Hayley

I decided today that one of my favourite words is 'Autumnal' (inspired by the recent weather!) The sound of it also reminds me of Mr Tumnus... I wonder if that has any meaning since technically he was the bridge between the Winter and the Summer the children bring in Narnia... or maybe my brain is getting carried away again

I have to agree with ladymacbeth, I thought she looked a little out of proportion too! And there's no WAY she looks 16! On the other hand, it sounds really interesting... I wonder if they have it in a different binding? (Also, liked your Pan pun Kell )

Ok we had our timetables for uni this week and we're starting Jane Eyre on the 25th October and Great Expectations on 1st November so I think I may have to put Darwin to one side and get started on these! Let the frantic reading commence!

All the Rage - Funeral For a Friend

We played table tennis at my secondary school and I thought it was fun but, to be honest, none of us were very good and probably got more exercise out of chasing the run-away balls around the sports hall

I probably should have mentioned, I'm starting on Darwin's 'The Origin of Species' next because I thought I should get a move on with my uni books! However I did buy 'Little Women' and 'Around the World in 80 Days' so adding them to my list (it was £1.99 in The Works for both of them, I couldn't resist!)

Way Away - Yellowcard

I'm not the best cook, I'm definitely still learning but I made a nice sweet and sour sauce from my 'student cookbook' that was really nice with pork. It's just 100ml pineapple juice, 4 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon caster sugar and a tablespoon of cornflour mixed together. (that's for four people though so I guess you'd have to adjust the measurements). It also had cucumber (roughly peeled and de-seeded) in the recipe to be put in the pan about 3 minutes before you take it off the heat which I thought was unusual but really nice

I don't usually go for 3 for 2 offers anyway so I don't think it will really bother me when they go, I like the idea of there being more offers on individual books though.

George Orwell - Nineteen Eighty-Four I really enjoyed this book, although I had a feeling I would from the start. It's really very suspenseful despite the fact that there isn't much action in large parts of it. It's also very thought provoking as the comparisons to real events, such as communist controlled Russia and Nazi Germany, make the possibility of a country controlled by 'Big Brother' scarily realistic. There were a couple of parts where my interest started to dwindle but (without giving anything away) it was only parts where there was a lot of talk about the politics behind the book and might not be uninteresting to others. Overall though I thought it was very good and very intricately written.

um.... digital cats or dogs?

Move Along - All American Rejects

I've also been to the 'two towers' in Birmingham and Mosely Bog which is supposedly the basis of the Shire. Did anybody else go to the 50th anniversary celebration there? It was very strange walking around and suddenly seeing a hobbit. The 'hungry hobbit' cafe makes me laugh whenever I go past it too I'd love to go to more places like this though. I know I've been to Stratford-upon-Avon too but I was only quite young and don't think I was particularly interested in Shakespeare back then!

Hi Shelley I love Pratchett, Pullman and Rowling too (especially Terry Pratchett) Hope you're enjoying the forum so far

Last Train Home - Lostprophets (Sod, I love the thought that your rocking out in Rockingham )

I think the message is more important but some messengers just have particularly good messages (if that makes sense). For example I love Terry Pratchett and every book I've read by him (and I've read most of them) I've loved, so when I see one I haven't got yet, I buy it, knowing that I'll enjoy it. But, at the same time, if I pick up a random book in a shop, by an author I'd never heard of and the blurb sounded really interesting, I'd still be just as likely to buy it.

I agree! I think its the fact that it doesn't actually seem that unrealistic that's so scary. I think I probably would have given up on Robinson Crusoe too if I didn't have to read it but it honestly does get better towards the end!

Ok I finished Robinson Crusoe while I was on holiday and have gotten pretty far into George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' now. I'm not sure what to read afterwards yet, American Gods is looking increasingly tempting but I really should be getting through more of my uni reading list. I'll probably just see how I feel after Nineteen Eighty-Four. I'm reluctant to actually review Robinson Crusoe before I've studied it because my view of it might change, but from my first impression I'd say it was... O.K. It took me quite a long time to get into it (probably about half the book), I felt that there was a little too much unnecessary information about sailing, goats and fences and this really slowed down the pace to the point where it was easy to loose interest. On the other hand I did find the story got much more interesting as it went on and in places the amount of detail is impressive, rather than annoying. It's worth reading, as it truly is a classic and one which had a huge effect on modern media, but be prepared to be patient with it if you do try it.

lol these all made me laugh! My Dad's also good at cheesy jokes so here's some of his I can remember... Why did the hedgehog cross the road? To see his flat mate! A man goes into a bar with his pet giraffe. After a while and a few drinks, the man goes to leave the bar, leaving the giraffe behind. The bar man calls after him "hey! you can't leave that lyin' here!" to which the man replies "it's not a lion, it's a giraffe!". (this is one of my sisters favourites) Why did the sand blush? - Because the sea weed

Dancing for Rain - Rise Against

I'd probably say fantasy but only because I've read much more of it than sci-fi Also I get slightly confused as to what makes something sci-fi after my tutor at uni told us star wars couldn't technically be classed as sci-fi, since sci-fi is characterised by being set in the future, and star wars is a 'long time ago in a galaxy far far away'.

This sounds really familiar to me but I have no idea what it is either! It's the bit about the white knights looking invisible against the snow that got me thinking. It made 'Through The Looking Glass' pop into my head but I think that might have been one white and one black knight since they were from a chess board. Sorry for not being more helpful