Porua’s Progress in 2011

Hello everyone! I’m happy to join the 75 Books Challenge Group once again. I look forward to seeing all my old friends here. Hoping to make some new friends too. :-)

Some things about myself. I love to read mystery/detective stories (mostly cosy mysteries), plays and short stories. I don’t enjoy reading about any kind of romance. What I love most is reading classic books. Then again I may end up reading books from other genres if they happen to come my way.

I never follow any lists or have any specific aims. I just read whatever happens to catch my fancy. I don’t know how many books I’d be able to read in 2011 but I wish to share my experience of reading each and every book with all of you.

My 75 Books Challenge thread for 2010 can be found here,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/98949

My 50 Book Challenge thread 2010 Part Two,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/94041

and 50 Book Challenge thread 2010 Part One,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/80925

Hope all of you will join me! :-)

Top Ten ‘New’ Reads 2010

1. Goodbye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton - After a long, long time a book that made me cry. One of the very few books I’ve read this year that I know I’m going to re-read.

2. The Queen of Hearts by Wilkie Collins - An excellent collection of ten short stories set within a connecting narrative. The best story of the collection is The Biter Bit, a hilarious Victorian era detective story, written in the form of letters.

3. London Lavender by E. V. Lucas - A collection of loosely connected vignettes. A little known gem of a book.

4. Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland - Eight interconnected tales, all linked to the past and the present of a piece of art, are presented in this book. A book I bought without knowing what it was about and was pleasantly surprised by it.

5. The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson - The mind of a serial killer unravels as the bodies pile up. Truly a classic of the noir genre.

6. A Kiss for Cinderella by J. M. Barrie - A three act play set during WWI. A destitute young woman fends off hunger and loneliness with the help of her imagination. A romantic fantasy which is surprisingly realistic.

7. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro - Kazuo Ishiguro is an exceptional writer. For someone who seldom if ever really enjoys a book written during the last twenty or so years, I really liked this one.

8. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick - I cannot believe I didn’t read this book earlier. I appreciated the themes of loneliness and understanding between all living beings.

9. Seize the Day by Saul Bellow - It is astonishing how Bellow paints an amazingly vivid picture of a man’s entire life in little more than a hundred pages. I found Seize the Day to be quite satisfying. It may be a bit gloomy but this is perhaps literature at its best.

10. Tales of Men and Ghosts by Edith Wharton - A collection of short stories. Stories about commonplace, everyday men chasing greatness but ending up going nowhere and often returning to where they had begun is no longer an option. A fascinating experience.

Honourable mentions :

For The Blood Is The Life And Other Stories. F. Marion Crawford.

The Lady of the Barge and Other Stories. W. W. Jacobs.

Nightmare Abbey. Thomas Love Peacock.

The Mysterious Mr. Quin. Agatha Christie.

Hard Times. Charles Dickens.

Eats, Shoots and Leaves. Lynne Truss.

Touchy touchstones.

Top Ten 'Re-Reads' 2010

1. Death of a Salesman. Arthur Miller.

2. Dracula. Bram Stoker.

3. The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald.

4. The Mousetrap and Selected Plays. Agatha Christie.

5. Wuthering Heights. Emily Brontë.

6. Cards on the Table. Agatha Christie.

7. A Tale of Two Cities. Charles Dickens.

8. The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays. Oscar Wilde.

9. Plays Unpleasant. George Bernard Shaw.

10. Evil Under the Sun. Agatha Christie.

Honourable mentions :

Far from the Madding Crowd. Thomas Hardy.

Great Expectations. Charles Dickens.

Hickory Dickory Dock. Agatha Christie.

Top Ten Reads ‘09

1. The Playboy of the Western World. J. M. Synge.

2. The Miser. Jean-Baptiste Molière.

3. A Passage to India. E.M. Forster.

4. A House to Let. Charles Dickens (ed.).

5. Under the Red Robe. Stanley J. Weyman.

6. Death on the Nile. Agatha Christie.

7. Life with Father. Clarence Day.

8. Murder Is Easy. Agatha Christie.

9. The Book Thief. Markus Zusak.

10. Don't Look Now and Other Stories. Daphne Du Maurier.

I didn't get a chance to tell you on your 2010 thread, but congrats on hitting 75! And now you've set this thread up so nicely. I like all the graphics you've used. Hope you're having a good New Years!

I like the set-up for your thread. And like what you've listed. Looking forward to seeing what you're up to in the coming year.

I read Goodbye, Mr. Chips this past December, and yes, I got teary too. I loved it!

Good luck this year!

# 5 Hi, mihess! You’re the first visitor at my new thread! Thank you! Last year I barely scraped through and finished the 75 Books Challenge. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do so this year.

I do go kind of nuts with the graphics every year. I just like pretty pictures!

# 6 & 7 Two new visitors! Thank you for visiting my new thread.

# 7 Oh I loved Goodbye, Mr. Chips! I’m not the kind of person who cries after watching movies or reading books. But this book was an exception. Not only did I cry after finishing the book but I welled up once again a few days later as I was highlighting some quotes from the book!

Porua, what a great reading year you had. Re: Remains of the Day, I felt the same way you did. This year I read Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, which I loved, though I missed seeing the recent film. I've got you starred and hope to be around more this year. Happy New Year!

Ooh-ooh! I like your Top Ten graphics much better than mine! Love the lists, too, with the brief comments included. I'm going to put Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep on my wishlist even though that title makes me shy away.

8: Welcome! Thanks for stopping by my thread too. :) I don't think I'll do 75 this year either, but I've added some big books to the wish list including some more Charles Dickens that you recommended to me. I started A Tale of Two Cities and got waay distracted, but I am going to come back to it soon.

Another beautiful picture to start your thread :-) I've had Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? on my shelves for ages and your top ten recommendation has made me move it to my bedside table. Hopefully I will actually read it in 2011!

# 9 Hi, theaelizabet! Happy New Year! You've been missed. No one to discuss the plays with! :-(

I loved The Remains of the Day. Is Never Let Me Go depressing? It kind of seemed that way to me from what I've heard. Ishiguro's When We Were Orphans is on my wish list.

# 10 Thanks, Bonnie! You’re my (graphics) inspiration! ;-)

I'm glad you like my lists and my brief comments! As most of my new reads are not very well known I wrote brief comments on them. Just want everyone to know more about them. I was very tempted to write notes for my top ten re-reads too but most of them are well known as it is.

I loved Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. It is a great piece of dystopian fiction. I hope you'll like it when you eventually do get to it. Funny how I was intrigued by the same title that makes you shy away.

# 11 I hope you enjoy my recommendations! Nothing scares me more than people getting bored while reading my recommended books!

# 12 Thanks! I'm continuing with my tradition of posting paintings of women/girls reading books on the first post of my thread.

Hope you enjoy Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?!

Love your new painting on the opening post!

Looking forward to following your reads for the year!
--BJ

Welcome back!

# 15 Thanks, BJ!

# 16 Thank you! It’s good to be back!

#13 I don't think I found Never Let Me Go depressing when I read it. It's sort of dystopian I think (I'm not very confident about pronouncing on genre) so it's not happy but I don't think it's depressing. Thought-provoking perhaps?

#13/#18 No, not depressing. Thought-provoking, yes, and haunting, I think. I have When We Orphans on the TBR pile. I'll look forward to seeing what you think of it.

Oh, and we're going to have a "Summerstock" reading of a trio of plays over at Le Salon in July and August. Probably a trio of plays from the Middle Ages. I'll let you know. We would love to have you join in, if you're interested.

hey, Porua, Happy New Year to you. You did some terrific reading in 2010. Many of your favorites were on my lists too.

Glad to see you joining us again, Porua!

# 18 & 19 Thanks for the feedback on Never Let Me Go!

# 19 I am looking forward to reading When We Were Orphans. I think I’m going to get to it pretty soon.

# 21 Hi! Good to see you here.

# 22 Tank you! I’m genuinely glad to be back.

starred!!

# 24 Thank you!

13: Porua, I don't like dystopian fiction that much because I think, "Why make myself anxious and/or depressed about unreal societies when there are so many similar problems in the real world?" But my son likes that kind of fiction, so I can always send it on to him.

# 26 Hmm…I don’t know if I like dystopian fiction or not but I really understood Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? There’s no rhyme or reason to why I like certain books and why I don’t like certain books. Genre (barring romance and/or chick lit) doesn’t mean that much to me. I guess if I connect with a certain book or identify with the character(s) that’s enough for me.

starred! I followed you a bit last year- like your review of the classics!

Maybe the draw with dystopian literature is that it gives us a hope that even as bad as things are, they could be much worse.

# 28 Thanks! I do hope you follow me more than a bit this year! ;-)

# 29 Ooh cross posted! Yeah I guess you’re right. I mean no matter how bad my life seems right now anything beats having to live in a post-apocalyptic world where migrating to the Mars is your only option if you want to survive.

you have one of my fave books on your list do androids dream of electric sheep that alone has made me want to try and read some of the others on your list.

# 32 Hi, prettylives! Thanks for visiting! I’m glad Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is one of your favourite books. I loved it too.

I hope you find something you like from the lists. I think all of them are great books. But I have to say none of the other books are even remotely similar to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?.

Come to think of it Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, a few Jules Verne and some old short stories are all the science-fiction I’ve ever read. Also some Douglas Adams if that counts. As for Dystopian fiction I can’t even remember if I’ve ever read any (other than some short stories) before Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. I guess I've got to introduce more science-fiction into my reading.

I went through a phase of liking Dystopian fiction/Philip k. Dick, but generally I'm a huge Sci-fi fan, although I'll read almost anything but slushy romane

Hi Porua! I found you!

Do Androids Dream and Remains of the Day are two of my favorite books. :)

So happy to find you here. Now I know exactly where to come when I need Agatha Christie advice!

# 34 Yeah I’d read almost anything but mushy romance too.

# 35 Hi, Tammy! So glad you found me. :-)

# 36 Thanks for visiting, krysbrezinski! Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and The Remains of the Day are so different from each other. The Remains of the Day is such a gentle book, most people may find it slow paced and boring. But I found the prose very elegant and beautiful. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? on the other hand is anything but gentle. I think a theme of loneliness runs through them both. Though The Remains of the Day is a little bit more my style, I enjoyed both books very much.

# 37 Hi, DeltaQueen50! Glad to see you here! You know, I’m always up for talking (raving) about Agatha Christie. Hope you read even more of her books this year!

*Waves from the crowd* Found you Porua! Thanks for your Christmas greeting!

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on where I'm going to put my thread this year, see my 2010 Cafe thread.

Some fun reads! you have been busy...

Hi Porua, great thread you've got going here. It looks like I'm going to have to get out of my reading comfort zone and give Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? a try. Unlike Bonnie, I'll probably read it because I love the unusual title...and from your recommendation, of course. You haven't steered me wrong yet!

# 39 Hi, Rena! So glad to see you here! I’ve PM’ed you my thoughts. Hope it helps to make up your mind.

# 40 Hi! Ah yes last year was quite a good reading year. But this year I haven’t really managed to finish anything so far. My crazy schedule is killing my book reading time! :-(

# 41 Hi, Donna! Thanks! Like I’ve said before recommendations always makes me nervous. Especially if I loved the book and it turns out that the other person doesn’t like it at all. Hope you like Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? when you eventually do try it out!

Thanks for your thoughts, Porua.

I forgot to say, another gorgeous painting in #1! It looks as if it could be Monet or Renoir, but I don't know it. Could you enlighten me?

# 43 You’re welcome!

Oh you are absolutely correct! It is a Monet! The painting is called A Woman Reading. I think it’s absolutely beautiful! The whole play of light and shadow on the woman’s dress is amazing!

Ooh yay, success! :)

That's exactly what I love about everything by Monet, his depiction of light and shade. That is indeed a truly lovely painting.

Hello everyone! How have you all been? Hope everyone’s fine.

I’ve been way too busy in the past week or two. Even getting a decent amount of sleep had become a monumental struggle! Now that I finally have some time for myself I’ve come to LT, where else. I’ve missed so much and I may never be able to catch up with everyone’s thread around here. But I will certainly try my best! :-)

Finished reading three books (read mostly just before I dozed off so my memory of them maybe a little foggy!). Two of them new and one re-read. Reviews coming up shortly.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751 –1816) was an Irish playwright and politician. The School for Scandal and Other Plays is a collection of five of his most famous plays, The Rivals, The Duenna, A Trip to Scarborough, The School for Scandal and The Critic.

Sheridan’s first and arguably most famous play, The Rivals, was first staged in 1775. The play was an utter failure on its first night. Undaunted by this calamity Sheridan radically re-wrote and re-cast the play. The play’s second performance was a hit with the public and made the young writer an instant success.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/64032261

Hi Porua. "I may never be able to catch up with everyone’s threads" - I know that feeling! I've got very behind myself over the last couple of weeks.

Sorry to hear about all the busyness and not getting enough sleep. Good to see you back and reviewing books!

I have never read any Sheridan, or see any of the plays, but I have been meaning to read some for a long time. I have a copy of The Rivals somewhere, but not the others. Yet. I really must get round to some Sheridan very soon. Thanks for the reminder. :)

Hope you manage to get some more sleep soon!

# 48 Thank you! It's good to be finally back.

# 49 The Rivals is the finest example of Sheridan's wit. It is certainly a good place to start.

Oh I do hope to get some sleep at last! I'm tired of being tired!

Porua, we've missed you around these parts. Don't worry about keeping up with threads; everyone seems to be struggling with the same problem.

The only thing you've missed on mine is that I am enrolled in an American Realism course at Missouri State. As if I didn't have enough reading to do. At least it's not interfering with my sleep - yet. I hope you get rested up and back on track soon.

# 51 Thanks! I've missed you guys too.

Ooh 'American Realism'! What kind of reading do you get to do for that course?

Excellent review of the Sheridan, Porua. Well done.

Hi, Porua!
I added the Sheridan book to my wishlist. I have a daughter who loves everything Irish, so I know she would love to read that book. Plus, I have been wanting to read some plays this year!
--BJ

>52 Porua:: Our first book is Washington Square by Henry James. I'm enjoying the slow pace (after just finishing the daunting Cloud Atlas) and psychological insight into the relationship between Dr. Sloper and his daughter Catherine. We'll also be reading Huckleberry Finn, The Red Badge of Courage, The House of Mirth, and a few other new-to-me selections. I'll be making some comments about them on my thread as we go through the semester.

Hi Porua!! just stopping to check upon you!!

# 53 Thank you! I’m glad you liked my review!

# 54 Hi, BJ!

I love plays and I love Irish playwrights! Everyone from Sheridan to Wilde, Shaw and Synge. Because I enjoy the works of Irish playwright’s so much I’ve desperately wanted to read something by Sean O'Casey for a long time now. Hope this will be the year!

# 55 Ugh! I really dislike Henry James! Never will I read him again after two of his books bored me enough to make it to my (very small) ‘Unfinished’ collection. But I’m glad at least you are enjoying him.

The Red Badge of Courage, I read many years ago and don’t remember much about. Edith Wharton’s stories are gloomy but so meaningful. Personally, I was kind of depressed with the The House of Mirth. A movie version of The Age of Innocence made me all teary eyed. It was beautiful! I read some of her short stories last year and was amazed by their depth.

# 56 Hi, Tammy my friend! Always glad to see you around!

“WHY should I not publish my diary? I have often seen reminiscences of people I have never even heard of, and I fail to see - because I do not happen to be a 'Somebody'-why my diary should not be interesting.”

And publish it he does. The Diary of a Nobody chronicles the daily life of a certain Mr. Charles Pooter, covering nearly a fifteen months time period. Written by George Grossmith and illustrated by his brother Weedon Grossmith, this is a classic humorous novel.

The Diary of a Nobody first appeared in Punch magazine from 1888 – 89. It was published in book form in 1892.

The diary of Mr. Pooter feels real. The mundane details of his drab, suburban life are presented without much pretension.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/68587321

58: You always seem to read good books I have never heard of, which is why your thread is so wonderful and a danger to my wishlist. :) Great review!

"I must move that scraper!"

Loved that book, too.
--BJ

Fantastic review, Porua. I remember I didn't enjoy the book myself very much, finding the humour predictable and a bit laboured, with too much of a slant towards slapstick. This, I realise, is a reflection of my own weird sense of humour rather than the quality of the book itself - most people seem to love it. Your review was very balanced, and made me want to try it again :)

# 59 Thank you! Most of the time I’m afraid of boring everyone with my classic and offbeat choice of books. I’m so glad that you enjoy my thread and that it helps make a few new additions to your wish list.
:-)

# 60 Hi, BJ! Ah yes Mr. Pooter’s trouble with the scraper. One of the many little things that plague him every day.

# 61 Thanks for appreciating, Rena! :-) I try not to write terribly lopsided reviews. I try to see the good and bad side of everything.

I liked The Diary of a Nobody better than Three Men in a Boat which I had read last year. The trouble with Three Men in a Boat was that it had begun its life as a serious travel guide which was later blended with humour. The narrative doesn’t quite hold together. The Diary of a Nobody I liked because of its nicely flowing narrative. Besides I liked how the book is what it is. It is a piece of trivial entertainment and I more or less enjoyed it. Although I think I liked Mr. Pooter more than I was supposed to.

I also liked Mr. Pooter. It was his son that I couldn't stand!
--BJ

I think he's meant to be likeable, because people are meant to see themselves in him? Would you agree?

Hi Porua, this is just a drive by to say "hello" and to tell that I finally got around to rereading (though not reviewing) Playboy of the Western World, which made me laugh out loud several times! Now I see you're going to have me rereading Sheridan!

ETA--Great review!

I liked Diary of a Nobody too. It's got a cheerful, everyday kind of humour underlying the satire. Lorena, I definitely agree with you that most people will be able to identify with him at some point.

I bought Diary of a Nobody last year but have yet to read it. Thanks for the reminder about it!

#58 - Thanks for the very good review of Diary of a Nobody. I like diaries so it's now on my TBR.

And thanks for your top 10 lists. Reminded me that I have to read "Do Androids..." and reread "Goodbye Mr. Chips" (I've read it several times and always with an ache in my heart. Or maybe I just put the 1937-movie-adaptation on the dvd (The one with Robert Donat) just wonderful.

You also reminded me that this year I should do more rereads - and less new reads.

# 63 I didn’t like the son’s character either. He annoyed me a great deal. What a jerk, I thought to myself!

# 64 Yeah, I guess. Although, my feelings had more to do with compassion for an honest and good man rather than self-identification with a character, I suppose the secret to the enduring popularity of The Diary of a Nobody is partially related to that.

# 65 Hi! Thank you for liking my review of The School for Scandal and Other Plays.

Oh yes, I saw that you recently re-read The Playboy of the Western World while lurking around your thread. I remember how The Playboy of the Western World was the first play you and I ever talked about. It was my # 1 Best Read for 2009. And you were the first person I met here at LT who had read it and liked it just like me! I felt quite lonely in my love for plays before that. So, thank you! :-)

# 66 Yes, I also enjoyed the humour of The Diary of a Nobody. It’s the little things that made the book funny. As I’ve already mentioned in my review, things like Mr. Cummings with his The Bicycle News or Mr. Pooter’s disgust after being served the same blanc-mange repeatedly; etc, made me laugh.

# 67 You are welcome! :-)

# 68 You’re welcome and thank you for liking my review of The Diary of a Nobody.

Ah yes last year was a good year. My Top 10 Books contain some sure re-read materials. I saw the end of the Robert Donat version of Goodbye, Mr. Chips and guess what? I cried once again. It is truly a wonderful book!

I do enjoy re-discovering my old faves! A re-read often adds a new dimension to my favourite reads and gives me something new to think about. I love it!

The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett was published in 1896. It is often regarded as one of her finest works.

The story is told in first person by an unnamed narrator. The narrator is a writer who is visiting a fishing village called Dunnet along the coast of Maine. Through her narrative we meet Dunnet’s various colourful inhabitants and view the natural beauty of the village and the surrounding islands.

The story is loosely constructed. It is like a series of scenes that we are seeing through the writer’s eyes. All of these fragments are joined together by their common setting, the village of Dunnet.

Jewett’s descriptions of the nature and the scenery, the gardens and the trees, the birds and the insects, the changes in the landscape throughout the summer, are all amazingly beautiful. The way she describes Mrs. Todd’s herb garden or bees flying in to the school house are so charming. Rarely have I come across such wonderful descriptions of the ever-changing beauty of nature.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/68679670

The Country of the Pointed Firs was the last book I had read during my absence from LT. Finally done with my review backlog! Yay!

Hi Porua, The Country of the Pointed Firs sounds excellent - I loved your review and you have inspired me to try to find a copy to read for myself.

# 73 Thanks! I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Nice review! Thumb-worthy!

I loved your review of The Country of the Pointed Firs. I plan to read that next in a read-along of sorts with Donna, who is reading it for a class.

>71 Porua:: The Country of the Pointed Firs is another one I'm reading for my American Realism class. It sounds like you liked this one better than the other selections I listed. ;-)

>76 AMQS:: Anne, I think I'm supposed to read up to page 30 for Tuesday's class. I don't have the syllabus handy.

I also enjoyed your review of The Country of the Pointed Firs. I will be reading it along with Donna and Anne :)

# 75 Thank you! I’m surprised by the review getting such good response. I wrote it in a hurry while I was on a break from doing some complicated home work. Not everyone has thumbed it though but that’s okay. I feel good with the nice comments from not only this thread but also from other threads as well. :-)

# 76 Thank you! I picked it up from the library at random. Later I found out that Donna is going to read it for her class from her thread. What a coincidence!

# 77 Oh no I don’t dislike the other selections.

I’ve had a few bad experiences with Henry James’ books. Three bad experiences to be exact. I haven’t read anything more by him. After three books I had had enough. I dislike his writing in general, not Washington Square per sè as I have never read it. As for the other selections like Huckleberry Finn, The Red Badge of Courage, The House of Mirth, I haven’t read Huckleberry Finn yet. The Red Badge of Courage I’ve read but don’t remember clearly enough. The House of Mirth was depressing but Edith Wharton’s writing was (as always) good.

# 78 Thank you! Wow The Country of the Pointed Firs is turning in to quite a group read! Hope you guys enjoy it.

I love checking out what you are reading. The Country of the Pointed Firs looks interesting. Have a great day!
--BJ

Country of the Pointed Firs sounds great, and I've managed to snag a copy on BookMooch. Thanks for the review!

# 80 Hi, BJ! Always a pleasure seeing you. Yup, The Country of the Pointed Firs is interesting. Hope you have a good day too!

# 81 You’re welcome! Hope you enjoy the book!

After hearing rumours of witchcraft and black magic surrounding a mysterious old country house called The Pale Horse, Mark Easterbrook, a historian and an author, casually decides to investigate. Meanwhile, in London, a Father Gorman listens to the confessions of a dying woman as she warns him of great ‘wickedness’ that ‘must be stopped’. But before he can act, he is violently silenced. Is there a connection between the murder and the mysterious Pale Horse? Mark Easterbrook and Inspector Lejeune try to put the pieces of the puzzle together before The Pale Horse claims another victim.

The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie was first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in 1961 and by Dodd, Mead and Company in the US in1962.

I enjoyed the clever plot of The Pale Horse. The way the themes of the supernatural and the scientific are woven together in to the narrative is commendable. The book has a sinister tone to it and it works.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/63938116

#83: Nice review! Thumbs up from me.

Ditto!

# 84 & 85 Thank you very much! I appreciate the thumbs.

My mum (a fellow Christie fan) once told me that The Pale Horse is "one of her silly books". So I never even read it. I probably should, huh.

# 87 Well, it is my favourite non-series Christie book. But to each his/her own. :-)

W. W. Jacobs (1863 – 1943) was an English short story writer & novelist. He mainly wrote stories about sailors and the marine life. Humour was his favoured genre. But his most renowned story remains the macabre horror story The Monkey's Paw.

Finished the short story collection Sailor's Knots by Jacobs a while ago. I read another one of his short story collections, The Lady of the Barge and Other Stories, last year. It had The Monkey's Paw in it. I had quite enjoyed The Lady of the Barge and Other Stories. I picked up Sailor's Knots because it contains another one of Jacobs’ famous horror short stories, The Toll-House, in it.

Sailor's Knots was published in 1909. This collection includes twelve short stories, Deserted, Homeward Bound, Self-help, Sentence Deferred, Matrimonial Openings, Odd Man Out, The Toll-House, Peter’s Pence, The Head of the Family, Prize Money, Double Dealing and Keeping Up Appearances. All of the stories, except for The Toll-House, are light-hearted and humorous in nature.

Like The Lady of the Barge and Other Stories, most of the stories in Sailor's Knots feature accounts of the village life, sailors and life at the sea.

Sentence Deferred was the only story that I found to be clever and funny. Odd Man Out, Peter’s Pence and Keeping Up Appearances were okay. The horror story The Toll-House was only mildly scary.

I’m sadly disappointed at this collection. Sure, The Lady of the Barge and Other Stories wasn’t perfect either but that had at least a couple of strong stories like the powerful The Monkey's Paw and the funny Cupboard Love, A Mixed Proposal, An Adulteration Act and A Golden Venture. Compared to the stories in Sailor's Knots, even the good but weak stories like The Well and Three at Table, look good.

On the bright side, this is an extremely short book. The short stories are truly short. Most of them don’t go beyond even ten pages.

Overall, Sailor's Knots is not as enjoyable as I thought it would be. A rather unsatisfactory collection of stories.

89: You are a gold mine of short stories! I'm just sorry this one wasn't as good as you had hoped.

Better luck next time, Porua. Still, it's another of those wonderfully obscure gems you seem to be always pulling out of nowhere. I love the cover.

# 90 A gold mine of short stories. That could be the name of a short story anthology, don’t you think? And it could have all of my favourite short stories like The Idol House of Astarte, The Biter Bit, The Last Leaf, The Kiss; etc, in it!

# 91 Oh I’ve already moved on to my next read which is also a short story collection. It’s The Complete Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton. I was so excited when I saw this at my favourite book shop! I wanted to start reading it the moment I brought it home. I read The Innocence of Father Brown last year. Right now I’m reading the third book in the collection, The Incredulity of Father Brown. The religious elements get to be a bit too much at times but I tend to overlook them for the most part.

Ah you know me, Rena; I do love my obscure books! My dad’s old story collections and anthologies have helped me develop a taste for them. I went through his collection of books as a kid and now I keep looking for the authors featured in them all the time. In 2009, I read Stanley Weyman. Last year I read F. Marion Crawford, E.V. Lucas and W.W. Jacobs. Re-discovering old time authors who are virtually unknown today, reading and reviewing their books is one of my favourite pastimes now.

Mmmm...obscure books... :)

I'm sorry to see that Sailor's Knots wasn't better. Although I live in the center of the country, I love stories about the sea.

I have never read any Chesterton, but I have been wanting to for a while.

Have a nice weekend!
--BJ

I am sorry to hear that Sailor's Knots was not any better too.

# 93 I agree! Mmmm...indeed!

# 94 I'm not so fond of stories about the sea in general. As for Jacobs, I prefer his village stories to his sea ones. But in Sailor's Knots even the village stories are not that good.

I'm enjoying Chesterton's Father Brown stories right now. But as this is a huge omnibus, I'm going to read other books in between too. Father Brown is good but only to be taken in small doses. I like the Father Brown stories. Hope you enjoy Chesterton when you finally get read him!

You have a nice weekend too!

# 95 Yup, I'm sorry too. I had hoped it would be at least as good as The Lady of the Barge and Other Stories. But it's not. :-(

I just noticed you mentioned The Kiss as one of your favourite short stories. It's one of mine too! I think Chekhov must be my favourite short story writer. Hope you enjoy the Father Brown stories!

I absolutely loved "The Idol House of Astarte"! A terrific little mystery, well-plotted, with misdirections included; I think it's one of the best mystery short stories ever, Porua. Like you, I like short stories. Someday when you have a bit of time, try to find some of John O'Hara's. Many of them were printed in the New Yorker, and anthologized in books. Theyr'e sort of hard to find now, though.

I'll add to the thumbs up for your review of Jewett's book. I thought it most charming, if a bit short on plot.

Hope you have a pleasant St. Valentine's Day, and look forward to more of your reviews.

# 97 Oh I love The Kiss! It is definitely my favourite Anton Chekhov short story. The story really speaks to me. The protagonist Riabovitch’s mortifying shyness, his pain, his loneliness, it’s all too real.

“Riabovitch stood near the door with the wall-flowers, and looked silently on. Amazed at the daring of men who in sight of a crowd could take unknown women by the waist, he tried in vain to picture himself doing the same. A time had been when he envied his comrades their courage and dash, suffered from painful heart-searchings, and was hurt by the knowledge that he was timid, round-shouldered, and undistinguished, that he had lynx whiskers, and that his waist was much too long. But with years he had grown reconciled to his own insignificance, and now looking at the dancers and loud talkers, he felt no envy, but only mournful emotions.”

I’m enjoying the Father Brown stories but I’m not getting much reading done these days. The only time I can read is just before I fall asleep. I read a page or two and fall asleep before I could go any further. :-(

# 98 The Idol House of Astarte gave me the creeps when I first read it and it still does! It has a touch of the supernatural along with mystery that I found absolutely delicious. I think it's one of the best mystery short stories ever too. It is definitely my favourite.

Thanks for the thumb for my The Country of the Pointed Firs review! What I really liked was the appreciation for nature Jewett seemed to have.

I know John O'Hara mostly for BUtterfield 8 and Pal Joey. Didn’t know he wrote short stories too. Thanks!

Hope you had a pleasant St. Valentine's Day too. :-)

Porua, are you still here? It's been a while. I hope you're okay.

Just stopping by to say Hi!

Hi, Rena! Hi, Tammy!

Yeah I’m okay. It’s just that I’ve been really busy. I haven’t been around LT that much. What’s worse I’ve barely been able to read (for pleasure that is) these past few weeks! I do hope to finish at least one or two books by this weekend.

Thanks for dropping by guys! :-)

I haven't been reading anything new, and have been m.i.a. for weeks here, so am totally sympathetic-- and have faith that both of us will be back on track soon. (If only I had the willpower to ignore Scrabble on my iPad!)

Hi, Porua! I've been missing you too. Sorry about your being to busy to pleasure read. I used to hate that! I hope you can back to your books soon.

Hey there both of you! Thank you so much for dropping by. I have been lurking around your threads but haven't posted much lately, what with my sleep deprived, addled brain and all.

I've been missing LT. I hope I'll be able to report about my new reads soon.

The Thirty-Nine Steps is a thriller set just before the start of the First World War. Written by the Scottish author John Buchan, it first appeared as a serial in Blackwood's Magazine in 1915. It was published in book form the same year by William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh.

The Thirty-Nine Steps chronicles the adventures of Richard Hannay, an expatriate British man, who finds himself embroiled in an international conspiracy after his friend and neighbour Franklin Scudder is found murdered in his apartment. This book is possibly one of the first examples of the innocent man on the run thrillers.

I find The Thirty-Nine Steps highly entertaining. It is one of those books that do not require a lot of thought but is not entirely a frivolous piece of fluff.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/63886806

106: I love that story, though I have not read the book. I did have the good fortune to see the play while I was living in London and have always meant to seek out the book. Glad you enjoyed, looks like I need to push it higher on the TBR list.

We were lucky enough to see the play in London, too, and I hadn't thought of reading the book. It sounds really good.

Saw the Hitchcock-version at the cinema a few years ago - but I guess it was altered a bit. Didn't know the movie was based on a novel. I'll make a note of that.

# 107 It is a pretty engrossing story. Hope you like it when you do read it eventually.

# 108 The Thirty-Nine Steps is good. Not really high brow literature, but really good entertainment.

# 109 Yeah, the movies are apparently very different from the book. I haven’t seen any of them. I am always reluctant to watch movie adaptations of books. In this case, I’m glad I read the book before I ever laid my eyes on any of the big screen versions. I really don’t care much for the ‘love angle’ addition to the story. The story works just fine without a love story attached to it.

#106 I also really like The Thirty Nine Steps. It is quite dated in some ways (very colonial) but I find I can overlook that in a book if I can excuse it as a product of the time it was written in. I read two of the sequels a couple of years ago and quite enjoyed those too.

I think I've seen the Alfred Hitchcock film (1935) of The Thirty Nine Steps and enjoyed it although it is different to the book.

I hope you get some more time to read soon...

I read this book after seeing it in the 1001 Books book. The description of the book was opposite a movie poster. After reading the book, I looked back at the movie poster in the 1001 Books book and said, "That never happened!" Funny they would include a poster to go with the book which misleads about the book. I liked the book, too, but I haven't seen any of the movies yet. I would like to see them, though. Another great review!
--BJ

I love your top tens! I think I will look for Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. And probably some of your other books as well. :)

# 111 Oh yes I was looking for a word to describe the feel of The Thirty-Nine Steps and ‘colonial’ is the word! I’m also quite willing to overlook that as it is a very enjoyable book. The story still holds up pretty good.

"I hope you get some more time to read soon"

I hope so too.

# 112 Thanks! I think posters can be so misleading at times. I’ve also gone, “That never happened!” quite a few times.

# 113 Thank you! I love my top 10 books too! ;-)

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? can be a bit depressing at times (what else can one expect from ‘Dystopian’ lit?) but it is a great book overall.

Finally finished The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. No reviews this time as I am swamped right now.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is a remarkable book. It was interesting for the most part. It felt very original and refreshing to me. The story is rather intricately plotted. On the down side, it felt really long.

I feel this was just not the right time for me to read this book. I have too many things going on right now and this is not something you read without giving it your full attention.

I think I’ll stick to reading mysteries and comfy classics for a while.

I read it last year, and it is heavy - physically yes, but also style and content-wise. There's a horrible scene in there Porua, I guess you know the one I mean. But like I said on my old review, even this extreme (to me anyway) violence doesn't seem gratuitous.

But I think you'd probably have a better stomach for it than I do, judging from your general reading taste. :)

Nice to see you back, albeit briefly!

# 116 Hi, Rena! Nice to see you here!

Yes I suppose I do have a better stomach for violence. Especially after reading books like The Killer Inside Me and Darkly Dreaming Dexter last year. The Killer Inside Me was disturbing to say the least while Darkly Dreaming Dexter with its chopped up body parts, blood and more blood made me slightly nauseous. But still the scene in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle made me feel quite sick. It is not everyday that you read about horrifying stuff like that. But of course, that is only a small part of a much, much larger story so it didn't bother me that much.

Hi Porua! First time visiting your thread and just wanted to say that for some reason I can stomach violence much better when it is in written form than watching it on TV for some reason. You would think that violence in the mind would be a lot worse than what you see on TV, but I can read a lot more scary stuff than I can actually watch.

That's a cool cover on your copy of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Porua. Mine was equally enticing and is the main reason I hold on to my still unread copy. I'm not fond of magical realism (of which there is a lot of, right?) and since reading Norwegian Wood, I'm even less excited to read another book by him. Hearing the comments above about sickening violence doesn't help either.

That's a cool cover on The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. I have a different cover which was also enticing to me. I still haven't read it though, and am not sure I even want to since reading Norwegian Wood. There's lots of magical realism in this book, right?

Just wanted to say that I thought The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle was much better than Norwegian Wood. That one particular scene was almost enough to make me put the book down, but otherwise I thought it was a terrific read. The one small part could easily be skipped.
--BJ

# 118 Hi jolerie! So nice to see a new visitor!

Yup, for me violence in the mind is a lot worse than what I see on TV. As I’ve mentioned earlier while reading Darkly Dreaming Dexter I ‘actually’ felt nauseous. But I feel absolutely nothing while watching Dexter, the TV series inspired by it. I quite enjoy it, in fact. It has become one of my regular shows.

# 119 & 120 Hey Bonnie! The cover looks even cooler up-close. That is important to me as a lot of times really ugly covers or really inappropriate covers (like the one on my edition of The Art of War) kind of put me off. Not that I judge a book by its cover but a beautiful cover only adds to my enjoyment of the book. Like the cover of my copy of The Name of the Rose. It has such a beautiful cover and also such a strong story. I really like looking at it!

The violence is only a small part of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. The story has such a sprawling narrative that that part is not even really that relevant

# 121 Hi, BJ! Yeah that part could easily be skipped. IMHO, it wasn’t even really necessary. The book without the whole torture scene would have held up just fine. But then again, I guess the author knows what is best for his story.

Oh, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is really odd, isn't it? And looooooooooooong. But still, I liked it quite a bit.

I've only bought one book because I thought it had a beautiful cover: Possession with a terriific painting by Dante Gabriel Rosetti, I think. I admire a good cover, but I have so many favorite and/or recommended authors that I go by that, or subject matter if nonfiction. However, I've got to mention that we purchased Winston Churchill's WW II history in paperback, ordering the volumes. Imagine our surprise when I shelved them: the spines, when lined up in order, present a picture of Churchill, standing, with hat and cane. What a great idea on the part of the publishers.

Hope your life settles down soon and you get more time to read.

>123 Matke: bohemima, is there any possibility of a photo of that? I can't picture it. Does he go lengthways? Sounds cool.

>115 Porua:: I still plan to read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle in spite of the grisly scene. I'm the opposite of you, Porua. I find it easier to read about violence than to watch it. I suppose the fine art of skimming comes into play when I get to difficult parts in a book! I'll definitely take your advice and save the book for a time when I can give it my undivided attention.

>121 billiejean:: Thanks for the encouraging words, BJ, although I kind of liked Norwegian Wood - even though I was puzzled by parts of it. That means I ought to love Wind-Up Bird, right?

Darn touchstones are not cooperating today.

#125> Right! (Although it can be puzzling, too.)
--BJ

# 123 Odd is one word to describe The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. I tried to keep an open mind and take it all in. But I still had to stop and think at times. What on earth is this, I thought. It is very long. At times I had my doubts on whether I would be able to finish it this month.

“However, I've got to mention that we purchased Winston Churchill's WW II history in paperback, ordering the volumes. Imagine our surprise when I shelved them: the spines, when lined up in order, present a picture of Churchill, standing, with hat and cane. What a great idea on the part of the publishers.”

Oh that is so cool! If I ever got a surprise like that I’d be so happy!

“Hope your life settles down soon and you get more time to read.”

Thanks! I hope so too.

# 125 Ah yes I had to skim over another part when Toru Okada dreams about the earlier torture scene. I didn’t wish to go through that again!

# 126 Puzzling, it is, BJ! Such a complex, multi-layered book!

I go back to Agatha Christie time and again for comfort. Her books have this calming effect on me unlike any other. No matter how busy I am or how stressful life is, reading/re-reading her books always make me feel good. Dead Man's Folly is no exception.

Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie was first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in 1956 and by the Collins Crime Club in the UK the same year.

Mrs. Oliver is organizing a game of ‘murder hunt’ at a country house. Something in the atmosphere makes her feel uneasy, uneasy enough to call her old friend, M. Hercule Poirot. At first Poirot dismisses her unease as merely her imagination. But soon Mrs. Oliver’s intuition proves to be fatally correct as a young girl is found murdered and the lady of the house goes missing.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/50339323

Love your review of Dead Man's Folly . It's one of my favorite Christies. I'm in the process of re-reading her works in order of publication, although very slowly. This is one of the books I'm really looking forward to, but it will be a while before I get to it since I've only reached the mid to late 1930s.

I have favorites that are my 'comfort food' too. So nice to have some books, or a particular author, you can depend on.

# 129 Thank you so much! I read all of Christie’s Miss Marple books in order of publication last year. Reading all of her works must be a mammoth (though enjoyable) task. Good luck with that! The mid to late 30’s were good. But the books from the 40’s to the 50’s are a real treat! That was her pick, in my opinion.

# 130 So true, Bonnie! It is good to have one or two authors that you can depend on and go back to time and again.

Mrs Lirriper's Lodgings is one of Charles Dickens's Christmas stories. It was first published in his All the Year Round magazine’s Extra Christmas Number (12 December 1863).

After Mrs. Lirriper’s drink loving husband perishes in an accident, Mrs. Lirriper starts to take in lodgers to make ends meet and also to pay off Mr. Lirriper’s debts. Mrs Lirriper's Lodgings describes some of her experiences as a lodge keeper. Her troubles with the domestic help, her rivalry with another lodge owner Miss Wozenham and her enduring friendship with her long time lodger Major Jackman, are all told in an engaging way.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/70122174

I had never heard of this one before. Thanks for the great review!
--BJ

Ditto. Amazing to hear of a new (to me) Dickens, and it sounds like a good read.

# 133 You’re welcome, BJ!

# 134 It is a pretty good read. It’s short and sweet. Just right for me now.

Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy is one of Charles Dickens's Christmas stories. It was first published in his All the Year Round magazine’s Extra Christmas Number (12 December 1864).

Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy is a sequel to Mrs Lirriper's Lodgings. In Mrs Lirriper's Lodgings, Mrs. Lirriper starts to take in lodgers to make ends meet and also to pay off her drink loving husband’s debts after he perishes in an accident. Mrs Lirriper's Lodgings describes some of her experiences as a lodge keeper. Her story continues in Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy.

In Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy, little Jemmy is growing up as Mrs. Lirriper and Major Jackman continue to dote upon him. Mrs. Lirriper has a little trouble with her brother-in-law, Joshua Lirriper, her life long rivalry with Miss Wozenham finally comes to an end and a neighbourhood fire brings people closer together. Amidst all this a dying man leaves a legacy for Mrs. Lirriper and the family travels to Paris to meet him.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/70122446

Good review, Porua, and it's nice to know about this sequel.

# 137 Thanks! I’m glad Dickens wrote a sequel to Mrs Lirriper's Lodgings. Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy wraps things up nicely for everyone. :-)

What did you make of the editions? Dodo Press have published lots of titles that I'm interested in reading, but I keep hearing bad things about their edition and typesetting so I'm reluctant to buy them.

# 139 It's true. The Dodo Press editions are nothing to write home about. They are not really that good.

But you are right. They do publish a lot of titles that I'm also interested in reading. I do tend to read a lot of their titles because my local library carries a lot of them. I borrow them but don't buy them.

Good to know. Thanks for bringing that up, Ygraine. I'll borrow from the library. I had the same problem when I bought Understood Betsy, a good YA title, from Amazon. It looked good in the picture, but was really disappointing physically when it showed up.

Head Over Heels in the Dales is a book in Gervase Phinn’s autobiographical Dales series. It is the third book in the series after The Other Side of the Dale and Over Hill and Dale.

Gervase Phinn is a school inspector. He works in the idyllic Yorkshire Dales. His life as an inspector with his motley crew of colleagues, the love of his life Christine Bentley and of course the children of the schools he visits makes up the story of the Dales series of books.

In Head Over Heels in the Dales, Mr. Phinn has started his third year as an inspector. Life is good as he is getting married to Christine. Finding a place to live and starting a new family takes up much time and resources. The trials and tribulations at work continue as there is talk of a new chief being appointed much to everyone’s discomfort. And of course amid all this the school inspections continue with mostly humorous results.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/71092465

Been gone for a while, but I hope to keep up with you from here on out, Porua :)

A thumb on the Phinn review, Porua.

I know exactly what you mean about Christie. I just re-read Nemesis, and while it's not her best Marple, the opening chapter is great, and as always, her friendly style serves to get me over occasional hard times. I use Trollope, Dickens, Michael Dirda, and a few others in the same way, but Christie will always be my go-to author when times are hard.

# 143 Hi! You've been missed around here.

# 144 Thanks for the thumb! I appreciate it. :-)

Christie mysteries are my ultimate comfort reads. The past two years have been a bit difficult but this year has been like a rollercoaster ride! Things are going to get even more stressful in the coming months. I think I’m going to be doing a lot more comfort reading for some time to come.

Yeah, Nemesis is the weakest of the Miss Marple novels. It was the last Miss Marple novel Christie wrote before her death. Age had certainly caught up with her by then.

Thinking of reading some Trollope in the coming weeks as I’ve heard good things about his work. Some Dickens is also on the cards.

Enjoyed your reviews of the two Mrs Lirriper books Porua. I noticed that Hesperus Classics have published the two Mrs Lirriper books in one volume and they sound like they're quite well made paperbacks according to this amazon review.

I've just been reading Oliver Twist for the first time. I could never get into Dickens before (too theatrical and sentimental) but I seem to be in the space for it at the moment. It's odd the way he can write about terrible situations and it still be such a comfort read. Even the worst moments have some kind of comfortable buffer between it and reality.

# 146 Thanks! Yes, I’ve seen a review of the Hesperus Classics edition with the two Mrs. Lirriper books here at LT and it does look like a good one. I read the Dodo ones as they were available at my library but if I ever have to buy them I’d prefer the Hesperus edition.

# 147 I haven’t read Oliver Twist and don’t intend to. Too depressing in my opinion. But you’re right about the buffer thing, Rena. Dickens writes of terrible things (little David Copperfield’s dreadful childhood comes to mind) but there is a kind of comfortable buffer between it and reality. I guess that’s why so many seek comfort in his writings.

Sorry about your year, Porua, but isn't it nice to have those authors you can depend on? Happy reading!

# 149 Thanks, Bonnie! Actually this will be the big year that I finally step firmly into the grown-up world. I’m going to start my first full time job later this year, teaching a course on Introductory Anthropology.

With my new responsibilities, I’m dreading losing my reading time though.

#150: I would love to sit in on your Introductory Anthropology course! :)

# 151 Thanks! Teaching Introductory Anthropology and being a teacher all of a sudden kind of scares me. What if I can’t make my classes interesting? What if I become one of those boring or over-erudite teachers? What if I turn the students away from Anthropology forever? I’m a bit nervous about it all.

Porua, congratulations on a very prestigious sounding first job! I've just started teaching this year too (impacts of disadvantage on healthcare), though I'm merely a tutor, not a lecturer, and mostly get the students talking rather than stand up telling them anything. It scares the daylights out of me too, but it's so much better once you actually start doing it. I find it consistently amazing that students seem to take me seriously. You will find the same :)

You'll be wonderful, Porua, I've no doubt. Please keep us apprised.

#152: You could always teach it to me first - you know, kind of a training session :)

I have no doubt you will be terrific!

I'm with Stasia, above: you could have a class of two, as a practice.

Having read your reviews and posts, I don't think you'll have any problem teaching. Those first couple of weeks can be really indimidating, though. I wish you well, Porua.

152: Congrats on the new job!

# 153, 154, 155, 156 & 157 Hi everyone! Thank you all so very, very much! All of your words of encouragement mean a lot to me.

I do feel kind of proud that I’ve landed my first job, that too as a lecturer. I’m going to start at the beginning of the summer semester. I’m pretty excited and I really do want to be a good teacher. Here’s hoping all goes well. :-)

Detective Stories is a 1998 collection of fifteen short stories and two brainteasers from the detective genre compiled by Philip Pullman. It is a part of Kingfisher Publication’s Red Hot Reads series.

The book tries to cover the entire detective genre right from Arthur Conan Doyle to Andrew Vachss. Pullman has tried to make a perfect combination of vintage and contemporary stories and he succeeds to a large degree.

The collection starts with The Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle. The story was first published in the Strand Magazine in 1892. Panic grips a lonely woman when she starts to hear the same late night whistling noise that her twin sister spoke of in her dying moments. I’ve read The Speckled Band before and I think that it is one of the best Sherlock Holmes short stories. The atmosphere of fear that Doyle manages to create in such a short space is admirable.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/71390685

>156 Matke:: Make that a class of three! With your enthusiasm and attention to detail, Porua, you will make an outstanding teacher. As you know, the summer session is a bit more relaxed which should be a good way to "ease" into lecturing. Be sure and keep us up to date on your budding career. Congratulations!

#159: Detective Stories looks right up my alley. Great review! Thanks.

# 160 Thank you so much, Donna! I'm feeling so humbled and grateful to all of you for encouraging me this way. I will try my best to be a good teacher to my pupils. :-)

# 161 I loved Detective Stories! It's such a great collection! I'm sure you'll enjoy it too.

I just want to add my congrats to you for the job. I know you will do great!
--BJ

# 163 Thanks, BJ! I need all the words of encouragement I could get now. :-)

Congratulations on your new job! I know that nervous feeling but I am sure you will do a great job.

The Speckled Band is one of my favourite Sherlock Holmes stories too.

# 165 Thank you! I still remember reading The Complete Sherlock Holmes as a teen. I loved every minute of it and re-read it many times during the next few years. Ah, those were the days!

Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther began its life as a series of newspaper columns for The Times in 1937. The columns were published in book form in 1939.

In the book Mrs. Miniver makes little observations about trivial everyday matters in a simple but engaging way. The original columns and the book were based on Jan Struther’s own experiences.

Mrs. Miniver became an enormous success upon publication. During the dark days of the Second World War the book helped raise awareness about the plight of the Europeans as the war with the Nazi Germany intensified.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/68451726

I had a terrible crush on my first-year cultural anthropology teacher. We read so many good books and he was such an interesting lecturer. What's the focus of your class? And I'm sure you'll be great--you always have interesting things to say here. Plus, you have lots of experienced lecturers here who could give you advice, huh?

Hi Porua, my first time here and i already know i'll like it here. Mysteries and short stories. My kind of man.

# 168 Hi, Bonnie! The aim of the course I am teaching is to basically give young students the basic idea about what Anthropology is. The course will touch upon the basics of Cultural, Biological, Archaeological Anthropology. I would try to get them to know not only the theoretical side of Anthropology but also the applied side of it.

# 169 Hello! I'm glad you like mysteries and short stories too. Not many people appreciate short stories. :-)

#167 Mrs Miniver sounds like an enjoyable read Porua. Thanks for another great review!

I like your review, Porua! Gives a good sense of the book (I think, not having read it myself!).

>169 mausergem: mousergem, I do believe Porua is a female, though come to think of it she's never actually said so... :)

# 171 Mrs. Miniver is an enjoyable read. Thanks for liking my review!

# 172 Thanks for liking my review, Rena!

The Mysterious Affair at Styles is an important milestone in the genre of detective fiction. It was the first Agatha Christie novel ever to be published. Written in 1916, it was published in the US by John Lane in 1920 and in the UK by The Bodley Head the following year.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles is also important because it was one of the first ten books to be published by Penguin Books when they were first launched in 1935. It was Penguin Number 6.

The First World War is in full swing. A wounded soldier, Lieutenant Hastings, visits an old friend at his country home, the Styles. But soon after his arrival the mistress of the house dies an agonizing death. Suspicion immediately falls on her much younger second husband. But did he really do it or is the real culprit someone else?

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/63926447

Quite a few of my favourites feature in your list of best reads too, I will keep a track of your thread from now on.

Hey, Porua!

I liked and thumbed your review of Styles, even if I disagree with it somewhat. Good job.

I was interested in your review of Mrs. Miniver. I've seen the movie several times, and from your review, think it must be very different from the book. I think the movie was very influential in raising concern for the British in WW II; from your review, it sounds like the book is very different.

When does the new job start?

ETA: fixing grammar error

174: I finally bought a few Christie books because I kept liking your reviews. Now I just have to get to them. :)

Hey, Porua! I have been out of circulation for a while and am just checking in. Nice review of Mrs. Miniver, a book I have had in the BlackHole for a while now. Maybe one of these days I will actually get it read :)

I've seen the movie several times, and from your review, think it must be very different from the book.

It's been a while since I read the book, but my impression is that it functions as a kind of prequel to the movie - is that right?

>174 Porua:: Hi Porua, I noticed an old copy of The Mysterious Affair at Styles on my daughter's bookshelf. She told me Grandma (my deceased mother) had given it to her. Wow, I thought I had all my mother's old books. I'm going to read this one next time I visit. You make it sound so tempting both for the story and its place in literary history. I'm ashamed to call myself a reader who has never read anything by Agatha Christie.

# 175 Thanks! But I hope I can update my thread more often.

# 176 Hi! Thanks for the thumb!

It has already started. I'm a bit overwhelmed right now. Hope I get used to it soon.

# 177 Hope you enjoy reading Christie mysteries as much as I do. :-)

# 178 Hi! Oh I haven't been much around either. Mrs. Miniver is a nice book. Hope you get to it soon.

# 179 I haven't seen the movie but you may be right about the whole prequel thing.

# 180 Agatha Christie's books are wonderful! Hope you read some soon!

My (maternal) grandmother died young. I don't remember her at all. But I think I get my love of books from her. Christie was one of her favourites too. She had a big collection of books but after she died all of it was lost somehow. If I had been a grown up back then I would have tried to hold on to them. :-(

I love how much you get into your Agatha Christies, Porua. Very informative and entertaining too.

Hi Porua, great factual tit bits about Christie

# 182 & 183 Hi, guys! Oh you have no idea how much info I have on Agatha Christie and how much I get into each of her books and their publication histories. I am pretty geeky when it comes to the books I am reading.

For example, I've read all of the Miss Marple books at least two-three times story wise, not publication wise. After several re-reads I now can spot all of the underlying connections. Sleeping Murder published in 1976, should be placed story wise after The Moving Finger. I place this book in my story wise chronological reading of the Marple books after The Moving Finger and before A Murder Is Announced. My reason for doing so is that a certain piece of information about the case in The Moving Finger (1942) is mentioned in Sleeping Murder and as A Murder Is Announced wasn’t published until 1950.

Sounds pretty complicated (and a bit crazy), I know!

Perfectly normal, if you ask me.

I read just about all of the Christies on a binge when I was about 13; my school library had that three-in-one volume series (which my mother bought for me a few years later, and which I still have). I remember being terribly puzzled by The Mysterious Affair At Styles because I didn't know what spills were. Ah, the perils of a warm climate! :)

# 185 Thanks, lyzard! I'm always afraid of sounding kind of crazy when I talk about my favourite authors and their books. That's especially true for Christie.

Ah a Christie binge sounds wonderful! As you all know, I often have one. Must have been wonderful reading Christie books as a teen.

The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen was published in 2004. It was Jensen’s fifth novel.

Louis Drax is an accident prone boy. Ever since he was a baby he has been involved in more than his fair share of near fatal accidents. But so far they have all been just that, ‘nearly’ but not wholly ‘fatal’. On his ninth birthday, however, things may change for the worse. Louis may never come out alive from this ‘accident’.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/71091881

Nice review, Porua!

Hi Porua, why would you read Christie 23 times? And definitely Poirot mysteries were more entertaining, don't you think?

# 188 Thank you! :-)

# 189 You mean, why would I read all the Miss Marple books 2-3 times? It is because she is my favourite Agatha Christie detective. Hercule Poirot is good too. But I prefer Miss Marple to him.

Hi Porua. Just checking in. I hope things settle down with your new job soon.

Hi Porua!!

# 191 Hi! I'm still learning the ropes. I have no teaching experience at all. Everything is so new to me. Dealing with students everyday, writing and giving lectures while facing so many people. According to everyone around me, the first semester is going to be difficult. After the first semester I'm going to feel more confident and at ease with my job. Lets hope they're right!

# 192 Hi, Tammy!

#193: I am sure everyone around you is right, Porua!

I think they are right, Porua. That first teaching stint can seem overwheming: so many people to balance and sort of manage; so much material/information to get across in (one hopes) an interesting fashion. From what you've written here, it appears that you're a natural fit for the task. I'm wishing you the very best.

# 194 Thanks! I hope so too! :-)

# 195 Thanks! Actually I worry too much. I worry that maybe I'm boring them or making it too hard for them to understand. Trying to maintain the balance between so many different aspects is hard.

Hi Porua,

If it's any help, you could check out these readings I used in my grad cert in higher education:

Learning to teach in higher education, Paul Ramsden
Prosser, M. and Trigwell, K. (1999) Understanding learning and teaching
Teaching for Quality Learning at University: What the Student does, John Biggs

I found the Ramsden in particular very helpful indeed. But I don't want you to be more confused rather than less! I'm sure you're a good teacher anyway, clearly you're aware of yourself and the students around you which, believe me, is rare enough.

Keep us informed, I for one am very interested in how you go.

I need to start rereading Christie. I used to read all her books with my mom long years ago. I think they would remind me of her when reading them. We both loved all her books. I loved your discussion of story order rather than publication order.

Best of luck with the teaching. I bet you are great!

# 197 Hey, Rena! Thanks for the recs! I'll check them out.

# 198 Hello, BJ! Thanks! The love for Christie runs in my family too. My mom and my late grandma both were her fans. It's from my mom that I got my first taste of Christie's prose and I've been hooked ever since.

Christie is multi-generational in my family, too. Both my parents loved her books, then a sister and me, and now my daughter.

# 200 Hello! Glad to know of another multi-generation Christie loving family!

After a hard day's work went to the book store yesterday. I had about twenty minutes time before I had to head home. Twenty minutes is NOT enough time to browse through the shelves of even a tiny book store. Sigh!

But I still managed to go on a book buying binge. I left with five books one of which was FREE! Got Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. The book store owner gave me a complementary copy of a book called Seasonal Adjustments written by Adib Khan. Apparently it had won Australia's NSW State Literary Award in 1994 and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book in 1995. This is not my usual reading material but a free book is a free book. So, yay me!

201: Woo hoo, nice book binge! I've been seeing Rebecca pop up on a lot of threads lately. And Anne of Green Gables is one of my all time favorite...plus Bill Bryson is awesome. Ah, now I want to go shopping. ;)

Rebecca is a terrific book, and I adored all of the Anne series when I was a girl. Bill Bryson is a man of boundless curiousity. I received Main Street, Year of Wonders and So much for that courtesy of Book Depository yesterday. Yippee!

#201: Nice haul! And a free book to boot! Congratulations, Porua!

Great bunch of books! Congrats!

# 202, 203 It was a nice book binge! I have kind of read Rebecca before. I heard it on the BBC radio programme Off the Shelf. I liked it as a preteen. Let's just hope I like it now. Anne of the Green Gables I have wanted to read for a long time. I finally have my own copy now. Hope to read it soon.

# 204 Thanks! The free book was really the icing on the cake.

# 205 Thank you, BJ! :-)

Very Good, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse is a collection of eleven short stories. All of these stories feature Bertie Wooster and his trusted butler Jeeves.

The collection was published in 1930. The stories themselves appeared in various magazines from 1926 to 1930.

In Jeeves and the Impending Doom (1926) Bertie must stop young cousin Thomas from exacting revenge on the Right Hon. A.B. Filmer all the while trying to appease aunt Agatha and keeping his friend Bingo Little out of trouble. I found the part about the short tempered swan to be particularly hilarious!

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/72910267

Thanks for the good review, Porua. I love the Bertie and Jeeves stories, and it was fun to be reminded of them, and to get your take on them.

I am going to have to give Wodehouse another shot at some point. I have only read the first book in his Jeeves series and cannot say I was overly impressed.

#207 I read Very Good, Jeeves last month and enjoyed it very much, the one with angry swan was very special.

# 208 You're welcome! I love the Bertie and Jeeves stories too but the novels not so much.

# 209 Yeah a lot of the Jeeves novels are not that funny. But do give Wodehouse especially Jeeves anothger try!

# 210 Yes, Jeeves and the Impending Doom was pretty funny.

#207 Hooray for Jeeves. I sort of started rereading them in order and that one is theoretically up next but I find the stories blur as soon as I've put them down. I do enjoy them when I'm reading them though.

#209, #211 & #212 When it comes to Wodehouse, I have decided to follow Richard's suggestion, provided for your ready reference in quotes, "But do space the Wodehouses out! Taken in too close temporal proximity, they can get numbing. I speak from experience."

I don't remember the angry swan. That must mean it's time to re-read that particular Wodehouse.

*checks catalogue* Hmm, no reading date, so I can't have read it since 2007 or earlier. Definitely time for a re-read. And a thumb for the review.

I'm currently reading Bertie Wooster Sees It Through, and loving it. I am...a Wodehouse fan. There, I said it. I'm so glad that you are a fan too, Porua (et al.), although I think Richard's advice (quoted in #213) makes a lot of sense.

Karen O.

# 212 The stories are pretty similar but I remember most of them because of the marvellous TV series Jeeves and Wooster. I saw re-runs of the series as a kid and loved Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie in it!

# 213 The same goes for the Father Brown short stories by G.K. Chesterton. Spacing them out is the key.

# 214 Thanks for the thumb! Much appreciated! :-)

# 215 Glad that you're loving Bertie Wooster Sees It Through. I haven't read that one yet.

I love Jeeves and Bertie! The audio books read by Jonathan Cecil make them even better. Have you tried the Blandings Castle books, Porua? Better still, IMO. Leave it to Psmith is the best Wodehouse I've ever read, besides being the very first Blandings full-length novel I think.

Great review as always :)

#217 Something Fresh is the first Blandings Castle book, I haven't read either of them, but I do have Leave it to Psmith somewhere in my apartment, I remember sample reading the first few pages a couple of months back and liking it.

#216 The Man who was Thursday remains my only G. K. Chesterton read, Father Brown stories look like something worth checking.

Hi Porua, it seems to me you are right on track with your teaching. At least you worry about making it interesting for your students. Some teachers simply don't care it seems.

Your 20-minute book buying spree was amazing. They all sound like either comfort reads or good escape reading - just what you need to unwind with after a stressful day of teaching. And, I agree with what others are sayng - it will get easier once you get past the first semester hurdle!

#217 Hey Rena! No I haven't read any of the Blandings Castle books yet. Thanks for the recommendation!

#219 The Father Brown stories are a must read for any mystery fan. But they do tend to be a little spiritual and serious in nature (he is a priest, after all!). I have talked about all of this in my review of The Innocence of Father Brown which is here.

# 220 Hi, Donna! Nice to see you here. Most of the books I bought were ones I wanted to read for a long time. I didn't get to read Anne of Green Gables and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a kid so I am making up for that. Rebecca I wanted to have for my collection. A Short History of Nearly Everything I bought on a whim. Basically, my book binge has everything to do with fulfilling unfulfilled (book) desires. :-)

The Crooked Hinge by John Dickson Carr was published in 1938.

A panel of seventeen detective story writers and reviewers chose The Crooked Hinge as the fourth best locked room mystery of all time. The Hollow Man aka The Three Coffins by the same author was voted the best.

A man has his throat slashed and dies, in full view of at least three people with no killer in sight. Meanwhile, a mysterious automaton, immobile for centuries, suddenly springs to life and a housemaid almost dies of fright. Accusations of witchcraft and foul play abounds, while Dr. Fell investigates.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/73152618

#221 A very detailed and balanced review, I do think I will give Father Brown a try.

I remember liking this John Dickson Carr a lot as a kid, Porua, but your point about the dullness of Gideon Fell is a good one. That may be why Carr hasn't retained the popularity of Agatha Christie and Ngaio Marsh and others. His mysteries are clever, but his characters aren't as strong.

# 223 Thanks! Do give the Father Brown mysteries a try. Chesterton's prose and also the mysteries themselves are very good indeed. Just space them out a little bit. :-)

# 224 Yes Carr's characters are strangely dull. His plots start out quite well but lose steam on the way.

And thanks for the thumbs! I appreciate it.

I always give a thumbs up to an informative review.

# 226 Good to know, DP! ;-)

A belated but heartfelt thumb for your Chesterton review, Porua.

On Carr: as a younger (and quite different) person, I found his books funny and interesting form the plot viewpoint. Now, not as much. The plots, while clever, are too dependent on very minute clues and distinctly odd mechanics.

Oh, and I find many many short story collections best in small doses.

# 228 Thanks for the thumb!

"The plots, while clever, are too dependent on very minute clues and distinctly odd mechanics."

So right! That is how I feel about Carr's mysteries too.

I saw this in Donna’s thread and promptly nicked it! It is quite long but I had fun. It told me more about myself really.

Favourite childhood book? - Oh I can’t decide between Seryozha: Several Stories from the Life of a Very Small Boy, Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio and Russian Fairy Tales! But most probably Seryozha: Several Stories from the Life of a Very Small Boy.

What are you reading right now? - Nearly done with The Phantom Coach: Collected Ghost Stories by Amelia B. Edwards.

Bad book habit? - A habit that is quite common among the LT members. Buying more books when over half of the previously bought books remain unread.

Do you have an e-reader? - No.

Do you prefer to read one book at a time or several at once? - I prefer to read one book at a time.

Least favourite book you read this year (so far)? - Very possibly the one I am reading right now The Phantom Coach: Collected Ghost Stories by Amelia B. Edwards.

Favourite book you’ve read this year? - Very Good, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse.

How often do you read out of your comfort zone? - Very rarely. I am planning on reading one or two popular, current books in the future though.

What is your reading comfort zone? - Mysteries and classics.

Can you read on the bus? - That is how I get most of my reading done these days!

Favourite place to read? - On my bed.

What is your policy on book lending? - I rarely lend my books.

Do you ever dog-ear books? - That would be a big, emphatic ‘NO!’

Do you ever write in the margins of your books? - No. If I absolutely have to I use a pencil so that I can wipe it off later.

What is your favourite language to read in? - English.

What makes you love a book? - Good, clean language and strong (especially female) characters.

What will inspire you to recommend a book? - I don’t feel comfortable recommending books to people because everyone has different reading tastes. But if I really, really like a book I’d recommend it to people who I know share my reading taste.

Favourite genre? - Fiction.

Favourite biography? - Agatha Christie’s An Autobiography.

How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews? - I am never afraid to speak my mind about books even if it means going against the popular tide.

If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose? - French.

Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? - The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami.

Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin? - The Shadow of the Wind because of its length.

Favorite Poet? - Lord Alfred Tennyson.

Favourite fictional character? - A toss up between Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice and Miss Marple from Agatha Christie’s books.

Favourite fictional villain? - Madame Thérèse Defarge from Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities.

Name a book that you could/would not finish. - The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers. For an alleged spy thriller it was so dull.

Favourite film adaptation of a novel? – I rarely watch adaptations as they mostly tend to change the story way too much. But the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is the best I have ever seen!

How often do you skim a book before reading it? - I always read the book jacket before buying it.

Do you like to keep your books organized? - I do. I organize my shelves according to genre and then by author last names.

Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them? - I am a major book hoarder!

Are there any books you’ve been avoiding? - The recent spate of supernatural YA lit (featuring vampires, werewolves, fallen angels, fairies, etc, etc.).

Name a book that made you angry. - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger! Still makes my blood boil when I think of it.

A book you didn’t expect to like but did? - Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland.

A book that you expected to like but didn’t? - Head Over Heels in the Dales by Gervase Phinn. It’s not a bad book. I just found it to be a tad too embellished for my taste.

Favourite guilt-free, pleasure reading? - Everyone around here knows. Anything by Agatha Christie.

Name a book that made you angry. - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger! Still makes my blood boil when I think of it.

Porua, I knew we were kindred spirits! I wish I'd have thought of this one, though I was trying to stay with this year's reading. I failed.

# 231 Oh I went off on such a tirade after reading The Time Traveler's Wife, remember? That is the only book I have in my LT collection named 'Trash'!

I haven't read that many books this year what with a new job and all. So, I couldn't stick with this years' books either. But I think Head Over Heels in the Dales made me ever so slightly angry. It had such an annoying tone especially the parts about the personal lives of the characters. Definitely embellished, in my opinion.

#231 and 232 - I agree about the Niffenegger. But I'm wondering what it was that you disliked so much? For me, it was high expectations based on its success, but then finding that it was just another SF time traveller novel with a sappy love story and a not-very-appealing 'heroine'. Kind of like The Da Vinci Code. Seems like a book that was a hit with people who just don't read that much (boy does that sound snobby!) and don't realize that it was just old hat.

Whoa! Strong feelings on the Niffenegger book! Going to let that one just breeze on by. Too many good books to risk a time-waster.

Porua, I knew we were kindred reading spirits ever since I found your thread.

Here's a question for you: I too love Miss Marple. I'm also quite fond of Poirot. My daughter, who has read almost all of the books, likes Poirot much better, because, she says, Miss Marple is too class-concious and a bit of a snob. Of course that's true, but I don't care. What do you think?

Oh phew! I thought I was the only one who didn't like The Time Traveller's Wife - I ditched it after 30 pages, I think! And Da Vinci Code is in my 'crap' category also. Made me so mad to see how many sales he notched up for such rubbish when others - who can actually write - struggle to make a good living or achieve success.

Porua, I love your answersl They're so revealing. Some good questions there too.

@233 Yes, it does make you sound snobbish :P
But what a downer, I purchased my copy of Time Traveller's Wife last month too.

# 233 Ugh! Ask me what I didn't dislike about it. Read my 'rant' against the travesty that is The Time Traveler's Wife here.

# 234 Oh yes, Miss Marple is a snob! For example, in The Body in the Library she had said something like, 'well she wasn't a lady, of course' a statement steeped with social snobbery and it is not the only snobbish statement she has ever made. But just like you, I don't care. Miss Marple is a reflection of her time. Actually she is a throw back to an even earlier time. She is essentially a Victorian lady who has very definite ideas about what is deemed proper and what is not. I dare say, most of it is wrong but she has so many other qualities and there is such an air of tranquility about the Marple mysteries that I cannot help but love her! :-)

# 235 The Da Vinci Code is exactly the kind of book that makes me wary of trying any of the new best sellers. I haven't read it and don't intend to. There are enough good books out there to last us all an eternity. Let the bad ones just roll away.

# 236 Hey, Rena! I do think the answers reveal a lot about me. I come across as a little compulsive (no dog ears, rubbing out pencil marks, arranging books according to genre and author last names;etc, etc.), don't I ?

# 237 Or you may end up loving The Time Traveler's Wife and think all of us have lost our marbles! ;-)

#238 Having bought the book, I sincerely hope that is that case, not that I am overly excited over the possibility of you having lost your marbles :)

The Phantom Coach and Other Stories is a collection of horror stories by Amelia B. Edwards.

Amelia B. Edwards (1831 –1892) was a prominent Victorian English author, traveller and Egyptologist. Edwards was well known for her ghost stories. In her later life she more or less abandoned her literary career in favour of her career as an Egyptologist. She had co-founded the Egypt Exploration Fund (now the Egypt Exploration Society) in 1882 and the University College London has the Edwards Chair of Egyptology named after her.

My edition of The Phantom Coach and Other Stories contains altogether six stories, The Phantom Coach, An Engineer's Story, A Service of Danger, The Story of Salome, Was it an Illusion? and How the Third Floor Knew the Potteries.

I had read the first story The Phantom Coach in an anthology as a child and thought it was really scary. After the re-read, I still think it’s pretty good. But too much time is spent on dwelling upon other non-ghost related things like the boring evening the protagonist spends with his elderly host.

An Engineer's Story is an irritatingly melodramatic story. In it a materialistic woman is the cause of the rift between two best friends.

A Service of Danger is a predictable story but overall pretty okay.

The Story of Salome is once again predictable but not terrible. The ghostly presence is a tad more prominent in this story.

Was it an Illusion? is somewhat gruesome. The main incident disturbed me.

The last story How the Third Floor Knew the Potteries is a half baked tale. It feels as though the story is an unfinished draft of a story.

The problem with most of the stories is that they are almost all ordinary stories with a ghostly presence tacked on as an afterthought. Their rambling nature doesn’t help either.

The stories are terribly predictable. With each and every story it is obvious from the very first page what the conclusion is going to be.

As a fan of vintage horror and a Victorian lit enthusiast, I was really looking forward to reading this horror collection by Edwards. My memory of The Phantom Coach had made me pick this book up. But The Phantom Coach and Other Stories is sadly disappointing. Definitely not up to my expectations.

# 239 "not that I am overly excited over the possibility of you having lost your marbles."

Good to know. ;-)

But I am not so sure that I haven't lost them already. That was certainly the impression one of my colleagues had yesterday when she saw me reading during lunch. She said 'after dealing with written words all day long you still want to read some more?' or something like that.

Oh dear! How can I make an 'educated' woman like her understand that there is a difference between reading for work and reading for pleasure (which is not to say that I don't like reading texts on Anthropology). And besides, I think I'll actually die if I don't get to read something for pleasure!

Ah well! I guess it takes all sorts to make a world. I just wish the 'others' would stop interrupting and let me read in peace. ;-)

AMEN! Where I work, it's hard to find a private place to go for lunch, so I usually end up going to the lunch room. A large bunch of women sit around and talk about shopping, men, and children - I like these ladies and consider them my friends, but every single lunchtime I'm torn between politely joining them, or turning my back on them and reading my book. The book often wins, but I feel rude. No one else reads in there. Ever.

# 242 I guess socializing and book reading just don't go together. Thank heavens for LT!

#241 & #242 Yay for lunch room readers! I fail to understand why is it socially acceptable to read in a coffee shop, but not in the lunch room of one's office!

When my grown children visit, they like to browse my bookshelves. They usually pick something out and begin reading. I 'jump' into my own book and *voila* -- social reading!

I smiled at your comment about your fellow academic not seeing the point of reading for pleasure... reminds me of the librarian who tried to start a book group without reading the books she chose! She is retired now and our new librarian is what I consider a real reader who likes to discuss books.

I've got a friend who obviously is disappointed every time he sees I'm reading fiction for pleasure - why would I waste my time doing that? He doesn't invite conversation about it, which is too bad, because obviously there are a lot of good answers to that. Maybe someday we'll get into a discussion about it.

# 244 "I fail to understand why is it socially acceptable to read in a coffee shop, but not in the lunch room of one's office!"

Me too.

# 245 That sounds so nice! If I ever have children I do hope they are readers just like me.

She didn't read books that she chose? How bizarre! Glad your new librarian is much better.

# 246 Ah yes! I have quite a few friends and colleagues like that. Guess why I joined LT? ;-)

Cyril Hare is the pseudonym of Alfred Alexander Gordon Clark. Hare was an English judge and crime writer.

An English Murder was published in 1951.

The master of Warbeck Hall is dying. In his last Christmas he wants to be surrounded by what little family he has left. But without warning a silent killer strikes and starts killing off the guests one by one. To make matters worse they find themselves in the middle of a terrible blizzard that has cut off the lonely county house. Now, with a killer amidst them, the houseguests bide their time, hoping to get rescued before it’s too late.

I loved the atmosphere of the book! The time of Christmas, the utter isolation of Warbeck Hall and the reactions of the characters, it was all quite perfect.

Like most Golden Age mysteries An English Murder is also very class conscious. A female character from the lower class is portrayed as a money hungry shrew.

Among the characters Dr. Bottwink is the most interesting and likeable. The rest of the characters are interesting too. Some of them do come across as unreal but that didn’t bother me that much.

I couldn’t guess the identity of the murderer till the last few pages. There are plenty of red herrings thrown our way to puzzle us. Most satisfactory!

I loved the whole book but the solution was a little unsatisfactory. I found the killer’s motive to be too complicated and kind of unnecessary. It’s like Hare couldn’t really come up with a motive and just invented this one at the last moment.

Cyril Hare’s mysteries are not that well known which surprises me. I found his writing to be very readable.

Overall, An English Murder is a reasonably satisfying cosy mystery. I liked Cyril Hare’s story telling techniques. I wouldn’t mind reading more of his books.

I may have to look for that one -- even if its description reminds me of several others I've read!

I added that one to my wishlist!

# 249 Yes the basic plot is quite a common one. But Cyril Hare's writing is what I liked the most. It's smooth and as I said very readable (unlike the author of my other recent mystery John Dickson Carr).

Besides I look for 'familiar feeling' reads that hardly deviate from the norms for comfort. Sometimes I do venture outside my comfort zone (The Wind Up Bird Chronicle comes to mind) but I mostly stick to what I know. :-)

# 250 Hope you like it if you eventually read it, BJ!

#251 I haven't read The Wind Up Bird Chronicle yet, but Murakami is one of my favourites.

# 252 I thought The Wind Up Bird Chronicle was essential Murakami along with his Kafka on the Shore. I liked The Wind Up Bird Chronicle but Murakami is only good for me in small doses.

Well, I'll admit to enjoying The Time-Traveler's Wife, but remember Nicholas Sparks book a couple of years ago that nearly sent me over the wall. I sometimes feel hesitant to trash a book that is liked by a friend, but reading is all so personal. And I want to continue to feel free to rant on my own thread (not that I've been there lately), so heartily encourage it in others. :-)

#248: I already have that one in the BlackHole. Nice review, Porua, and thanks for the reminder that I still need to get to the book.

# 254 Hey, Bonnie! I was getting worried about you! Where have you been? I love bookish rants!

# 255 You’re welcome! An English Murder is very good. Quite a fulfilling cosy mystery. Hope you get to it soon.

My 75 Books Challenge thread #2 is here,

Hope to see you there! :-)

http://www.librarything.com/topic/120427