Random Thoughts Showing 1,701-1,750 of 17,689

[Linda]

By the way, did anyone see the Ravens beat the Patriots last night?Someone fumbled and every player on the field piled up to recover. The refs were pulling players off and pulled out one of the refs. I have never seen a ref be in the pile before. The Ravens and 49ers are going to the Super Bowl in the Big Easy. 'Who dat?' will host but will not play.

[Chris]

For those of us interested in our discussion of music and hair last week in the paper the other day I saw an advert for a concert coming up here in Auckland with Deep Purple as the headline act and Journey on the undercard!

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Chris F wrote: "For those of us interested in our discussion of music and hair last week in the paper the other day I saw an advert for a concert coming up here in Auckland with Deep Purple as the headline act and..."
LOL. Meanwhile, here in Melbourne, the musical "Hair" is about to be staged - again. :D

[Jean]

Terri wrote:

P.S Jean I tried to contact you over..."

Terri wrote: "Jean wrote: "How crazy is all this! I read about Victorian corsets etc but I think the hair torture we've been through is just as bad!"

Ain't that the truth!!

P.S Jean I tried to contact you over..."

OK Terri - have changed my setting so can now be contacted! Didn't know it was set up that way - what have I been missing?! I've used the goodreads reviews and bought a few research books now anyway.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Ah, good Jean. You might start receiving messages from people now. :-)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Monica wrote: "Three things I've learned about the new Kindle Fire:

1. Not being able to sort books into collections is annoying :(

2. The battery runs low at THE MOST inopportune times!

3. If you read in th..."

Oh gosh, that last one is so funny to me, because I have had that happen to me on my tablet in the middle of the night. It scared the living daylight's out the sleeping husband next to me. :-)

[Linda]

I am absolutely laughing out loud, Terri. The poor man. What a spin!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

He is very jumpy at sounds. He thought someone had driven up and beeped the car horn. :-)

[David]

Re: Deep Purple - the lineup looks good (it was 'Light Purple' without Gillan IMO).

RIP - Jon Lord. (d. July 16, 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fZBiq...

...although Don Airey is a monster player as well.

Enjoy the show, Chris. :)

[Linda]

Most couples have stories that are priceless made more priceless by an intimate setting.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I just learned about this from my nephews.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_...

At first I thought they were trying to fool me. :)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I am posting to ask Bryn a question which I was going to ask in an era thread, only the book is supernatural 'related'.

Although the question is for Bryn, everyone is welcome to chime in on the discussion.

Bryn,
You spoke of that book you are about to read being multi layered, which made me curious..
Have you read The Historian?

[Bryn]

No. No idea what it's about either. Hear the title thrown about but never investigated. I'll go see.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I loved the book. Very atmospheric.
not everyone loves it, I don't think Dawn did from memory??? But a great read for a dark windy night.

[Bryn]

That's funny. My friend reviews are 1, 3 and 5 stars.

[Bryn]

I think I see it commonly el cheapo at the markets, so...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I don't understand the many low ratings. I am completely sure that some just legitimately didn't like it, but there are going to be a lot of people who didn't like it because they thought it was going to be something else. Or thought it was going to be about vampires LOTS.
YA readers, Supernatural readers etc may find it a challenge as it is a very long book and is a subtle, silky slow read (my kind of subtle, silky slow read).

[Bryn]

And again. I used to love gothic novels, Melmoth the Wanderer (chief of gothic), The Monk (short by the standard but scandalous) and Ann Radcliffe too, not to mention a lot else. If it's like them? Sounds like them, even the journeys that bore a few people.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Hmm. Have not read either so I am not sure. Definitely wouldn't read as thickly text driven as a Classic. If you know what I mean. Where the art of the written word, dense paragraphs of little dialogue and the dialogue a riddle in itself sometimes, is the main focus.
It is most assuredly a modern novel. But a novel you have to feel from a landscape imagination.
Many readers read one dimensionally. Don't picture surroundings, wind in the trees, windows rattling in the scene. They just read the words and don't look into the scene.I think with the Historian, you need to get yourself into the scene so you can pick up the subtlety.

[Bryn]

The Gothics are called Classics now, but were the popular fiction of their day. Frowned upon by the serious-minded. -Still, I tried to read Ann Radcliffe again last year and could not wade through. She was never my fave, though: the blokes I mentioned were that. I think at least the Matthew 'Monk' Lewis (as they used to call him) wasn't in that dense 19thC style.

I seem to have gotten distracted from the subject at hand.

Hmmm. Ann Radcliffe was too into scenery for me. I'm lazy with scenery. If it's done for mood effects, I can enjoy.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Its definitely not over done scenery though. Just atmosphere. :)

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

I've just started dipping my toe in the water of Gothics. Recently read The Haunted Hotel - rather enjoyed it.

[Bryn]

Lay on the atmosphere.

@Margaret: Can I thrust upon you the above? Can I shove at you others??

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Bryn wrote: "Lay on the atmosphere.

@Margaret: Can I thrust upon you the above? Can I shove at you others??"

Shove as many suggestions my way as you can. I just don't know where I am going to get copies. Gothic just doesn't seem right on a Kindle. I need BOOKS.

[Bryn]

I just voted on listopia Best Gothic Books of All Time. My selections from the wonderful world of Gothic. In order even.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Bryn wrote: "I just voted on listopia Best Gothic Books of All Time. My selections from the wonderful world of Gothic. In order even."

I saw that. I am making notes. :)

[Bryn]

PS. Wilkie Collins = Victorian try-hard. Go early. Or late and decadent.

how opinionated can I be?

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Bryn wrote: "PS. Wilkie Collins = Victorian try-hard. Go early. Or late and decadent.

how opinionated can I be?"

Be very opinionated. :) It all helps me make decisions. You can leave Lovecraft out of the discussions - I already own a complete collection on my Kindle. I adore Lovecraft. :D

Found a wonderful little book last year that combined Lovecraft with historical fiction. Adored it. Historical Lovecraft

[Bryn]

I have to read more Lovecraft. I've neglected him and never meant to.

[Bobby]

Bryn wrote: "I have to read more Lovecraft. I've neglected him and never meant to."

Stephen King's inspiration...he adores Lovecraft!!

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Bobby wrote: "Bryn wrote: "I have to read more Lovecraft. I've neglected him and never meant to."

Stephen King's inspiration...he adores Lovecraft!!"

But King doesn't do it nearly so well as Lovecraft did.

[Dar B]

Bryn wrote: "That's funny. My friend reviews are 1, 3 and 5 stars."

I know that you don't know me or my tastes but I liked The Historian a lot! I liked that the book was basically three stories nested within each other, that it was rather scary by having so few appearances of the vampire and his minions, and I adored all of the history of the Transylvania region. It really was very good but had a lot of historical detail, that is a good thing to me. I gave it four stars.

Can anybody tell me how to place a link to my review?

[Bobby]

Margaret wrote: "Bobby wrote: "Bryn wrote: "I have to read more Lovecraft. I've neglected him and never meant to."

Stephen King's inspiration...he adores Lovecraft!!"

But King doesn't do it nearly so well as Love..."

I respectfully disagree....I think stories may favor Lovecraft but character development is all King...ergo, I equalize my like for them. I will cede that followers of Lovecraft are more fervent than King fans.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Bobby wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Bobby wrote: "Bryn wrote: "I have to read more Lovecraft. I've neglected him and never meant to."

Stephen King's inspiration...he adores Lovecraft!!"

But King doesn't do it nearl..."

LOL. I think I like that Lovecraft hinted at the darkness...whilst King drags it out into the harsh light of day. I'd rather be made uneasy by shadows at night, than be unable to sleep because of the graphic images in my mind.

I will say, that I did really enjoy King's "Christine".

One writer who literally has me jumping at shadows is R. Chetwynd-Hayes

[Bryn]

Darla V wrote: "I liked The Historian a lot!..."

Cheers for the input, Darla. I like a subtle horror - and historical stuff. And Transylvania...
To link to your review: If you hit 'My review' so that it's on a page of its own - paste the link. :)

[Dar B]

Thanks, Bryn! Here is my review, although I just read it and see some grammatical errors- sorry.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Darla V wrote: "Thanks, Bryn! Here is my review, although I just read it and see some grammatical errors- sorry.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

Good review. Sounds like an interesting book.

[Bryn]

Time I read a new take on Dracula, then. Since the original, I've only read 'In Search of...' type books on the history -- and found Vlad in the 15th century pretty worthwhile himself. If it has that history, I'm in. Also I was keen on Gary Oldman's rendition.

[Dar B]

Margaret wrote: "Darla V wrote: "Thanks, Bryn! Here is my review, although I just read it and see some grammatical errors- sorry.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

Good review. Sounds like an inter..."

Thank you, Margaret. I certainly was glad that I read it.

[Dar B]

Bryn wrote: "Time I read a new take on Dracula, then. Since the original, I've only read 'In Search of...' type books on the history -- and found Vlad in the 15th century pretty worthwhile himself. If it has th..."

It has a good bit on Vlad and his interatction with the Turks, very interesting to me. I never read anything of Gary Oldman's. Which book of his is about Vlad?

[Bryn]

Ahhhh - give me Turks. Just what I want.

Gary Oldman, I'm afraid, acted Dracula in a film. Alongside Winona Ryder (sp?).

[Dar B]

I knew that his name was familiar for some reason! lol Please excuse me, I can be quite daft at times.

I hope that you like the book as much as Terri and I.

[Bryn]

No no, that's me slumming into films.

[Dar B]

Wow, I just looked up that Dracula movie and it looks good- an all-star cast! Now, I have to see if the library as it. Thanks for the info.

[Bobby]

Margaret wrote: "Bobby wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Bobby wrote: "Bryn wrote: "I have to read more Lovecraft. I've neglected him and never meant to."

Stephen King's inspiration...he adores Lovecraft!!"

But King doesn..."

I'll look it up Margaret.

[Bryn]

Me too - just went to IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103874/ Hey, I'm not even ashamed I like it.

[Dar B]

Hey, we like what we like. For me, I cannot follow most straight non-fiction history but make it into historical fiction and I am there, especially for the time-frames and geographical regions that I prefer. I also like fantasy and humor a lot! It is a form of escape from the pressures of real-life. I'm not ashamed.

I am on IMDB almost every night, when the hbby and I are trying to remember an actor's name or which shows they had been in.

[Bryn]

The film revolves around a love story, I confess, but you know, what with Terri's material these days, standards are slipping.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Bryn wrote: "The film revolves around a love story, I confess, but you know, what with Terri's material these days, standards are slipping."

*snickers*

[Bobby]

Bobby wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Bobby wrote: "Margaret wrote: "Bobby wrote: "Bryn wrote: "I have to read more Lovecraft. I've neglected him and never meant to."

Stephen King's inspiration...he adores Lovecraft!!..."

Have you read any Robert R. McCammon or Dan Simmons? I think you might like some of their stuff.