Paul C with books and more in 2014 Part 7

One of the reasons put forward for the start of the war was the culmination of an arms race between Britain and Germany and particularly over naval supremacy. Many commentators have pointed to the allied victory having hinged on Britain retaining just about dominance of the ocean routes and effectively blockading Germany into submission.

One of the major engagements was in 1916 - The Battle of Jutland.

This is part of the British fleet:

This is a an extract from a poem by Charles Causley in the anthology I am presently reading about the Battle of Jutland.

When I came out of depot
My heart was beating bright.
The lily bloomed in the valley,
The holly flowers were white.
As we sailed to meet the enemy
The history book looked raw,
John Jellicoe put on his golden arm,
And Beatty his bulldog jaw.

Mother, don't watch for the postie,
I shan't have time to write,
I'm off to the Battle of Jutland
And there's no shore leave tonight.
Don't weep on the kitchen table
If a letter I don't send.
Today is the Battle of Jutland
And there won't be a make or mend.

Suddenly all around me
The Gunnery Jacks all spoke
Their terrible words of gunpowder
And sentences of smoke.
The deck blew up like a candle,
I heard the Gunner's Mate say,
It looks more like November the fifth
Than the thirty-first of May.

From "Ballad of Jack Cornwall" by Charles Causley.

The stalemate of the Battle of Jutland (31 May 1916) was important in persuading the German High Command that there was no possibility of their outnumbered navy gaining control of the oceans by head-on conflict. Despite losing more men and tonnage than the Germans the British could be satisfied that German ambitions had been thwarted. The British force outnumbered the german 151 ships to 99, but they lost 14 ships to 11 and considerably more British lives (6,094) and tonnage (113,300) were lost compared to Germanys 2551 killed and 62,300 tonnes.

Historians don't agree on the failure of the British command to finish off the German fleet. Britain was led by John Jellicoe with 9 battlecruisers under Sir David Beatty. Jellicoe was cautious, sanguine and ultra safe, Beatty was gregarious and charismatic and rather prone to risk taking. They didn't get along and this probably allowed the German shipping to escape back to port.

Charles Causley was a naval man. It speaks loudly in much of his poetry. He served in the Second war with some distinction in the Royal Navy.

2014 Reading

January
1. A Man of the People by Chinua Achebe (1966) 150 pp
2. Touch Wood: Poems and a Story by Dannie Abse (2002) 88pp
3. My Antonia by Willa Cather (1918) 248pp
4. 77 Dream Songs by John Berryman (1964) 84 pp
5. Novel on Yellow Paper by Stevie Smith (1936) 252 pp
6. The Sojourn by Andrew Krivak (2011) 191 pp
7. The Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith (1892) 171 pp
8. Fools of Fortune by William Trevor (1983) 207 pp
9. Collected Poems 1951-2000 by Charles Causley (2000) 421 pp

Best of 2014

Fiction
Fools of Fortune by William Trevor
My Antonia by Willa Cather

Poetry
Touch Wood: Poems and a Story by Dannie Abse

Current Reading

Planned reading in January: 14 in the first month of 14

The Sojourn by Andrew Krivak (2011)READ
Touch Wood: Poems and a Story by Dannie Abse (2002) READ
Collected Poems of Charles Causley by Charles Causley (2000) READ
77 Dream Songs by John Berryman (1964) READ
Can You Forgive Her? by Anthony Trollope (1865) to finish
Landscape at the End of the Century by Stephen Dunn (1991)
Man of the People by Chinua Achebe (1966) READ
Novel on Yellow Paper by Stevie Smith (1936) READ
The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War by Christopher Clark (2012)
My Antonia by Willa Cather (1918) READ
Fools of Fortune by William Trevor (1983) READ
Fateless by Imre Kertesz (1975)
North from Rome by Helen MacInnes (1958)
Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith (1892) READ

Category Challenge 14 for 14

Pyramid Challenge

1 World War One (1 READ)
2 Yorkshire Writers (1 READ)
3 Writers new to me (2 READ)
4 Books about the Holocaust
5 Books from the first edition of 1001 books (2 READ)
6 Ahem, Science Fiction and Fantasy
7 Series followed
8 Biographies
9 Books on the Shelves since 2012
10 Gifts from friends
11 Re-reads
12 Nobel contenders (1 READ)
13 Short Story Collections
14 The natural world

150 Years of Reading Bold Will Be Years I have Finished This Year

The Object is to read one book from each year from 1865 to 2014 all in 2014. No author to be repeated:

1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874,
1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884,
1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894,
1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904,
1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914,
1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924
1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934,
1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944,
1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954,
1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964,
1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974
1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984,
1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994,
1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Stateside Challenge

In addition to Mark's American Author challenge I am trying to read a book by an author born in each of the US states + DC + one american born overseas:

1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Colorado
7. Connecticut
8. Delaware
9. Florida
10. Georgia
11. Hawaii
12. Idaho
13. Illinois
14. Indiana
15. Iowa
16. Kansas
17. Kentucky
18. Louisiana
19. Maine
20. Maryland
21. Massachusetts
22. Michigan
23. Minnesota
24. Mississippi
25. Missouri
26. Montana
27. Nebraska
28. Nevada
29. New Hampshire
30. New Jersey
31. New Mexico
32. New York
33. North Carolina
34. North Dakota
35. Ohio
36. Oklahoma - 77 Dream Songs by John Berryman
37. Oregon
38. Pennsylvania - The Sojourn by Andrew Krivak
39. Rhode Island
40. South Carolina
41. South Dakota
42. Tennessee
43. Texas
44. Utah
45. Vermont
46. Virginia - My Antonia by Willa Cather
47. Washington
48. West Virginia
49. Wisconsin
50. Wyoming
51. DC
52. American born outside USA

TBR Records

Physical Books on Shelves 1/1/14 = 2,690
Added to 2014 = 32
Read in 2014 = 9
Revised TBR Books = 2,713

Pages to read 1/1/14 = 974,030
Pages added in 2014 = 11,094
Pages read in 2014 = 1,822
Revised Pages to read = 983,303

Total Kindle E Books to Read = 3,873
Read in 2014 = 0
Added in 2014 = 0
Revised Kindle Books to Read = 3,873

Total TBR = 6,573 books

Series List:

Please refer to my page on fict-fact

http://www.fictfact.com/list/PaulCranswick/19440/ALL

Nobel reading

Paul, my grandfather was at the battle of Jutland. He was a stoker on HMS Tiger.

OH RATS! Second place. :) The closest I've ever been. LOL

Just posted to the old thread - you'll probably see it. I have a book for you, if you will PM me your address.

Sir Paul. *sweeping anti-Republican bow*

Rhian - Then I guess it is appropriate that you win your prize on the thread that "celebrates" Jutland. My uncle served in the war in the Royal Navy too (WW2). You may like Causley's balladry in post 2 above then given affiliations.

Jenn - Hardly seems fair that I should gain by you being 12 minutes late to the party.

Well Paul, as I often tell my children, life isn't fair. :)

Dear fellow - "republican" means different things to different people. Over in the US you conjure up images of right-wing headcases and political dynasties redolent of shrubbery. In the UK we would largely think of an anti-monarchist. In Long Island I would be a liberal, in Leeds I am a socialist republican. Thanks for the knighthood, RD, I'd much sooner receive one from you than Elizabeth Vagina Regina.

Jenn - It isn't indeed. I tell my own team the same prior to every game of Monopoly. xx

Shrubbery indeed. :)

My dad was in WWII in the Eastern European Theater. Still carried shrapnel in his leg until the day he died. He set off metal detectors at the airports.

In NC I'm considered a liberal. I call myself a yellow-dog Democrat, a term I learned from my late MiL. Never been to Leeds, but if I'm a socialist republican there, then that's the first and last time ever the word republican will apply to me - new concept but acceptable.

I hope your week is going well, Paul.

Karen,
Interesting theatre of operations for WW2 Karen. It is amazing the sacrifices that were made for all of us and how little times we remember them as we should.

Not heard of Yellow Dog Democrat prior to your comment but I see that you'd sooner vote for a Yellow Dog as a candidate than a Republican. Yep, I could probably go along with that so long as they don't bite the hand that feeds it!
IRA for instance stands for Irish Republican Army and I don't see any of the Fenians having much in common with Dick Cheney.

Another thread and still fascinating reading:) Not really a poetry reader but those first world war poets are interesting, hadn't heard of this one before.

Hope you have a great week.

22nd? I'm moving up in the world!

ETA : Hah! Knew it was too good to be true ;0)

Calm - Charles Causley was actually born in Cornwall in 1917 so doesn't really qualify as a WW1 poet. He did serve in WW2 and appropriately in the Navy.

Nina - 22 or 23; no biggie my dear. Whichever number I am always pleased to see you here.

Congratulations on another interesting thread, Paul! I love the colours of the painting.

Good morning, Paul! I have a great-great grandfather who fought in the Civil War, but no direct ancestors who were involved in WWI or II.

political dynasties redolent of shrubbery Made me giggle.
Happy NewThread!

Congrats on Lucky 7, my friend! Hope the work week goes well.

Diana - Thank you my dear. The colours really caught my eye too.

Amber - I was considering some civil war poetry too; Amber maybe another time. I am from a family who have fought the English, fought the Irish, fought the French and the Germans and the Japanese, who have fought in Africa and the Far East and family who have moved to Canada, Australia and South Africa.
I have never fought anybody.

Genny - Having such a silly name as Bush, I just couldn't help myself. xx

Mark - I hope it is lucky mate. So far the week has been hellishly busy.

Paul, congrats on your new thread. This is an impressive picture.

good afternoon Mr. C
Lucky Mr. C... here is raining, dark and damp. There is sunny, warm and exotic. Darn, life is unfair ;)
Coffee, give my kingdom for a coffee... enjoy and reminisce

Reporting for lurk duty!

Passing through! Also impressed that you've managed to stay so on track with your planned reading for the month. The painting above is remarkable -- it's beautiful, but at the same time, the subject matter far less so (now that I've learned about it from your comments below the poem). It's certainly a piece of artwork that demands a thoughtful response... such opposing responses inside as I look at it. Hmm.

Here you are again, Paul, with a new thread. Thank you for the lovely painting and the poem.

Nice new thread Paul! I am enjoying both 77 dream Song and Aimless love, though if I were to pick a favorite it would be Aimless Love.

Hello, lovely Paul! Hope you're having a great day! (((HUG)))

Thank you Barbara. As I understand the provenance of the picture, it was used and commissioned by the royal family of the UK for Christmas Cards. I think as impressive as it undoubtedly is, it is surely the message of hope and goodwill to all men that Christmas spirit is meant to be heir to.

Liliana - It didn't rain here today but walking around my project site at 11.00 am this morning was hardly a blessing in 35 degress celsius temperatures and 93% humidity.
If Richard III had imbibed a little more coffee, the disaster of Bosworth Field in 1485 may have been avoided!

Katie - I thought that you were too busy buying up all the books in Texas to mix it over in my humble abode. xx Glad you are taking up the slack for me a bit this year so far. I am not even that itchy at the moment for new books. Wait..........don't believe everything I type.

Faith - Isn't it thought provoking that something so terribly beautiful can be so beautifully terrible?

Julia - Another thread. I am becoming aware that there may be a danger of thread fatigue coming soon; not from me certainly but I am mindful of trying to keep the thing as fresh as I can.

Dear Abby, In my humble opinion Berryman was the superior poet whilst Collins is the more enjoyable. Dannie Abse not yet turned up at the Pecan Paradisio?

Laura - That gives me a glow as it is not an adjective usually applied to me! We were looking through the piles and piles of old photograph albums from the children's infancy and both Hani and I were of the view that we had a good eye in those days. I was certainly right; almost forgotten just how stunning she was in those days. Now she is a tad more cuddly and I am like two teddy bears but I love her no less and understand her no more.

Good morning, Paul, and thank you for the beautiful painting and the brief history lesson. I like your themed thread toppers for the year (will you do this all year?).

I hope you're having a good week!

Good afternoon Paul! Just finished reading 70+ posts. Happy New thread.

I suppose that depends how many threads I manage to get through, Ellen. I haven't thought beyond the First World War as the theme of Remembrance for the year. xx

Connie - Thank you. Tomorrow it is pay the credit card day and then I can think about bringing my orders up to date.

I end up being a yellow dog Democrat even though I say I'm Independent because there's never been a Republican I could in all conscience vote for! Twenty years ago it was different. The parties weren't so extreme. Or at least it seems so.

I don't think I could vote for the Republicans if I was american nor would I vote Conservative in the UK. I am left of centre and favour gradual and consensual change over revolution. Except where books are concerned. And where books are concerned we were posting on each others threads at the same time. xx

Happy new thread, Paul. My head is slightly spinning trying to keep up.

Morning, Paul. :)

I have actually voted for a Republican, many years ago when they weren't so extreme. As I recall, it was a situation where the Repub candidate for governor in Illinois was campaigning on the need to raise the income tax, and the Democrat was campaigning against it. Can you even imagine such a situation happening now?!

Of course, that particular governor ended up going to jail, but that can — and has — happened to Illinois governors of both parties, and not infrequently. :-)

#45 : Your head is spinning? Mamie? Join the club. I posted yesterday, logged in today and I find Paul's started another new thread! Yeesh.

Yes, Paul .. in answer to your question in the previous thread, if all goes well, I should be stomping around KL again in mid February. I'll keep you updated once my dates are confirmed. :-)

So what do you think Paul? 120 threads by year's end, give or take a few? I enjoyed the history lesson up there too. Wasn't at all aware about that aspect of the war, but then can't say I've studied it much, other than taking interest in the human element, which is true for most things.

To finish the challenges listed in #8 and #9 both seems extremely difficult.

Congrats on the new thread, Paul. I like the painting, poem and history lesson up top. My dad was in the U.S. navy in WWII, and it remains vivid for him to this day.

Hi Paul, great photo to start this new thread. It seems that things are starting to build up on the BBC regarding the 100th anniversary of the start of WW I. Waterstones has started to display books to commemorate this anniversary and will be updating and expanding it throughout the year.

>52 johnsimpson:: I'd like to join the Great War commemorative group read, probably around the mid-year mark. Can anyone recommend anything that's not too heavy or tragic, but still informative?

Mamie - Not keen to have your head spinning my dear. At least your toothache is hopefully a thing of the past as there is nothing worse than a spinning head with toothache.

Tam - Good morning to you too. I have waited of course until it is morning here as well. It is presently 4:54 in the morning, Kuala Lumpur time and I am arisen from my slumbers bleary eyed and coffee denied.

Julia - Politicians do seem to court trouble with alarming frequency in the good old US of A. It would be of course preferable that parties don't matter and that all parties are considered on their merits and, in theory, there ought to be more possibility in a Presidential and Federal system than the party-laden parliamentary system in the UK.

>53 humouress:
Nina, Last year I read a great book called A World Undone: The Story of the Great War. It is a large book, but not any more heavy or tragic than necessary. If that makes sense. Hugely informative and I am so glad I read it.

Whaaat, it's so busy in your thread, I can barely follow it! 55 messages or something in a day! It's like everyone is running a marathon 'till the end and I didn't even start it yet! I'd better run.

I'm sure you'll not fail, it looks like you're doing great! I think it is a cool challenge, especially with reading a book for every year. It's funny how the English language already was so developed it's almost the same nowadays and that the Dutch language wasn't as much, since it changed a lot in my opinion.

Caro - With the greatest of respect, dear lady, has your spinning bonce nothing at all to do with globe-trotting epicureanism?
Look forward to another episode of your delightful company sometime in Feb. Hani asked me just the other day if there was an update. I told her you were in Puerto Rico. We used to have a thing when courting that I would test her general knowledge (mainly invented as a ruse, I can now admit to get beyond her formidable feminine defences) by, amongst other things, capital cities of the world. Dear girl really made an effort and is still able to call most of them to mind. Her enthusiasm for such things when I similarly test the kids reminds me why she just had to be the one. So I would say "Puerto Rico" and she'd say "Starts from"; I would answer "P" with a smile and she'd reply "Not Puerto Rico stupid"; I'd then say "S" and she'd get it right probably second time after saying "San Jose" or "Santiago" before settling on "San Juan".

Ilana - No we are starting to gradually slow down as a group by a couple of hundred posts a day collectively. *Smile to Smiler*
Don't like to set targets for posting and threads as I would echo Amber's often expressed joy and surprise of being inundated with posts. I always endeavour to reply to each and every post I receive and I always endeavour to do so with a smile in my fingers when typing. I also endeavour to try to keep up with all the threads I am following at least once a week, posting on most if not all of these. Where that takes me in terms of numbers of threads is anyone's guess but I am sure that I'll continue loving the sight of numbers of unread posts against my name when I open the group page daily.

Piyush - That is the very reason that I called them "challenges" :) - Does San Francisco have any books left I wonder?

Joe - Thanks mate. It is extremely interesting for me to read of the service rendered to respective nations by all our forebears. We have so much to thank them all for don't you think. I am from one of the first generations of Brits who weren't engulfed in a war of exceptional magnitude and that is mainly because of the sacrifices made by my ancestral line and yours and those of our respective countrymen long under the sod.
I do think I am a far better student of history than a teacher of it.

John - I do hope that I'll be able to have a few days in the UK either going to or returning from the States this year. Not only to see first hand the WW1 commemorations but also to visit family and friends too.

Nina - Avoiding the tragic with WW1 is not an easy task methinks. For non-fiction one of the shorter volumes on the war is probably a good place to start either by Norman Stone or John Keegan. I find that some of the memoirs are exceptionally readable. Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves and Undertones of War by Edmund Blunden are well done. On a different war front but eminently readable is An Ice Cream War which is about the start of the war in Africa by William Boyd.

Jenn - Interesting, that is one I haven't got or read yet. Will see if I can track it down.

Marjolein - In 21 days I am still averaging about 78 posts on the thread per day which is way beyond my expectations too.
I honestly believe that I will make my challenges this year (but I say that most years and don't!) and think that at least I will finish January on track.
Nice to see you taking so effortlessly to the group, my dear.

What a contrast between you and me, Paul. You with your 35 degrees Celsius (which I assume is some kind of absolutely hideous temp in Farenheight-speak) and me with the gently falling snow and toe-chilling temperatures.

But, my day is suddenly bright and warm. The mailman came and I hopped up from my couch to rescue whatever selection of catalogs and useless circulars from the mailbox (I.e. Dumped them in the recycling) and there was a lovely book from you. Many, many thanks, Paul. And what a lovely selection. It will not languish, unread, on my shelf for years and years as most do. And it's a Penguin! I love Penguin books most of all.

Passing through trying every so hard to keep up with your thread.. :) Marking a spot.. Also saying hello my dear.

Political parties... here's what George Washington thought of them. I tend to agree.

However they (political parties) may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.

It's easy to label someone by their "party" affiliation, but not, IMO, terribly accurate. As made very clear here in the 75ers group, put a bunch of reasonable people together and they will find common ground. They will find ways to compromise, agree to disagree, or even discover that they agree on many things. That's what I see here every day.

You are all just lovely people.

>58 PaulCranswick:, I hope you get the chance to visit your family and friends later in the year, if it is possible to meet up I will look forward to it.

I'm closing in on the end of Margaret MacMillan's The War that Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 Paul, which is a great narrative non-fiction account of the decades leading up to WWI. I've been on the book for a while but it's immensely readable, though quite long.

Hmmm...I had relatives in the U. S. Civil War, and uncles who served in WWII, my Dad was in Korea in peacetime, between WWII and the Korean War, but I can't think of anyone who was in WWI. Can that be true? Now I'll be off on another family research project...

Charlotte - I always have a sigh of relief when one of my books arrives at its chosen destination. I am a lover of Zola so I do hope you like it. xx
35 celcius is 95 fahrenheit.

Monica - Lovely to "see" you as always. I have nearly as much trouble as everyone else in keeping up with the thread!

Jenn - Nice George Washington quote. I think on this one I have to agree. People are essentially people and I am someone who tries to find the best in most everyone I meet. I would probably find something to talk to even Dick Cheney about without any possibility of vituperation - angling or hair loss probably. Only things I cannot stand are bigotry and prejudice unless it is being laughed at and put to ridicule.

John - A visit home to Wakefield would automatically mean I would want to get together and chew the fat mate - absolutely goes without saying.

Bonnie - Interesting because I have exactly the same experience with Sleepwalkers : How Europe Went To War; enjoying it immensely but the font is small and it is taking its toll and time.

Linda - Of course the USA's late entry into WW1 does reduce the number of combatants it had involved in the conflict. The American Civil War was a bloody affair too though wasn't it?

95????? Oy.

Hej Paul, good night

>18 PaulCranswick: Paul, I will have to pretend I did not read your derogatory and defamatory remark regarding your Queen. You can be imprisoned for that cant you? Or at least have your head and British passport removed....
;)

>47 rosalita: Of course, that particular governor ended up going to jail
lol- what a great punchline ;)

Paul, as with everyone, I am shocked at the speed your threads move. It was only the other day I was so excited about being first visitor, and now the glory has already gone to someone else (congrats, Rhian ;)). I shall have to borrow the plastic gold medal that Lenny has taken to wearing everywhere relive my former golden days. (he has been told he looks like a mini-Russian wrestler wearing it anyway)

Hi Paul, as the Paul above me wishes you a good night, I can chime in and wish you a lovely afternoon. That's one of the things I love about LT, we're global and there's always somebody awake and ready to discuss life, war and of course, books.

My grandfather ran away from home at 16 to join the army but was found out and sent home. He again went when he was 17 and got away with it. He served during WW I and this had a profound effect on him the rest of his life. He actually met my grandmother when he was sent to Western Canada to recover from gassing.

>70 LovingLit:. Paul, as with everyone, I am shocked at the speed your threads move.

Ha--I so agree. Paul, I can't keep up with this thread, although it's great fun to try.

Oh my oh my - waving madly and running with wolves!

Charlotte - It is far too hot for a fellow of my girth to be clambering across an open site to check the quality of temporary fencing!

Paul - Thank you my friend. I am now celebrating a good but hopelessly over busy morning.

Megan - We can all correct typographical errors can we not, hahaha? Yep the Governor got his comeuppance for misleading normally sensible people like Julia to vote for them. Lenny looks a healthily sturdy young gentleman. If he wants to wear a gold star then a gold star it is:

Just swinging by! I hope that you don't have to spend much time outside in the heat and humidity. Unless you're outside with your feet up, a cold drink by your side, and a good book in your hand.

Judy - What an interesting family tale my dear. The generation that enlisted and ran-off to war is, I'm convinced, long gone. I don't think that there is much romanticism to the slaughter these days.
On the globalisation of the group; it is extremely interesting to see the rise of Benelux this year and we now have Connie and Marjolein adding to their ranks.

Becky - It wouldn't be the same at all Becky if no-one made the effort to keep up. Thank you. xxx

Prue - Pray tell my dear why are you running with the wolves when everything is so leisurely paced around here. xx

Tania - That makes far more sense and is much more civilised. I have three meetings today; the second of which may involve some outside time inspecting defective external painting (what an exciting life I have!).

I have irish roots so I think I'll be excused this one:

Paddy goes for a job on the building site.
The supervisor asks him "Can you brew tea?"
Paddy replies: "Yes, boss"
The supervisor asks: "Can you drive a stacker-truck"
Paddy replies: "Just how big is the teapot?!"

I'm here :-) Just nothing to add right now.

Stephanie and you did so so eloquently! xx

Hi, Paul!

69. Paul, as with everyone, I am shocked at the speed your threads move.

I've pretty much given up trying to keep up, though I do try to read (or at least skim) everything. Try being the operative word.

>54 PaulCranswick: I hope you eventually got some coffee?

Mary - I am also a bit taken aback by just how frenetic this January has been. Last year set records but this one has so far left the last one floundering. This particularly shows up in the top ten thread which are all well ahead of last year at the same stage.

1 Paul 1657
2 Richard 1410
3 Mamie 868
4 Joe 825
5 Amber 819
6 Mark 709
7 Diana 570
8 Ellen 546
9 Julia 543
10 Katie 484

(As of a few minutes ago)

Tam - hahaha; the dear girl (Erni) arises at 6.00 a.m. and I am neither brave nor cruel enough to try and disturb her slumbers earlier than that. xx

#81 Oh my word that's me this morning :( Bed was far too warm and cuddly and the outside world far too dark and rainy. I have to leave in two minutes... urgh.

My ha'p'enny on war - though in this case WWII. My beloved Grandad was in the navy (pretty sure just short of the legal age when he joined). For a uni project I taped and transcribed him telling me loads of his stories. Somewhere in the about 8 house moves I've made since then I think I lost the notes/floppy disk (yes I know) and it makes me sad. He's still with us but it's not really the sort of thing you can repeat.

Though he was telling me a great story about getting a dislocated shoulder fixed in Pompeii (I think Pompeii) the other day... :)

Yes, the threads move far too fast for me too. I still haven't got to some of these top posters' threads so will have my work cut out for me when I do. I just finished Orwell's Homage to Catalonia and found it a valuable reread.

Paul- Thanks mate, for the Pete Dexter. You picked a good one. I've read Paris Trout & Spooner and loved them both.

Speaking of LT, and particularly the 75, I can't imagine another book community that is this chatty and this infectious. We are a global force.

Bekka - I used to love sitting with my Gran and have her relate family tales from her youth. I think they played a major part in making me the person I am today. I would have loved to have had the occasion to have recorded it.

Kerry - Please don't avoid my humble little spot because of traffic congestion! I liked Homage to Catalonia and it was obviously topical for you to have read it recently.

Mark - You are more than welcome mate. I caught up with my orders recently and I must admit that I am always nervous about them getting to where they are supposed to go. I think Morphy, Lisa, Deborah, Amber and Gerard are amongst those I sent books to recently and I don't think they've received 'em yet.

We are clearly a global force. The nationality mix is slowly broadening which is great. And clearly the group is over 7 times busier than any other group on the site.

I'll certainly let you know when my package arrives, Paul. Likely with poorly-contained excitement and much usage of exclamation points.

I think you'll smile, Amber.

!! I'm so excited! (Sorry - the overly-excited punctuation is already out of control.)

I'm inspired by the talk of family members serving in the military, and I'm thinking of digging out a photo or two of my dad, who was in the Navy, but not during any war time. He looked so dashing in his uniform... He signed up because he was, at the time, a single father trying to raise two girls (my (much) older sisters - I was years away from existing at this point) while living right at the poverty line, really. So he left my sisters with his mother and went of to enlist, as it was the best-paying job he could find at the time. He shipped out for a couple of years, and then his commanding officer found out from one of Dad's mates that he had two girls at home, and the CO took him aside and offered him an honorable discharge and the promise of a job back home (somehow he knew people in the area where Dad lived and helped him find a position) - since it was peace time, Dad gratefully took the offer and went home to be with his daughters.

Brief un-caught up wave, in order to be sociable and hold out hope of further browsing..

I'm not sure, Paul, if you've sent out the book I won on your thread last year, but I haven't received anything. I'm not complaining, though! I just thought you'd like to know if you have sent it that it hasn't arrived yet.

I keep waiting for the lull in the thread posting - it's coming, right? I would not have thought that we could top last year's performance, but, yes, apparently we are just that crazy. I LOVE this group!! What's on tap for your Thursday, Paul?

What a nice guy your dad's CO was, Amber! I wish everyone was that caring and helpful.

Militarily speaking, I come from a long line of Quakers, but there are a few family members who served - my father in WWII, a great grandfather as a captain with the USCT in the American Civil War and a great uncle in WWI. Uncle Cliffy was that rare soldier - the army actually had him doing the job he'd done as a civilian. He worked for the telephone company so when he got to France, they put him to work stringing telephone wires. I was told that he was routinely placed out in front of the American troops doing his job, but as this was told to me by my mother, I can't swear to the truth of it.

A dozy howdy do from frostbitten Long Island.

>90 scaifea: There you go again! That's twice this morning you've made my eyes leak. What a wonderful story.

85> Mark/Paul what Pete Dexter are you talking about? I'm in the middle of Train. Its the first of his that I've read, interesting and different. LA Crime Noir + Golf in the 50's, very odd (but in a good way)

Nice, nice story Amber. What a cool fellow to give your Dad a way out of the forces for his then two daughters.

Kath - You are undoubtedly the most sociable person I know. And just to clarify that I mean it in the nicest possible way.

Julia - I just double checked and it was sent out on the same day as Mark's and he apparently received his today. One or two days more my dear. I ordered a job lot of 12 winners all in one go. Poor Alex had won his in July or August and had forgotten all about it when his arrived last week!

Mamie - On tap for Thursday is a bit of misery I think. I have a court case coming where I am acting as an "Expert Witness" in a construction dispute. Both sides have put in reports and we don't agree on anything. I have a meeting with the other sides expert tomorrow to see if we can reach common ground on anything at all.

No worries, my friend! It would be churlish in the extreme to complain about the delay in delivery of a gift!

>94 Fourpawz2: & 96 Charlotte & Linda: The man was clearly an extraordinarily nice CO, and when my dad tells the story, it's quite evident that he was very touched by the gesture and is to this day very grateful. I'm off to my thread to post a photo of Dad looking quite dashing in his uniform (I'd post it here, but I think it's quite a big picture and don't want to slow up the works on your thread, Paul.

Charlotte - Am loving these service stories. The image of your great uncle Cliffy balanced precariously over the enemy lines is a vivid one.

RD - Blow on them thar hands; we couldn't afford for your typing fingers to turn black and drop off.

Linda - I have noticed that the closer we get to Faulkner having his turn in the sun, the more emotional you become! xx

Jeff - Well there's a coincidence because that is exactly the book I bought Mark. Glad you like it as that augurs well for the Postie with the Mostie.

Paul, It's already mid-week so I hope you'll have a lovely second half of this week

Julia - If I'm not mistaken I did give an update recently that I'd only just ordered books for some of last years winners. I have promised myself that all of January's winners will be ordered at the beginning of February and so on throughout the year.

Amber - It would be an honour of course my dear. You can of course manipulate the size when you put it up by typing "width=400" or another number inbetween "img" and "src="
A gallery of LT related heroes anyone?

Barbara - I do too my dear but I fear tomorrow will be a toughie and Friday potentially much worse!

>103 PaulCranswick:: Thanks for the photo tips, Paul. I've put them to good use and the Dad photos are over on my thread now. I do love the idea of a 'hero gallery.'

Oh Paul poor fellow, take some spinach and you feel like

Went to go brave the cold winds and high snowdrifts to check my mail (for the first time since Monday), and lo and behold, your book arrived! Lord of the Flies will make a wonderful addition to my shelves. Thank you very much Paul!

Uncle Cliffy's WWI story/experience was particularly awful as the only reason he was there at all was because his battle ax of a mother-in-law VOLUNTEERED his services herself. She made a special trip to the draft board to tell them that they ought not to hesitate to draft him as she and her husband were perfectly prepared to take care of her daughter, granddaughter and the couple's as yet unborn child should he be killed. I can imagine what Uncle C thought of the dear old thing and I'm sure it wasn't good!

I go away for just over a week and you get to a 7th thread. Happy very late Thingaversery.

>108 Fourpawz2:: Charlotte: Oh, wow, that's so horrible! I suspect that my own MIL would gladly do something similar to me if given the proper circumstances and chance...

Mrs. G. was a rare old bird, Amber. My grandfather (Uncle C's brother-in-law) found her exceedingly irritating - I suspect mostly because her second husband also had the same last name that Grandpa did. Given that the G's met while she was plying her trade as a less than virtuous woman I am sure that same name thing got right up Grandpa's nose. She was not on the scene much - just state occasions such as Christmas; probably Uncle Cliffy had something to do with that.

Charlotte: Wow, she sounds fascinating(ly horrible)!

Paul! My book arrived today! And your prediction of a smile was the understatement of the year: I smiled, I squealed, I giggled and I blushed. Can *not* wait to find out what awaits me between his covers, so to speak... Many, many *many* thanks, dear friend!

Paul - Thanks for the kind message to us for tomorrow, Karen sends big hugs to you mate and sends best wishes to Hani and the kids. Also thanks for the "of course" we'll meet up if back in wakey, it means a lot to me, we are book brothers.

What? No new thread yet?

Just camping out and waiting for the next one. ;-)))

Aww....expecting Friday to be a toughie, Paul? Do you mean you're not going to be able to pop into Kino for a splurge-fest?

Amber - I will go straight over to your place and feast my eyes anon.

Barbara you are a sweetheart; how useful is spinach to the man who is married to Bluto!

Gerard - Had I delayed a little further in ordering your book it would almost certainly have been a cookbook seeing how much of a storm you are cooking up at your thread. Hungry every time I go there these days!

Charlotte wow! What a lady, I am so pleased my own is not quite so bad:
Man goes over to another chap who is on the street corner with a big fierce looking dog. The man says to the other, "Hey, you're dog has bitten my mother-in-law". The fellow replied, "So do you want to kick it?"........"No", he said "Can I buy it off you?"

Bryony, nice to see you back. Pray tell what were you doing with yourself to be missing-in-action for one whole week?!

Amber - My MIL cooks for me the most amazing dinners so I won't hear a word against her. Giving birth to the fiercest lady this side of the equator is a slight mark against her mind!

she was plying her trade as a less than virtuous woman
Charlotte, you mean she worked in the local tax office?

Amber - The more time I spend on LT, which is more than a little, the more I am convinced that so many of our lifestories would make fascinating novels. The wife laughed when I said that one day and made the cutting remark about my vertical inferiority saying: "Mmmm yours would be a short story".

Amber - Well it just sang to me when considering what to get for you and I can't see to recall why?! "Between his covers", hehehe.

John - You are much in my thoughts today mate. I like the idea of book brothers. xx to Karen.

Connie - Don't get too disappointed my dear when things properly settle down. The record for the number of threads in a year is my 37 in 2012. This is number 7 so, since 37, will I fear be difficult to pass, ergo a slow down is inevitable.

Caro - I fear for the chances of a splurge myself. I'll do my best but it could be tough.

Oh, so sorry for those with mil troubles! I was particularly fortunate in mine; I stayed married to her son for a few years longer than I wanted just because I didn't want to lose her. I only hope someday I'm as good a mil to whomever my daughter marries (if anyone, at this pace). Funny joke, Paul!

Paul, can you send us U.S.ers some of that tropical warmth? Seriously. Brrrrr!

Mary - You stayed married longer because of your MIL?!!! That must be an near unique experience. I would miss my own MILs cooking I must myself own.

Tam - I have been looking at the weather reports and I would not be overly keen to swap with you at present. Tropical hugs offered though.

Working, reading, small amout of sleep. Reading, working, sleeping.. you get the idea.

I have had odd start and end times at work, being fully flexible in hours often means back to back shifts and very little sleep. Reading took up all my free time. But off work next week so hope too be online more. Also planing a mini readerthon for next week it you would like to join in.

Bryony - I do need a few readathons this year to try to get close to my goals so I will try to join you. xx

Thanks Paul spread the word.

Bryony - I will do but I expect these things announce themselves in the group. xx

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Went to the cinema last night and watched "The Lone Survivor" with Mark Wahlberg in the lead role. Based upon the true story of a failed navy seal mission in Afganistan it included many stills of the actual participants and reminded me of what we have been talking about and doing with photographs here so far this year. War is tough and whilst the truth is stretched a little in the story, the essentials are there. We owe our freedoms to the sacrifices of the few.

Paul- "Lone Survivor" has received very good reviews here. I am looking forward to it.

The wife really liked the film, Mark. I enjoyed it too but I think that Captain Phillips was better.

9.

Collected Poems 1951-2000 by Charles Causley

Year of Publication : 2000 (9/150)
American State: N/A
Category Challenge: N/A
TIOLI : Jan 2014 Liz's challenge for your "average" year in your book catalogue.

I first knew of the poetry of Charles Causley in my early teens when "Ballad of the Bread Man" was in an early poetry anthology I was given as a school prize and I must have read it more than almost any other single poem I know.

This book collects his work over 50 years of writing. He was a songful balladeer and his written words have a musicality that often harmonize from the page. His concerns are of both far and near with much set in his Cornish roots and a lot also concerning his travels especially those arising from his naval past.

The salt sprayed air is tasteable in a lot of the seafaring work here and he is particularly strong in depicting coastal scenes. Religion and mortality and the loss of family & friends are also treated in an often wry always gentle manner and he was clearly a good man.

There is also a large selection of slighter poetry which was clearly aimed at younger readers. All I can say is that if younger readers read more of his work they would like poetry the more.

There was too much of it possibly to digest in one sitting and I won't quote more lines as I am spoiled for choice a little. It is a book I will dip in and out of for years to come. Charles Causley will not come to be remembered as one of the great poets but he was a good one.

8/10

Page in this book : 421
Pages in completed books in 2014: 1,822

A poetry review! I haven't heard of him, but it does sound worth dipping into.

Poultry *shudder* review duly noted.

Happy "new" thread Paul! Seems every time I come to visit you are on a new-to-me thread! Slow down, man!! :)

Charles Causley : Very English, Katie I would say not trying to put you off of course being english myself.

RD - I thought you would appreciate it dear fellow. Would recommend it to you too but you'd probably only go and light the stove with it.

Tina - You didn't notice the subtle slow down already? The groups posting figures have gone under 6,000 for the first time since the beginning of the month. I will slow along with everyone else.

Hi Paul :)

Amber - what a lovely story about your dad. Thanks for sharing!

Figured that I wouldn't be able to make it to the Bookstore tomorrow and had a bit of a fraught and argumentative meeting this morning at the Mid Valley Mega Mall (well, offices next to it) and so I decided a little bit of therapeutic book buying was called for. The Borders store in the nearby Gardens Mall had a condition that any books on the shelves for more than 3 years are sold at 50%. Almost half of my buys fit the bill.

20. Life after Life by Kate Atkinson (2013) 619 pp
Much lauded novel by Yorkshire gal.
21. The Nature of Monsters by Clare Clark (2007) 382 pp
Creepy historical fiction set in early Georgian England
22. The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak (2010) 350 pp
Novel from across the ages by Turkey's most read novelist
23. Laidlaw by William McIlvanney (1977) 280 pp
Classic Glaswegian crime from the author of "Docherty"
24. The Kommandant's Girl by Pam Jenoff (2007) 395 pp
Fictional Poland in the War as per the US' past Vice-Consul there
25. New Beginnings by Chan Ling Yap (2014) 405 pp
New historical fiction from celebrated local author
26. The Secret Gospel of Mary Magdalene by Michele Roberts (1984) 181 pp
Did something similar to Toibin but 30 years earlier
27. Waiting for Leah by Arnost Lustig (1992) 154 pp
Read his "Lovely Green Eyes' a few years ago. Powerful voice.
28. Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg (1981) 320 pp
29. The Book of Salt by Monique Truong (2003) 261 pp
First novel from Vietnamese American.
30. A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif (2008) 295 pp
Booker longlisted novel from Pakistani on debut.

Pages added in 2014 =10,675
Physical Books Added = 30

Jenn - I have noticed that many of the group have had relatives in the forces and have interesting tales to tell. xx

I was googling around the other day and typed my grandfather's name into the National Archives website, and up came a record card for his medals from WWI. It listed his Corps and Regiment number, so I sent the link to a pal who used to be in the army and asked what else I would need to find out where he'd been during the war. He did some digging around and was able to identify his Brigade, and the Brigade's war diary is also at the National Archives. They are digitising them, but have only done a small percentage so far. However, I can go and read the hard copy. As my grandfather was a Driver (which meant he was responsible for a team of horses or mules in the Royal Field Artillery) he is unlikely to be mentioned by name in the ordinary course of things, but my friend said that, as he was injured and sent back to the UK from France, that departure might be recorded in the diary. It's about the first time I've been glad of my weird surname, because there is no doubt that it's him.

Susan - A Heroes Gallery has to be set up - I am finding the stories of service fascinating. I had a look at the National Archives Site and it would appear to be a very interesting work-in-progress.

Paul, did you already hear about the article in Gazetta dello Sport of yesterday? Danila Di Luca tells us that 90% of the peloton is doped, which is old news.
But he also tells about tiny electric motors in the bicycles, 150 Watt. It's in a pipe just above the pedals and you can control it on your stearing wheel ...

Diana - I had heard rumours about one of those before; I think I should get one for my bike these days as I need all the performance enhancement I can get my hands on.

Not sure about the doping bit - If he is talking about Italy that is more likely in my view. Opinions within the sport have changed I feel a little. When I was racing very few would not refuse things like caffeine supplements via suppositories. Francesco Moser set the World Hour Record happily informing everyone that he was boosting his performance by oxygenating his blood with transfusions. I don't think anyone got overly excited that he was cheating but the same practice is frowned upon now. Medically supervised blood transfusions are a grey area for me and the line has to be drawn somewhere. Steroids and EPO are a different thing of course and clearly should be banned.

Jenn: Thanks - I'm so glad that you enjoyed it!

Paul: I do love the idea of a gallery...

Hej Paul, just flying by on my way to the shop - they brought 7 pallets full of new goods to be sold, I can't move around because they crammed the garage - I had to climb over palett with milk in order to get the bread... at least the safe is safely hidden behind all that stuff...

Amber - Let's see how many photos we can collect up and then we'll set up a thread specifically for the purpose. It seems to me another good way of celebratingcommemorating the commencement of the First World War.

Paul - Do you keep the safe for only the most important of your books?! Hope that you manage to sort out things at the shop.

I got my book from you yesterday. And somehow you managed to not only pick a book I've not heard of, I've not heard of the author either! Thank you so much!

I'm lucky with my in-laws. They are quiet, non-interfering and generous. My only complaint is when we go over for dinner, it's a snooze fest. We usually bring the dog for some type of entertainment.

>117 PaulCranswick:
Paul, does Hani know what you are posting

Paul, I've not had a lot of time for playing on LibraryThing this week, and I found myself 259 messages behind on your threads. Looks like you have some winners among your last 11 acquisitions. I'm going to have to learn that regardless of how much time I have, that I have to get to your thread daily to avoid that "drowning in a sea of posts" feeling I had!

Just making sure that I keep up with you! I was thinking that I would have to wait for tomorrow to see your book haul, but here you have gone and done it a day ahead. Nicely done!

I see you are up to your old tricks in the book acquisitions department Paul. From way back in your thread's past, I saw you picked up Under the Dome. While its not my favorite Stephen King novel, its a fun story and a page turner.

I was excited to receive in the mail today a book I have been wanting for ages, Nixonland. I got it through Paperbackswap and the reason I have been wanting to read it is because I read a great review of it by Stephen King!

I had to skim over 100 posts to get here! Whew! The posts really add up when you've been absent a few days. I did receive the Dannie Abse book yesterday from the library, so yay. I don't know how soon I will start it as my 'currently reading' is really piling up. I have about 11 books going right now. I need to start cutting them down.

>135 PaulCranswick: I am not adding any more books to the wishlist. Seriously. I am not. I've already got enough reading material on it to last me through the end of the decade. *slouches off to check out books nos. 21, 25 and 26*

My grandfather served in WWI in the artillery. He never made it overseas.

A neighbor lady also served in WWI. She was a nurse in the army. In the 1970's when she died there was a flag on her coffin. I couldn't understand why and was astonished to find out that she was a veteran. I didn't know that women could be veterans. This was shortly after there was a legal battle over giving these women veteran status. I don't think she ever collected a pension but she was honored as a veteran at her funeral.

Love the mother-in-law/dog story.

As for the other - yeah, right - tax office - that's what it was.

Shall be interested in what you think of the Atkinson book. I put it on the ol' wishlist after hearing about it on Books on the Nightstand.

Hope you are having a good weekend, Paul.

Morphy - I bought it for myself last year and it received good reviews in the Lit Review. A sort of historical fantasy that I thought might just hit the spot. xx

Barbara - And why would I want to go and do something daft like that?!

Lori - I sometimes worry that "a sea of posts" will put my friends off stopping by. Glad that you didn't drown my dear as I would miss you terribly.

Mamie - I figured Friday might turn out to be a toughie for me to get to my bookstore so I took the quite unexpected opportunity to get some books yesterday.

Heidi - I couldn't change my spots so completely. Compared to last year I have behaved myself very much. 70 less books already compared to then. Nixonland looks like something I would enjoy too.

Abby - 11 books would be about my record too. I am now a little more focused, just concentrating on 3 books at a time really. Quick read, long read and "poultry". I have four up top but the Trollope is awaiting my finishing of the Christopher Clark book. 11 is too much for me to handle. Amber is of course the lady who regularly has 16 or so books all going at the same time, but then again she is proficient in latin and greek. If you can manage to do those two what's keeping up with 16 books?

Mary - There is something about your tone my dear that tells me that you're not entirely to be trusted on the point.

Benita - Lovely to see you! I do so wish you had a thread my dear but it does make your visits more of a joy I suppose. Lovely that the nurses that served so honourably are recognised and valued in that way.

Charlotte - I really wish it was the weekend already my dear as I have a pretty stacked day ahead and a morning meeting with a particular client who I never enjoy meeting up with.
I have, of course, literally hundreds of MIL jokes I collected over the years but am largely scuppered as to their use by my own MIL being such a doll.

hello most handsome and highly favored Prince of Peacocks. :-)

ELLIE! At least I can start a potentially difficult day with a smile on my face. xx Lovely to see you back and I'll keep my eye out for your thread.

>135 PaulCranswick: Looks like you got some good ones. :)

I'm sending you some good-luck vibes today, Paul, as it sounds as though you'll need them.

>155 PaulCranswick: I have, of course, literally hundreds of MIL jokes I collected over the years but am largely scuppered as to their use by my own MIL being such a doll.
I could make use of some of them.....I am sure :)

Paul, I love you. No, I mean I HAVE to because I am still trying to keep up with your thread even when it means reading hundreds of messages a day!

Did you ever do end of the year summary stats for 2013?

My dad was in your general area of the world in WW2--army infantry at Guadacanal, and across Burma with Merrill's Marauders.

#160 Agreed!

Friday waves Paul! Hope all is going well at your end of the world.

Hi Paul, just sending you positive vibes to help your potentially difficult day.

Tam - Yeah and I got some more today too!
Went to Kino just to make sure that the franchise stays profitable and bought six books in seven minutes as I had my staff there and took from the new arrivals shelf and a quick fly-past the lit shelves. More of those later, but Book Depo delivered me two good ones too this morning:

31. Under Fire by Henri Barbusse (1916) 183 pp
Classic WWI novel from French communist - "The Story of a Squad"
32. Complete Poems by Basil Bunting (2000) 236 pp
Outstanding British modernist poet who went to school where my mother worked in nearby Ackworth

Pages added in 2014: 11,094
Total Books added: 32
Physical TBR: 2,713 books

Julia - Actually the meeting went reasonably well so it was a bit of a false alarm and I celebrated by going to the bookstore.

Megan - O, we'll ration them out a little but:

Q: Whats the difference between In-Laws and Outlaws?
A: Outlaws are wanted

There's a guy on the street and he sees six people beating up his MIL. Whilst watching one of the neighbours came out and said, "Aren't you going to help?" - "No Need", he replied "Six should be more than enough"

Q: What do you do when you miss your MIL?
A: Reload and fire again!

Roni - Love you too my dear. Never has the combination of sci-fi and pottery been so attractive. xx

Bekka - Actually all is well indeed and I'll add another MIL joke for you:

"The policeman pulled over my FIL whilst driving down the road. "Sir" he said "You're wife fell from the vehicle three miles down the road". "Thank God" FIL replied "I thought I had gone bloody deaf for a minute!"

Genny - Thanks my dear. Those vibes worked. Today is so far so good!

Good to hear that your meeting went well! Will your weekend be stuffed with work?

I'm eagerly awaiting your Kino list :-)

No Diana it should be good. Just a meeting with one of my partners tomorrow morning.
Kino list in a short while.

Hi Paul - delurking for a minute or two to say hello and admire your thoughtfulness in buying books solely to help keep a bookstore open.

Best wishes for a good weekend.

Karen - I have always considered myself public spirited. So much so and with some Lunar New Year bonus cash burning a hole in my pocket, I may do some more public service tomorrow.

My first KINO Friday of the year. Normal script is six books but I managed these in just seven minutes. Was aiming for six actually, as I had my staff with me.

33. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim (1922) 221 pp
Read so many glowing reports of Ms. v A. that I thought to check for myself.
34. Children of the Revolution by Peter Robinson (2013) 387 pp
Latest DCI Banks from Yorkie born Canadian resident.
35. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (2012) 325 pp
Another well-thumbed in the 75ers group
36. Death of a Nightingale by Lene Kaaberbol (2013) 329 pp
Presently 'hot' Scandi duo with third Borg episode
37. Fiere by Jackie Kay (2011) 64 pp
Poetry from Scotland tracing Nigerian roots.
38. Comfort Zone by Brian Aldiss (2013) 308 pp
60 years on from his first novel he's still going strong.

Books Added in 2014 : 38

Pages added in 2014 : 12,728

Revised TBR : 2,719 books

Okay, that's it. Too many mentions of Eleanor & Park around here for me *not* to add it to the wishlist.

Greetings Paul, bought six books in seven minutes as I had my staff there
Too Funny! Was your staff there to assist or just admire your ability to weave through the store like an Olympian?
Have a great weekend!!

What Amber said: ditto.

Amber - I am sure that with a name like Rainbow the authot will be as colourful as the cover I bought.

Lynda - Well to be honest Nizam was a little peckish (hungry) and was hoping that I'd be quick so that we could nip upstairs and eat. We had just had a three hour meeting explaining the progress or lack thereof to our client of a 23 unit luxury apartment block (average unit size is 4,000 square feet). Should be finished in April; it will be a tough ask.

Diana - You ladies with the huge posting numbers always seem to stick together. :)

At first when you said you had your staff with you at the bookstore I thought you meant to help you carry your bounty home, but then you only bought six books so I figured it must be for some other reason. :-)

Re military service, I am the only one of my immediate family NOT to have served. Both my mother and father were in the Air Force during World War II; my father was in Europe somewhere and my mom was in the Pacific theater as a staff car driver for officers, mostly on Papua New Guinea. My oldest brother Frankie served in the Air Force and was in Vietnam. My other brother was in the Air Force in the 1980s, stationed mostly in the US but also had a stint in the UK (Birmingham, I think). And then there's me, who had no interest and would not have survived boot camp anyway. :-)

Oh I have enjoyed the jokes!!! The inlaw outlaw one especially!

I can't believe you went into a store and only bought six books! However the fact that you did the whole transaction in 7 minutes, impressive. Have your staff been along on other book store 'hits' - what do they think about your book 'habit'????

Paul, after this stressful last days I hope you'll have a recreative weekend

Cheers Paul, happy weekend!

#166 Snarf! Thank you :)

Enjoyed the jokes, Paul. Have a great weekend, buddy.

Oh, I almost swooned when you mentioned the 50% off book sale!!! :) I'm so proud you bought Eleanor and Park!!! I hope you LOVE it! If you don't adore it, I know your teens will enjoy it.

I had to giggle at your in-law jokes! Bad, bad Paul!! LOL

It's Friday! Happy weekend, let there be lots of reading. Your jokes made me laugh, I liked the deaf one the best.

Oooooh! Enchanted April!!! The novel is lovely, and so, believe it or not, is the film adaptation. Really, both are just perfect.

I am trying to read a few more biographies this year so just completed one of Gabrielle Chanel that was very good. I am now hard at work reading The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs. Beeton. This one is work to read. Eventually I will get to Sleepwalkers - but not this month.

Julia - My own maternal grandfather was in a restricted occupation as a mining deputy but my paternal grandfather was in the army and served in the western theatre. My uncle Bill who I loved dearly was in the Navy and survived being sunk at least once with several hours treading water. National service had ceased for my own father and myself of course. Boot camps would have been ok but only for my boots.

Lucy - I rarely take the staff along as I like to spend a quiet hour or two on Friday to reflect on the week and stockpile my books. The staff do of course know of my, erm, habits. I had actually picked up 8 books and trimmed it to 6 and Nizam said to me: "That will make it easier to sneak into the house, Mr. Paul"

Barbara - Hani went out with my daughter and her boyfriend and a few of her own friends tonight and I stayed home. Did a bit of reading on my sofa (Lucy and Peggy please note) and then atop my bed. Fell asleep there and awoke at 5 a.m. with Hani just having arrived home!!! She's chaperoning the kids or vice versa, hahaha

Thanks RD, nice to see you keeping warm, just about.

Bekka - A man was arrested by police for throwing his MIL into the lion's den at the local zoo. He is being charged with cruelty to animals.

Joe - A guy says to his friend: "My mother in law is an angel". His friend replied: "Your'e lucky pal, mine's still alive".

*SNORK!!*

Love the jokes. Love them.

LOL! You got me again.

Tina - The 50% thing is unique to that particular store of Borders. They have another store at the Curve Mall which doesn't practice that policy and which doesn't get my patronage any longer.

Abby - That "deaf" joke does bring up images of my own long-suffering FIL who is so short that we buy him trousers from Mothercare. He is bullied from pillar to post by my MIL and overcomes it by pretending to be deaf!

Mary - The shop also had The Caravaners but that was 50% more expensive for reasons I cannot fathom. Inconsistency of book pricing is something that oftentimes baffle me.

I am planning to rad a few more myself this year for my Cat Challenge, Benita. I would like to include you in my Books Read league but I have no way of seeing how much or what you've read. Any chance of a monthly summary on my thread so that you can be in the list? You are so much a part of this group despite never putting up a thread that it would be nice to include you.

OK Amber, one more just for you. Chap's MIL passed away and he is discussing the arrangement at the Funeral Parlour. "Do you want to have her buried, embalmed or cremated sir?" he was asked; "Can I have all three, mate, just to be on the safe side?"

Joe - My mother in law is a big woman. She got knocked down by a bus last week. The driver tried to drive around her but he didn't have enough gas.

Paul, I'm always happy when I have the house in the evening for myself (it's really rare). So, I hope you enjoyed your evening with some reading and a sound sleep

Oh dear! The MiL jokes are coming thick and fast, and with increasing inappropriateness! (which, imo, is what makes them the funniest)

OK, I cannot resist. One of my all-time favorite MIL jokes came from a routine on a record album we had when I was a kid. Myron Cohen, a Jewish comedian who often appeared on the Ed Sullivan show, and was a regular at the resorts in the Catskills (the "Borscht Belt") told this one. A woman is on her death bed...she knows she has mere hours to live. She says to her husband: "Tomorrow, for the funeral, I want you to let my mother ride with you in the first car." The Husband says "No.....ask me anything but that!" The wife says "Please, it's my dying wish. You cannot refuse me. " The husband still resists. One more fervent "Please... I asked so little of you all these years..." Finally, the husband gives in. "All RIGHT....I'll do it. But I want you to understand, it's going to spoil my whole damn day!"

Barbara - But a sleep disturbed.......?

Megan - Fellow goes to the doctor who gives him six months to live. He moved in with his MIL because that would make six months seem like forever.

Linda - LOL; Great combination IMO jewish comedians making jokes about MILs! Two Jews have been caught by the gestapo and they have been lined up against the wall ready to be shot. "Any last request, Juden?" the Nazi asked; "Yeah" Saul replied "Can I stand on the other side of the wall?"

So far 39 threads have more than 200 posts this year. Another 39 (so 78 in total) have more than 100 posts.
Here is the current leaderboard:

1. Paul C 1769
2. Richard 1494
3. Amber 943
4. Mamie 936
5. Joe 891
6. Mark 776
7. Julia 649
8. Diana 618
9. Ellen 575
10 Katie 531
11 Suz 442
12. Darryl 371
13 Kath 355
14 Rhian 348
15 Caro 346
16 Megan 339
17 Kerri 327
18 Marianne 306
19 Roni 300
20 Linda (Wh) 299
21 Tina 285
22 Morphy 282
23 Abby 274
24 Roberta 266
25 Nora 265
26 Liz 261
27 Jim 252
28 Mary S 249
29 Bonnie 236
30 Ape 227
31 Donna 225
32 Jeff 222
33 Stephanie 220
34 Lucy 218
35 Cee 215
36 Kathy 210
37 Faith 206
38 Lori T 206
39 Terri T 202
40 Amy 193
41 Carrie 190
42 Pat 186
43 Joanne 185
44 Linda (Lay) 185
45 Micky 184
46 Tam 180
47 Lynda 179
48 John 178
49 Barbara 177
50 Peggy 171
51 Paul S 170
52 Karen 164
53 Kriti 164
54 Judy (DQ) 163
55 Madeline 159
56 Katherine (Qebo) 159
57 Ilana 158
58 Susan 157
59 Anne AMQS 154
60 Foggy 149
61 Gail 141
62 Lori K 125
63 Connie 123
64 Ursula 123
65 Heidi 122
66 Chelle 120
67 Laura 119
68 Nancy 119
69 Erik 114
70 Gerard 114
71 Cushla 113
72 Linda P 112
73 Beth 111
74 David 107
75 Marie 105
76 Reba 105
77 Zoe 105
78 Nathalie 100

Some other data from the above on the Top 78 threads

Gender split:

Gentlemen: 13
Ladies: 65

Residency:

USA 59
Canada 7
UK 3
Holland 2
Australia 1
New Zealand 2
Italy 1
Switzerland 2
Malaysia 1

After skimming (in relatively moderate detail) your new thread, I can only remember that I wanted to say...

*Within family that I have actually lived with, military service ranged from my Dad having been in the Calvary in WW I to my son-in-law in the Iraq War on a nuclear sub.

*I liked the film "Captain Phillips" a lot (we watched it last night) and...

*I LOVE the in-law jokes too!

Best I can do to keep up here.

wait ... wait ... wait .... I'm in the top 50 for posts this year? Are you sure?

Cee - I hope you mean your Dad was in the cavalry my dear?! I think of all the services I would have least wanted to volunteer for would have been the submarine services. I am sure that it would have been a quite claustrophobic experience. I am sure that it would have been to sea though with the navy for me.

Stephanie - Well inside it, my dear. I'm very sure.

oops - yeah cavalry.
Sorry. lol fingers and brain mixed up...

eta: he was nowhere near Calvary!

Happy weekend Paul!

Hahaha Cee - Pleased to hear it.

Rachel - the same to you my dear. xx

.... and you couldn't go back to sleep?

More time for a leisurely splurge today with Hani sleeping off her late night and me with Bonus cash burning a hole; so straight from morning meeting:

39. Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott (1884) 147 pp
Early science fiction classic
40. The Yard by Alex Grecian (2012) 583 pp
Described as "CSI: Victorian London
41. The Flying Man by Roopa Farooki (2012) 338 pp
Orange Longlisted novel about a likeable rogue
42. Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King (1992) 304 pp
Another King book added. One day I'll read one.
43. Ubik by Philip K. Dick (1969) 224 pp
Celebrated American Sc-Fi practitioner in his pomp
44. Out of Place: A Memoir by Edward W. Said (1999) 295 pp
The great writer on Palestine turns his attention to himself
45. Alexander's Bridge by Willa Cather (1912) 80 pp
First novel by the American writer of the month
46. Chicago Poems by Carl Sandburg (1916) 80 pp
First published work by one of America's more original voices
47. The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (1915) 457 pp
Second in the famous trilogy of works; I've read the other two
48. The First World War by John Keegan (1998) 427 pp
Renowned as a military historian so good material for him
49. England: The Autobiography by John Lewis-Stempel (2005) 420 pp
Events in England's history in the words of those there
50. Fatal Colours: Towton BY George Goodwin (2011) 239 pp
Considered by many "the bloodiest battle" ever fought in England
51. The Game by A.K. Shevchenko (2012) 328 pp
No touchstone for this "hot-off-the-press" thriller
52. The Invisible Woman by Claire Tomalin (1990) 281 pp
Literary biography covers Dickens' "bit-on-the-side"
53. Somme by Lyn MacDonald (1983) 358 pp
Personalised history of THE battle of the Great War
54. Cinnamon Toast and the End of the World by Janet E. Cameron (2013) 375 pp
Am told it is a bit more than Chick Lit.
55. Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis (1925) 450 pp
Apparently the most widely read of Lewis' novels
56. The Missing of the Somme by Geoff Dyer (1994) 131 pp
Part reflection, part travelogue of those who fought and died
57. The English Civil War by David Clark (2008) 149 pp
A short history of that most dramatic of English disagreements
58. Three Armies on the Somme by William Philpott (2009) 547 pp
Sub-titled The First Battle of the Twentieth Century
59. The Battle for Scotland by Andrew Marr (1992) 240 pp
Updating of 1992 study in time for this year's Scotland referendum
60. The Game by Anders de la Motte (2013) 368 pp
The next Stieg Larsson anyone?
61. The Seven Days by Clifford Dowdey (1964) 359 pp
Very rarely did an eventually defeated General cover himself in so much glory as Lee
62. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner (1936) 384 pp
Increasing the choices for next month's reads
63. The Pathfinder by James Fenimore Cooper (1840) 509 pp
Classic frontier story from Americas first major novelist
64. Dead Man's Land by Robert Ryan (2012) 467 pp
A sort of Sherlock assistant meets Richard Hannay


Books added in 2014 : 64

Pages added in 2014 : 21,268 pages

Revised TBR : 2,745 books

No Barbara once awake in the morning I won't go back to bed unless of course for, erm, entirely recreational purposes!

Hi hi ha ha ho ho ;-D

"Nizam said to me: "That will make it easier to sneak into the house, Mr. Paul"

LOL! I'm assuming he wasn't there for the haul in post 206 :-)

Bit more science fiction creeping into your hauls recently Paul .........

a draw in the ODI tonight, Chances for both teams to have taken it .... can't remember when that last happened ???

Barbara - As a Group Rookie you won't necessarily have seen serious splurge season. This was prompted by a small cash windfall from work (i.e. I paid myself a bonus) and wasn't unduly expensive with my discount cards etc. I suppose at US$ it would have been about $280; less than a fifth of the bonus.

Susan - No he wasn't but it may have been useful as the two paper bags were a tad cumbersome.
I do have a bit of a space problem at the moment though which I'll need to think through this weekend.

Alex - Slowly but surely I am falling into step with Roni and Nina and Morphy and you amongst others, mate.
Will go over and see the cricket scores now.

Morning, Paul! Lovely (if not surprising) pile of new books!

Hi Paul- Yes the threads are really popping in the new year. I might have found a new spot in the line-up. I needed a change. LOL. I can't believe you are a 1,000 posts ahead of me. Okay, check that- Yes, I can!
And Go Amber! Wow! She is holding her own.

Hope you are enjoying a fantastic weekend.

Now there's a true Cranswickian book haul! I see lots of World War I books, not surprisingly given your theme this year, some Faulkner and Cather for the AAC, and only one book I have actually read: Delores Claiborne. Does your note mean you have never read a Stephen King, or just that you keep buying King books that you haven't read yet?

Wow, that's an amazing haul! I'm checking out most of them -- noticing a Roopa Farooki, have you read any of her work? I have a few of her books on the shelves downstairs, but I haven't read any of them yet. The stories sound intriguing, though. Cinnamon Toast and the End of the World and Dead Man's Land have also made it onto the TBR list...!

Glad to see Out of Place among your latest purchases, Paul. I just reviewed it. It's one of the most candid, interesting memoirs of childhood that I have ever read. Have you read any of his other works?

Thank you Amber - I am nothing if not predictable. After two weeks of trying I suppose I have reverted to type.

Mark - Your posting numbers are actually noticeably up from last year too. At 25 January 2013 you had 683 posts and you are already with a weekend to go on 780 posts. Difference is that a lot of us slow down but you seem to keep on going.

Julia - There we go I get Cranswickian and it indicates gluttonous procurement of reading materials. xx
You are right; I haven't yet read anything by Stephen King

Dear Faith - I haven't read anything by Roopa Farooki but the blurb for the one I bought sold it to me easily. The more I go to the bookstore, the more I realise that there are just too many books in the world for me to ever cope.

Linda - I haven't read Edward W. Said political/philosophical stuff mainly as it always seems so overpriced in the stores here. This one was more reasonably priced.

I gave Dolores Claiborne 7 out of 10 stars. My micro-review: "Solid entry into King's canon. I found the chapterless format somewhat distracting but the characterization and story-telling was absorbing, as usual."

Aaaagh - no chapters? Morphy that is one negative against it already.

" Cranswickian"! Now, that is a mouthful! Try saying that after a few brews!

I'm gobsmacked that you have yet to ready any Stephen King, Paul, given your prodigious reading pace. Have you any plans to tackle one anytime soon?

The next time I splurge on books, I now know what to call it! Your Cranswickian haul is quite impressive. You have definitely surpassed me now for the year and will stay ahead of me. It didn't take very long for you to do once you let up on that book-buying hiatus.

My Dad was a Navy man. He had been trained as a machinist, and they were apparently quite useful on ships. He spent most of his time in San Pedro, California on the port commander's ship which was Wrigley's yacht that had been seized for war-time use apparently.

Morning Paul! 'Cranswickian' sounds like a title of power, I say embrace it.

What? No King? How is that possible?

Ok, for old-school King, go for The Shining, 'Salem's Lot or Carrie. Other good ones done more lately, Duma Key, 11/22/63 or Under the Dome.

Jim, the only one in that list that I've not read is Duma Key. Guess I'll be looking for it at the library. :-)

Mark - It is not quite as bad as Pickwickian but I would fancy slurring it after a barrel full of ale.

Julia - I think I'll get to one of his for my American States challenge. I have five of his books on the shelves so I should be able to come up with something.

Lori - It is only because of the bonus that I was able to indulge myself so. xx

Abby - Glad to see your new thread is up. I am not actually power crazy my dear as I normally leave such things to the Bush family and my own good lady wife.

Jim - I have five of his but only the last two on your list. Also the one I got today, Under the Dome and The Stand

Julia - Will put right my King blindspot sooner rather than later and definitely this year.

Sorta caught up... I like the idea of giving yourself a bonus.... !

Howdy Paul! Nice books you've bought lately. I loved The Enchanted April last year. I have The Yard in my TBR ready for sometime this year. We are doing a group read of The Stand by Stephen King August-October over in the 2014 Challenge. Will you be joining us?

Take care!

I'm on a list?

I'm on a list!

I don't know why that pleases me so much, but it does. :)

Cranwickian sounds like something serious yet fun. I guess I'm glad I've made it onto a list at all. I'm also glad I can always look to you to make my shopping frenzy look like child's play. Have you thought of opening the Cranwick library? I hear there aren't very many in your neighbourhood so might be appreciated by the locals.

Definitely a good haul! I keep meaning to read more Faulkner - I should let the Faulkner february rush wash me along, but the TBR/half read pile is making me nervous...

I hope you are having a good weekend :)

Kath - In my case unfortunately if I don't give myself a bonus no-one else will!

Roberta - But, but The Stand is like 20,000 pages long! Group Read - We all read 100 pages each and finish it that way is it?

Ursula - The power of beautiful drawing and good conversation methinks, my dear.

He needs to get one of us to come run it for him while he's off doing acquisitions though!

Ilana - Today I was a bit overwhelmed as to how to make my room look slightly less cluttered and had "organised" all the buys from the last few months or so across the floor as I tried to figure out a way of effective concealment. Belle came into my room and stopped as if stunned; "Oh. My. God." she said; "Dad, you better sort this lot out and quick before you get busted."

Bekka - I now have four Faulkner's to choose from on the shelves: Sanctuary, Light in August, As I Lay Dying and Absalom, Absalom!. Still not really decided which to read. Just had coffee in the kitchen made by Yasmyne but accompanied by Hani. The latter was playing with her I-Phone and obviously on my facebook because she said: "I like Bekka's daughter, she's so cute".

Lori - If only I could afford to do such a thing I would employ a host of you lovingly.

Paul that is why it is broken up into three months.

#236 AWWW! Tell her thank you :) I posted some new pics of her on her birthday today. In my favourite she has the sort of smile that can only be caused by a newly 6 year old child being presented with a trifle bigger than her head...

Oddly enough I have the same 4 Faulkner on my e-reader waiting... just waiting.

Ah! Roberta, - Let's see then I may well join up for that one.

Bekka - I have since had a look at the FB too and your description is spot on. xx I loved trifle when I was a kid but we do tend to grow out of them. Not according to my mum. Every time we go back she buys me a trifle in anticipation of seeing my little face light up in joy. I do my utmost to pretend my ecstatic painted on expression is genuine and that I have not got a gladular complaint to stop me swallowing the stuff.

My idea of opening a public library wouldn't help you sort it all out? You'd need to rent/purchase a large location to enable people to browse around comfortably after all...

#126 - The film Lone Survivor is based off of Marcus Luttrell's book - I haven't read it, but my mom has, and it was a tough and painful but good read for her. I really want to see that film. I'm so happy you liked it!

And now that I have caught up with this thread, I have to go back to your last one and go through it. I'm getting up to speed again, yay! :D

I'd have to agree. I checked your library and of all the King books you have, I strongly recommend The Stand first. If it's too big, go buy The Shining instead.

Paul, I almost missed posting on this thread. I hope you had your staff along to help you with your latest book haul! How DO you transport a load of 26 books from bookstore to vehicle?

Wonderful weekend wishes to you!

Hi Paul, can't believe I am in the top 50 for posts so far, this is one list I want to remain in. Wow 64 books purchased so far this year, surely your not going to match last years total and if you are , where are you going to store them.

Have a great weekend mate, love to all the family.

Paul--I received your lovely gift via Book Depository this week. It seems to be just the quiet contemplative sort of book I need to read now. I like books in which one contemplates an idyllic past with the bittersweet knowledge of what the future holds. Thanks so much--this one is near the top of the TBR list!

I see among your recent purchases you acquired Under Fire by Henri Barbusse. I read that a few years ago, and it is very powerful, so I hope you read that as part of this WW I year.

Re Faulkner--Absalom, Absalom is my favorite. The only Faulkner I have not liked is Sanctuary. I'll let you discern my recommendation. (I also really liked Light in August (I reviewed a few years ago) and As I Lay Dying, and I think they are easier reads than Absalom, Absalom.)

I myself have had a rather Cranswickian January in terms of book buying, though I haven't yet been able to bring myself to count the actual number of acquisitions.

Somehow I've miised like 5 of your threads Paul, but I am just going to jump in here!

Did you buy the original, shorter version of The Stand (which is still quite long), or the uncut version that was published about a decade later? I love the uncut version, but I think that's because I read the shorter one first, fell in love with the story and characters, and wanted more!

Paul, There is no shame in not having read King I don't have any in my library & am not disturbed in the slightest by this fact .....

Alex, I have some King on my shelves but as yet have not read any but am looking forward to 11,22,63.

Yes, what Morphy said: The Stand or - a close second - The Shining.

Nice haul, Paul. The Yard is on my wishlist, courtesy of someone around here. I read Song of the Lark last year and enjoyed it, but I had no idea it was part of a trilogy! I never read Dolores Claiborne, but my sister says it's one of King's best.

Have a great rest of the weekend!

So Paul, with all these wonderful books around you, I wonder how you choose which one will be next? I've resorted to LT "telling" me what to read next on the "books from Cammy's Library" box. I imagine you with one of those coin operated cranes one finds at Chucky Cheese and video arcades. Kids put a coin in and then try to pull out the biggest, cuddliest stuffed animal by the head.

#206 That is quite a bucket load of books! I wonder how did you manage to haul them all in!

And you are definitely overdue an introduction to King. Carrie is on of the shorter reads, The Shining, probably the best of them all, is not too long a read either. I would add to the existing invites to join us, as we each tackle 100 pages of the 20,000 pager, The Stand, from August to October.

Pfffffff, 102 new posts. I'm flabbergasted

Goodmorning Paul. It won't be that long before you are awake and I'm just going to bed. Have a happy sunday!

Happy Sunday, Paul!

Ilana - I have actually discussed opening a coffee bar cum lending library in the right place at some stage in the future. One it will give Hani something to do. Two it will provide a place for many of my box-stored books. Three it will easily excuse wanton purchase. Hani is a great cook. Yasmyne is a great baker. Hani also has a couple of friends with enough free time to be able to contribute.

Eris - Lovely to see you my dear. Still toyng with the thread idea? If you're not I trust that you will the most wonderful of weekends. Lone Survivor is a pretty good movie and all the lead actors are particularly believable.

Morphy - I was conflicted yesterday and had Misery, Salem's Lot and The Shining in my hands at different times before settling on Dolores Claiborne. He really has written so many well known stories that it is perplexing where to start so thanks so much for the advice. xx

Donna - As you may recall I am on a fitness campaign of sorts (the poor fellow gets cancelled by Hani more times than not) and 26 books distributed into 2 sturdy books carried from shop to car via coffee pit stop is an excellent form of exercise.

John - There are more gentlemen in the top 50 threads this year than ever before. Coaxing some of your old buddies from the 50s has helped of course but people are slowly cottoning on that you're a great guy with plenty to say!

Deborah - I reckon that JL Carr is a writer that you should like but the risk is mitigated by the fact that he doesn't write absolute chunksters that you may curse me for! The Barbusse was of course because of the WW1 centenary and also because it is tucked in the 1001 books list.
I am no closer to picking my Faulkner read really but it probably won't be Sanctuary.

Cait - The absolute best way of proceeding if you get a bit behind is to say "What the heck" and just jump in wherever you're comfortable my dear and it is a pleasure to see you braving the cold of Ontario to be here. Like your Best of the Year lists on your Profile Page and realise that I have most of the books you list there so I should work my way steadily through the one's I haven't read yet. I think I have the longer version of Th Stand It stands (sorry) at 1,325 pages in my TBR so I cannot imagine it being too much longer than that!

John / Alex - I know from library lending records from the UK that Stephen King is hugely popular in the UK. He is second only to JK Rowling as the most popular author in terms of member books in LT with 374,000 members accredited to his books. It is therefore surprising to me that these three guys hailing from Northen England have all not read a word of his. John loves chunksters, Alex likes the genre pretty much and Paul tries to read pretty much anything that doesn't have too many pictures.

Amber - You know I wouldn't have put The Stand as King's most popular work but checking the Author page it is indeed listed as the one with the most members. Perhaps I really ought to start there.

Mary, The Song of the Lark is the second of what is termed her Prairie Trilogy sandwiching O Pioneers! and My Antonia. Stephen King has been a wonderfully productive fellow over the years and has given his fans tremendous value for their patronage. It is a shame more authors weren't as active as he was.

Katie - Lovely images but cranes and myself are not easy bedfellows. xx The guiding hand in my reading choices are several. Firstly the categories and challenges I have set myself. Secondly, the TIOLI helps tremendously in reminding me of a book undeservedly overlooked for too long and thirdly sheer chance. I might stumble upon a book by chance pottering about the house that gives me sufficient pause to cast aside my plans and read that one.

Piyush - I was sent spinach very kindly this week by Barbara and it helps when lugging heavy bags filled with books! Thanks for the invite, I will certainly considering the chance to remove over 1,300 pages from my TBR!

Connie - Weekends are a time to relax and LT! Have sweet dreams but I fear there may be a new thread to welcome you when you arise from your slumbers. xx Must add that your own posting numbers are pretty impressive too. Four rookies are up there with well over 100 posts already; yourself, Abby, Barbara and Marianne. It will be interesting to see who takes home the tiara Tina leaves behind as Rookie of the Year.

RD - Noticed that you have started your new thread whilst I was knocked out a few Z'ds. Will be along anon to catch up on the latest from the Long Island Texican Thread Machine.

Hi Paul, I was a huge Stephen King fan back in the 80s but haven't read anything in eons. Recently, I downloaded 11/22/63 and hope to get to it soonish. The Stand is my favorite.

Bonnie, I also was a huge Stephen King fan, but after Cugo, I didn't read many more. I began to feel that maybe 1/3 of his novels were mere number of pages, and some were so way out there, that I gave up.

My favorite is The Shining. The description of the topiary moving ever so slowly, and the description of the characters inside the clock on the mantel...vivid writing that I liked.

Paul, I hope your day was a happy one.

The topiary in The Shining gave me the heebie-jeebies and to this day I cannot look at bushes shaped into animals without a shudder.

Julia: Me, too! *shudders*

Bonnie - I don't know why I am surprised that Stephen King is a favourite of yours my dear. I really ought to read em then.

Linda - Some of the movies are both scary in the extreme and amazing feats of imagination. I can picture that bloody dog and I haven't even read the books!

Julia / Amber - I do need to get that book.

While I like The Stand, I really liked The Eyes of the Dragon and Needful Things.

Paul, funny thing is my kid brother rad everything he could by King when he was younger not so much now, for some reason he has never appealed.

Erik - Thank you so much dear chap for making my choices so much easier!

Alex - Until about two years ago I felt the same way exactly but somehow I feel him calling to me. Must be my age.