SandDune in 2014: May thread
This is a continuation of the topic SandDune in 2014: April thread.
This topic was continued by SandDune in 2014: June thread.
Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2014
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1SandDune
Welcome to my April thread. For those that don't know me from previous years, I'm SandDune (aka Rhian), a 53 year old Finance Manager working for a local charity. I live about thirty miles north of London in the UK with my husband of 25 years (aka Mr SandDune), our thirteen year son (aka J), our (almost) 2 year old sweet-tempered Staffordshire Bull Terrier Daisy, and 10 year old cat Sweep, who is not sweet-tempered at all as far as Daisy is concerned and whose life ambition is to drive Daisy out of the house. Mr SandDune is an Assistant Principal at the school that my son attends and so our lives tend to be rather dominated by school issues during term time. I'm half-way through an English Literature degree with the Open University and currently studying the Nineteenth Century Novel module.
My reading tends to be quite varied. Historically, I've read a lot of literary and classical fiction, but in recent years (thanks largely to LT but also my University course) I've been branching out and exploring science-fiction, fantasy, children's and YA fiction, and graphic novels. I read very little chick-lit, thrillers or detective fiction. I haven't read much non-fiction during the last couple of years but I hope to remedy that this year.
My selected painting for this month is:
'Interior with dog 1934 Henri Matisse (1869 - 1954)
A lovely snoozy curled up dog!
My reading tends to be quite varied. Historically, I've read a lot of literary and classical fiction, but in recent years (thanks largely to LT but also my University course) I've been branching out and exploring science-fiction, fantasy, children's and YA fiction, and graphic novels. I read very little chick-lit, thrillers or detective fiction. I haven't read much non-fiction during the last couple of years but I hope to remedy that this year.
My selected painting for this month is:
'Interior with dog 1934 Henri Matisse (1869 - 1954)
A lovely snoozy curled up dog!
2SandDune
Reading Plans for 2014:
This year I'm going to be a little more flexible in my reading plans. Last year I joined the 2013 category challenge but I didn't find that it really suited how I wanted to read, so in 2014 I'm just going to have some general overall goals:
- First World War Centenary. As it's the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, I'm intending to read at least some fiction connected with this period.
- American Author Challenge 2014. I am very poorly read in some of these American greats from the 20th century and so a lot of these authors will be new to me.
- Vorkosigan Year Long Challenge. I read Shards of Honour in 2013 and I'm really looking forward to continuing this series.
- Open University reading. The Nineteenth Century Novel at the moment and then Twentieth Century Writing later in the year.
- RL book group. We read a book a month (mainly literary fiction), as well as the Booker prize short list every year.
In 2013 I read just over 100 books so this plan should leave me plenty of room for random picks and book bullets!
This year I'm going to be a little more flexible in my reading plans. Last year I joined the 2013 category challenge but I didn't find that it really suited how I wanted to read, so in 2014 I'm just going to have some general overall goals:
- First World War Centenary. As it's the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, I'm intending to read at least some fiction connected with this period.
- American Author Challenge 2014. I am very poorly read in some of these American greats from the 20th century and so a lot of these authors will be new to me.
- Vorkosigan Year Long Challenge. I read Shards of Honour in 2013 and I'm really looking forward to continuing this series.
- Open University reading. The Nineteenth Century Novel at the moment and then Twentieth Century Writing later in the year.
- RL book group. We read a book a month (mainly literary fiction), as well as the Booker prize short list every year.
In 2013 I read just over 100 books so this plan should leave me plenty of room for random picks and book bullets!
3SandDune
Books read in 2014:
1. The Faster I Walk, the Smaller I Am Kjersti A. Skomsvold ****
2. Barrayar Lois McMaster Bujold ****
3. Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore Robin Sloan ***1/2
4. Turned out Nice: How the British Isles will Change as the World Heats Up Marek Kohn **1/2
5. We Need New Names NoViolet Bulawayo ***1/2
6. The Encyclopedia of Early Earth Isabel Greenberg ***1/2
7. Longbourn Jo Baker ***1/2
8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Sherman Alexie ****
9. Servants A Downstairs View of Twentieth-Century Britain Lucy Lethbridge ***1/2
10. Far From the Madding Crowd Thomas Hardy ****1/2
11. Germinal Emile Zola ***1/2
12. Death Comes to the Archbishop Willa Cather ***1/2
13. The Lowland Jhumpa Lahiri *****
14. The Testament of Mary Colm Toibin ****1/2
15. William:An Englishman Cicely Hamilton ****
16. Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert ****
17. Instructions for a Heatwave Maggie O'Farrell ***
18. Harvest Jim Crace ***
19. The Woman in White Wilkie Collins ****1/2
20. Tulip Fever Deborah Moggach ***1/2
21. The Wall Marlen Haushofer *****
22. The Road Cormac McCarthy ****1/2
23. The Portrait of a Lady Henry James ***
24. Farthing Jo Walton ***1/2
25. Excellent Women Barbara Pym ****
26. The Awakening Kate Chopin **1/2
27. Brazzaville Beach William Boyd ****
28. Giving up the Ghost Hilary Mantel ***1/2
29. The Undertaking Audrey Magee ****1/2
30. House-Bound Winifred Peck ***
31. The Rosie Project Graeme Simsion ***1/2
32. Shades of Grey Jasper Fforde ****
33. Jhereg Steven Brust ****1/2
34. Sargasso of Space Andre Norton ***
35. Eleanor and Park Rainbow Rowell ***1/2
36. Bluest Eye Toni Morrison ***
37. How to Read a Novel: A User's Guide John Sutherland ***1/2
38. Middlemarch George Eliot ****1/2
39. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad *****
40. The Diary of a Nobody George Grossmith Weedon Grossmith ***1/2
41. A Society Clown George Grossmith **
42. Journey to the Centre of the Earth ***
43. The Warrior's Apprentice Lois McMaster Bujold ****1/2
44. The Vor Game Lois McMaster Bujold ****
45. Dracula Bram Stoker ****
1. The Faster I Walk, the Smaller I Am Kjersti A. Skomsvold ****
2. Barrayar Lois McMaster Bujold ****
3. Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore Robin Sloan ***1/2
4. Turned out Nice: How the British Isles will Change as the World Heats Up Marek Kohn **1/2
5. We Need New Names NoViolet Bulawayo ***1/2
6. The Encyclopedia of Early Earth Isabel Greenberg ***1/2
7. Longbourn Jo Baker ***1/2
8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Sherman Alexie ****
9. Servants A Downstairs View of Twentieth-Century Britain Lucy Lethbridge ***1/2
10. Far From the Madding Crowd Thomas Hardy ****1/2
11. Germinal Emile Zola ***1/2
12. Death Comes to the Archbishop Willa Cather ***1/2
13. The Lowland Jhumpa Lahiri *****
14. The Testament of Mary Colm Toibin ****1/2
15. William:An Englishman Cicely Hamilton ****
16. Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert ****
17. Instructions for a Heatwave Maggie O'Farrell ***
18. Harvest Jim Crace ***
19. The Woman in White Wilkie Collins ****1/2
20. Tulip Fever Deborah Moggach ***1/2
21. The Wall Marlen Haushofer *****
22. The Road Cormac McCarthy ****1/2
23. The Portrait of a Lady Henry James ***
24. Farthing Jo Walton ***1/2
25. Excellent Women Barbara Pym ****
26. The Awakening Kate Chopin **1/2
27. Brazzaville Beach William Boyd ****
28. Giving up the Ghost Hilary Mantel ***1/2
29. The Undertaking Audrey Magee ****1/2
30. House-Bound Winifred Peck ***
31. The Rosie Project Graeme Simsion ***1/2
32. Shades of Grey Jasper Fforde ****
33. Jhereg Steven Brust ****1/2
34. Sargasso of Space Andre Norton ***
35. Eleanor and Park Rainbow Rowell ***1/2
36. Bluest Eye Toni Morrison ***
37. How to Read a Novel: A User's Guide John Sutherland ***1/2
38. Middlemarch George Eliot ****1/2
39. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad *****
40. The Diary of a Nobody George Grossmith Weedon Grossmith ***1/2
41. A Society Clown George Grossmith **
42. Journey to the Centre of the Earth ***
43. The Warrior's Apprentice Lois McMaster Bujold ****1/2
44. The Vor Game Lois McMaster Bujold ****
45. Dracula Bram Stoker ****
4SandDune
And the prizes for 2013 are:
My five star reads:
Barchester Towers Anthony Trollope
The Garden of Evening Mists Tan Twan Eng
Tooth and Claw Jo Walton
The Unknown Bridesmaid Margaret Forster
The Lighthouse Alison Moore
The Ocean at the End of the Lane Neil Gaiman
Suite Francaise Irene Nemirovsky
Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad
Northanger Abbey Jane Austen
Salvage the Bones Jesmyn Ward
Least favourite reads:
Narcopolis Jeet Thayil
The Damned Busters Matthew Hughes
Perelandra C.S.Lewis
Favourite new series:
Mapp & Lucia E.F.Benson
My five star reads:
Barchester Towers Anthony Trollope
The Garden of Evening Mists Tan Twan Eng
Tooth and Claw Jo Walton
The Unknown Bridesmaid Margaret Forster
The Lighthouse Alison Moore
The Ocean at the End of the Lane Neil Gaiman
Suite Francaise Irene Nemirovsky
Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad
Northanger Abbey Jane Austen
Salvage the Bones Jesmyn Ward
Least favourite reads:
Narcopolis Jeet Thayil
The Damned Busters Matthew Hughes
Perelandra C.S.Lewis
Favourite new series:
Mapp & Lucia E.F.Benson
6DeltaQueen50
Wow, I very rarely get to someone's new thread so early. Here's to having a great reading month in May!
11Smiler69
Happy New Thread Rhian! I got hopelessly behind on the last one though I do want to go back and catch up on the reviews I missed. Did I tell you I ended up getting The Wall from Audible? Haven't listened to it yet, but I'm one step closer to getting there!
eta: love the Matisse by the way.
eta: love the Matisse by the way.
12rosalita
The Matisse dog is nice, but you can't go wrong with a nice picture of Daisy now and then (hint hint). :-)
14SandDune
>5 BLBera: >6 DeltaQueen50: >7 Ameise1: >8 nittnut: >9 humouress: >10 ronincats: Hi Beth, Judy, Barbara, Jenn, Nina, Roni! thanks for visiting the new thread.
>11 Smiler69: Ilana I hope you enjoy The Wall. I found the narrator took a little while to get used to but once I'd got into the story it seemed just right for the book. I've chosen this one for my next book club choice but that's not going to be until next year.
>11 Smiler69: >12 rosalita: Hi Julia Amber I haven't taken any nice photos of Daisy for a while so I must remedy that! She's not impressed with the weather this morning as it's pouring with rain. She clearly wants to go out in the garden, but when I open the door she just stares at the rain and then slowly backs off. She's not what you would call an all weather dog!
>11 Smiler69: Ilana I hope you enjoy The Wall. I found the narrator took a little while to get used to but once I'd got into the story it seemed just right for the book. I've chosen this one for my next book club choice but that's not going to be until next year.
>11 Smiler69: >12 rosalita: Hi Julia Amber I haven't taken any nice photos of Daisy for a while so I must remedy that! She's not impressed with the weather this morning as it's pouring with rain. She clearly wants to go out in the garden, but when I open the door she just stares at the rain and then slowly backs off. She's not what you would call an all weather dog!
15Ameise1
She's not what you would call an all weather dog!
Does that mean, that you haven't to go for long walks when it's raining cats and dogs?
Good morning, Rhian. Here it's cold and cloudy, too. I guess we'll have some rain, too.
Does that mean, that you haven't to go for long walks when it's raining cats and dogs?
Good morning, Rhian. Here it's cold and cloudy, too. I guess we'll have some rain, too.
16SandDune
>15 Ameise1: Does that mean, that you haven't to go for long walks when it's raining cats and dogs? Exactly! She'll go out if it's drizzling but if there's heavy rain she's doesn't like it one little bit!
17SandDune
We had out monthly book club meeting on Tuesday and this month's book was The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes. I'd read it a couple of years ago when it won the Booker prize! and while I could appreciate that it was beautifully written it wasn't a book that I'd enjoyed reading all that much, so I didn't reread it. Nothing in the discussion convinced me I'd like it any more second time around.
Here is my review from when I read it first:
All our book club choices at the moment seem to be books that I've already read, which is getting to be a bit annoying. Usually we get quite a varied mix including some that I've never heard of but it isn't working out like that at all this year.
Here is my review from when I read it first:
A book that I'm really not sure how to rate. The main character, Tony Webster, is constantly being told that 'he doesn't get it ' and I feel the same about the book.
Recently retired Tony Webster, divorced from his wife for some years, feels his life is a fairly straightforward one. But as he reminisces about his school and university days it seems that things may be more complicated. In particular his relationships with his brilliant friend Adrian who seemed destined for great things, and with his girlfriend Veronica, seem complex. So far, so good - followed as far as this. But then a tragic event intervenes and forty years later Tony is left a legacy that seems to throw light on what happened.
Tony is an unreliable narrator and it is clear that his recollection of events is not always correct. But it was not at all clear to me at the end of the book what had actually happened. I finished with two possibilities - neither of which seemed to make total sense. I was left with a sense that the book was full of small incidents which were really significant to its understanding which I was missing the point of totally and so I ended up feeling irritated. My husband suggested that the book is like a puzzle which you must work out - perhaps one of the reasons that I didn't like it as I don't much like mysteries.
All our book club choices at the moment seem to be books that I've already read, which is getting to be a bit annoying. Usually we get quite a varied mix including some that I've never heard of but it isn't working out like that at all this year.
18sibylline
Oh too bad about your book club. I've never been able to be in a book club because I've always read all the books. That's why I love LT so much!
19gennyt
Catching up on new thread since I am so far behind on the old ones...
My book club back in Newcastle was good in that we could not choose a book that someone had already read. It did make it hard to select books, as we could not recommend one we had read and enjoyed, and it meant it was a bit hit and miss because we depended on recommendations without anyone in the group being able to vouch for the book themselves, but at least we avoided the problem you are having.
Haven't read the Barnes - I've only dipped into him a bit and didn't much enjoy it. Though I really must try England, England, which is set in my birthplace, the Isle of Wight.
My book club back in Newcastle was good in that we could not choose a book that someone had already read. It did make it hard to select books, as we could not recommend one we had read and enjoyed, and it meant it was a bit hit and miss because we depended on recommendations without anyone in the group being able to vouch for the book themselves, but at least we avoided the problem you are having.
Haven't read the Barnes - I've only dipped into him a bit and didn't much enjoy it. Though I really must try England, England, which is set in my birthplace, the Isle of Wight.
20lit_chick
I quite enjoyed the Barnes when I read it. It was one I meant to reread, but haven't. In any case, it is too bad about your book club, Rhian. Will you continue with it?
21Smiler69
I felt the same way about The Sense of an Ending Rhian, and was also really frustrated by the ending, which I simply couldn't work out. I've decided I will have to reread it to at least figure out why it was so well loved as to win the Booker Prize, and perhaps work it out. I like mysteries, but I never try to solve the mystery for myself because my mind just refuses to do that kind of computation!
22SandDune
>18 sibylline: >19 gennyt: >20 lit_chick: Up until this year the book club seems to have worked really well and I rarely had to read something I'd read before, apart from the odd classic. We each take it in turns to host the evening and have a completely free choice of what book we pick for the evening that we host (as long as it is in print (or at least available second hand on Amazon in reasonable quantity) and out in paperback. I'm not sure whether it's just coincidence or whether people are just playing safer with their choices or it's an effect of changing membership over time). I've been going for 14 years so I don't want to give up on it yet, but I do feel I've not got as much out of it this year.
I did feel The Sense of an Ending was a bad choice
though: there's a subset of the group that read the Booker short list every year, and even those people who don't do that are likely to have read it when it won the Booker. So for most people it was either a reread or they'd read it a couple of years ago and hadn't bothered to reread it (like me). I'm not reading the next book The Secret History as the meeting is two days before my exam, but after that we have A Testament of Youth which of course I have read!
>21 Smiler69: Ilana even the people who had read the book twice didn't seem that clear on the ending, so I'm not sure that reading it again helps.
I did feel The Sense of an Ending was a bad choice
though: there's a subset of the group that read the Booker short list every year, and even those people who don't do that are likely to have read it when it won the Booker. So for most people it was either a reread or they'd read it a couple of years ago and hadn't bothered to reread it (like me). I'm not reading the next book The Secret History as the meeting is two days before my exam, but after that we have A Testament of Youth which of course I have read!
>21 Smiler69: Ilana even the people who had read the book twice didn't seem that clear on the ending, so I'm not sure that reading it again helps.
23SandDune
37. The Presence Dannie Abse ***
I read this now because: a random selection from the library
On 13th June 2005, Joan Abse, a writer and art historian and the wife of the poet Dannie Abse, was killed in a traffic accident at the age of seventy-eight. Following her death, for which the driver who drove into the back of their car at seventy miles an hour would later be convicted of dangerous driving, her husband of over fifty years kept a diary for therapeutic purposes and The Presence is the result. The book is part reflection on the reality of grief in the year following her death and part reminiscence on his married life and further back to his young childhood, interspersed with selections of poems both his own and those of other poets.
I had mixed feelings about this book, and it engendered feelings both of great familiarity and great unfamiliarity. Familiarity because Dannie Abse's retreat from London over many years was in the village of Ogmore-by-Sea, a settlement that I looked out on every day from my bedroom window as a child, and many of the Welsh locations that he mentions are familiar to me. Unfamiliarity because many if not most of the poets who form the background to the lives of this literary family are completely unknown to me, which somewhat detracted from my enjoyment of the book. So while this wasn't quite the book for me I'm inclined to try some of his other work in particular Ash on a Young Man's Sleeve.
This is a section from the book which will probably appeal to LT readers, actually narrated by his older brother Leo, as he recalls how he (then aged 6 1/2) debated with their oldest brother Wilfred (age 8) what to buy as a present for the newly born brother Dannie:
I read this now because: a random selection from the library
On 13th June 2005, Joan Abse, a writer and art historian and the wife of the poet Dannie Abse, was killed in a traffic accident at the age of seventy-eight. Following her death, for which the driver who drove into the back of their car at seventy miles an hour would later be convicted of dangerous driving, her husband of over fifty years kept a diary for therapeutic purposes and The Presence is the result. The book is part reflection on the reality of grief in the year following her death and part reminiscence on his married life and further back to his young childhood, interspersed with selections of poems both his own and those of other poets.
I had mixed feelings about this book, and it engendered feelings both of great familiarity and great unfamiliarity. Familiarity because Dannie Abse's retreat from London over many years was in the village of Ogmore-by-Sea, a settlement that I looked out on every day from my bedroom window as a child, and many of the Welsh locations that he mentions are familiar to me. Unfamiliarity because many if not most of the poets who form the background to the lives of this literary family are completely unknown to me, which somewhat detracted from my enjoyment of the book. So while this wasn't quite the book for me I'm inclined to try some of his other work in particular Ash on a Young Man's Sleeve.
This is a section from the book which will probably appeal to LT readers, actually narrated by his older brother Leo, as he recalls how he (then aged 6 1/2) debated with their oldest brother Wilfred (age 8) what to buy as a present for the newly born brother Dannie:
What the new brother must have was reading material, for in Wales, unlike England, the term intellectual is not perjorative and we were brought up too, in a Jewish ethos which taught us that in the beginning was the Word. But Wilfred and I fell out as to what reading material was suitable.
I wanted to take him, for instruction on the wider world, 'The Children's Newspaper' an Arthur Mee publication of which, as became a future politician, I was an avid reader; but Wilfred thought a coloured comic was more suitable ... In the end with our pocket money we bought both. When my turn came to enter my brother's bedroom and I saw the sleeping babe I became afflicted with doubt about his capacity to appreciate my gift; but my mother reassured me and told me Dannie would enjoy the present when he was awake ...
24BLBera
Hi Rhian - Our book club has sometimes chosen books I have read, but since we've started to choose books for the entire year, I ask that we not choose more than one or two that any one member has read. You're right, it does defeat the reason for a book club.
25SandDune
>24 BLBera: I ask that we not choose more than one or two that any one member has read That's a good idea - we used to decide on our books quite a long way in advance which gave some time for rearrangements if there was a feeling that a book was not suitable but it's slipped over the last couple of years and so now people are only deciding a couple of months in advance which is really to late to make any changes. I am found to leave it until the end of the year and see what happens in the next batch of books chosen but if this trend continues I will need to say something. I do reread quite a lot, but retreads are quite personal I think, and I don't want to keep having to reread loads of books that I wouldn't have picked up otherwise.
26NicolePatrick
Happy new thread Rhian! You are powering along with your reading. Just popping in to say hello and trying to do a bit of catching up, which is near impossible! Hope you are well :)
27SandDune
Went to a concert by a Queen tribute band last night. I've always been very sniffy about tribute bands, not really understanding the appeal, but it was my friend's birthday and she wanted to go, so we went. And was surprised to discover that they were actually very good and so we had a fun evening. Probably helped that it was Queen and so I knew virtually all of the songs. Our friends went to see a Pink Floyd tribute band a couple of weeks ago and that wouldn't have worked for me at all as I can only think of one Pink Floyd song off the top of my head. (Our local music venue mainly does tribute bands, which is quite sad - apparently the real Pink Floyd played there in the 1960s). Surprised to discover just how many Queen songs I did know and also that I could still remember all the words to Bohemian Rhapsody!
28CDVicarage
My daughter, now 25, was a T Rex fan in her teens and insisted that we all went to a T Rexstacy(Sp?) concert. Like you I was surprised at how good they were - and how much they looked like the real thing - and how many song I still remembered. The biggest shock came when we bought her a copy of 'Electric Warrior' and it proudly announced itself as a 25th Anniversary Edition!
29lauralkeet
I recently learned that a man I worked with over 20 years ago is now working as an Elvis impersonator. Eek.
31lit_chick
Queen tribute band sounds like great fun, Rhian! I know all of those songs, too : ). And, also like you, none of Pink Floyd's.
32kidzdoc
Nice review of The Presence, Rhian.
33PaulCranswick
I would guess that a good tribute band is indeed great fun Rhian. Isn't that one of the reasons that the musical Mama Mia! is so successful in that we all know the songs.
I know the UK celebrates Mother's Day earlier in the year but it may be worth making the point to J about its presence throughout much of the rest of the world, just sayin'!
I know the UK celebrates Mother's Day earlier in the year but it may be worth making the point to J about its presence throughout much of the rest of the world, just sayin'!
34SandDune
>26 NicolePatrick: Hi Nicole. Reading this year is going well. I'm not too worried about getting to seventy-five.
>28 CDVicarage: I'd have thought all the TRex fans were a lot older than that. That's a band I remember from when I was in primary school!
>29 lauralkeet: Laura these days my home town has an Elvis festival which is rumoured to be the largest in Europe. We've never managed to catch it, but my Mum says that there are Elvis's everywhere for the entire weekend. I must go one day as it just sounds slightly surreal.
>30 Ameise1: Hi Barbara hope you had a good weekend too.
>28 CDVicarage: I'd have thought all the TRex fans were a lot older than that. That's a band I remember from when I was in primary school!
>29 lauralkeet: Laura these days my home town has an Elvis festival which is rumoured to be the largest in Europe. We've never managed to catch it, but my Mum says that there are Elvis's everywhere for the entire weekend. I must go one day as it just sounds slightly surreal.
>30 Ameise1: Hi Barbara hope you had a good weekend too.
35SandDune
>31 lit_chick: it's funny - as a teenager I wasn't much of a fan of big rock bands like Queen, but they've grown on me over the years. So if I'd had to pick one band that I'd have liked to have seen live, Queen would definitely be it, but from their later 1980's incarnation, not the 1970s
>32 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl. I feel I would have got a great deal more out of it if I was more familiar with the poetry (and poets) of the last fifty years. I'd heard of Dannie Abse, but probably for no greater reason than that he is Welsh. Thinking about it, the few people mentioned in the book that I had heard of were Welsh too, so a bit of a trend there.
>33 PaulCranswick: Paul I think I was expecting something a lot more ... amateur I suppose, and they weren't at all. Good musicians with a good stage presence.
>32 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl. I feel I would have got a great deal more out of it if I was more familiar with the poetry (and poets) of the last fifty years. I'd heard of Dannie Abse, but probably for no greater reason than that he is Welsh. Thinking about it, the few people mentioned in the book that I had heard of were Welsh too, so a bit of a trend there.
>33 PaulCranswick: Paul I think I was expecting something a lot more ... amateur I suppose, and they weren't at all. Good musicians with a good stage presence.
36SandDune
Finished Middlemarch which is a reread from last year (or rather a relisten) and discovered that I completely missed it off my reading statistics for last year. How could I have missed out Middlemarch? Also finished John Sutherland's How to Read a Novel.
37gennyt
That's very soon to reread Middlemarch. It's not another book club selection is it? I'm going to re-read it one day, as I loved it first time and it is now at least 19 years since I read it. Maybe I should go down the audio route this time too.
38lit_chick
Rhian, I read (listened) to Middlemarch in the winter and just LOVED it! It seems to be a favourite with many of us here at LT.
39SandDune
37. How to Read a Novel: A User's Guide John Sutherland ***1/2
I read this now because: random selection from library.
I'm not sure that this book really does what it says on the tin, as it doesn't tell you how to read a novel at all! What it does do is to give the reader suggestions on how to get the most out of their novel reading. While the author John Sutherland was a Professor of English this is a book aimed more at the thoughtful general reader than students of literature but most thoughtful readers would get something out of it. It's a wide ranging book dealing with a diverse range of topics, including: the mechanics of choosing your novel; what can be gleaned from reviews and prize lists; getting clues from the title, chapter headings and epigraph; and the physical aspects of the novel. One of those books which is full of interesting snippets of information such as this comment on margins:
I knew that 'marginalia' were things written in margins but it has honestly never occurred to me that that's what the margins were for, or now that we don't do that we didn't need margins.
One thing I should mention is that this book was published in 2006 and so predates the explosion in ereaders. Things have moved on so much in those eight years that even though the book looks at digital reading as well as physical books, it can't help but sound a little dated. But notwithstanding that, still an interesting read for all book lovers.
I read this now because: random selection from library.
I'm not sure that this book really does what it says on the tin, as it doesn't tell you how to read a novel at all! What it does do is to give the reader suggestions on how to get the most out of their novel reading. While the author John Sutherland was a Professor of English this is a book aimed more at the thoughtful general reader than students of literature but most thoughtful readers would get something out of it. It's a wide ranging book dealing with a diverse range of topics, including: the mechanics of choosing your novel; what can be gleaned from reviews and prize lists; getting clues from the title, chapter headings and epigraph; and the physical aspects of the novel. One of those books which is full of interesting snippets of information such as this comment on margins:
But from the first printed books onward, generous white margins were left as they had been in the codex's manuscript predecessor. It would have been easy for compositors, then and now, to print flush against all four page edges. Instead, some 10 per cent of the page surface is left temptingly white. For what? Marginalia of course. Commentary. Nota benes. The four-sided, flush, verso-recto-balanced margin, standard in very novel, is a hangover from the age of manuscript, when they were there for the 'commentator' - a contributor who would add in marginalia, running heads, footnotes, corrections, embellishments. Now they are great white empty spaces - the result of cultural inertia.
I knew that 'marginalia' were things written in margins but it has honestly never occurred to me that that's what the margins were for, or now that we don't do that we didn't need margins.
One thing I should mention is that this book was published in 2006 and so predates the explosion in ereaders. Things have moved on so much in those eight years that even though the book looks at digital reading as well as physical books, it can't help but sound a little dated. But notwithstanding that, still an interesting read for all book lovers.
40SandDune
>37 gennyt: That's very soon to reread Middlemarch Yes it is, but it's a key text for my exam in three weeks time and I'm guaranteed a question on it. I think I enjoyed it more second time around.
>38 lit_chick: I listened to the Julia Stevenson narration who was very good. Did you listen to that one as well?
>38 lit_chick: I listened to the Julia Stevenson narration who was very good. Did you listen to that one as well?
43SandDune
>41 humouress: Nina thanks - hopefully it will go OK.
>42 nittnut: Thanks Jenn, but we didn't have Mother's Day yesterday. Ours is in March.
>42 nittnut: Thanks Jenn, but we didn't have Mother's Day yesterday. Ours is in March.
44SandDune
I think we must have a nest somewhere in the honeysuckle that is on the back of this house. A magpie flew in to land on the honeysuckle over the kitchen window, and was immediately mobbed very ferociously and noisily by a pair of blackbirds. Can't see anything but honeysuckle is quite dense and it could easily be hidden.
45sibylline
One of my younger brothers (the youngest in fact) did a Beatles band in the DC area for ages - (he was Paul) and they were amazingly good! In part because they always had so much fun. If I can find the photo of them, I'll post it. Probably can't though as it is a paper photo and who knows where I put it!!
46CDVicarage
>34 SandDune: Yes, she discovered them on her own, hadn't realised how long ago they had started, and was astonished when I produce the vinyl singles bought in my youth (the early 70s).
47michigantrumpet
We had a wonderful tribute band here, called Beatlejuice (of course, for the Fab Four.) Brad Delp, an amazing musician inhis own right -- a lead singer in the band, Boston -- sang many of the vocals. Amazing how he could do "Paul" then "John" then ... Sadly, he died a few years back and the band hasn't been the same.
I actually quite liked the Julian Barnes book. Unusual for me, I immediately went back and reread the whole thing and found so much I'd missed before. Yes, definitely an unreliable narrator!
I actually quite liked the Julian Barnes book. Unusual for me, I immediately went back and reread the whole thing and found so much I'd missed before. Yes, definitely an unreliable narrator!
48SandDune
>45 sibylline: >46 CDVicarage: >47 michigantrumpet: I think I definitely going to give the tribute bands more consideration when they come my way in future! Most of the music I listen to these days though, is folk, and I discovered a week or so ago that the Cambridge Folk Festival had been moved to the first weekend in August rather than the July date that it usually is. I was quite excited as I've been wanting to go to it for years, but as we're pretty much always away on holiday when it's on I'd given up looking out for it. So I was straight on the website to book some tickets only to discover that it had been fully booked the week before! Very irritating.
Had to take Sweep to the vet last week as her coat was getting very dull and she seemed to be getting a lot of dandruff. The vet thought that she was not washing herself properly which was either due to her being a bit overweight and so not very bendy in the middle, having a touch of arthritis, or having some tooth problems (apparently one of her teeth look inflamed). So we've booked her in to get her teeth looked at properly, which unfortunately is not covered on the pet insurance. When we got her, her teeth were the only health problem that she had so that seems the most likely option. In the mean time I've got to brush her daily to keep her coat in trim.
Had to take Sweep to the vet last week as her coat was getting very dull and she seemed to be getting a lot of dandruff. The vet thought that she was not washing herself properly which was either due to her being a bit overweight and so not very bendy in the middle, having a touch of arthritis, or having some tooth problems (apparently one of her teeth look inflamed). So we've booked her in to get her teeth looked at properly, which unfortunately is not covered on the pet insurance. When we got her, her teeth were the only health problem that she had so that seems the most likely option. In the mean time I've got to brush her daily to keep her coat in trim.
49katiekrug
>48 SandDune: - My husband recently had to bring in one of his cats to the vet, as she was losing a lot of hair and had some kind of rash. Got that sorted but the vet also noted she had some teeth issues, including the start of gingivitis or some such thing. $300 to just get that taken care of! I think I resent it more because I am not a huge cat fan. I didn't blink when Louis (the dog) incurred an almost $1000 bill ;-)
50tiffin
We went to a Queen tribute band a few years ago for Himself's birthday. We learned that the talent auditions for it were really rigorous and that the musicians were chosen from hundreds. The chap who sang in Freddy's role was phenomenal, as were the guitarists. My two lads astonished me by knowing all the lyrics (before their time), standing up to belt out "Fat Bottomed Girls" along with everyone else. So yes, these things can be a blast. What was funny was that Himself never was a Queen fan but his sister gave him a Queen tee shirt to wear, which he hid under another shirt until the last minute, so he was "that guy, that guy who wears the tee shirt", as my lads said. I think the one I would have trouble with would be the Beatles because no one can be them.
Our cat is scrofulous as well and is also portly. I don't even want to think about going to the vet with her as she completely freaks out and does unmentionable things in her cage in the car. We have to wrap the cage in a tarp and drive with the windows open, which should give you a clue.
Our cat is scrofulous as well and is also portly. I don't even want to think about going to the vet with her as she completely freaks out and does unmentionable things in her cage in the car. We have to wrap the cage in a tarp and drive with the windows open, which should give you a clue.
51nittnut
>43 SandDune: Silly me - or silly old England - or something. ;)
52SandDune
>49 katiekrug: The vet has estimated that it will cost between £250 and £350 depending on whether she needs any extractions. Apparently some pet insurance covers dental work but ours doesn't. As Sweep was 10 when we got her from the rescue charity we didn't have much choice of pet insurance, as a lot of companies won't take on new cats over 8, so we had to continue with the policy set up by the rescue centre who'd obviously negotiated a special deal. I think I might have mentioned this before, but pet insurance seems to be much more common in the UK than the US: virtually all the dog owners I know have it and a fair few cat owners as well.
>50 tiffin: Sweep doesn't like going to the vets as she doesn't like the car, but once there her inner confidence comes out. Rather than retreating into her carrier when the vet had finished examining her, as our old cat would have done, she embarked on a very relaxed exploration of the surgery.
>50 tiffin: Sweep doesn't like going to the vets as she doesn't like the car, but once there her inner confidence comes out. Rather than retreating into her carrier when the vet had finished examining her, as our old cat would have done, she embarked on a very relaxed exploration of the surgery.
53SandDune
>51 nittnut: In the UK Mothers' Day is amalgamated with a Church festival Mothering Sunday which goes back for centuries and which is on the fourth Sunday in Lent. Hence the different date.
54katiekrug
>52 SandDune: - I think you may be right about the prevalence of pet insurance in the UK vs the US, though I do see it advertised here more and more. We should probably look into it...
55SandDune
Not happy - computer has broken - seemingly seriously. We've only has it since November so seriously, seriously not happy!
56SandDune
>54 katiekrug: I think the insurance companies here have their marketing off pat, as most pedigree puppies, as well as rescue dogs and cats, come with four weeks free insurance from one company or other. So they have the names and addresses of all their potential customers, as everyone always wants the free insurance part. But I do think the pet insurance is a good idea, particularly as treatment for pets can be so much extensive these days.
57SandDune
>55 SandDune: HP have confirmed that hard disk seems to be dead and are coming to collect the computer tomorrow. It should be back in a week's time apparently. Still it's been a lovely day - temperatures up to 22 degrees and supposed to stay the same over the weekend.
58lauralkeet
Sorry to hear about the hard drive failure, but glad it can be repaired vs having to buy an entirely new PC. 22C sounds lovely, I hope it lasts!
59SandDune
38. Middlemarch George Eliot ****1/2
I read this now because: it's a reread for my OU course.
This is supposed to be one of the greatest novels ever written, and I can understand why people have that opinion. It has some of the most believable and yet flawed characters that I have come across in a novel, while also managing to create the readers sympathy at times for even the most unlikeable characters.
Rather than the story of any one or two main characters it's an interweaving tale of a number of characters living in and around the manufacturing town of Middlemarch, in the early part of the nineteenth century. Dorothea Brooke is a young well-off woman from one of the older county families of the country around Middlemarch, an ardently religious young woman who is determined to do something great with her life, and marries the much older scholar Casaubon in the mistaken belief that his life's work is a great project with which she can help. Lydgate is a young doctor newly arrived in Middlemarch, whose ambitious plans for a scientific career have competition from Rosamund Vincey, the beautiful but completely selfish daughter of the town mayor. Fred Vincey is Rosamund's charming but lazy brother, desperately trying to avoid the career in the church that his father has planned for him. Will Ladislaw is the poor relation cousin of Casauban equally unsure as to what career to take, and immensely attracted to Dorothea. And mixed in with these are a host of minor characters placed against the political changes of the 1830s.
This is a long book, and I think a great one, but I think that for me The Mill on the Floss will always be my favourite book by George Eliot. But still very highly recommended.
I read this now because: it's a reread for my OU course.
This is supposed to be one of the greatest novels ever written, and I can understand why people have that opinion. It has some of the most believable and yet flawed characters that I have come across in a novel, while also managing to create the readers sympathy at times for even the most unlikeable characters.
Rather than the story of any one or two main characters it's an interweaving tale of a number of characters living in and around the manufacturing town of Middlemarch, in the early part of the nineteenth century. Dorothea Brooke is a young well-off woman from one of the older county families of the country around Middlemarch, an ardently religious young woman who is determined to do something great with her life, and marries the much older scholar Casaubon in the mistaken belief that his life's work is a great project with which she can help. Lydgate is a young doctor newly arrived in Middlemarch, whose ambitious plans for a scientific career have competition from Rosamund Vincey, the beautiful but completely selfish daughter of the town mayor. Fred Vincey is Rosamund's charming but lazy brother, desperately trying to avoid the career in the church that his father has planned for him. Will Ladislaw is the poor relation cousin of Casauban equally unsure as to what career to take, and immensely attracted to Dorothea. And mixed in with these are a host of minor characters placed against the political changes of the 1830s.
This is a long book, and I think a great one, but I think that for me The Mill on the Floss will always be my favourite book by George Eliot. But still very highly recommended.
60SandDune
>58 lauralkeet: I don't think the drive can be repaired but they can put a new one in. And it's well within the warranty period so we wouldn't have to buy a new PC anyway. I'd be more worried about lost data but we've got pretty much everything backed up.
61lit_chick
So glad you enjoyed your reread of Middlemarch, Rhian. I'm not familiar with The Mill on the Floss, but thanks to your endorsement, it's now on my WL : ).
62jolerie
De-lurking to say that Middlemarch is one that has been sitting on my shelves for a very, very, long time because the size of it is rather daunting. Your glowing review is a definite nudge in the read it sooner rather than later direction. :)
63SandDune
>61 lit_chick: The Mill on the Floss is a shorter and somewhat simpler book the Middlemarch but in Maggie Tulliver it's got one of the most appealing heroines I've come across.
>62 jolerie: It is very long and it doesn't proceed at a breakneck pace, but it's worth giving the time too.
>62 jolerie: It is very long and it doesn't proceed at a breakneck pace, but it's worth giving the time too.
64SandDune
Had a lovely walk with Daisy yesterday evening and we met the other blue staffy who live near us. I always like it when Daisy meets another staffy as they all seem to play with exactly the sort of rough and tumble that she likes. She rushes around in a sort of wrestling match with the other dog for ages, and then they both flop down next to each other and give each other a lick.
65susanj67
>56 SandDune: Rhian, I used to work with a girl who had insurance for her horse, but it only covered each leg once. There was a lot of drama when something went wrong with the leg that had already used up its insurance.
How annoying about the hard drive on your computer, and at only six months old. Thank goodness it's still in warranty.
How annoying about the hard drive on your computer, and at only six months old. Thank goodness it's still in warranty.
66SandDune
Found this great graphic illustration of what constitutes a graphic novel on my OU revision forum:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/interactive/2014/may/09/reading-gothic-novel-pi...
http://www.theguardian.com/books/interactive/2014/may/09/reading-gothic-novel-pi...
67michigantrumpet
>66 SandDune: I loved this! AndI don't even read much in gothic novels. Thanks for posting and adding a smile to my already happy Friday.
68jnwelch
>66 SandDune: That is very clever, Rhian, thanks. I passed it on to my gothic-novel-savvy daughter. I see Hound of the Baskervilles there, but otherwise the closest I think I've gotten is the satire in Northanger Abbey.
Nice review of Middlemarch. Casauban gets my ire up to this day. It's one of my favorite books. I have not read Mill on the Floss, and given your high marks, I'm adding it to the WL.
Nice review of Middlemarch. Casauban gets my ire up to this day. It's one of my favorite books. I have not read Mill on the Floss, and given your high marks, I'm adding it to the WL.
69SandDune
>65 susanj67: I think the different insurance policies vary hugely - I've never heard of a 'one leg at a time' policy though! When we just had a cat I never used to bother but I wanted to make sure that we had a policy for third party insurance as soon as we got a dog as the owner is legally liable for the dog's actions (if they cause a traffic accident for incident) whereas the owner isn't liable for the actions of a cat (I think they're deemed to be uncontrollable!). But in the last year or so I've had two friends who've spent thousands on their very young dogs, both luckily covered by insurance, and I think I would always take out insurance now.
>67 michigantrumpet: Marianne I particularly like the 'fainting' graphic!
>68 jnwelch: oh Casauban is a pain. You just want to shout at Dorothea 'Don't do it!' Daniel Deronda is the next George Eliot book I want to read: I've read The Mill on the Floss, Adam Bede, Silas Marner, and Felix Holt the Radical in my time (none of them very recently).
>67 michigantrumpet: Marianne I particularly like the 'fainting' graphic!
>68 jnwelch: oh Casauban is a pain. You just want to shout at Dorothea 'Don't do it!' Daniel Deronda is the next George Eliot book I want to read: I've read The Mill on the Floss, Adam Bede, Silas Marner, and Felix Holt the Radical in my time (none of them very recently).
70Smiler69
I really loved Middlemarch when I first read it last year, and wouldn't mind rereading it again this year, but then, haven't read The Mill on the Floss yet, so I think I should make sure to get to that one first, especially based on your recommendation!
71SandDune
I've finished two very different books written at similar dates. Heart of Darkness (published in 1899) is another reread from last year. We need to prepare six or seven of the books that we've studied for my exam and listening to them again on audio is a useful way of doing that, hence the amount of rereading (or rather relistening) that I'm doing at the moment. The other book is The Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith, published in 1892: a very different sort of book. Review on that one to follow. I was going to copy in my review of Heart of Darkness from last year here, but I have realised that I didn't actually do a review of Heart of Darkness from last year, which is shocking considering it was one of my five star reads. So that one is to follow as well!
72SandDune
39. Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad *****
I read this now because: it's another reread for my OU course.
With only 84 pages this is very much a novella, rather than a novel, but into those 84 pages Conrad fits such a lot. There is more to think or argue about in these few pages than in most books that are five times its length or longer...
Heart of Darkness starts as a simple traveller's tale as the narrator Marlow relates the story of his travels to take control of a steamship on an unnamed African river (clearly the Congo) working for an unnamed colonial power (clearly Belgium). From his very first days in the territory Marlow hears tales of 'Mr Kurtz', an agent in the most remote district: a remarkable man according to everyone he meets, but the reason for this remarkability remains vague and shadowy. And as Marlow attempts to repair the steamship which he is to captain, which has been badly damaged, the name of Kurtz continues to haunt him as rumours abound of his activities. Marlow finds himself becoming more and more disillusioned with the brutality of the colonists, but as a mission is launched upriver to relieve Mr Kurtz, he discovers more horrors awaiting him as the ship proceeds towards Kurtz's station ...
This is a book that has been considered at times as racist, condemned as such particularly by the writer Chinua Achebe. If you extract it from the end of the nineteenth century and drop it down at the beginning of the twenty-first without any consideration of the context in which it was written then it could well be considered racist. The language used and the opinions expressed are not those that would be used today. But I don't think that you can extract a book or a writer from their contexts, and there are clear indications in the text, as well as in Conrad's own life, that show him to have held relatively enlightened opinions and to be intensely opposed to the colonial experience in the Congo on which Heart of Darkness is based.
There are so many connections in this book, so many ways in which it could be read, that I can see myself reading it again and again. Highly recommended.
I read this now because: it's another reread for my OU course.
With only 84 pages this is very much a novella, rather than a novel, but into those 84 pages Conrad fits such a lot. There is more to think or argue about in these few pages than in most books that are five times its length or longer...
Heart of Darkness starts as a simple traveller's tale as the narrator Marlow relates the story of his travels to take control of a steamship on an unnamed African river (clearly the Congo) working for an unnamed colonial power (clearly Belgium). From his very first days in the territory Marlow hears tales of 'Mr Kurtz', an agent in the most remote district: a remarkable man according to everyone he meets, but the reason for this remarkability remains vague and shadowy. And as Marlow attempts to repair the steamship which he is to captain, which has been badly damaged, the name of Kurtz continues to haunt him as rumours abound of his activities. Marlow finds himself becoming more and more disillusioned with the brutality of the colonists, but as a mission is launched upriver to relieve Mr Kurtz, he discovers more horrors awaiting him as the ship proceeds towards Kurtz's station ...
This is a book that has been considered at times as racist, condemned as such particularly by the writer Chinua Achebe. If you extract it from the end of the nineteenth century and drop it down at the beginning of the twenty-first without any consideration of the context in which it was written then it could well be considered racist. The language used and the opinions expressed are not those that would be used today. But I don't think that you can extract a book or a writer from their contexts, and there are clear indications in the text, as well as in Conrad's own life, that show him to have held relatively enlightened opinions and to be intensely opposed to the colonial experience in the Congo on which Heart of Darkness is based.
There are so many connections in this book, so many ways in which it could be read, that I can see myself reading it again and again. Highly recommended.
73tiffin
>66 SandDune:: I got a big kick out of those charts, Rhian. I did my thesis on Peake's Gormenghast trilogy so had to read a ton of these things as part of the research.
>72 SandDune:: all these many years later I still say "Mistah Kurtz, he dead" in certain situations. Some books just stick with you.
>72 SandDune:: all these many years later I still say "Mistah Kurtz, he dead" in certain situations. Some books just stick with you.
74SandDune
>70 Smiler69: I'm interested to see that there seem to be more people that have read Middlemarch than The Mill on the Floss. I'd always previously considered that The Mill on the Floss was invariably the first George Eliot book that people read! Not sure why I'd come to that conclusion.
>73 tiffin: I keep meaning to read King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa which I bought when I read Heart of Darkness the first time around, and which covers the back story to Heart of Darkness. And I must read some more Conrad.
>73 tiffin: I keep meaning to read King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa which I bought when I read Heart of Darkness the first time around, and which covers the back story to Heart of Darkness. And I must read some more Conrad.
75CDVicarage
>74 SandDune: I read Mill on the Floss before Middlemarch, prompted in both cases by a TV adaptation, I think.
76SandDune
40. The Diary of a Nobody George Grossmith ***1/2
I read this now because: I wanted something lighter to read after Middlemarch and Heart of Darkness
The diary of Charles Pooter, a clerk in the City of London at the end of the nineteenth century, who doesn't see why he shouldn't have just as much right to publish his diary as the next man. As the epigraph says:
So in this gentle comedy we are introduced to Pooter's wife Carrie, his friends Cummings and Gowing, and above all to his only son Lupin, whose relationship to his father proves without a doubt that the generation gap was not invented in the 1960s! For while Pooter is respectable, conservative and intensely loyal to the firm for which he has worked for over 20 years, Lupin is prone to losing his job, getting home in the early hours of the morning, getting up at lunchtime and is a mystery and a worry to his father. But above all the book pokes fun (in a gentle way) at Mr Pooter's constant attempts to maintain his status as a lower-middle class gentleman in his residence at Brickfields Terrace, constantly thwarted by dealings with prosperous tradesmen who think themselves every bit as good as he is.
This isn't laugh out loud funny, but it is a gentle humour which has stood the test of time.
I read this now because: I wanted something lighter to read after Middlemarch and Heart of Darkness
The diary of Charles Pooter, a clerk in the City of London at the end of the nineteenth century, who doesn't see why he shouldn't have just as much right to publish his diary as the next man. As the epigraph says:
Why should I not publish my diary? I have often seen reminiscences of people I have never even herd of, and I fail to see - because I do not happen to be a 'Somebody' - why my diary should not be interesting. My only regret is that I did not commence it when I was a youth'
So in this gentle comedy we are introduced to Pooter's wife Carrie, his friends Cummings and Gowing, and above all to his only son Lupin, whose relationship to his father proves without a doubt that the generation gap was not invented in the 1960s! For while Pooter is respectable, conservative and intensely loyal to the firm for which he has worked for over 20 years, Lupin is prone to losing his job, getting home in the early hours of the morning, getting up at lunchtime and is a mystery and a worry to his father. But above all the book pokes fun (in a gentle way) at Mr Pooter's constant attempts to maintain his status as a lower-middle class gentleman in his residence at Brickfields Terrace, constantly thwarted by dealings with prosperous tradesmen who think themselves every bit as good as he is.
This isn't laugh out loud funny, but it is a gentle humour which has stood the test of time.
77lit_chick
Excellent review of The Heart of Darkness, Rhian. I reread this one last year, too, (or maybe it was the year before), and thoroughly enjoyed.
78lkernagh
I wanted to make sure that we had a policy for third party insurance as soon as we got a dog as the owner is legally liable for the dog's actions (if they cause a traffic accident for incident) whereas the owner isn't liable for the actions of a cat (I think they're deemed to be uncontrollable!).
Interesting. I have never thought about liability for pet owners - in the context mentioned - or whether the type of pet determines whether or not liability can be assumed. Good plan on your part to make sure you were covered!
Interesting. I have never thought about liability for pet owners - in the context mentioned - or whether the type of pet determines whether or not liability can be assumed. Good plan on your part to make sure you were covered!
79SandDune
>75 CDVicarage: I remember those series as well, particularly Middlemarch. I think I had read The Mill on the Floss before watching it though.
>77 lit_chick: I wouldn't have predicted that it would have been one of the course books that I enjoyed best, but Heart of Darkness and Northanger Abbey were my favourites. They don't really complement each other though, do they?
>78 lkernagh: Apparently that is the legal situation in the UK. If your dog runs off and causes a traffic accident (or any other sort of damage) you are liable. If your cat does the same thing you are not (the vast majority of cats in the UK will roam free). We were very pleased we had the insurance when Lulu was run over (our previous dog) as the van that knocked her over suffered quite a lot of damage which we would have had to pay ourselves, if it had not been covered by insurance. It's a different law for the driver if the animals are run over as well: the law says that a driver has to report hitting a dog to the police, but not hitting a cat.
>77 lit_chick: I wouldn't have predicted that it would have been one of the course books that I enjoyed best, but Heart of Darkness and Northanger Abbey were my favourites. They don't really complement each other though, do they?
>78 lkernagh: Apparently that is the legal situation in the UK. If your dog runs off and causes a traffic accident (or any other sort of damage) you are liable. If your cat does the same thing you are not (the vast majority of cats in the UK will roam free). We were very pleased we had the insurance when Lulu was run over (our previous dog) as the van that knocked her over suffered quite a lot of damage which we would have had to pay ourselves, if it had not been covered by insurance. It's a different law for the driver if the animals are run over as well: the law says that a driver has to report hitting a dog to the police, but not hitting a cat.
80michigantrumpet
Ha! Love the legal distinction between cats and dogs.
Great reviews! For some reason, Heart of Darkness brought to mind Evelyn Waugh's a Handful of Dust or even perhaps, Black Mischief.
Great reviews! For some reason, Heart of Darkness brought to mind Evelyn Waugh's a Handful of Dust or even perhaps, Black Mischief.
81SandDune
>80 michigantrumpet: Marianne, I have read one Evelyn Waugh book but I can't for the life of me remember which one it was - don't think it was either of those though.
I was surprised to discover yesterday that J had never heard of Che Guevara, quite shocked actually, as I'm so used to J's historical knowledge completely outstripping mine that I'd never noticed that it stopped at WW2. So we've been making up for it this weekend by watching Che Part 1 last night and Che Part 2 tonight. So I feel that we've done Che Guevara now! Any suggestions of any other films dealing with major events of the twentieth century appreciated.
I was surprised to discover yesterday that J had never heard of Che Guevara, quite shocked actually, as I'm so used to J's historical knowledge completely outstripping mine that I'd never noticed that it stopped at WW2. So we've been making up for it this weekend by watching Che Part 1 last night and Che Part 2 tonight. So I feel that we've done Che Guevara now! Any suggestions of any other films dealing with major events of the twentieth century appreciated.
82SandDune
Beautiful day today but unfortunately my walk with Daisy was cut short as I had to go and rescue Mr SandDune who had had a flat tyre on his bike ride about an hours walk from home, that refused to be pumped up again. I was walking Daisy into town to attempt to buy the most girly pair of headphones that I could find: ideally something pink with flowers on. Something that a 14 year old boy would not wear in a million years. My last ones were plain pink, which unfortunately did not put J off from borrowing them. I don't mind that in principle, but he twists the cords round and round until they get completely tangled, which does not do them a lot of good at all.
83michigantrumpet
Ha! Good luck on the headphones! That made me smile.
85Chatterbox
You really must seek out King Leopold's Ghost, Rhian, after loving Heart of Darkness so much! It's a brilliant, albeit depressing tale. The first book by Hochschild that I read, and it turned me into a big fan of his.
I read Middlemarch when the BBC dramatization was airing -- it was a bit of a race to see whether I could keep ahead of the episodes. Perhaps it's time for a re-read or even a listen. I've seen Daniel Deronda on TV, but perhaps I'll read Romola next? Btw, there's a new book by Rebecca Mead, My Life in Middlemarch. She's a New Yorker writer, whom I know slightly, but she's an expat Brit, now married to an American and living in Brooklyn (oddly, at this moment, I'm reading her husband's latest book, about Stefan Zweig!). It's all about her reading and re-readings of Middlemarch at various stages of her life. It's not a great book, IMHO, but you might find it interesting in light of your immersion in Eliot, if you can lay hands on a copy.
I am completely with you on the Julian Barnes novel/novella. It was elegantly written, but I couldn't help thinking, omigod, yet another novel of middle aged male angst... It all felt so bloody predictable, so however elegant, it was dull. I suppose the phrase I'm groping for is "precious".
I read Middlemarch when the BBC dramatization was airing -- it was a bit of a race to see whether I could keep ahead of the episodes. Perhaps it's time for a re-read or even a listen. I've seen Daniel Deronda on TV, but perhaps I'll read Romola next? Btw, there's a new book by Rebecca Mead, My Life in Middlemarch. She's a New Yorker writer, whom I know slightly, but she's an expat Brit, now married to an American and living in Brooklyn (oddly, at this moment, I'm reading her husband's latest book, about Stefan Zweig!). It's all about her reading and re-readings of Middlemarch at various stages of her life. It's not a great book, IMHO, but you might find it interesting in light of your immersion in Eliot, if you can lay hands on a copy.
I am completely with you on the Julian Barnes novel/novella. It was elegantly written, but I couldn't help thinking, omigod, yet another novel of middle aged male angst... It all felt so bloody predictable, so however elegant, it was dull. I suppose the phrase I'm groping for is "precious".
86SandDune
>83 michigantrumpet: >84 lit_chick: As I never made it into town yesterday headphones will have to wait until my day off on Friday. I'm not holding out too much hope that I can find anything better than the plain pink ones, but we'll see.
>85 Chatterbox: I have King Leopold's Ghost sitting on my kindle, just a matter of moving it up to the top of the TBR list. I've seen My Life in Middlemarch and might give it a go once I've finished my exam: at the moment any not exam related reading is fairly light. I'm counting down the days until June 5th!
'Middle-aged male angst' - my thoughts exactly! And I felt, deliberately obscure for the sake of being obscure.
>85 Chatterbox: I have King Leopold's Ghost sitting on my kindle, just a matter of moving it up to the top of the TBR list. I've seen My Life in Middlemarch and might give it a go once I've finished my exam: at the moment any not exam related reading is fairly light. I'm counting down the days until June 5th!
'Middle-aged male angst' - my thoughts exactly! And I felt, deliberately obscure for the sake of being obscure.
87susanj67
>86 SandDune: Rhian, if you can only find plain pink headphones, you could always get some of these to put on them: http://www.amazon.co.uk/TRANSFER-DECALS-HEARTS-COMPLETE-RHINESTONE/dp/B0094SD178... As well as Betty Boop, they seem to have fairies, Smurfs and Hello Kitty, probably all adequate to make a teenage boy leave them just where they are :-)
88tiffin
Well, they are out there:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=flowered+headphones&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&...
https://www.google.ca/search?q=flowered+headphones&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&...
89SandDune
>87 susanj67: >88 tiffin: there is clearly more scope for getting flowery headphones than I thought! I particularly like the ones that look like little pink flip-flops (even though they are not flowery)!
24 degrees C today and my family is complaining it is too hot!
24 degrees C today and my family is complaining it is too hot!
92kidzdoc
Nice review of Heart of Darkness, Rhian; I'll have to get to it soon.
Very interesting discussion about the legal distinction between dogs and cats in the UK! Clearly dogs are the favored species.
It's just after 6 am here and I haven't had my morning coffee yet, so when I first read message #82 I thought that you were shopping for headphones for Daisy.
>88 tiffin: OMG. I don't think I could wear any of those headphones, even if I was by myself with no possibility of being seen by anyone.
Very interesting discussion about the legal distinction between dogs and cats in the UK! Clearly dogs are the favored species.
It's just after 6 am here and I haven't had my morning coffee yet, so when I first read message #82 I thought that you were shopping for headphones for Daisy.
>88 tiffin: OMG. I don't think I could wear any of those headphones, even if I was by myself with no possibility of being seen by anyone.
93SandDune
>90 lyzard: When we went to Greece a couple of years ago the temperature got up to about 42 degrees and they both managed fine then. I think the difference is that J is wearing his school uniform and. Mr SandDune is wearing his suit, and the school doesn't have air conditioning. Oh, and British houses are designed to keep the heat in rather than keep it out.
>91 Ameise1: Sorry to hear about your stressful weekend Barabara, particularly the break-in.
>92 kidzdoc: I don't know whether dogs are the 'favoured' species: I suppose traditionally people had dogs as pets whereas cats were more just around to keep control of mice. But now it's more that people are expected to keep their dogs under control whereas no one ever expects people to exercise much (if any) control over cats. I think we have quite a different view of cats in the UK than the US - they are very much seen as free agents who do their own thing whatever their 'owner' thinks.
I don't think Daisy would appreciate headphones. If I had my computer working I would post a picture of the mangled mess that is my current pair of headphones. But I won't be computerless for too much longer - apparently it has been fixed and is on its way back to me, so I am hoping that I can get it delivered on Friday on my day off.
>91 Ameise1: Sorry to hear about your stressful weekend Barabara, particularly the break-in.
>92 kidzdoc: I don't know whether dogs are the 'favoured' species: I suppose traditionally people had dogs as pets whereas cats were more just around to keep control of mice. But now it's more that people are expected to keep their dogs under control whereas no one ever expects people to exercise much (if any) control over cats. I think we have quite a different view of cats in the UK than the US - they are very much seen as free agents who do their own thing whatever their 'owner' thinks.
I don't think Daisy would appreciate headphones. If I had my computer working I would post a picture of the mangled mess that is my current pair of headphones. But I won't be computerless for too much longer - apparently it has been fixed and is on its way back to me, so I am hoping that I can get it delivered on Friday on my day off.
94michigantrumpet
Hooray on the return of the computer. Amazing how we've come to rely on those gizmos, eh?
95SandDune
>94 michigantrumpet: It's been a pretty quick turnaround as they only took it away on Friday.
96SandDune
I've got my final assessment marks back today, and I've for 85% which I'm very pleased with as I don't think it was the best thing I've ever written. That gives me average mark for the continuous assessment element of the course of 86%.
97Chatterbox
>96 SandDune: Excellent -- congratulations!!
99lauralkeet
Congratulations on your results Rhian!
100rosalita
Rhian, I've just caught up with your thread. One of my category challenges this year is to read books by authors who used pseudonyms, so George Eliot was already on my radar for that. Now I'm inspired to go get copies of The Mill on the Floss and Middlemarch, so thank you for the recommendations!
101souloftherose
>96 SandDune: Congratulations on those marks, Rhian!
103tiffin
Isn't it grand to get such affirmation for your hard work? You must feel very pleased and rightly so.
104SandDune
I've decided to enrol on 20th century literature as my next OU course. Here is the reading list:
Pat Barker The Ghost Road
Samuel Beckett Waiting for Godot
Bertolt Brecht Life of Galileo
Anton Chekov Five Plays
Philip K Dick Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Daphne Du Maurier Rebecca
TS Eliot Prufrock and Other Observations
Lewis Grassic Gibbon Sunset Song
Allen Ginsberg Howl and other poems
Abdulrazak Gurnah Paradise
Seamus Heaney New Selected Poems, 1966-1987
Katherine Mansfield Selected Stories
Manuel Puig Kiss of the Spider Woman
Poetry of the Thirties
Virginia Woolf Orlando: a Biography
I was thinking of doing an English language course next and then this one for my final course , but apparently the OU is introducing a new course from 2015 which goes from Shakespeare to Jane Austen and I'd like to do that one as well, so I'm doing this one next.
Pat Barker The Ghost Road
Samuel Beckett Waiting for Godot
Bertolt Brecht Life of Galileo
Anton Chekov Five Plays
Philip K Dick Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Daphne Du Maurier Rebecca
TS Eliot Prufrock and Other Observations
Lewis Grassic Gibbon Sunset Song
Allen Ginsberg Howl and other poems
Abdulrazak Gurnah Paradise
Seamus Heaney New Selected Poems, 1966-1987
Katherine Mansfield Selected Stories
Manuel Puig Kiss of the Spider Woman
Poetry of the Thirties
Virginia Woolf Orlando: a Biography
I was thinking of doing an English language course next and then this one for my final course , but apparently the OU is introducing a new course from 2015 which goes from Shakespeare to Jane Austen and I'd like to do that one as well, so I'm doing this one next.
105brenzi
Congratulations on your grades Rhian. I absolutely loved Middlemarch when I read it a few years ago and I picked up Daniel Deronda at the time (still unread) but it looks like I should look for The Mill on the Floss.
106Smiler69
Great stuff Rhian! Congratulations on those good grades and I'll look forward to your comments on those 20th century books.
107lit_chick
I haven't read Daniel Deronda either. But I watched a BBC production, which was very well done, I thought.
On your 20th C list, Rebecca stands out. That was an LT find for me; thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you will, too, Rhian.
On your 20th C list, Rebecca stands out. That was an LT find for me; thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you will, too, Rhian.
108SandDune
>97 Chatterbox: >98 Ameise1: >99 lauralkeet: >101 souloftherose: >102 susanj67: >103 tiffin: >105 brenzi: >106 Smiler69: Thanks for the congratulations. I've still got to do the exam though!
>100 rosalita: Mill on the Floss is probably the one to start with as it's a (little) shorter.
>107 lit_chick: There's a lot more poetry and drama than I'm used to, but it should be interesting. Rebecca is the only one on the list that I've read and that was some time ago.
>100 rosalita: Mill on the Floss is probably the one to start with as it's a (little) shorter.
>107 lit_chick: There's a lot more poetry and drama than I'm used to, but it should be interesting. Rebecca is the only one on the list that I've read and that was some time ago.
109SandDune
Sweep has spent the day at the vets today having her teeth fixed: she needed two extractions but it doesn't seem to have spoilt her appetite at all as she has polished off two bowls of food since she has been home. She was not at all impressed with no breakfast this morning. And Daisy has been taking advantage of the cat free household to sunbathe unmolested in the garden.
The computer arrived back today, all fixed, but as it needed a new hard disk everything needs to be restored so I am gradually working my way through it.
The computer arrived back today, all fixed, but as it needed a new hard disk everything needs to be restored so I am gradually working my way through it.
111SandDune
42.A Journey to the Centre of the Earth Jules Verne ***
I read this now because: I've been meaning to read something by Jules Verne for ages.
I was familiar with the basic story from the film versions, but had never read the book before. Professor Lidenbrock, a German scientist, discovers an old document written by an Icelandic alchemist, who claims to have discovered an entrance, via a dormant volcano, to the centre of the earth. The Professor immediately sets off for Iceland to find the centre of the earth for himself, with his very reluctant nephew Axel in tow. The path into the Earth is found, but things do not turn out as smoothly as the very confident Professor Lidenbrock would like ...
The is a book that can be divided very clearly into two sections. The first section, which lasts for a good third of the book, concerns the journey to the Icelandic volcano and, to be honest it's pretty tedious. There are long pages of the professor hugely underestimating the dangers of their journey, and Axel bemoaning the fact that he has to go at all. I nearly gave it up at this point, but I'm glad I persevered as it got a lot more exciting once their journey proper had started. With volcanoes, prehistoric monsters, cavemen, and underground seas, it's got it all, although there were still a number of elements that I found irritating. I could live with the science on which the book is based being completely outdated, but, in Professor Lidenbrock and Axel, Verne has not created two very appealing characters. If there was any justice in the world Professor Lidenbrock should have fallen down a deep hole on day one of his expedition as a punishment for being so appallingly badly prepared. And the reader can't help thinking that if Axel was as reluctant to go on the expedition as he says frequently and at great length, perhaps he should have actually considered staying at home. And a couple of the practicalities did annoy me: at one point after several weeks of travelling the expedition food is calculated to be enough to last for another four months. Four months food that is being carried by three people? With no pack animals? As well as numerous scientific instruments, ropes, picks and shovels. I don't think so.
So not altogether a successful book but I'd be prepared to try something else by Jules Verne, as some elements were promising.
I read this now because: I've been meaning to read something by Jules Verne for ages.
I was familiar with the basic story from the film versions, but had never read the book before. Professor Lidenbrock, a German scientist, discovers an old document written by an Icelandic alchemist, who claims to have discovered an entrance, via a dormant volcano, to the centre of the earth. The Professor immediately sets off for Iceland to find the centre of the earth for himself, with his very reluctant nephew Axel in tow. The path into the Earth is found, but things do not turn out as smoothly as the very confident Professor Lidenbrock would like ...
The is a book that can be divided very clearly into two sections. The first section, which lasts for a good third of the book, concerns the journey to the Icelandic volcano and, to be honest it's pretty tedious. There are long pages of the professor hugely underestimating the dangers of their journey, and Axel bemoaning the fact that he has to go at all. I nearly gave it up at this point, but I'm glad I persevered as it got a lot more exciting once their journey proper had started. With volcanoes, prehistoric monsters, cavemen, and underground seas, it's got it all, although there were still a number of elements that I found irritating. I could live with the science on which the book is based being completely outdated, but, in Professor Lidenbrock and Axel, Verne has not created two very appealing characters. If there was any justice in the world Professor Lidenbrock should have fallen down a deep hole on day one of his expedition as a punishment for being so appallingly badly prepared. And the reader can't help thinking that if Axel was as reluctant to go on the expedition as he says frequently and at great length, perhaps he should have actually considered staying at home. And a couple of the practicalities did annoy me: at one point after several weeks of travelling the expedition food is calculated to be enough to last for another four months. Four months food that is being carried by three people? With no pack animals? As well as numerous scientific instruments, ropes, picks and shovels. I don't think so.
So not altogether a successful book but I'd be prepared to try something else by Jules Verne, as some elements were promising.
112NicolePatrick
Rhian, love your review of Jouney to the Centre of the Earth. I read it last year and have the same feelings. I would like to read more of his work at some point though. Hope you are having a great weekend!
113Donna828
>59 SandDune:: I love Middlemarch, Rhian, and have also read it twice now.I would hate to be tested about it, though, as there are so many areas that could be covered in an exam. Good luck with yours! I will have to check out Mill on the Floss. I think I have it on my bookshelf in the snuggery.
How nice that you got your computer back quickly and that it was under warranty. It seems like our electronics break down the week after the warranty runs out. I am so glad we don't need a VCR anymore as we had terrible luck with them. I think we have two of them in the basement ready to be recycled.
The books for your next course look fascinating. That's a lot of reading! Ghost Road and Rebecca are the only two I've read on that list. Rebecca is an old favorite and my recent reading of Ghost Road makes me want to read the trilogy. More books staring at me awaiting their turn!
How nice that you got your computer back quickly and that it was under warranty. It seems like our electronics break down the week after the warranty runs out. I am so glad we don't need a VCR anymore as we had terrible luck with them. I think we have two of them in the basement ready to be recycled.
The books for your next course look fascinating. That's a lot of reading! Ghost Road and Rebecca are the only two I've read on that list. Rebecca is an old favorite and my recent reading of Ghost Road makes me want to read the trilogy. More books staring at me awaiting their turn!
114Chatterbox
>104 SandDune: What a very intriguing and eclectic list of books! You'll have a lot of fun with that one -- or at least, it will be provocative! I'm working my way back a re-read of the Pat Barker novel, and have read Beckett; Philip Dick pops up on so many "must read" lists that I should probably consider him at some point. I think I read that Brecht piece a LONG time ago. It's a very evenly-balanced mix of novels, short stories, poems and drama -- unusually so.
115LovingLit
>96 SandDune: oh la la Loving grades in the 80's (%age wise), and your upcoming course looks like a lot of - dare I say it- tough reads? Or have I just gone soft. I have The Ghost Road lined up, and would like to read more Katherine Mansfield (seeing she hails from NZ and my current read mentions her favourably...Why be Happy when you can be Normal)
Great going on the OU courses, they look really intriguing!
Great going on the OU courses, they look really intriguing!
116michigantrumpet
Wow! Great job with the high marks. Am quite intrigued by that reading on the upcoming OU course. Lots of books I've been meaning to read -- *when I have time.*
117ronincats
Interesting books, Rhian--the Dick, Ginsberg and Eliot being the only ones I've read. And congrats on the grades, too. Have you dried up there at all?
118SandDune
>112 NicolePatrick: Nicole - we've had a good weekend. It's a bank holiday here this Monday so three days long, and I've been combining revising (not so exciting that) with some gardening.
>113 Donna828: Donna - I wasn't very impressed with the computer breaking after six months but I can't fault the repair service. It was collected on Friday (and I didn't have to pack the computer up - the courier came supplied with a padded box to put it in) and it was fixed by the Tuesday morning. I'd have had it back on Wednesday if I'd been able to stay in to receive the delivery.
>114 Chatterbox: The course is divided into four sections: What is literature for; Competing Modernisms; Varieties of the Popular (the contrast between 'high' and 'low' literary forms); and Judging Literature (Nobel and Booker prizes in particular). So the books are all chosen to illustrate these themes rather than studying a general 'canon' of English literature. I'm looking forward to doing the poetry as I found that particularly interesting when I did my introductory course, and it's not something that I usually read.
>113 Donna828: Donna - I wasn't very impressed with the computer breaking after six months but I can't fault the repair service. It was collected on Friday (and I didn't have to pack the computer up - the courier came supplied with a padded box to put it in) and it was fixed by the Tuesday morning. I'd have had it back on Wednesday if I'd been able to stay in to receive the delivery.
>114 Chatterbox: The course is divided into four sections: What is literature for; Competing Modernisms; Varieties of the Popular (the contrast between 'high' and 'low' literary forms); and Judging Literature (Nobel and Booker prizes in particular). So the books are all chosen to illustrate these themes rather than studying a general 'canon' of English literature. I'm looking forward to doing the poetry as I found that particularly interesting when I did my introductory course, and it's not something that I usually read.
119SandDune
>115 LovingLit: I know so little about most of them that I don't know whether they're hard reads or not. I'm a bit annoyed that I didn't go and see Life of Galileo when it was playing in Cambridge a month or so ago: I hadn't decided what course to take next at that point, and I hadn't noticed that it was on the reading list for this one! I keep meaning to get around to Why be happy When You Could be Normal myself. It's sitting on the shelf right next to me and I really enjoyed Oranges are not the Only Fruit.
>116 michigantrumpet: I'm not expecting the exam marks to be as high - I'm fine at regurgitating facts in an exam, but this one requires the writing of essays and I don't do that well under time pressure.
>117 ronincats: We don't have the floods any more, and a couple of weeks ago it was pretty warm, but the rain has come back again over the last week. Saturday was heavy rain most of the day, but yesterday and today have been more showery so we've managed to get some of our gardening done. Mr SandDune and J are going to the Peak District for a few days walking tomorrow and the weather forecast isn't looking great at the moment unfortunately.
>116 michigantrumpet: I'm not expecting the exam marks to be as high - I'm fine at regurgitating facts in an exam, but this one requires the writing of essays and I don't do that well under time pressure.
>117 ronincats: We don't have the floods any more, and a couple of weeks ago it was pretty warm, but the rain has come back again over the last week. Saturday was heavy rain most of the day, but yesterday and today have been more showery so we've managed to get some of our gardening done. Mr SandDune and J are going to the Peak District for a few days walking tomorrow and the weather forecast isn't looking great at the moment unfortunately.
120SandDune
I have booked the car hire for our holiday in Denmark today. I always worry a lot about the booking of car hire: I'm always convinced that we're going to get ripped off in some way. The only major problems we've ever had have been in Canada where the company attempted to charge us twice for a three week rental that had been prepaid, but I still worry. Oh, and in Jordan the car wouldn't start after our first day's driving, but it did start working again and the car hire company were actually quite helpful.
121lkernagh
The only major problems we've ever had have been in Canada where the company attempted to charge us twice for a three week rental that had been prepaid,
And that is pretty much why whenever we book a car hire I never leave it up to my other half to deal with the details.... he is just the heavy in the even something does go array. I love him top bits but he is usually too busy chatting with the rental agents, etc and doesn't pay attention to the fine details. Luckily, we haven't had anything amiss occur but what happened to you has cemented my belief in being in charge of scrutinizing the transactions when we rent vehicles. ;-)
The course work you are doing sounds amazing and scary at the same time for me. I couldn't identify a Modernism work if it hit me in the face but I do like the idea of Varieties of the Popular and Judging Literature.
And that is pretty much why whenever we book a car hire I never leave it up to my other half to deal with the details.... he is just the heavy in the even something does go array. I love him top bits but he is usually too busy chatting with the rental agents, etc and doesn't pay attention to the fine details. Luckily, we haven't had anything amiss occur but what happened to you has cemented my belief in being in charge of scrutinizing the transactions when we rent vehicles. ;-)
The course work you are doing sounds amazing and scary at the same time for me. I couldn't identify a Modernism work if it hit me in the face but I do like the idea of Varieties of the Popular and Judging Literature.
122SandDune
>121 lkernagh: If there's any heavy needed in that sort of situation it's usually me (at all of five foot one), as I'm recognised in my family as being very persistent in those sort of situations. We didn't end up paying twice for the Canada situation in the end, but some robust argument was needed!
I suppose I tend to think of a Modernist work as one that is complicated and not straightforward, but I expect I will learn a more academic definition on the course!
I suppose I tend to think of a Modernist work as one that is complicated and not straightforward, but I expect I will learn a more academic definition on the course!
123SandDune
Well Mr SandDune and J have left for their walking trip: apparently the weather where they are is much better than it is here. Here it is wet and raining and I have had to put the central heating on after freezing all day at work. So it is just me and the animals.
I'm not reading much at all at the moment as I'm spending most of my free time revising, but I am listening to Dracula which is another reread. I'd started The Golden Apples by Eudora Welty and was getting on OK with it, but I've had to put it on hold as requiring more concentration than I've got at the moment.
I'm not reading much at all at the moment as I'm spending most of my free time revising, but I am listening to Dracula which is another reread. I'd started The Golden Apples by Eudora Welty and was getting on OK with it, but I've had to put it on hold as requiring more concentration than I've got at the moment.
124Smiler69
Which edition of Dracula are you listening to Rhian? I had gotten the multicast version when it was released on Audible a couple of years ago and thought it was really great. I thought I'd read it before, since it's one of those books you just assume you must have read, but realized when I was listening that in fact I had not, and really liked the multiple narrator approach, which I wasn't at all expecting. I'll definitely relisten to that one and probably get my hands on a nice print edition too now that I've developed such a fondness for gothic novels.
125SandDune
>124 Smiler69: The main narrator is Greg Wise: there is a female narrator too and I have seen her name somewhere, but now that I look for it I can't see it anywhere. It's a decent narration. I also thought I had read the book before I came to do my current course, but when I saw the length of the book I realised that I must have listened to a very abridged version. I remember picking it up on a long car journey years ago when we were very bored, but it was one or two cassettes at most, probably only a quarter of the length of the real thing.
Daisy has been even extremely useful this evening in polishing off a large spider. Mr SandDune is chief spider catcher and in his absence I have to let one of the animals at them. Something I do feel guilty about, but in the case of a large spider my only alternative is to abandon the room which it is in.
Daisy has been even extremely useful this evening in polishing off a large spider. Mr SandDune is chief spider catcher and in his absence I have to let one of the animals at them. Something I do feel guilty about, but in the case of a large spider my only alternative is to abandon the room which it is in.
126Ameise1
Daisy got a load of protein :-). Our cats are hunting everything what is flying or scrambling.
127SandDune
>126 Ameise1: Daisy seem to accidentally eat spiders while trying to persuade them to play with her. Sweep is much more purposeful!
Sweep had to go back to the vets today to make sure that her gums are healing nicely. They are, and far from being put of her food by having the teeth out she has managed to gain over 100g in less than a week.
That's moved her from the 'she's a bit overweight - you need to make sure that she doesn't gain any more' category to 'she needs to go on a diet' category. So she has been signed up for the weight loss clinic at the vets - I suspect that she won't like that one little bit! But it's a free service, so we might as well make use of it.
While in the vets I came across a deerhound puppy. I'd assumed it was a medium sized older dog, and had the shock of my life when its owner said it was only 13 weeks. It is going to be a seriously big dog, but I'd never come across such a calm and gentle looking puppy in my entire life.
Weather is still cold and wet, and I have put the central heating back on.
Sweep had to go back to the vets today to make sure that her gums are healing nicely. They are, and far from being put of her food by having the teeth out she has managed to gain over 100g in less than a week.
That's moved her from the 'she's a bit overweight - you need to make sure that she doesn't gain any more' category to 'she needs to go on a diet' category. So she has been signed up for the weight loss clinic at the vets - I suspect that she won't like that one little bit! But it's a free service, so we might as well make use of it.
While in the vets I came across a deerhound puppy. I'd assumed it was a medium sized older dog, and had the shock of my life when its owner said it was only 13 weeks. It is going to be a seriously big dog, but I'd never come across such a calm and gentle looking puppy in my entire life.
Weather is still cold and wet, and I have put the central heating back on.
128lauralkeet
I'm very curious about the kitty weight loss clinic.how does it work?
129tiffin
>120 SandDune: rather mortified that the only place you had a problem was in Canada. eep.
ETA: good luck with the cat diet. I gave up, although I do control the amount she gets and will not top up her dish until every last kibble has disappeared, no matter how pitifully she moans and licks her lips. A rescue cat, she has empty dish syndrome. Was it a Scottish or Irish deerhound? The Scottish ones are even bigger than the Irish ones, but both are beautiful dogs.
ETA: good luck with the cat diet. I gave up, although I do control the amount she gets and will not top up her dish until every last kibble has disappeared, no matter how pitifully she moans and licks her lips. A rescue cat, she has empty dish syndrome. Was it a Scottish or Irish deerhound? The Scottish ones are even bigger than the Irish ones, but both are beautiful dogs.
131SandDune
>128 lauralkeet: >130 lit_chick: I haven't got too many details about the clinic to be honest. Apparently they are run by the Head Nurse who is an 'Advanced Pet Health Counsellor' whatever that is, and are aimed to 'guide you through getting your pet to lose weight'. It is a free service so I thought I would give it a go. After spending years unsuccessfully trying to get our last cat to lose weight I think that any help would probably be useful! We've got the first appointment in two weeks time so I will report back then.
132SandDune
>129 tiffin: Tui everyone else in Canada was lovely so don't worry! In fact it was a highlight of our holiday just how friendly everyone was.
The dog was a Scottish deerhound. I don't think I've ever seen one before but it was like an extremely large and hairy greyhound. I now have a burning desire for one but I don't think I'd be able to sneak it past Mr SandDune somehow!
The dog was a Scottish deerhound. I don't think I've ever seen one before but it was like an extremely large and hairy greyhound. I now have a burning desire for one but I don't think I'd be able to sneak it past Mr SandDune somehow!
133lauralkeet
>131 SandDune: I will follow this topic with interest! In fact, the more kitty content the better for example glamour photos of Sweep at the start of the program, and during her progress towards a slimmer physique!
134michigantrumpet
>129 tiffin: ... empty dish syndrome Don't know what that is, but I'm pretty sure I have it!
135sibylline
Catching up - Glad you loved Middlemarch - had fun a few years ago rereading it with people here. I agree about the Conrad - that he disapproved of the way things were. What's hard for us sometimes is to realize how difficult it is for someone in their own time to imagine how it could be.
So you can disapprove, but not be able to offer something else. A step in the right direction at least.
Sorry about pet woes and bills!
And hooray for your new class - the booklist looks excellent! I watched Rebecca on you-tube after reading it last fall, and that was a treat.
So you can disapprove, but not be able to offer something else. A step in the right direction at least.
Sorry about pet woes and bills!
And hooray for your new class - the booklist looks excellent! I watched Rebecca on you-tube after reading it last fall, and that was a treat.
136tiffin
>134 michigantrumpet:: if the bottom of your dish is showing but you have kibble around the edges, you start to panic and are convinced you are soon to die. Great drama ensues.
137SandDune
>133 lauralkeet: I will try and take some more photos of Sweep this weekend. To be honest, she doesn't look that overweight - you don't look at her and think 'oh what a fat cat'. She is quite saggy underneath, but I think that's the result of probably having had kittens at some point. But as we had such problems with Ruby's (our last cat's) weight, I want to nip it in the bud. Until we had Ruby I always thought that cats naturally regulated their eating, but we discovered with Ruby that that is not the case at all! It was J's job to feed her and he gave her as much as she wanted, and she wanted lots! We woke up one morning and realised that we had an overweight cat in our hands and never really managed to get her slim again.
>134 michigantrumpet: >136 tiffin: you start to panic and are convinced you are soon to die LOL
We have that from Daisy about 4pm every afternoon. In her case you can't really call it 'empty dish
Syndrome' as her dish is always empty apart from the ten seconds it takes her to wolf the food down in the first place. But she clearly feels that if food is not forthcoming soon she will starve to death very rapidly. Unfortunately 4pm is an hour before she actually does get fed, so I have to endure ever increasing pressure which starts off with her sitting in front of me giving me reproachful looks and ends up with actual crying.
With Sweep it is usually pressure for the right sort of food: she is very disdainful of kibble generally, much preferring sachets of moist food. Even there she prefers the jelly bits around the chunks of meat, so she will eat all the jelly, leave the chunks, and then miaow for more jelly!
>134 michigantrumpet: >136 tiffin: you start to panic and are convinced you are soon to die LOL
We have that from Daisy about 4pm every afternoon. In her case you can't really call it 'empty dish
Syndrome' as her dish is always empty apart from the ten seconds it takes her to wolf the food down in the first place. But she clearly feels that if food is not forthcoming soon she will starve to death very rapidly. Unfortunately 4pm is an hour before she actually does get fed, so I have to endure ever increasing pressure which starts off with her sitting in front of me giving me reproachful looks and ends up with actual crying.
With Sweep it is usually pressure for the right sort of food: she is very disdainful of kibble generally, much preferring sachets of moist food. Even there she prefers the jelly bits around the chunks of meat, so she will eat all the jelly, leave the chunks, and then miaow for more jelly!
138CDVicarage
>137 SandDune: Kevin always has plenty of dry food in his dish but always wants just a bit more. I just have to add two or three more bits and he's happy to eat all the bits that were already there. We have to remember to let the dish empty completely from time to time otherwise the bits at the bottom remain for ever.
139HanGerg
Hi Rhian! I'm in catch up mode and have just wizzed thorugh your May thread. Middlemarch does sound very intriguing from your review, as does Heart of Darkness. Have you seen the film Apocalypse Now, which is loosely based on that book? A really stunning film experience.
140NicolePatrick
Hi Rhian, just catching up, I too let our cat deal with spiders. Big nasty, hairy spiders. I cannot stand them, they make the hairs on my arms stand up on end and my Husband feels the same. I will be revising this weekend, I have an exam on the 10th :(, really not looking forward to that. Hope you have a great weekend and get some time out from revising!
141Ameise1
Rhian, it's a great task to keep the cat on diet. Our younger cat has an urolithic issue and therefore we have to feed her a special diet food. We asked the vet if there would be any problem for the other cat if it is eating the same food. Luckely there isn't any and so both cats are eating the same diet food. I don't know what I've done if it hadn't worked out this way.
I wish you a relaxing weekend full of reading.
I wish you a relaxing weekend full of reading.
142SandDune
>138 CDVicarage: Kerry I'm being much stricter with Sweep at the moment: if she hasn't finished what she's got then she doesn't get any more. She's not keen!
>139 HanGerg: Hannah, I've always rather avoided war films, as I've got a fairly low tolerance for violence, so no, I haven't seen it. But having now read Heart if Darkness I'm much more interested in seeing it.
>140 NicolePatrick: Mr SandDune is very good at spider catching! I can't cope with them in the house at all. With a really big spider I'd have to abandon that part of the house to it if I was on my own! Funnily enough I can cope with them much better if they are outside: I wouldn't want one to touch me but they don't freak me out like they do inside the house. It's only spiders that I get a severe reaction to though - any other sort of wildlife I can usually cope with.
>141 Ameise1: Barbara that's a lovely bird. It reminds me a bit of the bee eaters that we saw on a holiday to Zimbabwe. Edited to add: no it's a roller - we saw some of those as well and they were lovely.
>139 HanGerg: Hannah, I've always rather avoided war films, as I've got a fairly low tolerance for violence, so no, I haven't seen it. But having now read Heart if Darkness I'm much more interested in seeing it.
>140 NicolePatrick: Mr SandDune is very good at spider catching! I can't cope with them in the house at all. With a really big spider I'd have to abandon that part of the house to it if I was on my own! Funnily enough I can cope with them much better if they are outside: I wouldn't want one to touch me but they don't freak me out like they do inside the house. It's only spiders that I get a severe reaction to though - any other sort of wildlife I can usually cope with.
>141 Ameise1: Barbara that's a lovely bird. It reminds me a bit of the bee eaters that we saw on a holiday to Zimbabwe. Edited to add: no it's a roller - we saw some of those as well and they were lovely.
143banjo123
I am happy to have spiders about--shades of Charlotte's Web; not a sentiment that is universal in my household. There aren't really any poisonous spiders in these parts, so I like them for killing other pests.
Our vet had us switch to canned cat food for weight loss, and it seems to be working. Apparently; the vet said; wet food is better for them overall because it's more like a dead mouse. Kind of stinky, however.
Our vet had us switch to canned cat food for weight loss, and it seems to be working. Apparently; the vet said; wet food is better for them overall because it's more like a dead mouse. Kind of stinky, however.
144lkernagh
I missed the earlier spider conversation. I don't like spiders but mainly because some spiders in our area - like hobo spiders - are toxic. A boss of mine was bitten by a hobo spider and ended up hospitalized for 5 days. I wouldn't mind spiders if there were no poisonous ones to worry about.
Looking forward to learning more about Sweep's diet clinic over the coming weeks.
Looking forward to learning more about Sweep's diet clinic over the coming weeks.
145SandDune
>143 banjo123: >144 lkernagh: Rhonda, Lori - my fear of spiders is purely irrational - there are some venomous spiders in the UK but not hugely so, and to be honest until there were recent media reports about false widow spiders I hadn't realised that were any. I'm not worried about other sorts of things. I'm usually first in line to hold any snakes going, mice and rats don't phase me at all, lizards and bats are very cute, but a medium sized spider coming towards me will throw me into hysterics!
146SandDune
I've been getting through the Vorkosigan books during my revision period. I've finished The Warrior's Apprentice and now halfway through The Vor Game. They're ideal revision material - something with a strong, exciting plot.
147nittnut
>39 SandDune: Great review of Heart of Darkness. It's one of my favorite books. I also well remember being the only person in my HS English class who liked it. :) Happy weekend!
148SandDune
Our garden tap broke yesterday and now will not switch off completely. It's not full on but is losing a fair amount of water. Mr SandDune has decided to fix it himself: I am not sure that this bodes well!
149SandDune
>147 nittnut: I would have thought that Heart of Darkness was a great book to read in High School as you could have such a good discussion. There is a real fuss at the moment here about what books should form part of the GCSE syllabus (that's the exam that children do age 16), particularly that twentieth century American classics have been excluded:
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/education-27610829
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/education-27610829
150nittnut
Interesting article. There is a similar discussion raging in the US over the new Common Core curriculum. Only I believe they are recommending limiting the number of actual books in favor of students reading more "current materials", such as government handbooks, etc. That should go over well.
I also found some of the comments very amusing. There was never a vote in Congress over making German the official language of the US. Apocryphal. Amazing what people will believe, no?
I also found some of the comments very amusing. There was never a vote in Congress over making German the official language of the US. Apocryphal. Amazing what people will believe, no?
151SandDune
>150 nittnut: Reading government handbooks? Now there's away to encourage reading!!! To be honest, I frequently find reading the comments section on the BBC website makes me really depressed as to the future of the human race - it just seems as if people will believe anything. I notice that there was one tripping out the old adage that teachers go home at 3.30 and spend all their holidays sitting in the sun. I'll tell that to Mr SandDune who's going in to work after lunch.
There was an interesting comment in today's Observer by Meera Syal, one of the authors now included on the syllabus.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/01/meera-syal-michael-gove-gcse-ame...
There was an interesting comment in today's Observer by Meera Syal, one of the authors now included on the syllabus.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/01/meera-syal-michael-gove-gcse-ame...
152HanGerg
Hmm, yes, both interesting articles. Like most people who have something to do with education, I rather loathe Mr. Gove, but when I worked in a secondary school last year I did think some of the literature they studied was rather odd. So I'm not entirely against giving the curriculum a shake up.
I did a lot of work with students on Of Mice and Men. The themes were interesting and accessible but ultimately I don't know how great a loss it is. Personally, I like to think that the literature people study at school could inspire generations to fall in love with literature and make them life long readers. If that is your goal, I think work that reflects children's own worldviews in some way should be used. So for example, I think things like Thomas Hardy and E.M.Forster are a hard sell (both things I studied at school and didn't enjoy, although I have read Hardy since and liked him better). I think if you put things like The Hunger Games on the curriculum - something kids have a genuine interest in reading and might get a real kick out of studying, you could ignite a life long interest. But then is it great literature? No, probably not, but my question is - does it matter? Well, that's what I think, but then I always have had slightly wacky ideas, that's partly why I don't really work in mainstream education anymore. I like to think of the lifelong development of individuals into rounded human beings - as do many people who work in schools, don't get me wrong, but Mr. Gove seems to represent a strong force that really doesn't value those things as much as institutionalised rote learning and passing tests.
I did a lot of work with students on Of Mice and Men. The themes were interesting and accessible but ultimately I don't know how great a loss it is. Personally, I like to think that the literature people study at school could inspire generations to fall in love with literature and make them life long readers. If that is your goal, I think work that reflects children's own worldviews in some way should be used. So for example, I think things like Thomas Hardy and E.M.Forster are a hard sell (both things I studied at school and didn't enjoy, although I have read Hardy since and liked him better). I think if you put things like The Hunger Games on the curriculum - something kids have a genuine interest in reading and might get a real kick out of studying, you could ignite a life long interest. But then is it great literature? No, probably not, but my question is - does it matter? Well, that's what I think, but then I always have had slightly wacky ideas, that's partly why I don't really work in mainstream education anymore. I like to think of the lifelong development of individuals into rounded human beings - as do many people who work in schools, don't get me wrong, but Mr. Gove seems to represent a strong force that really doesn't value those things as much as institutionalised rote learning and passing tests.
154SandDune
152 I can't say that I've got any great affection for Of Mice and Men either, but to go from everybody doing that to no twentieth century American texts at all just seems silly to me. I think there should be a good range of texts to choose from, and some nineteenth century texts should be included, but I don't see the obsession that politicians seem to have for everyone studying Dickens. I can't see a quicker way of putting a class of reluctant 16 year olds off reading for life than to make them study Dickens! Fine for 'A' level, where at least you've got a chance of getting a class who are interested in the subject, but not before. Personally, I wouldn't include something like the Hunger Games which the readers will probably have read already, but I would broaden the scope to include some more adult, rather than YA, genre. Maybe some sci-fi or crime? I think the important thing at that stage is to engage the students with reading.
155lit_chick
I can't see a quicker way of putting a class of reluctant 16 year olds off reading for life than to make them study Dickens! Fine for 'A' level, where at least you've got a chance of getting a class who are interested in the subject, but not before. Agreed. Here we have a English Literature 12 class as well as an English 12 class; the former is not a required course, but suits those perfectly who are interested in the classics and in perhaps studying literature at the university level. English 12 is required: still includes analysis of literature, but does not focus on classics; in fact, my present novel choice is wide open including such novels as All Quiet on the Western Front, The Kite Runner, Can You Hear the Night Bird Call?, The Secret Life of Bees, Flight Behaviour, The Handmaid's Tale, Coventry.
156SandDune
>155 lit_chick: I'm not familiar with Can you hear the Night bird call or The Secret Life of Bees but the rest look great choices. One thing I have noticed with my own son over the past few years, is that while he is an avid reader he reads virtually no books written more than twenty or thirty years ago. So although his vocabulary is excellent and he can cope with an adult book easily, (and actually reads more adult books than YA these days), he finds the different phraseology used in older books more difficult. I could read Pride and Prejudice and Tess of the D'Urbevilles at his age because I'd been led there by a series of older children's books: Pollyanna, The Secret Garden, Children of the New Forest, Moonfleet etc. He hasn't had that, so while he can read a higher standard of non-fiction book than I would have coped with at his age (he's currently going through Mr SandDune's history library), he would find a 'classic' much more challenging than I would have done at the same age.
157rosalita
Rhian, that's a really good point about the difficulties in reading older classics if you've never read anything to familiarize you with the syntax and vocabulary. I hadn't thought of that before, but I can see it would be very true.
Sweep is looking lovely. How are she and Daisy getting along these days.
Sweep is looking lovely. How are she and Daisy getting along these days.
158lauralkeet
Awww, Sweep looks great! You're right, she doesn't look like a fat cat. Thanks for posting the photos, Rhian.
159lyzard
I'm battling cat weight issues of my own at the moment. The reality is, she sleeps about 22 hours a day, and so whatever goes on, stays on.
For those of you unacquainted with cat logic---voila, empty bowl syndrome:
For those of you unacquainted with cat logic---voila, empty bowl syndrome:
160scaifea
>153 SandDune: Oh my, Sweep is gorgeous!
161Ameise1
>159 lyzard: Liz, LOL, it's so true. The bowls of our cats are looking like that when they are 'empty'.
Rhian, wishing you a gorgeous week.
Rhian, wishing you a gorgeous week.
163SandDune
>157 rosalita: Sweep still has a bit of a go at Daisy from time to time, and Daisy is still very careful in her presence: she keeps very still, avoids eye contact; and will not push past Sweep under any circumstances. Having said that Daisy will now allow Sweep much closer to her before running away: she'll now stay on the sofa if Sweep jumps on as long as Sweep doesn't start anything particularly scary (but in Daisy terms particularly scary might mean loud purring or playing with something).
>158 lauralkeet: I was trying to get a photo of Daisy and Sweep together as well, but Sweep moved!
>159 lyzard: >160 scaifea: >161 Ameise1: >162 lit_chick: Liz that's great! That's clearly what Sweep thinks. I have to confess that I succumbed to her miaowing and gave her a sachet of moist food last night. She was clearly very dissatisfied with her new diet of kibble only, and was determined to let her feelings known.
>158 lauralkeet: I was trying to get a photo of Daisy and Sweep together as well, but Sweep moved!
>159 lyzard: >160 scaifea: >161 Ameise1: >162 lit_chick: Liz that's great! That's clearly what Sweep thinks. I have to confess that I succumbed to her miaowing and gave her a sachet of moist food last night. She was clearly very dissatisfied with her new diet of kibble only, and was determined to let her feelings known.
164nittnut
It's definitely an interesting discussion of what constitutes a good literature class. I love what Meera Syal says about To Kill a Mockingbird and broadening the curriculum.
>156 SandDune: Rhian, you make a good point about the language being an issue. I remember reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books voraciously when I was 9-10 years old, as well as Pollyanna, Little Women and Alice in Wonderland, etc. My daughter is now 10, and finds it hard to read Little Women, but she breezes right through a Harry Potter or Percy Jackson book. The vocabulary is quite different, as is the level of action. It would be good to introduce a variety of things so that the young readers are comfortable with a variety of things.
I also have to say that my intro to Dickens was at age 14 or so with A Tale of Two Cities, which I loved. But I was famous in high school for being the kid that loved the books that everyone else hated (Moby Dick, Heart of Darkness, Persuasion). I guess that's why I'm happy here on LT. LOL
>156 SandDune: Rhian, you make a good point about the language being an issue. I remember reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books voraciously when I was 9-10 years old, as well as Pollyanna, Little Women and Alice in Wonderland, etc. My daughter is now 10, and finds it hard to read Little Women, but she breezes right through a Harry Potter or Percy Jackson book. The vocabulary is quite different, as is the level of action. It would be good to introduce a variety of things so that the young readers are comfortable with a variety of things.
I also have to say that my intro to Dickens was at age 14 or so with A Tale of Two Cities, which I loved. But I was famous in high school for being the kid that loved the books that everyone else hated (Moby Dick, Heart of Darkness, Persuasion). I guess that's why I'm happy here on LT. LOL
165HanGerg
i actually think Dickens could be OK at school level. In Pip in Great Expectations you have a great child protagonist, with scary adult baddies and an unrequited love interest - I think kids could really relate to that. Ditto Oliver in Oliver Twist. But why expect teenagers to care about an adult love triangle between a beautiful woman, a sheep farmer and a soldier roaming around the countryside like extras in a Kate Bush video - that's Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd, the book that nearly killed off my love of reading at school. Forsters A Room With a View likewise. I could probably read both now and get a lot out of them, but not when I was a 14 year old girl with a whole heap of my own life experiences giving me rather more pressing concerns. Meera Syal makes a good point about how To Kill a Mockingbird was a great book for her to read at school because it helped her make sense of her own life experiences of dealing with racists. Give kids good literature yes, but don't expect them to really care about characters so far beyond their own limited world views. Enlarge their world views of course, but that spark of connection should be there for them, I think.
166tiffin
Jude the Obscure just about put me away in high school. I think one of the best ways to introduce Dickens and Shakespeare to younger folk is to let them see films or stage productions. There have been some wonderful films of Dickens' stories. Shakespeare makes a lot more sense when they can see the play being acted out: his works were meant to be seen, after all. Then if they want to come to these things at uni, fair enough. I did an advanced Shakespeare course at uni (and loved it) but really didn't connect with it in high school unless I could see it.
167SandDune
>164 nittnut: >165 HanGerg: I'm still not convinced about Dickens! I think he's one of those writers that polarises views even among keen readers. And he's wordy which is the thing that young readers today just aren't used to. So I'd keep him for post 16 personally.
Incidentally, in my course I've found out an interesting fact as to one of the reasons why early to mid Victorian novels are quite 'baggy'. The fact that many novels were serialised has an effect, of course, and the requirement of circulating libraries for three decker novels, but it was also very difficult to revise or edit novels properly because of a shortage of type. Type was made by hand which meant it was very expensive, and so most printers didn't have anything like enough to print a whole book. So they'd print it in chunks of 32 or 64 pages, as the author sent in each chunk of a manuscript. And once that part was typeset and printed, it was too expensive to go back and amend that part, so the book couldn't be properly edited as a whole. Apparently, the manuscripts weren't usually sent back to the author either, so they'd be checking each section from memory.
>166 tiffin: I definitely agree that Shakespeare should be approached via performance. As you say, it is how it was designed to be viewed.
>165 HanGerg: Hannah, I definitely agree that children should be given books to study that they can relate to in some shape or form. Probably not much point giving a teenager a book of middle-aged angst. But I think that needs to be interpreted quite widely. Going on to your issues with Hardy, I remember reading Tess of the D'Urvbevilles at about 14 or 15 and that might work quite well for a teenage audience. You've got rape, teenage pregnancy, murder, all in a very different context, but looking at the differences might make it more interesting.
I suppose my main point is that there should be a choice, and also that exams should be comparing like with like. If students are given a straight choice between Of Mice and Men and Mill in the Floss say, then they are going to choose the first one as it is going to be far easier to get higher marks in the exam.
Incidentally, in my course I've found out an interesting fact as to one of the reasons why early to mid Victorian novels are quite 'baggy'. The fact that many novels were serialised has an effect, of course, and the requirement of circulating libraries for three decker novels, but it was also very difficult to revise or edit novels properly because of a shortage of type. Type was made by hand which meant it was very expensive, and so most printers didn't have anything like enough to print a whole book. So they'd print it in chunks of 32 or 64 pages, as the author sent in each chunk of a manuscript. And once that part was typeset and printed, it was too expensive to go back and amend that part, so the book couldn't be properly edited as a whole. Apparently, the manuscripts weren't usually sent back to the author either, so they'd be checking each section from memory.
>166 tiffin: I definitely agree that Shakespeare should be approached via performance. As you say, it is how it was designed to be viewed.
>165 HanGerg: Hannah, I definitely agree that children should be given books to study that they can relate to in some shape or form. Probably not much point giving a teenager a book of middle-aged angst. But I think that needs to be interpreted quite widely. Going on to your issues with Hardy, I remember reading Tess of the D'Urvbevilles at about 14 or 15 and that might work quite well for a teenage audience. You've got rape, teenage pregnancy, murder, all in a very different context, but looking at the differences might make it more interesting.
I suppose my main point is that there should be a choice, and also that exams should be comparing like with like. If students are given a straight choice between Of Mice and Men and Mill in the Floss say, then they are going to choose the first one as it is going to be far easier to get higher marks in the exam.
168lyzard
I don't know if my high school was "different" or I'm just showing my age, but we went through various classics without much murmuring; I suspect that at the time, it was just taken for granted that those were what you studied in high school English. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles was an assigned text in (I think) Year 9, and as they did with as many of the assigned texts as possible, they showed us a film version - in fact, because they got hold of a proper print rather than a TV recording, they showed it to the whole year at once in our assembly hall. So you've got ~120 15-year-old girls in one room...
...and we get to Angel and Tess confessing their histories. He confesses his, and she forgives him; she confesses hers, and - he dumps her.
Well... You should have heard the collective noise that went up from those 120 15-year-old girls - somewhere between a howl and a seethe. I wouldn't have cared to be the male staff members in the room just then. Looking back, I'm rather surprised that blood wasn't spilled, just on principle. :D
Well... You should have heard the collective noise that went up from those 120 15-year-old girls - somewhere between a howl and a seethe. I wouldn't have cared to be the male staff members in the room just then. Looking back, I'm rather surprised that blood wasn't spilled, just on principle. :D
169BLBera
Rhian - Interesting discussion. I've always thought that if I can excite students with one book, not necessarily a "classic," that they will pick up others and get there eventually. Narrowing curriculum doesn't seem like a wise choice.
173SandDune
>171 katiekrug: >172 tiffin: Thanks - exam didn't seem too bad. I wrote for the full three hours and answered the right number of questions anyway, and that is always a good start. Feeling slightly exhausted now - unfortunately I have to go to work tomorrow so I can't have a rest just yet.
>168 lyzard: - The new GCSE requirement for English literature are as follows:
GCSEs in England must include at least one Shakespeare play, a 19th century novel, a selection of poetry from 1789 onwards, including the Romantic poets, and British fiction or drama from 1914 onwards.
At the moment the current GCSE syllabus has a very large percentage of children studying Of Mice and Men: there are quite a few other novels on the syllabus but Of Mice and Men is the shortest and therefore perceived as the easiest, and so is the one that everyone studies. The controversy about the new requirements is that the fiction from 1914 onwards has to be British, rather than from any other English speaking country.
>169 BLBera: Beth I think I agree with you - I'd rather that children were captivated reading something, rather than getting too bogged down prescribing too closely what they need to read.
>168 lyzard: - The new GCSE requirement for English literature are as follows:
GCSEs in England must include at least one Shakespeare play, a 19th century novel, a selection of poetry from 1789 onwards, including the Romantic poets, and British fiction or drama from 1914 onwards.
At the moment the current GCSE syllabus has a very large percentage of children studying Of Mice and Men: there are quite a few other novels on the syllabus but Of Mice and Men is the shortest and therefore perceived as the easiest, and so is the one that everyone studies. The controversy about the new requirements is that the fiction from 1914 onwards has to be British, rather than from any other English speaking country.
>169 BLBera: Beth I think I agree with you - I'd rather that children were captivated reading something, rather than getting too bogged down prescribing too closely what they need to read.
174Chatterbox
It would be nice to see more diversity than just a single novel chosen because it's short and easy (regardless of where it comes from). But becoming obsessed with a country of origin makes no sense to me.
It's interesting to see the comments re older literature. I read The Children of the New Forest having literally no idea that it was an "old" book. I mean, clearly it hadn't been written yesterday, but I didn't realize when I was reading it that the author was long dead, and that my grandfather could have read it at my age. It was just a good yarn. The Secret Garden felt more as if it had been written in the time it was written about, but then I also read Jean Webster's books, which didn't feel "old-fashioned". And then so, on to Moonfleet, and thus to Great Expectations, etc. I'm sure I've listed what I read for my IB higher level English, but it was a motley assortment of stuff, that ranged from Hawthorne to Marquez; Camus to DH Lawrence, with probably a tilt in favor of the 20th century, but including Shakespeare and Marlowe.
I do like the thematic focus of your next course, Rhian; it sounds very creative.
The GCSE requirements open the door to the 19th century novel NOT being British, although the reality is that it almost certainly will be. I would have gotten around the Of Mice and Men nonsense by requiring two post 1914 works, one British and one not.
Hilarious discussions re cat & food. I tried out an expensive new cat food and they adore it. Now when empty plate syndrome strikes, it's because it's "Chicken Divan" time. In other words, about every two hours. Cassie has become a very chubby cat, which I blame on her greediness for Greenies.
She has been known to drag a bag onto the bed in the middle of the night and dump it on my face. The mere sound of a bag rattling will bring her running -- even if a stranger is in the house. A bona fide addict.
It's interesting to see the comments re older literature. I read The Children of the New Forest having literally no idea that it was an "old" book. I mean, clearly it hadn't been written yesterday, but I didn't realize when I was reading it that the author was long dead, and that my grandfather could have read it at my age. It was just a good yarn. The Secret Garden felt more as if it had been written in the time it was written about, but then I also read Jean Webster's books, which didn't feel "old-fashioned". And then so, on to Moonfleet, and thus to Great Expectations, etc. I'm sure I've listed what I read for my IB higher level English, but it was a motley assortment of stuff, that ranged from Hawthorne to Marquez; Camus to DH Lawrence, with probably a tilt in favor of the 20th century, but including Shakespeare and Marlowe.
I do like the thematic focus of your next course, Rhian; it sounds very creative.
The GCSE requirements open the door to the 19th century novel NOT being British, although the reality is that it almost certainly will be. I would have gotten around the Of Mice and Men nonsense by requiring two post 1914 works, one British and one not.
Hilarious discussions re cat & food. I tried out an expensive new cat food and they adore it. Now when empty plate syndrome strikes, it's because it's "Chicken Divan" time. In other words, about every two hours. Cassie has become a very chubby cat, which I blame on her greediness for Greenies.
She has been known to drag a bag onto the bed in the middle of the night and dump it on my face. The mere sound of a bag rattling will bring her running -- even if a stranger is in the house. A bona fide addict.
175nittnut
>167 SandDune: I have often wondered how Dickens would edit his work today, given the opportunity. LOL Wordy is a good word. I'm just good at skimming and picking out the good bits, I guess.
>168 lyzard: I can just imagine the scene. Great story! I remember feeling exactly the same way when I read it. The drama!
>168 lyzard: I can just imagine the scene. Great story! I remember feeling exactly the same way when I read it. The drama!
176SandDune
>174 Chatterbox: When I did my Children's Literature course a couple of years ago I tried out the first chapter of Children of the New Forest on J, and as I suspected, he found it exceptionally hard going. Not that he's frightened of a dense read: his current book is The Perfect King: the Life of Edward III by Ian Mortimer. But I'd read it perfectly happily as a child: it had been the favourite book of my mother (born 1921) when she was a child). I wonder if part of the difference is that J has so much more choice in what to read? I had a decent amount of books but there was no nearby book shop and the number in books in the children's library was not huge, so there were times when if I wanted something new to read I had to try something difficult. And there seemed to be much more historical fiction around at the time, so I was much more familiar with the genre as a whole.
The oldest book we ever managed to get J to read was Just William written in 1922, which despite the social changes since is still incredibly funny. We had an audiobook of one of the books for a holiday in France once, and Mr SandDune had to pull the car over at one point because he was laughing so much!
I love the story of Cassie and her Greenies! I don't think Mr SandDune would tolerate any food packets on his head at night somehow! He's very intolerant of being disturbed at night by either of the animals, so I hope Sweep doesn't start anything like that.
The oldest book we ever managed to get J to read was Just William written in 1922, which despite the social changes since is still incredibly funny. We had an audiobook of one of the books for a holiday in France once, and Mr SandDune had to pull the car over at one point because he was laughing so much!
I love the story of Cassie and her Greenies! I don't think Mr SandDune would tolerate any food packets on his head at night somehow! He's very intolerant of being disturbed at night by either of the animals, so I hope Sweep doesn't start anything like that.
178HanGerg
Have you seen this Rhian? http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jun/06/michael-gove-gcse-set-texts-mary-be...
Some really interesting choices there. Not sure I agree with them all, but that's part of the fun I guess.
Also, meant to say before that the info about why Victorian novels aren't very tightly edited was fascinating, thanks!
Hope the exam went well! When do you get your results?
Some really interesting choices there. Not sure I agree with them all, but that's part of the fun I guess.
Also, meant to say before that the info about why Victorian novels aren't very tightly edited was fascinating, thanks!
Hope the exam went well! When do you get your results?
179SandDune
>177 tiffin: Suprisingly, I didn't take to the Just William books as a child! It had been one of my Dad's favourites, but it didn't grab me. But the audio read by Marin Jervis is wonderful. Highly recommended.
>178 HanGerg: Interesting articles. Of their choices, I think The World's Wife, Oranges are not the Only Fruit, Top Girls, The colour Purple, The Handmaid's Tale, White Teeth, or The Woman in Black would work really well.
It had never occurred to me that the cost of type would have such an effect either. But apparently it all had to be made by hand and so was very costly.
>178 HanGerg: Interesting articles. Of their choices, I think The World's Wife, Oranges are not the Only Fruit, Top Girls, The colour Purple, The Handmaid's Tale, White Teeth, or The Woman in Black would work really well.
It had never occurred to me that the cost of type would have such an effect either. But apparently it all had to be made by hand and so was very costly.
180SandDune
Had to go to work yesterday which I really didn't feel like after the exam the day before. Usually I don't work on Fridays but we have an important event for local businesses in a couple of weeks time to encourage them to take on people with learning disabilities for a few hours a week as part of a work experience programme we are running, and Friday was the only day that all the managers could give time to making sure the planning was OK. So today has been allocated for post exam relaxation - or at least this morning has, I have some things to do later.
This topic was continued by SandDune in 2014: June thread.
