pontalba

Thanks. It was a lot of fun getting the books out of stacks on the floor, and scattered about the house. The back wall is solid mysteries, and I keep sci-fi together as well. The lower on the wall the literature section, the more favored they are. I just wish I could have them all in one room. Next house maybe.

I've posted some pictures of the new built in shelves on my profile page, sorry, it's with a camera phone. I wasn't able to post all the shelves, but you can get an idea anyhow. It's so wonderful to have almost enough space.

It all depends on how the book is "bad", if it grates on my nerves too much, I won't finish - probably. If I'm on the fence though, I'll usually finish in hopes that it'll somehow redeem itself by the end. And then there is the shelf above my computer that holds books I've temporarily put aside, bookmarks in place. I'll finish them when the mood moves me. I have thrown a book down and away though if it has some sort of cruelty to children or animals in it. Some may consider that irrational, but that happens to be my stumbling block.

I may have missed it, but I don't see the new Diana Gabaldon book coming out September 22nd mentioned on this thread. I've pre-ordered it from Amazon. An Echo in the Bone continues Jamie and Claire's story. Gabaldon has some excerpts on her website. http://www.dianagabaldon.com/

I finally found a tea that was strong enough for me without being too sharp. Taylors of Harrogate's Scottish Breakfast Tea. I brew a pot in the morning and drink it up by evening usually. Plain, no sugar, honey or milk. I haven't had milk in tea since I was about 10 years old, just don't care for the combination. Although I drink my coffee black, I do enjoy cafe au lait on occasion, like right now.

Genre first, then by author, not alphabetically, but similar types within the genre are together. Right now I'm happy as a clam with my new built-in shelves in the study.

I keep them for the most part, I have gotten rid of a few boxes of books by authors that I read years ago and am no longer interested in, or don't like anymore for whatever reason, but even some of that type I have kept because I just couldn't bring myself to get rid of them. I dislike lending books, as it bothers me when I don't get them back, and somehow I can't think of the delinquent borrower in the same light as before. I hate having to ask for the book back, but will at least once and if I don't get it back, which has happened, I just purchase a new copy and try not to think evil thoughts about that person. I have on occasion accidentally duplicated purchases, and those I will gladly give away to friends that I know will enjoy and take care of them. Absolutely!

I just finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society a few weeks ago, thoroughly enjoyed it too. I'd been stopped about halfway through and almost didn't pick it up again, mostly because I found the first half not only a bit slow, but also my mood simply didn't match it at the time. Boy am I glad I did pick it up again! I loved getting to know the characters through letters, it was so well done that it was easy to feel the whole experience, and totally empathize with each and every one of them. The sense of humor displayed would catch me off guard and I'd have to laugh out loud at some of the passages. Yes, almost cry at some of the fates as well. Excellent book!

I thought the film was beautifully done, I did read the book several months prior to seeing it though, so I suppose some details were already fading. I know it wasn't exactly on target, but I thought it caught the character and ambiance of the book well. I still haven't gotten to read Geisha of Gion, but at least it's in the stack.

Yes, he is isn't he? I think that is a point many readers miss about him. I have to agree with what you've said, but in the end Humbert did realize how terrible a thing he'd done, and was truly sorry for his actions. Maybe he finally grew up a little himself. Of course "sorry" doesn't cover what he did, but it's better than not realizing, or not being sorry.

The other day I finished The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale, a true story of the murder of a child around 1860. The author could have been quite grisly, as the murder itself was quite horrific, she refrained however and kept it to just the facts, presented as plainly as possible. I appreciated that, because if it had been gory I'd have put the book down. I can't stand slasher type books or movies. If an author doesn't have enough imagination to present something awful without buckets of blood and gore, I'm not reading it. Suspense can be built and tension accomplished and be far more effective than throwing blood and guts all about.

Poppy, I cried like a baby most of the way through Shadowlands. I don't know if I could watch it again, but I loved it. The Day the Earth Stood Still [original 1951 version] Gone With the Wind Lolita [James Mason version] Dark Victory [bette Davis version] First 2 Alien Rear Window The Great Escape Men in Black Enemy of the State Quantum of Solace The French Connection That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Prolly more later.

Wasn't John Goodman great as Baby Feet? I had to almost laugh at him. One review I read said he over acted the part, but I don't think so, he was right on target. Re Amazon rentals, yes, they have a player they call the Unbox, you download that for free, then you can download movies. Usually very reasonable, and it will stay on your computer for a specified time, up to 30 days, but once you start it, it'll disappear in anything from one to three days. I've used it 4 or 5 times so far, and have been satisfied.

Have you tried any other of Nabokov's books? Perhaps if you read some of his earlier writings, you'd enjoy them. If you like detective stories, The Real Life of Sebastian Knight is somewhat a mystery story, along with the gorgeous prose.

Muggle, I finally watched In the Electric Mist the other day, downloaded and rented it from Amazon, it was dynamite. Have you seen it? John Goodman plays Baby Feet. heh, really good.

I've only read Harlan Coben out of those three, but if you like those guys, I bet you'd like another series I've started by Barry Eisler. The first one is Rain Fall. It follows an assassin named John Rain. I've only read the first one, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

From the posts I've seen in various forums, readers either love or hate The Sea. It wasn't till my second reading that all the the time lines finally clicked. But when they did, it was magic [for me ]

I've read a few of the Star Trek fan fiction, many years ago, as y'all have said about others, some is pretty good, some is dreck.

I've seen both films, and I think the Jeremy Irons version is truer to the book, but I have to say that no one can beat Shelly Winters as mommy. And of course, James Mason is perfect as Humbert. The real thing I didn't like about the Kubrick version was Peter Sellers as Quilty, he didn't do the Quilty of the book at all. Sellers was an interesting actor, it's true, but he did his own thing, And that didn't include following a script, at least in this case. In the newer version, Frank Langella played Quilty, and did so to absolute perfection. He was Quilty.

No, I hate to say, but I haven't. However, I have read a couple other of Auster's work, and found them to be more my cup of tea. I will go back to Trilogy someday, but not today. I've read: The Book of Illusions Man in the Dark Moon Palace And have In the Country of Last Things in the stack.

I'm definitely going after Wind in the Willows poppy, thanks.

I remember Dogmatix saying it was her very favorite too, Watership Down I mean....I don't know though, while I know it would be excellent, I am one that cries when I hear the opening music to Lassie. I think I have a copy around here. /sigh/

The original Star Trek series is still my favorite, I liked TNG, but to my mind, they never jelled like TOS...the friendship between "the three", Kirk, Spock and McCoy was the cement that held the show together for me. They made many deep comments of the issues of the day. The episode that Frank Gorshin played one of two survivors of a planet that fought it out on the Enterprise. They hated each other because, while each side of their faces were black and white, they were the opposite sides...it showed beyond a shadow of a doubt the rank stupidity of racial hatred. The first inter-racial television kiss was depicted on Star Trek, between Uhura and Kirk. It was the first television show to portray women in command positions, making command decisions. Roddenberry was a genius.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen 2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien - TBR stack 3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte 4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling I've read only the last one, the first 6 are in the stack. TBR 5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee 6 The Bible - 7Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte - TBR stack 8 1984 - George Orwell 9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman 10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens 11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott 12 Tess of the D

Just joined over there, I didn't realize y'all had a group there! Looks nice. But I do prefer Library Thing I have to say.