Paul's Books and Stuff in 2013 Part 13

One of my favourite places in the world is the Yorkshire Dales in my home county. Fresh air, wonderful walks and a rugged tranquility. Since it is still snowing in March there at the moment this photo is still apropos.

James Herriot is synonymous with the Yorkshire Dales as are his tales of veterinarian misadventures there. This is a quote from him:

If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.

James Herriot

2013 Books Read

January

1. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
2. Religion for Atheists by Alain de Botton
3. Promised Land: A Northern Love Story bt Anthony Clavane
4. A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor
5. A Drop of the Hard Stuff by Lawrence Block
6. That Awkward Age by Roger McGough
7. If Morning Ever Comes by Anne Tyler
8. Coffee, Tea or Me? by Trudi Baker
9. Among the Cinders by Maurice Shadbolt
10 Viper's Tangle by Francois Mauriac
11 Phantom by Jo Nesbo
12 When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Penman
13 The In-Between World of Vikram Lall by M.G. Vassanji
14 An Elegy for Easterly by Petina Gappah

February

15 The Shortest History of Europe by John Hirst
16 Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo
17 The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
18 The Green Hat by Michael Arlen
19 V by Tony Harrison
20 The King's Fifth by Scott O'Dell
21 This Sporting Life by David Storey
22 Thirteen Hours by Deon Meyer
23 A Short History of England by Simon Jenkins
24 Back When We Were Grown-ups by Anne Tyler
25 On the Road to Babadag by Andrzej Stasiuk
26 Island in the Centre by Rex Shelley
27 Andris Apse : Odyssey and Images by R.D. Crosby & Andris Apse
28 I Curse the River of Time by Per Petterson
29 50 Amazing Places in China by Dong Huai
30 Greyfriars Bobby by Eleanor Atkinson

March

31 Fallen Angel : The Passion of Fausto Coppi by William Fotheringham
32 Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva
33 Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes
34 After Rain by William Trevor

2013 Favourite Reads

Non-Fiction
1 Promised Land : A Northern Love Story by Anthony Clavane
2. A Short History of England by Simon Jenkins

Fiction
1 The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
2 The In-Between World of Vikram Lall
3 This Sporting Life by David Storey

Thrillers
1 Phantom by Jo Nesbo
2 Thirteen Hours by Deon Meyer

Poetry
1. Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes

Planned Reading for Quatrain 2/13 (Weeks 9 to 12) of 2013

(Provisional Listing - I may juggle a bit to fit TIOLIs)

1. Written in French (2nd of 13) - Jean de Florette by Marcel Pagnol
2. Historical Fiction (3rd of 13) - Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
3. Then and Now (3rd of 13) - History of the Second World War by B.H. Liddell-Hart
4. Old Friends (3rd of 13) - Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva (Allon) Comp 12 Mar 13
5. Scandi (3rd of 13) - Midwinter Sacrifice by Mons Kallentoft
6. Poetry/Plays (4th of 13) - Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes Comp 15 Mar 12
7. Travel (3rd of 13) - 50 Amazing Places in China by Dong Huai Comp 27/2/13
8. Sport (3rd of 13) - Fallen Angel by William Fotheringham (Cycling) Comp 8 Mar 13
9. Between the Wars (2nd of 13) -
10. Short Stories (3rd of 13) - After Rain by William Trevor (RD's challenge) Comp 19 March 2013
11. Anne Tyler (3rd of 13) - A Slipping-Down Life by Anne Tyler
12. Awards (3rd of 13) - No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod (IMPAC)
13. Asia-Pacific (3rd of 13) - He (Shey) by Rabindranath Tagore (Nobel Read)

Also to finish off

14. Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope
15. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Category Challenge

1 Works Originally in French (1/13)
2 Historical Fiction (2/13)
3 Poetry/Plays (4/13)
4 Works by Anne Tyler (2/13)
5 Books on Sports (3/13)
6 Books on Travel or Places (3/13)
7 Short Story Collections (3/13)
8 Between the Wars (1/13)
9 Scandi (2/13)
10 Old Friends (3/13)
11 Then and Now (3/13)
12 Prize Winners (2/13)
13 Asia Pacific (2/13)

Total Number of Challenges 169

Completed to Date 31

Percentage Complete 18.34%
Percentage to be on target 20.27%

Behind target 2.52%

Books at Start of Year on KL Shelves - 1,676
Added in 2013 - 319
Read in 2013 - 34

Revised TBR Total - 1,961

Pages to read at start of year - 639,135
Pages added in 2013 - 103,216
Read in 2013 - 9,306
Revised Pages to read - 733,045

Current Reading:

FLICS SEEN AT THE CIMENA in 2013 (Not a typo - I call cinema; cimena just to irritate Belle.

1 The Hobbit
2 Jack Reacher
3 Les Miserables
4 Parental Guidance
5 The Life of Pi
6. Flight
7. Lincoln
8. Django
9. Oz, The Great and Powerful

SECOND 28 DAY READING RECORD (2/13) (SECOND QUATRAIN)

BOOKS READ - 15 (Overall 28)

CHALLENGE BOOKS READ - 15 (Overall 26)

PAGES READ - 3,714 (Overall 7,853)

NEW NOBELS READ - Dario Fo 41/109

BOOKS BOUGHT - 79 (Overall 177)

NEW NOBELS BOUGHT- 0 Read/Owned 71/109

FAVOURITE FICTION - The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

FAVOURITE NON-FICTION - A Short History of England by Simon Jenkins

FAVOURITE THRILLER - Thirteen Hours by Deon Meyer

BIGGEST DUD - No real duds but if pushed to choose my least favourite The King's Fifth by Scott O'Dell (Coffee, Tea or Me? still reigns supreme in the category)

Series List:

Please refer to my page on fict-fact

http://www.fictfact.com/list/PaulCranswick/ALL

NOBEL CHALLENGE (This year's additions in bold)

NOBEL WINNERS READ WITH FAVOURITE WORK READ SO FAR:
2011 The Half-Finished Heaven by Tomas Transtromer
2010 The Storyteller by Mario Vargas Llosa
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
1997 Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo
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
1968 Beauty and Sadness by Yasunari Kawabata
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
1952 Knot of Vipers by Francois Mauriac
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

2012 Red Sorghum by Mo Yan
2008 The Interrogation by J.M.G. Le Clezio
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
1996 Poems New and Collected by Wislawa Szymborska
1993 Jazz by Toni Morrison
1992 Selected Poems by Derek Walcott
1990 The Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz
1989 The Family of Pascual Duarte by Camilo Jose Cela
1986 Ake: The Years of Childhood by Wole Soyinka
1985 Flanders Road by Claude Simon
1981 Kafka's Other Trial by Elias Canetti
1978 Enemies : A Love Story by Isaac Bashevis Singer
1973 Voss by Patrick White
1971 The Captain's Verses by Pablo Neruda
1969 Molloy by Samuel Beckett
1966 A Book That Was Lost by S.Y. Agnon
1965 And Quiet Flows the Don by Mikhail Sholokhov
1951 Barabbas by Par Lagerkvist
1950 A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
1936 A Long Day's Journey into Night by Eugene O'Neill
1934 Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello
1933 The Village by Ivan Bunin
1929 Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann
1928 Kristin Lavransdatter : 1 The Wreath by Sigrid Undset
1926 Reeds in the Wind by Grazia Deledda
1920 Hunger by Knut Hamsun
1913 He (Shey) by Rabindranath Tagore
1909 The Saga of Gosta Berling by Selma Lagerlof

So far read 41 laureates
31 laureates unread on the shelves
36 laureates whose works neither owned not read.

Good morning Paul:)

Love the opening picture.

Morning Paul - scarily enough we currently have more snow than Yorkshire! It's madness!

That's a beautiful photo. We too have snow at the moment.

Oh! I was almost first, Drat! I loved those Herriot books when I read them years ago.
What a lovely lane to walk on a late winter's day.

hi! Yup, I enjoyed the Herriot books, too. And I love the quote about how well off animals are. Last night our RL book group was not able to discuss The Magus because too few of us had finished it and/or liked it and one of our number brought her brand new 8 week old Husky puppy! Awwwwww

too cute

hope you have a great time filling in all the posts above....

Hi Paul- Love the Yorkshire Dales photo! Very nice. Congrats on Lucky 13!

Re: #261 from the previous thread - I am one of the babies :-( I think only Eris and Stephen are younger than me. I'm rather used to that though as I've always tended to get along best with people ~10 years older than me.

Hi Paul. Thought I'd just jump in before your new thread got too long although I do intend to get caught up on your last one. I love that picture of the Yorkshire Dales. For some reason, I don't associate snow with England. I think it's because I spent 5 weeks there in January/February years ago and it never seemed to get below 40 degrees. I also love the quote.

Ah, James Herriot. When we visited that part of the country back in 2002, one of my favorite touristy things was the little town of Richmond where they filmed part of the BBC series. I adored that series and his stories are perfect bedtime material. When my MIL was in hospice a couple of years ago and barely lucid, I read aloud to her from All Creatures Great and Small. I don't know that she followed the content, but my voice seemed to be soothing (and everyone else in the house was certainly soothed by the sweet tales).

I've been awol for too long, Paul. Trying to keep up with RL and, to be honest, trying to prioritize reading of books over playing on LT. It's a tough balance to maintain......

I hope you're doing well and that plans for the U.S. Paul Tour are underway.

I loved the James Herriot books to when I read them c. 1980. And the TV series based on them which showed off that lovely Dales scenery.

Serene photo at the top, Paul; I can see it this time.

LOVE the thread topper, Paul! Congrats on thread number thirteen!

Hi Guys - Sorry I sort of started my new thread and then bolted for the hills or Dales as it were anyway. Left the office and then got shanghaied by SWMBO to go off to the Popular Bookstore to buy provisions for Yassie's mathematics exam tomorrow - scientific calculators, compass & geometry sets etc; don't know why they leave it until the night before the exam but still.
Had no time really and Popular is actually and rather ironically my least favourite of the bookstores but I still found time to add:

Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford in all its traditionalist Penguin-packaged glory.

After that coffee and a doughnut with SWMBO at Starbucks whereat she graciously allowed me to continue with my reading of Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes - I am spellbound by the power and naked honesty of his words. Explained to SWMBO something of his story and the background to the anthology re: his long departed suicided spouse and she was keen to draw parallels with herself as my muse - the coffee almost lodged in my throat at the presumptiousness - she is better looking than Ms. Plath would have ever been and I share little with Hughes other than a Yorkshire birthing.

Calm - And West Wales has a winner!! Please PM me your address and I will pick something out for our Book Depo buddies to despatch to you.

Bekka - One minute away from 1st place. I thought that Bergerac had banned snow from the Channel Islands?!

Diana - It seems, looking at the weather in Europe from the safety of a South East Asian television set, to be pretty horrid sunbathing weather over there at present.

Lynda - Those dry-stoned walls abound throughout the district. The TV series All Creatures Great and Small captured the essence of the books superbly if you ask me.

Karen - Husky puppies do tend to distract from an appreciation of Fowles' prose! I will get to filling in the blanks above after answering all my messages with a warm glow in my cockles.

Mark - Thanks mate; I certainly feel that 13 has been lucky for me thus far this year.

Great opening picture!
Loved the Herriot books, too. His quote is so true...

Nice new thread - Have a peaceful night zzzzzzzzz

#26 He bleedin' well should have done! It's gone from fun to nightmare (back probs + one 5year old stir crazy girl who wants to play + 2 year old boy who won't even stand on it in his wellies + trying to work from home). Roll on spring!

Nora - Well I would qualify being more than 20 years your senior but certainly young at heart. Speaking of Eris, there is a connection between the Herriot books/TV series and Doctor Who in that Peter Davison played Tristran in the TV series was also the Fifth Doctor.

It's funny Pat that my associations with my homeland tend to follow the seasons there despite the absence of any over here. In winter therefore I tend to remember seasonal events and writing a poem looking out from our bay window at the street outside covered in a fresh fall of snow after a blizzard. I called the thing uninspiredly "Snowscene" and will have to dig it up and share it sometime so that my pals can cringe along with me at my gauche pretensions.

Ellen - Always love to see your posts and enjoyed, if that is the right word, your anecdote about reading Herriot to my MIL. She wouldn't of course understand you if you were barely lucid so I guess you meant it was she!
American trip planning is not going well with work and school commitments encroaching somewhat but - it will happen -

Genny - It was a wonderful complement and compliment to the books with Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy and Peter Davison wonderful in their respective roles and Carol Drinkwater was good as the love interest and later wife of the hapless vet.
I know it is the opposing set so to speak but what are your views and hopes on the election of a new Pope about to commence in Rome. Do you think there is a chance of a modernising Pontiff, one who will genuinely reach out to other denominations and religions and stress their similarities in a spirit of toleration rather than their differences in a spirit of intemperance?

Nina - hahaha; that makes a nice change for my hastily constructed boudoirs.

Thanks so much Mamie; I will get along to the Paradisio as soon as I am able.

Had a bit of a nasty shock today as well as some good news.

We have a small army of irregulars who help us with measurement of works if we have a rush on and primary amongst these is my right-hand man Nizam's best friend Akashyah (a man). I saw him at the office on Saturday where he was helping our seasonless spring cleaning but was on crutches after a football injury. Nizam was devastated today and the office upset that Akashyah died of a massive heart attack at home this morning at only 34 years old. Rest in peace dear fellow.

Good news is that Halim's son has been allowed home from hospital this morning whilst he is awaiting his kidney transplant from his mum, Sal. I am grumpily without my driver for two days as a result but I am really happy for this to be the reason to drive myself.

Cee - He does have a point if we look at the news every day. Someone showed me a video clip yesterday of one of the Malaysian policemen captive by the Sulu insurgents in Sabah (Borneo). Fastened to a chair they cut off his fingers and then severed his throat and literally cut-off his head. Emotions are running quite high over here with such barbarity and I don't think that Herriot's dog would have been capable of such cruelty, soul or not.
It is not midnight here yet......still early!

Poor Bekka - I remember what our three were like at those ages especially faced with something unusual like snow. I have tried before and always failed to work from home.

Hi mate, love the picture. We will be having a ride into the dales on saturday as long as i am fit and well.

So sorry to hear the bad news about your friend - that is very young.

Good to hear that Halim's son is home from hospital. Drive safely!

That video clip sounds horrendous.

I'll PM you my address later.

John - Very jealous, although a drive up there will be taxing enough given the conditions.

Calm - The good thing about reading Ted Hughes is that you need to concentrate and therefore I really cannot drive and read!

1984, a strange year for me. My apprenticeship finished three days before we went on strike and then a busy july. 21st birthday on the 6th, stag do on the 21st and got married on the 28th and the last one only seems like yesterday and i would do it again in a trice.

John - I remember the Miner's Strike vividly but, of course, not from such close quarters as you did. I remember the long row of terraced houses in Sharlston where one of my Aunties lived with the slag heap behind it that we found so interesting as kids but which is, no doubt, as consigned to history as are the mines thereabout.

#31 Unfortunately I have docs I need to comment on :/ It's not going well..

#30 Really sorry to hear about your friend's friend - 34 is far far too young.

32.

Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva (Category Challenge : Old Friends 3/13 {Allon})

Pretty standard fare from Silva in this 11th installment of the Gabriel Allon series.

For the uninitiated Gabriel Allon is a sometime art-restorer sometime Israeli spy and assassin. In this latest adventure he stumbles upon a suicide bomber in London's Covent Garden which sets in motion intrigue and his usual principled but unrealistic moralistic dilemma choices as he and his team set about bringing the mastermind to heel.

Nothing new here, it is very much in Silva's tried and trusted comfort zone. Luckily I'm comfortable there too. Very readable.

7/10

Bekka - I hope you get the docs sorted without too much mishap to the youngsters! We never know when we are going to get that call from on high (or below as the case may be) and I guess that is why I like to fill my days so.

Only 34 years old - shocking!
I have to confess that I missed every last blinking word of your last thread. Once more, I promise to do better.
Love the picture up top! How peaceful it looks. Would give a lot to be able to live in such a place.

Charlotte - Poor chap had just taken up a new job in Johor and was telling me on Saturday how much he was looking forward to learning new things.
Peace and quiet aplenty in the Dales for sure.

In your last thread Joe said that Norwegian Wood was Murakami's weakest book. I agree. I know that this is the book that made Murakami a star in Japan, but I think it is so much about culture that it loses something in translation. As a result, I don't recommend it as the first Murakami people should read. I would like to see the Japanese movie that was made of this book a few years ago, but so far haven't had the chance to do so. I think that Kafka on the Shore is a good place to start reading Murakami, but 1Q84, even though it is very lengthy, is also a good starting point. I also read a couple of his short story books and think those are also a good place to start.

My next Murakami will be Wild Sheep Chase. This is one that I have wanted to get to for a long time.

Hi mate, yes the slag heap has gone and they are building some houses near to the crossley street side, unfortunately the Kibble has closed down and is boarded up. Yes the strike was a bloody awful year but i did have some high points.

34 is far too young to go... Did he have a wife or children?

As for a new Pope, I of course do not have any insider knowledge... They are saying there is no clear candidate at the outset. The fact that many of the cardinals doing the electing will be of a more conservative bent having been appointed by a conservative Pope makes it unlikely that the new man will be a moderniser. But there have been surprises before now in the process.

Paul, so sad to hear about the young man's demise. I agree with you: we never know, so live as much as you can every day.

Dear Paul,
I am so sorry to hear about that young man's untimely death. So shocking, and so, so sad.

I cannot see the photo up top, but I promise to visit when I get home and have a real computer rather than this clunky rarely-functioning box I have at school. I remember when my kids were little we often read stories aloud from the James Herriot Treasury for Children -- such beautiful stories.

Oh dear Paul, 34 years old is awful. That is very sad.

The photo at the top is lovely. Great opening for your thread.

Such a sad story about your friend's friend sudden death, and at 34 years old.

The Yorkshire Dales is lovely. Of course I read all the James Herriot books when I was young and loved them. I also think of Bill Bryson when I think of the Dales, funnily enough, as though he is from my state of Iowa originally he lived in the Dales with his family for quite some time, I believe.

Oh God - 34 years old... that is just too tragic.
So sorry to hear it... we are poorer for losing his youthful enthusiasm and talent.

Oh boy, that's what I get for writing without at least a brief editorial review. Yes, it was she who was barely lucid, although one might try to make the case regarding me.

xo

Very sad to hear about your friend, Paul.

Ah, I see the picture now. Beautiful.

First I have to confess that I've been AWOL from LT & only skimmed through the latter part of your last thread. I'm sorry :(

Secondly, your home country/area in the thread topper is beautiful! Such a lovely picture.

Lastly, I'm very sorry to hear about your young friend. Any age is hard when it comes to death, but that is just so young that I'm sure you were all shocked to your core! ((hugs all around)).

Benita - I think that Kafka on the Shore will be my next Murakami. I have had it ready to read a few months for TIOLI challenges and not quite gotten around to it.

John - It must be a sign of encroaching middle age when we start to reminisce about slag heaps!

Genny - I suppose that it was a small crumb of comfort that he had no dependents as such having divorced without kids some five or six years back.
I am not hopeful of much change from the Vatican. I really do hope someone with someday have a real go at reconciliation and/or at least a better understanding between faiths and "non-faiths" such that toleration abounds - I don't think it will be just yet unfortunately.

Gail - I think "seize the day" ought to be the motto. Striving towards your goals in life, so long as they are not eminently selfish ones, is a responsibility of all of us not to waste our time here.

Anne - Herriot's a gifted storyteller and the immediacy of his stories are ideally suited to capture the interest of children.

Popping in for a quick "hello!"

Paul- I am very sorry to hear about your friend. My deepest sympathies. I hope you get to Kafka. It's an amazing read.

Bonnie - Thanks, I also like the shot even though it is not exactly the conditions I am presently living under.

Julia - Bryson is another who is always a pleasure to read and whether the Dales has rubbed off on him or not he is definitely a popular writer in the North of England.

Cee - Thanks; he is, of course, according to islamic dictates already buried and it was a sad sight to see his utterly bereft mother trying to come to terms with the shock of losing a son who seemed so full of life a mere day or so earlier.

Ellen - hahaha, I of course knew exactly what you meant but it wouldn't be appropriate without the injection of a measure of mischief.

Laura - You are all, as always, so kind and supportive. x

Anne. :)

Tina - We all have to secretly (or in fact less than secretly) skim from time to time so don't worry in the slightest.
I think it is the suddeness of Akashyah's passing that is shocking more than his age as he was always so full of beans.

Terri - Lovely to see you. I have been keeping up with your reading progress as always but must contribute a little more over at your place!

Mark - Thanks mate. I may make Kafka my AsiaPac read for Japan this year.

1985 RETROSPECTIVE

From my 1985 music collection

1. Kate Bush - The Hounds of Love
2. The Smiths - Meat is Murder
3. The Waterboys - This is the Sea
4. Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen
5. Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Vega
6. The Style Council - Our Favourite Shop
7. Sting - The Dream of the Blue Turtles
8. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Easy Pieces
9. Talking Heads - Little Creatures
10. The Alarm - Strength

1985 at the movies
1. The Color Purple
2. Out of Africa
3. Witness
4. Brazil
5. Pale Rider
6. Kiss of the Spider Woman
7. Mark
8. My Beautiful Laundrette
9. Prizzi's Honor
10. After Hours

1985 - Some Books

1. The Old Gringo - Carlos Fuentes
2. Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
3. A Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
4. The Black Robe by Brian Moore
5. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
6. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
7. The Good Terrorist by Doris Lessing
8. Oranges are not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
9. White Noise by Don Delillo
10. A Maggot by John Fowles

1985 Events

Jan. Playboy announce that they will no longer staple centrefolds - the ladies are mightily relieved
Feb. "New York, New York" becomes the official anthem of the city
Mar. Gorbachev becomes leader of USSR
Apr. West Germany declares it illegal in Germany to deny the Holocaust
May. The discovery of the hole in the ozone layer
Jun. Route 66 is decommissioned as an expressway
Jul. French secret service blow up the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior off New Zealand
Aug. Samantha Smith previous goodwill amabassador between US/USSR dies in plane crash at 13
Sep. Howard Stern fired from WNBC AM
Oct. The first Nintendo console is released
Nov. Microsoft's first Windows package is released
Dec. Stallone marries Brigitte Nielson both are hospitalised as they battle to see which one goes on top.

Hey Paul -

I'm a little after the fact, but I'd like to say how sorry I am about the death of your friend.

Over on your last thread I was tickled to see you listed Elton John's "Too Low For Zero" - that's a song and album I haven't thought about for years! I'm going to see Sir Elton in concert next week, so thanks for the timely reminder!

The Smiths, Suzanne Vega - some of the 1980s were wonderful!

Hmm - 1985 had some good books. Good luck with Kafka on the Shore - I'm thinking about it for later in the year. I actually rather enjoyed Norwegian Wood but it is definitely a different kettle of fish to Wind up Bird Chronicles which is excellent and epic in it's weirdness!

The Hounds of Love. Yes!! What a great album.

Paul, I'm sorry to hear about your young friend. I had just skimmed your thread and missed it at first. I know your heart is heavy.

I have Kafka on the Shore on the shelf. I keep saying I'm going to read it. Right now I'm kind of ensconced in Pow! but my interest in it is flagging a bit.

Dejah it is a shame you can't fit me into your handbag - I'd love to see Elton John perform.

Tonight was a kenduri for Akashyah, basically prayers and communal dining. His poor mum still looks shell-shocked at nearly 70 bemused as to why her sonhas gone first.

...as to why her son has gone first.
I think there can hardly be anything worse.
Hugs to you and your loved ones, Paul.

Paul, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of Akashyah - how sad to lose someone so young. My thoughts and prayers are with those of you who knew and loved him.

I, too, have Kafka on the Shore on deck for this year - I am determined to get to it. Let me know when you decide to read it, and I will join you. Also, I loved your 1985 perspective - I graduated high school that year and set off to college. And what great movies!

So sorry to hear about Akashyah. Hope your driver's son is doing well. Lovely picture at the top. I think you take the record for reserving most spaces at the top of a thread, and filling them in most completely, Paul.

At last, I seem to be connected to the same world a bit more for 1985! Not the music, of which I recognise little, but the books include three which I read fairly soon after they came out, if not in their publication year. That's the Marquez, Atwood and Winterson. Others still on the TBR shelves. The films I remember being on in the cinema, but I mostly didn't watch them in the cinema that year but some years later on TV. It is fascinating reading these retrospectives and realising what a different experience we all have of particular years. For me, mostly, the books or music which define a year are very rarely the ones published that year, though since joining LT and this group I'm much more aware of new books as they are published and more likely to read some of them fairly quickly.

I agree, Genny, that I am much more aware of new books thanks to LT than I used to be. It's one thing to see a book on the "New Books" shelf at the library when you are browsing, and another thing altogether to know that several people whose opinions you trust have read it and recommend it.

Lonesome Dove such a wonderful, wonderful book! I used to listen to Meat is Murder in the Medical Records basement at the local hospital while I filed away and pulled charts. The older ladies would just shake their heads when they came down to pick up or drop off files. Now that I am their age I just laugh. I still love The Smiths.

Ellen - Thanks xx

Mamie - I felt the books were very strong in 1985; there were quite a few others that I could have put up that have certainly shown a longevity of popularity. I did struggle to find interesting and/or momentous events to fill my month-by-month list. Only Greenpeace and Gorby were events of any great significance and I had to fill with Brigitte Nielson and centrefold staples.

Roni - Halim didn't work yesterday as he was settling his son and doing some of the paperwork associated with his upcoming surgery and long school absence. He did however bring his son to the office for a brief moment yesterday which was a little touching.
Most reserved spaces filled? Not sure about that - I do recall Ilana having a greater number last year which she filled entertainingly. I don't like to leave spaces unfilled at the beginning of threads and they are a useful tool for me to remember where I am!

Genny - 1985 is unique so far for me in that I either have or have read all the books listed. You are right of course that there are few of us who read the books in the years they are published. I always marvel at those such as Darryl who manages to down most of the Booker longlist and usually all of the Shortlist before the prize winners are announced. I consider myself up to date if I am only about five years behind!

Julia - LT has been an absolute boon to me too in suggesting books that I may be interested in, but it has been far more revelatory in introducing by a sheer stroke of clicking good fortune this group of wonderful group which often grows to a 1000 a year and has brought me friendships and shared experiences with people of many countries. That I know of we have members residing in Canada, USA, Ireland, UK, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain, Romania, India, Australia, New Zealand and....Malaysia. Makes the world much smaller and shows that minds can meet across the continents via the ether.

Roberta - I remember seeing the Smiths play at Warwick in the 80s and they were quite divisive. People loved or hated them and in particular Morrissey's non-singing singing. Saddened to see he has been hospitalised with pneumonia in both lungs.

Hej Paul, in 1985 we were living in Harrow, London. But what had a bigger impact on me is the suicide of my youngest sister, she was 25. That was a big shock for all of us. We didn't expect a thing, well, she was depressive, but she just had started a good job in a library and was sent to the book fair in Frankfurt and stuff. She didn't want to become older than 25 - the 31st December was her last day to live.
Then on 13th December 1985 our oldest daughter was born, which was a very great joy.
A rich year.

>25 PaulCranswick: she was keen to draw parallels with herself as my muse
lol
Go SWMBO! Staking her place by your side....

Some good heavyweights amongst your 1985 books, I had no idea so much happened literarily in that year ;)
(and now I continue with my reading of your thread and see you made exactly the same conclusion in post #70....)

And me coming in at post #71 #73.....I am getting further and further from that coveted first place!

My word Paul you must look back on December 1985 with the Bitter Sweetest of memories. I have had friends who have taken their own lives and the overriding consternation is mainly with the why and the waste of a life of one loved. To have that in the wake of the joy of your daughter's birth must have been a strain to say the least.

Megan - I do hope that there is little tragic about Hani other than her impact upon the children's freetime when she has them studying! Actually you were probably tucked up in bed given the time I made this new thread.

Love the photos...!

skipping past the lists, and just saying hello!

Kath lovely to see you skipping on a Thursday morning in Malaysia!

Thought I would share this one with you all just to prove that I do sometimes spend my time reading! This one is Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes.

Hi Paul - I'm so very sorry to hear about your friend. How awful.

#59 and #62 - Hounds of Love, while perhaps not my very favorite album of all time, is definitely my most consistently loved album of all time. I've gone through several copies in various formats since 8th grade and have always loved it dearly. Also, a fun thing to do is to visit YouTube and type in "Kate Bush xmas special 1979."

That's a good movie list from '85! Several of my all-time favorites. There's a movie called Mark? I never heard of it but I would think it would be excellent.
That's a strong book list too! Lonesome Dove is awesome.
ETA- Love the Paul photo! I saw that on FB and gave you a Thumb!

What awful news for you all of your friend's so untimely death. His poor mum! Have you read Love in a Cold Climate? Is it one of those editions that also contains The Pursuit of Love? I think Pursuit of Love is more fun, personally.

Kerri - OMD's Junk Culture, U2's The Unforgettable Fire and The Hounds of Love are three important albums for me because I used to play them repeatedly whilst making love to my first serious girlfriend. Cloudbusting daddy indeed!

Mark - Something of a Freudian slip! Remove the r and put an s - it should be Mask I'm afraid!

Haven't read it yet dear Prue. If you look at the photo above Love in a Cold Climate is on the table before having just being bagged. It is a stand alone Penguin retro edition. x

Well, I'm sure if there ever was an album called 'Mark' it would indeed be wonderful. :-)

Love the pic of you, too. Is that at home or were you stealing some reading time at work?

Julia - it was neither actually. It is in a Starbucks at an old mall called Ampang Point. I had just bought a geometry set for my daughter and SWMBO and I decided to grab a coffee and I take any opportunity to read a few pages!

Ah, of course. I sometimes forget that there are public gathering places that are neither home nor work. I really should get out more. :-)

I really liked Mask but I think Mark would even be better! There would be books & beer and a few naughty librarians.

Hi Paul, good to see Lonesome Dove on your 1985 list. That's one of my desert isle books. And good to see the picture of you actually reading.

>77 PaulCranswick: Reading and drinking coffee. We know and love you well, Paul.

Glad to see you having a bit of relaxing reading time. :)

Hahaha Julia - there is always a third option!

Mark - I'm pretty sure that Mark would have been a more enjoyable experience especially with naughty librarians made for sharing!

Bonnie - I wanted to dispel the myth that all my time was spent posting. One of my books destined for the desert isle is in my hands in the photo actually.

Ellen - *BLUSHES profoundly*

Thanks Tina nice to see you fully back into the fray after a very brief respite.

Just read one you should look into, Paul: We Have A Pie. Feels very Cranswickish.

>77 PaulCranswick:: I'm most impressed that your local Starbucks still uses proper ceramic coffee mugs. I can't remember the last time I saw one of those in ours. We have to ask for plates instead of bags when we order pastries. Well, we don't anymore -- they recognize us and probably have some nickname for us ("that pain in the a** family that always asks for plates" or something like that).

RD - Looks like an interesting collection and I'll see if I can pick it up in one of my Cranswickian sprees tomorrow.

Laura - Yeah very much they still give us proper cups if we are having in. Good thing about the service is that they are generous sizes too. That large mug is only a regular.

>77 PaulCranswick: That is such a nice picture of you, Paul! You should make it your profile picture.

Aw thanks Nora, I just may do so!

Your threads move so quickly! I gobbled up the James Herriott books and never tired of them and I enjoyed the series too, although our daughter got bored so we never finished (after he got married).

So sorry about your friend.

Enjoyed the picture of you reading!

Oh and we have exactly that same dusting of snow as your top photo.

Cranswickish.
Cranswickian.

Love them!

If you take your own cup to Starbucks and get ten cents off of the cost of the coffee. They don't advertise that and it might not be true for overseas Starbucks.

Nice to see you reading mate having a bit of downtime, i'm like you i always have a book with me even if i only manage a couple of pages.

I'm amused by the exchange you and SWMBO had about Plath and Hughes :)

Hi Paul, I love the picture you opened with. A lot of my Yorkshire lore I've gotten from watching Emmerdale and reading both James Herriot and Peter Robinson. It's a part of England that would be at the top of my agenda if I ever get a chance to travel there.

Unfotunately the 1980's seemed to have passed me by. Those were my child rearing years and I think my brain took a vacation. A few of the movies, and a few of the books ring some bells, but I am dreadfully afraid the 1980's were TV years of Dallas, Dynasty and Knotts Landing for me.

Lovely picture of you, you look totally captivated by your book!

Lucy - I read the Herriot books quite some time ago and like you loved them. In a fairly similar vein I would recommend the "Teacher" books by Jack Sheffield set in a Yorkshire village in the 70s and 80s.

Ellen - My "Cranswickian" was a riposte to RD who always manages to tickle me.

Benita - I haven't heard of that and I would be very surprised if they do that over here. I will of course in my usual shy and retiring manner ask them the question next time SWMBO has me go there.

John, I attended a Tender interview for a roof covering project on the new Light Rail Transit system and it was commented upon that whilst my staff were carrying files and technical catalogues I had with a book by that renowned expert on building materials - William Trevor.

Es I was a little surprised that she took interest in the book and particularly after I explained to her their "story". She read a couple of the poems herself and was also arrested by their power.

Judy - I haven't watched Emmerdale for many years although I understand it is still going strong. The barkeep Amos Brearley was a cult hero of sorts with his catchphrase "Nay Mr. Wilks!". My mother was a huge devotee of the three American soaps that you listed as well as Coronation Street (which she calls "Corrie"). I remember family holidays when she had all the episodes of all the soaps taped for her so she wouldn't miss a twist or turn and could watch them at their leisure on her return.
I am captivated by the book I was reading there well spotted.

Speaking of Starbucks, we just got a new one today! It opened inside the grocery store right at the corner where I turn off the main highway to go to my house. Wasn't that nice of them to make it so convenient for me?

Paul - just catching up - so sorry to hear about Akashyah. If you last watched Emmerdale when Amos Brierley was one of the characters I think you'd find it very different these days. We see it occasionally when my Mum comes to stay, as she is fairly addicted to both it and Coronation Street. I do wonder sometimes about my Mum's love of soaps: she is a very polite, reserved lady who would run a mile if she met any real people carrying on as they normally do on the soaps. She hates any sort of argument, family feud or people being anything but polite to each other. So why she likes soaps is a complete mystery to me.

Lori - SWMBO loves Starbucks but I must admit to preferring Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf despite or probably because it is 50 times a smaller organisation. Love the independents in truth but they are less easy to find. I have an independent walking distance from my office and which I frequent often at lunchtimes. Went there yesterday and their coffee machine was kaput so I guess the indies have their shortcomings too.

Rhian - Hahaha the mysterious appeal of soap operas! I do think that for some people the characters assume a sort of semi-reality. I do recall my dear old Gran interjecting with comments of support or approbation to the characters and shaking her fist at the TV screen if one of her enemies appeared thereon.

Mr Cranswick, I saw your " picture " on Bonnie's thread and wanted to congratulate you on your fame!;) As for coffee, I don't drink coffee - don't care for it. In Canada - at least I think it's only in Canada, Starbuck's is advertising a new coffee - Blonde Coffee for people who don't like coffee. Maybe I should try some?

1986 RETROSPECTIVE

From my music collection

1. The Queen is Dead - The Smiths
2. Strong Persuader - Robert Cray
3. Back in the High Life - Steve Winwood
4. Graceland - Paul Simon
5. Infected - The The
6. Skylarking - XTC
7. London 0 Hull 4 - The Housemartins
8. The King of America - Elvis Costello
9. Talking with the Taxman About Poetry - Billy Bragg
10. No Guru, No Method, No Teacher - Van Morrison

At the Movies

1. Aliens
2. Betty Blue
3. Crocodile Dundee
4. Hannah and Her Sisters
5. The Hitcher
6. Jean de Florette/Manon des Sources
7. The Mission
8. Mona Lisa
9. Platoon
10. Stand by Me

Some Books

1. The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
2. Maus Vol. 1 by Art Spiegelman
3. Forrest Gump by Winston Groom
4. The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis by Jose Saramago
5. The Sportswriter by Richard Ford
6. An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro
7. Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine
8. Cold Spring Harbor by Richard Yates
9. The Lost Language of Cranes by David Leavitt
10. The Old Devils by Kingsley Amis

Events

Jan. Space Shuttle disintegrates after launch
Feb. Olaf Palme assassinated in Sweden
Mar. Hampton Court badly damaged by fire
Apr. The Chernobyl disaster
May. Hands Across America
Jun. The "Hand of God" as worn by Maradona beats England
Jul. Prince Andrew marries Fergy for reasons known only to him
Aug. US postal worker kills 16 co-workers and then himself
Sep. The Oprah Winfrey show hits primetime
Oct. Fox Broadcasting company launched
Nov. Mike Tyson becomes world boxing champ
Dec. Irangate comittee formed by US congress

Deb - hahaha I've been rumbled! Coffee for those who don't like coffee; what an interesting idea!

I'm gone for a week and already we're nearly up to my junior high school days. Sheesh.

Hmm...the blonde coffee still tastes like coffee. The shorter roasting time makes it taste smoother and it has more caffeine but it still taste like coffee. :-)

Sugar Amber, I'm already in a drunken stupor at university by 86.

Roberta, so the coffee actually tastes like.......well......coffee. Good promo strategy to sell coffee disguised as coffee not being coffee.

Paul, I'm sorry about the loss of your friend.

Life is fleetingly short and we MUST wring every moment out of it.

Take good care of yourself my dear!

1986...I moved to Manhattan...all I remember from the year....

Linda, thankyou. My "right-hand man" in the office Nizam was best friends with Akashyah and he was broken up by the whole thing.

RD - If we can remember one thing of note from each year of our life it is surely a start in putting the pieces together.

1986: the year I became a millionaire! I worked in Venice for a month on an international studentship programme and was paid 1 million lire for the month. Sadly, given the low value of Italian lire, this was only worth about £400. Still...

#115 I miss the lira! There was something very satisfying about having so many hundreds of thousands of something!

Genny - I am abashed typing this to you with you many millions, but I feel I can out-do. Indonesian rupiah is currently about 10,000 to the pound. I went on a trip there a few years ago and still have some loose change which puts me also into the multi-millionaire bracket!

Rhian - I agree totally. When I first came to Malaysia I was paid in RM1,000 notes which are sadly no longer in circulation.

Had a double dip at the book store this week as I have a mock trial next week which may prevent me going:

1 Billy Lynn's Long Half-Time Walk by Ben Fountain
2 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
3 The Yellow Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee
4 Hinterland by Caroline Brothers
5 Blind Goddess by Anne Holt
6 In Praise of Hatred by Khaled Khalifa
7 HHhH by Laurent Binet
8 Bittere Vrucht by Mari Jungstedt (Dark Angel in English)
9 The Line by Olga Grushin
10 Where the Devil Can't Go by Anya Lipska
11 Mountains of the Moon by IJ Kay
12 The White Shadow by Andrea Eames

I tried to get hold of The Line recently but it doesn't seem to be available in the UK at the moment.

Good music list from '86! I loved Skylarking. I need to listen to that again. The films from that time were strong too, nice mix of international titles. Betty Blue was HOT! I think Blue Velvet was from this year too! One of my favorites. Yes, I like my films dark too!

33.

Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes (Category Challenge Poetry/Plays 4/13)

I never, ever give ten stars.

As background Ted Hughes was probably the finest English poet first published post 1945. He married Sylvia Plath in 1956 and was estranged from her upon her death by suicide in 1963.

This is visceral, confessional poetry of an immense power and feeling. It is the final work of a man who, knowing he is soon to die, cares nothing about displaying the soiled linen of their relationship; her weaknesses, fears, obsessions, his failings as he looks through the demonic power of his words to their inevitable conclusion. One is cut to shreds as he sifts the spikes and shards of their failings and failed relationship. There is bitterness too, Plath's father is certainly not spared, nor is Hughes himself but there are goblins and bees aplenty in that superlative, supernatural and ill-fated place they inhabited together. I wanted it to cease, I longed for it to be over, I never wanted it to end.

Hughes spared nothing. He was blunt and his verse often less than flattering but always the images conjured are powerful:

From 18, Rugby Street

, "And I became aware of the mystery
Of your lips, like nothing before in my life,
Their aboriginal thickness. And your nose,
Broad and Apache, nearly a boxer's nose,
Scorpio's obverse to the Semitic eagle
That made every camera your enemy,"

His word in "Visit" are stark and doom-ladenly prophetic

"Inside that numbness of the earth
Our future trying to happen.
I look up - as if to meet your voice
With all its urgent future
That has burst in on me. Then look back
At the book of the printed words.
You are ten years dead. It is only a story.
Your story. My story."

Looking back on that time and facing his own curtailed future (he died of cancer shortly after publication) Hughes left possibly his best work for the very last to be savoured after his passing. Given the subject matter that was just right.

10/10

Rhian, I found it on one of the bottom shelves of the literature section (they go right to the floor) which is lucky as I'm normally too lazy to bend down so far.

Mark - 1986' films were pretty strong I must say; I was so spoilt for choice even Blue Velvet didn't make my cut. Betty Blue's opening scene is amongst the most sexually arousing in cinematic history.

Ten stars, eh? Remarkable.

Wow, lovely review of 'Birthday Letters', Paul. You're tempting me to check it out. Do you think it is helpful to first learn a bit about Hughes' life story before reading? Would knowing his history make the poems more meaningful?

Karen - I did read some of the reviews on here about the book which were, shall we say, mixed. Mixed mainly by dint of those whose distaste of Hughes (the myth of the cruel and abusive husband not propogated by Plath in any direct way) flavoured their opinions rather than any really comment on the words themselves.

For me Hughes was an undeniably great poet and Plath a good one. His shortcomings as a man don't detract from his greatness as a poet whilst our sympathies with Plath don't make her a better poet. What seems to always be overlooked in the debate about what happened is that Plath was a very difficult person to get along with, with a a history of clinical depression and attempted suicides that predated their relationship.

Chillingly Hughes' second wife asphixiated herself in an identical manner to Plath some years later and their son (Hughes and Plath) also killed himself in 2009.

Julia, it may colour your opinions somewhat! Hughes was hated by the feminist lobby which took Plath to their hearts and blamed Hughes squarely but almost certainly partly unfairly for her end.
He himself was devastated and didn't write anything for 5 years following her passing.

I seldom try to imagine the real story behind the public stories of "famous" people because I can't even have the nerve to try to understand my friends' marriages. Suicide is always tragic and blame is not easy to find. I am so sorry that this family was plagued by suicides. Perhaps today some pharma solutions might be available. But then, does the poetry die?

Interesting question - how many bone fide genius is coupled with depression? alcoholism? drug addiction? Not easy issues.

Morning Paul! (or evening where you are)
Sorry to see about your friend. 34 is way too young!!

Love the picture of you reading!

Up to 1986 now eh! That was the year that Nate made his entrance into the world! :)
Have a good weekend!

Plath and Hughes are linked forever, to her benefit and his detriment.

Love your review of the Hughes book. It sounds lovely, but, alas, I know I will never read it. Poetry and I do not get along...

A mock trial? Are you the mock judge, the mock accused or a mock lawyer????

Is Tea Leaf the stores owned by an Indian company? Seems to me I read about them somewhere. Starbucks is now moving into the tea business. They bought a company called Teavana that is based in Atlanta, GA. I don't know the full story, but seems Starbucks want to expand to be a big player in the beverages.

I just found out that Starbucks also owns Seattle's Best Coffee and the Canadian company Teaopia. What is the world coming to? Makes me want to patronize the small independents more and more.

You'll have to let me know what you think of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, because I've been waffling on whether or not I should get hold of a copy for a while now.

can't possibly catch up so started at your review of Birthday letters. i tried to find the review to thumb it but couldn't though i followed the link. ???

not sure i'm up to that one, though, despite the excellent review.

>125 PaulCranswick: what you said, viz. "For me Hughes was an undeniably great poet and Plath a good one. His shortcomings as a man don't detract from his greatness as a poet whilst our sympathies with Plath don't make her a better poet." ayup.

>135 scaifea: Esquiress, having looked at the books we share, i'd say go for Guernsey. i waffled a lot as well but finally knuckled and was glad i did.

4. Graceland - Paul Simon
ooooh!
Did I mention......oh yea, Im sure I did mention somewhere that Ill be seeing him live soon......pretty sure :)

I havent fully caught up yet, but in mention of Starbucks, I generally avoid them, but if they were the only one open and I needed coffee, I would be there like a shot! haha.

Adding my plug for The Guernsey book; just a lovely read.

Allways something interesting here...
Thanks to you and Mamie....I made tortilla soup today.
I thought of you

Thanks for the plugs for Guernsey. I'll add it back to my wishlist.

Only 12 at the bookstore? You are really holding yourself back! I'm hoping that I'll have a chance to get to the Goodwill Bookstore in Tupelo while I'm visiting my dad this coming week. If I manage any acquisitions, I'll have to report them when I get back. I won't even bother trying to enter via iPhone.

Karen - Very sensible post if I may say so. I don't suffer from depression of any kind, especially around my waist band so that genius and I are twains destined to remain unacquainted.

Chelle - 1986 was a reason to celebrate for you then for sure. Wow Nate is 20 years my junior! The office is still a little stunned about our part-time colleague and friend's passing.

RD - Quite right. The relationship did him more harm than her in many respects. He was blamed for the suicide despite being nowhere near the place (well possibly because he was nowhere near the place) but by her own admission she was perpetually tormented by "inner goblins" and was the clear equivalent of what we would call a Space Cadet. Her literary reputation was certainly boosted by her demise and her association with Hughes. Interestingly The Bell Jar was rejected by several publishers until they realised who she was. IMO the work is mediocre at best.

Charlotte - In April I have what is termed a "hot-tubbing" session in open court with the High Court Judge (a lady by the way) and the opposing sides expert. The idea is that both experts will combine with the judge in a three way dialogue such that she can make her own judgement of issues of quantum that are beyond her expertise. The mock-trial is to prepare me for that.

Benita - According to Wikipedia Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is an American chain based in California. It would be 2nd to Starbucks in this region with quite a large franchised presence.

Es - I will of course let you know when I eventually get round to the book.

Ellie - I don't often post my reviews to the work page of the book. I will do that for you if you promise to lend me your thumb!

Megan - hahahaha I would like a dollar for every time you've mentioned the Simon concert! I will be with you in spirit certainly on the day.
I have exactly the same attitude to Starbucks as you do.

Amber - All these plugs will have it wired up and read in no time.

Kath - I will always associate Tortilla Soup with you and love both tortillas and soup so in combination they must be a winner!

Es - You mean that you took it off your wishlist?

Lori - Hahaha not even a hint of sarcasm in your post!

Last night went with SWMBO, Yasmyne and Kyran to see Django. Loved the movie as it had a bit of everything - humour, action, good acting, and the airing of important historical issues. Would recommend it.

>140 PaulCranswick: but of course, my dear. the temporary absence of a thumb is a small price to pay. i expect mine won't be the only thumb you get. let us know when it's up, yeah? it's a good review. don't short prospective readers by keeping it only amongst ourselves. :)

Ellie - Ok I have pasted it to the work page.

1987 RETROSPECTIVE

From my music collection

1. Faith - George Michael
2. Love - Aztec Camera
3. Tunnel of Love - Bruce Springsteen
4. The Joshua Tree - U2
5. Cloud Nine - George Harrison
6. Tango in the Night - Fleetwood Mac
7. Strangeways Here We Come - The Smiths
8. Poetic Champions Compose - Van Morrison
9. Introducing the Hardline - Terence Trent D'Arby
10. The Kick - INXS

At the Movies

1. Fatal Attraction
2. The Witches of Eastwick
3. Good Morning Vietnam
4. The Untouchables
5. Babette's Feast
6. 84, Charing Cross Road
7. Cry Freedom
8. The Last Emperor
9. Trains, Planes and Automobiles
10. Pelle the Conqueror

Some Books

1. The Colour of Blood by Brian Moore
2. Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively
3. Beloved by Toni Morrison
4. Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
5. The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers by Paul Kennedy
6. The Making of the Atom Bomb by Richard Rhodes
7. The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes
8. Anthills of the Savannah by Chinua Achebe
9. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
10. The Maid of Buttermere by Melvyn Bragg

Events

Jan. Terry Waite kidnapped in Beirut
Feb. British Airways is privatised
Mar. Zeebrugge ferry disaster
Apr. The Simpsons first airs via The Tracy Ullman show
May. Mathias Rust lands his plane in Red Square
Jun. The UK re-elects the Loony whilst Canada introduces the Loonie
Jul. 400 Iranians pilgrims killed in clashes at Mecca
Aug. Rudolf Hess commits suicide at 93.
Sep. Michael Chang wins a match at US Open at 15 years old
Oct. The UK Great Storm
Nov. The Enniskillen bombings
Dec. The first intifada begins in Gaza

Happy weekend.

I am looking for a little assistance. The Booktopia people have put up the list of books to be discussed at the June event and I need a little advice as to which I should try to read before I go. Would you visit here - http://www.librarything.com/topic/149339#3975051 - and comment if you have any thoughts, please.

Karen - I have repied over at Chez tu.

>143 PaulCranswick: I have started things off with the first thumb, Paul. As you are not usually so effusive in your reviews and I have not read any of Ted Hughes' work, I am off to find this book.

Thank you, Paul. Your opinion is always interesting.

I'm happy to give that review a thumb, Paul!

I too have upgethumbed your yodel.

Beautiful review of Birthday Letters, Paul. A thumbs up from me.

I watch Babette's Feast every few years. It's a great reminder that people come before rules/money/things.

Terry Waite made peace with Hezbollah this past year. Forgiveness like this should be our reality TV.

ETA: spelling correction

Paul you are making very nostalgic for the 80s. I posted a pic of me and one of my best friends with big 80s hair on my thread. 1987 was a lot of fun.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/146759#3975769

Hi mate, 1987 was a good year as our first child was born on the 22nd of November, a lovely boy called Robert John who now has a child of his own.

I love how you and your family go out to the movies together, Paul. I will make sure we have money put aside for those kind of outings, as I think it is a great way to spend family time, especially as kids turn to teens and dont want to be seen with parents! (the darkness helps with this!)

Linda, Julia, RD, Dejah - Thank you so much. I now have almost as many thumbs as fingers.

Karen - They look interesting choices but I haven't read a one of them.

Roberta - I enjoyed the european movies in the 80's. I have seen your big hair over at yours.

John - 1987 was a goodish year for me spent mainly on my bike and in the University library reading more classics than coursework.

Megan - I love the cinema. Cheap (over here anyway) and stimulating!

Oops, I somehow managed to hit "ignore" on your thread, Paul, and am now over 100 posts behind. I need to be more careful when using my iPad and iPhone!

I'll just try to follow along from here if that's okay...

No problem Katie, it is nice to know you're out there.....somewhere

Paul, are you following Milano-San Remo today? It's already a legendary race, with blizzards and ice...
The organisation has decided to skip Passo del Turchino, the cyclists have been transferred in their team busses and will restart in 5 minutes. Many of them were crying, it's like an Elfstedentocht...

And just now they tell us that the restart will be in 34 minutes and another mountain will be skipped, Le Manie.

Rounded off a cinematic weekend with Oz, the Great and Powerful. This time Belle also joined the fun.

In between I managed to add three non-fiction books:

Discipline and Punish by Michel Foucault
A History of Civilizations by Fernand Braudel
Liberating the Malay Mind by M. Bakri Musa (no touchstone yet)

Diana - I put the race online as it is not shown on TV here. Must admit that the conditions look grim but it wouldn't have stopped them years ago - they really are pussycats these days.

Paul- I had mixed feelings about Django. I liked the 1st half and the acting was superb but the second half felt bloated and over the top, ruining it for me. It's by far my least favorite Tarantino.
Yah, for Joshua Tree! One of the best! Document also was one of my favorites from that year. It's one of my top REM albums. I am not a big Guns N’ Roses fan, but Appetite for Destruction was also released that year.

Mark - I know what you mean mate I would have changed the last third of the movie had I the choice but I think overall it was jolly good.

You may have noticed that none of the earlier REM records have made the cut for me. Not passing judgement on 'em actually, it is just that I don't have them and by the criteria I set up for the lists can't include them.

One of the great debates in literary circles is always who wins and more often who doesn't win awards. The most hotly disputed belongs to the biggest prize, the Nobel.

There have thus far been 109 winner of the award but as telling are some of the stellar names of literature who didn't win it - Borges, Nabokov, James etc

I decided therefore as I love lists to come up with an alternative Nobel list of those who could well feel aggrieved to have not won. One of my feelings is that other strands of writing - philosophy and history for example are not well enough represented.

My qualification for the list was that the actual winners can't be included.
I could fill the list in the dates but that would be too anoraky even for me.
Just as Eurocentric as many of the lists but I am afraid that I originate from there, but I have done my best.

Anyone have any suggestions of obvious picks in the:

ALTERNATIVE NOBEL LIST:

USA
1. Mark Twain
2. Henry James
3. Jack London
4. Gertrude Stein
5. Willa Cather
6. Ezra Pound
7. F. Scott Fitzgerald
8. Arthur Miller
9. Robert Frost
10. Tennessee Williams
11. Norman Mailer
12. William Carlos Williams
13. James Baldwin
14. Elizabeth Bishop
15. Noam Chomsky
16. John Updike
17. Howard Zinn
18. Cormac McCarthy
INDIA
19. R.K. Narayan
20. Salman Rushdie
CANADA
21. Robertson Davies
22. Alice Munro
MEXICO
23. Carlos Fuentes
COLOMBIA
24. Alvaro Mutis
CUBA
25. Reinaldo Arenas
BRAZIL
26. Jorge Amado
ARGENTINA
27. Jorge Luis Borges
28. Manuel Puig
PERU
29. Cesar Vallejo
CHILE
30. Roberto Bolano
BARBADOS
31. Kamau Braithwaite
IRELAND
32. James Joyce
33. Sean O'Casey
34. Frank O'Connor
35. William Trevor
GREAT BRITAIN
36. Thomas Hardy
37. Joseph Conrad
38. E.M. Forster
39. D.H. Lawrence
40. H.G. Wells
41. Virginia Woolf
42. W.H. Auden
43. George Orwell
44. Evelyn Waugh
45. Dylan Thomas
46. Graham Greene
47. A.J.P. Taylor
48. Robert Graves
49. Iris Murdoch
JAPAN
50. Natsume Soseki
51. Yukio Mishima
52. Kobo Abe
53. Haruki Murakami
FRANCE
54. Emile Zola
55. Paul Valery
56. Marcel Proust
57. Andre Breton
58. Romain Gary
59. Jacques Derrida
60. Simone de Beauvoir
61. Michel Tournier
62. Fernand Braudel
63. Michel Foucault
64. Georges Perec
65. Andre Malreaux
66. Jean Genet
67. Roland Barthes
BELGIUM
68. Hugo Claus
NETHERLANDS
69. Louis Couperus
70. Harry Mulisch
SPAIN
71. Benito Galdos
72. Garcia Lorca
PORTUGAL
73. Fernando Pessoa
NORWAY
74. Henrik Ibsen
SWEDEN
75. August Strindberg
76. Vilhelm Moberg
GERMANY
77. Erich Maria Remarque
78. Bertholdt Brecht
79. Christa Wolf
80. Heinrich Mann
AUSTRIA
80. Stefan Zweig
81. Thomas Bernhard
82. Karl Popper
ITALY
83. Italo Svevo
84. Giuseppe Ungaretti
85. Alberto Moravia
86. Italo Calvino
87. Primo Levi
ALBANIA
88. Ismail Kadare
CZECH
89. Karel Capek
90. Milan Kundera
91. Franz Kafka
GREECE
92. Nikos Kazantakis
ROMANIA
93. Eugene Ionescu
RUSSIA
94. Anton Checkov
95. Leo Tolstoy
96. Petr Kropotkin
97. Maxim Gorky
98. Anna Akhmatova
99. Vladimir Nabokov
MOROCCO
100. Tahar Ben Jelloun
EGYPT
101. Ahmad Shawqi
PALESTINE
102. Mahmoud Darwish
JORDAN
103. Abdul Rahman Munif
ISRAEL
104. Elie Wiesel
NIGERIA
105. Chinua Achebe
KENYA
106. Ngugi Wa Tiong'o
SYRIA
107. Adunis
CHINA
108. Ha Jin
AUSTRALIA
109. David Malouf

#161 *Shudder* Bad bad memories of Discipline and Punish and having to give a presentation in relation to it at Uni. I really really HATE speaking in front of a group!

1. Mark Twain
2. Henry James
5. Willa Cather
25. Reinaldo Arenas
26. Jorge Amado
35. William Trevor
38. E.M. Forster
40. H.G. Wells
41. Virginia Woolf
42. W.H. Auden
43. George Orwell
44. Evelyn Waugh
45. Dylan Thomas
46. Graham Greene
48. Robert Graves
49. Iris Murdoch
52. Kobo Abe
58. Romain Gary
89. Karel Capek

I second ALL of the above!

Some additions:
Switzerland:
Charles Ferdinand Ramuz
Yvette Z’Graggen
Robert Walser
Silja Walter
Adolf Muschg
Friedrich Dürrenmatt

Israel:
Martin Buber
Ephraim Kishon
S. Yizhar

South Korea:
Mirok Li
Lee Cheong-jun
Kim Chi-Ha

Hallo Paul!!

Swinging by for a quick wave. INXS Kick is a fab album, one of my favorites. :)

I'll nominate a couple for Russia: Vladimir Voinovich and Vassily Grossman; and a Czech: Jaroslav Hasek

I love you nerdy guys! Where would I be without your lists?
Great lists and I cant add any more as dont feel I know well enough who could be included.

Of the lot, I'd have to say that surely Robert Frost, George Orwell, Mark Twain and Franz Kafka should have come away with something. And at least one of the Russians.

>140 PaulCranswick:: Yeah, I was waffling on it and eventually took it off my wishlist because I had so many books on my wishlist :)

Edith Wharton??

Back in 1986 you posted:Aug. US postal worker kills 16 co-workers and then himself

Until we heard otherwise, we swore it was my former brother-in-law. He was worthy of it but it turned out to be someone else who went postal.

Bekka - I read the first couple of pages of the Foucault yesterday and found it creepily engrossing. Not a huge fan of public speaking either in truth.

RD - Some of those overlooked for the prize is simply baffling. To be fair Pessoa, Proust, Kafka, Lorca and Bolano amongst others make my list with the benefit of aftersight and after premature death, but some of the others?

Paul - Thanks mate. I haven't read any of the Swiss or Korean writers you listed. Looking at my own list I think that Israel ought to have been represented but the names I would offer would be Amos Oz and Elie Wiesel. I have edited to include Wiesel in place of Nuruddin Farah (Oz, Farah, Makine, Atwood, Mistry being my shortlist for 2013 hahaha)

Kathy - When INXS were good they were extremely good and Kick was them at their best.
I considered Vassily Grossman and also Yevtushenko but I ran out of numbers. I also considered Hasek and Karen Blixen.

Megan - I had them all lined up by year and then thought that was just a little too nerdy even for me!

Es an unwieldy wishlist is a bi-product of joining the group!

Bonnie - I had three American ladies of the era with two spots. Gertrude Stein and Willa Cather as well as Edith Wharton. It was a toss up for me.
Going postal? Hahaha I was going to make a skit about Mark when I put it on my list but I thought better of it just in case someone was acquainted with victims. Glad you bit the bullet and stuck it to your former brother-in-law!

Paul, I had an unwieldy wishlist before I started here.

Hahaha Es, I'm sure you did otherwise you were unlikely to join this band of fellow travellers. It is a cure designed to worsen the ailment (un)fortunately.

I like the way you put that, Paul :)

Es. TQ. x

Lucky for you Paul (and for me) that nerds are the new cool people.
:)

Paul, I tripled, or perhaps quadrupled up on my book purchases at the local library book sale yesterday.

Many were on the tbr pile and I was glad to find them.
Please continue with your lists of happenings in specific years. They are a wonderful trip down memory lane.

Hi Paul, Getting my one post per thread in...

Great list of possible alternate Nobel winners. I am a little surprised that Willa Cather didn't win one. I'm not a huge fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald - I recognize his place in the world, etc. but I do NOT love his books.

Love the photos up top. James Herriot is a life-long favorite. I remember my dad giving me his books to read when I was about 10. I even wanted to be a veterinarian for awhile. Got my degree in Zoology. Then, didn't live near enough to a vet school for a long time. Had kids, end of story. Now I sort of see it as moving from small poop to bigger poop and being a vet lost some charm as a career option.

Jenn - I am a little with you on Fitzgerald. Recognize his place - well said.

Hello Paul - I always thought that Orwell and Graham Greene were terribly overlooked in their time.

Dear Prue - Top picks are often those at the beginning; Zola, Checkov, Ibsen, Strindberg, Hardy, Conrad, Twain and James clearly were head and shoulders above most of the ealy recipients. Other very obvious ones from a little later were Joyce, Auden, Woolf, Orwell, Greene (as you point out), Borges, Frost and Nabokov.

"that nerds are the new cool people." You got to love that Megan!

>184 msf59:: Oh, we totally are. Exciting :D

Mark - hahaha - I resemble that remark as Peter Sellers may have said.

Es - A little akin to the lunatics taking over the asylum don't you think?!

>184 msf59: you mean me specifically? Or all the nerds ;)
(Im lucky enough to count myself as a nerd, so any answer is OK)

Hi Paul- all movied out this weekend? Any more planned? I havent seen much in the way of films I want to see on the big screen lately.

1988 RETROSPECTIVE

From my music collection

1. Fisherman's Blues - The Waterboys
2. Viva Hate - Morrissey
3. Traveling Wilburys Vol 1 - Traveling Wilburys
4. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
5. Green - REM
6. Heartbeat - Van Morrison & The Chieftains
7. Watermark - Enya
8. First of a Million Kisses - Fairground Attraction
9. Ancient Heart - Tanita Tikaram
10. Rattle and Hum - U2

At the Movies
1. Rainman
2. The Last Temptation of Christ
3. The Accused
4. The Accidental Tourist
5. A Fish Called Wanda
6. Cinema Paradisio
7. Les Dangereuse Liaisons
8. Midnight Run
9. The Milagro Beanfield War
10. Mississippi Burning

and of course Twins which, being the De Vito of my own particular pair has been the source of difficulties ever since

Some Books

1. Libra by Don DeLillo
2. Paris Trout by Pete Dexter
3. Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
4. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
5. Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
6. The Alchemist by Paul Coelho
7. The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
8. Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey
9. Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
10. The Swimming Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst

Events
Jan. The Year of the Reader commences
Feb. Kurt Waldheim implicated by Nazi documents in wartime deportations
Mar. The British SAS kill members of the IRA in Gibraltar
Apr. USSR announces withdrawal of troops from Afganistan
May Mitterand is re-elected in France
Jun. The world's largest sausage (13 miles long) is made
Jul. Dukakis nominated by the Democrats
Aug. Zia of Pakistan killed in helicopter crash
Sep. The Seoul Olympics
Oct. Lloyd Bentsen makes the "You're no Jack Kennedy" jibe to Quayle
Nov. Bush Snr beats Dukakis
Dec. Lockerbie AirPlane blast, The Big O dies and Bhutto takes over in Pakistan

The 1986 movies are way more familiar than the music. I really enjoyed the comedy in Midnight Run and Wanda, with Rainman and Cinema Paradisio my favorite dramas from that year.

Green is the only REM album I can stand, but I do like it very much. And A Fish Called Wanda is a classic, of course.

Laura - I have to say that in retrospect 1988 was my least favourite musical year in the thirty years I have so far covered in these "pages". The Traveling Wilburys I like for the novelty, I like the Tracy Chapman, the Enya and the Van but not overly the others.

Amber - I like the two albums at the beginning of the 90s but they are far from favourites of mine either.

Megan- I was just giving you a little praise for recognizing the "Nerd" in all of us. Geeks Unite!

Paul- That's a very weak music list from '88. I'll have to check and see if I can find anything else worthy. I do not care for Green either. It's a very good movie list.

The Traveling Wilburys! I love the Traveling Wilburys.

Well, it's alright!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwqhdRs4jyA

Rattle and Hum is a good album but Green wasn't a favorite REM for me either.

Hi Paul,

I am almost finished with my photography adventures and maybe I'll be back to reading soon. Meanwhile, I did finish the ER book Dead Money (wrong touchstone) by Steve O'Brien and recommend it as a quick and fun mystery set in horse racing.... gambling... mob figures.... murder and mayhem. Easy and fun read.

Megan - Missed you up there! I am usually on the look out for a movie to catch most weekends.
Nerds and Geeks of the World Unite!

Mark - It is much easier to spot in some of us than in others! I was struck by how few decent albums I had for the year as the world was turning to grunge (not for me really). I didn't really think the movie list was that stellar either in truth.

Morphy - Nice link. Touching that The Big O was represented by an empty chair as, of course, he was gone in the December.

Kathy - Rattle and Hum gets a lot of stick because of some of the ropey live tracks but the original studio songs are very strong.

Karen - I will look for it. I used to love a tipple on the horses and once won the money to upgrade my racing bicycle with a GBP50 bet on Long Engagement at Stratford races. Most people think of Shakespeare when Stratford is mentioned but I always recall the 630 quid I won there in 1986 and the sleek italian tubed bike I bought straight after.

>188 PaulCranswick: Apr: Nora is born.

I've never seen any of those movies or read any of those books. What a terrible 80s baby I am!

Nora - I think it is a very fair excuse. I still haven't read that many books from 1966 either!

Nora, you must watch A Fish Called Wanda! It's so funny!

Just hi.

>197 PaulCranswick:: winning money is so much fun! I have never done so on the ponies but I did get a $600 lottery ticket one time. I didn't get a lot of money as the State had just decided I owed it some money for Unemployment Insurance payments I'd received, and then was "hired" as a teacher. Long story.... but I did get $125 to spend, and I still buy lottery tickets from time to time. I've spent the $125 many times over! ha ha ha

Nora - Katie is right it is a funny, funny film. (hi Katie)

Ellen - Same to you my dear , Hi always beats Lo

Karen - I feel like I have won the lottery everytime we get fees paid to the office - the Youth club strikes again!

Oops, hi Paul!

I've been around .. just not posting much ..but ribald comments shall recommence .... maybe this weekend when I catch a breath?

I'm still loving the 80's lists!!! Enya - best relaxing music for me, ever!

We learn more and more about you Mr C, #197 a bike rider i see from this. I used to do time trials with Calder Clarion for a couple of years and had a lovely sleek Peugeot at the time. A few years ago i won a Trek 2100 carbon fibre job in a TDF competition in conjunction with Ottakers, i ended up selling it on ebay and cleared £1200 even though the bike was worth £2,000 and the buyer came up from Bristol to collect it.

I know your music lists are from cds/albums you own but I did find a few outstanding releases from that year, but they might not be your cuppa: Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth, Surfer Rosa by the Pixies, (both of these are stunning!), Pontiac by Lyle Lovett, American Recordings by Johnny Cash. I don't think you are a big rap guy, I'm not either but a landmark hip-hop album, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back by Public Enemy, also came out that year. I was also a big fan of What Up, Dog? by Was (Not Was). Are you familiar with that one?
See, I turned a stinker into a rose!

Katie :)

Caro - I am always game for a little bit of ribaldry especially from my favourite epicurean.

Tina - I met Enya and some of her family on a trip to Donegal in the mid eighties just before her first mainstream album came out (The Celts). Stunningly beautiful woman but painfully reserved.

John - I didn't ride or race much in the UK but my club was Coventry Olympic. Were you a 10, 25 or 50 miler? My bike was one I bought from Graham Weigh; Columbus SLX tubing, Mavic wheels, Cinelli bars, Look pedals and Campag groupset.

Mark - I love American Recordings by Johnny Cash but it was only released in 1994. I have one Sonic Youth album but found it unlistenable. I like Frank Black but I don't have anything by the Pixies I'm afraid.

For some reason the list I was looking at had American Recordings listed for '88. That's strange. I did think it was later than that.
Not a Sonic Youth fan, eh? I came to them late but they are an American treasure. Pixies are pretty fantastic too!

Mark - I will give Sonic Youth's other stuff a good chance; the Pixies stuff has been on my radar for a while. You will find on the lists from now on 1988-1995 my collection is far from comprehensive.

The 90s was one of my favorite decades in music. It was loaded from beginning to end. I think bands like Sonic Youth, the Pixies and then Nirvana paved the way for some outstanding music. And the English music from that time was jaw-dropping too, with Blur, Radiohead, Jesus and Mary Train, the Verve, Pulp...Wow!

Haha, Mark you're in good company. I'm curious to see what Paul comes up with for the 90s! What could be on his shelf?

34.

After Rain by William Trevor (Category Challenge Short Stories 3/13 - RD's Challenge)

The word "deft" springs to mind. This collection of 12 short stories from the English based Irish maestro of the form rarely gets into top gear but there is much to admire stylistically here. In turns quirky, sharp and poignant he is rarely dull whilst never at his most gripping here.

The tale of burglary committed whilst everyone is away greeting the Pope struck a topical chord and the short stories about a Blind Piano Tuner's two wives, the near God experience by a Protestant amongst a Catholic community and a wife suffering a husband's infidelity by imbibing copious amounts of gin are all delicious.

Not his best but still pretty good.

7/10

Kathy- That was an amazing decade. Let's not forget the shoegazer crowd either: Slowdive & Ride. I am not a big hip-hop fan but there was some incredible music of that type being made too. Alt country also really came into it's own.

Mark - I was reawakened from my musical slumber in 1995 by Blur, Oasis, Pulp and a host of new bands, mainly from the UK leading the alternative music explosion. Grunge and shoe-gazing largely passed me by in truth. Some of Nirvana, Metallica and Foo Fighters I can appreciate but listening to a full album of it is a little deadening to the senses.

Kathy - Checking my database, I have more records from 1997 and 1998 than any other years for some reason. I have over 300 for 1997.

Mark, hahaha we crossed - I came to like Charlatans (UK) and The Stones Roses and Inspiral Carpets a bit later.

I know I start getting long-winded when my passions begin to rise. I LOVE music. Lately, books have crowded out just about everything but the LOVE is till there.
I am not a huge grunge fan either but I think Nirvana is monumental. I also like a lot of Pearl Jam's music too.

Now Pearl Jam I do like mate. I have most of their stuff and we should be seeing some of it mentioned soon! You may have noticed that we have very similar passions and tastes - good music, good books, good conversation, good beer. You guys all make the world much smaller for me and a better place to be in.

Mark I think we have a lot of common music interests. I could go on and on about it and love to spread the good music word to all who will listen! Feel free to list off some more of your favorites and I'll check out any I don't already know. :)

Pearl Jam was a favorite of mine too, and I narrowly missed out on their concert at the time of the ticketmaster fiasco. I was always partial to Chris Cornell over Eddie Vedder though.

Kathy - "Good music to all who will listen" - I like that!

Just the other day I was trying to remember which year the thirteen foot long sausage was produced and along you come with the answer. Thanks Paul;-)

1989 RETROSPECTIVE

From my music collection

1. Storms - Nanci Griffith
2. Let Love Rule - Lenny Kravitz
3. Spike - Elvis Costello
4. Oh Mercy - Bob Dylan
5. Flowers in the Dirt - Paul McCartney
6. Mystery Girl - Roy Orbison
7. Stone Roses - Stone Roses
8. Avalon Sunset - Van Morrison
9. Welcome to the Beautiful South - Beautiful South
10. Fine Young Cannibals - The Raw and the Cooked

At the Movies

1. Shirley Valentine
2. Dead Poets Society
3. Crimes and Misdemeanors
4. Monsieur Le Hire
5. Glory
6. Batman
7. Born on the Fourth of July
8. Driving Miss Daisy
9. Sex, Lies and Videotape
10. My Left Foot

Some Books

1. Billy Bathgate by E.L. Doctorow
2. The General in His Labyrinth by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
3. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
4. Restoration by Rose Tremain
5. The History of the Siege of Lisbon by Jose Saramago
6. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
7. London Fields by Martin Amis
8. A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes
9. Solomon Gursky Was Here by Mordecai Richler
10. The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos

EVENTS

Jan. Ted Bundy is executed
Feb. Fatwa issued by Iran for death of Salman Rushdie
Mar. The Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska
Apr. The Hillsborough football disaster
May. Tiananamen Square uprising begins
Jun. The Ayatollah dies (long before Mr. Rushdie)
Jul. Seinfeld premieres on TV
Aug. De Klerk becomes leader of South Africa
Sep. President Bush buys a bag of cocaine for his first national address
Oct. Hungary declares itself a republic
Nov. The Velvet Revolution spreads across Eastern Europe
Dec. The Ceaucescu's are killed in Romania.

Bonnie - I try to make sure that at least one of the events I list for each year is not strictly speaking a world shattering news item!

I'm so pleased to see that you have Nancy Griffith in your music collection. I do love much of her work.
And as much as I loved The World According to Garp, I still think A Prayer for Owen Meany may be my favorite work by John Irving. He is one author whose work I abandoned at some point and I have been wanting to read his last couple of novels.

Loving the lists ....

"I like Frank Black but I don't have anything by the Pixies I'm afraid." your poor ears not to have them to listen, absorb .......

But then posts since then balance it out some .... who can go past the stone roses

Ellen - I was waiting for a chance to slip in some Nanci! Love her songs and her homespun style. I toyed with a few other options for my list such as Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Blue Nile and Neneh Cherry but "Storms" was the first of hers I bought and I still like it.
I have only read Setting Free the Bears many years ago but have a few more of his on the shelves and must get to some more soon.

Alex - I still like Ian Brown's stuff actually and John Squire cut one album with a new band called The Seahorses in the late 90's which I also liked.

Oooh, Glory! One of the best movie soundtracks out there, I think. Besides the one for Batman, of course - Prince!

I loved The World According to Garp, I still think A Prayer for Owen Meany ...I'm definitely a fan of Irving....
Hi Paul! Not caught up....but trying to be sociable...

Back in 1989 - who was the Big O?

I still think A Prayer for Owen Meany was great! It is the most presbyterian of novels. I keep thinking I will read World According to Garp and just never get to it.

>230 benitastrnad:: Roy Orbison, I believe.

A good friend of mine dated Ted Bundy briefly. She was quite amazed at his being the sicko he was revealed to be. He was, to her, smart, charming and interesting. I believe their date was before he started killing young women, but she did look like his victims with the long brown hair.

Luckily, she moved on and ended up marrying a Scot and moved to UK. I lost track of her, sadly.

Hi Paul!
I agree with Mark that the 90's was a great decade for music! It was the decade when I was coming of age. I have XM radio in my car and there is a 90's station and I love to listen to it. Nate always looks at me funny when I sing along to songs that he has not heard of. He grew up only 5 years behind me but in the country and they really only listened to country music until he was in college.

I have been meaning to get to A Prayer for Owen Meany and I really need to try and fit it in this year

Benita - Nina is quite correct; the Big O was Mr. Roy Orbison.

Nina :)

Karen - What a great but creepy story. Lucky that Bundy lost track of your friend too!

Chelle - For me 95-98 was a golden age of music and, Brit that I am, it really saw a flowering of some wonderful talents - Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, Supergrass, Pulp, Ash, Verve, Coldplay, Embrace, et al.

I can also sympathise with Nate as I also have a soft spot for country - grew up listening to Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Charlie Rich, Emmy-Lou, and I enjoy Nanci Griffith, the roots of Lucinda Williams and the alt-country of Ryan Adams and Rhett Miller and the Jayhawks.

John Irving needs to move up the TBR queue.

I can't believe you've met Enya, Paul! Wow! I guess "painfully reserved" would mean that fame has probably been quite tough for her.

Gosh, I love this thread discussion.... I'm smiling with each post / memory of the 80's & 90's.

Paul rocks!! :)

Paul does, indeed, rock!
That's why we're all anticipating his U.S. Tour later this year (or next?).

>234 PaulCranswick:: Still lurking around, don't worry.

You'll have to make those T-shirts with your tour dates in each city :0)

Tina - Thank you so much my dear - you aint half bad yourself!

Ellen - A little bit of re-jigging may be required due to my mum's health as she is pestering for me to take the tribe back to see her. Gives me a little more time for planning (and saving) but we will definitely make it Stateside soon.

Nina - T-Shirts will get printed, promise!

Of course mum has to come first, but we anxiously await to meet you and your awesome tribe! I can't wait to meet Hani! I'll even bring my "nice" purse in her honor. LOL!

Roberta - Hahaha most of us bring and swap books but you and Hani can of course set a different precedent!

Disappointed that I missed being able to meet up with Reba yesterday after she cruised into Langkawi for the day. Work commitments meant I was unable to get up there. So few of you all manage to get this far it was a blow not being able to see her and her husband.

Also noticed that there was one book that for some reason missed out in being included in my database. The Travelling Hornplayer by Barbara Trapido. Pretty sure that I bought it last year but it goes, by default, on this years list.

For me 95-98 was a golden age of music
I am about in that boat too Paul. Blur, Suede, Supergrass, Pulp, Oasis, Ash, Elastica- I loved those guys.

We had Green, by REM on the other night to have a family-dance-before (the kids)-bedtime. It has become a regular feature now, Lenny requests it. "Song! Dance! " He demands that everyone be present too. It is funny, but my lovely other has a propensity to dominate the music choices, must be his past as a student radio DJ coming back :)

INTO THE NINETIES

1990 RETROSPECTIVE

MUSIC

STRAY – AZTEC CAMERA
ARMCHAIR THEATRE – JEFF LYNNE
VAN MORRISON – ENLIGHTENMENT
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – THE GOOD SON
THE LA’S – THE LA’S
THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH – CHOKE
PAUL SIMON – THE RHYTHMN OF THE SAINTS
JAMES – GOLD MOTHER
JOHN HIATT – STOLEN MOMENTS
ALTAN – THE RED CROW

FILM

AWAKENINGS
CYRANO DE BERGERAC
DANCES WITH WOLVES
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
THE FIELD
GOODFELLAS
GHOST
TOTAL RECALL
MISERY
REVERSAL OF FORTUNE

BOOKS
LIES OF SILENCE by Brian Moore
POSSESSION by A.S. Byatt
VERTIGO by W.G. Sebald
HOCUS POCUS by Kurt Vonnegut
RABBIT AT REST by John Updike
BARBARIANS AT THE GATE by Brian Burrough
THE BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA by Hanif Kureishi
THE INNOCENT by Ian McEwan
VINELAND by Thomas Pynchon
BRAZZAVILLE BEACH by William Boyd

EVENTS
Jan - Benazir Bhutto becomes first world leader (outside monarchs) to give birth in office.
Feb - Nelson Mandela is freed
Mar - Imelda Marcos goes on trial for corruption and indiscriminate purchasing of footwear
Apr - 450 guests killed by food poisoning at a wedding in Uttar Pradesh, no more catering jokes from me
May - In UK a man mugs someone carrying bearer bonds and escapes with $400 million
Jun - Two female priests are ordained in Northern Ireland
Jul - The two German nations merge their two economies on the way to reunification
Aug - Irag invades Kuwait causing the First Gulf War
Sep - Samuel Doe of Liberia is captured and executed on film
Oct - Apartheid ended in South Africa
Nov - Mrs Thatcher and Lee Kuan Yew step down in UK and Singapore respectively
Dec - Berners-Lee publishes the first ever web page on server. British and French workers meet in the Channel Tunnel

May - In UK a man mugs someone carrying bearer bonds and escapes with $400 million

WHERE IS HE NOW?!? WHERE IS MY HUSBAND?

Megan - The boys must be comical putting DJ Dad through his paces.

Richard - Hahaha; as far as I know he left no forwarding address.

RD - It seems that crime did not pay in this instance:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/feb/18/dome.ukcrime

Still 2 of the 301 bonds were never recovered worth about $3.1 million. Not shabby either.

...rotten, sleazy informant...

...I wouldnt sneeze at 3.1 million ill-gotten dollars. Well, I probably wouldnt be able to enjoy it as much, but Id give it a shot!

Im thinking private library......just for starters.

Edward Scissorhands- *snigger* never can forget my friend being utterly horrified at arriving home and her housemates had a porn movie called Edward Penis Hands. That was the last time she flatted with male university students, thats for sure.

RD - Yap what a spoilsport.

Megan - Would that mean she would have felt a real dick? No better don't answer.

Here we go into the 90s. I do think "Rhythm of the Saints" is an excellent album.

Sorry your mum's health is being sketchy. It's hard to be going through that -- hard for her and hard for you. And, you know that we'll all be delighted to meet up with you at various U.S. bookstores and coffee shops whenever you can make it.

Yo, dude! Just finished Train Dreams - review posted and on my thread. First Five Star read of the year. What a journey! Now reading Paris Trout by Pete Dexter. Paris would have to be a contender for Most Loathsome Character in Literature. But I am loving the book and think it may be a Four Stars from me...

Ellen - She has had a tough few years with pneumonia on three separate occasions and then last year a full historectomy and severe ovarian cists. I had better go back there given her feelings as I would not like to think how I would feel if I go Stateside instead and something happens to the old girl.

I have Pete Dexter's Spooner on the shelves Prue and will be interested to see what you make of Paris Trout. Denis Johnson is a very good writer.

Ellen is right, Paul, we totally will welcome you whenever it works that you can come visit. Of course, we understand that visiting Mom must take the precedence.

I'm sending good health mojo in her direction. As I don't know exactly where she lives, I'm sure the Mojo will find her! It is magic!

Paul in honor of Paul Sheldon and yourself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHeKxujT9wk

I'll be waiting for you stateside! Bwahahaha!!!!

Thanks Karen. She is a West Yorkshire lady from only a few miles away from John (johnsimpson).

Roberta - hahaha I'm sure that you are a lot less scary than Ms. Bates.

Paul

Stopping by and waving hello! Thanks again for the retrospective lists.

Linda - If that is the two of us I'm a little worried about our lack of hair! :)

Hi Paul! Nothing much to say today. But enjoying your thread as usual.

I thought of you this morning, Paul, as I bought 30 or so books at the Friends of the Library Old Book Sale. I know I'm still a mere piker compared to you....

The Elton John concert was great - if you get the chance to see him, do!

Paul...Linda...y'all are an evil evil influence. I was trundling around eBay yestere'en, tending to my own knitting, when I was mugged, mugged I tell you, by y'all's spirits.

An auction, two minutes from ending, for 74 (seventy-four) books, high bid $19.95. Ha, smirk, I said, I am *immune* to this, I need no seventy-four (74) book lots for a mere $20! And I passed from its presence.

Then the shades of Paul and Linda, of evil memory, came to me, whispering of the raptures of bookbuying, the sheer luxurious bubblebathness of new (to me) book ownership, the...

I bid $20.50, and now there are 74 (seventy-four) books on their way to me from someplace in Kansas. Gonna be a job and a half hidin' 'em.

#260
Lots of good things come out of Kansas! Like wheat, and John Brown, and Gen. Eisenhower

Hey Paul! Love the lists, as usual! :)

Genny - I am a little like you then this morning. Bemused a little at having to rush up my outstanding work to get the family to a frozen UK next week. Looks like my plans are overtaken by events really. Was hoping to spend spring in the USA but family calls - both mother and twin brother look like they need some attention so duty calls - it will be nice to go back there for a while too!

Dejah - 30 books is impressive by any standards. It is a good job that such libraries and sales don't exist here otherwise I would have to call structural engineers to inspect the apartment.
Elton John concert is definitely on my list of things to do - have always liked his music, especially the earlier stuff.

RD - I think Linda and I deserve praise rather than approbation for having any influence whatsoever in encouraging you to purchase 74 books at less than $0.28 each. Well done! Kansas to NYC; is there a yellow brick road?

Benita - John Brown is of course associated with but not born of Kansas - he was born in Connecticut. A dozen other famous people from or who grew up in Kansas - William Burroughs, Langston Hughes, Melissa Etheridge, Tom Watson, Maurice Greene, Gary Hart, Amelia Earhart, Bob Dole, Charlie Parker, Buster Keaton, Don Johnson, Joe Walsh

Rachel - Thanks my dear. 1991 coming up a little later.

Hi Paul,
as always I love your lists. Great music, great films, great books and interesting memories :)

Belated condolences to the loss of such a young friend. However, I a was very happy to hear the good news on Halim's son. They must be so thrilled that his mothers kidney is a match for him.

I absolutely loved your review on Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes, well I may could find myself in a position where I could give poetry a go. I only know The Iron Man and The Iron Woman by Ted Hughes because Alex read them in year three in school.

I wish you and your family a wonderful weekend.

> 260 Richard LOL

Hi Paul - I arrived home this morning and finally got to open your mystery BD package (sent back in January) - thanks so much for your generosity. Such a long journey is now on my tbr pile, I read A fine balance a few years ago and enjoyed it.

Enjoying the journey through the decades of movies, music and books but haven't been active on the threads while travelling.

Yay Kerry is back!

Oh, and hi Paul too :)

*not answering the not-answerable question*

With regards to Edward Scissorhands, a particularly dashing young man was dressed as him at a university party, and as I was admiring him from afar (thinking if only....), and lo and behold he came and asked me to dance!
*swoon*
That was it, I was hooked. It was a brief affair, but I have the photos to prove he existed as I nabbed him as my +1 for the next ball.
So I have fond memories of the film character, not like my friend!

#263 a frozen UK is right: as I read your comments I was watching the snowflakes drift down. Only light snow here but they are forecasting heavy snow for central England today. Apparently this March is on target to be the second coldest March on record.

Cold and snowy here this morning, too. March 22nd? The yards are full of confused plants....

Paul, You might want to check our "friend" Richard's thread. He is saying some nasty stuff about you and me...I believe the word evil is bantered about.

Basically, we are being blamed for his book buying habit....something about Amazon and 20 bucks worth of books....Yep, it is all right there in post number 183.

I say we send him lots of cat pictures. What say you?

Lucky devil that we love him so much.....and, geesh there are worse people he could emulate right?

Bianca - Nice to see you back posting. I spotted The Iron Woman by Ted Hughes yesterday but more of that later. Halim's son and wife take a further step towards the operation next week just as we'll be winging our way back to the UK. Evrything crossed that things will be fine for them.

Kerry - Relieved to get your news as I always worry if my packages reach their targets!
Rohinton Mistry is one of my absolute favourites. Great to see you back in one piece.

Megan -hahaha that is a much safer story than the Penis-hands!

Rhian - Yep I always pick just the right time to come home! One/two of the days we will be in London. Mum isn't on line but I will try to keep everyone as updated as possible on our movements in UK in the off-chance of any meet-ups.

Karen - Hahaha It would seem that the daffodils, crocusi and tulips have been caught just as unawares as their cultivators.

Linda - Richard slugging his buddies, surely not as that would be so out of character! Don't know about you Linda but I am nowhere near prepared to face the consequences of spraying his thread with feline photography. x

Wow, your retrospectives started listing movies I've seen and books I've read rather sooner than I would have expected. But I can't really take credit for watching Cry Freedom or reading Beloved, since I did both for college classes. :)

Had my last Friday afternoon at the Temple of Books before I go back to UK for a few weeks from next Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.

Didn't stick to my 6 rule but bought:

Mutual Aid by Peter Kropotkin
The Good Father by Noah Hawley
What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander
The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay
Angry White Pyjamas by Robert Twigger
The Iron Woman by Ted Hughes
Blood River by Tim Butcher
The Promise of Politics by Hannah Arendt
Handwriting by Michael Ondaatje

I do love James Herriot...

*mind boggles*

More books!

*waves*

Mary - hahaha that makes me feel so young!

Speaking of which today is my 17th wedding anniversary. SWMBO made a calculation error many years ago (ten in fact) and accidentally told one of her friends that we had been married a year more than we actually have. Silly woman has stuck to her story doggedly and she casts daggers at me with those piercing eyes if I deign to make the mistake of stating it correctly to any of our contempories.

In all fairness the dear girl needs a medal of some description for putting up with me for so long and still being fully capable of shredding my nerve ends at her indomitable will. A quick kiss to her whilst she is not looking.

Kath - Well just a few because I am sure to find a second hand shop or two in the UK. I have plans for London, York, Lincoln and Hay-on-Wye so hopefully I will find one or two there.

>274 PaulCranswick: Well, if I'd done it at 4-5 I would've been something of a prodigy. College was only 5-10 years ago. My actual memory of '80s things are a rather hazy memory of watching Family Ties and Alf as a little kid. :)

Mary - Thought of so many spring chickens has made me rather hungry! Family Ties!

Happy Anniversary to you, Paul! And do you have big plans for today?

Enjoy your anniversary Paul! Let us know what Hani plans for you to gift her for the occasion.

Happy Anniversary Paul & Hani! Wishing you many many more to come! :)

Happy Anniversary Paul!

Awwww, Happy 17th/18th anniversary Paul and SWMBO! It's the furniture/porcelain year, so good luck with finding a gift! ♥

Mamie, Roberta, Chelle and Bonnie - Thank you so much for your commiserations salutations. I will work for a couple of hours and she and I will go somewhere for a slap up meal this evening. I will not broach the subject of presents, I need not do so I dare say as she is not exactly slow in coming forward.
Yesterday she was looking at both modern and traditional gifts to be given on such occasions - Diamond is 60, Golden is 50, Ruby is 40 and Silver is 25 as most of us know. 17 is (Modern) Plasma TV (!!) and (Trad) Furniture. I told her I would buy her a deck chair.

Kathy - Our posts crossed; great minds and all that. I also noticed "porcelain" and suggested a toilet bowl. She looked as unimpressed as is her wont.

Hmph. I think the toilet bowl satisfies both porcelain and furniture.

Kathy; it satisfies porcelain/furniture but not SWMBO.

Which of course is the most important factor!

Furniture! Ye goddesses! Where would furniture FIT in Casa Cranswick with all the books, including the eleventy mentioned above? The mind *boggles* at the mere mention of Paul in conjunction with Hay-on-Wye. The shipping magnates who monitor his comm traffic are, even as we speak, out celebrating the impending sale of several leaky old container ships to hold the bookish denudings to come.

Paul. In Hay-on-Wye. One wonders where the new deep-water port is being built to accommodate the Laust Maersk and company's stealth unloading....

Furniture, so bookshelves then :) ...... only the brave & foolhardy would go there though!

I hope you and SWMBO had a wonderful anniversary celebration, Paul. Certainly 17 years is nothing to sneeze at.

Kathy - Yes. Well it is to her anyway.

RD - Interestingly SWMBO hasn't heard of Hay-on-Wye; I do get the feeling that she may be less than happy when she sees the place.
I will organise the sending of a few books with my brother!

Alex- Yes, well you hit the nail on the head cleanly there - bookshelves may seem just a tad self-serving!
Btw The cricket is less than exciting or was until Southee came and started bashing the ball around a bit.

Julia - Thank you my dear. As I said to her last night sometimes it seems just like yesterday but more often yesterday seems just like a hundred years ago.

Happy Anniversary, Paul - I hope your evening out is wonderful. I also want to see a picture of this proposed deck chair - it had better be pretty impressive!

291 > Cook has gone early so could make things interesting ......

Dejah; I wouldn't dare buy her a deckchair or I certainly wouldn't make it to 18!

Alex - Failed twice in a row now. Trott and Compton will bore everyone to death.

LOL at your story of how long you've been married! At any rate, Happy Anniversary and Hanni!

Happy Anniversary, Paul (and SWMBO)!!! It's quite cute how fond of her you are when she's not looking. :-)

Deb - I asked Yasmyne how many years she thought her mum and I had been hitched. Her first comment was "She changes it right?"; secondly she hazarded "14" - she realised that she was a dope as she is 16 and certainly did not attend a wedding that took place long before her birth (well 13 months anyway). I mentioned to Fifi that today was our anniversary - she asked me "how long?" , she smiled when I replied "200 years". SWMBO was less happy when I pointed out that the sentence meted out for armed robbery is normally less than 17 years.

Ellen - shhhh your not supposed to let anyone know that!

Like the photo at the top, it looks like the road between Hubberholme and Buckden.

Tony - I believe that you have the general locale right for sure. Nice to see you here by the way.