Polka Dot Rock

Sadly, I don't think it was Gary... But his time may come...

Hi Kitty! I know exactly what you're going through! I lived in Manchester for three years and I'm back at home until September, so I'm in a similar situation. Luckily, my mum is a big reader too but my dad has to have the telly on when he comes in from work (which is when I'm home from work too). And I cannot read novels with the TV on!! Me and my mum hate the TV being on all the time, and me especially as I got used to not watching it most days when I lived away. In summer, it's not much of a problem as I can sit in different rooms. But winter is SUCH a pain for my reading - it's too cold elsewhere in the house. At the moment, if I really fancy reading, I have to go to my bedroom, get in bed and read in there. Not ideal, but comfy And no blasted telly. If I were you, go and hide (or, just go sit where you fancy) and put some headphones in/on and pretend you're listening to music as well as reading! I think being a bit 'antisocial' would help too: we used to call it that in our house as a polite way of saying "DO NOT DISTURB", as we all had a lot of reading to do. We'd say "I'm just going to be antisocial for a couple of hours" or likewise. So perhaps you could do the same? Make a joke out of being left alone so that people get the message but know that you're not being stroppy. Failing that, whenever anyone tries to interrupt you, only respond with a "hmm..." and don't move your eyes. Just keep doing that until they leave you alone or you have to use your book to smack them over the head with Hope that helps...

I came across the Comics Journal whilst writing my MA funding application: two of their writers got quoted! I don't think they were supposed to tho' so *shhhhhh* I think it's quite likely that I'm going to do my MA dissertation on graphic novels The arguments alone will be worth it!

The Robber Bride is great! I haven't read Alias Grace, although I do have a second hand copy somewhere...

I read and studied that for my second year: think I read it in about a day. It's quite melodramatically funny but still made me sad at the end!

Yesterday, I was checking the Guardian Book Blog (as I always do) and I found this interesting blog: What I'm reading: The Book of the City of Ladies. It sounded really interesting and right down my street named Personal Interest, and as I was a bit down-in-the-dumps yesterday, I decided to treat myself to it So I now have The Treasure of the City of Ladies: or the Book of the Three Virtues by Christine de Pizan winging it's way to me very soon. Sounds fascinating! (19/03/07) EDIT: Only one problem - the book I ordered was the 'wrong' one! The Treasure of the City of Ladies is actually the sequel to The Book of the City of Ladies I thought it was a new translation but nooooo... So I've ordered the 'correct' one now! D'oh!

I haven't no, but I want to. I'm trying to expand my 'classics' reading beyond the British Isles. What Zola would you recommend? Are there any other French writers you particularly like? Speaking of French writers: see my post below...

That's very true: I remember rushing through it too. I sped through The Distance Between Us but only because I had insomnia for two nights running. It was a great companion!

I finished Kate Arkinson's One Good Turn yesterday and I LOVED it: it was wonderful! The writing was fantastic and the characters extremely well developed. Although the 'mystery/crime' element was well done and executed fabulously, I quite often forgot about it as I was so engrossed in the characters - a good thing! I really cared about all the characters, and - surprisingly for a multi-narrative novel - I didn't favour one over the others: they were all brilliant. It must be quite difficult to write third-person narratives that are basically internal monologues, so hats off to Kate Atkinson I can understand why this cropped up so much in the critics' favourite books of 2006. Wonderful, wonderful, I highly recommend it! I started Madame Bovary last night, reading a couple of chapters before bed. Too early to say so far, but I have high hopes.

... Only joking! The only reason I'm even considering it is the fact there are soooo many huge books in my TBR list. It wasn't intentional but it's a huge mountain to climb!

Btw, Susie and Judy: are you planning on undertaking 'the chunk challenge'?

Ooh we could start another reading circle! Of two people. Hmm... Time to start canvassing then!

Out of interest, how old is she? I read a really interesting column where a writer was saying that she had two daughters and the youngest one wasn't much of a reader. But when she was 16 (I think), she started reading a lot. And apparantly that's very typical. I was a voracious book reader until I was about 12/13, and then I came back to it when I was about 17 and have never stopped really!

Ah I got this from a, erm, supermarket last weekend (my mum bought it for me - how kind!). Have you finished it Judy? What did you think?

Thank you Judy! It was a present from my mum at Christmas, and I'd never heard of it 'til then. So I was wondering if anyone had read it. That's encouraging I haven't read any Wilkie Collins before (and I thought he was a she for ages, lol!).

It really is: so beautifully shot, so funny and just life affirming. I don't necessarily believe that the point of all films is to cheer you up, but that film has never failed me. I always save it for times when I'm feeling really low and watch it. Would anyone else care to grab a brolly and go dancing in the street?

My mum's reading it at the moment (mainly due to my pestering over the past couple of days), and has been saying how well written it is. I'd love to tell Lori Lansens how Rose and Ruby's narrative voices are so strong and convincing.

Singin' in the Rain: That's my absolute favourite film, musical or not! I love it! I took some friends to see it on the big screen last year, and it was nerve wracking - I was so worried thay wouldn't like it. But it seems to be a truth universally acknowledged that any person who hates that film, must be in want of a soul I also love Little Shop of Horrors, Cabaret, Evita, Oliver!, Gypsy, The Sound of Music (first time I watched it, I was 18. How was it possible to be 18 and not seen it??), Moulin Rouge!, and I am quite partial to a bit of Les Miserables...

Hello Kylie! Excellent list - very far reaching Of those on your list... Margaret Atwood: A Handmaid's Tale Charlotte Bronte: Jane Eyre Ken Kesey: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Vladimir Nabokov: Lolita Sylvia Plath: The Bell Jar Bram Stoker: Dracula William Makepeace Thackeray: Vanity Fair ...are amongst my favourites. All quite high up in the-invisible-chart-in-my-mind too! I read Kate Mosse's Labyrinth last year. Thought it was, well, okay. It wasn't a highlight but everyone else I know really enjoyed it. So clearly I'm just a kill joy

That was very interesting summary, Susie I never read Charlotte's Web because whenever anyone at school had read it, they were always in floods of tears for days!

I've decided that any book around 450+ pages qualifys as a Doorstep for me, so here are the chunky monkeys in my TBR list (in descending order of 'weightiness'!): David Copperfield - Charles Dickens (1024 pages) Don Quixote - Miguel de Cervantes (trans. Edith Grossmann) (960 pages) Anna Karenina - L.N. Tolstoy (864 pages) An Instance of the Fingerpost - Iain Pears (704 pages) Villette - Charlotte Bronte (672 pages) No Name - Wilkie Collins (656 pages) The Blind Assassin - Margaret Atwood (641 pages) The Mill on the Floss - George Eliot (640 pages) Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood (545 pages) Small Island - Andrea Levy (544 pages) Special Topics in Calamity Physics - Marisha Pessl (528 pages) Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (448 pages) January Vanity Fair - W.M Thackeray (912 pages) February The Night Watch - Sarah Waters (480 pages) March The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon (656 pages) April The Tenderness of Wolves - Stef Penney (466 pages) (+ A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens, 544 pages) May The Crimson Petal and The White - Michel Faber (894 pages)

Hey Paula! Thanks for the fantastic review! I can see it gave you lots to think about and want to talk about It's one of my favourite ever books, so I'm sooooo pleased you loved it.

Oh you are in for a treat, Jane! My tip when (re)starting it is to bear with the first few chapters (I remember feeling like "is this worth the slog?"). But it really is BRILLIANT - I'm really looking forward to reading it again.

Ah. I see I've done it again. Y'know, if you become bankrupt because of all the books you've been buying, you can't go and blame me!! Btw, I hope your operation goes smoothly and comfortably tomorrow: I'll be thinking of you!