pontalba

Any book is as good as you think it is......for you. If it meets your criteria for your mood. I think that is how we have to grade, according to our needs and mood at the time. LOL re The Bat. I've heard the same, and, that the reason it wasn't translated first was on account it wasn't as interesting as the rest of the series. I'll still read it, it's sitting here on the shelf.......

Drat! Now I'm going to have to go back and restart Pompeii. Just when I thought it was safe to go into the water.........................

Great reviews, Athena. These are going on my wish list.

Keep telling yourself that. Try to believe it.

Chocolate vodka, with cream. (yes, it's Atkins-friendly).

So, you'll only be travelling to the U.S.? /wishful thinking/ Money and experience. That is the logical and good way to look at it. You never know, and as mentioned above, it'll look great on your resume. Really sorry it didn't turn out to be more permanent though. Also, wow, the list!! Good stuff.

We watched a VCR tape (yes, it's that old!) of The Parallax View with Warren Beatty, Paula Prentiss and the ever marvelous Hume Cronyn. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071970/

I don't know if this counts as it's TV, but I liked the Morse series on TV with the late great John Thaw as Morse far more than the books. I've only read a few, but I found them a bit dry(ish) after seeing Thaw as Morse.

I liked the film ok, but couldn't even finish the book. Too bloody irritating!

360 Chocolate Vodka.

A great and varied list, Ooshie! I absolutely loved Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. There is as good writing, different writing, but none better, I agree. Mantel knows how to tell the story. I'm sorry you were a bit downish rating wise on The Bat. I've heard elsewhere that it didn't come up to par of his later books. Great to see you back.

Wow! If this government tried something like that, I think there might be another Revolution! What a great selection, quite varied!

frankie, so glad you caught that bit about possible spoilers in the link to the review of Gone Girl. I've added a note about it! I just didn't think of the descriptions in the review being spoilery. But they really could be. Café du Monde, here we come!

/waving/ I do, I do!! I will pick it up, soon(ish). heh

Your first week sounds like an overall fantastic, and educational one. I'm so happy for your frankie! It's always difficult fitting into a new job, but it seems as though they know how to start newbies off right. What great training, no matter how this goes. I can't imagine they won't keep you after the month. Only thing stopping them, I'd think, would be their own financial considerations. Well, the U.K. is closer to the U.S..........

I receive a quarterly book magazine called, oddly enough, The Book Forum. This time there is an article/review of Gone Girl that is the most single mindedly viperous, piece of writing I've read in a long while. To my mind, the author or the article, deliberately just doesn't get it. Or, doesn't want to get it. I give you the link, for each to decide themselves. Caution: Wear asbestos gloves when reading! I'm not saying that everything Gaitskill says about the book isn't accurate, but good grief, she twists backwards on some points, and totally ignores innuendo. In Charm's Way AIE: The link does contain spoilers, not detailed, but enough to give away too much. Sorry, I didn't think about that when I first posted the link.

Finished the first season of Nikita last night. Good stuff.

This made both husband and myself smile. Thanks. Have you read Your Face Tomorrow? Husband has ( I think all three), and I fully intend to.

Oh, Eleonora. I certainly hope by "understand how to handle it", she means some dietary or medicinal methods that (at least partially) relieve those symptoms. And soon!! That is a terrible experience to go through, and I really admire you for your grace under pressure. I had to post this article from the New York Times this morning. In Gut Research’s Latest Advance, Bacteria From Thin Humans Can Slim Mice Down . If that don't beat all! Wow!

Thanks. Drinking water does help, it's true. And, I know certain meds will make a diet frustrating. /sigh/ Irritation.....seems like it never ends. But, finally, we succeed.

Very interesting list, Ethan. I'm reading The Infatuations (Javier Marias) at the moment. Enjoying it a lot, when I get back to it. lol

I actually seem to prefer the Kindle Fire. With the colored screen, readings a snap. I went back to my old kindle for something a couple of weeks ago, and was kind of disappointed. Now, that said, I haven't ever seen or tried the Paper White, so can't comment about that one. I've heard good things though.

LOL This is usual for me. I'll read like mad for a while, then back off, and float along not reading much. Don't think my mojo has done a runner.

Diet going very well, still feel determined to finish it out. Husband has lost 7 pounds, and I've lost 5 and a half. So, good, so far.

WOW! I had not seen the advert for this. Verra cool! I have the original kindle with keyboard, but had lusted for the Kindle Fire for ages. Finally bought it a few months ago. Love, love, love it. One thing that had held me back was the fear the backlighting would be a strain on my eyes, I'd heard about that. But. It doesn't strain, at all, that I can tell. Plus a neat feature is that you can change the background from white to a sepia sort of color, and of course size the font as you wish. It is very easy on the eyes, IMO.