysterious old house, a hidden love affair, and one woman's search for the truth about her past--and herself." Regards, Kareni No, I haven't. It looks good but isn't available to me in book form at this time. I just looked and can get it as audio and I don't think I could when searching for the Pink Carnation books and the Other Daughter. I think I will wait a couple of months and see if it turns up as a kindle book. I just don't do audiobooks which is probably unfortunate. When I craft I like the telly. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 White Teeth is a book I've been meaning to read for years too. (Or any Zadie Smith book, really.) Lol about the cat, VC. ;) :tongue_smilie: As a fellow cat co-exister, I feel your pain. They are totally worth it, imo. If you get any books, please be sure to come share titles here. :laugh: I have (barely) started The Martian & it's a rip-roaring tale so far. Really enjoying it. I am third in line, and then, it will be in my hot little hands! I can't wait to read this one. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Happy (belated) Birthday, Violet Crown! I fell into a book hole and finally crawled out for sunlight yesterday. I read Life as We Knew It (4-5 stars), The Dead & The Gone (3-4 stars), and This World We live in (3 stars). Then I started The Shade of the Moon and it made me just viscerally angry. Such a completely unsympathetic character and it made me so upset. I'd say a negative 12 stars or so for that one. I don't remember the last book that made me that upset. So now I'm back to reading Son of Neptune and I picked up The Diet Cure. Hopefully that last one is a miracle. ;) 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I have (barely) started The Martian & it's a rip-roaring tale so far. Really enjoying it. I've been hearing such good things about this book that we're going to pick it up for our next months book club. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I was browsing a book yesterday that might be of interest to those of you who write ~ Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction by Jeff VanderMeer "This all-new definitive guide to writing imaginative fiction takes a completely novel approach and fully exploits the visual nature of fantasy through original drawings, maps, renderings, and exercises to create a spectacularly beautiful and inspiring object. Employing an accessible, example-rich approach, Wonderbook energizes and motivates while also providing practical, nuts-and-bolts information needed to improve as a writer. Aimed at aspiring and intermediate-level writers, Wonderbook includes helpful sidebars and essays from some of the biggest names in fantasy today, such as George R. R. Martin, Lev Grossman, Neil Gaiman, Michael Moorcock, Catherynne M. Valente, and Karen Joy Fowler, to name a few." It's quite a visually stunning book! You can see some sample pages with the Look Inside feature at the Amazon link above. *** Recently I won this book ~ Lists of Note: An Eclectic Collection Deserving of a Wider Audience compiled by Shaun Usher My husband and I shared a pleasant couple of hours with me reading him various lists. Some are amusing, some are more serious. I'd describe this as a coffee table book that's fun to dip into. "Lists of Note curates 125 unputdownable entries from a list of names that are as eclectic and intriguing as its contents, which include myriad reasons given by ancient Egyptians for missing work, Albert Einstein's demands of his estranged wife, F. Scott Fitzgerald's extensive conjugation of "to cocktail," and many more. Rarely intended for the public eye, these lists reveal hopes, priorities, and musings in a most engaging and entertaining way. Each transcript is accompanied by an artwork, most a captivating facsimile of the list itself. Richly visual and irresistibly readable, Lists of Note is a testament to the human urge to bring order to, poke fun at, and find meaning in the world around us—and is a gift of endless enjoyment and lasting value." Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Happy Belated Birthday, VC!!! Stacia, I hope The Martian ends your reading slump. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Well, drats! I had a list of about six interesting links and my browser crashed. Let's see if I can find them again. And boy am I happy I typed this all into a separate document as it crashed again.**“Until now, Shi zhu zhai shu hua pu (Manual of Calligraphy and Painting), was deemed too fragile to be opened, let alone viewed by the public. The 17th century compilation of 50 artists and calligraphers contains the first known instance of multicoloured printing ever, is reputed to be “the most beautiful†set of prints of its kind, and has just been made available through Cambridge University’s Digital Library.†World’s Oldest Multicolor Printed Book Opened and Digitized for the First Time**I'm a great fan of Clue (the game); anyone else? This post is from someone who loves Clue, the movie. One Plus Two Plus Two Plus One – 6 Books for People Who Love Clue**Recently I posted about favorite first lines; here's a Goodreads survey of readers’ 20 Favorite Last Lines in Books**Some wonderful book art from around the world.**A couple of posts about maps in books ~On maps in children’s books (and how much we love them) by Emily GaleandOn Maps in Fantasy Novels by A.J. O'Connell ** Regards, Kareni 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Late to the party, as seems to be the norm these days, but Robin, Happy Anniversary and VC, Many Happy Returns of the Day. A slice of virtual cake for you both and a glass of wine raised in your honor. Insert fabulous gif of delicious-looking cake and a luxe glass of wine, deep red with the light hitting it in just the right way so as to ennoble the grape that has fermented for so long. Still reading the same trio of fiction plus I've added The True Source of Healing by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. It's not the first book of his I've read and I've attended some of his talks and workshops. He writes with clarity and accessibility. We'll see how I get along with this one. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 On Maps in Fantasy Novels by A.J. O'Connell I love maps in fantasy novels! I'm glad they talked about Rothfuss in there, too. The vague map has a lot of hardcore fans hypothesizing. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Birthday books! Thomas de Quincey, The English Mail Coach and Other Essays http://images.worldofrarebooks.co.uk/1411066111SRG_1.jpg http://publicdomainreview.org/2013/02/20/still-booking-on-de-quinceys-mail-coach/ John Dewey, Human Nature and Conduct http://www.booksontheblvd.com/si/45314.html The Philosophy of William James http://www.amazon.co.uk/philosophy-William-modern-library-worlds/dp/B0007DFCEO Aristophanes, Lysistrata, The Acharnians, The Clouds http://www.amazon.com/Lysistrata-Other-Plays-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140448144 ... and an extra, for Middle Girl ... Barbara Byfield, The Glass Harmonica http://desturmobed.blogspot.com/2013/12/barbara-ninde-byfield.html 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share Posted August 26, 2015 Thank you everybody. We had a delightful and delicious dinner and today is John's birthday so I'm cooking a roast chicken and making homemade stuffing. We have a bottle of wine breathing for dinner. Yes, it's going to be late because I was out and about and didn't get the chicken defrosted in a timely manner. Oy! But I did find him the records he wanted, so all is well. Jenn, you were asking what my girls thought of the Disney movie version of Into the Woods vs. the theatrical version. We watched the Disney version last night. Their take was, it wasn't as good. They thought the 2nd half was super chaotic, and they didn't think the character development worked as well. They said in the movie you didn't really see any change in the Baker character, despite the song, but that in the theatrical version you really did. As far as my take - I hated it! I'm right there with your young audience member, I sobbed too - but during the witches song to Rapunzel. She was a nasty piece of work, not funny like in the theatrical version, but her misguided desire to protect her "daughter" was certainly relateable and heartwrenching. But I was also so pissed off about how the Baker's wife's death was handled! So she and the prince have their encounter in the woods, and what does he get? He gets to tell his wife "I'll always love the girl who ran." Schmucky cad, totally unpunished. While the Baker's wife? Married to a pretty ineffectual guy? She has a moment of weakness, kisses a prince, and promptly gets killed for it. Lots of mother hostility in that movie. I really and thoroughly disliked it, I thought it was super sexist, misogynistic, and anti-mother. I liked the play much better. No books to review at this point, but I should finish a couple today! So I'll post about that later. I was just all boiling over with my thoughts about Into the Woods! I'm right there with you regarding the movie. If it had ended at the happy part at the castle instead of continuing with the giant going on a rampage, it would have been a good movie. I hated the 2nd half right up to the ending. Jenn - enjoy your grand adventure Violet Crown -- hope you had an absolutely awesome birthday (whoops sorry to hear about your fur baby issue) Great haul of books. Guess I need to add The Martian to my reading list. :laugh: Sandra - got your post card - all those stairs, really? What a trooper. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Kareni, speaking of great first lines, I think it was the first paragraph of The Library at Mount Char that convinced me to read through till the end, even if it was iffy at times. It was such a grabber: Carolyn, blood-drenched and barefoot, walked alone down the two-lane stretch of blacktop that the Americans called Highway 78. Most of the librarians, Carolyn included, had come to think of this road as the Path of Tacos, so-called in honor of a Mexican joint they snuck out to sometimes. The guacamole, she remembered, is really good. Her stomach rumbled. Oak leaves, reddish-orange and delightfully crunchy, crackled underfoot as she walked. Her breath puffed white in the predawn air. The obsidian knife she had used to murder Detective Miner lay nestled in the small of her back, sharp and secret. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Forgot to mention a fabulous podcast I heard on CBC's Writers and Company with the stellar Eleanor Wachtel interviewing Scottish writer Ali Smith on her book, How to be Both which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and winner of several literary prizes in 2014. What a fascinating mind this author has! Interestingly there are two versions of the book available, the reasons for this dual existence described here... A NOTE TO THE READER:Who says stories reach everybody in the same order?This novel can be read in two ways and this book provides you with both.In half of all printed editions of the novel the narrative EYES comes before CAMERA.In the other half of printed editions the narrative CAMERA precedes EYES.The narratives are exactly the same in both versions, just in a different order.The books are intentionally printed in two different ways, so that readers can randomly have different experiences reading the same text. So, depending on which edition you happen to receive, the book will be: EYES, CAMERA, or CAMERA, EYES. Enjoy the adventure. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I finished Station Eleven last night. It was okay. I do wish I liked it better, especially since I did find it an easy read. Maybe I spent so much time reading it because I can't get into Salvage the Bones, my current book club book, and needed a way to avoid reading that one. Here is my goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1331861746 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Kareni, speaking of great first lines, I think it was the first paragraph of The Library at Mount Char that convinced me to read through till the end, even if it was iffy at times. It was such a grabber.... Yes, that was catchy; thanks for sharing it. Now I'm wondering what the last line was! Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Me too, unfortunately I already returned it, so I can't check. Not near as memorable, I don't think! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I'm out of likes! I finished Station Eleven last night. It was okay. I do wish I liked it better, especially since I did find it an easy read. Maybe I spent so much time reading it because I can't get into Salvage the Bones, my current book club book, and needed a way to avoid reading that one. Here is my goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1331861746 It stalled out for me half way through, but then came together in the end. I can see why you feel this way. Have you read The Passage? Excellent character development. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Happy belated birthday, VC! I have (barely) started The Martian & it's a rip-roaring tale so far. Really enjoying it. I moved The Martian to my Reading Now folder this morning. I haven't started it, just moved it, since I had to start school with the boys as soon as I finished Treasure Island. I am happy to say I enjoyed that one. I was a bit worried since I did not like Kidnapped. It was a little slow at points, but Treasure Island mostly kept my attention and was interesting. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Two books arrived in today's mail. From my Archipelago subscription, I have Ivan Vladislavic's novel The Folly which, according to the back cover, "echoes Jorge Luis Borges and David Lynch" as well as "brings to mind the work of Calvino and Beckett". Mighty big shoes to fill. The second is a Somerset Maugham volume that only came on my radar a week or so ago. As many of you are probably aware, my guilty pleasure is espionage. I love LeCarre's books featuring George Smiley, John Buchan's Hannay novels, Alan Furst's WWII espionage thrillers. When I was in elementary school, my hero was Emma Peel. (Wink.) In my middle age, I realize that John Steed's initial partner on the Avengers, Cathy Gale played by the wonderful Honor Blackman, is more my speed. Maybe I missed my true calling... I did not realize that Maugham had worked as a British operative which resulted in his novel Ashenden, published in the '60's with a cover usually not associated with an author of classics and one presumes a deviation from the initial cover dating from 1928: I had to own this. And now I do. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Happy belated birthday, VC! I moved The Martian to my Reading Now folder this morning. I haven't started it, just moved it, since I had to start school with the boys as soon as I finished Treasure Island. I am happy to say I enjoyed that one. I was a bit worried since I did not like Kidnapped. It was a little slow at points, but Treasure Island mostly kept my attention and was interesting. I checked yesterday and my library's copies of The Martian are either checked out or on hold. Then this morning the library's automated service called to say DH's 3 books on hold are ready for pick up. Here's hoping... Two books arrived in today's mail. From my Archipelago subscription, I have Ivan Vladislavic's novel The Folly which, according to the back cover, "echoes Jorge Luis Borges and David Lynch" as well as "brings to mind the work of Calvino and Beckett". Mighty big shoes to fill. Yeah, no kidding. I'm very intrigued. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I started a social group for people who want to discuss Fantasy & Sci-fi (TV, movies, or books). My Mom ordered me a few books for my birthday. They should arrive this weekend, so I'm curious to see what she thinks I like. :) For Brandon Sanderson fans and writers, there's a really good new blog post up by him here on pacing. :) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Jane, both books seem awesome. Can't wait to hear what you have to say about them. Mommiemilkies, looking forward to hearing what books you receive. Hope your birthday was happy! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Two books arrived in today's mail. From my Archipelago subscription, I have Ivan Vladislavic's novel The Folly which, according to the back cover, "echoes Jorge Luis Borges and David Lynch" as well as "brings to mind the work of Calvino and Beckett". Mighty big shoes to fill. The second is a Somerset Maugham volume that only came on my radar a week or so ago. As many of you are probably aware, my guilty pleasure is espionage. I love LeCarre's books featuring George Smiley, John Buchan's Hannay novels, Alan Furst's WWII espionage thrillers. When I was in elementary school, my hero was Emma Peel. (Wink.) In my middle age, I realize that John Steed's initial partner on the Avengers, Cathy Gale played by the wonderful Honor Blackman, is more my speed. Maybe I missed my true calling... I did not realize that Maugham had worked as a British operative which resulted in his novel Ashenden, published in the '60's with a cover usually not associated with an author of classics and one presumes a deviation from the initial cover dating from 1928: I had to own this. And now I do. I love the Avengers. They have been airing them on one of the channels here and I have been busy recording them. When dd and I sit down to work on our craft projects that is one of our main shows. Ds finds it boring! gasp!!!!!How could he!!! That cover is wonderful. He looks like Roger Moore (the Saint, another great one) and she is Mrs. Peel. Sigh, I probably need to find that book. Looking forward to your review. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I love the Avengers. They have been airing them on one of the channels here and I have been busy recording them. When dd and I sit down to work on our craft projects that is one of our main shows. Ds finds it boring! gasp!!!!!How could he!!! That cover is wonderful. He looks like Roger Moore (the Saint, another great one) and she is Mrs. Peel. Sigh, I probably need to find that book. Looking forward to your review. We still have a VCR because of the rather large collection of Avenger programs and Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons that I own. Those two series with The Prisoner are probably my favorite television programs of all time---although I may need to add a few Masterpiece Theater productions in there too, things like The Fortunes of War. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 We still have a VCR because of the rather large collection of Avenger programs and Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons that I own. Those two series with The Prisoner are probably my favorite television programs of all time---although I may need you to add a few Masterpiece Theater productions in there too, things like The Fortunes of War. We have the Prisoner also. The rest of the crew did a rewatch last winter when I was at my mom's. We like Bullwinkle too. lol. I will admit Dr. Who is probably my all time favorite, but I like the old Dr's. best. We are convinced Ds learned to read in order to be able to choose what Dr. Who tape we would watch next. ;) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I'll chime in to say that my husband and daughter are big fans of the Prisoner, too. (I only rarely watch anything on the screen, so I've never seen it. I've heard about a big ball though as well as Number Two and Number Six; do I get partial credit?) Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I'll chime in to say that my husband and daughter are big fans of the Prisoner, too. (I only rarely watch anything on the screen, so I've never seen it. I've heard about a big ball though as well as Number Two and Number Six; do I get partial credit?) Regards, Kareni "I am not a number, I am a free man." And yes I will give you partial credit! I have always wanted to go to Portmeirion (Wales) where The Prisoner was filmed. Mumto2, have you been? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Dare I suggest yet another podcast with Eleanor Wachtel? Why yes, yes I think I will because y'all are going to love this one on George Eliot's Middlemarch. I know there is a good handful of BaWers who are Middlemarch fans. This podcast is a panel discussion and exploration on why this book has been described as, wait for it, possibly the best novel ever written by the likes of Virginia Woolf, Emily Dickinson, Anthony Trollope, Lord Acton, A.S. Byatt, Martin Amis, Julian Barnes and on and on. It's a great listen! I'm tentatively inspired to revisit this novel which I read a few decades ago in uni. to see how it holds up. There seemed to be a common theme in the discussion on how this book gets better and better with age and rereading. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Judge a Book By Its Cover! :D How'd you do? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Judge a Book By Its Cover! :D How'd you do? I got three exactly right and did pretty bad on the others! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 "I am not a number, I am a free man." And yes I will give you partial credit! I have always wanted to go to Portmeirion (Wales) where The Prisoner was filmed. Mumto2, have you been? It was on our list last summer when we went to Wales. We never made it because we got distracted by Snowdon and spent our day climbing. It was a rare day with no rain in the forecast for Snowdon. It is on our list. Eventually we will make it! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Forgot to mention a fabulous podcast I heard on CBC's Writers and Company with the stellar Eleanor Wachtel interviewing Scottish writer Ali Smith on her book, How to be Both which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and winner of several literary prizes in 2014. What a fascinating mind this author has! Interestingly there are two versions of the book available, the reasons for this dual existence described here... A NOTE TO THE READER: Who says stories reach everybody in the same order? This novel can be read in two ways and this book provides you with both. In half of all printed editions of the novel the narrative EYES comes before CAMERA. In the other half of printed editions the narrative CAMERA precedes EYES. The narratives are exactly the same in both versions, just in a different order. The books are intentionally printed in two different ways, so that readers can randomly have different experiences reading the same text. So, depending on which edition you happen to receive, the book will be: EYES, CAMERA, or CAMERA, EYES. Enjoy the adventure. Not sure if you caught the mention last spring of the Canongate Myth Series, introduced to us by Rose. It includes a volume by Ali Smith. Last April I wrote: Thanks go to Rose for introducing me to the Canongate Myths Series. My library has a few of the volumes. This weekend I read Girl Meets Boy, Ali Smith's retelling of Ovid's story of Iphis, the girl who is turned into a boy. The new version of the myth not only deals with gender bending, but there is a back story on myth itself concerning modern day advertizing, namely the marketing of bottled water. Beautifully written little tale. And thanks for mentioning the podcast. I plan on listening to it today. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 It's been years since I've seen The Prisoner. Clearly I must invite myself over to somebody's house and rewatch the episodes. Patrick MacGoohan trivia: did you know he was the murderer on four episodes of Columbo? You'd think Peter Falk would start to be suspicious when he appeared. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Not sure if you caught the mention last spring of the Canongate Myth Series, introduced to us by Rose. It includes a volume by Ali Smith. So I checked and sure enough, the series is a project of Canongate Books, the Edinburgh publishers whose Scottish books I've been enjoying over the last few years. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 So I checked and sure enough, the series is a project of Canongate Books, the Edinburgh publishers whose Scottish books I've been enjoying over the last few years. You may have missed the spring chat on this series due to your Lenten sabbatical. I suspect some of the retellings may be of interest to your daughters. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Judge a Book By Its Cover! :D How'd you do? Well, evidently I'm "pretty damn judgey" with 74% accuracy. Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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