Janet

I'm definitely up for that.

Your secret is safe with me! And that's a lot of gardening! I hate gardening so if you ever feel the need to take on a project in order to listen to it again... I'll provide cookies and tea! I haven't read a single thing this weekend! I will give the book to P150. At least I'll have given it a decent go. Thanks Thanks both. I've never read it before! I have family who live slightly north of the lakes so it's an area I've visited many, many times. I've always thought I ought to read it so I was pleased when it was chosen for Cumbria's entry to the English Counties Challenge. It had to be that really, didn't it!

My latest acquisitions!

What are the options, Claire? There are some that I'd prefer to read all the way through. Not part of this challenge, but I'd be up for another Dickens at some stage.

I'm quite relieved to read that - I thought I was the only one! Thanks, Chrissy - that's really kind of you. I actually went on our library website and can get the same CD from Bristol Central Library so I could do that, but that's 22 hours of listening! I know it's possibly difficult for you to answer this, seeing as you loved the book, but do you think I should give it another 50 (ish) pages? I have until the beginning of November to finish it.

I have a separate bookcase for my unread books - I feel like a really mean person now!

I enjoyed Regeneration when I read it, some years ago now, but I haven't ever got round to the sequels.Do you intend to read them? I've skipped over your reviews of Lady Susan and Villette, as I have them both on my Kindle to read at some point, but I'm encouraged by the ratings, even if they didn't get top marks.

Thanks, that's good to know. I will try to watch it over the weekend.

I have put down Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie. TBH, I'm not sure I will pick it up again, even though it's a Book Club book and I normally persevere to the bitter end with them. It's a shame as I've read a few great books set in India which have been wonderful. I feel like I've been reading it forever but I'm only on P92. I just clicked on 'time left in book' and it tells me I still have 15h, 19m left to plough through. Apparently the film was on TV on Sunday night. I wish I'd known as I could have at least watched that before our meeting. I've decided to try The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro next.

It is a gorgeous cover. Enjoy your new books.

Well, if you suddenly remember do give me a prod! Thanks, Claire. We had a great discussion about it.

Can you tell us in what context you have seen the phrase?

Most people have a fresh new thread each year, but some like to continue. All we ask is that if you are planning to have an annual one you put 2015 (or whatever the current year is) - as you have - in the title as it makes it easier for us to move old threads at the end of a year. Happy blogging.

I think that's a common problem! Wishing you a belated welcome home.

I agree that it's best to read the book first. I didn't actually read that or Mary Poppins as a child, so I had no expectations of the films. I do hope your class - and you - enjoy your upcoming theatre trip. I wish I'd been in your class as a child (not that you're old enough to have been my teacher, of course! ). I love the film version of Mary Poppins, Alex - and it's one of Peter's favourites too so we always watch it at Christmas! I downloaded the Complete set of Mary Poppins last year when it was 99p on Kindle (it's currently £10.99, so that was a good buy), but I've yet to read any of it. I'm not sure I'll read all six (I think) books though. I didn't hate the Barnett - and I know a few people who have loved it. It just didn't quite live up to my expectations, but that's probably as much to do with me as with the book. I'm not sure I will be trying another Ali Smith. If you do fancy one, I'm sure Claire can give you a recommendation of where to start. Thanks. Am I going mad, btw? Did I offer to send you a book? It's in the back of my mind that I did! If I did and you said yes then I've not only forgotten to post it, but I've forgotten what it was!

Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie The ‘blurb’ Everyone blamed Emily's accident on the stairs on her dog, but she was convinced someone was trying to kill her. She wrote to Poirot with her suspicions on April 17th, but the letter did not arrive until June 28th, by which time she was dead. The action opens at Little House, a residence in a small village in Berkshire where we are introduced to Emily Arundell’s family who have come to visit for the weekend. Included in the company are her companion, Minnie Lawson and also Bob who is Emily’s little fox terrier dog. Through the dialogue we learn that each of the residents has some sort of motive for Emily’s death, which occurs a few weeks after she falls down the stairs in the night – an accident attributed to ‘Master Bob’ who enjoys dropping his ball from the top of the stairs and then rushing down to try to catch it at the bottom. Some time after her death, Poirot receives a letter from the deceased and he, together with his trusty sidekick Hastings, sets off to Berkshire to try to find out the truth… Peter and I have watched most of the Poirots that were shown on ITV starring David Suchet as the little Belgium detective. This is one of the few stories from that series that I actually remembered not only the plot, but also ‘whodunit’ – but I took it out on audio book from the library to listen to whilst walking anyway as it was the only Christie available from the branch I had visited. It’s narrated by Hugh Fraser, who played Captain Hastings – he narrates it in character, so “Poirot said this, Emily looked crossly at him and I jumped to his defence…” – an element which added to my enjoyment. The characterisation, as you would expect from Christie, is excellent and there is some amusing dialogue. I particularly liked the description of one of the characters as being a “Plain girl. Face like a scone”! As I said, I remembered this story, but despite there being no surprises for me I really enjoyed it and I particularly loved the characterisation of Bob, who ‘talks’ to Poirot and Hastings and is very endearing! The paperback edition is 336 pages long and is published by Harper Collins. It was first published in 1937. The ISBN is 9780008129569. 4/5 (I really enjoyed it) (Finished 1 September 2015)

I'm watching. It's entertaining and Suranne is a great actress.

I haven't seen tonight's yet and I'm already irritated by Ainsley Harriott, Kay! Did he pull stupid faces? Did he mention Percy Pepper? </shudders> We weren't keen on Daniel either. I thought the girl from Don't Call the Midwife was the best dancer last night. Gleb seems okay (he's fairly easy on the eye, but not as nice as Aljaž). I can't remember who Brendan is dancing with, but I'm looking forward to seeing him and Peter Andre when we finally catch up tomorrow. I have high hopes for Peter!

The Letter by Kathryn Hughes The ‘blurb’ Tina Craig longs to escape her violent husband. She works all the hours God sends to save up enough money to leave him, also volunteering in a charity shop to avoid her unhappy home. Whilst going through the pockets of a second-hand suit, she comes across an old letter, the envelope firmly sealed and unfranked. Tina opens the letter and reads it - a decision that will alter the course of her life for ever... Billy Stirling knows he has been a fool, but hopes he can put things right. On 4th September 1939 he sits down to write the letter he hopes will change his future. It does - in more ways than he can ever imagine... The Letter tells the story of two women, born decades apart, whose paths are destined to cross and how one woman's devastation leads to the other's salvation. I really loved the sound of this book. I’d been dithering for ages whether to buy it or not, but it was only 49p so I thought it was worth a punt. Tina is unhappily married to a man who thinks nothing of using her as a punch bag. He promises that next time it will be different… but it never is. She works full time, but in order to spend as much time as possible away from the marital home she also works in a charity shop at the weekend. One day, whilst going through some clothes she finds an unopened letter, and after much deliberation, she opens it – and reads it. She decides to try to track down the intended recipient of the letter – an action which will have far-reaching effects. Sadly, it was very poorly written – in fact, it read like one of those ‘real life’ stories from the kind of woman’s magazine I only read when I’m sitting in the dentist’s waiting room and I've forgotten my book. I kept going, hoping the book would improve, but sadly it didn’t. As I said, it’s a shame, as the storyline had promise but the execution was a real let-down. The paperback edition is 416 pages long and is published by Headline Review. It was first published in 2015 and the paperback version will be released on 8 October 2015. The ISBN is 9781472229953. I read it on my Kindle. 2/5 (It was okay) (Finished 1 September 2015)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming The ‘blurb’ Caractacus, Mimsie, Jeremy and Jemima Pott are no ordinary family. And Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is no ordinary car. She can swim. She can fly. She can even think for herself... And she belongs to the Pott family – which is no ordinary family. Inventing and exploring are what the Pott family do. But when they find themselves in danger from gangsters and explosions, there is only one way to go... Up and away in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - can the Crackpotts beat the crooks in time? I love the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang starring everyone’s favourite American cockney, Dick Van Dyke! So much so that my husband recorded it one Christmas when I was at work. Over the top of our wedding video! Yes, we are still married… I had often thought I ought to read the book on which the film is based. It was written by Ian Fleming, the man responsible for creating James Bond, and was written for his son Caspar. I didn’t realise until I was chatting to Willoyd that the book was going to be so different from the film! Really, there is very little of the book in the film. For a start, Caractacus is happily married – there is no castle, no Baron Bombastic, not even a Child-catcher! Despite this, it’s an enjoyable story. I’m sure I’d have enjoyed it more if I’d read it without knowing the film. The paperback edition is 160 pages long and is published by Puffin. It was first published in 1964. The ISBN is 9780141313573. 3½/5 (I enjoyed it) (Finished 29 August 2015)

I had a quick look and it's called Talking Pictures - I think it's a non-fiction book about finding old photos, if I'm remembering correctly. Well done on only buying 40 books so far this year.

Thanks. And welcome to the forum.

How To Be Both by Ali Smith The ‘blurb’ How to be both is a novel all about art's versatility. Borrowing from painting's fresco technique to make an original literary double-take, it's a fast-moving genre-bending conversation between forms, times, truths and fictions. There's a renaissance artist of the 1460s. There's the child of a child of the 1960s. Two tales of love and injustice twist into a singular yarn where time gets timeless, structural gets playful, knowing gets mysterious, fictional gets real - and all life's givens get given a second chance. Oh gosh, where to start! I’m going to find it very difficult to review this book. I shall start by saying that if it wasn’t for the fact it was a Book Club read I definitely would have given up on it very quickly. I probably wouldn’t have bought it at all if I’d read the first few pages in a book shop! This book consists of two stories. One is a contemporary tale of young girl called George who is trying to come to terms with her mother’s untimely death whilst having to look after her brother as her father deals with his grief using alcohol as a crutch - and the other is about Francesco del Cossa, a 15th century artist who painted a series of frescoes in a Renaissance palace in Italy. It would seem that these two characters could have nothing in common, but there is a theme that weaves the two stories together quite cleverly. Talking of cleverly, that’s exactly how the book is constructed – not only in terms of story but also because some books are published with George’s section first, and some with Francesco’s – and it doesn’t really matter which version one starts with… except that Francesco’s part is quite difficult to read in terms of structure and, early on in the book, in content. Fortunately that improved and having stuck with the book, thanks to Claire's advice, I ended up enjoying it. I didn’t love it, but I did enjoy it and appreciate the cleverness of it. It hasn’t made me want to read any more of Smith’s books, but it made for a really good discussion at book club, and for that reason I’m glad I read it. The paperback edition is 384 pages long and is published by Penguin. It was first published in 2014. The ISBN is 9780141025209. I read it the Kindle version. 3/5 (I enjoyed it) (Finished 26 August 2015)

Rush is a 'specialised subject' on the version of Mastermind that is on BBC2 right now! Sadly you're not online so I can't PM you! Edit: It's not you, is it?

Oh, that's horrible. Poor you. I do hope you can sort things out.