[Frankie reads 2012]

Oh now, you know that was an accurate statement!

[50 Shades of Grey]

I have also decided to stay away from this thread, unless moderating duties require me to step in. I don't like what the books bring out in me, so I'm going to go back to trying to ignore them. In the meantime, I appreciate your responses to my rant, Ooshie and Pontalba. I hope you know I have the utmost respect for you both and your opinions.

[Chaliepud's 2012 Reading Log]

I already commented on your TBR pile, but I can't help but go into more detail.

 

I particularly look forward to your opinions on these books, which I have on my TBR pile or wish list:

I Capture The Castle - Dodie Smith

The Angel's Game - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

Nights at the Circus - Angela Carter

The Hare With Amber Eyes - Edmund De Waal

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - Bill Bryson

Generation Dead - Daniel Waters

 

I have read and really enjoyed: (* enjoyed quite a lot, ** enjoyed immensely, *** one of my all-time favourites):

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society - Mary Ann Shafer, Annie Barrows *

Everything is Illuminated - Jonathan Safron Foer ***

A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson **

Emma - Jane Austen **-***

Eats, Shoots and Leaves - Lynne Truss **

Mr Rosenblum's List - Natasha Solomons *

Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut **

The Phantom Tollbooth - Norton Juster ***

 

The least I say about this one, the better: (Poppyshake liked it though)

How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff

[Michelle - 2012]

I don't understand why people would be upset because it was a children's book. For one, I don't think I've read many strictly adult books that make it clear in the title that it is about children and therefore very likely to be a book for children (maybe that's an incorrect assumption on my part). But wouldn't it warrant a little further research by those people who apparently don't want to read children's books? I don't mean that to sound like a whinge. I'm just thinking out loud.

 

I think it's certainly a book that older children and adults can equally enjoy. I don't think I'd recommend it to younger children because it is a little graphic in parts! Actually, I can't say I ever really felt like I was reading a children's book, hence my surprise that others would complain about it.

 

The photos were largely what drew me to the book. I love old photos and have often thought that I'd like to find an old b&w photo at a market and try to write a story based on the anonymous person in the photo. I could never do it as well as Ransom Riggs though. I really loved that the photos always appeared over the page, so readers are able to conjure their own images in their minds before seeing the actual photos.

 

At one point I flicked to the end to see how much further I had to go and I accidentally glimpsed the last photo. I thought I had completely ruined the ending for myself, but luckily what I thought I saw was wrong, and the ending was nothing like I expected. Phew!

[Pets ~ Part Two]

Fluffy Bum is actually a HE. I know, he's far too gorgeous to be a boy!! He always comes down to meet me when I get home, then walks ahead with his tail in the air, I swear he swaggers

He's actually quite a character, he was a wild kitten where my husband works. He used to climb on the top of wood bundles being carried across a mill yard by forklift (about 4.5 m high), hop off, then run across to catch the next ride.

He disappeared when I let him go for the first time inside at home. I searched absolutely everywhere until I finally found him up the chimney, crouched on a ledge.

 

I missed this post earlier.

 

Haha. Fluffy Bum is quite a character! I love the colour of the bottom of his feet (that's his colour and not just dirt, right? )

 

Do you have an awful time with his cat hair? Jasper only has short hair but it's such a nuisance. It doesn't help that I don't brush him as often as I should. He fights me so much when I try that more of his hair ends up on me than the brush.

[Arukiyomi's Reviews]

Is that a waterslide? Haha!

 

I came so close to buying The Sorrows of Young Werther the other day, but I didn't like the cover and I knew I'd only end up replacing it one day, so I thought I'd pass.

 

Aw, what a shame you didn't enjoy The Book Thief. I thought it was wonderful and unique.

[Frankie reads 2012]

Well I can always google if I don't know something I thought you either wanted to say 'resent' or 'remember' (because I've said that same thing once before). I'll have to remember that! Although why would I want to agree with a person who's being critical of me, I have no idea

 

Well, let's test it out!...

 

Frankie, you have such a gutter mind!

 

Kylie!!!! You will not believe this I was just looking through all the movies they are playing tonight, in case there was something I wanted to watch. There was one called 'Neljä naurettavaa naapurusta' in Finnish, and that didn't say anything to me. So I click for further details, and guess which movie it is!?!

 

Duck Soup!!! Bring on GG moment!

 

Oh. My. God!!! And I just mentioned on another thread, about 10 seconds ago, how good it was! How awesome!! I hope you enjoy it!!

[Have You Seen…?]

I love all the Marx Brothers films I've seen, so I would recommend going with A Night At The Opera or A Day At The Races next.

 

With regards to everything else - I personally don't get on with Woody Allen, and Hannah and Her Sisters was one of only three films I've walked out of the cinema part way through the film, so I can't help with him. The only one of the other films you've asked about that I've seen is the 1984 version of Nineteen Eighty-Four because we had to read the book and watch the film for Sociology as school, and I hated both, so again, I'm not much help there either!

 

Thanks Chesil and Roland for the two Marx brothers recommendations. I think my Dad also nominated A Day at the Races. I've seen a few DVD sets around of the Marx brothers around, and each set has around 4 movies, but there are always overlapping movies. I wish they'd release a definitive set of all of their movies!

 

Duck Soup was such a wonderful comedy, but too short! It takes a lot for me to laugh out loud, but I chuckled all the way through it.

 

Hehe. I think Allen is definitely not for everyone, but I like his quirkiness. Maybe I'll leave Hannah and Her Sisters until last (goodness knows there are enough others I can watch first!)

 

It's a shame you didn't get on with the book or the movie of 1984. I was wondering to myself earlier why there hasn't been a remake of 1984, given how prophetic it is, and even given the popularity of the Big Brother TV show (I know that's completely different, but you'd think movie studios would stoop to cashing in on the association). I did come to a conclusion, but now I don't agree with myself! I hope someone will do a remake soon, if only to bring the story to more people.

 

I love Allen so I won't be very objective here. I believe I have seen all the movies he made maybe except last two or three....I don't realy like the "new" Allen. Manhattan Murder Mystery, Husbands and Wives, Crimes and Misdemeanors are my favourite titles. Allen has it's own " flavour" as I call it and once you taste you either love it or will never try again.I love Allen the actor too, so any film he starred in is a treat.

He is also quite a skilled musician...I saw him play live and it was very enjoyable.

And of course his books....have you read any?

 

Fellini? Definitely La Dolce Vita with amazing Anita Ekberg taking a splash in di Trevi.

and I would recommend La Strada with Gulietta Masina.....what a performance!

 

Ah, but the more of Allen's movies you've seen, the better, because you'd know all about the lesser-known movies. I remember thinking Crimes and Misdemeanors looked good, and I'll look into the others as well. Thanks! I didn't know he was a musician (jazz, I think?) until I saw the documentary. How awesome it must have been to see him play live! Wow.

 

I haven't read any of his books yet. Would you recommend them? I want to read his autobiography first, I think.

 

Thanks for the Fellini recommendations too. I haven't heard of La Strada, but I'll look into it after (if ever) I get to see La Dolce Vita.

 

Hi Kylie, I have seen Sleeper and found it quite funny. He makes a few serious points in it about human relationships but in general it is lighthearted.Seen Metropolis a long time ago. Way ahead of its time, worth watching.Seen Battle Royale . Not bad. Seen the 1950's BBC version of 1984 with Peter Cushing. Is that the one you mean? It was great.

 

Great, thanks, VF! It's great knowing you've enjoyed them all. I want to see them even more now.

[Frankie reads 2012]

Haha I did have to back and read that sentence a few times

 

I thought I'd better mention it in case you hadn't heard it before. But I knew you'd appreciate the wit.

 

I thought I had perhaps learned the phrase from John Lennon (it's definitely something he'd say), but I was just Googling it to learn its origins, and a lot of people ascribe it to Groucho Marx (woohoo!) and The Three Stooges. It's used as a sort of rebuttal when people insult you. It gives you a chance to turn the tables on them by effectively agreeing with what they're saying (well, I couldn't very well deny that my mind is a sewer and a sieve, or I'd be lying, wouldn't I? )

 

In my defense, I first made my breakfast and then sat down to browse the forum WHILE eating my breakfast

 

In that case, I approve. After all, you need to keep your strength up to keep up with the forum.

[Poppy's Paperbacks 2012]

I certainly hope I'll be a Woolf-ite, given I have 11 books by her and at least 1 about her. One day I'll stop doing that.

 

I thought I had mentioned the stereotype, especially when you mentioned about the English on this forum taking baths, because the stereotype is that they don't bathe. Poppyshake mentioned that the English have the same stereotype about the French, which I also hear occasionally.

 

Oh, and I just thought of something! My family were discussing our family history the other day. I'm Irish on my Mum's side and English/Swedish on my Dad's side, but Dad mentioned that we also have Irish ancestry on his side. His evidence? His Mum and Dad apparently called each other (I hope I've got this right) 'dirty Pom' and 'Irish b*stard' as terms of endearment. Bahaha! So that's further evidence of the stereotype.

[Books You're Looking Forward To In 2012]

Oh, I saw that new Summerscale book in the shop the other day.

 

I also saw a huge, gorgeous hardback book of Jane Austen's Letters. It was published last year but I'm hoping the paperback will be released this year. I had no idea so many of Austen's letters were still in existence.

 

Good lord, I still haven't read the first Dexter book! I love that authors publish new books often and don't keep their fans waiting, but at the same time, a small part of me is crying out 'can you please stop for a little while until I've caught up?' Of course, I'll never be able to read everything I want to read.

[Frankie reads 2012]

Your mind is a sewer and a sieve... Yes, I read the book and really liked it, but when I bought my Finnish copy I didn't know that Nabokov had originally written the novel in English. So I wanted to give away my copy so I can buy the English original someday and get acquainted with Nabokov's delicious English

 

Heeeey! I resemble that remark. (Little play on words there.) I thought it might have been either a Finnish edition or a tatty English edition. Honest!

 

Not yet, it was on last night and I've just woken up an hour ago, had my breakfast and come on here

 

I was about to congratulate you on your priorities until I realised you had breakfast first!?

 

Who knows, you might like the movie, don't let our thoughts on it ruin your experience!

 

I have low expectations now, so surely it can't be worse than my low expectations! Haha.

[Pets ~ Part Two]

I agree about cat physiques. I love to watch Jasper shoulders when he walks because he looks like a mini lion (I've always loved watching lions walk for the same reason).

[Poppy's Paperbacks 2012]

What a wonderful review of A Room of One's Own! I'm so glad you included a nice long quotation as well. It has helped me to realise that I really needn't be daunted by Virginia Woolf.

 

No, what's that? *shock horror* I only know that some of the fine English bathers from here love to read books in their baths, and I don't think that's a bad thing at all

 

Hehe. Well, I didn't say it was an accurate stereotype (I wouldn't dare say that on an English forum )!

[I love a good serial killer :)]

Yep, that's the one.

[Peacefield's Reads of 2012]

You've intrigued me now with Deadlocked - I want to know how it ends and why you found it so satisfying!

 

I'm intrigued too! But I'm still several books behind so won't get to it for a while.

 

I know Paula has read and enjoyed the Harper Connolly series.

 

I look forward to checking out your updated TBR pile.

[Tim's Horror, Fantasy and Sci-Fi Reads from 2012]

I've read one Stainless Steel Rat book and thought it was reasonably good. I'm no sci-fi expert, though, so I can't really compare it to anything else. Interestingly, I noticed in the bookshop the other day that a new book has been published in the series! It's called The Stainless Steel Rat Returns. It makes me want to read the other books in the series, most of which I have but recently decided to cull from my TBR pile. Second thoughts...

[pontalba's 2012 Reading List]

Great review, Pontalba. I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.

[I love a good serial killer :)]

There is a series of Ripley books, Amanda, and they're written by Patricia Highsmith.

[Pets ~ Part Two]

Haha! Nice shot, Poppy. What a gorgeous kitty.

[Looking for a good satire/social commentary novel]

I'd recommend Joseph Heller's Catch-22.

[Brian's 2012 Book Log]

I shall keep an eye out of Freakonomics then as I found SF so interesting. You wrote a song about SF?

 

No! It's a saying, I guess. To buy something 'for a song' means that I bought it cheaply.

 

What an awesome book haul! I've read and loved The Road, Fahrenheit 451 and Slaughterhouse 5. Several others are on my TBR pile.

 

If I ever receive free books, they're usually leftover books that no-one wants (as in, they're not necessarily very good!) So I'm jealous that your free books are by Amis and Welsh. I don't know much about The Acid House, but The Rachel Papers is supposed to be very good.

[Pets ~ Part Two]

Very cute cat pics, Poppyshake and Chaliepud. It never fails to amuse me and make me go 'awww' when Jasper tucks his paws under him. My poor cat must often wonder why I'm always laughing and smiling at him.

[Darling, Delectable, Delicious Dexter]

I don't necessarily want Dexter to ever get caught, but I'd love to see how Deb and his family and workmates would respond if they found out.

 

I have a major crush on Michael C Hall.

[Chaliepud's 2012 Reading Log]

Great TBR pile, Chalie! I look forward to reading your thoughts on them all, if you ever get around to posting them!