Ooshie

reverberate

Stripy

Where Did All The Love Go - Kasabian

Money, Money, Money - Abba

Money for Nothing - Dire Straits

I have just finished The Tenderness of Wolves for the second time, and both times I found it a very depressing read, although I'm not quite sure why. I thought the storyline was interesting, and the characters were complex and well-developed, and the writing was really good, but overall I admired the book rather than liked it. I look forward to hearing more about what you think of it as it goes on, it might help me to come to grips with my feelings about it!

Yup, that is exactly how my shape has changed! I'm doing exercises from an old exercise programme that I haven't heard about in years; Callanetics. I have a bad back, and find that the Callanetics helps tone me up well without ending up with me in my bed for a week unable to move! I see there are some Callanetics videos on Youtube, but I haven't watched any of them so I'm not sure how helpful they are. Well done, Kell, sounds like you are doing great! I haven't started on my healthy eating plan yet, but I will next week when I go back to work. I stayed the same weight over the holidays by having all the nibbly things i wanted like biscuits and cheese and olives etc as a replacement to meals, not as well as meals, but I know that's not the way I should be eating at all! Like you, I find a food journal really helpful, peacefield, I will need to get one ready to start next week. I haven't heard of the Sonoma way of eating before, I will be interested to look up a bit more about that.

He does seem to be one of those authors that people really like or just don't get on with, Ben. I very much enjoy his books, but can see that why they wouldn't be everybody's cup of tea.

In The Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson

hiding

The Bucket - Kings of Leon

Oh, no, that's completely logical then, not tortuous at all! I hadn't heard of that book before, but if only I had shown the sense to google "Ferdinand" and "tree"... Concrete

Shaped

These Are The Days Of Our Lives - Queen

I totally agree with you about the Line/Espen storyline, bobblybear, I thought at the time that whole bit could have been left out. As the book wasn't overlong it didn't bother me too much, though. (Although, did it make a difference to where everyone was at the denouement? I can't quite remember. I will need to go and have a look!) I hadn't thought too deeply about Mrs Ross falling in love with William Parker, I just had the vague thought in my mind that she felt starved of affection by her husband and the weeks of hardship and enforced companionship had led to that.

I'll give that a try, I have tried everything else! Thanks, chaliepud

Having real trouble choosing a book to read now I have finished The Tenderness of Wolves. I think I have decided on The Final Reckoning by Sam Bourne, on the basis that it should be quite quick to read and not too challenging Edit: my choices were a limited a bit in that I can't get the smell of onion and garlic off my fingers so I could only choose from paperbacks that I'm not too bothered about!

It definitely gets worse as you get older, too - I lost 10 pounds last year and so am the same weight now I was a few years ago, but I am definitely a different shape! I managed not to put any weight on over the holidays, though, and having been doing some abdominal exercises every day which is starting to help a bit.

Shiny Happy People - REM

darkness

That's probably my fault, dex, I posted "puzzled" after "ferdinand" as I was probably too dim too see the link! Sorry! Broken

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney Synopsis - from Waterstones 1867, Canada: as winter tightens its grip on the isolated settlement of Dove River, a man is brutally murdered and a 17-year old boy disappears. Tracks leaving the dead man's cabin head north towards the forest and the tundra beyond. In the wake of such violence, people are drawn to the township - journalists, Hudson's Bay Company men, trappers, traders - but do they want to solve the crime or exploit it? One-by-one the assembled searchers set out from Dove River, pursuing the tracks across a desolate landscape home only to wild animals, madmen and fugitives, variously seeking a murderer, a son, two sisters missing for 17 years, a Native American culture, and a fortune in stolen furs before the snows settle and cover the tracks of the past for good. In an astonishingly assured debut, Stef Penney deftly waves adventure, suspense, revelation and humour into a panoramic historical romance, an exhilarating thriller, a keen murder mystery and ultimately, with the sheer scope and quality of her storytelling, one of the books of the year. This is the second time I have read this novel - the first time, I threw it away after I read it because I just found it so depressing, and have had to buy it again to take part in this month's Reading Group. I didn't find it any more enjoyable reading this time. The writing is fantastic (I thoroughly enjoy her style and humourous turn of phrase), the characters are complex, and the story is interesting. But ... I just found it unremittingly depressing. I'm sure more robust and cheerful souls who are less easily brought down will thoroughly enjoy it! 5/5 for the writing, 2/5 for enjoyment!

1- Who was your favourite character? Were there any characters whom you disliked? There are a lot of very interesting characters in the book that we get to know quite a lot about, but I found it hard to like any of them and therefore to choose a favourite. 2- Was there a particular part you enjoyed more than the rest? I thought the short chapter where Donald dies after being shot was beautifully written and very moving, that was definitely my favourite part of the book. 3- Did you like the writing? What did you think of the way the story was told (partly from Mrs Ross's point of view, partly third person omniscient narrator?) I very much enjoyed Stef Penney's style of writing in the book, her use of language and sardonically humourous turn of phrase, and I thought the different points of view added to the overall understanding of the story. 4- Was this the first book you've read by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? Here's a link to Penney's second novel The Invisible Ones. Yes, this is the only book I have read by her, although it is the second time I have read it. I do like her style of writing, and so would consider reading another. 5- Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? I struggled with the fact that, despite the interesting storyline and enjoyable style of writing, I found the book unremittingly depressing. On both readings. In fact, I had found it so depressing the first time that I threw the book away (something I only do a couple of times a decade!) and had to buy it again for the Reading Circle. 6- Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience? No, I didn't find it an enjoyable experience. As I say, i found it interesting and admired the writing very much, but I didn't enjoy it. Edit: I should say that I often read books that are melancholy in tone or deal with depressing subjects. I'm not quite sure why this one has such a strong effect on me! Maybe other people's comments will help me sort out my feelings on it

Only about 50 pages of The Tenderness of Wolves still to go, should finish it today

Puzzled