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"I read a book once - Green it was"
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Lez
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Feb 15, 2020 03:25AM
For those of you who enjoy crime novels, my friend Marilyn (star of the small screen) recommends Jane Harper.
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Lez wrote: "For those of you who enjoy crime novels, my friend Marilyn (star of the small screen) recommends Jane Harper."I've read all three of Jane Harper's books and enjoyed them all. Great sense of place. The first one, "The Dry", is currently being filmed starring Eric Bana. Although his character, Det. Aaron Falk, does appear in the second book, you don't have to read them in order. I think my favourite was the latest, "The Lost Man".
The Prologue of "The Dry" makes for uncomfortable reading:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Dry-Aaron-F...
Tech XXIII wrote: "the casting genius is sinead o'conner playing the virgin mary..."It's funny how well these casting choices can work. Alanis Morrissette as God in Dogma was also inspired. When Bertrand Tavernier was casting for Round Midnight (one of my favourite films) the studio wanted him to have an actor playing the role of Dale Turner. Instead, he cast the tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon, who went on to be nominated for a best actor Oscar. (The other bit of inspired casting in that movie was Martin Scorsese as the sleazy New York club boss, Goodley.)
EDIT: Sorry, forgot this is the book thread.
Lez wrote: "For those of you who enjoy crime novels, my friend Marilyn (star of the small screen) recommends Jane Harper."Funnily enough that's next on my list after my current read. I don't read that much crime (because I have an aversion to the idea of DS Generic Name #17) but I've liked the sound of these since I read the blurb a few months ago.
I don't mind crime with a recurring main character - e.g. Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone, Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley or Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti. However, I am currently reading my first ever Ann Cleeves. I've loved the TV series "Vera", not so much "Shetland", but I've never read any of the books. This is the first(?) starring a new protagonist, Det. Matthew Venn, and is set in Devon (Barnstaple/Ilfracombe). I found the beginning rather slow. Apart from a body on the beach, nothing really happens until a third of the way into the book. I'm now past the half way mark and it's starting to warm up a bit, but it is very much a procedural investigation and, as such, a bit plodding (no pun intended). And the main character is so quiet and reserved that he doesn't immediately impose himself on my conscious. I think I want to like it more than I do. Hopefully it will become a page-turner very quickly.
I enjoyed The Goldfinch (book I mean, except maybe that long rant in the end), but the world of antiques business was fascinating. And, surprisingly, I didn't hate movie by this book, cast was ok (particularly Nicole Kidman as Samantha Barbour), story as close to original as one can get on screen in couple hours, only mixed in time (starts with glimpses in Amsterdam, then goes back to Theo's childhood). It was a good thing I read a book before, so the missing parts in film(you know, book relies heavily on details) were in my head. If I hadn't read the book, I'm afraid film might look messy. It's like showing family photo album to the stranger.Oh, Hobie in the film was black, I think in novel he was described looking as some Irish poet, whatever.
Thanks, Post, that’s helpful. I’ll give the film a go, and since it’s a few years since I read it, maybe I’ll refresh my memory of the book first.
Cheers, Tech. Look forward to reading your full thoughts when done.
who is Chadicle Fellowes, why does he haunt me, and why can't i find any books he has written?typically, my grand-daughter doesn't have any imaginary friends, no, she has an imaginary author! we don't know where this came from, but she insists that Chadicle Fellowes writes books, goes from the ground to the lightbulbs, is dead in another house, and instills such disgust within her that she spits out his name with disdain!
preparing for rotating head and green spew!
head revolving
Tech XXIII wrote: "....typically, my grand-daughter doesn't have any imaginary friends, no, she has an imaginary author! we ..."Just random isn't it...? For a short time I had an imaginary pet dog called Western Blue Dog. No idea why, I've never ever wanted to have a dog in "real" life, even as a young child (I'm a cat person, always have been, always will be 😀).
My dad was in India during the war so I was virtually an only child. I had an imaginary owl when I was 3. I'd never seen an owl, just my mum's blue Bakelite perfume (Evening in Paris) container. I talked to him all the time and my mum had to set a place at the table for him. I was thrilled to find a picture of one in a book about a dalmatian called Spotted Dick. I always wanted one and was thrilled to bits when my lovely friend nc found one online. I don't actually talk to him or lay the table.
I believe that Chadicle Fellowes is one of the lesser biographers of Mortimer Chalfont, not particularly well regarded, which may explain your granddaughter’s reaction. My own imaginary childhood friend was called Miggle, and she lived under the table. I also had a husband, the bearded sailor on my dad’s Player’s cigarette packet.
Thanks for the owl reminder, Les, but a bit disappointed you don’t lay the table for him.
My Mum kindly reminded me that I actually had two imaginary pet dogs, the other one was called Duckwen. Like I said, just random!
Don't remember ever having an imaginary pet/friend when I was little (tho I remember our daughter having one called Beak-a-Bird) so.... seeing you lot (and said daughter) are quite reasonable folk, maybe this is linked to why I'm so ****** up!? : )
Blastronaut Mk2 wrote: "Don't remember ever having an imaginary pet/friend when I was little (tho I remember our daughter having one called Beak-a-Bird) so.... seeing you lot (and said daughter) are quite reasonable folk,..."It’s not too late, Blastro. Get that imagination working!
Ha ha good point Lez. Can I just stick half a bail of hay on top of the heavy bag so I can beat upon it with cries of "How d'ya like them apples Boris!?"Yeah right, like the heavy bag's not just gathering dust in the shed and hasn't seen light of day (n'mind a hay-bail) for a long time. Ah but there's the old imagination working; I'm much fitter and thinner in imagination land! : )
all is not lost, nor is it all doom and gloom - fresh information has reached us from a reliable source that Chadicle Fellowes has a brother! his name is Kavin Groves, and he is seemingly alive. why he has a different surname, and other relevant data, will be revealed in due course. i think this is a breakthrough!
Tech XXIII (Chadicle Fellowes Society) wrote: "all is not lost, nor is it all doom and gloom - fresh information has reached us from a reliable source that Chadicle Fellowes has a brother! his name is Kavin Groves, and he is seemingly alive. wh..."Don't tell me you haven't googled him!
Kavin Groves resides in Austin, TX.
and he's 100% caucasian!
And although there's no trace of the Groves moniker:
"As Prasutagus's health declined, Boudicca anxiously sought out proper suitors for the hand of Maeve. Antedrigus, subking of the northern Iceni at Branodunum had a son of twenty years named Kavin. Although deprived of the battles experience necessary for boasting rights, Kavin was a handsome young man well schooled in the art of combat. More importantly, he was a prince, and Boudicca considered him a prime candidate for the consort she was seeking."
Reading on, all did not go well with Kavin and Maeve and there is no mention of Chadicle (wrong side of the blanket?)
we now strongly suspect she has constructed, and has concealed a 'stewie griffen type' time machine in her room!
And you must be familiar with the traditional ballad. Here’s Fairport Convention’s version:Kavin Groves
A holiday, a holiday, and the first one of the year
Lord Donald's wife came into the church, the gospel for to hear
And when the meeting it was done, she cast her eyes about
And there she saw little Kavin Groves, walking in the crowd
"Come home with me, little Kavin Groves, come home with me tonight
Come home with me, little Kavin Groves, and sleep with me till light"
"Oh, I can't come home, I won't come home and sleep with you tonight
By the rings on your fingers I can tell you are my master's wife"
"But if I am Lord Donald's wife, Lord Donald's not at home
He is out in the far cornfields bringing the yearlings home"
And a servant who was standing by and hearing what was said
He swore Lord Donald he would know before the sun would set
And in his hurry to carry the news, he bent his breast and ran
And when he came to the broad millstream, he took off his shoes and he swam
Little Kavin Groves, he lay down and took a little sleep
When he awoke, Lord Donald was standing at his feet
Saying "How do you like my feather bed and how do you like my sheets
How do you like my lady who lies in your arms asleep?"
"Oh, well I like your feather bed and well I like your sheets
But better I like your lady gay who lies in my arms asleep"
"Well, get up, get up, " Lord Donald cried, "get up as quick as you can
It'll never be said in fair England that I slew a naked man"
"Oh, I can't get up, I won't get up, I can't get up for my life
For you have two long beaten swords and I not a pocket knife"
"Well it's true I have two beaten swords and they cost me deep in the purse
But you will have the better of them and I will have the worse
And you will strike the very first blow and strike it like a man
I will strike the very next blow and I'll kill you if I can"
So Kavin struck the very first blow and he hurt Lord Donald sore
Lord Donald struck the very next blow and Kavin struck no more
And then Lord Donald took his wife and he sat her on his knee
Saying "Who do you like the best of us, Kavin Groves or me?"
And then up spoke his own dear wife, never heard to speak so free
"I'd rather a kiss from dead Kavin’s lips than you or your finery"
Lord Donald he jumped up and loudly he did bawl
He struck his wife right through the heart and pinned her against the wall
"A grave, a grave, " Lord Donald cried, "to put these lovers in
But bury my lady at the top for she was of noble kin"
A spirited rendition of a tragic tale. By medieval times, this descendant of Kavin seems to have fallen down the social scale, but his ancestry is evident in his preference for posh totty. If we could get Kavin from Texas on ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’, we might discover a direct line back to that ill-fated liaison.
"you must be familiar with the traditional ballad"no, of course i'm not, and because it looked like a lot of folky pish, i drank it in like a prime suckah! i was already thinking of connections linking her to 'kavin groves'!
ya ****takin' roaster, ye!
I’ll take that as a compliment tech.
To show my appreciation, here's more folky pish, a lovely melody entitled 'Kavin Groves' although the artist does use an alternative spelling.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fteNl....
you're just trying to scare me off now! you know more about kavin groves than you'd have me believe! i need to get to groves to solve the riddle of chadicle fellowes!
I see you're all very quick to drop old Mortimer Chalfont when sexy new Chadicle Fellowes comes along.Shame.
Kavin Groves was a charlatan. He fabricated his entire history to gain credibility among Fellowes's followers. Fellowes's followers, incidentally, is the name of the scratch croquet team formed by the crew filming Belgravia.
Kavin Groves does however own a very fine Museum and Art Gallery in Glasgow and claims to have secured the services of The Lovely Rufus for an appearance in the park in June.
Lez wrote: "Kavin Groves does however own a very fine Museum and Art Gallery in Glasgow and claims to have secured the services of The Lovely Rufus for an appearance in the park in June."As an aside, Lez, TLR is currently doing his bit to lift the spirits of the world by posting a song at the piano from his lovely LA home. There he was this morning in his dressing gown, looking disheveled and bleary, singing and playing Grey Gardens. We are to be regaled daily until the crisis is over. It’s on FB but probably available elsewhere.
Ps I do realise I am inviting cutting remarks from tech.
nocheese wrote: "TLR is currently doing his bit..."Toll-like receptor?
Teaching & learning responsibility?
Sorry, I've spent the past week asking colleagues to write in English instead of TLAs (three-letter abbreviations).
sawknife
machette
scalpel
tin opener
Gordon wrote: "nocheese wrote: "TLR is currently doing his bit..."Toll-like receptor?
Teaching & learning responsibility?
Sorry, I've spent the past week asking colleagues to write in English instead of TLAs (..."
Sorry Gordon, it's an 'in' joke among a small coterie of the more frivolous posters. See my post #429 above.
Tech XXIII (Chadicle Fellowes Society) wrote: "sawknife
machette
scalpel
tin opener"
You forgot sword
With everything else going on I have forgotten to mention this book which may be of interest to other birdy/conservation people on here - Red Sixty Seven"Red Sixty Seven is a collaboration between 67 authors and 67 artists with a single goal: to raise funds to support conservation work aiming to reverse the declines of our most at-risk birds.
......
All of the profits from the sale of this book will be donated to BTO and RSPB to further their work on Red-listed birds.
Red Sixty Seven is 67 love letters to our most vulnerable species, each beautifully illustrated by some of the best wildlife artists around, showcasing a range of styles as varied as the birds in these pages. Our hope is that the book will bring the Red List to a wider audience whilst raising funds for the charities working to help the birds most at need."
https://www.bto.org/our-science/publi...
https://british-trust-for-ornithology...
My copy hasn't arrived yet so I can't comment on what it's like. Soz.
Oh, if anyone doesn't know what "Red List" means, here's more info - https://www.iucnredlist.org/
The illustrations on the sample pages are stunning. Worth a punt in a good cause.
I've been looking and it seems to be out of stock with no date for new copies. Shame, it sounds interesting.
Isabella wrote: "I've been looking and it seems to be out of stock with no date for new copies. Shame, it sounds interesting."It looks as though it's still available to buy direct from the BTO webshop, Isabella. Link to it here - https://british-trust-for-ornithology...
They received a second print run this week and it's still showing that it's in stock.
My copy of Red Sixty Seven finally arrived today (direct from BTO webshop). Just had a quick flick through so far. Some of the pictures are really lovely. I've not read any of the "essays" yet so can't comment on them, but I was always much more interested in the artwork anyway.
Helen The Melon wrote: "Isabella wrote: "I've been looking and it seems to be out of stock with no date for new copies. Shame, it sounds interesting."It looks as though it's still available to buy direct from the BTO we..."
Thanks, I've ordered it. :o)
My copy of Red Sixty Seven just came. The illustrations are brilliant, I haven't had time to read any of it yet.Thanks, Helen. :o)
I've just been flicking through and noticed that the redwing is threatened. Every year, round December, we have an entire flock that comes and strips the cotoneaster in our garden in Sutton Coldfield. It's a long story, so all I'll say is we're always on the brink of deciding to sell the house.However, various houses round us have been sold in the last few years and most of the new owners start by stripping the gardens. At the end of the road nothing remains but a few fake plants in pots on concrete. Our new next door neighbour has cut down nearly everything. Out of control conifers are one thing but flowering cherry, magnolia, camellias. mahonia, box and escallonia, all gone, some just as they were about to flower, leaving concrete and bare soil. She's "not a gardener" and wants "somewhere for the children to play". My belief is there's a lot more fun in among the plants, even if overgrown, than the bare desert she's made. Still, it's her house...
My problem is, will our garden be treated the same way if we go? I know once it's sold it's not our business any more and I couldn't bear to come back to see (for other reasons as well) but the thought of the redwings dispossessed (and all the other wildlife in the garden), an oasis gone, I find heartbreaking.
I see the occasional redwing, lots of big, bullying fieldfares and some mistle thrushes. Haven’t seen a song thrush for years, though I can hear one nearby. When we first came here in 1985 there were skylarks nesting on the wasteland at the back of the house. They vanished with the building of a small group of houses. A few years later all the swifts and swallows went too with more unnecessary housing. 😥
Crikey, Isabella, your copy arrived quickly. The illustrations are fab aren't they? A lovely book.People don't seem to understand the importance of gardens/plants/flowers/trees/soil in urban and suburban areas :-(
We are very lucky up here, there is a large diversity of species (not just birds, but everything!) and we obviously have some more unusual wildlife in this particular area.
widnae ken a redwing if it bit my erse, but bob z's got his eye on a big fat pigeon which frequents the bird feeders (yes, i fee....er.......mrs tech feeds the birds) - fully expect it's wobbly corpse to be deposited on the kitchen floor!
Started Adam Nevill's Lost Girl."The book is set in 2053 in a world that has been decimated by severe climate change, pandemics, and rising crime and violence."
Pandemic in a book called covid 11, brought from China. Book was written in 2015.
Jayzus...
Post Soviet wrote: "Started Adam Nevill's Lost Girl."The book is set in 2053 in a world that has been decimated by severe climate change, pandemics, and rising crime and violence."
Pandemic in a book called covid 11,..."
I think most recent epidemics/pandemics (excepting ebola and the swine flu that started in Mexico or Texas) have started there, so no real surprise. 😀
HN-51 Avian Flu
H5N1 Asian Flu
Sars
thoroughly enjoyed rob's The Well of Tears, the 3rd, and let's hope not final, volume of the 'wardens of the black heart' series. i think there's still 1 or 2 matters need clarifying, so git to it, rob!currently laugh-out-louding my way through the 9th barney thompson adventure - Curse Of The Clown by douglas lindsay - as he he gets himself involved with ever more murder by doing nothing other than being barney thompson - the obligatory serial killer in this one is 'the koiffing klown', whose calling card is the victim's severed penis attached by string to a red helium filled balloon. all takes place at a barbershop convention. it would, wouldn't it?
next up, and really highly anticipated, is patrick mccabe's follow up to The Butcher Boy, francie brady now an adult, in The Big Yaroo - kindle version only £2.63 at the moment - for me, mccabe is one of the greatest living authors, and i'm buggered if i know where all the negativity surrounding his work comes from - genius level, along with james kelman, a master of putting onto paper what goes on in our heads!
The Big Yaroo didn't disappoint, a brilliant view on institutionalisation and mental health - let's just say that francie brady is one f***** individual, and that mccabe has skillfully brought that state of mind to the page.well overdue reading of Watchmen, and btf, this is a genius creation! as much involved with the mental issues of the 'costumed adventurers' (only one, the big blue dude dr manhattan, has any 'superpowers'), as with their fighting crime vigilante style. the writing by alan moore and the artwork of dave gibbons elevate this to the apex of graphic novel creation.
just started This Is Memorial Device: An Hallucinated Oral History of the Post-Punk Music Scene in Airdrie, Coatbridge and environs 1978–1986 - can't be too many books centred in airdrie!
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