Nollaig

Jordin Sparks - No Air (I have the worst taste in music lately)

Crazytown - Butterfly

Haha well I'd only recognise anything I have myself, so I'd keep quiet if they were that embarrassing

I see Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell! Middle case, second shelf from the top, far right And Billy Connolly's biography above it and to the left. First books I've identified other than Harry Potters & Twilights on people's shelves. I love the first picture. I'd love cases like that and enough books to put in em.

My opposition to violence might not stem from my personal experiences, but it stems from my human nature. There will always be exceptions, my point is that perfectly normal sex (not like, say, that in The End Of Mr. Y because that was about having a masochistic nature) is more likely to cause, say, a topic discussion on a book forum than the nature of the endless crime, thriller, horror and dark fantasy novels which engage in graphic violence. Personally, I've read very few books with sex that I felt was over the top and a defining factor within the book, and I've read a lot that have made me cringe or put the book down due to graphic violence. Neither disturbs me, and I myself have had more negative experiences with sex than with violence, but violence is more unsettling for me because it's not in my nature as a human. Sex is. And I don't get why sex causes a bigger hubub among unaffected people than violence.

Charm is aptly named, she has quite the ability to be charming at will!

I agree that those are the reasons each event is treated in the way that it is, but it's still a bit messed up. Unfortunately the level of exposure you described is accurate in real life, but when it's fiction, and being written or portrayed for entertainment purposes, it's a bit sick to think violence is more acceptable than sex. I can understand a level of both discomfort and acceptance for both - I have a high acceptance level for both myself in fiction, but less for violence than sex, and that sex should be the more censored of the two is just messed up.

I haven't read Lady Chatterly's Lover, but I've heard about it. I agree that a book about sex or based largely around sex can't possibly be considered to be gratutious - not to mention I'd rather read about sex than some of the disgusting murders, torture and violence I've read in some books. I always find it amusing that people are so desensitized to killing and violence and gore in both books and movies, but sex actually warrants a discussion and/or discomfort.

You didn't think it was gross until you knew what was in them. They're still the same old red skittles

I'm starting my Royal Geographical Society 'Exploration' facsimile book by Beau Riffenburgh. It's not the sort of thing I'd sit down and read through, as it covers loads of explorers in different continents (unlike the Titanic one, which was the one solid subject the whole way through - the ship and passangers), so I'm going to read it section by section alongside other books.

Good question. For me it's not so much what's in the scene as it's general existence - like in the book I just finished, The Magicians, there were a LOT of instances of 'hooking up' totally randomly, in some cases described, in others not, but I was kind of left thinking, 'did we really need to know that?' It seemed a bit pointless, but it still didn't bother me. In other cases it's just if it seems forced, like the author thought 'oh I'll throw a bit of sex in here' and gears everything unrealistically towards it happening. It still doesn't bother me in the slightest, it just detracts from the credibility of the book.

Awww I'm sorry you didn't enjoy The Rose Labyrinth I loved it, but admittedly that whole Dan Brown-esque genre is a guilty pleasure for me, I don't need credible characters or stories, just lots of riddles, stupid twists and adventure!

I have loads. Nicolas Cage, Tom Hanks, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Hannah, Jude Law, Jim Carey, Robin Williams, Kevin Spacey, Richard Gere, Ed Norton, Meg Ryan, Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts,Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman.

I have no problem with it once it's not gratutitous, but I don't like ANYTHING gratutitious in books. Like someone already said, it's like watching a fim with sex in it. It doesn't have to be really graphic, and if it's done well and fits in with the story, then what's the harm? As someone else said, sex is a part of life so why not write about it?

Nutri-Grain bars

I had a massive bowl of Cheerios.

Oh yum! I'm jealous It's 5am but I'm actually considering Cheerios. My sleep and meal patterns are SO messed up.

Del Toro might. That said, Pan's Labyrinth is classed as Fantasy and it was far two rooted in reality for my liking, I'd be afraid the pure fantastical nature of Alice would be lost with him. I don't know who the other guy is.

Just finished The Magicians. Well, that was a trip and a half. I think it'll need a while to digest

Bahaha!

I can understand that, and you're almost certainly right, but I don't imagine anyone else could have done a better job. I'll never want to see the Cheshire Cat any other way after playing that game. That cat was just too awesome for words.