anisia

It's the same in Romania - swimming has been broadcasted a LOT. That and fencing, although it makes sense as we did just get a silver medal last night. I wish I could choose what sports I can watch!

I really liked Gabby, I thought she deserved the medal My mom was rooting for the silver medalist from Russia (we had our Romanian on the 5th or 6th in the end).

I've had A Monster Calls recommended to me a few times lately and seeing the review, I'm certainly adding it to the TBR list!

Author: Ransom Riggs Title: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Book Description (amazon.co.uk) A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children;, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here – one of whom was his own grandfather – were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow – impossible though it seems – they may still be alive. A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photographyMiss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows. Personal Note I wasn’t disappointed by this book, but it wasn’t what I had expected either. Took me ages to find it in the bookstore, because I didn’t know it was in the horror section – I still wonder why it was there as the most scary parts of it were the pictures that appear once in a while in the book. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth a read, I enjoyed it, it’s fast paced and original. I thought the idea of having pictures to accompany what I was reading was excellent and it made the story seem more real. One thing, I probably wouldn’t have read it had I realised this is a new series and the second book hasn’t come out yet. It certainly left me wanting more!

Normally it's the same for me, but I'm with my parents and my 3 year old nephew now and he gets smoked salmon more often I'm getting spoiled while at home!

The sweat wis lashing oafay Sick Boy; he wis trembling. Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh

Then it's settled, I need to read it when I get back to Aberdeen...I even bought it a while back. --- Finished A Place Called Here by Cecelia Ahern and in the end I liked it a lot; now I've started Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh.

We've had no diving coverage They seem to broadcast only sports that Romania is involved in...which makes sense, but I feel like I'm missing out a lot Looking forward to see more gymnastics, so proud of Romania for the Bronze medal!

I can't function without breakfast anymore! I had buttered toast with smoked salmon this morning and buttered toast with jam. And coffee!!!

This all sounds so exciting Also walking to and from work is definitely helpful and it gets you in a certain rhythm I guess - at least that's how it went for me. It was daunting at the beginning, but now I can't imagine taking the bus unless it's very rainy.

This is one of those books on my "I REALLY have to read it at some point" list. --- I started "A Place Called Here" by Cecelia Ahern and I'm enjoying it so far. I'm still thinking more about the Nightrunner series from which I just finished the second book, so I feel like I'm not quite getting into the new book yet.

Slowly trying to get this thread updated! Author: Rob Lowe Title: Stories I Only Tell My Friends Book Description (amazon.co.uk) A wryly funny and moving account of an extraordinary life lived almost entirely in the public eye. Teen idol at fifteen, international icon and founder of the Brat Pack at twenty, and one of Hollywood’s top stars to this day, Rob Lowe chronicles his experiences as a painfully misunderstood child actor in Ohio uprooted to the wild counterculture of mid-seventies Malibu, where he embarked on his unrelenting pursuit of a career in Hollywood. Personal Note I adored Rob Lowe in his role as Sam in The West Wing but there was something about Rob Lowe the actor that just didn’t work for me. I’ve been following him on Twitter for a long time and I didn’t dislike him, but I think the scandals from years ago just got stuck in my head. Reading the book has changed that opinion a lot! He’s grown up (of course!), he’s fought to make something of his life, he’s sober, he has a nice family and he seems as down to earth as someone quite famous can be. The book itself is great not only because it gives a glimpse into his life from start until now, but also because it talks about a generation of actors like Tom Cruise and Patrick Swayze and their beginnings. It also shows the beginnings of the film industry as it is nowadays. If you know even a bit about Rob Lowe or are a fan, I definitely recommend the book!

Read a bit more of "Luck in the Shadows" by Lynn Flewelling. Enjoying it a lot, and I realised I have the second volume too so I'll be busy for a bit.

I didn't really know Martin Freeman before watching Sherlock, but now I adore him. Such a good actor, I love all the little details that he brings to the character. And Benedict Perfect for the role! Congratulations!!!

Awesome

Author: Anthony Burgess Title: A Clockwork Orange Book Description (goodreads.com) Told by the central character, Alex, this brilliant, hilarious, and disturbing novel creates an alarming futuristic vision of violence, high technology, and authoritarianism.Anthony Burgess’ 1963 classic stands alongside Orwell’s 1984and Huxley’s Brave New World as a classic of twentieth century post-industrial alienation, often shocking us into a thoughtful exploration of the meaning of free will and the conflict between good and evil. Personal Note I loved this book but in the same time I find it impossible to say why. Usually with a book I have a character I like or the plot is amazing – I can’t pinpoint any of these with A Clockwork Orange. It took me a bit to get used to the very weird language and I found all the violent scenes quite extreme. I also cannot agree with the other part, basically taking someone’s choice of good/bad. It seemed to me that those people were just as bad, only in a different setting. Very good read, I’m so glad I finally gave in and took the book from the library, even if I didn’t think I’d enjoy it at all.

Author: James C. Davis Title: The Human Story: Our History from Stone Age to Today Book Description (amazon.com) Has there ever been a history of the world as readable as this?In The Human Story, James C. Davis takes us on a journey to ancient times, telling how peoples of the world settled down and founded cities, conquered neighbors, and established religions, and continues over the course of history, when they fought two nearly global wars and journeyed into space. Davis’s account is swift and clear, never dull or dry. He lightens it with pungent anecdotes and witty quotes. Although this compact volume may not be hard to pick up, it’s definitely hard to put down. For example, on the death of Alexander the Great, who in a decade had never lost a single battle, and who had staked out an empire that spanned the entire Near East and Egypt, Davis writes: “When they heard how ill he was, the king’s devoted troops insisted on seeing him. He couldn’t speak, but as his soldiers — every one — filed by in silence, Alexander’s eyes uttered his farewells. He died in June 323 B.C., at the ripe old age of thirty-two.” In similar fashion Davis recounts Russia’s triumph in the space race as it happened on an autumn night in 1957: “A bugle sounded, flames erupted, and with a roar like rolling thunder, Russia’s rocket lifted off. It bore aloft the earth’s first artificial satellite, a shiny sphere the size of a basketball. Its name was Sputnik, meaning ‘companion’ or ‘fellow traveler’ (through space). The watchers shouted, ‘Off. She’s off. Our baby’s off!’ Some danced; others kissed and waved their arms.” Though we live in an age of many doubts, James C. Davis thinks we humans are advancing. As The Human Story ends, he concludes, “The world’s still cruel; that’s understood, / But once was worse. So far so good.” Personal Note I wondered from the start how you can put all history in 400 pages or so and my answer after reading this is: you can’t! I did not enjoy the book at all and felt it was all over the place. Very little detail for important events and I don’t feel like I have learned anything from it. The attempted humour also annoyed me at times. I don’t like saying bad things about books, but I just cannot recommend this.

That's really what I knew to, and this book puts an interesting and more objective spin even on his mental illness. It's quite factual

Title: Robert Schumann: Life and Death of a Musician Author: John Worthen Book Description (amazon.co.uk) This candid, intimate, and compellingly written new biography offers a completely fresh account of Robert Schumann’s life. It confronts the traditional perception of the doom-laden Romantic, forced by depression into a life of helpless, poignant sadness. John Worthen’s scrupulous attention to the original sources reveals Schumann to have been an astute, witty, articulate and immensely determined individual who, with little support from his background in provincial Saxony, painstakingly taught himself his craft as a musician, overcame problem after problem in his professional life, and married the woman he loved after a tremendous battle with his father-in-law. Schumann was neither manic depressive nor schizophrenic, though he struggled with financial problems and illness. He worked prodigiously hard to develop his range of musical styles and to earn his living, only to be struck down, at the age of forty-four, by a vile and incurable disease. Worthen’s biography effectively demystifies a figure frequently regarded as a Romantic enigma. It frees Schumann from one hundred and fifty years of myth-making and unjustified psychological speculation. It reveals him, for the first time, as a brilliant, passionate, resolute musician and thoroughly creative human being, and as the composer of arguably the best music of his generation. Personal Note I enjoy reading biographies and although I didn’t have a special interest in Schumann, after hearing a lot about his life on BBC Radio 3, I decided to find out some more. I thought the book was very well written and researched – it was objective and used all the sources available.

I think it has to do with the fact that I haven't been home since August, so anything I want gets sent I love reading your thread, full of books I need to add to my TBR list!

I think it's a mom's prerogative when it comes to fattening up. I just got an Easter package from home filled with home made cookies and pastries and cheese (yes, I get sent Romanian cheese ).