Mia
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Posts posted by Mia
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Well, I finished this last night and despite my earlier post, I wasn't that impressed. I thought it started out well but declined around the middle and became quite boring and repetitive. It seemed to meander along without really getting anywhere.
This is the first Alan Bennett I've read, and I wasn't too keen on his style or sentence construction. There were a few sentences I had to read two or three times before they made sense.
It was okay, but for such an interesting idea I think it could have been a whole lot more than it was. It was like Bennett just scratched the surface without really getting into things (it is a very thin book). There were a couple of laugh out loud moments but for superior humour and satire I prefer Sue Townsend, who makes it seem effortless. This was rather laboured, in my opinion.
ETA: Yes, the last line was good.
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Yes, the Mirror mentioned the above names as well, and said that Jodie Kidd was "on standby". I'm looking forward to this coming back.
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Ooh, that could have been nasty, Kell. Glad you were alright (apart from the embarrassment factor!).
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I'm halfway through it, so I'll come back to this thread when I've finished it! I'm enjoying the way the footmen etc are finding reading such a subversive act. Not so keen on Queenie's attitude to the fantasy genre though!
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There used to be one on the London Underground, where a little girls ragdoll got caught on the bottom of the escalator. It totally freaked me out as I used to have to go to London once a month with my Mum. She never did understand why I was so scared of the escalator!
Yes, I remember that! I always thought I was going to get dragged under the escalator.
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Thank you Mia! I'm not going mad then?!
Didn't they also sing "You'll never put a better bit of butter on your knife"
That was their slogan, I think!
I hate those LV/Liverpool Victoria ads, because I really hate the song that goes with it, that goes "Dum diddy dum diddy dwee dwee dum de dum de dum". I especially can't stand the bit where it goes "dwee dwee". I don't know why, but it sets my teeth on edge.
I also saw a rubbish one tonight, I think it was for a Nissan car (Qashqai?? or something) where buildings were coming to life and bashing it and other cars around. The tagline was something about it having seven seats and more space to play with the city. Play with the city? It looked more like the city was beating the **** out of it. Weird.
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I remember that one, Boo! I can even remember the tune and some of the words (clears throat):
"It's Countrylife, it's English too,
From the cows to the dairy from the dairy onto you
It's pure and fresh and creamy through and through
So spread it on your toast in the m-o-r-n-ing!"
Yes, okay, I'm sad and I know it.
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Oh my god Judy, we were shown that film in junior school! It was absolutely horrific, especially for sensitive souls like me and the younger kids (I was in the last year of junior school I think, but they showed it to the whole school, so that would include 7-year-olds). Kids were throwing up or crying and having to be taken out by teachers.
You saw all these bloody casualties lying on stretchers. I think it must have scarred me for life, as I still remember it and don't like watching any nasty films!
No-one except you Judy and a girl in my last office ever recalled it - I thought we must have been the only school to see it! -
I inquired about the next Bolitar novel thru his web site. He replied and indicated the next one would be releases in 09.
Ooh, thanks for that info!
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Now, this is probably for those of you in your thirties or older, but who remembers the public information films they used to put on the telly? Some of them were really good, whilst others were just cheesy. Ones I remember include:
The one with the hooded Death figure putting children off swimming in quarries/rivers etc. My god, that was scary.
The ones with the cartoon animated couple (the woman was called Petunia). I especially remember the one teaching people to call 999 for the coastguard, where they thought a drowning man was waving to them (it was funnier than it sounds, honestly!)
The famous "Charley Says" ones with the cartoon cat miaowing away, warning kids not to go off with strangers or to cross the road carefully.
One about putting the chain on the front door to check who's there before opening it, with a catchy tune sung to "Green Door".
I actually bought a cheap DVD that has loads of these on - some are hilarious!
I think they should bring some of these back. -
Definitely the Hamlet cigars ones from yester year. The Castlemaine XXXX ones were always really funny too. I do like my adverts to be funny.
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Another one of my favourites is from my childhood - The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall.
We read that in the first or second year of secondary school... One of the few books we had to read that I enjoyed! The TV adaptation was good as well.
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I always thought he was a nice jolly person, until I read an interview with him not long after his first advert started. He came across as arrogant, big-headed and humourless, so I've disliked him ever since! Apparently the Halifax paid him peanuts for his ad and I don't think he gets repeat fees (or maybe he does...) but I remember thinking that was pretty stingy.
I also hate that advert for some kind of mouthwash that features a naked woman wandering romantically through a soft-focus barley field. She then smiles and shows she's missing some teeth. I really hate gratuitous nudity (but I'll make an exception in the case of Josh Holloway, she adds hypocritically).
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A lot of my favourite ones were from yesteryear, as they were for Hamlet cigars and they're not allowed to advertise them now. But they were always very funny.
There aren't many ones I like now. I like the witty ones.
I like the Revels "Russian roulette" one where the guy falls to the floor in disgust and the other guy says "Coffee!" 'cos that's how I feel about the coffee one.
I also liked the ones for the car (er... the Toyota Yaris?) where the people got their revenge when their friend/boyfriend didn't respect the car enough. There was one where the boyfriend kicked the door shut, so the girl crashed his model plane. The other one was where one guy loosened a rope so his mate fell in the mud because he put his feet up on the dashboard in his car!
Most other adverts I hate! Especially the C'mon! one for the car, the Muller "Lick the Lid of Life" ones, any sofa ones, the Halifax ones and the ones with annoying songs that stick in your head (like the "Ladybugs' Picnic" one). Plus, all the L'Oreal, Garnier, Nivea etc etc ones drive me nuts.
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I don't think I've ever read a novel in one sitting. Even though I'm a fast reader, I just don't get the time to sit and read for hours until I've finished it. I also like sleeping too much!
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I have collected the following on DVD:
Dark Angel (both seasons)
Alias (all seasons)
Buffy (all seasons in one box)
I have all Angel series on VHS - hopefully I will replace them with DVD.
I'm sure there are more I collect, but my mind's gone blank.
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My main reading time used to be morning and evening on the train, but now I don't commute to work it's mostly in an evening, after about 9pm.
I can read with a TV on in the background, but I prefer silence. Music really distracts me.
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I've never really got into James Herbert's books that much - I've bought a few but can't even remember if I finished them (so I must not have been too impressed).
The only one of his books I absolutely loved was Fluke, which I don't think is typical of his work. Maybe that's why I loved it so much! It was so sad and emotional, rather than just being straightforward horror (though the situation could be viewed as quite horrific).
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Quite a few of you have said that you won't lend, or not unless you know the person will return the book. This raises the question: What do you say to someone when they ask to borrow a book and you don't want to lend it
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For me, it is definitely escapism, as I read a lot of fantasy and never read non-fiction. I learned to read at a very early age, was good at it and always enjoyed reading. I think my mum passed on her love of reading to me - thanks Mum!
Some folks say that reading is a waste of timeOnly idiotic people.
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I think Koontz changed his writing themes dramatically some years ago. His earlier novels tended to feature conspiracy theory type plots and evil government organisations up to all sorts (usually involving recombinant DNA). Then he seemed to stop writing these and move towards a slightly more spiritual theme, with less supernatural stuff or paranoia.
I liked his earlier books a lot, but I also like his more recent stuff and still buy everything he writes. But I think his earlier work is the stuff I prefer.
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How many Adrian Mole books are there? I bought a second-hand copy of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole back at the end of last year, I think. I'm sure I read it when I was younger but I really don't remember much of it. Has it dated at all?
There must be at least 5 or 6 Adrian Mole books... maybe 7. If I get to Amazon before anyone else does I'll come back and post the titles!
Some of it has dated, eg references to the Falklands War or to TV programmes/celebrities of the time, but a lot of it is pretty timeless as it deals with the family relationships and characters. I love these books. When all my books are properly arranged and I can actually get to them, I'm going to sit down and re-read them all in order!
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That is a big no-no - it's just not the done thing to lend a book to someone else when it's not yours!
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Sue Townsend's books, namely the Adrian Mole series and the ones where the royal family go and live on a council estate (I can't remember the titles and my books are packed away). I love the Adrian Mole books - great observational comedy and satire. Very funny indeed. Sue Townsend is an unrecognised genius.
I would also second Round Ireland With A Fridge.
Depending on your humour, you might like Douglas Adams books or Terry Pratchett too.
Are there any books you really want?
in General Book Discussions
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I'm awaiting Terry Pratchett's Nation and Trudi Canavan's next book.