megustaleer

Crudités and assorted dips, followed by date and walnut cake.

Books today are heavily hyped by publishers, highly praised by the other authors in a publishers 'stable' and the authors become the darlings of certain reviewers. Just because a writer's previously published work dates from before these days of back-scratching book-cover quotes it doesn't necessarily mean that they are of lesser quality. But I think Michelle is right, and it is the publisher who is trying to cash in on previous work, and it is a bit sneaky not to mention that it is from the writer's back-catalogue - especially if they splash "By the Author of X Y Z (latest blockbuster)" The writer would probably like to dig a big hole and bury any less developed work, rather than have unfavourable comparisons made. edit: Had to dash out, so posted this in a hurry - have now altered a couple of words, and added punctuation! Why is the clock an hour slow?

Jon Boden - I Live Not Where I Love (trad)

Hi, Ruth, haven't 'seen' you for a while. It'd be good to have you visit occasionally megustaleer

In answer to the question posed in the title, I have no idea which was the first crime novel I read, it was all so long a go. But I know who started me off on the criminal path, it was Sherlock Holmes. There were very few books in my parents house when I was growing up, but among their small, strange collection were two bound annual editions of the Victorian monthly publication Strand Magazine. In each of these were several of Conan Doyle's Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and the story that captured my imagination was The Speckled Band - that's the one that woke in me a fascination with criminal mysteries.

We have 16 sets of bookshelves - or is it 18? (roughly 2 per room, including hall and upstairs landing). I notice that there are also books creeping along the supposedly unoccupied shelf that runs the length of the spare bedroom (where there are alreadytwo full bookcases). Far too many to photograph. So, those of you just starting to accumulate books, take this as a dire warning - they take over!

How could they expect us to take seriously a villain that sounded just like Graham Norton?

Pasta tonight, with a sauce made by cooking a ladleful of courgettes/tomato/onion stew down to a mush, and adding paprika, extra tomato purée and quartered black olives. Accompanied by freshly picked runner beans - because its that time of year!

I really enjoyed Rev. It was a vast improvement on the usual portrayal of clergy on TV, and it apparently rang lots of bells among those involved in church life (particularly Anglican). Strange how many 'recognised' Darren, or for whom the Archdeacon resembled someone from their church heirarchy. I found it gently amusing, rather than side-splittingly funny, and very poignant at times. Especially the 'loneliness' episode (can't remember which number, 4 maybe?). The last episode was particularly moving, and after Adam's attempt to abandon his calling, satisfyingly hopeful as he remembered, and reconfirmed, his ordination vows.

Not possible! (licky lips)

Just a little disappointed last night, as the letter written on Bohemian stationery in a woman's hand got me hoping that Sherlock would be set against Irene Adler (my favourite of his adversaries). I should have realised by now that the references to the original adventures are quite random.

Syd Sym is good fun.

From a retail outlet, something nutty - probably pecan and maple syrup. Home-made (which I do rarely) white chocolate and chilli, even though I don't like white chocolate itself. That's a great one to serve to guests, too. If you haven't told them what they are in for,just watch their eyes widen in surprise as they get that chilli 'hit'! And while I'm thinking of home-made icecream, I have some bitter orange in the freezer. That's pretty yummy.

Husband has been taken out to Brands Hatch for a birthday treat, so I will be dining alone. I had intended to treat myself to something nice that he wouldn't eat, but didn't get round to shopping/defrosting. So it will be whatever is in the fridge - probably left over cauliflower/chickpea/coconut curry .

I have loads of bookmarks, mostly thin card, promotional ones from libraries, bookshops etc, but some 'permanent' ones that have (in the main) been given to me as gifts. However, although I often start off with a bookmark in the book beside my bed, if I carry a book to other parts of the house, or take it when I go out somewhere the bookmark gets mislaid and I use whatever comes to hand. I am keeping my place in the current book with a bus ticket, as I took it shopping last week.

Ah, hadn't spotted the year. What a shame it wasn't popular, but to be truthful, I'm not keen on analysing or critiquing poetry myself. My attitude is more "I don't know much about it, but I know what I like"!

I read this Thing Of Darkness back in 2007, and am still recommending it, and giving copies of it as gifts. Here is my review. It is an amalgamation of ones I have posted in other forums. It's a weighty book, and it took me some time to read it, but I am still raving about it to all and sundry. I think all who read it will hold FitzRoy in the greatest respect for his physical and moral courage, and his humanity. It's also a great sea-story. Go read it!!

Like other here, The World's Wife is how I got to know Carol Ann Duffy's poems - and that mainly through hearing/reading Midas, which seems to be the most well known. I rather prefer the ones that do not identify the subject in the title, where you get that shock of recognition when you pick up the clues in the poem. Little Red-Cap, and The Devil's Wifeboth have that little extra frisson for me. I have yet to recognise the subject of Mrs Beast, 'though. Maybe another look at Duffy's personal history might help?

Ah, I've just trawled back through the forum and found the first Poetry Circle thread, so that answers my questions. If you are going to have a separate thread every month, might not an explantion of the purpose of Circle in the first post each time be useful, especially a year or two down the line?

I'm new here, and am puzzled by this thread. What is its purpose? What makes it a 'circle'? How does it work? Is it just to discuss this one poem, or is it meant to be more wide ranging?

I usually like to find something with a connection to the place I am visiting, but with so many unread books on my shelves, and so many I am longing to read I don't think I will be getting anything extra for holiday reading this year - especially as our holiday will consist of short stays in three counties. First of all there is a long weekend in Cornwall, and I could take something by Daphne Du Maurier, but I will be with three old friends from my teens, one of whom is over from Australia for the first time in years. Can't see much reading being done there. Then we move on to Dorset. I really ought to be taking something by Thomas Hardy, but we will be doing a lot of sight seeing in the four days we are there (including Max Gate, and Higher Bockington, of course), so again, not much reading time. I think I might resort to TH on audiobook so that I can walk and 'read' at the same time. The following weekend we will spend on the Oxfordshire edge of the Cotswolds. There might be chance to read something short then. If so, it would probably be a mystery, there are a lot set in the Cotswolds. It won't be an Agatha Raisin mystery 'though. I read through a boxed set of three last year. That's enough. Most likely I will just continue with whatever is already on the go.

Hi, I like the shiny new site! I have been here before, but not as a regular contributor. I think I lost you when my computer blew up, and time being what it is as one ages, that appears to have been longer ago than I realised. Long enough ago for you to have deleted me from the system, but fortunately leaving my user name and password available for me to reclaim. I am a life-long reader, although since I retired I seem, unaccountably, to read less than I did when I had to grab reading time from a busier life. I disbanded my To Be Read mountain a couple of years ago, as it was getting embarrassing, and the unread books are dispersed around the house on our many bookshelves. However, I do seem to be building another TBR pile as I can't stop buying more books. Mostly I buy from charity shops, or exchange them on Read It Swap It. I am granny to two little boys and a little girl, an active member of the local U3A (and leader of two groups), do line dancing once a week for the exercise, and have been a moderator on BookGroup Online for five years. I am also a member of the mainly American Online Book Club, but only as an occasional visitor, and I belong to the non-book forums Ship of Fools, and Ravelry My time at the moment is mainly taken up with gardening, and I am delighted with the rain we have had in the last week, as I was sick to death with having to water the vegetables every day of the last two months 'drought'. We have two very fluffy cats, which we adopted as adults four years ago. They were the 'children' of their previous owners, and expect us to give them the same amount of attention. I'm afraid they are often sadly disappointed. I have recently started borrowing audiobooks from the library, so that I can 'read' while gardening etc. Although I am a bit of a technophobe, I can see the time coming when I will embrace the idea of ebooks - but not until the ereaders, and the supply of ebooks have improved. In the meantime I will stick mainly to my charity shop paperbacks for the moment. I hope I will visit BCF more regularly, and not fall by the wayside this time megustaleer