Aussie Readers discussion
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What Are You Currently Reading? (doesn't have to be an Aussie book)
"The Pirate Movie," by the way, is a *very* cute remake of Penzance, starring Kristy McNichol and Ted Hamilton. And the "major general" is of D'Oyly Carte vintage.
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Which book by Connie Willis did you read? Doomsday Book is one of my best books ever! Her more recent stuff can get a bit bogged down in detail.
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http://www.australianstage.com.au/201......"
I realized it wouldn't be Melbourne (you would have stayed in Oz!!) but wondered if you'd ever seen it in your travels......
You're welcome:)
Brenda wrote: "Mark wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Did you ever see the Mikado Opera production? We had performances here in Melbourne last year.http://www.australianstage.com.au/201......"
My (international) travels haven't been all that extensive -- at least, not since my early twenties.
Brenda wrote: "Did you ever see the Mikado Opera production? We had performances here in Melbourne last year.http://www.australianstage.com.au/201..."
I saw the Mikado at my local theatre earlier this year.
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http://www.australianstage.com.au/201......"
What did you think of it Nicola?
Dale wrote: "Sure you'll enjoy it Sabina."I sure am! :)
My head, it teems... with endless schemes both old and new, for emigrating from this zoo.
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Hahaha!!!
Marianne wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "I have all the books she has written about both Corinna and Phrynne. Did you see the TV series? I really liked it especially the actress they chose to play Phrynne. She was almost e..."I agree the actress in the TV series was great in the part.
Phrynne wrote: "Mark wrote: "Thanks, Phrynne! I'm already a fan of Pratchett's, Smith's, and Gerritson's, but I'll look into six of the seven others. (I don't really like Willis, but maybe it's the vintage.)"W..."
I've read "Fire Watch." It was a long time ago. I think I've also read one of her subsequent stories, but it didn't stick. My sense was that it was Nathaniel Hawthorne-like, and not genuinely part of the genre -- that Willis didn't know how to write "real" sci-fi, and didn't really want to. But it was, as I say, a *looong* time ago, and my opinion might be different if I tried to read it now. Obviously, her work must have some qualities you really enjoy that completely eluded me 30 years ago. Or more. And she's won numerous awards.
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I never think of her as a science fiction writer although she is obviously regarded as such - as you say many awards! Doomsday Book and Fire Watch are set in the future but very quickly end up in the past. To me they are time travel/historical fiction and time travel is one of my little favourites. I suppose time travel is a kind of science fiction too.... Oh who cares about genres anyway.
You have a point, relative to pigeon-holing of books. I don't actually like historical novels, per se, and I think she may have written Fire Watch and the other stories in the collection early on, before she'd really mastered her craft. I really do like time travel books, in general, but not ones in which the time travel serves only as a framing-device for historical fiction. Anyway, we can cheerfully agree to disagree about Willis. I'm not really even disagreeing: I haven't read enough, recently enough.
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p.s. I also enjoyed all three Fifty Shades of Grey books.
I think eclectic may describe my reading habits
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So many books, so little time..........
Phrynne wrote: "Oh I am always happy to agree or disagree about books. That's what makes talking about them interesting! And let me tell you, for someone who is supposed to have quite good taste in literature - I ..."Re: Twilight books
All I can say is that you had better not try to join "Bookish." Mentioning the "V-word" is a capital offense. Actually, whereas I think they're badly written (and can officially never admit to having read the first one, which I did -- in theory, let's say), I'm not totally baffled by their appeal as light fiction, though I think Rachel Caine is immeasurably better.
I have to admit that I *am* baffled, though, by the appeal of the Fifty Shades of Grey novels (which I haven't read, but concerning which the universal opinion appears to be that they're impossibly badly-written, and interesting only for the erotic elements, which aren't really novel). I have zero interest in BDSM, but I think it's fine to serve an audience that does. I just don't comprehend what the appeal is of a book that's so universally trashed as practically illiterate. Seriously, are the reports of bad prose so totally off the mark? You're the only person I've talked to who's actually read Fifty Shades, so I'm legitimately curious.
Marianne wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "I have all the books she has written about both Corinna and Phrynne. Did you see the TV series? I really liked it especially the actress they chose to play Phrynne. She was almost e..."I thought you might be interested, Marianne, to know that Kerry Greenwood will be at the Crime and Justice Festival in Melbourne on the 16-18 of November Lots of other great writers with Ian Rankin as the star attraction. My husband Greg Barron will be there too!!
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Okay - well to start with I don't know why I like Twilight either. And yes they are not well written. Moving on....
I actually speed read the sex scenes in Fifty Shades - read one you've read them all. I read the books originally so that I could understand all the fuss and I must admit I enjoyed the character development and the story line. There was a lot of very enjoyable internet banter between the two main characters which was funny too. So they were not well written but not as bad as some of the rubbish which is out there! I think it has become trendy to trash these books and they are actually not as bad as people say. I bet the author is laughing all the way to the bank. They are still at the top of many best seller lists so someone is reading them!
Phrynne wrote: "Mark wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Oh I am always happy to agree or disagree about books. That's what makes talking about them interesting! And let me tell you, for someone who is supposed to have quite ..."Thanks, seriously. It's interesting to have the critical evaluation of someone who's actually read them, and since most contemporary literature falls short of the mark of Jane Austen in linguistic felicity, and much of it really is atrociously ill-written, I can well imagine that E.L. James fails to represent the very bottom of the barrel, in that respect. I was amused that you'd "speed-read" the sex scenes. That's probably how I'd have handled them, too, though I've read virtually no explicit erotic fiction, so I'm not sure.
Tango wrote: I thought you might be interested, Marianne, to know that Kerry Greenwood will be at the Crime and Justice Festival in Melbourne on the 16-18 of November Lots of other great writers with Ian Rankin as the star attraction. My husband Greg Barron will be there too!! ...."Ah, if only I lived somewhere nearby......Thirroul is rather too far for something like that.
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I always speed read boring or repetitive stuff in books. That's why I have so much trouble with audio books. They will insist on making me listen to every single tedious word. Life is too short.
Phrynne wrote: "Mark wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Mark wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Oh I am always happy to agree or disagree about books. That's what makes talking about them interesting! And let me tell you, for someone w..."Actually, I often listen to Audible books at 3x speed. It's not a substitute for skipping the tedious bits altogether, but it helps.
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Ooh! I am very envious! I would definitely LOVE to be there!!
Brenda wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Did you ever see the Mikado Opera production? We had performances here in Melbourne last year.http://www.australianstage.com.au/201......"
I thought the Mikado was funny.
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I'll try that
Marianne wrote: "Tango wrote: I thought you might be interested, Marianne, to know that Kerry Greenwood will be at the Crime and Justice Festival in Melbourne on the 16-18 of November Lots of other great writers wi..."I'd love to go too, but will be staying home this time.
Michael wrote: "I think Jess was being sarcastic or at least i hope so lol."Sorry Happening Mike, I'm being quite legitimate.
Thanks so much for the mention. Much appreciated.
Marianne wrote: "Phrynne wrote: Ha! Yes I am a Kerry Greenwood fan and my real name is much more boring than Phrynne! ..."I love Kerry Greenwood's books too, not just Phrynne Fisher. Maybe I should go under Corin..."
I really enjoy the Corinna Chapman novels. I've recently bought the first 5 and plan to re-read them again soon.
Mark wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mark wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mark wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mark wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Mark wrote: "Of course, you have to take into account that I'm not usually much enamoured of musi..."I was raised on G&S - every school holidays we went to see whichever one was being performed. My favourites were The Gondoliers, Mikado and Pirates of Penzance. This takes me back so far...in time.
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Maggie wrote: "Mark wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mark wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mark wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mark wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Mark wrote: "Of course, you have to take into account that I'm not usually much enam..."Can't be farther than it takes me. In the last live performance I can recall, the Mikado was played by a velociraptor.
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I believe they are making a new series. It's not often a TV series is as good as the books but this one was!
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Review here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Started Watch the World Burn a bit earlier and I'm already hooked. :)"
Oooh, can't wait for your thoughts on this one Michael:D
Phrynne wrote: "I just finished The Twelve last night and I am still trying to come to grips with it. It was every bit as good as The Passage and it brought back all the old characters. However for me it raised mo..."I can't wait to finish The Passage, almost half way through, and then get into The Twelve (might have to wait till Christmas).
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Hi Neil, I notice you're a new member...welcome:) If you like, you can head over here http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/3... to introduce yourself...the other members would like to say hi!
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You are lucky to be able to read on from one book to the next. I had a long gap in between and consequently had forgotten some details. However we will both have to wait a long while for book 3!
Currently reading A Stranger in my Street by Deborah Burrows and it is an Aussie book.
Thanks for putting the cover pic up Brenda
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Aussie Readers
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http://www.australianstage.com.au/201..."
Not in Melbourne, of course, and not in a local venue, since I inhabit a part of the world in which English is not spoken (America), and in which "culture" refers to something icky grown in a Petri dish. But I do love the Canadian production from the Stratford Festival that's available on DVD, as well as the one featuring Conrad and Revill, and I've heard a recording of the D'Oyly Carte rendition.
Thanks so much for the link!