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Everything posted by BookJumper
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Book Club Forum Secret Book Santa?
BookJumper replied to Ceinwenn's topic in General Book Discussions
Ooooh, I'm in I'm in I'm in when/where should we post the shortlists from our wishlist? -
... the sequel to the Star Trek prequel - need I say more?! *faints in geeky anticipation*
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What have you been watching at the cinema? (Cont..)
BookJumper replied to Lilywhite's topic in Music / TV / Films
Finally saw Distric 9 yesterday. I found it to be heavy, bleak, depressing and quite gory... and a top notch, WHOA!!! film. I squirmed, jumped and averted my eyes a fair bit, however nothing was gratuitous: the film is deep, layered, important. There's so many underlying themes the head spins in a good way, and a final message of hope so hopelessly depicted I couldn't help but let out the blubbering I'd been holding back for a while (for those of you who've seen it, one word will suffice: ... waaaah !). In conclusion: recommended, but beware - this is not a film you can watch lightheartedly. -
Although (alas!) I don't own a television, I do own the entire show and love it. Favourite scene: Brian's art installation. Favourite joke: Brian: Can I borrow your video recorder? Daisy: What're you going to do? Stick it to a canvas as a piece depicting a nation of cathode junkies, selling their imaginations for quick-fix media hits from the Blockbuster syringe? Brian: No, I want to record "Ready Steady Cook". Favourite character: Brian - it's so endearing to watch his character develop over the episodes, ever so imperceptibly. Note: nigh on the entire cast of Spaced (minus Brian and Marcia... sigh !) features in that other genius comedy show, Black Books, so if you like one you're bound to like the other. Bill Bailey-Bilbo is one of the main characters in BB, while Simon Pegg-Tim, Nick Frost-Mike, Jessica Hynes-Daisy and the delivery boy from the party episode all have cameo scenes. The Simon Pegg-centric episode of BB is particularly class.
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I try not to read many series as they're serious shelf-stealers; however, here are my favourites and how many books into them I am: Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (5/5) Jasper Fforde, Thursday Next (2.5/5) Terry Pratchett, Discworld (6 and 4 halves or so/37... man, I've got some catching up to do)!
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What's Your Book Activity Today? - Take 7
BookJumper replied to Janet's topic in General Book Discussions
Possibly, possibly for the record, I'm halfway through The Well of Lost Plots in the Thursday Next series and have as of yet read neither of the Nursery Crimes; ideally, I'll have finished the remaining four and a half Jasper books by the time Shades of Grey comes out (yeah, as if ...)! -
It's the end of the world...... as we know it
BookJumper replied to LL13's topic in Book Search and Reading Recommendations
If you like short stories, John Joseph Adams has edited a collection called Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse. Contributors include Stephen King, Gene Wolfe, Orson Scott Card, Jonathan Lethem, Elizabeth Bear... ETA: if Stephen King's contribution ('The End of the Whole Mess' from his collection Nightmares and Dreamscapes) is any indication of standard, this should be pretty amazing. -
Good book about Satan, demons etc.
BookJumper replied to mago!'s topic in Book Search and Reading Recommendations
Cf. my earlier post, may I recommend to anyone not yet dissuaded from attempting Dante's Inferno Dorothy Leigh Sayers's 1949 translation? It's been recently re-published by Penguin Epics as The Descent into Hell. -
What's Your Book Activity Today? - Take 7
BookJumper replied to Janet's topic in General Book Discussions
Had a bit of a "meh" book day yesterday. Having just come back from a week home, I had quite a bit of post to look forward to; eagerly, I unwrapped the following: Jasper Fforde, First Among Sequels, The Fourth Bear and The Big Over Easy (a bit bruised but signed and dedicated by Jasper, who got my name wrong on all three when he's out promoting Shades of Grey in January he'll be inserting a few missing "I"s or else...) Dean Koontz's Frankenstein, Book One: Prodigal Son (not only in bad condition, but an unadvertised ex-BookCrossing book with unremovable stickers. I left the BookMooch giver +0 feedback instead of -1 in an attempt to acknowledge the bookmark enclosed, and I got branded as "ungrateful") Peter Dickinson, The Tears of the Salamander (a bit bruised) Karen Russell, St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves (a bit bruised also) ... meh. -
I don't know about owned, but the first one I distinctly remember purchasing with my very own pocket money was A Collection of Beatles Oldies... But Goldies! I would have been about 12, 13 if that.
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Favourite Bedtime Story - Voting closes today (Friday) 2pm
BookJumper replied to Janet's topic in Book News
I voted for Paddington - mum read this to me and my sister well past the socially acceptable age, to the point that still now I can recite my favourite ever bit (Paddington at the quiz show!) pretty much by heart. -
Good book about Satan, demons etc.
BookJumper replied to mago!'s topic in Book Search and Reading Recommendations
Wendy Alec has written a trilogy called Chronicles of Brothers, which goes as follows: The Fall of Lucifer Messiah Son of Perdition Not only have I not read them, I have been undecided whether to get them for ages because the topic interests me (I adore Paradise Lost and think everyone should read it, but note: it's a poem, in case that makes a difference) but reviews are polarised as to whether they are any good or not - it's one of those cases where half of the population says, OMG THEY ARE THE BEST THING SINCE TOAST and the other half says, OMG THEY ARE RUBBISH I WANT THOSE HOURS OF MY LIFE BACK!!! Maybe you can read them, come back and tell me whether they're worth the investment ? Also there are, Stuart Vowell, The Lucifer Wars (which I'm similarly undecided about) Hal Duncan, Vellum and Ink (which I most definitely want to get my hands on) If you don't mind drama as well as poetry, Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus is about a man who makes a pact with the devil (a marvellous play, short and snappy and magnificent, so much better than J.W. von Goethe's tedious enlargement of the same story, Faust); so is Carl-Johan Vallgren's Documents Concerning Rubashov the Gambler (which I've yet to read, however I can vouch for him as a writer, given that his debut novel is one of my favourite books of all time). I'm not sure I can recommend Dante's Inferno to the casual reader - while it is a work of unsurpassable genius (Dante being to Italy what Shakespeare is to England), this poem is nowhere near as accessible as those of Shakespeare or Milton. Paradise Lost one can grasp the surface of by oneself (should you want to delve a bit deeper, may I recommend the Longman Annotated edition?); on the other hand the archaic nature (circa 1300 AD) of Inferno and the particular difficulties it poses for a translator make it difficult for me to recommend it; I wouldn't want it to be misunderstood. -
looking for a Book...
BookJumper replied to laila's topic in Book Search and Reading Recommendations
Carl Johan-Vallgren, The Horrific Sufferings of Mind-Reading Monster Hercules Barefoot, His Wonderful Love and His Terrible Hatred. The plot's in the title, I think you'll agree it fits your bill rather nicely. It's also one of the most beautiful, poignant and important books I've read in years. -
What's Your Book Activity Today? - Take 6!
BookJumper replied to Echo's topic in General Book Discussions
I wish you luck with that, I was made to read some Ali Smith by my crazed creative writing teacher of old and didn't like her at all...! -
Fifi's Fantastic Fiction & Other Assorted Books (started 2009)
BookJumper replied to Fi.'s topic in Past Book Logs
That's in the Metabooks (i.e. Books about Books) subsection of my wishlist so it's good to hear nice things about it! Sorry your other book is not as enjoyable, though . -
Hello and welcome based on your already-read list, may I recommend Generation Dead by Daniel Waters. About zombie teenagers who don't know why they've come back to life and struggle to be accepted at home, school and in society at large, this is the thinking person's Twilight.
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When I tried to buy books from Barnes & Noble all prices were stated in US Dollars, so I translated the amount using an internet converter to have a rough idea of how much I was spending. The transaction didn't actually happen as B&N would only take Visa and Mastercard as far as UK cards went so they didn't like mine, but that's another story...
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I hope you like it the writing is not the most challenging but the themes are, making the book one which should interest and make reflect anyone interested in why outcasts are outcasts - people who were enraged at Frankenstein and sobbed at The Hunchback of Notre Dame should enjoy the socio-psychological slant of Generation Dead. If you do, The Kiss of Life (book II) is already available.
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What's Your Book Activity Today? - Take 6!
BookJumper replied to Echo's topic in General Book Discussions
Oh, you should, it is magnificently histerical: the best bits of Pratchett are blended with the best bits of Gaiman, how can you lose? I even recommended it to Connolly himself - part of my dedication reads "thanks for the reading recommendation" - as I found it both staggering and fascinating that he hadn't read it. The idea, tone, target audience and overt narrative devices are just so similar to his! I already believed Cristopher Booker was right when he wrote that there are only Seven Basic Plots to go around, but these two books seem to me to share approach and style also... which is interesting to say the least. -
I don't think more people would read for pleasure if prices were lower, but rather that the same people who read for pleasure now would buy more books if that were the case. I know that, for one, I would buy more more books than I do now if they cost less each - I'd be buying all or most of I want as opposed to all I can afford. Currently,I am fairly limited in my expenditure possibilities as supermarkets don't really cater for my reading tastes; Waterstone's 3x2, Amazon discounts on RRP and the like are my saviours really.
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Glad you liked The Book Thief, I adored every page of it easily one of my best reads of recent years. I mean, the guy's imagery influenced my dreams for goodness' sake, I don't think that's ever happened to me before... skilled writing or what?! I'd like to hear your thoughts on The Resurrectionist by the way, the theme really interests me but no one I know who's read it liked it at all so I'm a bit fearful!
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The Fiction section in bookshops
BookJumper replied to chesilbeach's topic in General Book Discussions
In the unlikely event I don't have a notebook on me, I'll put a draft text message to exactly the same use ! -
What's Your Book Activity Today? - Take 6!
BookJumper replied to Echo's topic in General Book Discussions
I have mooched a nice hardcover copy of Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - at last! -
What's Your Book Activity Today? - Take 6!
BookJumper replied to Echo's topic in General Book Discussions
It took me a whole year, but then again I was fourteen and reading two to three other books a week along the side I hope you enjoy it (what with it being my favourite book of all time and all) and that, when you get to a certain chapter, certain things will fall into place for you ! -
How very very interesting, how very sinfully interesting. Shame on you, for making me want to spend money I don't have!!