Kylie

I've liked his FB page in preparation too. I think it has the potential to be an excellent movie.

The Big Bang Theory is so awesome! I finished watching all four seasons of Community last week. I loved it so much that I thought I'd watch the first episode of the first season again today, just to see how they all met for the first time...then suddenly I had watched eight episodes. I'm now watching the cricket.

Julie, you crack me up! (But I'm also sorry that you lost your goldfish. )

Yes, very disappointing of Lehmann. (I hate it when I try to take the moral high ground and my fellow countrymen let me down! )

I always feel like a bit of a monster for saying this, but I really didn't like Black Beauty, and for exactly the reason you mentioned - its rather preachy tone. I'm glad you enjoyed it more than I did.

I feel better about it now, Julie, thanks!

Congratulations, Carelia! I'm not a wedding person either. I hate to be the centre of attention. If I ever get married, it will be a low-key affair, too. And congrats on the new jobs! What an exciting time in your lives.

Thanks Athena. I'm enjoying some of Tammett's essays more than others. I loved reading about pi, and when I read that he had spent hours reciting around 24,000 digits of pi, I had to go and find a video to see it for myself (well, just part of it!) Imagine being able to memorise all of those numbers!! I'm lucky if I can remember my phone number. Buying more books than we can read is such a problem, isn't it? But what a lovely problem it is!

I've heard great things about the Mars trilogy. Glad to hear you're enjoying it, and I look forward to your review.

Ah, yes, I've heard good things about Inkheart, which is on my TBR pile. I think Frankie is reading this at the moment, so maybe she can enlighten us. Oh, please do read it if you get a chance! There are at least a few members here who really loved it. It's a great book! (There are also a couple of books that follow, if you enjoy The Shadow of the Wind.) 'Ook!' I've only read a few of the Discworld books, so I've only read a little about the Unseen University's Library, but I'm sure I'll get it to know it a lot better as I continue through the series. I know a few of the Discworld books have been made into miniseries. Does anyone know if the library has appeared in any of these? And if so, how does it compare to the books?

Welcome to the forum, Carelia (lovely name!). I was wondering the same thing as Kidsmum.

Athena, I've read Arthur C Clarke's Collected Stories (the one with all of his short stories), and I absolutely loved it. In fact, despite its length, I've read it a couple of times and dipped back in to re-read certain stories. It's one of my favourite books because of the sheer brilliance of so many of the stories. It's way overdue for a re-read! I would also recommend his Tales from the White Hart. Of course, all of these stories are also included in the omnibus, but I loved these particular stories so much that I bought a copy of this book just so I could have them all in one handy little package. The stories are told by men in a pub called the White Hart, and there's a lot of funny banter by the characters before and after (and I think even during) the stories.

What are your favourite fictional libraries (or even book shops) that have appeared in books and and movies? If you can post a pic of the library/shop from the show/movie or quote a description from the book, that would be great! Otherwise, let us know what you love about them. One of my favourites is the Cemetery of Forgotten Books in The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Here are a couple of excerpts from the book (excuse the length, but the descriptions are so lovely that I had a problem finding just a small quotation!): *************** A blue-tinted gloom obscured the sinuous contours of a marble staircase and a gallery of frescoes peopled with angels and fabulous creatures. We followed our host through a palatial corridor and arrived at a sprawling round hall, a virtual basilica of shadows spiraling up under a high glass dome, its dimness pierced by shafts of light that stabbed from above. A labyrinth of passageways and crammed bookshelves rose from base to pinnacle like a beehive woven with tunnels, steps, platforms, and bridges that presaged an immense library of seemingly impossible geometry. I looked at my father, stunned. He smiled at me and winked. “Welcome to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, Daniel.” ... “This is a place of mystery, Daniel, a sanctuary. Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens. This place was already ancient when my father brought me here for the first time, many years ago. Perhaps as old as the city itself. Nobody knows for certain how long it has existed, or who created it. I will tell you what my father told me, though. When a library disappears, or a bookshop closes down, when a book is consigned to oblivion, those of us who know this place, its guardians, make sure that it gets here. In this place, books no longer remembered by anyone, books that are lost in time, live forever, waiting for the day when they will reach a new reader’s hands. In the shop we buy and sell them, but in truth books have no owner. Every book you see here has been somebody’s best friend. Now they have only us, Daniel. Do you think you’ll be able to keep such a secret?” My gaze was lost in the immensity of the place and its sorcery of light. I nodded, and my father smiled. “And do you know the best thing about it?” he asked. I shook my head. “According to tradition, the first time someone visits this place, he must choose a book, whichever he wants, and adopt it, making sure that it will never disappear, that it will always stay alive. It’s a very important promise. For life,” explained my father. “Today it’s your turn.”

Super Size Me - probably shouldn't have eaten Maccas right before I watched it.

Aww, what a lovely daughter you are. Ooh, these are all excellent reads, and Lolita in particular is one of my favourites. Aw, that's great. It reminds of those old books where ill characters are told to go to the seaside to recover. Try to hold on to that feeling when you get home! I look forward to seeing your photos too.

Dr Quinn Medicine Woman.

No need to apologise. I'm sure we all know Pontalba well enough to know she would never do something like that.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does it! It's especially frustrating because if I do see a smaller version at the bookfair, I'll always buy it, so I end up buying the book twice. I'll never learn! Well, I don't know about RIP'ing because he got flushed down the toilet (and I know for a fact it was a 'he' because my BF checked... ). I didn't even notice (shows what a great editor I am!)

We're still in suspense, Devi! What books did you buy???

It's gone, thank goodness. My BF came and found it dead near where I had sprayed it. He got rid of it for me. Excellent! I want to start reading this very soon. I was a bit torn about buying books at the sale because there's a good chance I will find them cheaper next month. This was particularly true for WYGB, and it's also a trade paperback (I prefer smaller paperbacks). But then I thought how disappointed I'd be if I didn't find it at the bookfair next month, and I don't even think it's out in the smaller paperback format, so I decided I couldn't pass it up!

North by Northwest

I thought about mentioning you with that title, Poppyshake, but I thought it might be stating to obvious to say that you influenced that purchase.

Silver Linings Playbook - very good.

I'm watching The Five-Year Engagement.

No, I've read more than one*, you troublemaker! *Three, to be exact.