Paul's Race to 75 Part 24

Arab food is becoming increasingly popular in Kuala Lumpur. My staff enjoy it very much and we celebrated our annual dinner here last month.

Books read so far:
1 North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
2 The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff
3 The Guards by Ken Bruen
4 Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
5 Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela
6 Shadow by Karin Alvtegen
7 The Road Home by Rose Tremain
8 One Pair of Hands by Monica Dickens
9 Pure by Andrew Miller
10 The Appointment by Herta Muller
11 The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
12 The Battle of Pollocks Crossing by J.L. Carr
13 No Glossing Over It by Gary Edwards
14 Unknown by Mari Jungstedt
15 The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
16 Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald
17 Zoo Station by David Downing
18 The Troubled Man by Henning Mankell
19 Jack Sheppard by William Ainsworth
20 An Idiot Abroad by Karl Pilkington
21 The Fourth Man by K.O. Dahl
22 Christine Falls by Benjamin Black
23 Troubles by J.G. Farrell
24 My Life in Cricket by Dennis Lillee
25 Voyageurs by Margaret Elphinstone
26 The Affair by Lee Child
27 The Potter's Field by Andrea Camilleri
28 The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
29 The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman
30 Praying Mantis by Andre Brink
31 Parky by Michael Parkinson
32 All Men Are Liars by Alberto Manguel
33 The Detour by Gerbrand Bakker
34 The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin
35 Legion of the Damned by Sven Hassel
36 Treblinka : A Survivor's Memory by Chil Rajchman
37 L'Enver de Treblinka by Vasily Grossman
38 Open Season by C.J. Box
39 Divorcing Jack by Colin Bateman
40 The Chalk-Circle Man by Fred Vargas
41 Lovely Green Eyes by Arnost Lustig
42 The Devil in the Kitchen by Marco Pierre White
43 Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
44 Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
45 The Butterfly Effect by Pernille Rygg
46 Twist of Gold by Michael Morpurgo
47 Eternal by Craig Russell
48 Life by Keith Richards
49 The Caretaker by Harold Pinter
50 Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
51 The Half-Finished Heaven by Tomas Transtromer
52 Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet by Gerry Davis
53 War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
54 In the Heart of the Country by J.M. Coetzee
55 Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster by Terrance Dicks
56 The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill
57 The Day of the Daleks by Terrance Dicks
58 We Were Young and Carefree by Laurent Fignon
59 River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh
60 Thirty Three Teeth by Colin Cotterill
61 Doctor Who and the Ice Warriors by Brian Hayles
62 Bad Intentions by Karin Fossum
63 Sharpe's Eagle by Bernard Cornwell
64 Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne
65 Disgrace by Jussi Adler-Olson
66 Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times by H.W. Brands
Currently reading
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson, Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens, Andrew Jackson by H.W. Brands,Palace of Desire by Naguib Mahfouz,

Best Books of the Year so far:
Literary Fiction
1. The Road Home
2 Lyrics Alley
3 Wolf Hall
4 Dandelion Wine
5 Sea of Poppies
Thrillers
1. Zoo Station
2. The Troubled Man
3. The Potter's Field
4 Divorcing Jack
5 Disgrace

12 in 12 categories

1: Historical Fiction 7/12
2: 19th Century Fiction 3/12
3: Biography 9/12
4: In translation 7/12
5: Series Starts 7/12
6: Scandicrimesters 5/12
7: Sci-Fi 7/12
8: Noughties 5/12
9: One Word Titles 5/12
10: African Born Writers 4/12
11: Bought and Read in 2012 7/12
12: Off the Shelves 0/12 (IN RESERVE FOR THE END OF THE YEAR)

NOBEL CHALLENGE

NOBEL WINNERS READ WITH FAVOURITE WORK READ SO FAR:
2011 The Half-Finished Heaven by Tomas Transtromer
2009 The Appointment by Herta Muller
2007 The Good Terrorist by Doris Lessing
2006 Snow by Orhan Pamuk
2005 The Caretaker by Harold Pinter
2003 The Master of Petersburg by J.M.Coetzee
2001 A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul
1998 The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis by Jose Saramago
1995 Station Island by Seamus Heaney
1994 A Quiet Life by Kenzaburo Oe
1991 July's People by Nadine Gordimer
1988 Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz
1987 On Grief and Reason by Joseph Brodsky
1983 Lord of the Flies by William Golding
1982 A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
1976 Herzog by Saul Bellow
1972 Billiards at Half-Past Nine by Heinrich Boll
1970 Cancer Ward by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
1964 The Age of Reason by Jean-Paul Sartre
1962 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
1961 Bridge On the Drina by Ivo Andric
1958 Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
1957 The Plague by Albert Camus
1955 The Atom Station by Halldor Laxness
1954 The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway
1953 History of the English Speaking Peoples by Winston Churchill
1949 The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
1948 The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot
1947 The Counterfeiters by Andre Gide
1946 Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse
1938 The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
1932 A Man of Property by John Galsworthy
1930 Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
1925 Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw
1923 Collected Poems by W.B. Yeats
1921 And the Gods Will Have Blood by Anatole France
1907 Kim by Rudyard Kipling

UNREAD NOBEL WINNERS ON THE SHELVES

2011 The Half-Finshed Heaven by Tomas Transtromer
2010 The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa
2008 The Interrogation by J.M.G. Le Clezio
2005 The Caretaker by Harold Pinter
2004 The Piano Teacher by Elfriede Jelinek
2002 Fatelessness by Imre Kertesz
2000 Soul Mountain by Gao Xingjian
1999 The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass
1993 Jazz by Toni Morrison
1992 Collected Poems 1948-1984 by Derek Walcott
1990 The Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz
1986 Ake: The Years of Childhood by Wole Soyinka
1985 Flanders Road by Claude Simon
1981 Auto de Fe by Elias Canetti
1978 The Family Moskat by Isaac Bashevis Singer
1973 Voss by Patrick White
1969 Molloy by Samuel Beckett
1968 Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata
1965 And Slowly Flows the Don by Mikhail Sholokhov
1952 The Desert of Love by Francois Mauriac
1950 A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
1937 Jean Barois by Roger Martin du Gard
1936 The Iceman Cometh by Eugene O'Neill
1933 The Village by Ivan Bunin
1929 Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann
1920 Hunger by Knut Hamsun
1915 Jean-Christophe by Romain Rolland
1913 He (Shey) by Rabindranath Tagore
1905 Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz

List of my active series. Doesn't include series I own books but haven't started (far too many) or series that I have read all - Sherlock, Poirot, Marple, Dr. Who, Wallender, John Carter, Richard Hannay, Father Brown, Rougon MacQuart, etc etc etc

WRITER SERIES NEXT BOOK UP

1 Abbott, Jeff // Whit Mosley Black Jack Point 2/3
2 Adler-Olsen, Jussi // Department Q Disgrace 2/3
3 Akunin, Boris //Erast Fandorin Special Assignments 5/10
4 Atkinson, Kate //Jackson Brodie When Will There Be Good News 3/4
5 Aubert, Brigitte //Elise Andrioli Death from the Snows 2/2
6 Auel, JM //Earth's Children The Valley of Horses 2/6
7 Bateman, Colin //Dan Starkey Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men 2/7
8 Billingham, Mark //Tom Thorne Good as Dead 10/10
9 Black, Benjamin //Quirke The Silver Swan 2/5
10 Black, Cara //Aimee Leduc Murder in Belleville 2/13
11 Blake, Nicholas //Nigel Strangeways A Question of Proof 2/16
12 Block, Lawrence //Matt Scudder A Drop of the Hard Stuff 17/17
13 Block, Lawrence //Bernie Rhodenbarr The Burglar in the Closet 3/10
14 Blunt, Giles //John Cardinal Crime Machine 5/6
15 Box, C.J. //Joe Pickett Savage Run 2/12
16 Brand, Christianna //Inspector Cockrill Heads You Lose 2/6
17 Brookmyre, Christopher //Jack Parlabane Country of the Blind 2/5
18 Brown, Dan //Robert Langdon The Lost Symbol 3/3
19 Bruen, Ken //Jack Taylor The Killing of the Tinkers 2/9
20 Burke, James Lee //Robicheaux Neon Rain 2/19
21 Camilleri, Andrea //Montalbano The Age of Doubt 14/15
22 Carr, Caleb //Kreizler The Angel of Darkness 2/2
23 Chandler, Raymond //Philip Marlowe The High Window 4/7
24 Child, Lee //Jack Reacher A Wanted Man 17/17
25 Cornwell, Bernard //Saxon Chronicles The Burning Land 5/6
26 Cotterill, Colin //Dr. Siri Disco for the Departed 3/8
27 Crispin, Edmund //Gervase Fen The Case of the Gilded Fly 3/9
28 Dahl, KO //Frank Frolich The Man in the Window 2/3
29 Deaver, Jeffrey //Rune Death of a Blue Movie Star 2/3
30 Deighton, Len //Harry Palmer Horse Under Water 3/6
31 Deighton, Len //Bernard Samson Faith 7/9
32 DeMille, Nelson //John Corey Plum Island 2/6
33 Dibdin, Michael //Aurelio Zen Medusa 9/11
34 Downing, David //John Russell Silesian Station 2/5
35 Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan //Brigadier Gerard Adventures of Gerard 2/2
36 Dunnett, Dorothy //Francis Lymond Queen's Play 2/6
37 Eastland, Sam //Pekkala The Red Coffin 2/4
38 Edwardson, Ake //Erik Winter Frozen Tracks 3/6
39 Eisler, Barry //John Rain The Detachment 7/7
40 Finder, Joseph //Nick Heller Buried Secrets 2/3
41 Forbes, Colin //Tweed Double Jeopardy 3/24
42 Ford, Richard //Bascombe Independence Day 2/3
43 Fossum, Karin //Sejer The Caller 8/9
44 Fraser, George MacDonald //Flashman Flashman in the Great Game 5/12
45 Freeling, Nicholas //Van der Valk Because of the Cats 2/13
46 Fyfield, Francis //Helen West Shadow Play 2/6
47 Gadney, Reg //Alan Rosslyn Immaculate Deception 5/6
48 Ghosh, Amitav //Ibis Trilogy River of Smoke 2/3
49 Gilman, George G //Edge Hell's Seven 9/61
50 Gray, Alex //Lorimer A Small Weeping 2/9
51 Harvey, John //Resnick Cold in Hand 11/11
52 Harvey, John //Elder Ash and Bone 2/3
53 Hewson, David //Nic Costa The Seventh Sacrament 5/9
54 Hill, Reginald //Pascoe and Dalziell Ruling Passion 3/24
55 Hillerman, Tony //Leaphorn / Chee Dancehall of the Dead 2/18
56 Holt, Anne //Vik and Stubo The Final Murder 2/4
57 Hurley, Graham //Faraday and Winter Cut to Black 5/12
58 Iggulden, Conn //Conqueror Bones of the Hills 3/5
59 Indriadson, Arnadur //Erlendur Hypothermia 6/8
60 James, PD //Dalgleish A Taste for Death 7/14
61 James, Peter //Roy Grace Dead Tomorrow 5/8
62 Jardine, Quintin //Bob Skinner Skinner's Ordeal 5/22
63 Jecks, Michael //Medieval Mysteries The Merchant's Partner 2/31
64 Johnstone, William W //Mountain Man Ordeal of the Mountain Man 17/32
65 Jungstedt, Mari //Knutas The Killer's Art 4/7
66 Kerr, Philip //Bernie Gunther A Quiet Flame 5/8
67 Leon, Donna //Brunetti The Girl of His Dreams 17/21
68 Lovesey, Peter //Peter Diamond The Summons 3/13
69 Lucarelli, Carlos //Negro Day after Day 2/2
70 Ludlum, Robert //Bourne The Bourne Supremacy 2/3
71 MacBride, Stuart //Logan McRae Shatter the Bones 7/7
72 MacDonald, Ross //Lew Archer The Way Some People Die 3/18
73 Mahfouz, Naguib //Cairo Trilogy Palace of Desire 2/3
74 Manning, Olivia //The Levant Trilogy The Battle Lost and Won 2/3
75 Mantel, Hilary //Cromwell Series Bring Up the Bodies 2/3
76 Marklund, Liza //Bengtzon Paradise 2/6
77 Martin, Andrew //Jim Stringer The Blackpool Highflyer 2/8
78 McBain, Ed //87th Precinct Killer's Choice 5/55
79 McCall-Smith, Alexander Tears of the Giraffe 2/13
80 Nabb, Magdalen //Guarnaccia Death of a Dutchman 2/14
81 Nadel, Barbara //Ikmen Deep Waters 4/15
82 Napier, William //Attila The Gathering of the Storm 2/3
83 Nesbo, Jo //Harry Hole Phantom 7/8
84 Nesser, Hakan //Van Veeteren The Inspector and Silence 5/7
85 O'Brian, Patrick //Aubrey Post Captain 2/21
86 O'Brien, Martin //Jacquot Confession 5/7
87 Plaidy, Jean //Tudor Saga Uneasy Lies the Head 2/11
88 Price, Anthony //Audley The Alamut Ambush 2/19
89 Rankin, Ian //Rebus The Hanging Garden 10/18
90 Rees, Matt //Omar Yussef The Saladin Murders 2/4
91 Rendell, Ruth //Wexford From Doon With Death 3/23
92 Rickman, Phil //Merrily Watkins Midwinter of the Spirit 2/11
93 Robinson, Peter //Banks Watching the Dark 20/20
94 Russell, Craig //Lennox The Deep Dark Sleep 3/4
95 Russell, Craig //Jan Fabel The Carnival Master 4/6
96 Sandford, John //Lucas Davenport Buried Prey 21/22
97 Sansom, CJ // Shardlake Dark Fire 2/5
98 Sayers, Dorothy L //Lord Peter Wimsey Whose Body? 2/14
99 Sigurdottir, Yrsa Thora //Gudmundsdottir Ashes to Dust 3/4
100 Silva, Daniel //Gabriel Allon Portrait of a Spy 11/12
101 Simenon, Georges //Maigret The Crime of Inspector Maigret 9/98
102 Sjowall, Maj //Beck The Man Who Went Up in Smoke 2/10
103 Smith, Tom Rob //Demidov Agent 6 3/3
104 Taylor, Andrew //Dougal Waiting for the End of the World 2/8
105 Temple, Peter //Jack Irish Black Tide 2/4
106 Vargas, Fred //Adamsberg Have Mercy on Us All 2/7
107 Waites, Martyn //Joe Donovan Bone Machine 2/4
108 White, Stephen //Alan Gregory Privelged Information 2/19
109 Wilson, Robert //Javier Falcon The Silent and the Damned 2/4
110 Wingfield, RD //Jack Frost Frost at Christmas 3/6
111 Cornwell, Bernard // Richard Sharpe Sharpe's Gold 2/21

GENRE HALF DOZEN - SCOTTISH BASED MYSTERIES

Ian Rankin is generally considered the king of the scottish mystery writers, but who are his contemporaries and competitors:

Craig Russell - Lennox series
Alex Gray - DCI Lorimer
Stuart MacBride - DS Logan McRae
Quintin Jardine - Bob Skinner
Denise Mina - Alex Morrow
GJ Moffat - Cahill and Finch

I'm first. Where's my cookie?

Morphy - just for you.

I like it! :D

Oh my! Another thread:)

Hi Paul hope all is well with you and yours.

Ooooooooooh! Cookies! O_O

Now you'll never get rid of me. :D

I've been waiting for a new thread so I could stop by and say hello! Could not face the last one that got completely away from me. You are much too popular, sir, for lazy me to keep up with.

Yum! Like the looks of the restaurant and the pie, Paul. Hope you're feeling over (as opposed to under) the weather now.

Ah, phooey! I left a message on your last thread before I saw this one. oh, well. That's a prime example of not keeping up!

Ah, palm trees! (opening picture) They're one thing I LOVE about the warmer climes. I imagine the food is another thing I would love ;-)

Calm - nice to see you. All is very good just at the moment - fairly relaxing week with work not intruding much. Belle bought her first handphone today and must have sent SWMBO and I half a dozen text messages each already.

Eris - getting rid of you would be the last thing on my mind my dear.

Charlotte - popularity is a funny thing and I don't think that number of posts is necessarily the most reliable guide. Many of my favourites on here, you included don't have the most active of threads and some (Benita, John and Tania for example) don't have a thread in the group at all!

Joe - it has a sister restaurant that seats 2000 pax and is often full to the rafters. I'm not sure whether it is the food or the shishas that draws the crowd.
I am well and truly over the weather now mate and the weather here is balmy too.

Cee - the Arab spices are a little more subtle than the South East Asian norm and is a nice change but the food can be a little dry and the portions out American American.

Hi Paul - Glad you're feeling better.

From previous thread:

You lost toenails?! I didn't know that happened to cyclists too (I've heard about it with runners).

Inspector Montalbano - I suppose I'll have to check this out. I didn't realize there were so many Italian series.

Kerri -
Toenails - it may have been my pedalling style as I did point my toes and push down quite fiercely. Have had no problems with them for the last ten years after ten years of absolutely excruciating pain.

Italiano - There are several more too - I was limiting to 1/2 dozen. Marco Vichi and Carlo Lucarelli also spring to mind.

Yeah - I'm spicy enough, Paul. Don't need a lot in my food.
Dry? really? Then I guess I would need ketchup (or numerous tropical drinks)! lol

Series - I just can't wrap my brain around the host of them! I started to look at what I had going for series and was nervous about not being immortal. *sigh*

Hi, Paul - lovely new thread and excellent photo. I've not had much in the way of Arab food (only a couple of trips to restaurants, and that's been long ago), but I loved what I've had.

Hi Paul, glad to hear you are feeling a lot better, love the photo and can't believe how quick you have to start a new thread. Looking foward to the 20/20 finals day in Cardiff on saturday, hopefully Yorkshire will come away with the trophy fingers crossed.

>15 PaulCranswick: and the portions out American American.
Do you mean large portions? I like large portions. A lot.

Hello new thread new restaurant. I like so much the outdoor dining, it is very rare here, and still a gamble in summer.
And you are reading one of the Cairo Trilogy of Darryl fame. I am on the lookout for these at the next book sale (next weekend!!!!). Looks like you have a lot on your plate reading-wise; enjoy!

Did you like Snow? He's a writer I couldn't get into. I read My Name is Red and gave up before I was even halfway through. He so traumatized me with that one, I've not had the courage to pick up anything else he wrote since.

The new school year has started so I may be out of touch for a few days as I get really busy during the first two weeks. That is when I have lots of library instruction to do. The up side is that in the last two days I have actually had students come in and ask about books that might be fun to read. I was able to guide one to Graceling and today I put one onto the sequels to The Giver. That student checked out three books. I may be pushing Librarything next.

I like to see all the restaurant pictures and wish I could try the food. Kuala Lampur must be an exciting city in which to live. What do you mean by shishas? Is that a type of food?

Nice, shiny new thread, Paul. I like!

Hi Paul- Love the new thread! (Boy, I say that a lot of over here!) I wanted to put in my 2 cents on Lawrence Block. I liked the Bernie books too but loved the Matthew Scudder series or at least the ones I have read. I should get back to him, I haven't read Block in over 20 years.

Hi Paul! I love Arabic food. One of the wonderful things about visiting Cyprus is the wonderful blend of my favorite cuisines -- Cypriot food is a mix of Greek, Turkish, Lebanese... mmmmmm.

Hello new thread Paul! It is FREEZING here with a sudden winter snap and here from my eyrie on the 25th floor the sluggish Yarra winds its muddy way through to the sea. I cannot wait for warmer climes!

Hello, Paul. Nice new thread. Fun-looking restaurant. And lists, lists, and more lists!
I think I'm going to join you in reading Palace of Desire in the next week or so.
I'm glad you're feeling better.

BTW, being one quarter Scottish, I'm pleased with the theme for your new thread. Must check me out some of those.

Maybe a bit late, but I'm here. At least I snagged a seat in the nosebleeds..haha! :)

I'm also late. Oh dear, the view from this high up in the stands...did I mention my fear of heights? I must confess that I am 30 posts behind on your last thread - it was a strange sort of balance to realize that I was thirty posts behind on two separate threads of yours. Well, I'm caught up here for the moment, guess I'll trudge back down all these stairs and see what I missed in the other thread.

Lovely new thread by the way, congrats!

Hi Paul, thanks for the list of Scottish (based) mystery writers. Apart from Rankin, they are all unknown to me - so many new writers to explore! I've recently been reading a couple from the Peter Robinson series (the early ones, which I've never read because I jumped into the series part way through) so I've been spending time in God's Own Country and enjoying his detailed description of which beers Banks is drinking and what music he is listening to.

Late again! I like the restaurant. Hope all is well in your world.

>22 cameling:: I couldn't get through My Name is Red either!

Cee - the local version of ketchup is chili sauce which comes in a bottle in the same way and is applied liberally by the locals on just about everything. The arabic restaurants also provide a thick white garlic sauce which SWMBO loves but I find a bit stodgy.
I already had my Maine Maid down as a demi-Goddess anyway so chewing through a few hundred series is going to be a breeze.

Amber - specialities would be kebabs (especially chicken and lamb) and various rice based dishes with their take on biriyani. I like the food too but then again I can't think of a cuisine that I don't enjoy/

John - 12 days between threads was actually fairly slow by this years hectic standards! I will be watching the sports updates carefully and with hope burgeoning in my chest at the weekend for a Yorkshire win. We seem to have a well balanced team at the moment and have been let down badly by the weather this year (as usual).
What do you think of the Pietersen fiasco. I think personally that Strauss is negativity personified and we have won partly in spite of him rather than because of him. We go to India and New Zealand this winter and I think a change is necessitated. I would add Jimmy Adams (brilliant fielder too) and Nick Compton to the present batting minus Strauss and then Woakes, Stokes as all-rounders Onions, Briggs and Borthwick to the ten that finished against SA.

Megan - mmmm I meant x-large. I am a fan also but it isn't particularly good for health. It can be a little oppressive to dine outside with the sweat running into your eyes as you try to concentrate on the food before you!
Read Palace Walk many moons ago and I am slowly reacquainting myself with the parade of characters that survived the first epidsode.

Caro - Whilst I thought Snow was ok I haven't been in too much of a hurry to read anything else. Seems that Pamuk tries a little too hard to emphasise his seriousness as a writer.

Benita - what a lovely job you have discussing books and putting youngsters on the right path in life! I have designs to combine my interests and SWMBOs talent in converting a huge colonial house in Kuala Lumpur into a large coffee/cafe and cum lending library.
KL for all its wonderful attributes is a bit lacking in libraries and I would love to adress that in a small way.
Shisha is a type of arabian pipe smoking usually with flavours (mint being the most common) - I understand that it is also used to imbibe narcotics but over here it is less sinister.

Velma - Thanks; I like the fact of your welcome visits too!

Mark - I much prefer the Scudder books - the archetypal hard drinking all round good egg. He has a habit of glorifying rascals which works often but falls flat too sometimes - he created Keller a lovable hit man which I thought was stretching it a little too much.

Anne - Would like to get to Cyprus one day too. Over here Arabic, Iranian, Lebanese and Morroccan are well represented but Turkish less so. Greek even less so which is a shame because I really like throwing plates around and SWMBO is a dab hand especially if they're aimed at yours truly.

Prue - well you have the winding but commercially very hectic Mekhong to replace the stagnant Yarra! You may want to take a leisurely cruise between Pnomn Penh and Siem Reap or overnight into Thailand - cheap and very evocative.

Hi Paul, lovely restaurant pic at the top, as usual. I started Sugar Street today and have to say this Cairo Trilogy is the best trilogy I've read. I'm really glad I've spread them out.

I have to say that the only time I have seen plate throwing is in photos of Stelios's cousins' university days in England. I'm not sure that Greeks/Cypriots living in Greece/Cyprus actually do it -- I think it's something the diaspora does when they want to get their Greek on. Not that this should deter SWMBO -- throwing a plate now and then has to feel good. Unless you're the target!

Ellen = well given my present reading rate I'll still be reading it next week. I am savouring pages on all the books I'm reading at the moment but must add the latest Jussi Adler-Olson to my list of currents and it will be first completed. The new star of Scandi as far as I'm concerned.
I did the scottish list because I was preparing for Judy's September series and sequels and noticed how many good scottish writers there are out there. I love the Lennox series and want to fit in the latest before September. Stuart MacBride is a particular favourite too. For September my aim is to read 15 new series to add to my list - more of which anon.

Valerie - not so late my dear the thread was only 7 hours old when you made a welcome call. Cotton gauze distributed to stem the bleeding.

Mamie - with a fear of heights you would hate my job! One of the present projects has defects on the roof and above the offices which involves climbing a cat ladder and stepping out onto the windswept roof to inspect it. Not for the faint hearted I can tell you! Pot, kettle and black springs to mind when you mention fighting to catch up here as your own thread has been moving faster than anyone's for a while at the moment - fun it is though to keep up in Mamieland!

Genny - So tomorrow's Genre list has to be Yorkshire writers! As stated Stuart MacBride and Craig Russell are favourites and I am going to read GJ Moffat next month. I love DCI Banks too and Robinson does a good job considering that he has lived for donkey's years in Canada.

Callia - better late than never as they say! I take it that you are back at school? Trust that everything is going well at the start of term time.

Laura - I haven't started that one or Museum of Innocence either and am a little intimidated by them truth be told.

Bonnie - I think that there was a little too long between my first and second Cairo books to the extent that I skimmed back through synopses of the first to appreciate the second. It is excellent though I agree.

Anne - I will have to check whether SWMBO has any Greek descendants hahaha. There was a greek restaurant in Wakefield when I was growing up that used to have smashing times on a Saturday evening. Long since closed down as I think they couldn't afford to keep replacing all the crockery.

I'm thinking those rooftop excursions would not be to my liking, Paul!

I admit I'm having trouble keeping up these days with everything - my own thread included. RL has so rudely intruded on my computer time, and I fear it will only get worse before it gets better. I am determined, however, to at least attempt to stay afloat here. The next few days could be spotty as Craig says the internet where he is staying is fickle - good thing it's Craig staying there full time and not me because I don't do well with no internet. As we look at potential new homes in the next days, we will keep an eye out for a property with a pole barn just for you!

>39 PaulCranswick: I think my husband person's fear of heights has diminished mine. I am very cavalier about it now. Not to the point where I would put myself in danger, mind you.

Aargh - 42! *puff, puff* Could you not race quite so fast, mate?

>36 PaulCranswick: : huge colonial house (a weakness of mine), café (with cakes, I hope, and loads of chocolate) and books? Oh, yum. Save a seat for me!

Mamie - RL has imposed its fiery breath upon me too in the last few weeks and has left me floundering on occasion - SWMBO told me yesterday that she considered herself an LT widow which I thought tad rich coming from someone who hits FB the minute her eyes open. I think her issue is that she has always said that she doesn't need a laptop (she requisitions mine) and, of course, holiday time, finds me, wrongly as it seems, deigning to use my own computer!
A pole barn in my honour would be an honour indeed - how much does it cost to put one of those things up by the way?

Megan - not sure whether SWMBO has vertigo issues as she foreswears all attempts by me to get to a height high enough to scare her sufficiently.

Nina - don't worry take your time and get your breath back.
Would have to call the place Joe's in honour of......well.....Joe!

Have tried to make a list of 15 new series (new to me anyway) for September and Judy's Sequels and Series.
This is the plan:
SCANDI
Burned by Thomas Enger
The Princess of Burundi by Kjell Eriksson 1st in series published in english.
The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg
MYTH & HISTORY
Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester
Young Bloods by Simon Scarrow
The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
EUROPEAN LOCALES
Dog Day by Alicia Gimenez Bartlett
Murder in Mykonos by Jeffrey Siger
Death in August by Marco Vichi
QUIRKY
The General Danced at Dawn by George MacDonald-Fraser
Hector and the Search for Happiness by Francois Lelord
An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor
LADIES OF CRIME
Birdman by Mo Hayder
Still Life by Louise Penny
The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey

While your local food sounds interesting, I don't think I'd survive it. I don't like spicy food! I hate the burning feeling in my mouth and it upsets my stomach. Even the mildest of spices affect me.

Morphy I would normally scoff at not liking food with a bit of oomph but my recent experiences leaves me entirely in sympathy with you.

GENRE HALF DOZEN - HOMIES

I was born in the small West Yorkshire village of Crofton just a few miles from Wakefield city centre and brought up in a mining community on the border of Barnsley/Wakefield.
Todays half dozen is writers born or brought up in walking distance of my own upbringing - i.e. the Wakefield/Barnsley environs.

The most famous writer from Wakefield would be George Gissing but who else hails from this little corner of the earth:

David Peace - Ossett, Wakefield
Joanne Harris - Barnsley
Peter Robinson - Castleford, Wakefield
David Storey - Wakefield
Barry Hines - Hoyland Common, Barnsley
Stan Barstow - Horbury, Wakefield

The above list would serve to demonstrate that the teaching of english in my home area was/is of a standard to be proud of.

Incidentally John Simpson who is a regular this year visiting the threads (although a member of the shy and retiring 50ers) is from the village of Walton which neighbours Crofton and is literally yards from my birthplace. Small world.

Morphy - That's terrible about the spicy foods - my sister has the same issues. I adore it - the older I get, the spicier I like it.

Paul - I have no idea how much it costs to erect a pole barn. The one we have now came with the property. Probably depends how fancy you want to get. Some of them are pretty much shells put up to provide cover for boats or farm equipment. Some are more like a glorified garage.

I am liking these lists you are entertaining us with - of course, as you know, I adore lists! I recently read the third book in that series you have listed by Camilla Läckberg (didn't realize it was part of a series) - definitely room for improvement, but the writing had potential. I think she will continue to improve. I checked out The Ice Princess from the library just to go back and see how the series started. I need to check out the authors that you have listed under "Quirky" - that sounds right up my alley!

You're going to have to make a list of lists, Paul (and where to find them); I have to confess I'm usually so far behind on posts that I usually skim them.

I have designs to combine my interests and SWMBOs talent in converting a huge colonial house in Kuala Lumpur into a large coffee/cafe and cum lending library.

Sounds like a great way to buy more books, add more shelf space, and write it all off as a business expense!

Hornblower! I love that series! For some reason Forester works for me better than O'Brian.

Hi Paul, Just had to tell you that a colleague of mine is leaving tonight for 4 weeks in our KL office. She has never been, so I went back through your old threads and gave her the names of the various restaurants you've highlighted. I was afraid she wouldn't venture beyond the immediate vicinity of her hotel and the two nearby malls otherwise...

I can't wait to see how you like Louise Penny (and Patrick Taylor and Josephine Tey). I've also read stuff by Mary Stewart, Jeffrey Siger, and Kjell Erickson off your series list. (Most of the Mary Stewart books I've read are her older ones.)

Think I will side with SWMBO on the white garlic sauce -
chili sauce - meh.
Since I have been trying to skim over most talk of series - I don't really want to tackle my own list. I am so anal. I would want to read everything in order and I fear it's too late for some of it. *cringe*
I have to admit to a strong urge to clean up the series list LT has assembled for me. It's kinda messy and repetitive in spots.
But no. Must. resist.
Maybe a small peek again....

Ah, more lists. Very fun. I love the list of authors born/brought up near your own birthplace.

The KING OF LISTS. Kneel Sir Paul, as I crown you accordingly. :)

Mamie - I am, other than for a few days this week, an absolute sucker for spicy food.
Pole barns in Atlanta, perhaps I should seek Darryl's advice.
Quirky - George MacDonald-Fraser is of course most famous for his Flashman papers but one of his other creations is McAuslan, apparently the dirtiest soldier in the army - intriguing. Francois Lelord has created Hector a psychiatrist who has more adventures than his parents whilst the Irish Country Doctor should be a sort of James Herriot with brogue and human patients.

Nina - a list of lists? I'll have to work on that, hahaha

Linda - you've rumbled me again! I don't think it would make that much money but it sure would subsidise my hobbies of reading and drinking.

Joe - I read one of the O'Brien's and didn't much care for it - It isn't on my list of acive series because I have little intention to read another!

Katie - let me know which two malls she is staying near and I'll put up a few more recces on eateries.

Lori - I have not been as prolific a reader as you for many a moon so I'm not in the least surprised that you have read so manyh of the series I'm planning to start.

Cee - the LT series list does double count quite a bit and includes books that it is stretching credulity to call a series and others are not there when they should be. An example is that if a series was released differently chronologically/publication order you'll normally score two lists!

Ellen - I'm sure that you could produce a similar list of the North-West.

Valerie - thank you - it would of course make you the Queen of this domain if you wereable to confer a knighthood!

Oh, sorry; I meant a list of your lists (not everyone else's, too!).

A list of other people's list? I believe our King of Lists, Paul, is more than qualified for the challenge. :)

Haha, I'm no Queen, but I do randomly give out knighthoods, which makes the titles rather sketchy to say the least.

Paul - she's staying at The Gardens Hotel, so it's the Gardens Mall and the Mid-Valley Mega Mall (I think it's called...). Thanks!

Nina - just when I was getting my breath back via a stress reduced work reduced week - I get a herrculean task that I am not sure I am up for - will cheat and look for the thread that Lucy kindly set up earlier.

Valerie - A sketchy knighthood is probably the best of all - at least I don't have to cower before a shaky near nongernarian with a razor sharp cutlass hovering close to my cartoid.

Ok Katie I'll put up a few recommendations in the morning for your colleague in the near vicinity. There is a Borders bookshop in The Gardens and a MPH in Mega-Mall.

Get some sleep!

I discovered the MPH when I was there last year but the Borders escaped me. Hopefully I'll be back at some point...

I'm also a sucker for spicy food and am guilty of adding chilli to a lot of my cooking. My most recent discovery has been the Ethiopian berbere spice mix.

Kerry: Ooooh, I *love* berbere-spiced dishes! I sorely miss the Ehtiopian restaurant near where I used to live in Ohio...

Hi Paul, had a look at your thread last night and came back on at teatime today to find i am 49 posts behind, don't think this thread will last 12 days.
I am a bit worried about tomorrows 20/20 finals day, the one day international was abandoned today because of rain only 5.3 overs for England to get to 36 for 0, hopefully the weather will improve or it could end up 5 overs a side, and the ECB are thinking about denying Bresnan a chance to play. My sons claim to fame is that at junior level he got Bresnan out even though he is two years younger than Tim.
I agree with your England selections for the winter tours but Pietersen has been a pain from the start, plays for himself regardless of the teams position, trying to get to a ton with a six shows his arrogance, Boycott rates him but even he thinks he's gone too far this time. Hope everything is ok with you and your family mate, keep on with the reading, posts, reviews etc.

Paul, yes, I could create such a list for the Northwest (and I just might do that!), but if I went for birthplace, I'd have to find some Floridians.

#67: Oh I'd love to have an Ethiopian restaurant on standby too. When I lived in Tel Aviv there were so many great restaurants to eat at. Nowadays I use my cookbooks and just reproduce spicy ethnic dishes in my own kitchen.
My son particularly loves the dish I make with the berbere mix, in fact, I think I'll make it for our dinner tonight. I'm very happy that an Indian spice shop has opened near where I live and they have several flours, spices and dried nuts/berries that I've not come across before. My first trip I bought home Kashmiri chili powder because the colour was amazing and yesterday I brought home star anise powder as it smells just divine.

That's another impressive September list! Good luck. I haven't even started my list yet. Yikes!

Hi Paul, I'm quite behind, but managed to catch this thread before you start a new one, so that's something. That's what happens when one is away from the threads for a few days. Liking the lists too. I used to love spicy food, but the older I get the less it agrees with me unfortunately.

Paul - One of these days, you're going to have to show me how you manage all the lists you keep. I'm toying with the idea .... toying only, mind you, of becoming more organized with my obese wish list as well as my TBR Tower. Starting there and then perhaps keeping separate lists for all books read, and categorizing them as well into the different genres and years. I'm dizzy already just thinking of the monumental task.

Katie - sleep accomplished thank you my dear. Would recommend your colleague visits Bangsar and its environs - from memory the two malls have nothing special in the way of restaurants except Mega Mall has a place called Delicious at ground level facing the Boulevard which has a nice mixture of local and western fusion.
Bangsar Seafood next to One Bangsar Mall has good chinese food with the accent of course on seafood.
Monte's in Bangsar Shopping Centre has a nice mix of local and western and is owned by a couple of good pals Susan and Daniel.
Montien Thai restaurant in Bangsar Baru
Du Viet Unpretentious but tasty vietnamese restaurant in the same location.
Rick's Place classy Moroccan themed in Jalan Telawi
Sagar North indian cuisine also Jalan Telawi
or she could try Damansara Height not far away:
Flamenco Plaza Damansara hosts this well established and intimate Spanish restaurant; the tapas, paella and liver pate are all to die for.
Las Carretas An outlet of my favourite Mexican restaurant on the main road from Bangsar
Jake's Place Possibly the best steaks nearby on Jalan Kasah
for Malaysian food pure and simple she should go another five minutes to Dewan Bahasa and Tupai, Tupai (literally "Squirrels") whose lunchtime buffet is comprehensive and cheap (a huge plate for less than $3) - it is also close to my office or shecould get someone to take her to Jalan Bellamy and sample the Ikan Bakar (barbequed fish delights) in a semi-open stall near the mosque - famous and very well attended.

She is here for a few weeks so that should give a few ideas and cater to the whims of a mixed palate.

Kerry - Ethiopian spices sounds intriguing. I wonder if that is what makes them run so fast and for so long?!

Amber - Now I am fairly sure that Kuala Lumpur does not have any Ethiopian restaurants - and there I was proud of the wonderful array of places we have here and you hit upon the one food region unrepresented!

John - I hate this ECB central contracts nonsense - when I was active in sports I wanted to play as often as possible. Let's face it we wouldn't have got relegated last year if we had been able to call upon a full squad more frequently.
I thought you would have commented on my list of Wakefield (and Barnsley) writers - have I missed any obvious ones as I have a habit of producing these things off the cuff?

Ellen - it would have to be your particular locale in Florida - I didn't include the whole of Yorkshire (the Brontes and Kate Atkinson, Alan Bennett, Keith Waterhouse, Marina Lewycka and numerous others). If Miami - then Miami; if Orlando etc

Kerry - I do love the spices and herbs of the world and we are well served here of course being on the original path of the spice trade. SWMBO has a staggering collection and she and Erni are always grinding and blending something or another for our delectation.

Mark - My intended reading is often impressive mate - the reality is often a damp squib -let's see how I do. I should have waited for and then borrowed from your list as there are sure to be a few gems on there.

Ilana - My stomach is back to its best as I had a North Indian meal with my Scottish client yesterday afternoon which had more spice than other ingredients put together. My client is a very typical Scot - noted as they are for their frugality. Two days earlier he had mentioned lunch and suggested an Italian cafe-restaurant at the old Airport terminal that he particularly likes as his treat. A lovely pasta each thrown back he informed me that he had left his wallet in the office and he would make it up to me another time! Hahaha I would have paid anyway so I couldn't help smiling and reminding him to check his trouser pockets before we set off for the restaurant yesterday!

Caro - I probably wouldn't be much help on giving list tips as most of it is thrown together very haphazardly - that is part of the fun surely!
I do love sorting and re-sorting my books and the numerous lists of them. I am quite a stickler for getting them registered here and on my excel data base as soon as they make it into the house. This can be a little convoluted sometimes depending upon the likely reception to new purchases from SWMBO.

Today is the 26th birthday of the world's finest maid - Erni Idrus from Pulau Tanjong Pinang (a small island in the Riau islands).
Certainly more little sister than maid; she got a cuddle in return for my morning coffee and we will have a huge dollop of cake later when she chooses where we all go to eat. Happy birthday dear girl I don't think life without you would be too pleasant - her regular trips home coincide with a near-Military service in the household as SWMBO is left holding the reins.

65

Disgrace by Jussi Adler-Olsen

Were I called upon to name my favourite ongoing Scandi series (Inpector Wallender has been put out to grass methinks) it would have to be world-weary Carl Morck and his rag-tag buddies in Department Q. Here they unearth a series of vicious attacks involving a group of now prominent but then nasty school boarders - five guys and a gal who normally supplied the coup de grace. The boys had turned against the girl and now she was looking for some pay back.
Highly recommended

9/10

Happy Birthday, Ernie! and many more!!!
Sounds like you have a tough job and perform it well.
You are certainly appreciated ;-)

I cant believe the passport said 26 when she was 16 and Erni is only now catching up with it! Although, now, officially she must be 36? Or has her rightful age been rectified? Either way- Happy Birthday Erni.
SWMBO holding the reins huh? *imagining the family lining up in at 0600 hours for inspection*
lol

Hi Paul

Stopping by to say hello and thanks for the fine person you are!

{delurk}

Someone somewhere upthread said something about The Museum of Innocence. My three-star review, in a nutshell: "I thought this book, about the life lived by a wealthy man who seduces his poor, estranged teenaged cousin in his mother's extra apartment would fill in a gap {of knowledge about Constantinople/Istanbul} for me.

Ew."

{relurk}

Cee - She does a good job that is for sure and makes a mean, mean coffee.

Megan - actually it was 26 when 15 and technically she is officially 37! Haven't checked the passport but I guess that she has had the "error" remedied already.
With SWMBO at the help the Chez Nous is shipshape but on a permanent battle footing.

Linda - another case of pot, kettle and black! Nice to get a vote of confidence from one of the absolutely loveliest persons in the group.

RD - Nice to see you making a rare foray over here from your own hectic dominion. Your views on Schmuk Pamuk coincide nicely with some of my own.

A little splurge this morning whilst the Sultana was sleeping:

Death and the Devil by Frank Schatzing - german historical thriller
Brodmaw Bay by F.G. Cottam - British horror
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng- Booker longlisted, Darryl fuelled purchase even in large paperback format I usually avoid.
The Headmaster's Wager by Vincent Lam - Vietnamese Canadian and Giller Prize winner.
Witness the Night by Kishwar Desai - Costa First Novel Prize winner by Indian writer.
As Though She Were Sleeping by Elia Khoury - another possible Nobel winner from the Arabic world?
Devil's Peak by Deon Meyer - I couldn't leave that on the shelves given the advocacy of dear Benita. Afrikaans thriller.
The Blood Spilt by Asa Larsson. The next Rebecca Martinsson - when will I read the first?!
The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi - Italian thriller sensation since I was listing some of his contempories this week.
Red Flags by Juris Jurjevics - a mini Matterhorn by all accounts.
Bunker by Andrea Maria Schenkel - German award winning thriller writer.
Horoscopes for the Dead by Billy Collins - prompted by Joe and by the possible contenders for the Nobel prize.

As usual quite a mixture of stuff that had me wandering aimlessely around Kinokuniya in the hour I allocated before I would need to return home from "site".

Nice little haul. I've requested the first Department Q from my library, couldn't resist even though I'm swamped by books. Brought home the second Hal Challis book as well.

Oooh, hope you like The Headmaster's Wager' a fave of mine!

Have you read anything else by Tan Twan Eng, since he hails from your neck of the woods? Am making my way through his booker-nominated tome, slowly in order to savor it.

I have The Whisperer here, and looking at me reproachfully.

Can I make a Scottish suggestion? Joyce Holm wrote a very entertaining series of mysteries featuring a staid young Scots solicitor and a young law student who kinda shakes up his existence. Fizz and Buchanan series.

Ahh Paul, I've just begun Disgrace . Fabulous right from the start - it's grabbed me right in!!!

Let me know what you think of The Headmaster's Wager. I've read another book by him , but I was not keen on it. However, it was his first book and he won a few awards for it.

Kerry - I hadn't heard of Hal Challis and must concede that my knowledge of the Australian procedural scene is hardly encyclopaedic, but I will have a look for him locally.

Suz - I haven't read either of the Tan books to date. He is not that well promoted here either which is a shame since he could be 'our' first Booker winner. The fact of his chinese origins probably mitigates his popularity somewhat.
The Whisperer and The Headmaster's Wager both caught my eye - the latter in hardback.
Scottish suggestion very welcome- I will look up Joyce Holm but can't find a touchstone for now - any titles?

Deb - It keeps getting better too - very good read the Department Q series. I was taken with the cover of The Headmaster's Wager and liked the write up. Giller Prize winner made me think of all the Canadian LT'ers.

Hi Paul, i think you covered all the authors local to us but i'll have a little check as i think Waterstones in Wakefield has been promoting local authors but i didn't catch their names. It turns out that Bresnan and Bairstow have been allowed to play but we haven't got off to a good start against Sussex, 53 for 3 after 9 overs, Scott Styris done the damage with all 3 wickets, his figures are 4-1-23-3.
At this rate the thread is only going to last another 2 or 3 days, i reckon you'll get to 40 threads, see if i'm close. Hope everyone is ok and you have a nice weekend.

>58 PaulCranswick: Oh dear. I've rumbled you? Doesn't that mean a street brawl?

Oh Paul...how nice to know that you are among the ranks of your fellow LT friends who simply cannot resist purchasing books even though a small voice lets us know we have no where else to place them, that they are hidden under beds, in closets, in drawers and snuck into the house in the middle of the night so our partners cannot tell us again and again how out of control this obsession is.

When we moved house, my husband let me have 3 ceiling to floor bookshelves, and said they were to be all mine; but my things were not allowed to encroach onto any other shelves. Simple - since I was organising the study / library, I put all the files, magazines, text books etc (his, mine and whoever's) onto the other shelves, and kept my 3 free for my books. Still might not be enough, though.

Around my parents, though, I still smuggle books in, because books were always a forbidden pleasure; I had a dreadful habit of getting lost in a book (usually fiction) instead of doing homework, and I still have an ingrained dread of being discovered reading ;)

John - I have just seen the news that Yorkshire have done the business with Johnny Bairstow showing his class with 60 odd in 45 balls and Tim Bresnan only going for 22.
I have shopped several times in Waterstones in the Ridings.

Linda1(92007) - hahaha rumbled of course refers to picking up on / being aware of my intentions. No brawling allowed I'm no fighter and it would be embarrasing to be beaten to a pulp by a lady.

Linda2(Whisper) - Actually SWMBO did mention today that she wants me to start putting some of my books on top of the row of wardrobes in our master bedroom.

Re: #74 - Thanks, Paul. I'll pass along that very extensive list!

Hi Paul - I'm anxiously waiting for Disgrace. Nice review. You have so many lists! How do you keep track of them all?

Katie - no problem I hope she enjoys herself

Beth - It is worth waiting for. I have a data base of all my books bought and/or read since i came to Malaysia at the beginning of 1994 and this helps with some of the lists....plus an annoying affliction of retaining otherwise useless facts and figues.

I like the different usage of the same words. Rumbled makes me think of West Side Story, hence the fighting, but I have also heard it used by British friends in the way you used it earlier, Paul.

GENRE HALF DOZEN:
SHOULDABEENS

WRITERS UNFAIRLY OVERLOOKED FOR THE NOBEL PRIZE

This is of course inspired by Darryl's interest in likely winners this year. The most common complaint is the omissions of Graham Greene, Emile Zola, Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekov, August Strindberg, Henrik Ibsen, Mark Twain and Arthur Miller, but who else could and almost certainly should have won:

GBR - W.H. AUDEN
USA - ROBERT FROST
RUSSIA - VLADIMIR NABOKOV
FRANCE - MICHEL FOUCAULT
ARGENTINA - JORGE LUIS BORGES
ITALY - ITALO CALVINO

Jenn - I was actually a little taken aback by Linda's comment initially an had to look it up until I discovered the american usage of the word and realised that she was being metaphorically and certainly wrongly being challenged to a duel!

Paul, your splurge looks excellent! I'm also experiencing Darryl-fuelled desire to find a copy of Garden of Evening Mists but it's not yet available here.

Okay, so I was born & raised in a small town near Daytona Beach, an hour or so north of Orlando.
Using your criterion, here is what I can find:
Zora Neal Hurston (good start, I'd say), raised in Eatonville, about 6 miles north of Orlando.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, lived in Cross Creek, in Alachua County, home of the University of Florida and within 2 hours of my hometown.
Pat Frank lived in Tangerine, in Orange County and definitely within the appropriate circumference.

Lillian Smith is from Jasper, probably too far away by your standards.
Carl Hiaasen was born in Plantation, way down in Broward County, definitely too far away (but my college roommate and best friend was from there).

I'll keep looking.

Hi Paul, unfortunately we didn't win the 20/20 final which was a shame as one or two players put in some good performances, Bairstow and miller in the semi-final and miller again in the final. The weather has picked up today so i might do a bit of gardening and then some reading, i got some serious reading done yesterday so that i can move up on your list from 165th position. Hope everything is ok with you and how is your mum.

Adding Disgrace to the GFW. Wish I could just haul off and buy it now, but still a little too pricey for me (I am soooo cheap!!!).
Regarding your 'little splurge' from yesterday - did you actually creep out of the house to a store or just fire up the ol' 'puter? I love the mental picture of you sneaking out of the house, shoes in hand, to go to a bookstore! Oh, you bad, bad man!

Joe's comment is so far back - but I'm with you on the Hornblowers - I LOVED those. Never have gotten into the O'Brian's.

Mary Stewart is a blast, and so is Josephine Tey - she was new to me here on LT too.

Ellen - not a bad list and probably a little unfair due to different population densities etcs but my list was within a 5 mile radius or so and I would guess is fairly difficult to surpass (proud Yorkshireman that I am)!
Zora Neale Huston would be a fairly big hitter and of course Jack Kerouac was a long time resident of Orlando.

John - I thought we would do it, but Miller looks good value for one-dayers. My mum is fine thanks mate and looking forward to the operation as I think she wants it over and done with. A week to the end of the month and I will certainly be plummeting down the book reading table as I have loads on the go and little finished.

Charlotte - don't buy it. Caro is coming over in September - if you PM me your address I will beg her to post it on to you on her return - she is from Boston although she spends most of the time at the airport!
Yesterday I let SWMBO believe that I was checking on my project sites and got in an early shift at the mall instead. 12 books crammed in one Kinokuniya bag and I was almost caught as she was busy in the kitchen on my return and I only just niftily palmed the bag to Erni for her to deposit it in my reading room.

Lucy - I don't know why but I found Patrick O'Brian so crashingly dull and I'm hoping that C.S. Forester is anything but.
I hve been looking forward to La Tey and Ms. Stewart's company for most of the year.

>99 PaulCranswick: How easy it is to misunderstand the use of words, especially slang, across countries and cultures. I never thought that you had challenged me to a duel, Paul, but was worried that you somehow did not care for my comment. I actually did also try looking up slang definitions, but did not find the British version. But all is clear now and there are certainly no worries of street fighting for us! :)

> Ooh; is Erni in on the deal, too? I hope you got her an extra big birthday present!

The Sultana slept ! And let you escape? Interesting.

I too splurged last night. I bought a couple of books for my mother's birthday. It is October 1 and I got her one of the Velva Jean books Velva Jean Learns to Fly this will be right up her alley. I also got her a memoir, as she loves to read those. German Boy. And then got her the book on Hedy Lamar Hedy's Folly. Along with a couple of other books I have already purchased it will make a nice packet in her mail box in a few weeks.

I'm off to get my morning coffee at Barnes & Noble and spend some time reading before they shut my free books down on the Nook.

Linda - glad that we don't have to find and appoint seconds as I am an inveterate coward! Have a lovely week.

Nina - She is a willing accomplice! We bought her a touch-screen handphone for her birthday and she seemed very happy with it.

Benita - For the purchase of books I can be very light on my feet! I quite like bio's of the old holywood stars - they are generally extremely racy. Enjoy your coffee.

Hello Paul - what a beautiful restaurant in your first post! I'll take a table on the porch, please.

Hope your weekend was a good one and your week to come as well.

I haven't posted up the posting/thread league for a while.
Now we have 70 threads with over 500 posts
35 posts have over 1000
17 over 2000
7 over 3000
5 over 4000
3 over 5000
1 over 6000

All those 70:

1 Paul 6069
2 Richard 5551
3 Kath 5268
4 Joe 4693
5 Mark 4592
6 Stephen 3338
7 Ilana 3129
8 Darryl 2967
9 Claudia 2916
10 Mamie 2804
11 Caro 2394
12 Amber 2337
13 Donna 2239
14 Megan 2204
15 Chelle 2084
16 Lucy (Sibyx) 2027
17 Ellen 2001
18 Bonnie 1914
19 Suzanne 1851
20 Stasia 1616
21 Peggy 1542
22 Terri (tymfos) 1516
23 Linda (Whisper) 1478
24 Roni 1454
25 Jude 1391
26 Judy (Delta Queen) 1352
27 Sara (Saraslibrary) 1143
28 Micky 1138
29 Joanne 1102
30 Nora 1101
31 Calm 1098
32 Katie 1095
33 Deb 1085
34 Heather 1082
35 Lynda (Carmenere) 1065
36 Luxx 993
37 Morphy 913
38 Kim (Berly) 885
39 Gail 878
40 Kerri (DorsVenabili) 867
41 Linda (Lindapanzo) 838
42 Nathalie 822
43 Anne (AnneDC) 771
44 Dee 762
45 Kerry 746
46 Anne (AMQS) 742
47 Nancy 736
48 Rachel (TheHibernator) 711
49 Valerie 709
50 Laura 704
51 Cushla 698
52 Genny 681
53 Kara 680
54 Lori (Thornton) 667
55 Pat (phebj) 656
56 Jim (drneutron) 648
57 Tui (Tiffin) 639
58 Leah 629
59 Beth 622
60 Liz (Lyzard) 609
61 Brit 598
62 Rhian (SandDune) 595
63 Faith (Dk_Phoenix) 583
64 Katherine (qebo) 580
65 Madeline 559
66 Tina (tututhefirst) 557
67 Terri (tloeffler) 553
68 Eris 518
69 Anita (FAMeulstee) 516
70 Ellie 511

Thanks Joanne - table reserved. I am expecting a busy but enjoyable week as Prue is in town on Thursday. Hope the week ahead is equally kind to you.

Finished The Garden of Evening Mists; you must read it!! I'll be blogging a review, maybe this week. Brilliant. Particularly evocative description of the landscapes, sights and sounds, of the Cameron Highlands.

Joyce Holms titles include Thin Ice, Bad Vibes, Bitter End. I see I misspelled her name, by leaving off the final "s", so that might be why you couldn't find the books. I suspect they are out of print.

Leave town for a week, miss another Paul thread! I enjoyed your mini-lists up above and I hope I get to check in again before this thread moves on.

(By the way I can't help noticing that you've been reading some of the same books for many threads now. How's it going with Grapes of Wrath and Our Mutual Friend?)

So behind, so behind. I am never going to move out of my #68 spot, am I? Ah, well, 68 is a good number! :)

And hold on - Robert Frost, Leo Tolstoy, Mark Twain and Italo Calvino never got the Nobel Prize?! That is insulting! They're great writers, all of them! How anyone could pass them up... it's beyond me.

Huh, I like it. A five-mile radius would never work for my birthplace (my current city of residence would be much easier) but I like the idea of reading something by Zora Neal Hurston and Jack Kerouac in the next couple of months. Both are authors I have wanted to read for a very long time, now. Here is my opportunity. :-)

By the way, long time since we've heard much about the soaring Bambi. How is he doing?

Suz - I noticed that your opinion of Garden of Evening Mists was almost as rapturous as Darryls. It will certainly be read soon as I rarely buy what I call oversized paperbacks - needless to say the subject matter is of interest to me.
Joyce Holms's Payment Deferred is available on Book Depository and I'll order it tomorrow - it seems it is the first in a series called "Fizz and Buchanan".

Anne - Always nice to see you here. I must confess to very slow progress with three books in particular The Grapes of Wrath, Tree of Smoke ,Our Mutual Friend and H.W. Brands' Andrew Jackson. The latter is almost finished and then I will knock off the Steinbeck. I realised I took on too much at the same time and now need to read one "serious" book in concert with one 'speedster'. I am rushing through the latest in the Lennox series at the moment and will probably finish that and the Brands before the month end. I am certainly not cut out to be Amber with her 16-20 books at a time.

Eris - I do find it a bit irritating that the writers I listed were not honoured especially as the first few decades of the award threw up a slew of writers whom have not left their imprint on literature in any lasting sense.

Ellen - well at least you could probably run around your radius. I am proud of my home area's prolific production of writing talent in the face of the normal London perspective that anywhere north of Oxford is full of illiterate Northern chumps.
Bambi has just passed me in the TV area with his distinctive wonky walk. He can stand unaided and walk in his inimitable manner and seems happy with his lot - still cares nothing for his master!

I agree with you, Paul, about Foucault, and I'm surprised to know that he hasn't been a recipient. Brilliant stuff, his.

still cares nothing for his master!
silly cat

WOW those posting totals are astounding! Kath will be in second place in no time at all. Always interesting to see this info...shouldn't LT be paying you to do this?

#88> Paul, you might find it hard to track down the Hal Challis books in Malaysia, I don't think I've ever seen any of Disher's books in a bookstore here, I'm lucky that my library has most of them. I haven't read much in the way of Aussie or NZ crime though I have quite a few on my 'must read' list. Lter @austcrimefiction has a fairly thorough website - http://www.austcrimefiction.org/

Amber - as a Brit I was always of the opinion that Hardy, Auden and Greene were the outstanding candidates overlooked but then the french have a strong triumverate of their own in Zola, Proust and Foucault and the USA; Twain, Frost and Miller.

Ellen - Bambi has a sister Jinxy who lives in continual fear of me for some reason and spends all her time trying to avoid me when she is not shredding the leather chairs.

RD - I'm always open to offers mate! Kath is not closing on you Richard - she was my tip at the beginning of the year but you have outscored everyone in August.

Kerry - I have added austcrimefiction to my interesting libraries and the website is also very interesting.

Paul

Chiming in on the conversation regarding words and their use, years ago when I was volunteering at a local homeless shelter, two men seemed to be gearing for a fight. I kindly told one man not to antagonize the other. He then loudly and with anger asked me why I was calling him A Tiga!

I quickly realized that my vocabulary could indeed get me into trouble!

>97 nittnut: As Jenn properly mentioned, rumble = West Side Story.



*strikes cool pose, snaps fingers and struts menacingly*

>98 PaulCranswick: I like your list of writers who should have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. As I mentioned to your comment on my thread, I'd add James Baldwin to your impressive list.

GENRE HALF DOZEN - ANZAC CRIME AS THE NEW SCANDI?

Kerry's link to http://www.austcrimefiction.org/ of fellow LT'er, Karen.
I had thought that Australian and New Zealand thrillers and crime were basically limited to Peter Temple and Matthew Reilly but studying this site I realised there were several others who deserved highlighting as well as some old friends whose nationality/residency had escaped me:

Colin Cotterill - one or two in the 75ers have heard of him - holder of dual nationality British and Australian.
Malla Nunn - recently bought a new book by this Swaziland born writer who resides in Australia.
Barry Maitland - Scots born Architect now naturalised Australian.
Neil Cross born in UK but now from Wellington, NZ
Paul Cleave publishing from Megan's place, CChurch, NZ
Michael White british born but now based in Sydney

Linda - hahaha I must admit that I wasn't aware of the different use of "rumble" across the pond but I guess I should have been given Ali-Foreman's Rumble in the Jungle in Kinshaha in 1974. Tiga incidentally is Bahasa Melayu (malay) for the number 3!

Darryl - I would be quaking myself - dancing scares me to death!

Hey, I made it to the 5th Spot! Oh, wait a second. I was already there. Never mind...moving on.

>125 PaulCranswick: The actors in the 1961 movie version of West Side Story were superb dancers, and I think it's still my all time favorite movie, and the soundtrack from the movie by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim is easily my favorite as well. My parents wore out the first WSS album they bought in the early 1960s, and I wore out the second one a few years later. I think I can still sing many of the songs off the top of my head.

When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way, from your first cigarette to your last dying day...

Mark - Everything changes but everything stays the same!

Darryl - Not a dancer but I do remember watching the movie and soaking up Natalie Wood as Maria. Delicious.

>129 PaulCranswick: Yep. I've been madly in love with Natalie Wood since 1965 or so.



Sigh...

Darryl .. the dancers in that movie were very 'orange' ... methinks many hours spent under a tanning lamp? But it is also the hubster's favorite movie and soundtrack. Favorite track on the soundtrack? Mine would have to be 'Tonight'.

Our drama group in college put up WSS one year and I tried out for a part in the chorus but they wisely suggested I'd be better off working as part of the set up crew. Hmmm.... my singing not up to par.

>128 kidzdoc: When you’re a Jet, let them do what they can, you got brothers around, you’re a family man!

Oh yes we played the record constantly.

131 Favorite track on the soundtrack? Mine would have to be 'Tonight'.

Wow. Is it possible to choose one track? Prologue is an brilliant, edgy and tension filled opening number. America makes me want to dance and sing at the top of my lungs ("Skyscrapers bloom in America, Cadillacs zoom in America, industry boom in America, 12 in a room in America"), and is a still very apt and biting commentary on America's complicated relationship with its Latino immigrants ("Free to be anything you choose, free to wait tables and shine shoes"). Tonight is unforgettably beautiful. However, if I had to choose one track, it would be One Hand, One Heart, which still chokes me up and brings tears to my eyes.

>132 brenzi: You're never alone, you're never disconnected, you're home with your own, when company's expected, you're well protected.

No, it's not possible to choose one favorite from West Side Story! So wonderful. We did a West Side Story set a few years ago in Chorale that included "Something's Coming," "I Feel Pretty" (dance number for our girls), and "Gee, Officer Krupke" (boys' number, somewhat sanitized and personalized with inside jokes). I've seen the show a few times, but never the movie *hangs head in shame* Callia will read Romeo and Juliet this year in school, so West Side Story might be a wonderful way to follow that up.

Darryl thanks for starting this chat about West Side Story. Thanks especially for the picture of Natalie Wood - I will have a peek of it before going off to sleep every night this week.

Caro - I would go for "Maria" as sung by Jim Bryant on the OST. Hahaha I can just picture your injured expression when you are politely told to utilise your skills backstage. It may come as a surprise that I was a singer in a polish jazz band in Huddersfield in the 1980's and was something of a notable although I must hasten to add it was more for my geriatric backing band! Still love to oil the pipes occasionally with SWMBO at the karoake joints - My version of 'Tell Laura I Love Her' brings tears to the eyes apparently (which cease when I stop singing!).

Bonnie - I can see that an LT production is in the offing here. Anne as choirmeister naturally and I assumen we have the wherewithal to fill all the roles magnificently.

Anne - Must be one of the finest adaptations of Shakespeare ever WSS.

Definitely "Tonight" for me. But it is hard to pick.

Anyway...

#117 -- Paul, your comments here and elsewhere are why I take literary prizes with a very large grain -- nay, a truckload -- of salt. The perception of merit at the time an author is writing isn't completely correlated with lasting merit, as history has shown only too clearly. If the juries get it right, wow, I am VERY impressed and awed. I wonder if we lived for 150/200 years, would we see the same merit in the books that we love today a century from now?

Ha -- didn't know Colin Cotterill was a dual. I keep meaning to read Paul Cleave. Will trot off now and see what I can find.

Greetings from Albany, Georgia, Paul! Alas, I am saddened to report that we have seen no properties here with pole barns- perhaps it is a Midwest thing?!

All caught up here, which is actually amazing because I was so far behind. As I currently reside just outside of Muncie, Indiana, the home of Ball State University, I can unequivocally state that David Letterman would be proud that I made the top ten in your posters list. Amazing!

Love all of the lists and also the West Side Story talk - I just adore that movie.

Darryl- Thanks for the Natalie Wood photo! I've always been a big fan too! She had quite an interesting film career.

I looove West Side Story. I can't possibly pick a favorite song. However, it is just a wee bit disturbing to begin my day with visions of Darryl striking the cool pose and doing that menacing, finger-snapping strut. I hope he's in the privacy of his own home and not strutting about the hospital wards!

>139 lauralkeet: Oh. Maybe that's why the hospital Security officers are headed in my direction...

>140 kidzdoc: :
Boy, boy, crazy boy,
Get cool, boy

Suz - I also didn't realise about Colin Cotterill - the link given by Kerry was fascinating - I also didn't realise that Colin Falconer was Australian (although also born in GB).
When I was in NZ I noticed a few books in the stores there of Paul Cleave and he seemed quite 'hot' there. At a cost of $30 a book there I wasn't too keen to take a risk on him but at a third of the price I will be intrigued to see what he is made of.
There is an element of being smart in hindsight in picking the duds in some of the awards but the Nobel committee has less excuse being as it is awarded for a body of work.

Mamie - I am miles behind this week and am struggling to get round the threads with my workload. I want to sneak a few quality hours to catch up as soon as possible.
Albany, Georgia looks an interesting place from what I can see - previous homeground of the Creek Indians and founded by Nelson Tift. The Indians called the city area Thronateeska meaning Flintstone so you could well be the new LT Fred and Wilma! The population of Albany hasn't grown in the last 20 years and is famous for the surrounding harvesting of pecans.
Famous natives include Ray Charles and Ray Stevens so musically the city punches way above it's weight. Nancy Lopez the golfer is a resident too.
Mamie - Not only Letterman is proud as you are top ten and climbing and gave most of us a quarter of a years start.

Mark - A smallish but integral part in my all-time favourite The Searchers; she was wonderful in Splendour in the Grass and I enjoyed her performance in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. Lovely lady and quite creepy that she had all those premonitions about drowning and then did so in quite dubious circumstances.

Laura - lovely.....well erm.....interesting image of a dancing and groovy paediatrician cutting a swathe through a bemused ward.

Darryl - then they would be spoilsports mate as I'm sure your performance would be highly entertaining if only a little musical!

Nina - I think Darryl has got cool off pat already - if I can find pat I'll try to get some for myself too.

Really, missing a thread transition is daunting most times, but with you, it is nearly impossible to recover from, I think?

Kath - I have to note that I am disadvantaged by sleeping in Asia whilst you are all posting in North America. It is on nights like this one when I manage to keep up in my own way but often I wake to anything between 5 and 30 posts on the 150 or so threads I like to wend my way through and that can be daunting!

Those are also good Natalie Wood film choices and let's not forget "Rebel Without a Cause". Talk about iconic.

#142: Paul Cleave is quite popular internationally but I've read a few times that New Zealand bookstores didn't stock his work up until a year ago when he won the local Ngaio Marsh Crime Award. Craig Sisterton has a website on New Zealand crime fiction, he set up the Ngaio Marsh Award a couple of years ago.

*considers persuading Paul into a bit of impromptu singing come Sept 13 and recording it to be shared with our lovely LT peeps*

>148 cameling:: Paul as Tony, Caroline as Maria? OH YES!

Hi Paul, I had to speed through several highlights and sadly missed most of what looks like really interesting conversations, but must get myself off to bed to be fresh for my painting class tomorrow. I was inspired to look up The Headmaster's Wager, doubly so when I saw Suz mention it was a favourite of hers, but since the lady refuses to post her reviews on the main pages, instead found another excellent review which had me clicking on the "reserve this book" button on my library's website instead of just putting it on the wishlist indefinitely.

I'm still in 7th huh? Must be all that posting I'm doing on my own thread. Though of course your visits help too. ;-)

Confessing to not really have heard of Paul Cleave....but that's not too surprising as Crime novels arent really my thing. But I found out recently that Ngaio Marsh has a house here in Chch that is open for perusal, her library an'all. It'd be a shame not to take advantage of that, but, I cant say it'll be first on my list of things to do.

Hi Paul, just a quick catch-up this evening. We are in a motel in northern Montana this evening and I am taking advantage of an excellent internet connection. I love your proposed list of reading for the September S&S, I am looking forward to September and some great reads!

>148 cameling: Oh yes, please, Caroline!!

Just a quick hi while I try and bash out my final work bits and pieces....See you tomorrow!

I'm ready for the show! Paul and Caro, we will be a generous audience!

West Side Story has been one of my favorite movies since the mid-60s when we would look forward to its annual showing on television. I adore the dancing and singing. Saw the "Broadway Across America" production last year and it was great fun (although I still very much want to go to NY and see something like this on the actual Broadway).

Now I have the Jets song in my head.

There are worse things. :-)

Kerry - I hadn't heard of him until I saw a display of his work in the bookshop in Cchurch Airport. Craig Sisteron I hadn't heard about until reading your post!

Caro - I am always up for impromptu singing although a little lubrication assists and a lot of lubrication effectively prevents. Who knows I might even persuade the dulcet-toned SWMBO and her nightingale of a sister to join in too!

Laura - hahaha - chivalry aside Caro may carry it off with aplomb as Maria - I would be a body-double or more correctly double-bodied Tony! With a structurally reinforced dancefloor I may even perform some of the moves!

Ilana - the write up for The Headmaster's Wager looks enticing in the extreme. It is interesting (to me at least) that with minor tweaks among the group the top 7 have remained in their respective positions from January until now. Mamie has come through the pack like a Kentucky Derby thoroughbred in order to make the top ten already and Valerie had set aside her sabbatical to jump 50 places in the last month or so, but otherwise movement up and down the table is not so spectacular.

Megan - then I suppose Dame Marsh's place would be a crime scene?

Judy - Always wanted to go through Montana and the Dakotas (without the worry of the plains indians looking over one's shoulder to avoid)
I am looking forward to the September S&S too and am on with the latest Lennox at the moment.

Anne - I can almost see you grimacing already!

Prue - I like the sound of that - "see you tomorrow".

Ellen - I'm sure you would go easy on us both.

All this talk of West Side Story makes me want to go and listen to the music. My older sister had the record when I was small and I remember listening to it loads then, but I haven't heard it for years and years.

Good evening mate, the KP saga just gets worse and worse, in 45 minutes time at 12 noon the ECB have arranged a press conference with Andrew Strauss and the rumour is that he will resign as England captain. He was due to play for Middlesex yesterday in the championship but was pulled and had meetings with the ECB all day. The press conference should also shed light on Pietersen's England future.
All this Pietersen thing has cost a good man his captaincy and overshadowed his 100th test appearance, i hope KP is told to do one and never darken an England dressing room again.

Rant over, how are you mate, the weather forecasters have got the weather right, get the flags out. Pissing it down on monday, sunny and warm tuesday and pissing it down on wednesday. It's supposed to get warmer and sunnier as the week progresses and into the weekend and next week, i do hope so as we are going to Gloucester on saturday for a few days and going to visit some nice cotswold villages.

Keep on with the reading if you can after catching up with all the threads and posts. See you mate.

Nipped in here yesterday and then right back out, seeing all the West Side Story talk (not at all my favorite movie - could barely make it through the thing). At least there's Natalie Wood chatter, too. She's adorable.

Have just finished Disgrace and as you I enjoyed it very much. Top-notch scandi-crime!

I am a fan of West Side Story... but not one I want to see yearly :) I too was a great fan of Natalie Wood. I remember the day she died.. so sad.

I definitely want a copy of the Paul/Caro West Side Story duet. Definitely.

>148 cameling:, 149, 153, 162 : So it's a date, then?

Paul, I promise that I am not. Didn't you tell me that you are a singer? Or am I thinking of your brother...?

>163 humouress: I hope so!

Um people.... how did I get roped into the singing bit? I suggested recording Paul's honeyed warbling, not my puffin-like squawks.

*waving* at Paul

I've never even seen the movie....heard of it many, many times, but have never actually watched the real thing. *ducks for cover*

#158 -- I saw ECB and mentally translated it as European Central Bank. Sigh. Obviously spending too much time on work!!

Rhian - My favourite musical of all time would be Blood Brothers by Willy Russell which played at the Phoenix theatre in the West End for many many years. I have seen it four times and regularly have the soundtrack on around the house. As a twin myself it still drags me in.

John - I agree with you mate but only in part about Andrew Strauss. For years he held his place in the side on merit but for the last 18 months or so he has had trouble (except the WIndes). Good man and a unifying force post the cavalier captaincy of Pietersen and Flintoff, but not a dynamic captain. We'll see how Alistair Cook does and which two openers follow him to India - Chopra, Adams, Carberry, Key, Horton, Hales, Peters and Root must all fancy their chances.
The weather is killing our promotion drive. Enjoy your trip to Gloucester mate.

Blood Brothers is a great musical Paul - I saw it a few years ago in Killarney and it made quite an impression.

Well, if we're doing musicals, my family votes for 'Lion King'. Took the kids to see it on Broadway (mainly for our older one), but our then-11-month-old was absolutely entranced through the first half. We were fully expecting him to give up and nap, but he was captivated by the action on stage. At the intermission, the spell was broken, and he did nap during the second half.

We took them to see it again, twice last year, when it was on tour, and now they perform it for us every so often.

OMG, I missed the West Side Story discussion! I read the booklet as a teenager when I had only 2 years of school English, worked all my way through it, by the end knew most of the songs by heart and played them (easy versions) on the piano. Went to the show when it was in my hometown, bought the movie on video and the record and... forced my local jazz dance and ballet group to study a dance to a medley of the melodies. I was completely obsessed and passed that obsession on to the other girls.

I don't have a favorite song. Definitely not the 'Tonight' duet, I preferred that 'Tonight' medley where (I think) 5 different groups were singing. And then maybe 'Somewhere'? And the Jets song. And that 'who knows... could be' thing sung by Tony. 'Maria' and the original 'America' (where only the girls sing). I preferred the original Bernstein to the adapted movie soundtrack.
Oh the memories!! Thanks for bringing it up here on LT!

*happily singing* when you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way from your first cigarette to your last dying day...
Now where is that record?

And I just remembered I saw that wonderful and tragic musical "Blood Brothers" when I was 16 and spent the summer in Brighton 'to learn English' (= party on the beach).

Oh and Hi Paul - and I wish you a happy rest-of-the-week! Sorry I got carried away!

LOL @ 172 ...

Miles behind guys - very sorry but RL hectic last few days with all my projects making difficulties all at the same time as they are wont to do when holidays are nigh. But holiday weekend is here so I can now catch up at my leisure. I also have to report upon an LT meet-up with a certain Australian pin-up girl but more of that later....

Amber - I'm with you - it is far from my favourite but worth the price of a ticket for Ms. Wood alone. Hope you'll come back soon!

Carsten - Agree with you mate - my favourite Scandi of the year so far. Not being shy with my assessment of the book I forced a new copy on Prue this evening....but more of that later

Kath - As you I like it and some of the songs have certainly stood the test of time but there are others Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Blood Brothers etc that I liked more.

Jenn - I'll see what I can do - I get the feeling that Caro may be a touch reticent though but we shall see! I certainly don't mind to sing a few numbers, but I'll probably enjoy the experience of singing em more than Caro will enjoy listening.

Nina - well Caro will certainly be in town - I think she is expecting me to sing and not to have to perform herself. As I am nothing if not shy...ahem...I will pluck up the courage if cornered.

Anne - Yes I was a singer in a Polish Jazz Band - mainly singing old standards. Problem is I'm not Polish but it didn't stop the old timers co-opting me into their ailing band....I replaced a Pole of jewish extraction in the band who was no longer able to sing in the band on account of premature death...he was in his eighties and I was only 60 years his junior - the clientele at the Station Tavern in Huddersfield where they had their regular spot were slightly bemused at the change in direction by the combo!

Caro - Don't blame me my dear - you ought to reserve judgement on the "honeyed warbling" bit for a while longer!

Stasia - waving right back at yer my dear. Will get over to your convivial lodgings shortly to see what is occurring in your world.

Valerie - I had a job in the early 1990's when I got appointed by a Newcastle contractor who intended to close his London operations and I was tasked to go down to the Smoke every week in order to close out all their project accounts. Their offices were next to Southwark Cathedral (London Bridge tube) and I used to stay at a nice hotel overlooking Hyde Park. Every week I would treat myself to a West End show and I got to see all the classic musicals - including West Side Story. As I said above my favourites (probably being British) were Phanton, Blood Brothers & Cats and I think my favourite one from earlier would have been Fiddler on the Roof - Sunrise Sunset is a classic musical song.

Suz - hahaha forget Lehmans, Barings bank, the Dow, Standard Chartered and the Federal Reserve. ECB is English Cricket Board!

Orlaith - Blood Brothers and Killarney now there are two of my favourites together in the same sentence. I remember visiting Ireland several times as a student in the 1980's and we always did the Ring of Kerry and stayed firstly in Tralee and then Killarney. What a lovely place! I had my first Lobster Thermidor in a restaurant in Killarney and fell in love with the food down the road in Kinsale.

Nina - Do you mean the kids perform snippets or that you have a private troupe that visit your pad and put on a show exclusively for humouress and clan?!

Nathalie - Love your enthusiasm for the play and your ability to energise others into being enthused also!
Speaking of memories; wasn't Brighton beach famous as the first nudist beach in England and typically for the English they chose a pebble beach for the same?

Just catching up, Paul. I would also like to hear your "honeyed warbling". Mine would sound more like warbling honey. Oh well, we each have own strengths.

Well five hours happily spent with La Prue. Collected her from her hotel slightly late, not having a driver any longer and failing to anticipate that tomorrow's public holiday would render the traffic impassable.
Prue's initial observation was that I was not as haggard as she expected! I guess I should grab that one as a compliment of sorts - I think I know what she means!
Her other comment that she didn't know how I managed to drive over in KL with no lines in the road says more about my driving than the state of the roads but we still landed safely in KLCC Twin Towers car park. Stuffed our faces (Nyonya Cuisine) somewhat shamelessly and gossiped away like the old chums we in some ways are despite it being our first tete a tete.

Isn't that the way with this group - we know each other so well that upon first acquaintance we are comfortable with an immediacy that surprises all but ourselves?

Prue had brought me a Patrick White (appropriate being Australia's only Nobel winner) - The Eye of the Storm and a lovely cookery book for SWMBO The Songs of Sapa.
She very kindly humoured my obsession for a goodly while in Kinokuniya where I returned the favour to her by adding to her collection Jussi Adler Olsen's Disgrace, Colin Cotterill's Thirty-Three Teeth, The Caller by Karin Fossum and the excellent Lennox by Craig Russell.

I will post later the dozen or so books I sneaked into my basket whilst we were walking up and down the ample ailes of the store (as well as a few I bought yesterday lunch in Pavilion).

After narrowly avoiding the humiliation of losing my car in the KLCC basement carpark we proceeded to collect Kyran from his girlfriend's place before we returned her safely to the hotel for her to get on with the serious business of enjoying her travels to Cambodia. Kyran got a couple of photos on Prue's camera and she will put them up at some stage I'm sure.

Prue - thanks so much for spending a few hours with me in KL and brightening my day with your warmth, humour and excellent company. Enjoy the rest of your holiday and I hope your LT Meet-up in KL with this sawn-off correspondent did not disappoint too much. x

That sounds like a lovely meeting! Thank you for sharing it with us. Safe travels to Prue, and happy almost-weekend to you!

Anne - it was for me as expected - Prue has a very disarming manner and a contagious laugh.

Sounds like a fab mini-meetup -- bookshopping included!

Now, sir, are you going to join in our labor/labour day readathon??

You are way too self-deprecating, Paul. Glad the meetup went well despite the traffic!

Suz - it was indeed a nice meet-up - isn't bookshopping compulsory?
A readathon sounds tempting dear lady (Sept 3rd isn't it?) - of course I don't read quite as fast of some of you but I do need a wee bit of help with my figures so I should join in.

Roni - I'm quite happy in my own skin; but it just so happens that there is too much of it! As I was driving through the traffic I got a call from my aerospace client reminding me of the 3 O'clock conference call with Scotland. Oops Prue won that one as I had forgotten all about it in fixing the time with her earlier in the day. I called my loyal lieutenant Nizam to step into the breach and coached him what to say whilst the car trundled slowly towards Prue's hotel - so no harm done really.

#175 Their offices were next to Southwark Cathedral (London Bridge tube) That used to be my part of the world. In the late eighties I worked in an office building almost between Southwark Cathedral and the river.

I think my favourite musical of all time is Guys and Dolls, with Les Miserables and Evita coming a joint second. I don't get to see as many musicals as I would like as Mr SandDune is not so keen.

Wow, sounds like another terrific Meet-Up! LT is the best ice-breaker isn't it? Glad you guys had a great visit.

Paul- Have you heard of Dan Fesperman? His latest is The Double Game, a tale set in the world of spy novelists and espionage agents, and a book that comes with a reading of more than 200 of the best spy novels ever written.
I had not heard of this guy but this sounds fantastic and it's right in your wheelhouse.

#185
That's cheating Mark! You must have listened to Books on the Nightstand last night or this morning. I heard that review too, and was intrigued. Got that book on my wish list.

We have to wait for Pru to get back from her vacation before we see pics of the MeetUp? *sulk* What was wrong with your camera phone there, buddy?

Sounds like a fantastic meetup! I see no evidence however, so cannot be fully sure it is true.... ;)
Im so glad the meetups that I hear about are always a roaring success, not too many scary surprises. And "not too haggard"? Well, in Australia, that means "fighting fit hottie"...doesn't it?

*staying pointedly silent on topic of musicals*

Uh oh - Paul's in trouble again. Here I come to save the day...
ahhh, well... see, Caro... the camera phone...hmmm
sorry Paul - you're stuck with this one. Afterall, you did tell us you were using it on the way :}

Nevertheless, sounds like a great meetup!

Oh boy, another successful LT meet-up. I will wait patiently for the pics.....

And no one asked, but if we're still wondering what song from West Side Story one likes, how about the sarcastic "America"?

Rhian - A great part of the world and I had a very happy few months going down there. Les Mis and Evita would be two more for my list - I must admit to not having seen Guys and Dolls.

Mark - You of course got a mention yesterday for your charm and unerring judgement of what people would enjoy reading. I have read the first two Dan Fesperman books which are set in and around Sarajevo. He is good and I'm sure that you would like reading him.

Benita - You're right; the fellow doesn't need so much help in picking winners!

Caro - Well we did set a bad precedent by taking zero photos. I figured that camera phones would be unflattering and I need all the help I can get. Kyran took a few on Prue's phone and we'll wait for her.

Megan - thanks for your pleasant take on Prue's comment! I'll take not so haggard in whichever way it was meant as it certainly beats haggard doesn't it?!

Cee - Erm thanks ma'am....I don't recall mentioning my camera phone but I reckon you'd rather see a nice photo than a blurred and out of focus one.

Ellen - thanks; America is a good number from the musical but that song title always conjures up the inimitable Paul Simon.

Paul- I was mentioned in front of an "Australian pin-up girl "? I am swooning. I'll have to watch for Fesperman. This new one sounds great.

Benita- Yes, you caught me cheating. Bad Mark. Actually, I get so many recommendations from that little podcast. Like I said before, they remind me of this place. Friendly and savvy about books.

>190 EBT1002: And no one asked, but if we're still wondering what song from West Side Story one likes, how about the sarcastic "America"?

I'd give America my vote as the best dance number in West Side Story, although Mambo! is also excellent.

America: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPlcE3GcoFc

Mambo!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kokbJvSEMUY&feature=related

Thumbs up for another great LT meet-up. I think we should have a thread dedicated to just pictures of these great get togethers so we can all put names to faces. :)
Wait...where are the picture, Paul??

Sounds like a great LT meet-up, especially, of course, the sojourn in Books K.

What Cee meant about your camera phone was that you mentioned you used your phone to call the office, and in this day and age (unless you're like my dad, who bought the cheapest mobile possible (which he's thrilled about) and on the occasions he does remember to take it on his walks (the only times there isn't someone else with a phone around) it's very rarely switched on) you must have a halfway decent camera on it that you could have used.

(Since you asked, my private troupe usually plays sitting rooms and even bedrooms, and does the whole performance end to end - abridged, of course. But I think they might be too shy to play in front of anyone but family).

(And my station was Charing X (when it wasn't the Central Line) and then Jubilee and Met. A long trek into, through and out of London, which gave me the opportunity to catch up on my reading. Or cat-nap).

>195 humouress: All good points re: the phone thing :)
(hehe, I stir the pot even though I am useless at photo taking at meetups)

Mark - hahaha Benita was sharp and caught you red-handed - I'll have to look up the link to that podcast if it gives such reliable tips.

Darryl - I bought today the Soundtrack of West Side Story which is a London Cast Highlights CD. Strangely the America number is without words but is a tremendous theme nonetheless.

Valerie - a sort of wall of shame....erm...fame? I discussed with Prue and we agreed to go with the proper camera pictures. Trouble is she is en route to darkest Cambodia and I'M not sure when she'll be posting up the evidence.

Nina - Yeah I would need all the expertise of Clarence Darrow to get me off this one by the looks of it! I could have used the phone it is true but then I would still be clueless as to how to get the pics from phone to thread. PRUE HELP!
The tube was great for reading.

Megan - Thanks pal for your most useful contribution!

You're welcome ;)
Happy weekending to you Paul.

Thanks Megan....same to you and the breadsnappers.

Sounds like a great meet-up with Prue, Paul. You're right, we all know each other pretty well from LT before face to face meetups, which makes it very comfortable. Sounds like you two had a fun time!

Right....I have been pretty busy over the last few days in the book buying stakes. Not counting the few I bought for Prue:
Given by Prue:
1 The Eye of the Storm by Patrick White
2 The Songs of Sapa by Luke Nguyen
Bought in KLCC with Prue:
3 The History of History by Ida Hattemer-Higgins
4 Earthly Possessions by Anne Tyler
5 After Rain by William Trevor
6 The Man Who Knew Everything by Tom Stacey
7 The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
8 Affinity by Sarah Waters
9 Cemetery Lake by Paul Cleave
10 Daniel Martin by John Fowles
11 Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
12 The Collected Stories by Lorrie Moore
13 Beauty and Sadness by Yasunari Kawabata
14 The Bay of Noon by Shirley Hazzard
Bought in Pavilion
15 Aerotropolis by John Kasarda
16 The Fry Chronicles by Stephen Fry
17 A Death in Summer by Benjamin Black
18 Charles Dickens : A Life by Claire Tomalin
19 Driving Home by Jonathan Raban
Bought in Bangsar Shopping Centre
20 My Revolutions by Hari Kunzru
21 One Man's Bible by Gao Xingjian
22 The Penguin Book of Modern British Short Stories
23 Tides of War by Stella Tillyard
24 My Father's Tears & Other Stories by John Updike
25 The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

Not a bad couple of days work if I say so myself.

Joe, I certainly think so, but I'll be on tenterhooks until we get a post from the lady herself!

Oooh, I see a Fry in there - one of my favorite people ever.

I am very far behind. I see that you had another meetup. We should have a single thread where folks can keep track of them.. meetups.. so we can see how many are happening for each ...

Other than that.. where on earth are you putting those books ? Do you have a book room?

Oh my that's a lot of new books. Where ARE you putting them???? My side of the room is really getting scary.

Amber - I am a huge fan of Stephen Fry too. One of the most intelligent and witty people alive - a sort of modern Oscar Wilde.

Single thread for meet-ups is a good idea Kath but it may be better for an invigilator to go through the threads and collect them all together - and no, I'm not volunteering.
I do have a reading room. The four girls (Yasmyne, Bell, Erni and SIL have agitated for an extra room for a while and have their 8 eyes hell bent on my reading/music room) they have no chance! Besides their room is cosy!

Lucy - I have twelve shelves of books in the hallway; a huge teak cabinet full to the brim of books in the bedroom; books stacked on and below my bedside table (SWMBO's is free from clutter); there is a bookcase in the bedroom. And then there is my reading room where most of them are.

You could always make a thread in the meetups group: http://www.librarything.com/groups/librarythinggatherin

Impressive haul , even for you .........

Alamak Paul... I was going to surprise you with a copy of Beauty and Sadness and The Fry Chronicles when I came over, but you've already bought them. *sigh* Ok, back to my shelves they go.

Nice haul, Paul!! And your meet-up with Prue sounds terrific. You have been very busy. I am trying to figure out where all the books will fit in the new house - perhaps Craig needs to build me a pole barn for the lodging of them?!

Nora - I'm happy enough as it is to see the various photos on everyone's threads - probably because I love trawling the threads so much anyway. I thought the idea of making a dedicated thread for the meet-ups a good one but stressed that I wouldn't be the one doing it!

Alex - Thanks, long time no see. Trust everything is well with you and that NZ is slowly rolling towards winter's end.

Caro - I will have a nice gift with your company in any event.

Mamie - It was great to meet-up with Prue and we agreed that your thread was the "find" of the year (as the stats of course attest). Lovely to see things moving nicely towards a satisfactory denouement with your house moving but I do think, space allowing, you ought to introduce your pole barn tradition to your pecan paradisio.

Hi Paul - Impossible to keep up with you. So, hello, great haul -- I love Fowles and have had The Tides of War on my top shelf for a while.

Thanks Beth - I think some of Fowles stuff, especially Lyme Regis based French Lieutenant's Woman reminds me of a latter day Thomas Hardy.

> 211 Yes ... well ... as long as we don't mention the NZ Cricket team .........

Alex - hahaha I'd forgotten that they have a cricket team!

66.

Andrew Jackson : His Life and Times by H.W. Brands

Magisterial is the word probably most apt to describe this hugely informative, intelligent and densely written biography of America's second hero President (after Washington). Probably the most anti-British of all Presidents, Jackson went from relative obscurity and the early loss of parents and siblings, via countless duels, feuds, scores settled, wars prosecuted firmly against the Indians and the British to the White House. The gaining and loss of his wife at the moment of his triumph are just part of the wealth of incident imparted by Brands both about Old Hickory as well as the parade of characters that peopled his times.

7/10

Another wee blitz in Popular Book store in Ampang whilst I was waiting for SWMBO to buy stationery for the kids' return to school next week. Because I paid for the stationery and subsequently bought her perfumeshe overlooked my latest mini splurge:

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Summertime Death by Mons Kallentoft
Subterranean by James Rollins
The Last Oracle by James Rollins (buy 2 1 free so this was free)
The Ambassadors by Henry James
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Bitter-Sweet Harvest by Chan Ling Yap
The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw

Paul, I know that I wrote you a comment yesterday, but it seems to have disappeared into LT oblivion. Oh well. You'll have to settle for a simple 'hi'.

Linda - hi back! Bit eerie thinking that there is an oblivion somewhere gobbling up well intentioned posts!

>217 PaulCranswick: : That's what you call a mini-splurge? Obviously I have to step up my book-buying activities!

Aw, shucks - you are such a sweet talker! And I was so happy to be found! Now I don't know what I would do without all of you wonderful people - let's not find out!

I have an Andrew Jackson biography on my shelf waiting patiently for me, but it is the Jon Meecham one. That's a lovely haul you just acquired - The Color Purple is one of my favorites.

Nina - Well it was compared to that two days earlier with La Prue!

Mamie - Words escape me suddenly! I'm not used to so many kind words bombarding me with such welcome regularity.

On 2 September 1945, WWII was finally and formally brought to an end.

On 2 September 1966, Paul Cranswick was an unexpected addition to the Cranswick household as Vivienne was unbelievably not expecting twins. At only a smidgen over 3 lbs (what the hell happened?) our young correspondent was in an incubator for two weeks and has rarely stopped eating since.

I was surprised by the tribe (Hani, Yassie, Kyran, Belle & Erni) with Cake in the shape of a huge book and KFC (more for Belle I think) and now late night in-house movie of my choice The Graduate.

Special perfume from the UAE from SWMBO - pens and ink from the kids.

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Happy Birthday, Paul!! Sounds like you had a lovely Time of it so far. A cake shaped like a book - how did they guess that you love reading? Sending you my best wishes for a day filled with loads of fabulous things.

Thanks Katie

Mamie - Yep I don't know how they worked that one out. Thanks for the kind words; not sure I should be celebrating or commiserating.

Celebrating- most definitely!

Happy Birthday Paul!

Many happy returns, Paul! Nice surprise.

Happy Birthday Paul - what a wonderful family you have:)

Mamie- what a way to celebrate with Dustin, Katherine and Ms Bancroft.

Rhian - thank you

RD - Thanks mate, feel even better being too late to your party a few days ago.

Calm - Lucky they look like their mum. Thanks.

Lovely family picture!!! And a very Happy Birthday to you!

Hi Paul - Lovely family and photo and happy birthday!

From way up top, I'm really looking forward to the new Jussi Adler-Olsen, as I loved The Keeper of Lost Causes. Glad you rated it so highly!

Birthday? Hope it's super happy ...

Happy Birthday Paul! What a great family photo! You have such a lovely family. And I have to say, you are a Book-Buying Maniac and of course I mean that in the nicest possible way.

>227 PaulCranswick: Gawsh- you guys are a gorgeous family! What a great shot. Happy Birthday Paul!!
And thank you for buying so many books, and making my paltry 19 look very manageable now :)
Happy day to you my friend...and there's still plenty of time for you to pick out a large gift and have it sent to me in time for mine in 28 days ;) lol

Happy Birthday, Paul! I hope it was a dandy one for you!

Happy Birthday dear Paul! I'm behind here as always, but saw the new family photo on FB and "liked" it yesterday. I'm so jealous of your meetup with Prue... how I would have loved to be there too! For the record: next time you have a meetup, how about posting pics of it on your own thread too? Harumph!

xx i. :-)

Happy happy birthday, Paul ... and what a great picture of your family. Simply gorgeous, every single one of you.

Happy birthday Paul. Sounds like a lovely day with new books as the icing on the cake!

Roni - thank you my dear.

Kerri - thanks; Scandi of the year so far for me is the Adler-Olson. I was so enthused by it I was insistent that Prue take a pristine copy of it home from out meet-up.

Kath - thanks it is 9.00 a.m. here or thereabouts on my birthday morning and the tribe (other than Erni who has given me my coffee already and Belle) are fast asleep. Planning some reading for the readathon and a trip to one of my favourite restaurants when I can decide which one.

Mark - thanks mate; guilty as charged I suppose. I have been slow around the threads these last few days and hope to catch up soon as I need to update the reading league (notice you are in three figures already).

Thanks Megan - of course you are the only 75er other than I to have seen the whole bunch of them in RL. PM me your address and I'll make it with a little something for your b/day hahaha!

Stasia - thanks I still have 15 hours of it to go. Sent and received a message from my twin who also surprisingly enough is celebrating today too!

Ilana - thank you my dear. I'm sure you would not be tremendously surprised to know that you did crop up in conversation in my meet-up. If I can recall correctly Prue stated that it was one of her ambitions to meet Ilana at least once in her lifetime!
btw I also got a birthday message and card from my dear old dad - guess he's forgotten that a few months earlier he'd accused me of laundering money!

Caro - thanks; I think SWMBO may tag along on our next meet-up. I think she wants to set up a supply-chain for luxury US goods!

AND MANY MORE!!!!

Kerry - well I haven't bought any yet today as the shops haven't opened here yet, but who knows?! Still I have added 39 books to the structural load in our condominium.

Cee - thanks I hope you're right - 46 is such a small number isn't it?

At 46, I would say you are not even halfway there if you ever learn how to relax!

btw - the picture of your family is a winner!
Have a great day ;-)

Happy Birthday - sounds like you have had a great day !!!!

PS please continue on the spurges - they make all of ours look small in comparison :)

Haha Paul, I'm not unfamiliar with being a personal courier for US goods into various countries when I travel. My caveat nowadays is, it has to be small enough to fit into my luggage and cannot weigh more than a baby goat.

Cee - nice thought - not even halfway because I have so many books to read!

Alex - I do aim to please, although Hani did raise the issue of diminishing space when she got up just now.

Caro - I don't think she will bother you to import baby goats somehow!

Happy Birthday young man!! Great photo. It's nice to put faces with names.

Thank you Reba - as much for the "young man" as anything else!

130 posts behind, but I'm so happy I didn't miss your birthday. Happy birthday, Paul! Your family is so beautiful, by the way - they are lucky to have such an awesome book obsessed and Doctor Who loving (that's very important in my mind) father and husband.

46 isn't a big number at all! It's younger than my mom, and she's doing just ducky. :)

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Nice family photo! Did you start celebrating on the stroke of midnight, or something? Well, last year my eldest very kindly assigned the whole month for my birthday, and I'm already angling for the same deal this year. So, why not?

And you say your twin is celebrating a birthday too? I wonder how old he is? What a coincidence. (Mind you, my parents share a birthday, though 2 years apart. My mum claims my dad never remembers her birthday until she gives him his card)

Oh, and Happy Fathers' Day, too, from Down Under. (You can mention that to Hani if she brings up the space issue again today. Bet you didn't get any other presents for Fathers' Day today; I assume it's not Fathers' Day, in Malaysia)

Happy birthday Paul! you have a beautiful family :)

Bountiful birthday blessings! And such a gorgeous family. I know you claim it's all SWMBO's genes but you must be partially at fault there somewhere. Ha!

Happy birthday Paul! Sounds like you had a pretty great day. Love the family photo.

Eris - Also glad that you stopped by on my big day! Your mum being older than me makes me feel.....well.....not so old I guess. I may audition for the part of the next Doctor as there are firm rumours that he is about to quit.

Nina - It is a habit of the kids and SWMBO that they will "surprise" me with cake, candles and food about a minute after midnight. Parents with the same birthday - wow that is a coincidence; difficult surely for a man to forget his wife's birthday under those circumstances.

Lisa - lovely to see you on one of your rare appearances this year. Hope everything is well over in NZ for you and your boyfriend and that we get more news from you soon.

Morphy, I would have to credit SWMBO, just in case she has a look at my thread! Thanks for the kind words.

Laura - So far a good day and I am going to cap it off with a meal at my favourite spanish restaurant in town with the entire tribe - I am in the mood for farmer's paella.

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Happy Birthday Paul - I have been very remiss in not stating here and now that: first - Mr Cranswick looks like a fresh-faced 30 year old with not a wrinkle on his (don't blush) but yes, definitely handsome face. It is extraordinary to meet someone for the first time and feel like old friends - even gossiping about people in common - but what is said in KL stays in KL. Paul is fantastic company and generous to more than a fault. Thank you Paul for what is still the highlight of my holiday. He treated me to a spectacular meal of nonya cooking - which he is probably heartily sick of, but humoured me. Then he insisted on buying books for me - of course i chose Scadi crime to remind me of him. I can vouch for the fact that his son is not only handsome but beautifully mannered and I will in time post pictures to prove that we met in RL. Folks, Paul, you are exactly as I thought yuoiu would be - witty, erudite and intriguing. With a deep-seating sense of family and a deep love of literature. Kiss kiss Paul - you are the best!

I agree with Megan BTW, that i a wonderful photo!

So, when is the last time you and your twin celebrated the day together? Do you remember?

Happy birthday Paul!

LOVE the family pic. Happy birthday indeed.

That is a scary sounding amount of bookshelf, dude. You are courageous.

Adding my birthday wishes to those of your multitude of fans!

Darryl - thanks; must admit that I have been looking in vain for the Booker longlist books over here in a digestible format.

Prue - we are old friends; you were probably my first LT chum and your visit and our meet-up merely rubber-stamped what we knew already.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday and I hope that there will be highlights aplenty which hopefully do not feature mosquitoes as the main attraction. Look forward to the photos and Kyran says hi - he said you were cool.

Kath - thanks. Do you know I'm not entirely sure
when we last had our birthdays together but I think it was about 9 years ago because I don't remember Belle participating.
Peter has never visited Malaysia so it was in Wakefield.

Thanks Heather!

Lucy - Thanks I am a lucky chap with my family (Fifi and Erni included) all around me. Belle suggested I buy some books today but I thought the better of it so I cannot be so courageous then!
Had a lovely spanish meal to celebrate my birthday with all of them around me. Seven types of tapas followed by farmers paella (supposed to be chicken and snails but I replaced the latter with prawns) and hot chocolate pudding / coffee to end. Lovely.

Rebecca - was slowly typing whilst yours was posted. Thanks so much but I don't know about the fans bit.

Happy birthday, Paul! Sorry I missed some of the festivities. Great family photo!

Thanks mate- still my birthday for another 3 minutes

What a nice family photo. And Happy Birthday (a bit late). Impressive book purchases--you always make me feel better about my lack of restraint. I still haven't gotten around to confessing my two large hauls from my recent trip to Portland.