pontalba's 2015 Reading List

[Athena]

I'm glad you're enjoying watching Netflix, and that the kitties are okay! Our dogs are doing well (I know you asked about the kitties, but okay ), and so are Michael and I . I'm glad you are doing well too.

[Ben]

Hi Kate, glad you're well.

 

What TV shows have you been binge-watching? I don't really need more for my to-watch list, but ah well.... 

[Little Pixie]

I loved the first two seasons of In Treatment, then got stuck during S3 and haven`t got back into it. I`ll be interested in how you feel about the last season when you get to it. 

 

Oh ! I just finished watching Witnesses ( Les Tremoins )  - pretty good, might be one for you to search for on your Netflix. 

 

Poor kitties ! Hope they`ve forgiven you now. 

 

Xiao-Xiao is fine and sends her regards. Too rainy to go out much lately, so Mummy has to get the string out for entertainment purposes. 

[pontalba]

I'm glad you're enjoying watching Netflix, and that the kitties are okay! Our dogs are doing well (I know you asked about the kitties, but okay ), and so are Michael and I . I'm glad you are doing well too.

 

  Well.......all 4-legged critters!

 

 

I loved the first two seasons of In Treatment, then got stuck during S3 and haven`t got back into it. I`ll be interested in how you feel about the last season when you get to it. 

 

Oh ! I just finished watching Witnesses ( Les Tremoins )  - pretty good, might be one for you to search for on your Netflix. 

 

Poor kitties ! Hope they`ve forgiven you now. 

 

Xiao-Xiao is fine and sends her regards. Too rainy to go out much lately, so Mummy has to get the string out for entertainment purposes. 

 

We're about 7 eps into the 2nd season.  At first I didn't care for this season, but have warmed to it.  Really enjoyed the first season, although I wanted to shake so many of them, Paul primarily.  Oy.

[pontalba]

Hi Kate, glad you're well.

 

What TV shows have you been binge-watching? I don't really need more for my to-watch list, but ah well.... 

 

Ahhh, now you're in for it! 

 

On Netflix, we've watched:

 

Longmire - abandoned half way through the 3rd season, due to unmitigated stupidity.....

Narcos - abandoned 3 or 4 eps in on account of too much brutality towards animals, namely dogs and cats.

Hinterland - Welsh, angst ridden detective/murder mysteries.  Absolutely fantastic!

Midsomer Murders - always cozy.

Rosemary & Thyme - abandoned after only the first ep.  Gag me, please!

Survivor - a great film!

Sherlock - finally!  we watched the third season, and loved it.  I don't know why we didn't before!!

Island At War

Broadchurch

Charlie Chan: The Secret Service

CSI: Miami - all 12 seasons!  Gotta love the redhead!

The Fall 

Good Morning, Killer

Thorne - all three series

Hostage.  Bruce Willis.....need I say more?

 

Ok, on Amazon Prime: (we have Prime):

 

Grantchester - love, love, love it!

Jack Ryan - Shadow Recruit

Philly - only one season of this great lawyer show based in.......you guessed it! - Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Magician - The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles   Fabulous!

The Last Enemy

P=NP/Travelling Salesman -   This film is based on a real mathematical, unsolved problem - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P_versus_NP_problem  The film, - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelling_Salesman_(2012_film)  Honestly, this is in the top 2 or 3 ....... ever.

Worricker Trilogy

Newsroom

The Tamarind Seed

Godzilla  (newest version)  Loved it!

A Most Wanted Man  Philip Seymour Hoffman...../sigh/  Based on the John LeCarre book.  So. Very. Well. Done!!

Justified    yeech

Inspector Lewis

The Professional

I'll Follow You Down

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

The Carpetbaggers

Fringe

 

 

so far.......................  

 

Added in Edit:  Actually, there is a complete list of TV/films we've watched on the first page of this thread,, fyi.

Edited September 15, 2015 by pontalba

[Athena]

Wow, that is a lot of series and films!

 

I haven't heard of a lot of these, but I'm glad you had such fun watching them. I saw Sherlock which I really liked, though the third season a bit less than the first two. I have seen the first few episodes of CSI: Miami but I didn't like one of the characters at all. I forgot his name though. I watched more of CSI (Las Vegas) though only the earlier seasons. I never got on much with CSI: NY either, I've only seen a couple of episodes of that too though if I had to pick I'd pick New York over Miami.

 

Great idea of Karen, that list at the beginning of the thread. It makes me think I should have done a similar thing . Oh well, maybe something for next year..

[Little Pixie]

Good grief ! That`s some list there. 

 

I love Midsomer Murders, I don`t care who knows it. 

[Karsa Orlong]

I love Midsomer Murders, I don`t care who knows it. 

 

 

So you're the one! 

[Little Pixie]

So you're the one! 

 

Yup. They also make Lewis just for me, too. 

[pontalba]

Wow, that is a lot of series and films!

 

I haven't heard of a lot of these, but I'm glad you had such fun watching them. I saw Sherlock which I really liked, though the third season a bit less than the first two. I have seen the first few episodes of CSI: Miami but I didn't like one of the characters at all. I forgot his name though. I watched more of CSI (Las Vegas) though only the earlier seasons. I never got on much with CSI: NY either, I've only seen a couple of episodes of that too though if I had to pick I'd pick New York over Miami.

 

Great idea of Karen, that list at the beginning of the thread. It makes me think I should have done a similar thing . Oh well, maybe something for next year..

 

Yeah, even though I haven't kept it up properly......I really like the idea of having the list.  It is pretty accurate.

The lists of books bought has not been kept up though.  After that huge purchase at the Symphony Book Fair last May, I just didn't have the stamina.     I'll probably catch it up before the end of the year though.

 

 

Good grief ! That`s some list there. 

 

I love Midsomer Murders, I don`t care who knows it. 

 

I like it a lot, although it does seem a bit dragged out on occasions.  Husband gets impatient.   But he goes along with me on it.

 

btw, I like Lewis as well!!  Both of us do.

[Nollaig]

Sherlock is one of my all time favourite shows. I like Midsomer Murders - my mum loves it (and Lewis, and all similar shows), so I wind up seeing them sometimes when I'm at home. The theme music to MM is superb. So eerie

 

Fringe is a show I started recently rewatching - I had loved the first season a few years ago but I'm not enjoying it as much now.

[Karsa Orlong]

Fringe was great.  I drifted through the first season not all that gripped, cos it was just an X-Files rip-off at that point, but it came alive in season 2 and seasons 3 and 4 were tremendous fun

[Little Pixie]

btw, I like Lewis as well!!  Both of us do.

 

They`re making more Lewis eps atm - so excited, `cos it looked like it was cancelled for good. And there are 6 more Midsomer eps to come, too. 

[Anna Begins]

Kate- I know its a paid for show on Prime but have you seen any of Gotham? or The White Queen series which is free?  There are only 10 episodes... (Men go to battle, Women wage war   )

[pontalba]

Sherlock is one of my all time favourite shows. I like Midsomer Murders - my mum loves it (and Lewis, and all similar shows), so I wind up seeing them sometimes when I'm at home. The theme music to MM is superb. So eerie

 

Fringe is a show I started recently rewatching - I had loved the first season a few years ago but I'm not enjoying it as much now.

 

Yes!  the music for MM is pretty neat!   I have to say, Inspector Morse is to blame for my starting on those types of shows.  John Thaw as simply marvelous.  I always likes Lewis's character, but wondered when he got his own show......but I really like it and him a lot.

 

Fringe was interesting to me, I really enjoyed most of it.  There were times when it got a bit much between the two "universes", but all in all I'd give it high marks.  I thought Walter was a wonderful character.

 

Fringe was great.  I drifted through the first season not all that gripped, cos it was just an X-Files rip-off at that point, but it came alive in season 2 and seasons 3 and 4 were tremendous fun

 

Yup, and yup.    Granted I've only seen the first few episodes of X-Files, but I liked Fringe loads more!

 

 

 

They`re making more Lewis eps atm - so excited, `cos it looked like it was cancelled for good. And there are 6 more Midsomer eps to come, too. 

 

Oh, I'm really glad to hear that!  I thought he was "retiring", so had no hope of another season.  The guy that played his "Lewis" is really good.

 

 

Kate- I know its a paid for show on Prime but have you seen any of Gotham? or The White Queen series which is free?  There are only 10 episodes... (Men go to battle, Women wage war   )

 

Haven't seen Gotham, but have watched all of The White Queen, and yes, loved the conniving and battling women!

 

Oh, meant to add that we've watched the first and only, so far, season of Madam Secretary.  Pretty good!

Edited September 19, 2015 by pontalba

[Little Pixie]

Oh, meant to add that we've watched the first and only, so far, season of Madam Secretary.  Pretty good!

 

I`ved got the last 4 or 5 eps to go - I thought it took off when they introduced the spying element to it.

[Anna Begins]

Haven't seen Gotham, but have watched all of The White Queen, and yes, loved the conniving and battling women!

I'm waiting til I am done reading the series and then I am going to watch it (2 more books to go!).

 

I watched a little of Gotham on TV last night, it looked pretty intense.  Arkham Asylum is supposed to be introduced this season.  I was just curious, I was wondering if I should play catch up

[pontalba]

I`ved got the last 4 or 5 eps to go - I thought it took off when they introduced the spying element to it.

 

I'm glad to see that it's renewed.  As is Blue Bloods.  Yays!   We just watched BB;s 5th season.  Good stuff.

 

I'm waiting til I am done reading the series and then I am going to watch it (2 more books to go!).

 

I watched a little of Gotham on TV last night, it looked pretty intense.  Arkham Asylum is supposed to be introduced this season.  I was just curious, I was wondering if I should play catch up

 

We watched the first couple of episodes of Gotham the other night (on Netflix), and pretty much liked it.  Yes, it is intense. 

 

BTW, just bought the Atwood, The Heart is the Last to Go......I'd read the first 4 parts on Kindle, but couldn't find the last and 5th part.  So, bought the book.

[pontalba]

The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel  5/5

The clash of civilizations, one ancient and a new and upcoming race of men is embodied in a deceptively simple tale. The story of a young child rescued by a troop of Clan members driven from their home by the same earthquake that stripped the girl child of her home and hearth. Simple charity driven by love and a nurturing soul bring the girl of the Others into the Clan's home. A Mother's love, striving for acceptance, jealousy and hate come together to weave this gripping tale of survival.

Recommended.

 

Also, recently, I finished Touch by Claire North and The Silence by Tim Lebbon and The Last Exodus by Paul Tassi.  The latter is the first of The Earthborn Trilogy.  The other two are coming out in November and next January........I believe. 

 

All well worth the time, well crafted stories. 

[bobblybear]

Is this the first time you've read The Clan of the Cave Bear? I've read it a couple of times, and it really is a brilliant book. I thought The Valley of Horses and The Mammoth Hunters were just as good, but it seemed to go downhill from there.

[Anna Begins]

 

We watched the first couple of episodes of Gotham the other night (on Netflix), and pretty much liked it.  Yes, it is intense. 

 

BTW, just bought the Atwood, The Heart is the Last to Go......I'd read the first 4 parts on Kindle, but couldn't find the last and 5th part.  So, bought the book.

I have the first 3 episodes of the current season on the DVR (or are there 4 now?), but haven't gotten to then yet.  I just don't watch TV much.

 

Is this the first time you've read The Clan of the Cave Bear? I've read it a couple of times, and it really is a brilliant book. I thought The Valley of Horses and The Mammoth Hunters were just as good, but it seemed to go downhill from there.

Ya is this your first time??  <<  I agree with BB, I never made it all the way through The Plains of Passage.

[pontalba]

   Yup!  The very first time!  Back when it came out, I wasn't too interested, but about 15 years ago I found a wonderful, first edition set at a library sale, so popped for it.  I'll tell ya, I'm not liking those Cro Magnon men too much at the moment!  What a prejudiced bunch.  bleech

I'm only about 3 chapters in though. 

[Athena]

I love The Clan of the Cave Bear! I'm so glad you enjoyed it . I read the first four books in the series but never read books 5 and 6 because by the time they came out I lost interest. They were my parents' copies (in Dutch). A while ago I bought the whole series for myself, in English. I plan to re-read them some time (and to read the last two books).

[Anna Begins]

   Yup!  The very first time! 

How wonderful to read it for the first time!    I do hope to at least finish Plains of Passage eventually though!

[pontalba]

I love The Clan of the Cave Bear! I'm so glad you enjoyed it . I read the first four books in the series but never read books 5 and 6 because by the time they came out I lost interest. They were my parents' copies (in Dutch). A while ago I bought the whole series for myself, in English. I plan to re-read them some time (and to read the last two books).

 

Thanks, Gaia!   I have all of them, and while I may not read the entire series at once, I'll certainly read all of them eventually. 

 

 

How wonderful to read it for the first time!    I do hope to at least finish Plains of Passage eventually though!

 

I'm already about a third of the way into Valley of Horses right now, and it took me a bit to get used to the alternating chapters.  At first I didn't care for the new guys too much, but have warmed to them somewhat.