poppy

Day 5. A book that makes you happy. Anything by P.G.Wodehouse, especially his Jeeves and Wooster books. A very funny, witty writer. He comes out with such gems as ~ "I could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled." "A melancholy-looking man, he had the appearance of someone who had searched for the leak in life's gas pipe with a lighted candle." "I don't want to wrong anybody, so I won't go so far as to say that she actually wrote poetry, but her conversation, to my mind, was of a nature calculated to excite the liveliest of suspicions. Well, I mean to say, when a girl suddenly asks you out of a blue sky if you don't sometimes feel that the stars are God's daisy-chain, you begin to think a bit." "I know I was writing stories when I was five. I don't know what I did before that . . . just loafed, I suppose." Pure escapism

I think he's a very good writer too Janet and I love his sense of humour.

Travelling Lady ~ Leonard Cohen

Day 4. Favourite book from favourite series ~ My Family and Other Animals. This starts with the Durrells in the midst of a miserable wet summer, each nursing various ailments and dreaming of warmer climates. Larry, the eldest suggests selling up and moving to Greece. 'I can't do that, dear,' said Mother, shocked. 'Why not?' 'But I've only just bought it.' 'Sell it while it's still untarnished, then.' 'Don't be ridiculous, dear,' said Mother firmly. 'that's quite out of the question. It would be madness.' So we sold the house and fled from the gloom of the English summer, like a flock of migrating swallows.

I would have read The Great Gatsby at least three times too Ben. There is an undercurrent of impending ruin about the whole book which makes it very poignant. Have you seen the movie with Mia Farrow and Robert Redford in it? I think you would enjoy it.

I don't know if anyone wants to do this, but since there's lots of challenges going on, we can't leave music out. This one was on Facebook and Weave and I had a lot of fun doing it. It's probably best done all in one go rather than daily. Day 1 - A song that you test new speakers/headphones with. Day 2 - A song that you've heard live. Day 3 - A song from the year you were born. Day 4 - A song from last year. Day 5 - A song from the first album you bought. Day 6 - A song from the last album you bought. Day 7 - A song that you own but wish you didn't. Day 8 - A song that you don't own but wish you did. Day 9 - A song that no-one else you know likes. Day 10 - A song that you listen to when you're getting ready to go out. Day 11 - A song you often like to put on the jukebox. Day 12 - A song that you air guitar/drum to. Day 13 - A song that you recieved as a gift. Day 14 - An instrumental song. Day 15 - A song that makes you cry. Day 16 - A song you first heard in an advert. Day 17 - A song you first heard in a film. Day 18 - A song from the album with your favourite artwork. Day 19 - A song that you know of because of a cover version. Day 20 - A cover version that you think is better then the original. Day 21 - A song with a persons name in it. Day 22 - A song from a musical. Day 23 - A song that you like the video for. Day 24 - A song from a band whose T-shirt you own. Day 25 - A song that you find relaxing. Day 26 - A song with a one word name. Day 27 - A song by someone who is now dead. Day 28 - A Christmas song. Day 29 - The last song you heard. Day 30 - A song you hadn't heard 30 days ago.

Day 3. Your favourite series I don't know if it really qualifies for a series as it's roughly autobiographical, but I'm going to put Gerald Durrell's books about his childhood on Corfu Island here. They include My Family and Other Animals ; Birds, Beasts, and Relatives and Garden of the Gods. This is between 1935 and 1939 and life on Corfu is absolutely idyllic. His mother is a widow and has to try and manage four unruly children. She is my heroine. She copes with all sorts of creatures being kept in Gerald's bedroom, sometimes accompanied by dreadful smells because a taxidermy experiment didn't quite work and scorpions being let out at the dinner table because they were mistaken for matches. The others are just as bad. Leslie is gun crazy and prone to let off volleys of shots from his window in the middle of the night, shattering everyone's nerves. Larry (well known auther Lawrence Durrell) is a budding writer and forever inviting eccentric friends to stay for indefinite periods without giving his long-suffering mother any warning. And Margot who keeps falling in love and moping round and shutting herself away in her bedroom. They really are the most delightful and funny books, there are such a wonderful array of characters, both human and animal. Highly recommend.

They're certainly worth a re-read. The benefits of a dodgy memory ....you get to enjoy books all over again and it's almost like the first time

I'm glad you enjoy her books too chesilbeach, I haven't seen anyone else mention her. I haven't read any for a while now, but every so often I go through a stage of reading them all again. I like how you get some of the same characters intertwined in all her books, although each book is a totally different story. Yes, 'Harnessing Peacocks' was very enjoyable and I loved 'The Vacillations of Poppy Carew' too (I think that might have influenced my username choice ) I didn't quite make it through her whole biography, it got quite depressing towards the end, but she was certainly a wild child in her time.

Day 2. A book you've read more than three times The Camomile Lawn by Mary Wesley This story begins with five cousins having an idyllic summer holiday on the coast of Cornwall just prior to WWII and then follows their rather unihibited lives through the war and beyond. I very much like Mary Wesley's writing, her backgrounds are very English middle class, but she always has quite eccentric, unconventional characters. I read her autobiography and her own life was pretty wild and unconventional so this would have formed a good background for her writing.

I've just started one

I'm a little bit hesitant about doing this, I don't keep a Reading List because my reading is rather erratic, but I recently did a 30 day music challenge and it was a lot of fun, so here goes ........ Day 01 – Best book you read last year Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than 3 times Day 03 – Your favourite series Day 04 – Favourite book of your favourite series Day 05 – A book that makes you happy Day 06 – A book that makes you sad Day 07 – Most underrated book Day 08 – Most overrated book Day 09 – A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving Day 10 – Favourite classic book Day 11 – A book you hated Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore Day 13 – Your favourite writer Day 14 – Favourite book of your favourite writer Day 15 – Favourite male character Day 16 – Favourite female character Day 17 – Favourite quote from your favourite book Day 18 – A book that disappointed you Day 19 – Favourite book turned into a movie Day 20 – Favourite romance book Day 21 – Favourite book from your childhood Day 22 – Favourite book you own Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending Day 28 – Favourite title Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked Day 30 – Your favourite book of all time Day 1. Best book you read last year ~ Stardust by Neil Gaiman This would be my favourite fantasy book ever, it was absolutely delightful.

I'm torn between The Other Side of You by Salley Vickers and A Painted House by John Grisham.

I've just watched, rather belatedly, The King's Speech. I knew I was going to love it and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Such a marvellous cast. Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Timothy Spall .....they were all superb. Beethoven's Allegretto as the background for the speech was so moving, one of my most favourite pieces of classical music.

I think you'd make a lovely Molly Weasley, Chrissy. I found her very appealing too. There is absolutely nothing of Aunt Petunia in you whatsoever!!! Let 'em try and say so! Another mother I found absolutely delightful was Gerald Durrell's mother in 'My Family and Other Animals'. Have you met her?

Oh dear, done it again, used something I wasn't sposed to. I'll try again....

Finally changed my beloved baby Night Fury (How to Train Your Dragon ....yeah yeah I'm a big kid ) to this .....

I've read all these books and found them fascinating although rather harrowing. It's hard to believe life was so hard in England during the 30's but Helen's parent's incompetence and selfishness, especially in the case of her mother, made the conditions she lived in quite appalling. You have to give her so much credit for becoming a well-known author after her very sketchy formal education as a child. I've read one of her novels too, can't remember which one, but it was set in India. It was interesting but I didn't enjoy it as much as her autobiographical books.

I always thought he was so funny, such a quick wit but after looking him up, I can see why his personal writing could make quite depressing reading.

How about In Cold Blood by Truman Copote? Macabrely fascinating

Weave introduced them to me and then sent me a pile of their music, she's so kind. I particularly like the Attack and Release album. I've just bought the Brother's one. Yes, the Sinister Kid one is very good. I love Too Afraid to Love You. You might like to see this studio version of the song (again xxxx Weave ) It's a bit longer than the CD recording.

Brothers by The Black Keys. THANK YOU WEAVE!!!!!!

Today's google with the electric guitar is so cool. I've been trying to play tunes

glower

Thanks Inver, he's pretty cute