vodkafan
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Posts posted by vodkafan
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Call me cheap but I see a problem with paying corporates for books written by authors over 300 years dead.
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Namaste Vinay:
you are not alone about having misgivings about corporates holding rights to books. What if in the future these corporations try to decide what we should and shouldn't be able to read or if we should read at all? Farenheit 451 anybody?
James
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Didn't realise we men are a minority here. So I thought I better man up and answer the question honestly... YES:mrgreen: I like Jane Austen. I thought Pride and Prejudice was (is) superb in all ways. I have started Northanger Abbey so will let you know more when I have finished.
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Jan:
The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England- Ian Mortimer
The Last Post - Max Arthur
Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
Feb:
Slaves of the Klau- Jack Vance
The Blue World - Jack Vance
The Moses Legacy- Graham Philips (Abandoned)
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy
Model Behaviour - Jay Mcinerney
Shame - Jasvinder Sanghera
Mar:
How Opal Mehta Got Kissed Got Wild And Got A Life - Kaavya Viswanathan
A Scanner Darkly - Philip K. Dick
Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
April:
Sophie's World - Jostein Gaarder
The Dying Earth - Jack Vance
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Jane Austen and Seth Graham-Smith
If Chins Could Kill - Bruce Campbell
East End Girl - Sally Worboyes
The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid
One Girl's War - Joan Miller
Tipping The Velvet - Sarah Waters
May:
Q&A - Vikas Swarup
Lyonesse- Jack Vance
Middle Classes their rise and sprawl - Simon Gunn/Rachel Bell
Lyonesse 2 The Green Pearl -Jack Vance
Lyonesse 3 Madouc - Jack Vance
Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh
June:
Miss Smilla's Feeling For Snow - Peter Hoeg
Five people you meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
My Lover's Lover - Maggie O'farrell
To Live Forever - Jack Vance
The Boy in The Top Knot - Santham Sanghera
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne
The Night Watch - Sarah Waters
Judgement on Janus - Andre Norton
July:
Victory On Janus - Andre Norton
The 19th Wife - David Hebershoff
Persuasion - Jane Austen
We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver
August:
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
A Man of Double Deed - Leonard Daventry
Duel - James Landale
September:
The Interpretation of Murder - Jed Rubenfeld
Pay It Forward - Catherine Ryan Hyde
October:
The Death of Vishnu - Manil Suri
Claude and Madeleine - Edward Marriot
November:
The Forgotten Soldier - Guy Sajer
Courtesans - Katie Hickman
Mrs Kimble - Jennifer Haigh
December:
Marianne Dreams - Catherine Storr
Dina's Book - Herbjorg Wassmo
TBR PILE:
The Mathematics Of Love
Papillon
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Sorry I didn't enjoy this one at all. I got this and the sequel from a charity shop and thought it would be a good read.
From the blurb on the back it looked like it was trying to be the equivalent of chick lit, a lighthearted read that didn't take itself too seriously, but from a male point of view .
However I soon got tired of the authors style and didn't find him very funny.
I had no sympathy with the character even though some of the relationship situations he got in mirrored some of my own past experiences (mistakes?)
I was glad to finish it but didn't even bother reading the sequel.
Sorry Tony.
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For me the one that jumps to mind is About A Boy. The book was a mess, didn't enjoy it all. The film was much tidier, concise-it hit the spot. Also about the only film I think Hugh Grant does a half-decent job in.
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Hey wow! thanks for the big welcome, I like this place already.
@ Frankie: In answer to your question, I certainly will read some more Waters. I am a pushover for anything Victorian . After I read the book I got the DVD from Amazon, it was well acted especially by the two leads but too much was missed out and yet they added an extra sex scene which was not necessary in my opinion.
My time on the internet is pretty limited but I will slowly get to know you all I hope. And the books you like!
James
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It is a wonder I have never thought to join a book forum before. Too busy reading I guess.
I am 48 , male, married to Laundry Fairy for 20 years, with 6 children. I used to read voraciously when I was a kid (almost all scifi ) but have got out of the habit during various stages of life but always gone back to it when I get the chance. Have resolved to read at least a couple of books a week this year.
Nowadays I read anything that takes my fancy: the last novel I read was Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. I enjoyed the characterisation and the dark theme of betrayal etc etc. You have all probably read it anyway.
My favourite author over the years has always been Jack Vance; I discovered him at 14 then read everything he ever wrote. Nobody uses the English language like him, in my opinion.
I look forward to talking to you all on here.
James
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I drive my wife mad as I often have a book in every room. I will sit down and pick up where I left off. I never have trouble mixing up plots. But they will not usually all be the same type of book anyway (ie not all fiction).
Time Traveller's Guide To Medieval England by Ian Mortimer
in Non Fiction
Posted
I love history books. But usually when reading one you have to stretch your own imagination to try to put yourself "into the landscape" as it were.
That is exactly what this book sets out to do, By asking you to imagine yourself as a first time visitor at a particular place and time and has given you a guide book with all the basic essentials to find your way around. The author asserts that his is a new approach of looking at history - I am not totally sure it has not been tried before - but it is certainly a very good and entertaining read.
Make no mistake though, it is a proper history book, there are copious notes in the reference section at the back. And lots of contemporary illustrations in colour.
As it is a non-fiction book, It is not a spoiler to tell you that the short chapters deal with the following topics:
The landscape, the people (high and low), essential info, the medieval mindset, clothes, travel, eating, health, law and order, and lastly what medieval English folk did for entertainment.
By the way the author restricts himself to the fourteenth century only.
If I have any niggles with the book it would be that maybe Mr Mortimer could have pushed the time traveller aspect even a little more; he gently reminds the reader every now and then when description threatens to get a little dry. Keeping it fun is what makes the book different and makes facts stick in the memory.
I would recommend this book.
James