Ruth

This sounds fascinating. I'm going to put it straight onto my wish list. Thanks for a great review Julie The Green Mile is one of my favourite films, and one of my favourite books. And I agree about Shawshank Redemption - it's a rare case of the film being better than the book. I have spurts of watching movies; I like the old ones from the 40s - 60s the best, because I like a lot of the stars from that era. Julie, I don't think there's anything unusual about not watching many films...different people like different things Thanks - Dead Man Walking is one of my favourite books. It just really affected me and made me think. I've learned a lot more about Sister Helen Prejean since reading it, and she really is quite a remarkable woman. There is a film adaptation of Dead Man Walking, with Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. It's not as good as the book, because there is a lot of detail in the book which couldn't really go in the film (statistics and such like), but it is worth a watch. I've just realised that in this reply, I have referred to three films I love, all of which are about life in prison. I assure you all that I do like other genres as well!

The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson On his 100th birthday, Allan Karlsson decides to escape from the old people’s home in Sweden where he lives, and climbs out of the window. When the disappearance is discovered, a huge search is launched, with everybody wondering what has happened to the centenarian. The truth is stranger than they could possibly imagine. As Allan gets involved with, amongst others, a lifelong petty crook, a foul mouthed woman, and an elephant(!), he finds himself accidentally becoming rich, and evading gangsters; he takes all this in his stride – as, it turns out, he has been doing his whole life. The chapters in this book alternate between 2005, when Allan makes the aforementioned bid for freedom, and his life prior to ending up in the old people’s home. And what a life it’s been! It turns out that Allan has met several world leaders (including Stalin, Chairman Mao, Churchill, and three American Presidents), and has also had a huge influence on world events. Throughout it all, he has spoken his mind, kept his temper, and enjoyed a glass or two of Vodka whenever he can. I wasn’t sure about this book at first. The premise is pretty ridiculous, and there was also a lot of repetitive phrases used throughout, which did grate a bit at times. However, it does have a certain kind of charm which won me over, at least enough to keep me listening, (I had the audiobook), because I did want to know what happened. Allan was in turn frustrating and endearing. In the end, I had to admire his attitude to life; he was pragmatic, but also able to use his brain to get him out of a sticky situation – a skill which came in handy on more than one occasion. His companions weren’t as well depicted, but then, it’s not really their story. The historical parts were interesting – although Allan’s part in events were entirely fictitious, the situations described, such as the Cold War, and Chinese Communist Revolution, were very real, and I think this book would be entertaining for 20th century history buffs. Overall, I enjoyed the story – maybe not enough to read another book by the same author, but enough to recommend it to fans of quirky comedy.

The Moon's a Balloon, by David Niven David Niven tells his life story (or at the least the first part of it) in this book, and he does it in wonderfully entertaining, genuinely amusing and often quite touching fashion. From his early life with a distant stepfather, through his life in the Highland Light Infantry, before deciding to give up a military career to try his luck in Hollywood (although he returned to Britain to fight in World War II), Niven takes the reader on a journey packed with anecdotes and funny interludes. As he explains in the introduction, he drops names all over the place, particularly while talking about his film career, but he remains respectful throughout, and his genuine affection and respect for many of his contemporaries comes through. His stories – both of his Hollywood life, and his military career – are peppered with laugh-out-loud one-liners; several times I would burst out laughing and then insist on reading bits out to my husband. Niven is truly a wonderful storyteller and raconteur – he is also self-effacing and honest about his own shortcomings, and modest about his talents as an actor. Details of his film career also reveal some of Hollywood’s machinations, and by the end of the book – which was published in 1972 – it’s clear that he is unhappy about a changing film industry. Unlike many such memoirs, Niven did not use a ghostwriter – the writing is his own – and he has a lovely turn of phrase, but is also capable of showing genuine emotion, such as when he describes the tragic death of his first wife, which had me struggling to hold back tears. If you are at all interested in David Niven, or Hollywood in the 40s – 60s, I would definitely recommend this book.

Thanks Hope you enjoy it.

Kiss My Asterisk, by Jenny Baranick Okay, confession time. First of all, I think my grammar and spelling are okay, maybe even pretty good. (Actually, I don’t want to boast, but my spelling is good, due to lots and lots of childhood practice. But just in case I’m sounding too pleased with myself, I’ll admit right now that I’m rubbish at science and maths.) Anyway, I digress. My confession is that I find when it comes to grammar, I tend to know what’s right and what’s wrong, but sometimes I don’t exactly know why something is right or wrong. Kiss My Asterisk is described on the cover as ‘A Feisty Guide to Punctuation and Grammar’ and that sums it up pretty well. Baranick is an English Professor, who teaches classes on grammar, and therefore she knows what she’s talking about,and she knows how to make it interesting. There are 17 bite-size chapters, with titles such as ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bars: En Dashes, Em Dashes and Hyphens’, ‘Avoid Premature Ejaculation: Email Etiquette’ and ‘Missed Periods: Run-On Sentences’. Each chapter is clearly explained and contains plenty of funny examples of when to use/not use certain punctuation, etc.. There are also exercises at the end of each chapter (don’t worry, they’re only very quick; it doesn’t feel like homework). Baranick is very engaging and witty, and even if you don’t always need the advice she’s giving, it’s still fun to read. I think this book would be ideal to keep nearby if you do a lot of writing, and ever have questions about grammar. Definitely recommended.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. I know it's hugely popular, but it did nothing for me. Dracula - the book bored me, although I loved the recent TV adaptation. Brideshead Revisited - in fairness, I think this was the right book at the wrong time. I've kept it, because I suspect I might enjoy it if I read it again.

Thanks To be fair, a lot of other reviewers seem to have loved the ending; I'm in the minority I think. It's still worth reading though, either way

Perfect, by Rachel Joyce This book has two timelines, the first of which is in 1972, when two seconds were added to time. Those two seconds proved disastrous for Byron Hemmings when he believes that they are the reason an accident which caused his mother to have a breakdown. Byron and his friend James start a campaign called Operation Perfect, to rescue Byron’s mother from her downward spiral. The second timeline is set in the present day, and concentrates on Jim, a man in his 50s, who suffers with chronic OCD, and is haunted by the events of his past. I enjoyed the book for the most part – the writing was lovely and the story flowed well. The characters were believable, and Byron’s helplessness as he watches his mother sink into depression, which is not helped by the manipulative character of her new friend Beverly. This storyline was probably the more interesting of the two, as there was more happening. However, the character of Jim in the present day storyline, was well drawn – his crippling and debilitating OCD was wonderfully described, and it was impossible not to feel sorry for him, and to hope that things would get better for him. However, I did find the ending, where the connection between the two story lines – hinted at many times earlier in the story, but not fully explained – was a slight disappointment, and the slight twist was not really necessary. So overall, I would say that Perfect is not perfect, but it’s an enjoyable and absorbing read.

Thanks I didn't know a lot about du Maurier's personal life, but I loved Rebecca. I don't think you would need to read Rebecca, but if you know basic story of it, it would be probably be an advantage before reading this book. Same with Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Daphne is definitely an interesting book Thanks Frankie I don't know if you've read any Louis Theroux, but the Jon Ronson book reminded a bit of his book The Call of the Weird - if you liked one, you would definitely like the other. I really enjoyed Bluestockings and Delusions of Gender. Bluestockings is an easier read, as there is quite a lot of sciencey (is that even a word) stuff in Delusions of Gender, and I had to work to wrap my head around that, but it was worth the effort The Shadow Year and The Witch's Cradle are both pretty easy and quick reads (and if you like The Witch's Cradle, then I definitely recommend Copycat by the same author. Great, great book). I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt that way about Uncle Tom's Cabin. I'm glad I read it, but I think I was expecting to love it, and I just didn't. I read The Hours a few years ago, and at the time I must admit I didn't like it much. Having said that I knew very little about Virginia Woolf and I think if I had known more, I would have enjoyed The Hours more. But it's one of those books which even though I wasn't sure about it, I kept it to read again one day, because I think I could enjoy it if I was in the right mood for it (which I probably wasn't before). You're right, the tone of Daphne is very similar to the tone of The Hours.

I have The Cry, but haven't read it yet - glad you enjoyed it. I also have not read In One Person, but I almost certainly will at some point, as I John Irving to be an intriguing writer, who always pulls me in. Have you read The World According to Garp? I loved that book

Daphne, by Justine Picardie This book features revolves around three characters, these being Daphne Du Maurier during the late 1950s, when she is facing problems in her personal life, and struggling to write a biography of Branwell Bronte (brother of Charlotte, Emily and Anne); Bronte scholar J. Alex Symington, who like Daphne, is fascinated by the life of Branwell Bronte, and who corresponds with her about the Branwell biography; and an unnamed young woman in the present day, who is preoccupied with Daphne Du Maurier, and who is unhappily married to a much older man, and is haunted by thoughts of his first wife Rachel. The book is eloquently written, and Picardie clearly meticulously researched her subject. It is something of a literary mystery, as Du Maurier attempts to prove whether or not some of Branwell’s work was credited to Charlotte or Emily Bronte, and it also becomes apparent that Symington’s career with the Bronte society ended in disgrace as he was accused of stealing Bronte manuscripts during his time as curator of the Bronte Museum. This is all based on real life events, and did make for fascinating reading. Although it is a fictionalised account of this time in Daphne Du Maurier’s life, her problematic marriage, and her desire to be seen by the critics who dismiss her talents, as more than just a best selling novelist were all too real. For his part, Symington was not a particularly likeable character, and as his story is told, he is revealed to be an unreliable source of information. For all that however, it was hard not to have some sympathy with him, trapped as he was by his misdeeds in the past, which he is able to justify to himself but to nobody else. I also enjoyed the modern day narrative, which is the only one told in the first person. There are some none too subtle similarities with Du Maurier’s ‘Rebecca’ – the unnamed narrator being the timid second wife of her older and more worldly husband, the obsession with her husband’s first wife, and the narrator’s feelings of loneliness and isolation. In fact, this entire narrative could have been cut out of the book, without it affecting the stories of Du Maurier and Symington, but it made for enjoyable reading, particularly where the narrator started to research Du Maurier and her connection with the Brontes. I would say that some prior knowledge of both Daphne Du Maurier’s books and the works of Charlotte and Emily Bronte would be advantageous before reading this book, as several references are made to them. (incidentally, Anne Bronte barely gets a mention in this book, although she was herself an acclaimed novelist.) Reading it certainly made me want to discover more about tDu Maurier’s life. Overall, I think that the book is absorbing, but the individual crisis that each main character is facing made it a dispiriting read at times. That said, I would still highly recommend it for Bronte and (especially) Du Maurier enthusiasts.

He was nominated for an Oscar for his role in The Towering Inferno Anthony Perkins was in On The Beach, but I can't remember any of the others apart from those mentioned.

Yes, she was I suppose I imagine that more people would feel like Moira, and less would feel like, say, Mary. But of course I suppose none of us can really know how people would react in such a situation (and I sure hope that we never get to find out!) I can understand how the idea of killing her baby was so abhorrent to her - it would be to anybody, even with the knowledge that the baby was going to die an even more horrible death if her parents didn't kill her. I should think being in that position would be enough to push anyone close to the edge, or over it. I always remember thinking that the casting was a bit unusual, in that neither Ava Gardner nor Fred Astaire fitted the characters they played, although it worked quite well. I happened across the Armand Assante version the other week on tv, but it was almost over - I only found it by accident - so I didn't watch it, but am going to keep an eye out for it coming on again.

By the way, sorry if this isn't the right place to mention it, and I don't want to derail this discussion (which is making for really interesting reading ), but I was wondering if anyone else had seen the 1959 film adaptation, with Gregory Peck as Dwight and Ava Gardner as Moira. There are a few changes.... and Fred Astaire plays Peter, so the character is obviously older in the film than the book. It's interesting viewing though, although Nevil Shute was apparently displeased with it. I think this is what I had a problem with. On the one hand, I take the point that, what else could they do? But the whole pretence of what they would be doing next year for instance....Moira was the only one who really seemed to get a bit frustrated at them pretending as though they would even be there the next year, which seemed odd to me.

1- Who was your favourite character? Were there any characters whom you disliked? Dwight (probably) was my favourite. I liked Moira too...I think her behaviour was understandable under the circumstances. There were no characters I actively disliked, but I wasn't overkeen on Mary. 2- Was there a particular part you enjoyed more than the rest? The race. What I found interesting was how people died during the race, and spectators were quite blasé about it, because they all knew it wasn't going to be long before they all died anyway. In fact, in a way it was a kind of choice to die doing something they enjoyed, rather than dying of the radiation. 3- Did you like the writing? What did you think of the way the story was told? Yes, I liked the writing, although I thought it was a bit dated. I enjoyed the way the story was told, although I didn't think it was entirely believable. Everyone was so dignified and respectful in the face of death, and sadly I fear that in reality there would be anarchy, rioting and looting. So it didn't strike me as realistic in the way that other dystopian novels have. 4- Was this the first book you've read by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? Yes, it was the first book I've read by this author. I wouldn't rush out to read more books by Nevil Shute, but equally it didn't put me off reading more by him (that kind of reads like a politician's reply ) 5- Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? Not really. As with all books, I enjoyed some parts more than others, but there were no bits that seemed tedious. 6- Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience? I'd give it 7/10, so yes pretty enjoyable.

Thanks It was made into a tv comedy in the 1970s, starring Leonard Rossiter. It was also remade a few years ago with Martin Clunes in the main role....I saw the Martin Clunes version and quite liked it, but have never seen the original although it was a big hit.

The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, by David Nobbs Reginald Perrin is going through something of a mid-life crisis. Sick of the minutiae of his job at Sunshine Desserts, he is driven to desperate measures, and decides to steal a giant lorry shaped like a jelly, fake his own death, and start a new life. This book – the first in a series of three – tells of Reggie’s adventures as he tries to find a meaning to this life. The very first line – “When Reginald Iolanthe Perrin set out for work on the Thursday morning, he had no intention of calling his mother-in-law a hippopotamus” – gave me a clue that this book was going to be funny, and somewhat surreal. What I didn’t expect was that it would actually be tinged with melancholy too. It’s easy to sympathise with Reggie’s frustration at his colleagues and his job, although the measures he took to find something more to live for were admittedly drastic and ridiculous. Nobbs balances the melancholy out with lots of laughter though. During the first part of the book, I was amused on several occasions, but not enough to make me really laugh. However, then came the scene describing the funniest dinner party I have ever read about, which actually gave me a stomach ache from laughing so hard. The book takes a bizarre turn towards the end, and and while it was supposed to be satirical, it didn’t strike quite the right note with me, because it was just TOO unbelievable. However, I did enjoy it overall, and certainly intend to read the next two books in the series.

My Week With Marilyn. Loved it - Michelle Williams was great, and so was Judi Dench (obviously), but for me, Kenneth Branagh stole every scene. He was just wonderful. I am a big fan of Kenneth Branagh anyway though

I like the show, and think the actress playing the mother is perfect for the part. I preferred the earlier seasons, and felt it dipped a bit in the middle (I just got a bit tired of all the back and forth between Ted/Robin/Barney), but I am really enjoying the last season.

I agree completely. I have heard all sorts of arguments against gay marriage in the media, and not one of them has given me ANY reason to think that gay marriage should not be allowed. Goodness me, there is enough hate in this world....if two people want to declare their love for each other and show the world that they want to be together, then that's a wonderful thing.

I bought it ages ago in a charity shop, because it was really cheap. Goodness knows when (or if) I would have got around to reading it, if a friend hadn't read it and recommended it. Although after I read it, she said that she also found it very preachy. But at least it's another one off my ever-growing tbr!

Thank you everyone It was always one of those books that I felt I should read, rather than one that I really really wanted to read. But yes, the preachiness did annoy me. I feel that the story could have been told without it, or at least without most of it. It took me two weeks to read, which is a pretty long time for me to read a book that is just over 400 pages. I'm glad I have read it, but don't think I'll be rereading it at any point.

Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Beecher Stowe was a staunch advocate for the abolishment of slavery in the mid-1800s, and Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which is her most famous book, was a novel about the evils of slavery and the slave trade. It is said that when Beecher Stowe met Abraham Lincoln, he said to her, “So you are the little lady who wrote the book that started this great war in reference to the American Civil War. However, while is it certainly true that the two met, it has never been confirmed that Lincoln said such a thing, although I can see why the book would have caused a large stir when it was released. The titular character starts the novel as a slave owned by Mr and Mrs Shelby. He has lived for several years on their plantation, and has a wife and children there. Due to financial woes, Mr Shelby sells him to a slave trader, and the novel follows Tom’s life through two more owners. It talks about the other people he meets, some benevolent, such as Augustine St Clare, who determines to give Tom his freedom, and others not so. Because of the historical and political significance of this book, I really really wanted to like it. I had meant to read it for ages, and finally picked it up after a friend told me she had enjoyed it. And the thing is…I came away a bit disappointed. The main thing that hit me about this book was just how preachy it is. There’s a lot of religion in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. A LOT. And people are divided into one of three categories. If you are a Christian, you are a good person. If you are not a Christian, you are an evil person. If you are not a Christian but are striving to be, you will probably be a good person in the end. I understand that books have to be read in context; it’s important to remember when this novel was written, but whereas some classics age well, Uncle Tom’s Cabin has aged badly (well, it’s just my little opinion of course). It’s overwhelming preachiness – which appears without fail on at least one out of every two pages – got somewhat tiring after a while. It’s a shame, because when Beecher Stowe stepped away from the religious aspect, her writing could be quite enjoyable and even amusing. I’m not a religious person, but I don’t have anything against religion. I just don’t need it ramming down my throat quite so often, or to be told that anybody who is not a Christian is inherently bad. Also, for a book which strives so hard to point out that slaves are just as much people as anyone else (which sounds obvious in today’s world, but again remembering when this was written – slaves were seen as commodities or possessions, nothing more), it is a shame that the slaves themselves are spoken about in broad stereotypes (several times, Beecher Stowe makes reference to a trait that is common “to their race.”), and rather patronisingly. Although there is little characterisation, the story itself was a quite enthralling one, and would have been much more enjoyable if it had been told as a more straightforward narrative without the religious lecturing part. My favourite part was the section of the book where Tom was living with the St Clare family, and within the confines of his situation was happy. The ending contained a ridiculous amount of coincidence, which made the last few pages hard to take seriously, but I cannot deny that the book did make me cry on a couple of occasions. I think I would probably recommend this book, but more because of its significance, rather than because I especially enjoyed it. At times, it wasenjoyable, but I found it hard going at times. Nonetheless, it did help to change the widely held view that slavery was acceptable, and it’s worth reading the book that managed to do such a thing.

Hi Little Pixie I would have responded earlier, but have had my nose in my latest book, which I was struggling with a bit Anyway, yes, I think Bluestockings does mention that about Durham, and it talked about how women could study at certain universities prior to that, but despite doing the same amount of work as the male students etc., they were not allowed to be awarded degrees! Fascinating book - I'd definitely recommend it.

I love The Ladykillers, it's just such a funny film I saw the stage play of it last year - it was SO good!