Cheating on the Classics Club meme!!!!!
Okay, this month’s meme is:
‘We want you to mingle. Go to our member list and select a fellow classic clubbers you’d like to feature on your blog. This can be someone who is active within the Classics Club, someone quiet who inspires with his/her posts, someone new to the club or scarce whom you’d like the club to meet. S/he can be a friend of yours, or someone you’ve never met. Tell readers why you value this club member. Highlight at least one post from his/her blog.’
And, I’m going to cheat but only a teeny little bit and in a totally nice way of course – and everyone knows that rules are made for breaking. Basically I’m going to nominate more than one blogger!
First, Jessica at the Bookworm Chronicles – whose blog I’ve been reading for a very long time and who I consider to be a great blogging friend. She’s a really genuinely lovely person. Always incredibly thoughtful to anyone who comments and always replies. Her reading is diverse. She reads classics, historical fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Check out the Bookworm here.
And, second, another blogging friend who I chat with all the time. TBM from 50 Year Project. This is a great blog. Photography, book reviews, film reviews, pub reviews – not to mention a book already out there and another one in the offing. I think that deserves a high five. (Not to mention have you got one of those little twisty clocks on a necklace that allows you to turn back time – how on earth do you fit it all in)
That’s it for me folks.
Actually, one more person, this is a very new person to the Classics Club – Keri from Keri Blakinger’s IV League – her book list is here. This is a new-to-me blog so it deserves a bit of a shout out too I think.
Latest books… (well, you wouldn’t want to run out now!)
17 October 2013
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: American Elsewhere, Elizabeth May, Emily Murdoch, If you Find Me, Lauren Oliver, Newly acquired books, Panic, Robert Jackson Bennett, The Falconer
A few more books because, well, it would be rude not to…
Books:
If you Find Me – Emily Murdoch- Panic – Lauren Oliver
- The Falconer – Elizabeth May
- American Elsewhere – Robert Jackson Bennett
Kindle:
- Howl’s Moving Castle – Diana Wynne Jones
- Alice in Zombieland, Gena Showalter
Library:
- The Shining (currently reading) – Stephen King
- The Doll’s House – Neil Gaiman
(Apols for blurry photo – I’m photophobic – even when I’m not the photo’ee but the photo’er)
What you gagging to own??
You will, you will, you will…
15 October 2013
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday
Nice quick post – Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish (with thanks to MegaMad4Books for the intro). This week, 10 books you’ve been forced to read. I’ve chosen 10 books that I’ve been ‘encouraged’ to read – or were ‘must reads’ from friends and bloggers plus a couple of book club choices. In no particular order and with acknowledgements where I could remember! (the first three were no/nos but the rest were all great!):
- General Dann, Mara’s Daughter, Griot and the Snow Dog, by Doris Lessing – read this for my book club – I really didn’t like this although I can see that the author has many well loved books out there – this just obviously wasn’t the best choice, for me at least.
- 50 Shades of Grey, EL James – one of my very good friends (gave me a copy of this to read and twisted my arm to make me read it) – No. Not for me – and it probably wins the award for most annoying book in the universe (although opinion seems to be divided), not to mention the only book I’ve wanted to throw against a wall. Review here in case you feel like reading something negative.
- My Soul to Take, Rachel Vincent – I actually made myself read this one (result of hype) but it wasn’t for me – which I realise goes greatly against popular opinion but sometimes that’s just the way it crumbles.
- I am Legend, Richard Matheson – this is a fantastic book, nothing like the film by the way and my very brilliant friend Jenny at Wondrous Reads put me onto this (she absolutely made me!) as it’s one of her all time favourites (along with the Book Thief)
- Positronic Man, Isaac Asimov – Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings got me into Asimov with his Foundation readalong. Seriously I don’t think I would have picked this up otherwise. A great example of book bloggers aiding and abetting my book education!
- The Troupe, Robert Bennett – a ‘must read’ recommendation by Andrea at Little Red Reviewer – I really enjoyed this and have read all of RB’s other books as a result (except for American Elsewhere – which I will read!!) – LRR – you have a lot to answer for (massive TRB!!)
- Assassin’s Apprentice, Robin Hobb – read this as part of my Worlds Without End Women of Genre Fiction reading challenge and adored it. How come nobody told me about Robin Hobb before! Plus I love this challenge and site – go them it out.
- Miserere by Teresa Frohock – same challenge as above and another great book that I would have missed out on.
- The Hobbit by JR Tolkien – which I really do love, but, first read this at school and hearing this read by a bunch of 14 year old, highly embarrassed 14 year old boys and girls was a bit like torture taken to a whole new level. I had to reread in later life.
- Lord of the Flies, Williams Golding – ditto the above comment. A school book – I’ve never revisited this although I realise I probably should.
That’s all – for now.
My hero….
13 October 2013
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Fortunately the Milk, Neil Gaiman, Neverwhere, The Marquis de Carabas, The Sandman
Neil Gaiman – what a legend! I already was prepared to adore him from afar loving virtually everything that he writes but following today he’s gone even further up the adoration ladder, in fact he’s beyond the ladder (there’s a book title in there somewhere!)
Anyway, this weekend has just become officially awesome. I went this afternoon to see a reading of Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman, whilst I admit that this book is not aimed at me I was so looking forward to going and seeing Gaiman and he certainly doesn’t disappoint. I had no idea what to expect as I’ve never been to a reading before! But we were treated to a short introduction followed by a reading of the first two or three chapters of FtM, Q&A and then what turned into a mega book signing!
Basically he’s a great narrator. Plus he tells such wonderful little stories about where he came up with the inspiration for some of his stories together with answering questions with real warmth and feeling, relating previous experiences and basically simply charming the audience. On top of this he doesn’t rush through the signings – he makes everyone’s dedication personal and unique, takes time for photos and draws little characters galore! Okay, it was a long wait in queue but he was still there signing away when I left and chatting easily with people – like I said a hero!
So, I learned that:
- next year (don’t know the release date) there will be six more Sandman novels, one released every two months, prequels to the original Sandman and giving the story of Morpheus, before his capture – and why he was so easily caught (sorry, Gaiman gave a much more eloquent description of this than I just did!
- There are going to be a series of novels (I think 3?) in which we will again be able to read about the Marquis de Carabas – can’t wait for those – and more about London Below – particular mention to the Shepherds of Shepherds Bush was made
- I’m sorry but I’ve forgotten any other news because my brain went to mush.
- and, I didn’t ask any questions because I was just too nervous – I so wanted to ask about The Ocean at the End of the Lane but I just totally wimped out
A photo of my signed book and a question – would it be silly to sleep with this book underneath my pillow! (Probably more uncomfortable than silly)
The conclusion: Gaiman = gushing, fangirlyness. Plus he’s completely spoiled me now for any future book readings!
Lord of the Rings vs Star Wars?? A real toughie..
Purely for the sake of idle curiosity….. if you had to choose one of the above film series, and I’m talking about a life and death situation here so no cheating. Which once would it be?
So, Peter Jackson’s three films (The Fellowship, Two Towers and Return of the King) vs the first (original) films from George Lucas (Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi).
And, a few images to give you fond memories…
The Fellowship of the Ring (Image from Wiki)
