Easy Reader

tell me too. I am Stephen Fry telling a story about Douglas Adams.

I am waiting for lunchtime to start so I can read The Fry Chronicals - Stephen Fry

Hello and Welcome I hope you enjoy it here and that your to be read pile grows very high

Murder on the Links – Agatha Christie Product Description On a French golf course, a millionaire is found stabbed in the back… An urgent cry for help brings Poirot to France. But he arrives too late to save his client, whose brutally stabbed body now lies face downwards in a shallow grave on a golf course. But why is the dead man wearing his son’s overcoat? And who was the impassioned love-letter in the pocket for? Before Poirot can answer these questions, the case is turned upside down by the discovery of a second, identically murdered corpse… Not the best AC I have read but it took no time at all to read and had a clever plot there was nothing that made it stand out as being particularly brilliant. Destination Unknown – Agatha Christie Product description A young woman with nothing to live for is persuaded to embark on a suicide mission to find a missing scientist… When a number of leading scientists disappear without trace, concern grows within the international intelligence community. Are they being kidnapped? Blackmailed? Brainwashed? One woman appears to have the key to the mystery. Unfortunately, Olive Betteron now lies in a hospital bed, dying from injuries sustained in a Moroccan plane crash. Meanwhile, in a Casablanca hotel room, Hilary Craven prepares to take her own life. But her suicide attempt is about to be interrupted by a man who will offer her an altogether more thrilling way to die… Lets just say I was glad to finish this one. Not AC’s usual style, there were no murders, and it was difficult to keep up with who was pretending to be who/what. There didn’t really seem to be much point to the story.

The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again I had this book lined up for auto/biography/memoirs month as the description said this “autobiography of Andy Warhol…” so I have to say that I was disappointed in the fact that I wouldn’t consider it a autobiography more “thoughts and ramblings of ….”. I didn’t learn anything about Andy that I didn’t already know and I didn’t know much to start with. Having said that there were a few humorous moments in the book that did make me laugh out loud in the earlier part of the book but then it trailed off and became boring. I don’t think I will bother reading anything else of his but would be interested in reading biographies about him by someone else.

^ I never used to like Lockhart either until one day I just saw the funny side of it and now he is one of my favourite characters.

I have a beading question and hope someone can help a friend of mine was watching an old 70's top of the pops the other day where one of the singers was wearing a beaded hat and my friend said she would be interested in trying to make one herself. Friends birthday is coming up soon so I thought I would get her a "how to ..." book. I have been looking on the internet to see if I can find such a book and have had no luck have found places where can buy similar hats ready made. can any beaders help me or point me in the right direction for where to look. I would even appreciate knowing what to call the hat to help in my search (I have been trying flapper hat and skull cap so far) http://www.jumborecords.co.uk/upload/images/5031802028621.jpg here is album cover with the hat in question - I am sure it doesn't have to be this very hat but this style at least.

WHAT you and me outside Ruth . I loved her as Elizabeth Bennett and much preferred that version to the bbc one. anyway sorry for derailing great reviews Poppyshake I really must catch up on my own.

he has, hasn't he and seems like a nice guy too which is a double bonus Saw on television the other day that it was 100 days until the opening of the olympic games and have started to get excited since then. I won't be going to see anything just catching all the highlights on the television. in fact I don't think I know anyone who is going, I know plenty of people who didn't get tickets though.

I am A having a long telephone conversation with B about cleaning in the nude, hoovering every and flushing things down the toilet. I am eating jam.

ha ha ha ha I know that problem I always seem to think buying more books will get me out of a reading slump, it hasn't worked yet. If I am reading well I can do a small book in 2/3 days but most books take a week. At the moment they seem to be taking 2 weeks.

sounds good I shall look forward to that one have only read "Friends Like These" but I do intend on reading more of his

I can only think of Romeo and Juliet - Dire Straights and Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something but I think the latter is about the film rather than the book.

more tea - seem to be making cups of the stuff out of habit rather than wanting/needing it.

Barack Obama: Dreams from My Father (A Story of Race and Inheritance) Dreams from my Father is Barack Obama’s memoirs of his early years through to just before he went to University to study law and were written before he became president. The book is broken down into three sections. First section. All about his childhood and his relationship with his mother and his grandparents. He spent most of his childhood living with his white grandparents. I really enjoyed this first section of the book and warmed to Barack’s grandfather who seemed like such a sweet guy but I did feel that it was very much “a story of race” it seemed like everything centred around his race (and I am sure he was very conscious of it) but I also feel he could have thrown in a few stories that were about being just a kid. I felt the race issue did make his storytelling a little protracted Second section. In his early 20’s when he was working in Chicago as a community organiser. This section of the book Barack was a community organiser trying to help poor black families in predominately black areas have the same opportunities for education and employment and the same living conditions as those in richer white areas. The organisers it seemed did have trouble getting people to help and then getting the people who needed the help to make the most of the help given to them. I can image it was a bit like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Third section. Visiting Africa and getting to know his fathers family there. The final section of the book I did find a bit confusing as it was largely made up of Barack retelling stories that had been told to him by his brothers, sister, aunties and grandmother during his stay in Africa. It was difficult to keep up with who was telling the story and who the story was about but I was also getting a bit bored of the book by then as it was becoming quite protracted. On the whole I enjoyed the book it was easy to read, easy to get an idea of what sort of person Barack is. Not at all patronising and mostly humble with a few pats on the back (mainly in the middle section) but I was hoping to find out more about Barack Obama the person but I think me reading it knowing he is president was expecting too much from it where as when he wrote it he was effectively a no-body so probably didn’t feel the need to express too much of who he is just give his observations. Having said that I am sure if he thought he could be president when he was writing it I would have been a very different book perhaps a bit more guarded. Also I would have liked to have had some pictures in the book as I have come to expect from auto/biography and memoirs.

He is adorable isn't he, he looks so sweet sitting that big chair. I didn't expect him to be so funny either.

not wrong at all - I have read the description and have already forgotten what its all about but because its JK Rowling and because there will be an excitement about it I am interested

Wikipedia and Amazon both say its 480 pages so not too bad I guess. I am actually getting excited about it now but will still and (try) to wait to hear some reviews first.

I always assumed if it was going to be made into a film it would be animated. I had pictured it to be done in the style of The Snowman, but obviously with less snow

I wasn't so keen on going solo but then its a more grown up book and I think I was too young for it at the time (still at primary school) I am pretty sure my niece has (or at least had) all the RD books so next time I vist them I shall have a quick read while I am there.

I like them mashed mixed in with ordinary potatoes. I am not a fan of them baked as I don't like the skins on them. I imagine they will be nice in vegetable curry but I haven't tried them like that.

Hopefully I will finish today Dreams of My Father - Barack Obama I am going to be a bit mean here and say that there is something wrong with you if you don't like it.

Now thats an idea and a half. Frankie could have like an information desk in the library and people could come up to her and say "I have read and liked x, y and z what do you recommend I read now" I can just see it.

That is my favourite bit of the book and the part that always springs to mind whenever the book is mentioned. He certainly had an interesting life. I have never heard of this one and now I am thinking I need to get a copy.

I will wait to hear what others think of it first and would be more interested in the opinion of those who haven't read HP as they will be less biased. I can already hear cries of "its not as good as Harry Potter". Then again if everyone says its brilliant I will probably avoid it as when everyone says something is brilliant it normally istn't quite as good as I built it up to be. its certainly worth a try can you really judge a book by a sample chapter ? I always find it takes me a while to get into a book so that wouldn't be enough for me.