Kylie

Good stuff, Tintaglia! It has been ages since I've watched the LOTR movies. I really need to watch them again soon. Maybe I'll have a movie marathon and watch them all at once. I watched an 80s sci-fi movie called The Black Hole. It was OK.

I watched Warm Bodies. Excellent movie!

Oh dear. (But I'm looking forward to the review!) I'm so proud of you. My reading has stalled nearly halfway through the first Phryne Fisher, but I'm planning to finish it during the readathon.

I am so behind on everyone's reading threads, so I have only just seen this: Wow! I thought I was the only person in the world who had this book! I bought it from Port Arthur quite a few years ago when I visited there. The book came with a deck of 52 cards as well. I guess each card represents a convict, but I can't remember how the cards are connected to the book (I think it's just a gimmick). I'll have to dig those cards out and have a look at them. For some reason my copy of this book is tucked away in a box somewhere. You've certainly received some interesting book hauls recently! Good stuff and great bargains! I hope you enjoy your upcoming holiday (may I ask which state you're going to?) and that your health is as good as it can possibly be *hugs*.

Of Mice and Men is just wonderful, Poppyshake. I think (well, I really really hope!) that you'll enjoy it. I'm going to try to participate again. Hopefully I'll get more reading done this time (I don't think I could read any less!) I still have my pile of books stacked up in the library from last time, so I'll tackle them again.

Yes, I watched the opener and thought it was excellent. I recently watched seasons 6 and 7 in one go to catch up to the rest of the world, and I had a fabulous time. What a couple of mind-blowing seasons! I can't wait to see how it all ends.

You're just jealous. I started reading Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood a few days ago, and I'm about one-third of the way through.

Thanks Poppyshake. I like them too! And Waugh's Diaries match my edition of Waugh's Letters. Score!

I meant too many books for you. There is no such thing as too many books for the rest of us normal people.

I'll be interested in your thoughts on Wool. I look forward to reading it one day. Been buying too many books, Raven?

I'll be interested in your thoughts on the two English books. I still haven't read Mister Pip yet, which I recall you enjoyed a lot. I have to admit that I can't remember this being on FTBC, so I can't remember anyone's opinions of it. I also have A Game of Thrones and have been intimidated to read it. But I recently watched the TV show and now that I know what to expect, I don't think I'll be daunted. It'll help that I already know who the characters are. And the show is excellent.

I started reading Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison.

Yes, because you're a friendly and personable person. I'm not. I'm glad you enjoyed The Help. It's yet another book that is languishing on my book shelf, along with Alias Grace, so I look forward to hearing what you think of it.

Frankie, I doubt I would have been so accommodating to that lady. I would have been wishing for the courage to say (and perhaps even saying) 'excuse me, I'm going to read my book now'. I went away last weekend and managed to finished Groucho and Me in between very long naps. I'm now getting back into Comet in Moominland by Tove Jansson.

I received some books in the mail earlier this week: Jeffrey Eugenides My Mistress's Sparrow is Dead Homer The Iliad Charles Neider (ed) Punch, Brothers, Punch: The Comic Mark Twain Reader Watkin Tench 1788 Evelyn Waugh The Diaries of Evelyn Waugh Oscar Wilde De Profundis and Other Prison Writings

I'm about 3/4 through Groucho Marx's excellent autobiography, Groucho and Me. I also received some books in the mail earlier this week.

Ooh, sounds like you'll be having a great time! Have lots of fun. We'll miss you!

I don't recognise too many names there, either. And of the names I did recognise, I wasn't even aware that some of them were Australian.

Phew! It has taken me ages to catch up on this thread. You've been a busy gal, Frankie. I'm really glad you enjoyed Valley of the Dolls. I look forward to reading it even more now. I really like the cover artwork on your copy of the book as well. Even though I haven't read Peyton Place either (yet!), I have always linked both books in my mind because they seem a bit similar, so I'm glad they're both excellent reads. Ooh, and I recently bought Valley of the Dolls on DVD, but I didn't realise Sharon Tate was in it! Awesome. Now I really, really need to read the book soon so I can watch the movie. Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the Stephen King and Graham Greene books. I loved your review for Thinner ('So there.' ). I thought Greene would be one of those authors whose books were all hits and no misses, but I have no idea why I would think that. Has it put you off reading other books by him? Have you read others in the past? I've only read The Third Man & The Fallen Idol by him (two short novellas). I mostly bought it because The Third Man is one of my all-time favourite movies, and I wasn't disappointed by the book. I thought they were both great stories. I have a few other books by him, and I'm hoping they'll be just as good, but I think I'll avoid the one you reviewed. I'm not going to chime in on the parenting debate, but I will say, Frankie, that I think I would be an over-worrying parent too. And I would hate myself for it, but I bet I wouldn't be able to change. *rolls eyes* Oh, and as a monolingual person, if I ever had kids, I would really encourage them to learn at least one other language. I'm glad to see you haven't completely given up on buying books. I was worrying about you for a while! Sorry to hear about your bookcase. Did you have to throw out the entire bookcase because of one shelf? Have you found another place for your books? Oh, and what's the Australia and Oceania book that you're referring to? That wasn't something you bought in Australia, was it? Regarding Steve's comment about Liverpool, it might help if you think of Liverpool as being very, very similar to my home town in terms of the type of people who live there. I felt very 'at home' when I visited Liverpool because they're my type of people (she says, proudly). So leave 'em alone, Steve. *shakes fist menacingly*

I agree with Ben. It doesn't matter where you start. There are no rules to this, so you can do what you like! I'm glad everyone agrees with the first weekend of the month. I also like that it's three days; that way, there's more chance that people can participate on at least one of the three days. I'm already excited about the next one!

Did you once mention the TV series, Chesil? I can't remember whether you've seen it. I'd highly recommend it. I think it's very well done (although I can't compare it to the books because I haven't read them yet—I broke my rule of reading the book first because I was so interested in watching the series!) *nods* I bawled when I read the end. So sad. Are you going to continue on with the rest of the series?

If we're going to make it a regular thing, maybe we could make it, for example, the first weekend of each month or something? That way it'd be easier for everyone to remember and we wouldn't have to try to tally up everyone's schedules each time. Then people will know in the future to never make any other plans on the first weekend of each month. It's a safe bet that one or two people will unfortunately miss out each time due to other commitments, but I think that would always happen no matter when we did it.

I'm glad I wasn't timing my progress because my stats really would have brought the averages down! Unfortunately I didn't end up having much of a read-a-thon. I sat down for dinner and to watch an episode of Gilmore Girls, and I got completely carried away and ended up watching lots of TV. *embarrassed* I will try again for the next one though!

Chesil, the Groucho autobio is off to a great, if typically unorthodox, start so far. I forgot to mention that I have also started The Gruen Transfer, which is a non-fiction book about the advertising industry.

Great progress everyone. I'm off to a rather slow start. I slept in till nearly lunch time, but I guess that wasn't enough sleep because I then kept dozing off during my reading. I was afraid that would happen! So far I've only read the first chapter of Groucho Marx's autobiography, Groucho and Me, and the first chapter of Tove Jansson's Comet in Moominland.