Chrissy
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Posts posted by Chrissy
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I have placed The Day Of The Triffids on my 'I thought I knew the story until I actually read it' list of books. It sits alongside such classics as Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein'.
Giant man-eating plants take over the world and they get dealt with by brave survivors. This is not quite how the story goes, and I think it is more thought provoking then I ever actually considered. Although the story is dated in some respects in how the women were depicted, I really liked both Josella's and Susan's characters and I found myself wanting to hear more from them as well as about them.
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Neil Gaiman American Gods...
Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
Thomas Hardy, Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
From Dickens:
A Christmas Carol
David Copperfield
Oliver Twist
I adored 'American Gods' which I read very recently. I haven't read 'Startdust', but I have read Neil Gaiman's 'Neverwhere' which I thought was brilliant. I plan on reading ALL neil Gaiman works.
I read the classics you list above quite a few years ago, and can only say that I enjoyed them all except the Thomas Hardy, as I wanted to slap him, and Tess.
I really like Dickens, and would have Dickensian moods where that would be all I'd read, and I think they are easily read once you're in the right frame of mind.
When you hear about your poetry stuff, let me know, as I have a few books here that may help.
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But you are pursuing it, that's the thing. You are, and however long it has taken you to reach this point, you are going for it. That's worthy of note.
Regardless of the outcome you are moving forward, and in many ways you are doing this despite the last few years of difficulties and stress.
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You are inspiring, Kylie. You are pursuing things that will make you happy. You are not 'settling', and that is inspirational.
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Oh Kylie, my fingers are firmly crossed for you.
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P.S. Sorry to ask a stupid question, but, as a German, I have some problems with the English idioms. What is that with the vegemites?
Hugs back to you too LittleW.
Vegemite (pronounced vejjy mite) is an Australian savoury paste that's made from yeast extract and used in sandwiches and on toast.
An Australian comedian / comedienne, Barry Humphries has an act where he dresses as a woman and calls himself Dame Edna Everage. One of 'her' affectionate terms for people is vegemites. I would guess that it works because a mite is also a term for small children (and little bugs!).
Can an Australian member tell me if I'm right please?
And if I'm wrong just send me a hug, a cookie and a correction. 
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I am reading Flutter by Amanda Hocking. Really enjoying the series.
Have you read her Trylle trilogy, 'Switched', 'Torn' and 'Ascend'? I read them a while back, and really enjoyed them.
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I haven't read any specific books, aside from ones relating to personality disorders, but I would imagine that a general search on a site such as Amazon would come up with some titles that may be what you are looking for.
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I've had a search around, but it looks like there are no English translations of this title.
The film is available with English subtitles, but I don't know if that would be any good for you.
Good luck finding what you need.
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Right, I can see I'm going to have to read the Sally Lockhart series. Great Teaser Tuesday Kell.
This ^ was exactly my response when I read the teaser!
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I remember getting the absolute maximum (I think it was 12 books) on my card at each visit, and running out of library books ways before the next visit!
I would think that the age related thing is probably the cause of the huffiness, although I'm a great believer in children reading widely and as they deem appropriate. It's a very rare child who will continue reading something they aren't enjoying. -
I just walked over to me TBR shelves and randomly grabbed 3 books. They are;
'We Need To Talk About Kevin' by Lionel Shriver
'Middlesex' by Jeffrey Eugenides
'Blacklands' by Belinda Bauer
Not possible the jolliest of holiday reads, but my Kindle might also fall into my luggage, so I'd get by.
P.S. Chesilbeach would have to be given a larger number ~ did you notice the number of books she read on her last holiday?
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I'm about to have some vegemite on toast!
A good vibe thread? So long as we can have a comfy sofa and some decent snacks and refreshments to accompany our book reading, then I'm in.
Hugs to all that need them, and all that don't. *goes to check hug trunks, to make sure they're full*
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I can't help with the zombies, but there are plenty of zombie fans on the forum, so I'm sure they will be able to give you some excellent titles.
Told you! ^^^^^^^^
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'Riddley Walker' by Russell Hoban
'A Canticle for Leibowitz' by Walter M Miller
'The Day Of The Triffids' by John Wyndham
I can't help with the zombies, but there are plenty of zombie fans on the forum, so I'm sure they will be able to give you some excellent titles.
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5) Do you think Bill is convincing as an authority on triffids?
No! He seems to consider himself such because he was stung as a child, but he seems incapable of looking at things in any manner other than in a bland and unquestioning way. I kept waiting for some revelation from him, or for him to experience some kind of epiphany about the whys and wherefores of the Triffids. He was like that throughout the book on other matters too. It was always someone else that did the thinking, the expanding of thoughts etc. Little Susan had more intelligent verve and integrity about the Triffids than anyone in my opinion.
6) Do you feel Bill has an easy time of it? Do you feel Brain Aldiss is right to call the novel a cosy catastrophe?
Yes I really do. Josella is initially found being held captive by an abusing male, and once freed loses her family and other familiar people pretty mcuh immediately. Susan loses her family one after the other and has been running the gauntlet of the triffids for some time before Bill finds her. Bill encounters a few distressing moments, but is able to walk away from them unscathed both emotionally and physically. It never reaches a point of desperation for Bill, there is always an alternative direction he can take.
As Bill features as the centre of the novel, because he has 'an easy time of it', it means the experience of reading it is made easier. You certainly couldn't call the novel gritty.
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Kramer versus Kramer.
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I've heard good and bad reviews of this book. My Library book club hated it. I have not read it. I normally have the same taste in books mate. Do you think I would like?
It's a rumbling and unfolding type of read, where all you have to do is give into the central premise and take a seat alongside the central character that is Shadow, and take the road trip with him. I was in exactly the right frame of mind when I read it. I would pick it up, read a chapter or two and then it would be a while before I picked it up again, but I fell straight back into it with ease.
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I finished reading 'The Day Of The Triffids' by John Wyndham today. It's this month's Reading Circle read. I really enjoyed it, and considering it was first published 60 years ago it is astoundingly modern in many respects, with only occasional glimmers of being that old.
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1) Who was your favourite character?
It's got to be Jack for me too. He is dynamic, forward thinking, selfless and unhindered by an overdeveloped ego. He is open and honest, who is willing to speak his mind and equally willing to admitting his mistakes.
2) The book has several distinct phases; the collapse of society in London; the search for Josella and life at Shirning, which was your favourite section and why?
I 'understood' the first two phases, and read them with interest, but I enjoyed the domesticated phase, with the development of the household and the maturing of Susan.
3) The novel is often billed as being a horror story. Did you find the Triffids scary and if so when did you feel they were most effective?
I found the naivety and disregard of the possibility of intelligent movement of Triffids the scariest of all. It was as if no one could see the threat of a self propelling giant stinging plant before it actually when out and attacked. If I had to choose one aspect it was the congregating of the beasties around the perimeter of any habitation. *shiver*
4) John Wyndham is big on ideas, but not always as good with his story telling. Do you think this was a case of concept over story?
I enjoyed the concept enormously, and admired that he decided to kill off the majority of the population with a mysterious plague, leaving bunches of suvivors rather than a still-full society that was now blind. That would have become tedious reading very quickly. I found that the author gave enough in each scene without resorting to cliche or repetition. I was left wanting to know more about Jack, Bill, Josella and Susan and the details of how they went forward in their lives. So I would have to say that in this instance his concept and story were brought together well.
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I want to say no, but that's rubbish! There are many factors that attract me to a book.
If I am on a book shopping spree, I will seek out authors I know, authors that have been recommended (mainly on here), and books that have a visual appeal that is backed up by interesting blurb. Some days the visual part of my brain is more sensitive than others, so this also comes into play when book choosing.
One of my favourite books (Flight Of The Stone Angel by Carol O'Connell), I picked up in a charity shop and was drawn to it initially because of it's atmospheric cover photograph, in sepia tones showing a beautiful stone angel in a graveyard. Wonderful, compelling and it matched the exquisite text.
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My husband has reall enjoyed the Anthony Riches Empire series (3 books so far). Here's his website for more information.
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I was trying to fathom what 'hippo's figs' were, then I re read what you had written!
Good, good luck sorting through hubby's redundancy ~ I'm another one with a husband who has experienced redundancy. It's an odd sort of thing to experience for all concerned, so many big hugs, for you, the hippos and their figs.
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Aw, Janet I will keep my eyes open for a copy. I know the one you mean as it was the same cover that I had.
What are you drinking just now?
in Food, Cooking & Recipes
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As I have a fasting bloodtest in the morning I am drinking water.