Morbid Hermit

Yes, it's been rather blustery recently, hasn't it! Well - the winds ease, the weather becomes pleasant, but unfortunately Martians attack, and giant tripods walk the land. If it's any consolation, I live in the South East of England too, so I also have to endure the Martians now. I wish I was the world's best illusionist, like a combination of Derren Brown and David Blaine times ten!

I will never get married, but for the purposes of the question, I'll go for J.K. Rowling. I have no interest whatsoever in the Harry Potter books, but she's a delectable looking woman (or a certain other term I could use, which would probably be considered inappropriate here!) Of course, the fact that she's also incredibly rich would not be an issue.

You welcomed me a second time, how kind!

Granted, but the only pantsuit you find which fits is bright pink, and has little pictures of frogs all over it. If you like bright pink clothes and little frogs, then maybe that's not so bad, but I'm assuming that's not quite what you're looking for... I wish I could drink as much alcohol as I wanted without any bad side-effects.

Hehe, that's the thing - there's always the strong temptation to buy new books, even though there are some TBR.. as though if a book isn't bought immediately, it'll be the last chance to get it! In the case of 2nd hand book shops that can be true though.

(In response to the 'official name of a drummer' thing', I search for 'greyhound official name', and spy the first result) - "the national leader in providing charter service". You have to keep numerous vehicles inside your house, or something. I wish I could 'speed read' really well

other realm. A man called..

True, it would be nice to see a revival - as long as it doesn't become a popular trend, like the modern 'vampire' thing.

Thanks peeps!

A bit of wear can be fine on a second hand book - though the 'moist' element Frankie spoke of would be rather offputting..! There isn't really a need for folding when one has bookmarks at their disposal, or even just scraps of paper.

Hiya! Thanks for the recommendations, I am unfamiliar with them and will bear them in mind. Seems like they would be my cup of tea.

Good stuff! I think it often seems to be the case that some of the artists who express themselves in the more extreme ways tend to be quite shy and reserved in 'real' life.

Well, I like the sound of those too, and I'm often impressed by how well many non-Brits speak English so fluently (sometimes better than wot we English speak it, like, innit! ) but German is particularly appealing to me, it has a certain beauty and power.

SueK's recommendations of Man in the Picture and The Mist in the Mirror seem intriguing as well.. I think it's great if a relatively 'modern' author can capture the same kind of bleak atmosphere as the classics. Never mind blood and guts and sex, a truly haunting, creepy story can have timeless appeal!

That's nice to know! I can only speak English (well, I know bits and pieces of other languages, but being able to count up to 10 and say 'hello' and 'goodbye' isn't very helpful!) but phonetically German is such a great sounding language...

When buying books (which were written a long time ago), do you tend to prefer getting an old copy of the book, printed many years ago, or a more recent reprint? Older books can sometimes have a certain aesthetic appeal, but more recent reprints of the same book often have additional information like a foreward or annotations. Some find that such things enchance their appreciation of the book, whilst other people prefer to do without such additions. Or do you think the only important thing is the story itself, not the edition?

English - lived most of my life in Suffolk.

cruelly. "Beware", a voice said...

I haven't read the book, but I remember seeing the TV version of The Woman In Black when it was originally broadcast late on Christmas eve many years ago (from a google search, it must've been Christmas Eve 1989), and I remember it was pretty eerie stuff, mainly one certain scene which sticks in my mind. The book may well be worth checking out, then...

"Perhaps I am a man of exceptional moods. I do not know how far my experience is common. At times I suffer from the strangest sense of detachment from myself and the world about me. I seem to watch it all from the outside, from somewhere inconceivably remote, out of time, out of space, out of the stress and tragedy of it all." - H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age." - H.P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu

I haven't read it and don't intend to, but to be fair it's probably not intended for 30-something men anyway..!

tax inspectors - also older ones!

Granted, you get home one day to find their rooms looking very clean and tidy - but they put loads of their stuff into your bedroom instead. I wish I was the fastest drummer IN THE WORLD!

I own several of James Herbert's books, some of them still unread - and Nobody True is actually on my birthday list! The whole 'astral plane' thing it apparently has brings to mind 'Strange Conflict' by Dennis Wheatley which I really like.