Poppyshake's Reading Year 2013

[frankie]

I'm so happy you enjoyed The Great Gatsby! It's so atmospheric... Beautiful! And it's on the 1001 list I would love to go see the movie... I was stupid not to go when they showed it in the theaters It won't be the same on a laptop screen...

 

 

And I'm really happy you enjoyed Of Mice and Men, too! Such a sad story, but so wonderfully written. You must watch the movie some time (again?). Excellent cast!

 

I wonder if you will turn into a fellow Steinbeck appreciator I think you will like The Grapes of Wrath. And Wayward Bus. And Cannery Row! Although WB and CR are the lighter books by him... But they are really funny

 

Chesilbeach: Thanks for The Pearl tip, that's going on my wishlist!

 

 

 

 

 

Great review, thank you! I've already added it to my wishlist, thanks to Golden tunn300 ( ), but I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it, too. I'm wondering it there's a pattern... A(n un)holy trinity?

 

 

 

 

Even though I have somewhat lost my reading mojo .. I've found I haven't lost my appetite for buying books  .. it would be good it the two came together .. then maybe by the time my mojo came back I would have saved up enough to buy curtains or shoes but no .. that part of my brain .. the bit which wants nearly ever book it sees  is still working fine. What you have to understand though is that this was **ALL CLAIRE'S FAULT**  

Alan and I went for a coffee with lovely Claire on Monday and on our way out of the coffee shop (which just happens to be situated IN Waterstone's ) we came across a table of Vintage children's fiction. Alan said .. pointing at the The Dark is Rising .. 'that's an interesting cover' .. and I began stroking it as I normally do when given any encouragement to like a book. Claire immediately says 'oh .. it's really good .. I've read it' .. straight away I want it .. more than anything and as Claire fills us in on just how good it is .. Alan picks it up and looks to be heading towards the checkout. Then he says ... but it's only £6.99 and I need to spend £10.00 to get another stamp which will give you a £10.00 voucher. This is music to my ears .. possibly I could buy a greetings card or something (ha .. who am I kidding and anyway perhaps that wouldn't count) but this is a bookshop .. and it's full of books .. most of which I want. Claire and I wander off to look at the general fiction and then I see Beautiful Ruins .. which is on my wishlist .. 'I keep picking that up' says Claire (she's said the magic words again ) and this time the assistant chimes in .. 'Oh that's a brilliant read!' .. well that settles it then I MUST have it .. Alan tells us that well .. she would say that wouldn't she but no the assistant says it was indeed exceptionally good but now I'm faced with a dilemma .. it has a sticker on saying 'buy one get one half price' .. hmmm obviously you don't have to take any notice of it .. it's just a sprat to catch a mackerel etc ... and haven't I got a TBR stuffed to the gills (why all the fishy references ) with books that were only ever bought to make up a deal?  .. but both Claire and I spy another book that we've both been eyeing (in fact I do believe Claire pointed this one out) The Newlyweds .. it sort of has a similar cover to Beautiful Ruins and hoorah! .. it also has the magic sticker on the front Alan cannot possibly argue with three insistent book lovers .. and I now have a £10 token which equates to another free book.

Thank you Claire  .. as I said you part own these books now so when I've read, the two you haven't read, I'll put them to one side for you Obviously though I'll now need to take you on all my bookshop visits .. which I hope won't be too inconvenient  

We had a lovely day and it was topped off with book presents  Claire also bought along four of her own books along with three costume drama DVD's to lend me and two custard tarts and it wasn't even my birthday. I don't normally like Monday's but I liked that one

 

 

:D What a wonderful Monday! I'm sure it made up for all the crappy Mondays of the past... Terrific outing!

 

 

The quote tags are failing me again so this is a quote from chesilbeach:

 

*

I categorically deny that the afore mentioned book purchases were my fault.

 

 

*exits thread whistling innocently*

*

 

You can't fool us... You are so busted

 

 

Sorry for the awful posts, the colors and lack of quote tags, but if I start trying to get the quote tags right, I might go ballistic

Edited October 6, 2013 by frankie

[frankie]

I like the sound of Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont, that's definitely going on my wishlist (I can feel my wishlist shaking and having a panic attack, knowing that I'm soon going over to add books...)

And Julie's recommendation Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape is going on my wishlist, too! This is a dangerous reading log...

 

I'm happy you liked the Jojo Moyes book, that proves that I will most likely like it too. This one's going on the wishlist, too... Along with the other Moyes's books that are already on it.

 

Your review on Les Miserables was brilliant!! Although I'm still very nervous about 'having' to read it at some point... It's a whopper of a book Congratulations on managing to conquer it, must be a pretty great feeling  

 

And you were not exaggerating when you were talking about The Sound and the Fury... It seems like a read mindfu... mindbender! That quote? Bloody hell

[poppyshake]

Coming back to reply and respond to a lot of posts... This might take a while Your humple servant is back, although not so humple this time...

You've unhumpled? I like you even better now

Remember when I added 15 books to my wishlist the last time we had a good long natter on your thread? I was also interested in the Sarah Miles book but said I wouldn't add it to my wishlist because I don't know her or of her, and that might take away from enjoying the book. However, when you updated your personal 1001 list, I noticed that the book is on it, so of course now I have to add it to my wishlist so I can read it If it's good enough to get on your list, it must be worth a read!

Well  .. it's very kind of you to say so, I hope you will like it. I didn't think her other two were quite as good but this first one was riveting.

You want bacon with your waffles & syrup? Where did that come from. Is it something everyone else has had, how did I not know of this! I have to say I'm not a friend of bacon. I believe it's the grease. Ex is a fan and would always buy loads and I would try and protest, but to no avail.. Well as long as he ate it himself and I didn't have to take part in it... Well, you will have your bacon, when you come and visit

It's am American thing isn't it? .. waffles with bacon and syrup. I think it sounds weird but I do like the sweet and salty combination so I want to give it a try. I have to say here and now that .. *ahem* .. I AM A FRIEND OF BACON!   .. I can't get enough of the porky stuff .. especially in a sandwich ... but it has to be crispy .. and it has to be smoked as well or else it just tastes and smells too piggy for me     I am a friend of grease too

Re: The Queen of Whale Cay by Kate Summerscale, which led to talk of her doll which led to talk of your very own Bimbo! Poor Bimbo, having lost his voice I'm sure you've made it all up with your constant attention and admiration ever since then. Would it be too much to ask to see a picture? I'm most curious (And I want to see a semi-bald orange koala )

I will get him to sit for his pic .. but don't be getting your hopes up (he hasn't got a nose for a start ) and throw all visual ideas you ever had about koalas (and you've probably seen real ones) right out of your head. If mum hadn't said he came with a label stating he was one .. nobody would ever have guessed it. I'm thinking the manufacturer had never seen one    

I have to say I've now come to doubt my own reading of it. Maybe I read it when I wasn't in the right mood for it. I wish to re-read it now, although with all the TBR books and wishlist books, it might be a while until I get to it...

You have to be in the right mind set for it but there's no reason why you shouldn't dislike it if you want to .. that's your right and I stand up for that .. lets put it on a t-shirt

I read you and Claire's talk on Carter Beats The Devil and Alan insisting on you to read the book, but I believe I've missed the beginning of this to-and-fro What's the deal? I'm very curious!

It's a lot of nonsense really  (and this is extra funny today because when Janet came to lunch yesterday she spied the copy on the shelf and as Alan was down in his man cave with Peter ... Janet and I were laughing about the book and making evil plans regarding it .. like what if I read it without him knowing and replaced it back on the shelf when he was at home so he didn't know .. and then just telling him at a later date .. 'oh that .. yeah .. I read it .. it was alright' .. which would totally spoil all his pleasures  and then when he came back we were talking books and he leant over to the shelf and pulled it out and started recommending it to Janet .. we both fell about   It's actually my book .. I think it was recommended to me by someone working in Waterstone's when I was looking for a book to make up their 'three for two' offer but it's quite big so I didn't immediately pick it up .. I kept meaning to but never did and then Alan was at a loose end and he started book rummaging and said he fancied reading it which he did and loved it. And then every five mins it was like 'you must read this book' and I was like 'okay .. yeah I will' and 'perhaps after this one' and so on and on and then it got to the point where I was resenting the book and the enquiry and the downright insistence that I read it and I started saying 'No .. I shan't'  to the point now where it would spoil all my fun if I read it (I'm evil right?) He has now recommended it to both Janet and Claire and would almost definitely recommend it to you if you ever said the words 'I wonder what to read next?' in his presence and probably he wouldn't even need that prompt. Bless him  he hardly ever recommends a book and there I am trying to take the wind out of his sails .. I don't deserve croissants   

A very cunning plan, I couldn't be very mad at you, if at all Just as long as the dog only wanted to chew passports, and not books or diaries or letters or anything precious and personal like that We could call him Chewy!

I love him already .. I'll look out for bowls and a collar when I'm out Chewy would never chew books or letters .. he would only ever chew on command

Yes of course you would speak to him on the forum Because if you commented each other's stuff only in real life, by shouting across the room or to upstairs, how would we know what you were saying? How would I know that Alan might say something like 'frankie's clueless, have you read her latest review?' or 'Madame Bovary is brilliant, you two are completely whack for dissing the book so much'. Or you might tell him that you are actually re-reading MB, but that it's not to be spoken about on the forum!

He would never say you were clueless .. he would never dare  He, like me, thinks you're the best thing since sliced Ruispala  He wouldn't like Madame Bov .. I'm sure of it. He's never read it but if he did he wouldn't like it  I can't have married a man who would like Madame Bovary can I?  

[pontalba]

 

 I love him already .. I'll look out for bowls and a collar when I'm out Chewy would never chew books or letters .. he would only ever chew on command

 

Good luck with that one.     I've been in that boat!

 

Re bacon.  Me too.  Love it.  Best on a sandwich, with an egg fried in the bacon grease, with the yoke a bit runny.  /oh, now I want it!/

 

Also, I have Carter Beats the Devil on the shelf......

[poppyshake]

I can't get the quote tags to work so I'm using Purple for poppyshake's quotes!

I think my computer is partly to blame .. it corrupts other peoples text etc. Remember when it was always changing your font blue? I've been wanting to take a mallet to it for a very long time but .. I do still keep buying spotty things ... so the wait for a new computer gets longer and longer

Such a great man! To go and get breakfast, (did he bring toast??) and then come back with books, too That is true love  yes:

He didn't bring toast, he brought croissants but he did bring toast today It is very good of him of course but I am a bit of a bear in a cave first thing and so it's a way he's hit upon of making me .. more approachable

I don't think I knew you've read and liked Maeve Binchy's books? I've only read two or three by her, but I have to say I first read Evening Class (or something... It was about a group of people taking up Italian lessons) and loved it, but the other books I read I really didn't enjoy that much I think one of them was Tara Road...

I liked Tara Road  .. I liked most of the stuff she wrote earlier .. I just didn't like the ones written more recently .. they seemed a bit samey anyway. I have actually read a few of them but mostly I listen as they're read by her cousin Kate Binchy and she is just brilliant with the voices etc.

And the story got better... I love croissants, and sunflowers are my favorite! He has good taste And to think he remembered the anniversary of the keys to your first flat... I dare say not many men (or women, for that matter!) would remember that. Bless him

I daresay he has forgotten many an important date since then  He remembers all the early ones .. before I became a shrew   

Oh … When you come to 1000/1001 of the Boxall book, just gimme a call and I'll change the title of my recommendations list to Frankie's xxx books you must read before you die

Bless you thanks .. that is a great comfort.

But then again, do you think Captain Wentworth was clever enough to perhaps intentionally say something so nasty about her, because he knew that women are sometimes more eager to spread gossip that is of the more evil nature... I mean, if some woman who fancied Wentworth himself would hear him praising Anne, she wouldn't say a word, but if she heard him criticize her, she would drop everything at hand and run and run till she reached Anne to tell her about it... And this way Wentworth would think he was sure of hearing from Anne sooner rather than later... Little did he know Anne is not the sort of person to go K-Boom on his captain arse for something like that, she's a very dignified lady

I don't think what he said was nasty really .. he gave his opinion when asked and it was just that he thought she had altered beyond recognition .. it was evil of Mary to repeat it though  (perhaps he never did say it as emphatically as that .. I think we only have Mary's version of what was said .. I can't recall now?)

I think he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else .. but Anne did come back and bite him on his captain's arse (  great imagery frankie) because it wasn't long before she was as dear to him as ever  

I've just edited and added the spoiler tag as I gave a little too much away there .. again

Well, who knows... I'm more inclined to give WH a chance than MB... And if I ever hear you are thnking about re-reading MB, I will send you a whole big box full or marbles

You will never have to send those marbles frankie  Although the mistress does wish it .. and I'm very tender hearted about her wishes as you know

I read the discussion re: ELs and I'm quite shocked by the doggy owners poppyshake's come across. The owners should keep their dogs on a leash, and not let the lead get too long for the dogs to be able to get to strangers I find it odd that someone who's dog's just jumped on a stranger would laugh and find it just endearing... If I had a dog and that happened, I'd be embarrassed and apologetic! Not everyone likes dogs, and owners are not to let their dogs disturb other people... So disrespectful!!

It's only a few but I think chalie is right, it's mostly uncontrollable dogs on EL's and that leads (?? ) to all sorts of problems. Chewy is not having an EL

I went through the list and I'm sorry to say I can't help, I don't have any extra copies of those that I could pass on to you

Aww  .. bless you for thinking of it but do you know what? I quite like having a list of books in my mind that I'm looking out for. New books are all very well and good but you never know if you're going to like them .. when you see great favourites you can't help getting excited and remembering all the good stuff that happened between the covers (that sounds weirdly like I'm talking about exes )

Re: Mitchell and Webb. That's great news Wohoo, happy times! I hope you enjoy it I'm not a fan of the show, I never quite got it, I'm a Peep Show kinda gal

Humour is very subjective. I just like Robert and David in anything .. some of their sketches missed I thought but I always laughed hard at one or two which made it worth watching for me. Peep Show is something other though .. something quite genius

Edited October 6, 2013 by poppyshake

[poppyshake]

Good luck with that one.     I've been in that boat!

 I'm going to hide all my spotty bags and shoes just in case   

Re bacon.  Me too.  Love it.  Best on a sandwich, with an egg fried in the bacon grease, with the yoke a bit runny.  /oh, now I want it!/

Ooh me too ..  sounds gorgeous. If that turned up first thing in the morning .. or lunchtime .. or supper .. I'd be very happy indeed 

Also, I have Carter Beats the Devil on the shelf......

Best place for it Kate .. keep it there

[poppyshake]

I'm so happy you enjoyed The Great Gatsby! It's so atmospheric... Beautiful! And it's on the 1001 list I would love to go see the movie... I was stupid not to go when they showed it in the theaters It won't be the same on a laptop screen...

I wish I had seen it too .. why didn't we see it frankie? .. dumb ass*es    

And I'm really happy you enjoyed Of Mice and Men, too! Such a sad story, but so wonderfully written. You must watch the movie some time (again?). Excellent cast!

I've never seen it .. at least I don't think so .. it's something to look forward to

I wonder if you will turn into a fellow Steinbeck appreciator I think you will like The Grapes of Wrath. And Wayward Bus. And Cannery Row! Although WB and CR are the lighter books by him... But they are really funny

I think I will .. you usually can tell whether a writer will be your cuppa or not and I think he is

Great review, thank you! I've already added it to my wishlist, thanks to Golden tunn300 ( ), but I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it, too. I'm wondering it there's a pattern... A(n un)holy trinity?

We all have excellent taste  .. I know that

Sorry for the awful posts, the colors and lack of quote tags, but if I start trying to get the quote tags right, I might go ballistic

Awww .. poor frankie It's been working okay for me today but other days I have been in torment with it .. so I know where you're coming from You didn't write awful posts anyway .. they were a delight as always  

[poppyshake]

Nope, the male.  A,A! is prior to TSATF.

Oh  I didn't think of that

I like the sound of Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont, that's definitely going on my wishlist (I can feel my wishlist shaking and having a panic attack, knowing that I'm soon going over to add books...)

 Hehe .. Wishlists should always be crammed with books. You must have choice

And Julie's recommendation Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape is going on my wishlist, too!

That's a right can of worms that is .. Scientology that is .. not Julie's recommendations obviously It will make fascinating reading  

This is a dangerous reading log...

Did you not wear your protective suit?

I'm happy you liked the Jojo Moyes book, that proves that I will most likely like it too. This one's going on the wishlist, too... Along with the other Moyes's books that are already on it.

I've not really thought about picking one of hers up before but she's on my radar now

Your review on Les Miserables was brilliant!! Although I'm still very nervous about 'having' to read it at some point... It's a whopper of a book Congratulations on managing to conquer it, must be a pretty great feeling

It is a great relief  I can't imagine you ever being a pokey old woman in a rocking chair but if you ever are .. this is the book to tackle  You need to sit somewhere and not move for about a year .. have plenty of drink and nibbles available and a cushion for the dropping off (which you will do plenty of )   

And you were not exaggerating when you were talking about The Sound and the Fury... It seems like a read mindfu... mindbender! That quote? Bloody hell

There was far worse in the first sixty pages   I just read it without the least understanding and hoped that eventually it would come to mean something (Steve's theory .. which in this case didn't work out that successfully.) My state of mind as regards reading though had something to do with it .. I just wasn't in the mood for anything challenging. 

[Karsa Orlong]

 I just read it without the least understanding and hoped that eventually it would come to mean something (Steve's theory .. which in this case didn't work out that successfully.)

 

   Sorry to hear it didn't work!  Mind you, I've never applied it to more than the odd bit I didn't understand within a story that I figured would be explained later on - it sounds like this applies to most of The Sound and the Fury, not just bits and pieces here and there   

[julie]

Just wanted to slip a good word in here for BACON . I never realized you guys don't normally have bacon with your waffles or pancakes ? Do you have sausage instead ? How about ham ?

 

I LOVE bacon, but there is one way I have yet to try it and probably won't .

 

There is a bakeshop over here that makes donuts with maple frosting, then crumbles bacon on top.

 

I could eat my weight in bacon, I think ,and also in donuts with maple frosting ,but bacon on top ? Don't think I could do that ..

 

 

It'd be like putting chocolate pudding on mashed potatoes. Just doesn't match up very well.

[pontalba]

Just wanted to slip a good word in here for BACON . I never realized you guys don't normally have bacon with your waffles or pancakes ? Do you have sausage instead ? How about ham ?

 

I LOVE bacon, but there is one way I have yet to try it and probably won't .

 

There is a bakeshop over here that makes donuts with maple frosting, then crumbles bacon on top.

 

I could eat my weight in bacon, I think ,and also in donuts with maple frosting ,but bacon on top ? Don't think I could do that ..

 

 

It'd be like putting chocolate pudding on mashed potatoes. Just doesn't match up very well.

 

There is a donut shop in New Orleans that has those maple frosted large donut sort of things, although there is no hole...just solid.  And they sprinkle bacon bits on top.  Charles loves them, I don't see the attraction of mixing sweet with bacon, or any meat as far as that goes.  

Here is their link, for curiosity's sake.   Bacon Maple Long John   http://bluedotdonuts.com/

 

It was actually started by a couple of New Orleans policemen.

[julie]

Holy Smokes

That one on the left with the nuts on it looks worth driving that far just to get one .We have the maple flavored sausage links up here and I like them ,so maybe the maple with bacon on it would be good too .

[poppy]

There is a donut shop in New Orleans that has those maple frosted large donut sort of things, although there is no hole...just solid.  And they sprinkle bacon bits on top.  Charles loves them, I don't see the attraction of mixing sweet with bacon, or any meat as far as that goes.  

Here is their link, for curiosity's sake.   Bacon Maple Long John   http://bluedotdonuts.com/

 

It was actually started by a couple of New Orleans policemen.

 

Those look very yummy Pont .......our donuts look like this http://www.canvass.co.nz/gallery/Alistair%20Guthrie/CNV-AG-0000146.JPG. They are filled with fresh whipped cream.

 

I can't speak for Poppyshake, but I have NEVER eaten waffles or pancakes with bacon, ham or sausages. Waffles come with maple syrup (if you're lucky) and fresh whipped cream and pancakes (pikelets) with jam and cream.

[julie]

Poppy

I think I could stand to sample a few of those donuts you showed. They look REALLY good.. See our "donuts " that are long like that with cream filling are called cremesticks ,and you can't see the filling. It's inside ,squirted in with some sort of a gadget,so all you see is a long donut with frosting .

 

My favorite pancake topping is brown sugar . Some people like them with peanut butter on them .

[pontalba]

Those look very yummy Pont .......our donuts look like this http://www.canvass.co.nz/gallery/Alistair%20Guthrie/CNV-AG-0000146.JPG. They are filled with fresh whipped cream.

 

I can't speak for Poppyshake, but I have NEVER eaten waffles or pancakes with bacon, ham or sausages. Waffles come with maple syrup (if you're lucky) and fresh whipped cream and pancakes (pikelets) with jam and cream.

 

OMG poppy, they look scrumptious! 

No, I don't care for any meat with waffles or pancakes either.    Nor do I like anything aside from butter and maple syrup on them.  Well, I have been known to spread butter and peanutbutter on waffles....  Love that. 

Poppy

I think I could stand to sample a few of those donuts you showed. They look REALLY good.. See our "donuts " that are long like that with cream filling are called cremesticks ,and you can't see the filling. It's inside ,squirted in with some sort of a gadget,so all you see is a long donut with frosting .

 

My favorite pancake topping is brown sugar . Some people like them with peanut butter on them .

You mean like chocolate éclair?  Like this, but filled with chocolate pudding....

[Devi]

Same here in Aus too, sweets stay with sweets. Waffles with cream and a sprinkle of icing sugar, or ice cream.

 

One thing i do like to do with my pancakes is sprinkle sugar and squeeze some lemon juice over it. Or put a little strip of jam and cream on one end and roll it up into a log.

 

We do have krispy kremes here which is an american donut shop chain, they do the bacon donuts but i have never been game enough to try one.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Devi

[julie]

OMG poppy, they look scrumptious! 

No, I don't care for any meat with waffles or pancakes either.    Nor do I like anything aside from butter and maple syrup on them.  Well, I have been known to spread butter and peanutbutter on waffles....  Love that. 

You mean like chocolate éclair?  Like this, but filled with chocolate pudding....

 

Yea, it'd look like them, but they have like a whipped crème filling instead of pudding type filling . I THINK I could probably manage to eat one or two dozen    of either or both kinds .

 

 

Devi

Krispy Kreme's are delicious !

Edited October 8, 2013 by julie

[poppyshake]

Gracious!! .. I thought I was safe from cake in here

 

As a rule we don't often have waffles here at all .. let alone with bacon (or I should say .. I don't ) .. we have pancakes on pancake day but they don't turn up for breakfast much at other times .. when we have them it's usually with lemon and sugar .. or possible with chocolate sauce (if we're talking crepes).

 

If we eat bacon we put it in a sandwich .. mmmmm!! .. or with egg, sausage, tomato, mushrooms and a fried slice (if you're being particularly unhealthy) and a great big mug of tea (and possibly toast to follow ) I like it put in a hamburger too and would much rather they added it than the cheese that isn't cheese

 

You've made me hungry now  

[poppyshake]

   Sorry to hear it didn't work!  Mind you, I've never applied it to more than the odd bit I didn't understand within a story that I figured would be explained later on - it sounds like this applies to most of The Sound and the Fury, not just bits and pieces here and there   

Oh no .. it's fine It did help actually because I forced myself to puzzle less over it and so got on. I'd still be on page five if you hadn't given me that tip

[poppyshake]

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper

Amazon Synopsis: It is Midwinter's Eve, the night before Will's eleventh birthday. But there is an atmosphere of fear in the familiar countryside around him. Will is about to make a shocking discovery - that he is the last person to be born with the power of the Old Ones, and as a guardian of the Light he must begin a dangerous journey to vanquish the terrifyingly evil magic of the Dark.

Review: I was really annoyed to see that this was published in 1973!! Why on earth were they fobbing me off with Milly, Molly, Mandy at school then?    I can't believe I missed out on reading this little gem of a story at the time when it would've been most exciting. No wonder I struggled when Tolkien showed up .. I had nothing to bridge the gap between him and Enid This would have fitted the bill perfectly.

Having said that though, even at my exalted age, I'm quite at home in children's stories. One of the things I liked about it was, although it was very rich in detail, it didn't try to over complicate things. It felt very solid and very believable (in an unbelievable type way ) Also I particularly liked the way it was set at Christmas .. it just added to the chill and excitement. An absolute ideal book for reading to littlies over the Christmas period .. as long as they're not too little .. they'd need to be around eight/nine I would think to really appreciate it .. but then perhaps it might seem dated to them? I'm not really up on these things  I am very happy with vintage stories though .. they stir up all my nostalgic feelings. It had a similar feel to The Wolves of Willoughby Chase .. in style that is .. though this story has more of a supernatural element .. and it's a style that's just perfect for crispy autumn/winter nights. I'm happy to find that there are a whole raft of Susan Cooper books as yet untapped by me .. goody!  4/5

 

Many thanks to Claire for recommending and for MAKING Alan buy it for me  

[poppyshake]

Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood

Amazon Synopsis: Set in the 1930s, Goodbye to Berlin evokes the glamour and sleaze, excess and repression of Berlin society. Isherwood shows the lives of people at threat from the rise of the Nazis: a wealthy Jewish heiress, Natalia Landauer, a gay couple, Peter and Otto, and an English upper-class waif, the divinely decadent Sally Bowles.

Review: I loved parts of the book but felt that others dragged. It's a snapshot of life in 1930's Berlin so that in itself made it fascinating, and as the country heads towards Nazism and war it's interesting to see how the changes are affecting the day to day lives of the citizens (and these particular people are amongst those who would suffer most under a Nazi regime). There are six little novellas within this semi-autobiographical novel .. dating from around 1930 to 1933. It would seem almost predictable to say that the story revolving around Sally Bowles (on whom the film Cabaret is based) is the most sensational and vibrant but to me, it's absolutely true .. once she left the book I wasn't so interested .. in fact Peter and Otto almost drove me up the wall .. I just kept hoping Sally would return (though I think Christopher had given me fair warning that she wouldn't). I did love reading about his landlady Fraulein Schroeder though .. a great gem of a character who steals every page she appears on. I dipped in and out of interest but still, overall a good read. 3/5

[pontalba]

I have the Isherwood on the shelf, I so want to get to it!  Good review!

[Devi]

I love that Isherwood cover.

[poppyshake]

I have the Isherwood on the shelf, I so want to get to it!  Good review!

Thanks Kate Hope you enjoy it.

I love that Isherwood cover.

It's sensational isn't it? I couldn't have got rid of it even if I had hated the story .. luckily I liked it

[poppyshake]

I mustn't buy any more books .. no, really .. I mustn't   

 

Today, The Book People's lovely catalogue came whizzing through my postbox .. just in time for me to browse with a cuppa. I haven't bought anything from them since they seduced me with those fifteen Roald Dahl's for £9.99 (and I've had so much pleasure from them this year .. I doubt whether £10.00 has ever given me so much pleasure before .. though I did enjoy all those new Kit-Kat chunkies last year )

I was sort of hoping there'd be nothing to tempt me but .. ooohh!! .. five Daphne du Maurier's for £6.99 .. I am totally smitten  Now, yes .. you're right .. I do already have Rebecca  and it's also true that I have My Cousin Rachel  (the exact same covers in fact) but I haven't got the other three .. and for £6.99 .. I couldn't buy one for that.

Also, what's this?  .. ten Astrid Lindgren's for £9.99  .. that is a bargain and frankie would be so pleased with me .. she was everso slightly disappointed in me for not having read ANY of Astrid's books  imagine how many brownie points I'd get for reading ten?  

That's not the end of it either because there were several collections of M.C. Beaton's that were interesting and various other bits and pieces that caught my eye .. I couldn't wait to get my pen out and make great big ticks against them all. I may have also mentioned them and possibly pointed as well .. I can't be sure  

 

Now I'm having a bit of a book buying week though .. as I said .. I ought not to be buying any  I've just received The Kraken Wakes (and ooh I've started it and it's getting very  ) and Titus Groan    and have also been tempted into buying a new copy of Jasper Fforde's First Among Sequels because I had it in the wrong cover (very annoying as I haven't many of Jasper's even though I'm almost up to date with them and to have one that doesn't match the others ) plus I saw a copy of Sarah Miles' first biography in paperback .. and I wanted to get it because I've got the other two in paperback sitting nicely on the shelf but the first is a great big thumping hardback that won't fit anywhere .. so you see .. I simply had no choice  

 

I am absolute rubbish at being on a book buying diet  .. it's as bad as a food diet .. I'm just yo-yoing  But then, Kylie said she was being sensible at the book fair by only buying seventy so, when seen in that light, I've been positively abstemious