Kell

I found rather an interesting tidbit on Wikipedia this morning regarding Flowerrs For Algernon: I am SO glad Keyes refused to rewrite the ending! I think it would have been terribly wrong to have Charlie and Alice marry for all the reasons I've mentioned previously. To me, someone who has been in a position of authority and trust over someone with Charlie's mental capabilities having such a relationship with one of their students, irrespective of their development, is completely amoral. What do the rest of you think of this proposed ending? Would it have ruined the story for you? Or would it have been a more satisfying conclusion?

Have been very naughty and ordered 4 new books from Amazon. Well, I HAD to! The story goes like this... My laptop is packing in, so I need a new computer. Have now ordered a PC and will probably never buy a cr@ptop again as this one (and hubby's one that he had before he went back to a PC) has been nothing but bother from day one. So, I also needed to order a new keyboard. Remembered I have a £5 vouvher waiting to be used at Amazon. Look at Amazon and find a very nice keyboard for a lot less than I had anticipated. So, of course, I thought to myself, "As long as I'm on Amazon and buying something, I might as well get a new book too. After all, I've just saved a fiver off the price of the much cheaper than expected keyboard!" Of course, I couldn't just stop at one, so on top of the much-needed keyboard, I also have winging their way to me: Kelley Armstrong - The Reckoning (Darkest Powers 3) - paperback Richard Castle - Naked Heat (Nikki Heat 2) - hardback Sherri Browning Erwin & Charlotte Bronte - Jane Slayre - paperback Terry Pratchett - I Shall Wear Midnight (Tiffany Aching 4) - hardback Now I just have to keep it quiet from hubby or he'll go spare! I should go and confess. "Forgive me Head Librarian, for I have sinned!"

Apart from the Neil Gaiman pic - it's stated on the website that they don't "do" celeb pics, but the Gaiman pic was sent in by his wife and it was put up to mark their one month "anniversary"

I definitely think we should all send in pics of hotties reading though (and for those members here who are male, send in pics of yourselves!). It would be so cool to see some names we recognise on there.

I found a few of the guys on the site quite hot. I like that they're regular guys rather than celebs. There's a "guy next door" appeal to many of them that's rather nice and it's refreshing to see something focusing on that rather than on shirtless movie stars etc for a change.

I love the Watch books best of all, but equally love it when they go out of AM - I'd love to see Vimes and Co out and about again...

I'm married to a Hot Guy Who Doesn't Read Books, but I'm bringing up a Very Cute Little Guy Who Loves Books. And my Hot Hubby Who Doesn't Read Books DOES read to my Very Cute Little Guy Who Loves Books. And here they are... Actually, I've just submitted my guys to the site...

There's a new Watch novel coming out in October called Snuff, which sounds rather good. I also thought you all might like the link to the latest Discworld Reading Order Guide (which has been updated to include Unseen Academicals) HERE.

If you read them in publication order, you can be sure you won't miss out on any story arcs, BUT the first couple of books are not the best by a long shot (in my opinion). You might like to start at the beginning of one of the subsets and get into them that way. If you decide to do that, you'll find THIS extremely useful. My favourite subsets are (in order): Watch Industrial Revolution Witches Death Ancient Civiliations Rincewind (my least favourite by far) I count the Young Adult novels ar separate, but they do also tie in with the others as is shown on the chart in the link. But anyway, to go back to your original question, I do recommend reading them in order, but it's up to you which method you choose. Oh, and Snuff will be a Watch book and will come after Thud and its companion book, Where's My Cow?

I't smany, many years since I read the short story (I think I was about 12 or 13 t the time), but I have no recollection of Fay being in it - only Alice. Has anyone else read the original short story more recently that might be able to confirm with us?

Just heard tell of a new Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett coming out this October... and it stars Vimes - yay! Snuff by Terry Pratchett (Discworld 39) According to the writer of the best selling crime novel ever to have been published in the city of Ankh-Morpork, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a policeman taking a holiday would barely have had time to open his suitcase before he finds his first corpse. And Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch is on holiday in the pleasant and innocent countryside, but not for him a mere body in the wardrobe, but many, many bodies and an ancient crime more terrible than murder. He is out of his jurisdiction, out of his depth, out of bacon sandwiches, occasionally snookered and occasionally out of his mind, but not out of guile. Where there is a crime there must be a finding, there must be a chase and there must be a punishment. They say that in the end all sins are forgiven. But not quite all...

I read this book a few years ago and loved it. I've never been a fan of Toksvig as a comedienne, but her writing skills far outstrip her comedic abilities (in my opinion) and this is nothing short of wonderful. My review is HERE.

1. Who was your favourite character and why? Algernon was actually my favourite character! That mouse was given such character and watching him as he degenerated, battering himself against the maze walls as he failed to work them out, was possibly even sadder than Charlie's because it forshadowed what would happen and Algernon had absolutely no understanding of what was happening to him, whereas Charlie did and used the time he had left as best he could. 2. Was there a particular part you enjoyed/disliked more than the rest? I wasn't keen on Alice becoming involved with Charlie. As she had been his teacher and known him before the operation, it felt omehow wrong, a flagrant abuse of position on her part, even though Charlie eventually surpassed her. Her being with him felt, to me, like when you read about school teachers getting involved with their underage pupils. 3. Was this the first book you've read in this genre/by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? I actually read the original short story version of Flowers For Algernon when I was at school and enjoyed it immensely. I cannot recall ever having read any of Keyes' other work though. I did enjoy this full-length novel, but I think I enjoyed the shorter version better, because I cannot recall it having any of the sex stuff in it (not that there was anything particularly graphic in this version) and I think the short story rang more true. I really should look for more of his work though. 4. Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? Mostly it was the relationship between Charlie and Alice that had me struggling, because it just felt so wrong. However, I can see it did play an important role in the plot. 5. Overall, did you find it an enjoyable experience? Yes, I did. However, I think the short story, as I remember it, has its merits and was perhaps better than the novel for bwing more concise. I shall have to see if I can get hold of a copy of the short story so I can re-read it and make a proper comparison, as I read it so long ago that my memory is perhaps rather more hazy than I should like!

It is assumed that you have read the book before reading posts in this thread, as the discussion might give away crucial points, and the continuous use of spoiler tags might hinder fluent reading of posts. Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes Synopsis: Charlie Gordon, IQ 68, is a floor sweeper, and the gentle butt of everyone's jokes, until and experiment in the enhancement of human intelligence turns him into a genius. But then Algernon, the mouse whose triumphal experimental transformation preceded his, fades and dies, and Charlie has to face the possibility that his salvation was only temporary. Some basic questions to consider: 1. Who was your favourite character and why? 2. Was there a particular part you enjoyed/disliked more than the rest? 3. Was this the first book you've read in this genre/by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? 4. Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? 5. Overall, did you find it an enjoyable experience? Additional questions (from MSU Edu): * What do you think is the perfect person? What do you think is Charlie’s idea of the perfect person? * Based on Charlie’s experience, in what ways do we measure intelligence? Is emotional health a part of that measurement? Should it be? Do we have to consider age or just maturity? * How do you feel about the tests given to Charlie and Algernon? Knowing that the tests done on Algernon can help Charlie, do you think animal testing is ethical / unethical? * Should Charlie have been allowed to make the decision to have surgery? Do you think he is capable of making that decision? Should Charlie’s sister, Norma, have been allowed to make the decision about Charlie’s operation? * In Charlie’s case, do you think is it better to enjoy ignorance than to live with the bitter truth? * Although Charlie’s awakening is bitter and painful, do you think it is better that he could experience it than never at all? * Knowing the risks of the operation, would you want to take the chance that Charlie did? * Do you believe Charlie is a better person after the operation because he is experiencing new emotions and learning new information? * We know that the Charlie’s operation changes his intellect, personality and emotions. However, do you think the operation that Charlie undergoes changes his identity? Self worth? * Do you think that “retarded” is a disability or part of one’s identity? * Do you think Professor Nemur and the other scientists have a responsibility to help people like Charlie, in any way they can, because science can make their lives better? (This question can lead into a discussion on medical ethics.) * Do you believe Charlie’s mother, Rose, cares about Charlie? * How do you think Charlie’s relationship with his mother has affected his relationship with Alice and Faye? What are the different types of love that Charlie experiences with Rose, Norma, Matt, Alice, Fay and Algernon? * Based on Charlie’s experiences with women (mother, Faye, Alice), what can Charlie really know of love? Is he better off knowing the bitter parts of love or as one who ignorantly thinks the best of people? Do you think his life has improved by experiencing and understanding those relationships? * How has Charlie’s operation affected his relationship with the people at the bakery? How you think they feel about Charlie? How do you know? * What do you think would have happened if Charlie never heard about the operation? What if he opted not to have the operation?

January Book Round-Up My goal this year is to finish 52 books – one for each week of the year, so for January I realistically had to finish 4 books and start a fifth one, which I managed to do, despite not seeming to have much time spare for reading! BOOKS FINISHED: 1. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons - Watchmen (RC) - 4/5 I pretty much guessed I would enjoy this graphic novel which was chosen for the January Reading Circle, despite not really getting into the film when I saw it a few years ago. I loved the clean lines of the artwork and the clarity of writing. 2. Daniel Keyes - Flowers For Algernon (RC) - 4/5 I thought I’d get a head start on February’s Reading Circle choice. I read the short story version of this novel when I was in school and loved it. This extended version was every bit as good as I remembered – poignant and moving. I look forward to discussing it next month. 3. Caro Ramsay - Absolution - 3/5 This was actually a gift from Christmas 2009 that I seemingly took forever to get round to reading. I’m glad I did though, as it’s a very good read and a strong debut novel. It did something that most crime novels don’t any more-it surprised me… Well worth picking up if you're a fan of crime fiction. 4. Jane Austen - Persuasion - 3/5 It’s only taken me, oh, about eight months to finish this novel! In the meantime I watched the BBC adaptation of it and, although I found it a little dull to watch, the story engaged me enough to persuade me to keep on with the novel, despite finding it incredibly dull to read. I persevered and got there in the end. I would have awarded only two stars if not for Wentworth’s letter which merited an extra star! It has now replaced Emma as my least favourite of Austen’s novels (I still have Sense and Sensibility to read), but I’m glad I read it and it was still better than some others I’ve finished in the past! 5. Richard Castle - Heat Wave - 3/5 In the TV show Castle, we see a writer tagging along with NYPD's finest homocide team.The result is a novel called Heat Wave. This is that novel. It's not a long book, it's not a brilliantly written book, but it's a whole lot of fun to read, especially if you're a fan of the show.It even has an "author picture" of Nathan Fillion on the back cover and the bio and dedication are both written in character. It kept me engaged and kept me guessing, so I'll definitely get hold of the sequel. BOOKS STARTED (carrying over to February): Alan Hutcheson - Boomerang (FOR REVIEW) Richard Laymon - No Sanctuary Stuart MacBride - Shatter the Bones (Logan McRae #7)

Love it!

Simply because I hated the movie - LOL! From the trailer, you expect a dark, intense thriller. What you get is a pathetic Mummy's girl (who, in reality, would never have the mental or emotional stamina to become a prima ballerina in the first place) going out of her mind. I thought the writing was below par and the only good performance was from Kunis who really showed potential. The costume design was pretty good, but I think other films have done better. If the film had been as the trailer promised, I think it would have been a far better film.

So, the nominations are up (click HERE) My tips are: Best Actor - Colin Firth in “The King's Speech” Best Supporting Actor - Geoffrey Rush in “The King's Speech” Best Actress - Natalie Portman in “Black Swan” (because she's pregnant - not because she gave a brilliant performance!) Best Supporting Actress - Helena Bonham Carter in “The King's Speech” Animated Feature Film - Toy Story 3 Art Direction - “Inception” - Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas; Set Decoration: Larry Dias and Doug Mowat Cinematography - “Inception” Wally Pfister Costume Design - “Alice in Wonderland” Colleen Atwood Directing - “The King's Speech” Tom Hooper (“True Grit” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen might be a shoe-in) Film Editing - “The King's Speech” Tariq Anwar Music (original score) - “Inception” Hans Zimmer Best Picture - “The King's Speech” Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers Short Film (animated) - “The Gruffalo” Jakob Schuh and Max Lang Sound Editing - “Tron: Legacy” Gwendolyn Yates Whittle and Addison Teague Sound Mixing - “Inception” Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick Visual Effects - “Inception” Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb (but I think Tron Legacy should have been in there and won it!) Writing (original screenplay) - “Inception” Written by Christopher Nolan OR “The King's Speech” Screenplay by David Seidler I've not put choices for all the categories as I haven't sen the films in the documentary and shorts sections. I firmly believe that Black Swan deserves ZERO Oscars, but will get some anyway, and tht The King;s Speech will win almost all of the sections for which it's nominated. I'm also really miffed that Tron Legacy was only nominated in one category - it deserved better than that. What does anyone else think?

The carrot slices my sister gets are Asda Smart Price so they're literally pennies. Not much difference to buying them whole, peeling them and chopping them yourself - except you save the time of having to actually do that. Or you could always just go for all frozen which are cheap and don't go off, so you're saving money that way too. Added bonus to frozen is that as they're frozen so soon after picking, they're often "fresher" and retain more nurtrients than the "fresh" produce.

You can also get pre-prepared veg, but on the frezer and fresh produce sections of most supermarkets. I'll freely admit to tocking up on things like frozen sweetcorn, broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, and my sister reglarly buys pre-sliced carrots, peppers and onions because, as she works THREE jobs (!!!), she doesn't have much time to prepare meals either.

You know what? It doesn't just apply to BBQs - LOL! My sister recently moved into a house that has an open fireplace in the livingroom and likes to have a nice, roaring fire, but can she keep one lit? Nope! Her boyfriend will light it and keep it going for her, but once he goes home, despite following his instructions to the letter, she manages to kill the fire every time. I, on the other hand, must be a bit of a guy at heart, because I can rescue said dead fire within a minute - LOL!

Just thought I'd give you the links to two of my favourite soup recipes (one for the slow cooker, one for in a pan)and a couple of others to try too. Broccoli and Stilton Soup Northumbrian Broth Butternut squash and red pepper soup Ingredients: 1 large onion 3 red peppers (or a mixture of colours, either red, orange or yellow, but avoid green or you'll get an odd colour) 3 medium sweet potatoes 3 medium carrots 1 tsp oil 1 stock cube enough water to cover veg salt and pepper to taste METHOD: 1. Finely dice the onion and lightly sautee it in the oil in a deep pan/soup pot (I used basil oil and it was GORGEOUS, but I've also used chilli oil and it's equally good) 2. De-seed the peppers and dice 3. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and carrots 4. Add the peppers, carrots and sweet potatoes to the pan, and add enough water to cover all the veg. Add the stock cube. 5. Bring to the boil and simmer till the veg is tender. 6. Use a hand blender (or food processer) to blend the soup to a smooth consistency. Once you've blended the soup, you can add a little more water or stock if you think it's a little thick for your tastes. This recipe should serve 4-6 people depending on how big your bowls are and how thick/thin you like your soup. I'd say 6 posh dinner starters, 4 light lunches, or 3 whopping-great filling lunches. Roasted tomato and red pepper soup Ingredients: 1 large carton cherry tomatoes (or tin of tomatoes or jar of passata if you prefer) 1 large onion (pealed and cut in half) 2 large red peppers (de-seeded and cut in half) 2 large cloves fresh garlic (pealed) salt, black pepper, basil and oregano (to taste) stock pot/cube (vegetable, chicken or ham all work very well) spray oil water - Pre-set oven to 200C - Spread the tomatoes*, peppers and garlic cloves on a large baking tray and spritz with spray oil - Pop in the oven for about 30 mins (till the garlic is soft, and the tomatoes, peppers and onions all lightly roasted) - Whack the whole lot in the blender and whiz till smooth - Stick it all in a large pan, add the same amount again of water drop in the stock pot/cube - Add salt, black pepper, basil and oregano to taste (you can also add spices if you fancy - a srinkle of chilli is lovely!) - simmer for about 10-15 minutes - serve * if you're using tinned tomatoes or passata, obviously don't put them on the baking tray! This should make 2-3 generous servings if you're using a carton of cherry tomatoes, and 3-4 if using a tin of tomatoes or jar of passata. It's easy to adjust the amounts if you want to make a larger or smaller amount and you can even freeze batches of it for future use if you like! If you leave out the water and stock pot/cube, this makes an excellent pasta sauce too! You can also use this as a base for adding other items to the soup, e.g. kidney beans, chickpeas, bacon, chorizo, etc; whatever you fancy really (chickpea and chorizo is a favourite combo of mine!). Sweet potato and butternut squash soup (serves 4-6) 1 small butternut squash (peeled, de-seeded and diced) 2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and diced) 1 medium onion (peeled and diced) 1 clove garlic (peeled and crushed) Oil Water Stock cube Season All, salt and black pepper - Sautee the onion and garlic in a little olive oil. - Put all the veg along with the stock (chicken or vegetable) and spice. - Simmer till squash and sweet potatoes are tender. - Blend with a hand blender (or put in a blender) till smooth - Serve with salt and black pepper to taste. * This makes quite a thick soup, so you can add however much water you need to make the desired consistency, hence the large serving amounts)

When I was working in an office, I used to take homemade soup in a flask for lunch. I would make it on the weekend and freeze individual portions. Then all I had to do was take a portion out at night and it would be defrosted come morning. I would then whack it into the microwave and blast it till it was piping hot and pour it into a preheated flask (always heat it by pouring boiling water into it and leaving it while the soup heats up). I still love soup now and make it a couple of times a week with enough to do me for lunch for about 3 days (Xan loves soup too). There's no end to the combinations you can make. My favourites include Chickpea and chorizo, broccoli and stilton, tomato and basil, Thai sweet potato and coconut, and roasted pepper and butternut squash - all are delicious and filling. Take a crusty breadroll along with you too and you'll be full up till teatime. The other great thing about soup is that it's relatively cheap to make, you can make it in large quantities, and you can fill it full of whatever you like. It's the way I make sure Xan and I get our 5-a-day, actually. If you're having a veg-based soup for lunch, then veg with your evening meal, then you can easily hit five (and usually more!). I also squeeze extra veg into my sauces (my homemade bolognese sauce has mushrooms, peppers, courgette, onion and garlic with the tomatoes, all whizzed smooth; then I add chunky veg to it too - double the veg!). Another multi-meal goodie is a nice beef joint. I often get a nice bit of brisket (which is pretty inexpensive) and whack it in the slow cooker. We'll have a full Sunday dinner off it, sarnies the next day, and I can make stovies or a stew with the leftovers too. You can tell I'm used to stretching things out - I have two culinary titles - Lady Leftovers and Baroness Bulk Cooking.