pontalba

We watched Archangel with Daniel Craig last night, Phew! What a ride it was. Beautiful scenery, good story. Craig plays a historian/writer who has studied at the University of Moscow and is back there for a conference. An old man waylays him outside the building and starts telling him that he was with Stalin when he died, and has a journal that Beria had hidden. The chase is on, with incredible results. The last scene is.....wow!

I really and truly thought my first read of the year would be the long awaited Cryptonomicon, and it was the first I started. Right now I am a little bogged down about 16% into it. Will pick up in a little bit. My first read turned out to be an e-book I'd not even heard of till this morning. A friend mentioned it to me as one of her Kindle purchases for, I think 99 cents. I thought well, what the heck?, for that it was worth an experiment. I'm not a fan of "chick lit" really, and I suppose this is in that territory. A 40-ish woman who has been through a traumatic time, is separated from her husband and whose father had just died has to face single life. How she manages this with the help of her best friend, mother (and her faithful dog) and neighbors is the basis of this story. It is told with both pathos and humor. The relationships are so true to life and so fraught with emotion that I felt myself well up at several points. The story carried me along so well, I finished it in one afternoon. Chasing Rainbows by Kathleen Long - 4 stars, and highly recommended

And a smart Mummy to get that across to him. The both of y'all.

We've been watching Burn Notice on DVD. I'd seen some of it on the USA network a few years ago, and was intrigued. We are on Season 3 now, and loving it. Interesting premise and execution. The main protagonist is a "burned" spy that has been dumped in Miami, his home town. He doesn't know why or who did it, and is trying to find out that information. That is the main plot, on the side he helps people out of what seem insurmountable problems. Lots of explosions and car chases and dasterdly people.

When we bought the kindles, we bought the case that is a heavy[ish] leatherish and straps the kindle in very effectively. Mine is brown, OH's is black. Not very pretty, but I've dropped mine, and it's been ok. I'd like to find a pretty one, but when I look on Amazon, it's unclear to me which one fits which kindle. So, as I notice they carry covers at Best Buy I suppose I'll end up buying one there that I can actually test.

I just listened to the video, thanks for posting. The nutritionist said what a problem it was to give up bread etc, but really, I've found that it is the best route, for me at least, to lose weight. Even before Atkins was around, if I cut the bread out of my diet, I lost weight. She goes on about how it is hard on the family, and I can see her point in a way. But. if something is helping one lose weight, go for it. IMO I still am a bit skeptical about detoxing, and haven't done it. I do however suspect that at some point I'll try it. It makes sense to me on a cerebral level.

I've only read Ysabel so far, but have several others on the shelf patiently waiting their turn. I enjoyed it enough to stock up on more of them.

Unfortunately I won't be able to see the second season till it comes out on DVD. We both liked the first season. I just saw an article on the Los Angeles Times that said Brian Cumberbatch will play the villian in the new Star Trek film coming out, I guess next year. Here is the link. http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/01/05/star-trek-sequel-meet-benedict-cumberbatch-the-villain/#/0

I've actually never kept a diary, but if I had, I can't imagine ever reading it aloud, especially in front of anyone, much less a group! I guess it's all a part of the reality shows of every stripe. There will always be people that want to bare their souls to the world.

I'd started Cryptonomicon on the 1st actually, but haven't managed much in the way of reading till now. I'm 10% in, all accomplished today, as I started over...had to. The characters are a little confusing at first. Especially if left for a couple of days after only reading a teensy bit.

That looks interesting. At present we each keep a sort of journal for everything and are adding what progress we make, and number of reps per exercise, minutes on treadmill, etc.

We bought our Kindles back in May of 2011, and so far so good. For the most part I've downloaded the sale books, but have popped for three so far that were more expensive. The three were huge tomes that were frankly uncomfortable to carry around and just too heavy and bulky. 1Q84, Reamde, and now Cryptonomicon. It's worth it to be able to schlep them around with no problem. But we do have the physical hardbacks as well. Three out of 92 isn't too bad. I love the adjustable font, and the fact that it isn't backlit, as mentioned above it's hard on the eyes.

Yup, another resolution time is upon us. /sigh/ We've both started Atkins, and as soon as OH's root canal heals, [that's tomorrow], we'll get back to the gym. I do feel much more motivated for some reason this time. Maybe the third time really is the charm.

We went to see the Hollywood version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo this afternoon. It lived up to all expectations, surpassed even. I had serious doubts about the new Salander....but she was fantastic.

I have gotten a start on Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. I do love his sense of humor!

pontalba's 2011 Reading List

Yes, I was truly impressed with the tact and respect he displayed in his writing, all the while not sacrificing the truth of the stories. I'm glad you liked it!

2012 Books Read January Chasing Rainbows by Kathleen Long 4/5 stars e-book Footsteps in Time by Sarah Woodbury 3 stars e-book Daughter of Time by Sarah Woodbury 3 stars e-book Prince of Time by Sarah Woodbury 3 stars e-book February The Stand by Stephen King 5/5 Ghost Light by Frank Rich 4/5 Stolen Souls by Stuart Neville 3.5/5 The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes 5/5 Way Station by Clifford D. Simak 3/5 Time After Time by Jack Finney 3/5 March Bloodland by Alan Glynn 5/5 From Time to Time by Jack Finney 2/5 The Nazi Officer's Wife by Edith Hahn Beer with Susan Dworkin 4/5 The Expats by Chris Pavone 3/5 A Death in Summer by Benjamin Black 5+/5+ !!! The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino 4/5 Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell 3.5/5 The Dispatcher by Ryan David Jahn 5/5 Guts by Kristen Johnston 4/5 The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol & Agnete Friis 4/5 The Cutout by Francine Mathews 5/5 April Folly by Laurie R. King 4.5/5 Eclipse by John Banville 5+/5+ The Secret Piano: From Mao's Labor Camps to Bachs Goldberg Variations by Zhu Xiao-Mei May Box 21 by Rosulund-Hellstrom 4/5 The Wool Omnibus books 1 - 5 by Hugh Howey 4/5 June Shades of Grey by E.L. James 3/5 Follow Me Down by Shelby Foote 5/5 Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James 3.5/5 Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz 4/5 A Devil is Waiting by Jack Higgins 2/5 Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James 3.5/5 July Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 5/5 and she was by Alison Gaylin 4/5 The Custom of the Army by Diana Gabaldon (a Lord John Grey short/novella) 4/5 The Statement by Brian Moore 4/5 Redshirts by John Acalzi 2/5 August A First-Rate Madness by Nassir Ghaemi 5/5 The Ethical Assassin by David Liss 2.5/5 Le Crime by Peter Steiner 3/5 September L'Assassin by Peter Steiner 4/5 The Terrorist by Peter Steiner 4/5 The Resistance by Peter Steiner 3/5 The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson 4/5 Mephisto by John Banville 4/5 Beautiful Shadow, A Life of Patricia Highsmith by Andrew Wilson 4/5 Twelve Patients, Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital by Eric Manheimer, MD 4/5 The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas 4/5 October Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino 4/5 November The Twelve by Justin Cronin 4/5 Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan 4/5 A Walk Among the Tombstones by Lawrence Block 4/5 The Devil Knows You're Dead by Lawrence Block 4/5 Vengeance by Benjamin Black 4/5 The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny 4/5 Cat Bearing Gifts by Shirley Rousseau Murphy 5/5 Cold in the Light by Charles Gramlich 5/5 December Heroes Proved by Oliver North 3.5/5 The Man Who Never Returned by Peter Quinn 4/5 Wild Thing by Josh Bazell 4/5 Under the Bright Lights} Muscle For the Wing} The Bayou Trilogy by Daniel Woodrell 4/5 The Ones You Do} Dick Francis's Bloodline by Felix Francis 3.5/5

Just under the wire for the year, I finished Graham Greene's The Quiet American. It's been hanging around here for several years, unread, unloved. No longer. I haven't seen a more succinctly phrased condemnation of the Vietnam War, or any war for that matter. The uselessness, the wastefulness, the downright shame of getting into what amounts to tribal disputes is highlighted by Greene's no nonsense prose.

I agree, and...not as good as the first Sherlock film. It's a shame.

As soon as I finished Reamde I decided to start the series with Cryptonomicon, but I agree, now that I pull it from the shelf, it does seem daunting. I hope it's as good as I think it'll be!

Last night I put down Helsinki Homicide: Against the Wall by Jarkko Sipila, about 60-odd pages in, I suppose I'll pick it up again at some point. It just didn't wiggle me. The consequence being I happened on a copy of Graham Greene's The Quiet American. I've had it on the shelf for quite a long time, unread. Possibly I'll finish it today so I'll be able to start Cryptonomicon tomorrow.