Random Thoughts Showing 3,051-3,100 of 17,689

[Michael]

Iain was a lovely guy and a superb writer. He'll be hugely missed by all the guys he met, writers and readers alike. And, ahem, by the Scottish Whisky industry, too ...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I am sure his fans around the world are gutted. He was pretty well known.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

It's always so sad when an author dies.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

It is. Even when you have never heard of them or read their books.
I remember when Sara Douglass passed away.
I had never read her books, but had seen them around for a long time.
It seemed such a loss when she went because her books touched so many imaginations and reached so many readers that may not have read books as a hobby if they hadn't found her fantasy books.

[Beorn]

Tom Sharpe died not long ago as well but he's another author I've never read anything by but was deemed worthy of mention on the TV news.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Not familiar with that author at all.

[Mark]

congrats to tony Robinson and to rowan Atkinson

http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Inde...

not much info yet as it was only at 1030pm uk time,

edit 2 http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Well deserved. Especially Tony Robinson!!

[Darcy]

Indeed! I know he didn't get it for his entertainment, but anyone who would go through the trouble he did with that Worst Jobs in History show should get one.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Ha! Yes, so true!

[Bobby]

Perfect!!!

[Paula]

I hope there are no Welsh here, lol

[Nate]

Just spent the last 30 minutes examining the Blackadder line. I was only aware of Edmund's existence so it came as a surprise to learn they ranged from Romans to modern-day men. Such a ridiculous show.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Hubby and I have been watching reruns of Blackadder only these last few weeks. Coincidentally, we just watched an episode about 20 minutes ago. It is up to my favourite season.
Blackadder the third. Where Atkinson is the wiley steward serving Hugh Laurie who plays the Prince Regent.
Still so funny after all these years.

[happy]

My favorite era has got to be the WW I, with the War of the Roses series not far behind

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Terri wrote: "Hubby and I have been watching reruns of Blackadder only these last few weeks. Coincidentally, we just watched an episode about 20 minutes ago. It is up to my favourite season.
Blackadder the third..."

That was my favourite season as well. :D

[Tim]

Terri wrote: "Hubby and I have been watching reruns of Blackadder only these last few weeks. Coincidentally, we just watched an episode about 20 minutes ago. It is up to my favourite season.
Blackadder the third..."

I thought the Elizabethan One was the best, though the world war one series crossed over into something beyond comedy. The sheer waste, tragedy and misguided madness of that conflict came across in a way that verged on the uncomfortable (even angry) but was somehow more moving than a straight dramatic piece. For me it re-defined the term "Black humour". Black/gallows humour is something we specialize in back home (northern Ireland) but it taught me a few things.

[Tim]

"Vanished: like an old oak table"
"Vanished, not varnished, Lord Percy"

[Tim]

Tim wrote: ""Vanished: like an old oak table"
"Vanished, not varnished, Lord Percy""

"am I glad to see you or did I just put a canoe in my pocket?"
endless pure gold quotes

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Tim wrote: ""Vanished: like an old oak table"
"Vanished, not varnished, Lord Percy""

That's classic. LOL!

[Chris]

We are using them at the moment to help our year 13 (last year of high school) students get into the debate about the quality of the British generals in WWI. I still laugh at, "What's for dinner Baldric". "Rat o Van", " What's that", "Rat that's been run over by a Van."

[Andrew]

Chris F wrote: "We are using them at the moment to help our year 13 (last year of high school) students get into the debate about the quality of the British generals in WWI. I still laugh at, "What's for dinner B..."

Wouldn't get a curriculum like that in the UK. Dying to know the conclusion about the quality of British generals in WW1?

[Mark]

Andrew wrote: "Chris F wrote: "We are using them at the moment to help our year 13 (last year of high school) students get into the debate about the quality of the British generals in WWI. I still laugh at, "What..."

the germans said the british soldiers were lions led by donkeys.

[Andrew]

I've heard that phrase before; but was it the Germans who said it, or someone else?

[Mark]

Andrew wrote: "I've heard that phrase before; but was it the Germans who said it, or someone else?"

I don't know Andrew, I am going to look in to it.

Apparent it was used in the Crimean war and in the Franco- Prussian war also.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwar...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lions_le...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

This is a great blog post. Amazing. Colin Falconer reblogged it (did not write it) and I can see why. It is powerful.
The Benefits of Failure
http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Has anyone seen - in the flesh - those new 'flipback books'?
here is a flipback explained: http://www.flipbackbooks.com/

I was about to buy a book at the Book Depository (Brethren: An Epic Adventure of the Knights Templar to be precise) and there was this really cheap edition.
The cover picture wasn't showing normally, it was showing like an audio book sometimes shows. long and narrow.
Only it said paperback and i was thinking it must just be a glitch. I studied the full bibliographic data thinking something doesn't feel right and that's when I noticed it was called a 'flipback edition'! I then googled flipback to find out what that meant.
Thank goodness I looked hard or I would have bought one of these awful top to bottom books.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

They are cute! I'll give them that.

As you saw on that website, they are supposed to be not much bigger than a smartphone. How can anyone enjoy reading that? It would be so annoying holding it open.

They look like childrens books. They have been using the flip up method with children's book for a long, long time, but I have never seen them on our adult turf before.

[Sanne]

Terri wrote: "Has anyone seen - in the flesh - those new 'flipback books'?
here is a flipback explained: http://www.flipbackbooks.com/"

Those flipback books are really annoying to read in my opinion. The paper is really thin and almost see-through (gee I wonder why classics which are normally doorstoppers now can be made so tiny...). You also really have to crack that book open, because the lines are very close to the fold.
I've seen loads of these in the bookstores but never bought them. I like some weight and proportions in a book I'm holding.

[Bryn]

Terri wrote: "Has anyone seen - in the flesh - those new 'flipback books'?"

Ick!
Never seen them, thanks for the alert. I had to look through twice before I saw that 'flipback' under edition on Brethren at BD.
Glad you're going to read Brethren, though.

[Chris]

Mark wrote: "Andrew wrote: "Chris F wrote: "We are using them at the moment to help our year 13 (last year of high school) students get into the debate about the quality of the British generals in WWI. I still ..."

Actually even this is debated, and some evidence to suggest that the guy that first popularised the idea my have made up the the phrase himself. I'd provide more detail, but it is all at work and I'm at home at the moment. Will try to remember to bring it home.

[Chris]

Andrew wrote: "Chris F wrote: "We are using them at the moment to help our year 13 (last year of high school) students get into the debate about the quality of the British generals in WWI. I still laugh at, "What..."

Like most history it depends on who you listen to, I found Gary Sheffield's Forgotten Victory: The First World War -Myths and Realities quite convincing, however.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Bryn wrote: "Terri wrote: "Has anyone seen - in the flesh - those new 'flipback books'?"

Ick!
Never seen them, thanks for the alert. I had to look through twice before I saw that 'flipback' under edition on Br..."

Definitely going to read that trilogy. So impressed with Insurrection.
I have held off of buying today to see what the Aussie dollar does. I noticed prices lift on TBD this week...our dollar has dropped quite a bit. If it goes back up the books will be cheaper.
Of course..if it keeps going down then my waiting game does me foul. :)

[Darcy]

A little science, some rowing, slaves, Robert Lowe & Giles Kristian: it can only be the Draken!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTdeIR...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

That says this video was removed by the user. :(

[Bobby]

Got the same message.

[Darcy]

I tested it and yeah, the video is gone. It was good too, it explained the project, and short interviews with some of the more well known Brits. Hopefully it's made public again soon.

[Richard]

Darcy wrote: "I tested it and yeah, the video is gone. It was good too, it explained the project, and short interviews with some of the more well known Brits. Hopefully it's made public again soon."

This one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aTzNo...

[Darcy]

YES! that's the one. Thank you Richard.

[Tim]

Andrew wrote: "I've heard that phrase before; but was it the Germans who said it, or someone else?"

I think Siegfried Sassoon covered the topic well in "base details" - http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnL...

[Tim]

Bryn wrote: "Terri wrote: "Has anyone seen - in the flesh - those new 'flipback books'?"
..."

Hmm: It looks like they are trying to replicate the experience of reading on a smartphone, but using paper. Worst of both worlds perhaps?

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Tim wrote: "Bryn wrote: "Terri wrote: "Has anyone seen - in the flesh - those new 'flipback books'?"
..."

Hmm: It looks like they are trying to replicate the experience of reading on a smartphone, but using p..."

Worst of one world, since I hate dealing with mobile screens, but love reading on papaer.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Darcy wrote: "I tested it and yeah, the video is gone. It was good too, it explained the project, and short interviews with some of the more well known Brits. Hopefully it's made public again soon."

Oh good. I see it showed up again and Richard found it. The video didn't even work via Giles' Tweet.

[Darcy]

It worked on his Tweet yesterday, Ben even retweeted it, same as me. I assume someone removed it for whatever reason and then put it back up, changing the link address. No matter, it's up again for all to see :)

I do hope people enjoy it, what with all the trouble we've gone through haha

[Bryn]

Tim wrote: "Hmm: It looks like they are trying to replicate the experience of reading on a smartphone..."

Yes, an experience I don't much want to have. 'Brethren' this way has 1000 pages: it's got to be either a thick smartphone or thin paper. No doubt both.

[Bobby]

Just read where Vince Flynn passed away from cancer. A top shelf suspense author. http://entertainment.msn.com/news/art...

[Darcy]

I've not read any of his books, but my brother is quite fond of his writing. Sad to see another author go. :(

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Speaking of surprising passing...that James Gandolphini (spelling?) Actor dude passed suddenly yesterday. Fans of that mob tv series he was in must be devastated.

[[deleted user]]

Bobby wrote: "Just read where Vince Flynn passed away from cancer. A top shelf suspense author. http://entertainment.msn.com/news/art..."

Damn. I hadn't heard about that. I've read several of his Mitch Rapp books & thought they were very good.

[Nate]

The Sopranos was one of the best shows I've ever watched. He was fantastic in that.