pontalba

Verrrrraaa atmospheric! I loved it. I've tried, twice now, to read Blood Meridian, couldn't make it through. I don't think I'll try again, although, I try to never say Never.

Just like in the book, The City and The City by China Mieville...the unseen.............Somethings are better to be unknown.

We joined a gym last month, and have been going regularly. Sometimes every other day, sometimes two days in a row, then two off Treadmill, stationary bike, weight machines targeting different muscles take us about an hour and a half all together to go through. I'm slowly increasing the weights as I can and doing pretty well at it. OH has experience as he used to go to a gym regularly and knows the machines. Now. If only we could pass up Starbucks on the way home!!

Finished True Grit just before Midnight on the 31st, short review here... http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/5939-pontalbas-2010-reading-list/page__st__80 I've started Falling Man by Don DeLillo. Loving it so far.

I squeezed in the ending of True Grit just a half hour before midnight of the 31st. It really isn't a book I would have picked up aside from having seen the film, both the older version with John Wayne, and the one just out with Jeff Bridges as the reprobate Rooster Cogburn. A one-eyed U.S. Marshall that has a reputation for getting his man. Rooster met his match in 14 year old Maddie, whose father was shot down in cold blood by a coward. She is determined the man will pay for killing her father, and she and Cogburn make the original Odd Couple in said trek. Interesting speech patterns, good background on the Old West, and a story that will have you on your toes, wondering just what will happen next. The new film follows the book faithfully, only alluding to background that is thoroughly explored in the book. I recommend both.

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran is a fictional account of Kleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios, twins born to Kleopatra VII [and Marc Antony] in 40 BCE, the only children of hers to survive to reach Rome after their parents deaths. It is mostly Selene's story, told by her of their treatment by Octavian, and their lives in Rome as 'guests'. They were not enslaved, they lived with Octavia, Octavian's sister and were schooled in the Roman way. The book purports to be historically accurate, and I see no glaring faults, although in Moran's afterword I found her "What Happens to Them" a little superficial, accurate, but superficial. It is, if nothing else a fascinating look at everyday Roman life as lived by the patrician class, and it's court system. Plus there is a nice love story thrown, true at that, for good measure. So, all in all I can recommend Cleopatra's Daughter, just don't expect great revelations. I've rated it 3/5

Sounds like a wonderful course, a great base. Of course it will impact your reading, it can't help it. But I'd say it has to be a positive affect, you'll be led into paths yet unimagined. Cheers!

Broke down and bought a hardback copy of The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley. I was going to wait till it comes out in paperback in a month or so, but finally I read the first several pages whilst in the book store. Fatal move. Had to buy. heh Read a few pages in True Grit by Charles Portis. Good stuff, will continue. Still reading Cleopatra's Daughter. Enjoyable. AIE: Finished Cleopatra's Daughter, small review in my book list thread. 3/5

We went to see True Grit last night. I was impressed, usually remakes either differ so much from an original, or attempt to copy in too much detail. This did neither, sticking to itself, and hopefully the book by Charles Portis. I intend to read it asap for comparisons sake. Some have complained that the girl, Mattie was too mature for her age, but as far as I know, 14 was a pretty mature age back in those days and from the hints given in the story, such as she did her father's bookkeeping chores, knew what was going on in general with his business and the County's business around her Plus from the few pages of the book I have read, the character is drawn as such. Jeff Bridges did a fine job as Rooster Cogburn, and I honestly did not recognize Matt Damon as the Texas Ranger. They were practically unrecognizable, and that was a good thing IMO, if they'd looked "normal" they couldn't have passed for characters in the film/time frame. In the original version John Wayne did a great job as Cogburn, but lets face it, The Duke was The Duke, and usually played some version of himself. God love him.

Thanks willoyd. I have The Doomsday Book somewhere in the house. I hope it wasn't one that I gave away in a spree several years ago. I'd started the book, but couldn't seem to manage it. Actually it was the same, initially, with Blackout. It was only after reading rave reviews on another forum that I decided I'd better go back and try again. Phew! Close call. If I don't fine TDB soon, I'll have to find another copy. Re bios of Cleopatra, no, I know of no other reliable, or for that matter, unreliable ones. That was partially why I nicked onto Schiff's, she has a way of making non-fiction interesting, not dry a bit.. Sounds like an interesting course, what else does it contain?

Love it! Every so often we re-watch it, lots of laughs every time. Bill Murray is really a good actor, and presents what is a serious problem in such a realistic manner.

It is for sure! Can't wait till the sequel. Finally decided to stay with Cleopatra, so started Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran. I'm about a third of the way through, and while I know it isn't "to the fact", parts certainly jive with history. An enjoyable read so far.

Finished Cleopatra, A Life by Stacy Schiff 4/5 Recommended. I can't make up my mind what to read next, I could continue with a Cleopatra theme with Cleopatra's Daughter, or visit the Old West by reading True Grit...or even a Le Carré, with Our Kind of Traitor. Decisions. Decisions.....yada, yada, yada.....

I just finished Cleopatra, A Life by Stacy Schiff. I bought this book, to begin with, based on Stacy Schiff's reputation and my previous reading of Vera.....Vera Nabokov's biography. The first 2/3rds or so of the book were a bit on the slow side. Repetitive descriptions of the gorgeous Alexandrian architecture, the many different colored and types of marble used began to wear on my nerves to some extent. The descriptions of how people lived though, and the way Cleopatra, indeed the Ptolmies in general were raised is fascinating. Alexandria was an amazing place, a beautiful cosmopolitan city that would rival any of our large cities for magnificence. A fact that I certainly was not fully aware of and is brought out beautifully by Schiff. Schiff walks as fair a line between fact and propaganda as possible from a 2,000 year distance, and brings a real and vibrant Cleopatra to the pages, one well worth reading in my opinion. Highly recommended.

Last night it was a double feature around here. Donnie Darko Amazingly I really enjoyed it, didn't expect to I must confess. The Matrix Super action, we have the second one on DVD around here, and will watch it soon, even though I understand it doesn't measure up to the first.. Also, we've finished up the 5th and last season of the TV show Alias. Good stuff.

Still making progress on Cleopatra, and have begun Time's Eye by Arthur Clark and Stephen Baxter.

All Clear by Connie Willis is the very satisfying sequel to Blackout. It continues in the same vein, following the time-traveling historians and their travails. Can the past be changed? Do they change the past? Have they already changed the course of the war? These are the questions that both fascinate and horrify. The historians can't get home, and don't know why, their "drops" won't open and their time is running out, literally. The threads all come together to a heart wrenching conclusion, and we are left wanting even more. These books keep the reader on their toes till the very end. All in all an extremely emotionally gratifying read.

Just finished All Clear by Connie Willis. Outstanding! Now, back to Cleopatra.

I've only read the first one, and loved it. I look forward to the next two. I'm trying to wait till the second comes out in paperback, to match the first one I have. /impatiently tapping fingers/ Really loved this one! I have bought The Summer Guest, the only other one that B&N had on the shelf. Arrived in the mail: Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin

Terrific choices! Both excellent reads. Second hand book store alert. Aloft by Chang-Rae Lee [i'd been looking for this one!] Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir A Home at the End of the World by Michael Cunningham Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery [such a lovely hardback just sitting there...lonely and neglected...] Bullfinch's Mythology edited and with a Commentary by Richard Martin

I bought it today! All Clear by Connie Willis /yays!/ Also.... Reflex by Steven Gould

I loved the original series! I have in on tape even, yes, tape. Had it for many years now, and several watchings too. I'm so glad Jean Marsh is in a new one...I'd not heard of it over here. Will her character still be Rose, just promoted? What year will it pick up, or is it literally a remake of the original? AIE: whoops, just realized Ophelia said it is a continuation....it'll pick up when then?

Last night I finished Blackout by Connie Willis. This was a book I'd tried to start, oh, I guess a few months ago and couldn't get into then. I re-started it the other day and was again flummoxed, but persevered this time due to a poster on another forum mentioning something about it. I am super-glad I did. It takes a bit for the penny to drop, but once it does, the reader is hooked. Ostensibly this book is about time traveling historians, and I love a good time travel story. Blackout is more about the triumph of human.....will, emotion, love and general stick-to-it-tivness than time travel. Willis portrays war-time England in one of the most realistic and human ways I've read. I won't be giving plot points away as this is mentioned in the synopsis, so just imagine you are a historian, young man or woman that is somehow "stuck" back in the air raid warnings, bombings of the London blitz and don't know if you'll ever see home again. Or, if you've somehow changed history by accident...something that was here-to-fore thought impossible. Willis puts all these conflicting emotions right out there on the platter and serves it up in style. I can't wait to get a hold of the sequel All Clear. Highly recommended.

I finished Blackout by Connie Willis last night, and can't wait to get ahold of the sequel.