Kell
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Posts posted by Kell
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I hate phones full stop. That said, mobile phones are very handy for emergencies and if it's just a quick enquiry, I'm' more likely to fire off a text than speak to someone on the phone as my ears overheat and get sore very quickly, and I'm not really one for chatting on the phone (I'd rather do it in person), so I don't really use the phone much at all. That said, I do call my Mam once a week on a Sunday night, but I always use the landline for that, as we're on the phone at least half an hour and she's on our friends and family list and in the UK and it's a weekend evening call, so it's free.
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I like the sound of that one.
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What about the True Blood books...................................
Yes, they're fun reads. Quite sexy in parts, but fun.
What about Kelley Armstrong hers are brilliant.
Very brilliant. She's done both supernatural thrillers and another series which is an ex-cop-turned-assassin, which are also excellent (there are two of those onesso far).
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Hot chocolate:
serves 1
50g chocolate (white, milk or dark - whatever you prefer!)
1 mug of milk
whipping cream
mini marshmallows
cinnamon
1. Grate a small amount of the chocolate and keep to one side
2. Whip a little bit of cream and set aside
3. Gently heat the milk in a pan
4. Melt the remaining chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over pan of hot water
5. Pour the heated milk into the melted chocolate and whisk
6. Top with the whipped cream, grated chocolate, mini marshmallows and a sprinkling of cinnamon
7. Enjoy!
This is my favourite curl-up-on-the-sofa-with-a-good-book drink in the winter. You can make it with any kind of chocolate, although if you use very dark chocolate (I.e. above 70%), you might like to add a little sugar. If you have chopped mixed nuts, they're also nice sprinkled on top. If you get hold of those mini flakes, it's lovely to stick one of those in the top of the wipped cream. You can easily double-up the ingredients to make 2 cups or increase apropriately for more...
It's indulgent, but it's SUCH a treat!
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Just so everything stays together, I'll close this thread and merge it in a short while (I'm off to work just now).
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Have you considered The Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet? It's not just quotes - it's examples of how Piglet and Pooh demonstrate Taoist principles and is rather inspiring.
There's also Winnie-The-Pooh's Little Book of Wisdom, which is lovely.
Of course, both of those are only of use if the object of your affection likes Pooh - LOL!
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I pinched this from Booking Through Thursday:
How about First Editions? Are they something special? Or “just another book” to you?
My answer:
It’s nice to have first editions, and I do have a few, but it’s not something that’s essential to me. I’m happy just to have the books I love, preferably as they are published, but it doesn’t matter to me if they are not firsts.
That said, some of my most prized books are signed first editions – mostly Terry Pratchett hardbacks.
Anyone else?
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1. Who was your favourite character and why?
I actually like Edmund best! He's snarky, conniving and selfish, but I think that makes him the most "real" of the children, the rest of whom are all far too good to be true - LOL! He also undergoes the greatest change throughout the story, overcoming his weaknesses to become a stronger and nobler person.
My least favourite is Lucy, which may surprise some people. I just never liked her and thought her too holier-than-thou a lot of the time. She's too much of a goody-too-shoes, so even though she's the one who gets the adventure going, I have to admit that if I'd ever met her, I'd have wanted to give her a clip around the ear for being so simpering - LOL!
2. Was there a particular part you enjoyed/disliked more than the rest?
I never liked the bit with Aslan playing with Lucy and Susan directly after his resurrection - yes, I know he's full of the joys of life, but it irks me!. It just seemed so out of place and out of character to have Aslan, a wise, noble, distinguished and imposing (yet kindly) character essentially turning into a big pussy cat - it felt rather demeaning.
3. Was this the first book you've read in this genre/by this author, has it encouraged you to read more?
I've read the whole series and actually originally read them all in chronological order as a child. I love them all with the exception of A Horse and His Boy, which seems oddly out of place, as it is the only one that doesn't feature visitors from our world and is therefore a rather pointless inclusion. The story is much weaker too and I never like it. I always skip that one when I'm re-reading the series. I've never read any of Lewis' other works though - I really should look them out and give them a try though. I never thought about it till now!
4. Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with?
I actually struggle a little with the idea that it includes Christian mythology, as a lot of it seems overtly Pagan to me. I know the author meant it to have Christian overtones, but I still read it as very Pagan-like,. There's the whole battle between winter and summer for a start (where it's always winter but never Christmas). The winter (White Witch) is then banished by the return of summer (Aslan) - very Pagan indeed - Pagans celebrate the rebirth of the Sun at Yule - no Christmas for us! The Summer King also sacrifices himself to ensure a successful harvest and is reborn (Aslan's sacrifice and resurrection?). There are also all the nyads and dryads and nymphs and fauns running around the place - more Pagan references as they are all representative of the elements and nature, as well as talking animals (totems?). I could go on and on, really...
5. Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience?
I didn't re-read it this time, but I've read it so many times and it's an old favourite of mine, and I always love it.It's not my favourite in the series, though - it's my 3rd favourite (after The Silver Chair and The Magician's Nephew respectively). It's one of those stories that apeals to all ages and has something to offer for every level of reader.
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Listening to my sister's local comunity radio station (Koast Radio) streaming online. They're playing Xmas songs. It's It'll be Lonely This Xmas by Elvis Presley at the moment.
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I always pull out my three illustrated novels by Brom as they are so achingly beautiful and I want to share that with everyone! The Plucker, The Devil's Rose, and The Child Thief all feature such stunning artwork and wonderful writing that I want to turn everyone on to Brom!
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Your favourite read of the year?
A toss-up between The Child Thief by Brom and Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Your favourite author of the year?
It's a toss-up between Brom (for The Child Thief) and Margaret Mitchell (for Gone With the Wind)
Your most read author of the year?
All ten of the Southern Vampires books.
Your favourite book cover of the year?
Return to Labyrinth vol 1 (graphic novel) by Jake T Forbes & Chris Lie
Stunningly beautiful artwork.
The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, then the one you read the least of)?
A Pale View Of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
I actually read about half of this "highly acclaimed debut" but gave up as it was so dull. (I've actually abandoned 6 books this year, but there are couple of them I'll go back to at some point in the future.)
The book that most disappointed you?
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
I actually abandoned this one half way through as I found it incredibly dull, didn't like any of the characters, and had worked out the "big reveal" within a couple of pages. Highly disappointing, especially as so many other people highly recommended it.
The funniest book you read this year?
I've not really read anything riotously funny this year. I've read a few that were supposed to be funny, but they didn't rate all that highly, so I have no nominations for this category.
Your favourite literary character this year?
Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Feisty, headstrong, wilfull and manipulative, but oh, so lovable!
Your favourite children's book this year?
The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Graham
Just gorgeous on every level. And I loved the illustrations too.
Your favourite non-fiction book this year?
Lauren Henderson - Jane Austen's Guide To Dating
I picked this up for a quid (hardback!) from the local pound shop and was absolutely delighted by the quirky idea of applying Jane Austen's rules of love to modern dating. It made perfect sense and was highly entertaining too!
Closely followed by Inside Delta Force by Eric L Haney
This was such a surprisingly good read. I really came to care about the men of Delta Force, and reading about their training processes, their missions, and the friendships they built was amazing.
Your favourite (auto)biography this year?
Buster Fleabags by Rolf Harris
Fun, quirky look at Rolf's life as a kid with a small dog called Buster Fleabags. Very short, but I liked it a lot.
Your favourite collection of short stories this year?
I didn't read any
Your favourite poetry collection this year?
I didn't read any
Your favourite illustrated book of the year?
I'm blown away by this man's talent, both as an artist AND a writer.
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I haven't read the book, and you might have seen the film already, but The Graduate by Charles Webb might fit the bill.
I've read it and loved it. Highly recommended.
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Harry Potter - J.K.Rowling (I bought the first few in paperback, but then went back and got them all in adult hb)
Choose Your Own Adventure - various authors (I read quite a few as a kid)
Peter Rabbit - Beatrix Potter (Xan was given the complete Beatric Potter set as a gift)
The Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis (I was given the omnibus edition as a gift, but I used to have them all as singles as a kid)
Twilight - Stephenie Meyer (I bought them, I read them, I sold them. I don't miss them)
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Butternut squash and red pepper soup (I made a batch earlier in the week as it was what I happened to have to hand).
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.
It's a lovely, warming soup and Xan and I gobbled it all up pretty quickly!
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Oh no! Now I'm going to have to buy MORE!!!
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I just discovered today that there are 4 manga graphic novels that form the sequel to the film Labyrinth (yes, the film starring David Bowie). I ordered the first 3 today as soon as I found out - LOL! I would have ordered the fourth too, but it was only available 2nd hand - I'll have to check my local bookshops and see if I can get it there...
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The Vampire Beach books by Alex Duval aren't bad. I've read the first 2 and they might be worth giving a try if you like YA vampire stuff.
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Bolognese tonight.
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I'm afraid I've abandoned it for the time being. I'd been reading it for the best part of two months and was still only half way through. I may well go back to it again in the future, though, as there were parts of it that I enjoyed, and I liked the film.
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I've been reading Edgar Allan Poe this month and I'm terribly unimpressed and can't understand why anyone thinks his writing is any good...
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I'm somewhere in the middle.
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Stand By Me (which was the story, The Body, which was in the same book as Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption) is another King short story that was an excellent film...
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There are some exceptions to that general rule.
I thought The Princess Bride every bit as good as the book - it was incredibly faithful and delivered onevery level.
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As long as I finish at the end of a sensible-ending paragraph, I'm fine, as I use a sticky tab to mark my exact place on a page.
The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
in Previous Reading Circle Books
Posted
Edmund's greed and willingness to blindly believe and follow someone who would offer to place him higher than his borthers and sisters is a betrayal He agrees to bring them to her, therfore he is a traitor in that he's willing to put his own welfare above theirs because of some imagined slight against him. (Remember, he teased Lucy mercilessly over her story f arriving in Narnia, and even once he's been there himself, doens't let on and still pretends that he believes she made it all up).
When they ALL get into Narnia together, it becomes clear very quickly to the others that Edmund has been there before (highlighting his treachery) and even once he's heard that the White Witch isn't such a nice person as he wants to believe, he tries to lead them to her to "get his reward".
Edmund is a traitor who tries to convince himself he believes the Witch, even once his illusions are shattering/shattered, in order to justify his bad behaviour. It is only later that he redeems himself and is "saved" as he helps save the others.