false 5 1267 1217 true 5628459 read 3 true 4825942 currently-reading 47 true 4825925 to-read 275 false 4830926 fantasy 129 false 4844957 sci-fi 118 false 4845183 humor 103 false 4847562 young 95 false 4844898 definitive 93 false 4851726 fiction 85 false 4831380 mystery 66 false 4830924 lit-studies 62 false 4830921 non-fiction 60 false 4833938 books-of-my-youth 56 false 4831388 historical-fiction 54 false 4844943 horror-thriller 38 false 4830934 favorites 25 false 4851844 cartoon-comic 19 false 4845192 biography 19 false 4980612 film-tv-tie-in 19 false 4864808 anthology 17 false 4980617 rpg-based 15 false 4844885 drama 14 false 4923398 folklore 13 false 4830928 greats 11 false 4923408 religion-mythology 10 false 4845227 history 7 false 4923395 poetry 6 false 4844928 reference 5 false 4851858 western 5 false 4847937 erotic 3 false 4923722 omnibus 2 false 4923502 art 1 false 5473041 naturalist-biology <![CDATA[new comment from Rob]]> http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/252663-suggestion-we-can-post-things-we-read-or-hear-and-when-someone-tries-th Rob made a comment in the True North group:

I recently read minor burns can be made better by spreading yellow mustard on them. http://www.tipking.co.uk/tip/5025.html

Unfortunately, this also sounds like one is prepping oneself to slide between two slices of bread. ]]> <![CDATA[new comment from Rob]]> http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/245638-more-strange-monsters-of-the-deep Rob made a comment in the True North group:

Mainly in Weight Watchers, Carlie (Yes, back to facetiousness).

But if you really burn to know: http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm

Harry Kemelman's "Rabbi Small' mysteries got me far too interested in Judaism about five years ago. ]]> <![CDATA[Rob added 'Collected Stories of Hubert Crackanthorpe, Together With an Appreciation by Henry James']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79681437 to: Collected Stories of Hubert Crackanthorpe, Together With an Appreciation by Henry James (Hardcover) by Hubert Montague Crackanthorpe
I wrote an essay on Mr. Crackanthorpe eons ago. If you enjoy French Naturalism, especially in the vein of Guy de Maupassant, you'll probably enjoy these tales, too. ]]> <![CDATA[new comment from Rob]]> http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/243022-book-sculptures Rob made a comment in the True North group:

Here's a book sculpture, of a sort, anyway.

http://mag.ma/202680 ]]> <![CDATA[new comment from Rob]]> http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/244413-and-what-about-this Rob made a comment in the True North group:

The problem is they seem to have more smarm waiting in the wings than I've kicking in me. ]]> <![CDATA[new comment from Rob]]> http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/243091-dinosaur-eating-crocodile-cousins Rob made a comment in the True North group:

Sorry: Vardaman is famous (amongst Faulkner aficionados, in any case) for thinking "My mother is a fish." ]]> <![CDATA[Rob is on page 85 of For Us, the Living:... ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77799046 Rob is on page 85 of 288 of For Us, the Living: A Comedy of Customs ]]> <![CDATA[Rob added 'For Us, the Living: A Comedy of Customs']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77799046 For Us, the Living: A Comedy of Customs (hardback) by Robert A. Heinlein
bookshelves: currently-reading
]]> <![CDATA[Rob added 'Anansi Boys']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77648776 to: Anansi Boys (Mass Market Paperback) by Neil Gaiman
bookshelves: fantasy, religion-mythology
WHen I started reading this book, I almost put it down, since it seemed the main character, Charles Nancy, is what I call a 'dumper' character: that is, a somewhat pathetic person whom the world (and the writer) finds amusement in kicking around.

I'm glad I kept reading, though. In this book, Gaimen takes the idea of the story as shaping the world (instead of the other way around) on, but puts his own spin on it. Someone, Spider, has already remade the world by fiddling with the stories, like the results of any revolution, there are those who want things back the way they were. Charles, like it or not, is caught in the middle of this, and of course has no idea. But as Spider's son, he'd better learn fast.

This seems Gaimen's best work I've yet read. I think any fan of Pratchett or Adams will be enthralled. ]]> <![CDATA[Rob added 'Vampires Are Forever']]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77494894 to: Vampires Are Forever (Argeneau, #8) by Lynsay Sands
bookshelves: fantasy
For my reaction to this series, see my review of A Quick Bite. Although not the same, it's similar enough, or causes a similar enough reaction in me for one to serve for both. That's not to say these two novels are exactly formulaic; I think that anyone who reads the one will enjoy the other without ever having the here-we-go-again feeling rearing its ugly head.

In fact, I liked it and it's series mate enough that I may well go in search of the remainder of the series—very unusual for me and romances.

So cheers to Ms. Sands, and to anyone who wants an easy, enjoyable read and a new set of wings hunge on ye olde bat, the Argeneau series may be for you ]]>