Goodreads Ireland discussion
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What Are You Reading
message 1801:
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Trelawn
(new)
May 21, 2014 12:20PM
yeah it's not that uncommon in lit of that age. A lot of men carried their snuff boxes and many drugs that we would now consider "hard" were often recommended for their medicinal qualities. Re Sherlock it's always been implied that his drug habit was a way of coping with his genius. Robert Downey Jr's Sherlock portrays this quite well.
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I might have to rewatch the film now :)
Cocaine isnt the poppy, its Coca plants like cola. Snuff is tobacco leaf derived in its simplest form.
Well i think it's clear none of us are hardened drug barons :-)
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plus hes from the liberties. Dodgy sorts there ;-)
Sorry. misread there. I meant Declan with the Liberties reference.
I think Oscar Wilde was already living on the bad side by his society's standards sadly. But i didn't know that Jamie Lynn, interesting. He was certainly a character.
Sorry I'm a little late to the discussion, but I just had a massive power nap (nothing to do with opiates).
In the Jeremy Brett tv series Watson scolds Holmes when he finds him sitting in an armchair with a syringe and tourniquet by his side. And in an old Hound of the Baskervilles movie Holmes smokes his 'old concoction' in his pipe to help him stay awake. Watson claims he 'need(s) nothing of the sort' and ends up on his arse in the middle of the night.
In the Jeremy Brett tv series Watson scolds Holmes when he finds him sitting in an armchair with a syringe and tourniquet by his side. And in an old Hound of the Baskervilles movie Holmes smokes his 'old concoction' in his pipe to help him stay awake. Watson claims he 'need(s) nothing of the sort' and ends up on his arse in the middle of the night.
You can't beat a tortured literary genius with a few demons :-)
It was, and Laudinum was a popular over-the-counter opiate sold as a stress remedy.
... And Heroin was a brand name copyrighted by Bayer.
You know alot about this Declan ;)
I knew that about Laudanum but not the one about Heroin. Crazy.
I do, Seraphina. It's something I've looked into closely. (Scratches armpit uncomfortably.)
Interesting (edges slowly away)......I have been threatening to read Sherlock Holmes for ages and must say it's a very enjoyable detective book.
I've only read a few of the stories but I got a lovely collection as a present. I'll have to pick it up at some point. Really enjoyed Anthony Horowitz's addition House of Silk.
...And aliens, Jamielynn. Don't forget about aliens.
Allan wrote: "I was always under the impression that short story collections sold poorly in comparison to novels, but it seems like sales are on the rise. This article from the Daily Telegraph a couple of days a..."A little late in my post, but thanks for that article link, Allan. I've always liked reading short stories, but it hadn't occurred to me that one reason they may be getting more attention is because they fit into our lifestyles and short time & attention spans. I'm a little surprised that they didn't mention Frank O'Connor; I always thought he was considered one of Ireland's finest short story writers. I wasn't familiar at all with Stella Duffy, but she looks very interesting. Another author to check out :)
@Cathleen. I was recently talking to an Argentine couple who were fans of William Trevor's shorts. I told them I'd read two of his novels and found them lacking, but they promised I'd love his short stories.
@Jamielynn. The man who famously said 'now I'm not saying it was aliens, but who else could have done it but aliens?'
@Jamielynn. The man who famously said 'now I'm not saying it was aliens, but who else could have done it but aliens?'
Barbara wrote: "And the kindle is constantly trying to sell me ..."I recently looked up how to get rid of the screensaver that advertised books to me all the time, and to my shock and horror discovered I own a cheaper version of the Kindle that comes with those ads! It was a present, so wotchagonnado? Can't complain too much.
There's a post here about removing them but I don't like the look of this approach:
http://www.andysaiden.com/how-to-remo...
I just found another one here that I might try:
http://www.reddit.com/r/kindle/commen...
I look forward to seeing what you make of them, Theresa.
John wrote: "Barbara wrote: "And the kindle is constantly trying to sell me ..."I recently looked up how to get rid of the screensaver that advertised books to me all the time, and to my shock and horror disc..."
Thanks John! I may have mentioned I like the size of my Kobo better as it is easier to hold in one hand. The Kindle will be for the cheap kindle sale books, and when I want other new books, I'll buy them for my kobo.
Theresa - I listened to the Ruth Ozeki book on Audible and really liked it.
Jamie Lynn wrote: "What are you reading? I don't know yet I'm between books! But I loved The Tricking of Freya: A Novel"Seeing this is set in Iceland, I just might have to read this.
Sara wrote: "Kobo books 70% off sale"I just bought The Son for $3.99 which Allan gave 5 stars to. But that was the audiobook - hope I can get through the close to 600 pages of this novel.
Barbara, I predict that you will LOVE The Son, and I'd recommend it highly to anyone who can get a copy while the Kobo sale is still on. I nominated it last month when it came out in paperback, and have bought a copy for my shelves despite having it in audiobook format already. It's the book that Phillip Meyer, its writer, went as far as drinking bison blood etc to get into the head of the Native American characters he was writing about. It's very fast paced, and indeed brutal at times, but is one of the best books I've read for a number of years!
Allan wrote: "Barbara, I predict that you will LOVE The Son, and I'd recommend it highly to anyone who can get a copy while the Kobo sale is still on. I nominated it last month when it came out in paperback, and..."Allan - I can't imagine a better recommendation. Too many books, too many books...
@ Emma I'm delighted you're enjoying it. I love that story
@Emma, Theresa, Trelawn. I like Elizabeth Gaskell also. That era had so many wonderful writers that have fallen by the wayside.
I haven't any other books by Gaskell yet but I do have Cranford on my shelf which is supposed to be great
Nearly finished Shakespeares Rebel by CC Humphries which im enjoying. Now i'll have to organise my holiday books for a week in the sun. I'll only take paperbacks from the shelves which narrows it down a bit
South Portugal. I generally prefer visits to big cities but with a family now sea and Sun will have to be done. It'll be fun and its the little fellas first trip abroad.
Very nice! The good thing I find about sea and sun above city breaks is that sitting by the pool creates plenty of reading time, which no doubt you'll utilise fully-enjoy!
Will I be allowed remains to be seen. ;-)
@ Theresa and Emma while Dickens isn't best remembered for his heroines he has written some great women. In Bleak House ( one of my favourite books) Esther Summerson is a brilliant character as is Lady Dedlock. In David Copperfield Betsy Trotwood is a fierce woman, nothing insipid there. And you have mentioned the mad and majestic Miss Havisham. I will admit he has many weak women but he also has overblown or simpering men. Dickens described London in colourful terms, he exaggerated his characters in order to excite the emotions of his audience.
Has anyone read Kate o Brien? I've become interested in reading some of her stuff but have been warned off by a few friends who were force fed it in secondary school
Jamie Lynn wrote: "What are you reading? I don't know yet I'm between books! But I loved The Tricking of Freya: A Novel"JamieLynn, that book sounds really good. How would you compare it to Burial Rites?
I'm currently reading I Hear the Sirens in the Street, the second in a trilogy about a 30ish detective, Sean Duffy, in Carrickfergus during the 1980s. Several friends here--Alan, Barbara, and Cphe--have talked about it and given it positive reviews, so it has been on my shelf for some months. I enjoy McKinty's writing--brisk and dry--and he paces the plot well with all its twists and turns. Duffy is a bit of a loose cannon, but that fits the genre. At one point, Duffy flies to Boston and travels up to Newburyport, one of my all-time favorite towns in Massachusetts. That gave me a smile. Once I finish this, I'll look for the third in the trilogy and read it sooner rather than later.
Cathleen wrote: "I'm currently reading I Hear the Sirens in the Street, the second in a trilogy about a 30ish detective, Sean Duffy, in Carrickfergus during the 1980s. Several friends here--Alan, B..."Glad you're liking it and Allan showed me may of the sights mentioned such as where Duffy lives, the cemetery which I think is in that book, Duffy's drinking hole, and where the author's parents live. They are all in a tiny area of a few square miles.
Mod
I've finished two 4 star reads, The Martian, and McSweeney's #46. My local library also finally got in a book I had been waiting for on hold for what seems like forever (Redefining Realness by Janet Mock. Tomorrow I'll be starting that, and probably reading or listening to more of Brooklyn.
Glad that you had such a good weekend's reading, Sara.
I'm making my way through Cryponomicon. It seems to deviate every now and again, but I'm loving the deviations as much as the rest of the story.
I'm making my way through Cryponomicon. It seems to deviate every now and again, but I'm loving the deviations as much as the rest of the story.
Nice to get a run like that Sara. I've not been doing bad myself.
@Emma. The The Rosie Project looks like a fun book to read or better yet, listen to while walking. I just requested the audio from my library. Sheldon certainly is an interesting character.
Jamie Lynn wrote: "Burial Rites is more of a historical fiction kind of book. Freya talks a lot about Icelandic history but takes place in modern times. There's a lot of discussion about Icelands modern culture too. ..."It sounds really good :) Thanks for the description. I'll look for it in my library.
Mod
Mod
Good luck today, Sara. It sounds like it's going to be a tiring one. You'll appreciate you're sleep tomight.
I'm glad you're enjoying Blindsight. I might just add it yet.
I'm glad you're enjoying Blindsight. I might just add it yet.
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