Member: LizT

Hiya Dr Liz,

I remember you well and thanks! Although I think until the viva's over and done with, I won't feel really free but I do have a post-doc now which means wages and more books. Congratulations on finishing too. I think that you can't really understand what that means until you've lived through the experience ;-) I just don't tell my husband exactly how much my Folio's cost and he's not sure how many I've got, so I must confess to smuggling them into the bookcase quietly. He MUST NEVER KNOW how much I spend on some kind of LE or I think his head will just explode! I'm glad that you're enjoying Folio books (or I'm sorry for introducing you to a huge money black-hole ....)

Claire

posted by klarusu at 3:35 pm (EST) on Aug 18, 2009

Hi Liz,
I remember you expressed an interest in Niger ages ago (and have since read a Nigerien writer). I was in the poetry bookshop in Hay-on-Wye and came across a collection called In-Sign-E by Oumarou Watta, a Nigerien poet. And it is in English, thank god.I won't be reading it for a little while, but I thought you may be interested.
Cheers,
Andy

posted by depressaholic at 12:38 pm (EST) on Aug 7, 2009

Hope your viva went well! And that you've been out celebrating - by buyiing more books of course!

posted by reading_fox at 6:55 am (EST) on Jul 23, 2009

Liz,

Is that some sort of screw in the top of your skull, in your profile picture? Or does it only look that way? If you have perhaps found my loose screw, I would love to have it back.

(-:,

posted by reconditereader at 12:57 am (EST) on Jul 7, 2009

Sorry to respond so late. Today was my first visit here in half a year. I was busy writing MAD IN TRANSLATION the proof of which came from my printer Lightning Source today and you can see info at paraverse dot org. As for Rise, Ye Seas Slugs! I have wanted to do a new edition since it came out in 2003 but never find time -- i started too many books and working alone (circumstance not choice)fear i may leave too much undone if i rewrite those already published, so please do get a copy. As LS has a UK plant it should be easy to order and if not i would be grateful to know of it.

i see you have chesterton above MAD IN TRANSLATION has the following quote

The only serious reason which I can imagine inducing any one person to listen to any other is, that the first person looks to the second person with an ardent faith and a fixed attention, expecting him to say what he does not expect him to say. – G.K. Chesterton

on page 9 and because my english god mother lent me winnie the pooh here is my Benediction on pg 3

If you find this book, so full of naught, of service, nonetheless,
Rename it “The Brain of Pooh” and you, too, will be blessed!

keigu

posted by keigu at 11:47 pm (EST) on Jun 4, 2009

I just wanted to say thank you for your review of Wednesday Night Tupperware. It's really important to me to get independant feedback and I appreciate your time and your comments.

Thank you

Tracey

posted by Traceygilbert at 7:59 am (EST) on May 14, 2009

Your post "*excited squeaking*; *realises she's sat on a puffin*; *stands up and bounces*" made me laugh aloud. Thank you.

Theo

posted by TheoClarke at 2:29 pm (EST) on May 13, 2009

Thank you ! :)

I tried that.. but I guess it liked yours better.. lol

:)

posted by mckait at 3:33 pm (EST) on Apr 5, 2009

how did you kill that tag? I tried?!!
I must know.. tell me everything :)

posted by mckait at 2:49 pm (EST) on Apr 5, 2009

Hi Liz,
That sounds good. I am trying to control book buying at the moment, but fell off the wagon with a visit to Sedbergh, a town near the Lakes that has pretension to being the new Hay-on-Wye. Onetti is on the list though. Thank you.
Andy

posted by depressaholic at 2:38 pm (EST) on Mar 23, 2009

Hope the hills were good: I am having to pine for them at the moment.

posted by MyopicBookworm at 7:31 pm (EST) on Mar 18, 2009

hello LizT
I enjoyed your review of Compton Mackenzies book. (with a couple of suitably not terribly villanious villains) just right. Have you read BUTTERCUPS AND DAISIES? I read through his 12 vol. or so Journals this past summer, an extraordinary man, he was. Oh, and a biography by the son of one of his good friends. I also enjoy the ineffable Norman Douglas, but enough.
pgt

posted by Porius at 5:46 am (EST) on Feb 11, 2009

> Thank you for your review of A Year in Cricklewood: I thoroughly enjoyed it. It will be going on the wishlist, I fear! <

Thank you for the encouragement. It's not up to the standard of your reviews, I'm afraid, but perhaps I can improve.

posted by jimroberts at 5:30 pm (EST) on Feb 9, 2009

Hi Liz,

Thanks for your book recommendation (The Book of Memories). I already have picked a book for my Argentine theme read, but I added the book you recommended to my wishlist. It, indeed, sounded interesting!

posted by SqueakyChu at 10:20 am (EST) on Jan 24, 2009

You are welcome to September! I've corrected the list.

posted by Morphidae at 6:01 pm (EST) on Jan 19, 2009

Hi Liz,
Thanks for the heads up about Mamani. Niger was a worry for me, so its good to know that there are some things out there. I am not sure I am brave enough to tackle a book in French yet. My understanding is okay, but my vocab is fairly woeful. It has been an ambition of mine to read a book in French for a while. I tried a Simone de Beauvoir, but the opening was set in a theatre, and the attendant theatrical jargon was overwhelming for both me and my dictionary. I think that Niger and Mauritania will be the countries that force me to pick up a book in French again, but I am going to wait a while before I try. Thanks once again.

Andy

posted by depressaholic at 6:18 am (EST) on Jan 10, 2009

LizT,

Your review of Whiskey Galore by Compton Mackenzie has inspired me to read it. Thank you.

posted by urania1 at 7:53 pm (EST) on Dec 30, 2008

LizT
Give me your address and I'll send you a book.
bhazelgrove@gmail.com

posted by jimturner2 at 4:37 pm (EST) on Dec 17, 2008

Let's just say that 100,000 is the maximum allowed including references so I'm hoping that I don't actually have to write that much! Plus, I'm so good at procrastinating it's untrue ....... We should do a scientific study of Increase in LT Usage vs Time Left to Submit. I swear, each month nearer submission I spend more time reorganising my tags and less time writing!

posted by klarusu at 8:23 am (EST) on Aug 19, 2008

Hiya Liz, Middlemarch is winging it's way to you as we speak! Sorry it took me a while to post it but I got wiped out by some international BookMooches. Hope you enjoy it! Claire

posted by klarusu at 8:41 am (EST) on Aug 18, 2008

No apologies required! Although my reviews can be negative I love the experience of discovery in reading, and I was struggling to find a Nepalese book. The only thing I hate reading are 600+ page epics that take up a month of reading time and then disappoint, which serves me right for being too stubborn to give up on books. Please continue to recommend away!

By the way, I am 50ish pages into my Bhutan read (Circle of Karma by Kunzang Choden) and am currently finding it very, very good. I will be reviewing in due course, but I think its going to be a thumbs up for this one.

posted by depressaholic at 4:28 pm (EST) on Aug 5, 2008

Hi Liz,
I just reviewed the 'Guru of Love', how shall I put it, not too positively, then read your review which is almost the exact opposite to mine. Sorry about that. I think I must have been in the wrong mood when I read it.
Andy

posted by depressaholic at 11:07 am (EST) on Aug 5, 2008

lol I am a fairly new resident of Cambridgeshire but love it lots! Especially the wide choice of bookshops compared to where I used to live!

posted by KellReader at 6:16 pm (EST) on Jul 6, 2008

I read your summary of Under Plum Lake and was intrigued, because I like Lionel Davidson's adult fiction (esp. Smith's Gazelle) but haven't read his children's books. What other name did he write under?

Liz

posted by aviddiva at 1:29 am (EST) on Jul 6, 2008

Oops, I should've added a big Thank You for your nice words about my photo's... I definitely operate on the more luck than judgment principle... you should see all the ones I don't upload ;-)

posted by Tane at 6:24 pm (EST) on Jun 30, 2008

It sounds lovely, I have one that you carry that way and it is very useful. They are worth the money for because they are good quality and they fit well. I use mine when I walk my dog and it is very handy not to have to put it down while playing or cleaning up.

The Radley website is a terrible invention though. They emailed me only yesterday, trying to tempt me with the new designs. I had to click away without looking because I have no job or disposable income yet (not for anything other than books anyway). Even on ebay it is hard to find a bargain and everyone loves a Radley bag. Nobody ever stops me in the street to tell me they like any of my other bags, just the Radley ones.

When does your job start?

posted by Jodyreadseverything at 6:55 pm (EST) on Jun 26, 2008

Thank you for the link, that's definetely the one.

Radley handbags are my addiction and have been ever since I got my real-life scottie dog. I'm almost ashamed to admit to how many Radley things I have because I feel a bit like "crazy cat lady" for having so many scottie themed things. But about thirteen handbags from tiny to very big, a jewellery box, two mirrors, three purses and one passport cover, collected over about six years. But I do rotate them and get good use out of them all (except the passport cover, which doesn't get as much use as I would like).

Do you know which one you are getting for your birthday or is it a surprise?

posted by Jodyreadseverything at 5:39 pm (EST) on Jun 23, 2008

Hi Lyz, I'm just popping by to ask a quick question. A while ago someone, I think maybe PDExperiment, put up a link to a maths type cartoon site, about the way an intelligent person gets less so as they get closer to a cat. I'm not sure if it was him and I haven't seen him about to ask but I am sure I remember you saying you also love that cartoon site. I can't remember what thread it was in to check. Am I right, was it you and if it was, where can I find the website? Please help.

posted by Jodyreadseverything at 5:07 pm (EST) on Jun 23, 2008

If it's just one or two books you'd like, perhaps I can mail them over, but I'm afraid it wouldn't be (much) cheaper than you purchasing them yourself. It's just about £6 for whatever will fit in a 9x12 inch envelope, I think. If you're interested, I'd be happy to send them in exchange for shipping (I can look it up first and let you know, if you'd like.)

Yes, I'll be studying in Oxford - I'm doing my MA at Brookes. And then hopefully finding a job, although whether that's in the UK, the US, or some as yet undiscovered part of the world is entirely up in the air at present. I'm very much looking forward to being in Oxford, though. And yes, Blackwell's is on my list of places to spend (entirely too much) time as soon as I arrive:)
Thanks for the tip!

~Mona

posted by monarchi at 12:27 pm (EST) on Jun 12, 2008

Ah yes - we are in quite a minority here. Everybody else on LT is still sleeping when I'm in the mood for a chat! My only connection with Cambridgeshire (though one I'm happy to have) is that that's where I got my first bearded collie back in 1982.

I just caught a glimpse of the message above mine (bottom of your page - the one about Cambridge being flat). Sounds like heaven to me as Devon is incredibly hilly and I have a back problem which makes walking up and down hills very painful (and a labrador who needs a lot of walks). We just spent a few days in the north part of Devon in a comparatively flat area and I walked for miles and miles and still felt better than I normally do after getting up my own drive. All my 'up-country' relatives and friends are fantastically impressed with my driving as I can hover on my clutch halfway up a ski-slope - something they never learned to do! Makes me feel good anyway.

Feel free to browse around my library any time you want.

Did your 'ER-jealousy' comment mean you haven't got one this month? I think they're just being nice to me at the moment because I'm new to the group. I'm sure there will soon come a time when they forget I exist.

posted by Booksloth at 10:15 am (EST) on May 23, 2008

Thanks, LizT. Your reviews now nestle comfortably amongst their fellows.

posted by InigoMontoya at 11:29 am (EST) on May 12, 2008

Hi. On Go Review That Book!, I've created a group Wiki page to keep track of the progress of the game and the reviews that have been generated. Some may find it easier to read the reviews by having them in one handy place. There's a discussion thread in the group and this is the first Wiki page if you are interested in having a look. To avoid any difficulties with copyright, I'm seeking your consent to add your reviews to the group Wiki page.

posted by InigoMontoya at 8:44 am (EST) on May 9, 2008

Thank you for you kind comment. Sometimes I think I am talking to myself, not that that is a bad thing. LOL

The Ghana piece.... interesting. I wonder what stimulated that visitor. I have a couple of books in my library dating from when I was in the Peace Corps in Upper Volta (now Burkino Faso, near Ghana). Also, I mentioned the Peace Corps in a post about MLK. Hmmmm. Just intersting, huh.

Karen

posted by maggie1944 at 3:53 pm (EST) on Apr 4, 2008

Liz: Thanks so much for sharing the photos of your trek. An amazing adventure, to be sure.

I've added "The Railway" to my TBR list. Carol

posted by tropics at 11:12 am (EST) on Mar 10, 2008

Liz: That is probably my favorite duck photo of all time. Thank you. Carol

posted by tropics at 11:46 pm (EST) on Mar 7, 2008

I'm glad you enjoyed Kim -- it's one of my favorites. If you're in the mood for something light, you might also enjoy [The Game] by Laurie R. King. It's one of her Sherlock Holmes pastiche mysteries (the 7th one in a series starting with [The Beekeeper's Apprentice]), and includes the grown-up Kim in an important role.

posted by aviddiva at 6:21 pm (EST) on Feb 6, 2008

I really hope you like it. I tried to find something unusual from Africa (i.e. not the usual suspects like Palace Walk or Cry, the Beloved Country that you could pick up anywhere), but everything I liked was either out of stock, or too expensive. Someone told me that this writer is one of the best and most unknown S. American writers, so I took a flier on it. I hope you like him. Do write it up when you finish it! Happy Festivus -- Dana

posted by mcalister at 6:57 pm (EST) on Jan 1, 2008

Thanks for the heads up on the Waters tags! Not the first time I've missed the correct box with the new page format...

There is much more to Mudbound than what I managed to pound out--with the insanity of the last couple weeks before Christmas, I rushed the review a bit. Will try to make it a review worthy of the work sometime in the new year, I hope.

posted by boltgirl at 11:03 pm (EST) on Dec 18, 2007

I'm sorry you worried about The Railway getting to me. I moved not long after requesting it, so I imagine it waited at the post office for awhile before getting forwarded to my new address. I think I'm going to save it for my Christmas break reading. I want to savor all the memories of Uzbekistan it will bring back. I can't believe I found another person who went there! What did you think? Did you have a good time?

posted by cestovatela at 11:42 pm (EST) on Dec 4, 2007

Liz,

I'm so glad you enjoyed Gone with the Wind maybe it's because I'm new to GRTB but I tend to get nervous about picking books for people because I'm afraid they won't like them.

Rhett Butler is one of my all time favourite characters and although I like the romance partially because of the guaranteed happy endings I don't think Gone with the Wind could have ended any differently and I wouldn't have wanted it to.

Thank god someone else is as anal as I am about book conditions most people I know don't even like to read so they really don't understand this ridiculous obsession I have with my books.

If your looking to try something paranormalish (I don't think that's a real word) I would highly recommend Outlander by Diana Gabaldon if you haven't read it before. It's mostly historical fiction with a bit of time travel and a love story thrown in. Really it's fabulous, but then again it's my favourite book so I'm biased.

Judging by your profile pic it looks like you were recently married as well... so congrats!

Danielle

posted by dbolahood at 11:53 pm (EST) on Dec 3, 2007

Thanks for your view of your trip. I am still very jealous, and then had to read that you are off to Nepal next!
It is funny how a book can affect my view of a place. I suppose this is all part of some of the deabtes we've had in the Reading Globally book. I have no knowledge of Uzbekistan so, for me, it IS the place in 'The Railway' by definition. It still sounds fascinating, despite being nothing like the book, and I suppose we can only ever really be tourists (actual or literary) for pretty much everywhere in the world apart from our own little bits of it.

I used to work as an academic, and I went to a conference in St. Petersburg two years ago. The Russian scientists there were talking about scraping the cash together to sequence DNA as if that was the holy grail. At the time I was sequencing maybe twice a week, and they couldn't afford to do it even once. It was definitely one of those 'I feel lucky' moments.

posted by depressaholic at 6:00 pm (EST) on Oct 19, 2007

Liz,
Loved your review of the railway. It pretty much summed up my feelings, i.e. the whole thing was very good but the individual bits were occasionally bewildering. Are you tempted to re-read after visiting Uzbekistan? I know there are too many book in the world to worry too much about any particular one, but it might be interesting to see if your intuitive understanding of the country has increased at all.
If some of the other LTers are serious in their Reading Globally challenges I suspect a lot of people will be reading 'The Railway' in the next little while. It will be interesting to hear what everyone else thinks.

posted by depressaholic at 9:44 am (EST) on Sep 6, 2007

I felt the same way about The Railway. I really liked it, but there was a lot going on and a lot of characters it was going on to! I ended up just letting it wash over me, picking up the flavour of the book rather than worrying too much about fixing all the details in my head. I did enjoy it though, and the repeated references to 'the boy' gave a nice anchor to the otherwise slightly messy structure.

I have only met one international author in my life (Ngugi wa Thiongo) and I haven't read any of his books. It was still pretty interesting though.I'm sure Ismailov would be good to talk to. I think he is a journalist (not positive), and I'm sure he would have a lot to say about his native country.

If you do end up reviewing then please let me know. I would be interested to hear your detailed opinion when you are done.

posted by depressaholic at 5:01 am (EST) on Sep 1, 2007

Firstly, let me confess to enormous amounts of jealousy about you visiting Uzbekistan. It has shot to near the top of my wish list of places to visit, partly because of 'The Railway'.

Secondly, if you get a moment I would love to know what you think of 'The Railway'. It is a perfect novel for getting to know a country, because it tries to embrace all the craziness of 90 years spent at the perifery of the Soviet Union, so is a potted history and sociology all in one. It is also very funny (bits concerning circumcision and special vodka especially). It is, however, very sprawling and picaresque. I ended up loving it, but there were bits that lost me from time to time. Let me know what you think of the book (and the country)if you have time.

posted by depressaholic at 7:31 am (EST) on Aug 10, 2007

Just passing by from Talk:

At least in Cambridge you have the option of Heffers over Waterstones or Borders.

Do you manage to go walking much there? - I wasn't overly impressed in the three years I lived there, too flat. I needed the hills after about a month.

posted by reading_fox at 11:07 am (EST) on Aug 8, 2007