poppyshake

I don't dislike it .. it's just that it seems to have turned into some sort of 'Lark Rise to Candleford' version of Emma .. it's lost a lot of it's sharp wit. Visually it's beautiful though .. but Mr Knightley!! .. he's supposed to be seventeen years older than Emma!!

I haven't read this but I've always been intrigued by it .. I was reading a piece written about Golding yesterday .. that was full of praise for his writing .. infact I think it was a promotional piece for a new biography that has been written about him. The very small piece of info that I know about the plot of 'the Lord of the Flies' (the bit that probably everybody knows) .. has put me off of reading it .. but I'm always thinking I should give it a go.

ah thank you .. covers play an important part in my book choices .. perhaps too important sometimes. This was one of the times when the book and the cover were brilliant thankfully. Pride and Prejudice is one of my fave books too .. perhaps my fave book. I've got about three editions of it .. and I am still tempted when a see a nice new cover.

To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee Waterstones synopsis: 'Shoot all the Bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a Mockingbird.' This book presents a lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of this classic novel - a black man charged with attacking a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s with both compassion and humour. She also creates one of the great heroes of literature in their father, Atticus, whose lone struggle for justice pricks the conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy. Methinks: You always wonder, when you read a classic book that is much loved and critically acclaimed, whether it's going to live up to it's reputation. This one did that and more .. I loved it and it was easily one of the best books I've read in ages. It is beautifully written and with characters that you become instantly interested in .. I loved Scout. I've always liked the film but the book is so much more, you can really immerse yourself in the time and place. If you haven't read it .. I thoroughly recommend it. 10/10

Now, that could've turned into quite a different story Paddington Station feels like it should be shut. PopCo by Scarlett Thomas

I've been wanting to read AS Byatt's 'The Childrens Book' for ages .. I was tempted again in Waterstones yesterday but although it's very beautiful in hardback I'm waiting for the paperback. Also wanting to read Sarah Waters 'Little Stranger' .. and on the strength of it winning and blencathra's review above I'm adding 'Wolf Hall' to my list .. any book described as 'the best book I've read in years' has got to be worth a look.

I've got this on DVD .. I love it!! Also what's that other one with the lost penguin ..... *just gone to look it up* .. oh yes .. 'Lost and Found' by Oliver Jeffers .. beautifully animated .. like the book. 'Winter Solstice' is one that I've read and enjoyed.

I do hate that larger size paperback format that is common now .. that's messed up many a good trilogy on my bookshelves. I prefer a slimmer book .. but then if the story is good ... I'm happy that it's long (the trouble being you don't know that when you pick the book up in the first place) .. it's just a bit off putting to pick up a great big tome without knowing if it's worth it's weight in storytelling. Sometimes you feel the editor has been a bit indulgent.

Thanks everyone, I'm loving all these suggestions ... they all sound just the thing. The short stories sound great cos you could just dip in. Hi Gyre

Another one I liked was Nigel Slater's 'Toast' ... very funny, moving and honest. A sort of childhood remembered through food.

I'm a bad traveller .. if I could click my fingers and be there then I would want to be more adventurous. I had a virtual holiday in Greece once .. it was supposed to be a real one but I didn't get to go .. but I read all the guide books, ate Moussaka, drank Retsina, watched Shirley Valentine .. that kind of thing. I'm sure it wasn't half as good as actually going but it was a lot better than the week I spent in Spain.

Nice to see Karen on Claudia's show last night .. if Arlene had to go (which I'm far from allowing) why didn't they make Karen or Camilla a judge? .. no offence to Alesha but she isn't qualified to judge. Thought Martina should've stayed .. she wasn't that bad and it's always nice to watch Matt.

... Here goes again .. 1. Noisettes 'Atticus' 2. Tori Amos 'Baker Baker' 3. Nelly Furtado 'I'm Like a Bird' 4. Fleet Foxes 'Oliver James' 5. Neil Young 'Don't Let It Bring You Down' 6. Muse 'Citizen Erased' 7. T.Rex 'Jeepster' 8. Jeff Buckley 'Grace' 9. The Kooks 'Seaside' 10. Arctic Monkeys 'Mardy Bum'

Yes I've listened to it too ... I really enjoyed it, though I think it may have been abridged so there's probably a lot more in the book. Was confused, delighted and horrified by it. It was great!

I especially love those two

Now, in theory .. there should be a lot of Muse on mine .. let's see 1. Joni Mitchell 'All I Want' 2. Stevie Wonder 'Visions' 3. Bob Marley 'No Woman, No Cry' 4. Kate Nash 'Pumpkin Soup' 5. David Bowie 'Diamond Dogs' 6. Fleet Foxes 'Innocent Son' 7. Radiohead 'Nice Dream' 8. Heatwave 'Boogie Nights' 9. Muse 'Exogenesis: Symphony Pt 3: Redemption' .. at last! 10. Regina Spektor 'Us' .. not as much Muse as I'd have liked or expected .. my iPod is plotting against me. I love the fact that Heatwave's 'Boogie Nights' has been sandwiched between Radiohead and Muse .. that's random.

Me too. I've considered seeing the stage show (I have it on DVD already) cos I reckon that would be fantastic and probably would have done by now if the cast had been original (bit difficult I know as some of them are dead) ... but the music is still awesome. I may have mentioned already that I love Muse .. also Kate Bush, Radiohead, Nelly Furtado, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Bloc Party, Tori Amos, Regina Spektor, Paolo Nutini, Stevie Wonder, The Specials, Seasick Steve, Fleet Foxes, Blur, Beatles, Kinks and Jeff Buckley.

Yes, I liked it ... I preferred the book but Kate Winslett and Leonardo DiCaprio were excellent. There was quite a bit of flashback .. which could be confusing if you hadn't read the book because Leo and Kate never seemed to age. It's very melodramatic .. lot's of arguments and simmering tension. Having read the book I was prepared for this but my OH found it a bit tedious and thought there wasn't much of a storyline. It's quite downbeat and depressing so not for someone who want's to be uplifted. I'd read the book and enjoyed it though and thought the film was a pretty good adaptation.

Yay .. bring it on!!

Now that wouldn't be good .. I'm not so sure I want to see a sticker saying 'Fred and Mabel's favourite band :Tantrum:' (I know the names are wrong) on 'The Resistance' .. I was shocked when I saw dear old Emily Bronte's masterpiece re-packaged as such. We must do our best to let the world know that they aren't simply a Twilight band .. they are infact the best band in the world .. bar none.

Thanks for that .. it was one of my guesses .. I love that song now. I'm still not sure whether to be pleased about it or not. It's one more step towards world domination though .. and I don't see it as 'selling out' .. what do they create music for if it's not for people to hear.

I know it's a bit early ... but has anyone got any recommendations for books with a wintery theme?. I love reading books about Winter .. in Winter! Obviously there is Dickens 'Christmas Carol' .. and I do read it every year, others I like are (some are only partly wintery) 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe' .. C.S. Lewis 'Little Women' .. Louisa May Alcott 'Hogfather' ... Terry Pratchett 'Wintersmith' ... Terry Pratchett 'Letters from Father Christmas' ... J.R.R. Tolkien 'The Wind in the Willows' ... Kenneth Grahame I've got 'December' by Elizabeth H Winthrop on my TBR pile .. and I've also got my eye on 'A Redbird Christmas' by Fannie Flagg (great name that!) Any recommendations?

Revolutionary Road

Please let this be true .. I've been thinking for ages that their sound is so apt for Bond music .. really epic and 'live and let dieish' ... I would love them to do a Bond theme.