[Your Book Activity ~ April 2013]

I'm sort of dabbling in several books right now.  Just received Black Dog by Stephen Booth, an author someone on another forum recommended.  It starts out very well, most descriptive.   I haven't given up entirely on The Crimson Petal and the White, but haven't made any progress lately.  I'd started another one, but can't remember the name.  lol  It's on the Kindle Fire. 

I also read pretty much of a book on a local suburb, my old stomping grounds.  Pretty neat.

I also, quite unlike me, read completely through the AARP magazine that came in the other day. 

[The last film you saw - 2013]

We went to see the film, The Place Beyond the Pines yesterday. During the first part, I couldn't make up my mind about the film, then it exponentially grew on me. The grittiness and grim just was almost too much.....but then I saw through all of that to a wonderfully portrayed character. Gosling may not appeal to me personally, but he turned in one helluva performance. All the characters were well done. Bradley Cooper, who I never imagined giving a nuanced performance delivered beautifully.
Finally, in the end, I loved the film. I loved the circle it drew.

 

The other night we watched The Man From Earth, as recommended by adama above.  It was excellent. 

Jerome Bixby, the original author of this story also wrote for the original Star Trek, one of his episodes, Requiem for Methuselah is of the same theme, but in space.

[Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel]

True....however, more than selfish or selfless, I felt that he would sacrifice his principles to do his job without hesitation - in some instances I felt that he had twinges of regrets as regards Queen Caterine and her daughter Mary.  Perhaps, after all, this shows that he was the best man for the job he was chosen for.

Probably, but I think there were levels...as to what he'd sacrifice for what purpose.  Agreed regarding his feelings toward Queen Catherine and Mary. 

 

 

It was only after I had finished the book that I even noticed that there was any sort of discussion on this topic (I read it in the first few months after it came out). Whilst reading, it had never even remotely crossed my mind. Indeed, one of the pleasures I derived from Wolf Hall was the clarity of the writing (needless to say, I was completely wrapped up in it from start to finish). I was amazed to find that it had started to build a reputation for being difficult/confusing to read in places.

Fully agree.

 

 

It's more to do with the nature and atmosphere of the royal court of the time. 

I like that reasoning, fits very well!

[The last film you saw - 2013]

Olympus has fallen, Don't beam down in a red uniform.

That was one of the most Gawd-awful things that has been filmed.  We walked out, maybe a third in...not sure. 

[What's up in April?]

Have fun in San Fran, Pontalba!  Such a lovely city - do you have big plans while you're there?  Enjoy your trip to Austin as well .

 

Thanks Peacefield.   No plans in particular, just mosy around.  Husband knows the area fairly well.

San Francisco is a wonderful city. Make sure you have a bowl of their clam chowder in the sourdough bread bowls. The bread soaks up the soup and is great tasting.

 

We are going to take a trip to Florida and Disneyworld in late May. However, I am still thinking of a trip to San Francisco and other parts of California, i.e. Monterey, Carmel, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and a few other towns. I just love California and the drive along the Coast is spectacular.

 

We might rent a car and drive down the Coast, as husband knows the area. 

That chowder sounds delicious!  It is on the list, for sure.

[pontalba's 2013 reading list]

Just finished Laurie R. King's Garment of Shadows.  The latest installment of her Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series.  3.5/5

I'm torn as this one was far more interesting than the last several in the series.  The fact is that, in spite of purchasing them, I've actually not finished the last, maybe 3 of them.  My problem with those was the lack of Holmes.  Russell is fine, if a bit pretentious/too much, for carrying part of the book, but not the entire thing!  That is of course, only my opinion.  I want Holmes though.

This installment featured Holmes quite a bit more.  Perhaps King has heard some fan protests.   I hope this trend continues.

 

Not giving anything away, the book opens with Russell having lost her memory, and is on the run from........what?  Even she doesn't know.  Morocco, 1924. Perilous times well presented by King.  I thought she went into the intricacies of the politics of the time in a bit too much detail, but it was interesting, if slightly confusing.

[pontalba's 2013 reading list]

I've started and put down several books in the last few days, reading a way in, and putting aside.

I did, however, finish a novella, Lord John and the Zombies by Diana Gabaldon 4/5

 

I light and fast read about one of the main characters in Gabaldon's Outlander series, Lord John.  He is assigned to Jamiaca to investigate the goings on there.  Uprisings, killings etc.  Well done. 

 

Recommended for Outlander fans.

[Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel]

7. Why does Cromwell dislike the Catholic clergy? What are his motives for helping Henry marry Anne Boleyn and sever ties to the Pope? What
larger goals does he hope to achieve in helping? Are they selfless...or selfish? (from litlovers.com)

 

Cromwell hated hypocrisy in any form.  He saw the Catholic clergy as rampant with said hypocrisy, and wanted to eradicate it.

As far as the larger goals...at least in reference to Catholic clergy, I felt that Cromwell wanted the Bible to be available to the "masses" in English, he supported Tyndale and his brethren...Cromwell was part of that movement.

 

Larger goals regarding Anne Bolyen......I don't feel they were either selfless or selfish.  He did what he did to further Henry's agenda.  That, after all, is what he was promoted for, and what he was required to do.  So, if doing what needs to be done to accomplish the King's fancy is selfish, in that respect he was selfish.  But I don't consider Cromwell to be a selfish man.  Yes he wanted what was best for himself and his family, but doesn't any household head want that?  I never felt the fire of total ambition in Cromwell.  I never felt he would sacrifice everything or anyone for his ambition.  Mantel presented him as, basically, an honorable man.  At least as far as I can see. He tried and tried to get More to capitulate, he did not want More to die.

 

Severing ties with the Pope...well, I don't see that he was too bothered by the prospect.  After all, he wanted the Bible to be in English and that would not have been accomplished under Catholicism, I think. 

[What's up in April?]

We're planning a trip to San Francisco in a month or so.....the dates are still flexible. 

 

And we have committed to a convention of Constant Reader...it's a group on Good Reads that has a yearly convention.  This year it is in Austin, Texas...that's a 8 or 9 hour drive from us.  It'll be interesting/great to meet the group, finally, in person.

 

Husband has dentist appointment on Wednesday, and me the following (a week) Thursday.  I sure hope that's the end of dentists for a very long time!!

[Your Book Activity ~ April 2013]

I'm still (sorta) reading The Crimson Petal and the White, but the style is really not doing it for me.  I'm about 19% into it.

 

In-between I'm reading (finally!) Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King.  It's the last installment of the Mary Russell/S. Holmes series.  I'm enjoying it already at about 35 pages in.  Her depiction of someone with amnesia is startlingly excellent. 

 

I;ve also started Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor.  One my all time favorites, but haven't read it in, oh at least 30 years.  It still holds up.

[Pets ~ Part Two]

I hope the doggies are all on the road to recovery now.  It's miserable when they are sick. 

[What's up in April?]

Dentist/root canal yesterday went fine.  Finally.  But the permanent crown wasn't quite right, so they had to take another impression for a new one.  Two more weeks.

But at least I'm not in fairly constant pain as I was.  I took some pain pills last night, but none so far today.  /fingers crossed/

 

Friends of the Library Sale next on the agenda.

[Your Book Activity ~ April 2013]

 

I think I've read that. Is that the one with Sugar?

 

I am pretty sure I will definitely be finished with The Tower tonight. And oh my God it is sooo good! I've had trouble putting it down.

Yes, it is.  How did you get on with it?

 

 

Finished Jane Eyre. Enjoyed it far more than the first time I read it, but not sure why!

It changes with each age we read it CB.  It was the same for me.  I was very young when I first read it, and then at different stages of adulthood, then only last year, again.  I've reacted a little differently each time. 

 

 

I'm about 7% through as well, though it is a re-read for me. I had forgotten about that style of it; I agree, it is unusual.

I'm not altogether happy with the style, I find it a bit off putting actually.  It's a good thing I started reading earlier than I ordinarily do for a planned discussion. 

[What's up in April?]

Huge congratulations, Kell!  I'm very happy for you.

[pontalba's 2013 reading list]

Thank you Kidsmum.  I have The Forsyte Saga on the shelf...another one I must get to asap! 

 

On the way to dentist...root canal...more later if I am conscious!  lol

["I Could Care Less..."]

Darling poppy, you couldn't insult if you tried.

 

Drislane, I know I belong in that glass house as well with my Southern, US accent.

[The last film you saw - 2013]

I watched two films last night actually.

 

The Man From Earth which was extraordinary! It was set almost entirely in one room, which may sound boring, but it wasn't for a second. One of the most remarkable films I've ever seen. It's about a professor who quits his job, his colleagues come over to say goodbye and he tells them he's 14,000 years old & never ages. Fascinating would be an understatement.

 

The second film I saw is called Before Sunset, which is about an American man and a French woman who spent a night together 9 years ago in Vienna, promised to see each other again in six months but never did, until now. It was another well written dialogue-driven film like The Man From Earth - something I'm sure regular readers would appreciate - and it was full of thoughtful and insightful observations about life and love. The film is actually a sequel to Before Sunrise which is about that night in Vienna. I thought Before Sunrise was good, but I didn't really appreciate it until now. Thinking about it, that must be Before Sunset's greatest achievement - lending emotional heft to its predecessor in retrospect. Oh, and there's a third film coming out later this year called Before Midnight which is set another nine years after Before Sunset. Safe to say, I'm excited about seeing that.

 

 

I've ordered these three from Amazon adama.  My husband says he saw Before Sunset and Before Sunrise ages ago, and loved them.  I'm happy to hear there is another one coming out. So thanks!

 

Also, I am a ST:TOS and The Man From Earth sounds very much like a ST ep that I loved.  The author wrote for ST.

 

As follow up on above posts, adama, I wanted to let you know that my husband I have now viewed both Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, and loved them both.  He'd seen at least one of them years ago.  Before Sunset is particularly moving I thought.

Thanks!

[Pets ~ Part Two]

 

Thanks Pontalba.

 

He's not doing very well today. He had us up several times in the night with diarrhea. He saw the vet this morning as a post-op check, and we mentioned it and he seemed a bit surprised by it. Then, when we brought him home from the vet he vomited several times.   We're not going to feed him for the rest of the day (vet's recommendation) and then tomorrow start him off on a bit of boiled chicken and rice. It must be reaction to the surgery/anaesthetic surely? Or maybe we made the mistake of giving him rich food the following day?   He seems perky enough, and his temperature is normal. Hopefully he'll be better tomorrow.

 

Sometimes the anaesthetic can cause bowel problems.  Poor baby.   But since his temperature is normal, at least it isn't infection.  /phew!/

 

Well, good news. It's not her liver. It's not her kidneys. It's nog diabetes.

We got new pills for her. To keep her from vomiting and an antiacid. Plus they gave us a new type of food that we have to soak for at least 1/2 hr. before we give it to her. All very expensive. But if our Mabel (means loveable, which is why we choose it) gets better, I'll be happy. Naturally, before I started on the pills, she threw up this afternoon, AFTER I finished mopping the floor!! Go figure.

Yes, it was Pyrometra. Which I had to look up first via google.

 

So, if all goes well with the new food and meds, Mabel should be better. I'm just hoping she is not going to have to stay on this food as it is super expensive. After the operation we went from normal kibble to Pressed kibble, which was supossed to help her stomach more than regular kibble by falling apart as soon as it mixed with her stomach juices.Unlike reg kibble which just forms a ball in the stomach. The vet wasn't too impressed with this type of food. We shall just have to be patient and hope it's not an ulcer.

Oh, I hope it straightens out soon.  That is good you can give her pills and not an injection.

[Your Book Activity ~ April 2013]

I'm about 7% into The Crimson Petal and The White....it's kind of an unusual style, yes?  I think I'm getting into the rhythm though.

I haven't really had any truly uninterupted reading time today.

[What's up in April?]

Had my hair cut, super short. Pixie style.  Love. It!  Husband. Loves. It.

/happy camper/

[Elizabeth Fremantle "Queens Gambit"]

Actually, I'd ordered it from A____n.  Those feisty ladies...  

And, there was indeed a copy from the UK, however it would have been about 10USD more than a new copy in August.

However.  Your post prompted me to check out ABEBooks...they had a copy, and it turns out less expensive, so it is ordered.

Thanks!

["I Could Care Less..."]

 

I've tried 3 times to find the correct way to reply to this so it doesn't make me sound like I'm trying to start trouble.

 

I'll try to make it short and say that several of your posts come across as being offensive to Americans . Some have also trash-talked the Australian accent .

 

Very disappointing  . 

 

 NOT NICE ,folks .  

What muggle said in his just previous post is true Julie. 

But I will admit to the fact it annoyed me as well.  I've ignored it so far.

Trash talk is not nice, no matter where it comes from.  It only shows the ignorance of the speaker.

[Pets ~ Part Two]

MM...

 

there is a prescription canned food that my vet gives me for the cats and for the dogs that is very mild and easy on their stomach.  It's by Science Diet, A/D http://www.hillspet.com/products/pd-feline-ad-caninefeline-critical-care-canned.html

It sounds as though the food she's getting might be too strong?  A/D is very, very mild.

 

Hope she is better soon!

 

BB very happy to hear Ruben is home safe and sound.   It's a trial sometimes isn't it.  But soooo worth it.

[Pets ~ Part Two]

Thanks pontalba, sounds great, they live long your cats. Are they indoor cats then?

They are all indoor now.  Some used to go outside, but since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 I haven't let them out. 

Tuffy, the eldest, climbed up on the barn roof and went through a hole made by a branch in the storm, fortunately she only landed on a fence ceiling, but I had to cut her out of there.  I wasn't going to take another chance like that, she could have broken her leg. 

[Pets ~ Part Two]

We have 6 cats.  The eldest (a female) is coming up on 20 in a few months.  Next are 3 calico sisters, 15 years old, and the two youngest are 10 (male) and 8 (female).  It's the 10 year old male that is such a Tartar.