flissp comes out of hiding (probably sporadically) for 2016

Happy New Year everyone!

I'm back again, despite the fact that I fully expect to be as sporadic in my updates as I was last year. Particularly as I suspect this may be a fairly busy year (I really do need to find a new job - not because I dislike where I am particularly, but just because I work in Science and it's time to move on...)

Here are some lists to sum up 2015:

TOP NEW READS OF 2015 (in the order I read them):
The Islands of Chaldea: Diana Wynne Jones (her final book, finished by her sister)
Stranger Things Happen: Kelly Link (she's just extremely original and has the short story nailed)
Bodies of Light: Sarah Moss (upsetting, but completely absorbing)
Mr Gig: Nige Tassell (just wonderful book by a fellow gig lover)
The Rest of Us Just Live Here: Patrick Ness (excellent return to form)
The Chimes: Anna Smaill (very original, music infused Booker nominee)

Booby prize for worst book of the year goes to: Midnight Crossroad: Charlaine Harris (comes fairly close, but ultimately does not really even challenge last year's booby prize (I feel I need to restate it, just to warn people): Allegiant: Veronica Roth (the final book in her Divergent trilogy - the 2nd one was pretty bad too...).

BEST THEATRE:
I think that probably this goes to a late entry: I Want My Hat Back. This is a children's show to which I took my niece and nephew, based on the book, obviously. Bar one moment where I thought they went a bit too far (the last page of the book, for those of you who have read this - it was a bit too graphic, particularly for small children - the book is far more subtle and it didn't quite recover), it was just brilliant. Fun for the adults as well as the children (who loved it). I've been a bit underwhelmed by the stuff that's been on at the NT this last year, so it was a great save!

Very close joint runners up go to "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Henry V", both at the RSC in Stratford-Upon-Avon, which were just very well done.

Alice's Adventures Underground (Les Enfants Terribles Theatre Company) at The Vaults in Waterloo also gets a mention as a fun and original show.

BEST GIGS:
Probably goes to Ben Folds at the Royal Opera House (London) in August. Something a bit different for him, with a chamber quartet (Y Music) - he's just always fantastic live.

Also great was someone else who is always great live, Amanda Palmer at The Union Chapel (London). In this case, she was actually outshone by one of her guests (she was very pregnant at the time, so had quite a few interludes), Le Gateau Chocolat. He only did one song, but that one song would be my single best live moment of 2015 - it was a truly heartbreaking cover of Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" - I'd never really listened to the lyrics before, just heard the very upbeat tune and I was practically hiccupping with tears by the time he'd got to the end.

BEST SHOW AT THE EDINBURGH FRINGE:
(It gets its own category this year as I failed to sum up what I went to see).
This goes to Barbu - a show by a (very bearded) Canadian circus troupe (Cirque Alfonse) - it was just very funny as well as impressive.

Runner's up prize goes to The Clock Strikes Noon, the only part of Jethro Compton's "The Frontier Trilogy" that I had time to see while I was up there. This is the company that did/still do The Bunker Trilogy that I raved about a couple of years ago.

BEST LITERARY FESTIVAL EVENTS:
Judith Kerr in April (Cambridge Literary Festival)
Kazuo Ishiguro in May (Hay Festival)
Neil Gaiman & David Mitchell in June (organised by 5x15, even though there were only 2 of them...)

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR:
...goes to the Rugby World Cup. I don't want to talk about it (*sobs*).

So. Reading plans for the year. I don't have many, but I'll try to keep track of my non-fiction reading (as usual, to try to encourage myself to read more...)

i) The Music of Life: Denis Noble (Reading)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)
viii)
ix)
x)

...and here is my usual "Tomes" list for massive books I want to read at some point in the not too distant future:

i) War and Peace: Leo Tolstoy
ii) The Grapes of Wrath: John Steinbeck
iii) Wolf Hall: Hilary Mantel

Here's my reading ticker:




...a map with the author origins of the books I read this year:


7 countries
map

...My Diana Wynne Jones in order of publication thread (continued from 2012) is here in the DWJ group. Although I finished my goal in 2013, I've still only commented on about half of her books, so I'll continue to do that. Maybe I should have a ticker for that too:




...and here are links to my previous threads:

Thread for 2015 (sparse!)
Thread for 2014 (unfinished)
Thread for 2013 (unfinished)
Thread for 2012
Thread for 2011 pt2
Thread for 2011 pt1
Thread for 2010 pt4
Thread for 2010 pt3
Thread for 2010 pt2
Thread for 2010 pt1
Thread for 2009 pt2
Thread for 2009 pt1
Thread for 2008

...and a list of the books I'm reading with my book group:

01 February:
Olive Kitteridge: Elizabeth Strout
21 March:
I Am Legend: Richard Mattheson (my slightly evil suggestion - I was trying to shake things up a bit - I expect it to divide opinion)

...and I'm trying out another, much larger book group which meets more frequently. I'll probably only go along when it's a book that I want to read/have read - I thought it would be a nice way to meet new people, but the group is just a little bit too large really. We'll see. Anyway:

14 February:
The President's Hat: Antoine Laurain (I have to admit to not really wanting to read this one, but it's the first date I could make and it's lined up for the other book group, so I thought why not...)
13 March:
Wide Sargasso Sea: Jean Rhys (a re-read for me)
10 April:
We Need to Talk About Kevin: Lionel Shriver (been meaning to read this for ages)

Welcome back!

Welcome back, Fliss! Based on your FB posts and our conversations I'm not surprised at your choice for biggest disappointment of the year.

Are there any upcoming plays in or outside of London that are particularly appealing?

Like you, I'm a sporadic poster, at best, but I keep trying again every year! I soooo agree with you about Allegiant. What a piece of junk. I thought Divergent was great, and was really excited to continue to read about that world. After reading Allegiant I was so angry I wished I hadn't started the trilogy in the first place.

Enjoy Wolf Hall! I'm also working on some tomes this year, starting with The Count of Monte Cristo.

Dropping a star here!

Happy New Year!

Hi Fliss, found you and got you starred

Happy New reading Year, Fliss!

I envy your literary festival going!!

I didn't venture past Divergent. Just saw a trailer for Allegiant at the films last week, and I was wondering what the heck had happened in the second book, and had thought about picking it up to find out. Your comments have convinced me not to do so...

Happy 2016!

#8 Suzanne, yes, definitely STAY AWAY from the rest of the Divergent trilogy - I'm with Cait - reading the second 2 pretty much spoilt anything I got from the first one. Truly dreadful.

...it was a pretty good book festival year!

#7 And to you Anita!

#6 Hi Kerry! Will see if I can find yours in a mo...

#5 Hi Roni - happy new year to you too!

#4 Hi Cait! I love The Count of Monte Cristo - despite being such a tome, it's a real page turner and very funny - enjoy!

We're definitely of a mind on the Divergent trilogy. Frankly, I'm not even sure why I made it all the way through the final one - I kept hoping against the odds that it would start to improve. More than anything else, it felt rushed I thought - as though it was a first draft she couldn't bother to get right. NOT impressed.

I'll get to Wolf Hall one day, but it's going to be a while I think - I want to wait until the 3rd book comes out, although I'm also a bit wary as the only book I've read by Hilary Mantel to date (Beyond Black), I really didn't like at all. Just sooooo many people have said how wonderful Wolf Hall is, I feel I should give her another go.

#3 Hi Darryl - I'm not talking about it! ;o)

Re theatre, hmmmm. This is the time of year that I try to avoid Theatre listings, in order to avoid buying more tickets, but:

The NT: I saw wonder.land over Christmas, which will be on for a while. It was fun and a bit different, but I wasn't blown away by it. Ditto I wasn't blown away by the As You Like It, although the set and sound effects were fantastic and the Celia was also very good. I quite want to see The Flick, which hasn't gone on sale yet. Beyond that, there are a couple of things that I've been umming and ahhhing over, but I haven't thought about it too hard (that's the I-am-not-allowed-to-buy-theatre-tickets-in-January thing...)

The Old Vic: There's an Ibsen play on that I haven't seen, but I'm a bit Ibsen-ed out at the moment.

The Young Vic: I'm going to see A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing at the end of Feb - I'll let you know what I think. I fully expect it to be a traumatised.

RSC: I'm going to see Cymbeline in Stratford in June - ditto I'll let you know what I think. The Henry V was very good - it's finished in Stratford & London now, but it's touring to New York from March - May...

Kenneth Branagh's Theatre Company looks like it's doing some good stuff too.

#2 Hi Jim!

...and just to make everyone jealous (assuming anyone can read my uncle's handwriting, which at least isn't all straight lines like my father's), here was our menu for Christmas day (mwah ha ha):



There are advantages to a father in the wine trade.

Thanks for the London theatre info, Fliss. The Flick sounds interesting; I think I had read a review of it in The New York Times in the recent past, as that story line sounds familiar. I'll be interested to see what you think of A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing; I own but haven't read the novel yet, so I'll move it higher on my TBR list. I see that it closes on March 26th, so I'll have to request vacation time then if I want to see it (which I would need to do by this Friday). I'd be interested in seeing The Master Builder, the Ibsen play at the Old Vic, as well as The Caretaker by Harold Pinter, which opens on March 26th. I'll miss Red Velvet by the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company, but The Painkiller looks interesting. Hmm...I'll look at the plays that are on more closely, and see if I can make it there for a week or so then.

...oh and I should probably comment on some books...:

1) Kinslayer: Jay Kristoff
2) Endsinger: Jay Kristoff
(both on Kindle)

Sequels to Stormdancer (see Msg51 in last year's thread).

This is a steampunk-ish series, set in an alternative pre-apocalyptic Japan (Shima) being slowly destroyed by a crop, "blood lotus", simultaneously incredibly useful (including as the country's main source of fuel), a powerful narcotic and incredibly destructive - its growth swiftly leaching the soil of any nutrients, preventing the growth of anything else and polluting the atmosphere. Life for most of the population is pretty grim and spent in fear of the sinister Guild - a group of people who seem barely human, spending their lives hidden inside mechanical suits.

In the first book of the series, the spoilt and slightly insane Shogun sends his Imperial Hunter (and his team including his daughter Yukiko) to catch him a creature of legend - an arashitora (aka a griffin) - he wants to become a Stormdancer, riding his arashitora into battle to finally defeat his enemies after 20 years of war. Noone except the Shogun expects them to find one, but to fail would mean seppuku.

I very much enjoyed this series (the middle book perhaps the least as there were moments where the pace slowed a bit) - good, mostly pacey plot, (largely) convincing characters and an interesting mythology. There is, perhaps, rather a lot of death and destruction - sort of spoiler: you can be sure that at least one of your favourite characters is going to die at some point - probably several, sorry and there did seem to be about 6 epilogues to the final book - the final one verging on (but not quite reaching) Harry Potter-esq icky epilogue-ness, but it survives these things pretty well.

Worth a read if it sounds like your kind of thing.

Just dropping by to say that The Song of Achilles is one of the daily deal books on Kindle UK - it's a fantastic book if anyone hasn't read it...

...and again to say very sad this morning to hear about the death of David Bowie - someone truly original. I think that this (Rock and Roll Suicide) is my favourite track - it's just very uplifting. Have a listen if you don't know it.

Also, a recommendation for To Major Tom: The David Bowie Letters byt Dave Thompson, which I read years ago and think I'm now going to have to re-read (basically a slightly deluded fan writes letters to David Bowie over the course of his life - it's funny and touching).

>14 flissp: Joining in your sadness because of David Bowie, I had thought about visiting the exposition in Groningen about him.
Lets dance is my favourite, recently I heard a track of his latest album that was beautiful too.

#15 Yes, I missed the Bowie exhibition when it was at the V&A too, despite meaning to go, I was just too disorganised. I hear it was very good. Still annoyed with myself about that!

Very sad news - and now Alan Rickman too...

I will post some book stuff and trundle over to other people's threads again soon, honest, but in the interim, because I caught sight of it again the other day, because I'm really feeling it at the moment and most of all, because it's funny true, I thought I'd share this (I'd be the PostDoc line):

Welcome back Fliss!

>16 flissp: I showed that image to my husband (who has never quite got round to completing his chemistry PhD) and he laughed (and then sighed).

Yep. I worked as a chemical engineering technician in a US Navy R&D lab in the mid 1980s (and took night classes at Rutgers), then was a research biologist in a lab at NYU Medical Center after I received my bachelor's degree and before I went to medical school. I also laughed when I saw this on Friday, although I forgot to comment about it then.

Hi, Fliss!:) Just lurking, as usual! *waves hello*

Hmm... I have a 100% opposite opinion on Allegiant, but rather than get into that here, I'll just wave and say hello! Happy reading and I hope you're having a lovely week! :D

I didn't know that you are a sporadic poster like myself, and I definitely didn't know about DWJ's The Islands of Chaldea.. (guess that's what grad school does to people :(

Firstly, there was a good (although rather melancholy) (Radio 4) Front Row retrospective on David Bowie the other day that some of you might be interested in...

#17 Thanks Heather! Yup, that would be the general reaction...

#18 I was particularly feeling the PhD student as seen by PostDoc at that point (closely followed by the PostDoc as seen by PostDoc...)

#19 Hi Bente! *waves back*

#20 Ah Faith, please do feel free to disagree with me here if you like! It would be a boring world if we all liked the same things ;o) Hope you're also having a lovely week (well, weeks, given that it's now next week....!)

#21 Oh yes, I'm dreadful at staying on top of things on LT these days - but frankly, I've given up on it - there's just too much traffic! Every now and then I'll have a long session where I almost catch up, but by the next week, I'm always way behind again. I've pretty much given up on being anything other than sporadic!

So, after reading quite a bit over the holidays, I've slowed down a bit now that work has started again (inevitably), however, since my last book post:

3) My Brilliant Friend: Elena Ferrante
4) The Story of a New Name: Elena Ferrante

The first 2 books in Elena Ferrante's Neopolitan series, as recommended by, oh, loads of people - finally culminating in my Dad handing me the first book of the series, saying "you should read this".

Well, they're all right, I've been completely sucked in. She writes extremely absorbingly about two very clever girls growing up in a poor, often brutal suburb of Naples during the 60s (the series as a whole progresses into their adulthood). The girls, have an intense but difficult relationship, made all the more complicated by the paths their lives take and the choices they make (or that others make for them).

With very little money available in the family of either, it is assumed that they'll both leave school at an early age, marry and settle into the same life of drudgery their mothers have mostly led and that their other schoolfriends will probably lead. However, through the championing of a school teacher, the fear of said school teacher in her parents and a certain amount of luck, one manages to continue in education, taking her irreversibly away from the life of the other.

I'm really enjoying this series!

5) Judged: Liz de Jager
(Wrong hyperlink - I'll correct it later at some point).

Final part of the Blackheart Trilogy (the first book of which, Banished (again, the wrong hyperlink), I was given at the World Fantasy Convention a couple of years ago and very much enjoyed).

The series isn't particularly new territory (teenaged girl discovers that she's part of a fiend-fighting family keeping peace between the Fae and the (mostly unaware) human world, battles ensue), but it was mostly pretty lighthearted fun to read.

...However. This last book. I don't know. Maybe I'm just teenage fantasy battled out, but I was disappointed. Oh, I kept reading because I wanted to know how it turned out (much as expected), but really, there was just far too much posing and (cringeworthily teenage vampirish, despite a general lack of vampires) romance. Nope. Not impressed really. Oh well.

Currently reading:

Olive Kitteridge: Elizabeth Strout (quite enjoying it. I'm reading it for book club next Monday, or I'd get on with the next Neopolitan book first. Speaking of which...)
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay: Elena Ferrante (not far in yet, but just as unputdownable as the other two.
Pale Fire: Vladimir Nabokov (my lunchtime reading at work, so I'm reading this quite slowly. Very funny.)

>22 flissp: My boss (Dalon, a postdoc) would definitely have agreed with the postdoc as seen by postdoc, as would my friend Chris, who was a PhD under the PI in that same lab. Unfortunately the stress got to Dalon, and he had to leave academia altogether several years ago. Chris was let go a couple of years ago after the funding in the lab dried up, and she is out of academia as well (although she is in her 60s and was looking forward to retirement before she was sacked).

I'm glad that you're enjoying the Ferrante novels. I'll have to give the first one a try.

I found out earlier this week that I'll be off for a little over two weeks in March (14-29), and I made flight reservations for London yesterday; I'll arrive at LHR on the 15th and I'll return to ATL on the 27th. Margaret, who joined you, Rachel and me for dinner in Cambridge last September, will be around, and I'll be in touch with y'all this weekend.

ETA: I nearly forgot to mention that I started reading Bodies of Light this week, and I love it so far. I'll finish it either today or tomorrow. Have you read Signs for Lost Children? It's a continuation of Bodies of Light. I'll definitely get it while I'm there.

#23 Oh dear, sorry for your ex-PhD friends. It's an odd world and it can be pretty ruthless.

I think ultimately, I'm probably going to have to leave acadaemia too - not because of the work load, but basically because I've probably got as far as I can career-progression-wise. I could probably stay where I am a while longer, but I don't think it would be very good for me in the long term, particularly motivationally (I don't think it would be very good for my self-respect either). It makes me quite sad because essentially, I love working in acadaemia. We'll see...

Definitely enjoying the Neapolitan novels - highly recommended!

Excellent re March. I'm pretty busy mid-week while you're here, but I think I'm around that first weekend and on Good Friday (25th). Keep me posted!

Actually, Monday 21st, our book group is doing I Am Legend (my suggestion - I wanted to challenge them to something a bit different to our usual fare and it really is very good) if you fancy joining us (I'm sure you'd be welcome)? We'll be eating at a pub (not far from Rachael/me), so you wouldn't be putting anyone out.

Glad to hear you've enjoyed Bodies of Light! I do know about Signs for Lost Children, but I'm not sure that I particularly want to read it - I kind of like where she's left the story and half feel that it would spoil things to take them further. If you read it, you'll have to let me know what you think.

Oh and I finished Olive Kitteridge (meh) and Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (excellent) and have begun Tale of the Lost Child (final 2 Neapolitan books), but I'll come back to comment on them later...

>24 flissp: I'm glad that I got out when I did. Fortunately my lab was in University Hospital at NYU Medical Center, and two of the other technicians that worked in my department were accepted to NYU's medical school, which was also there. After speaking with them and with my former undergraduate adviser, I realized that academic research wasn't the right field for me, and fortunately I was accepted to several medical schools after I aced the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) in 1992.

Do you have any idea what you might do if you leave academia?

I'll create a meet up thread on Facebook Messenger shortly. Margaret (@wandering_star) and I were in touch this weekend (you met her when the two of us came from London to have dinner with you and Rachael in Cambridge in September), and she mentioned three plays that she is interested in seeing, Waste at the NT, The Master Builder at The Old Vic, and The Truth at the Menier Chocolate Factory. We haven't made any definite plans yet, so you'd be more than welcome to join us if you're interested.

Re: I Am Legend, I don't read much sci-fi, but I'll take a look in March. If I like it and read it then I may join you on the 21st.

I'm very eager to read Signs for Lost Children, as I want to read more about Ally's career as a physician. I'll definitely buy it in March, as neither than book nor Bodies of Light have been published in the US yet. I wonder if it will also be chosen for the Wellcome Book Prize shortlist? It will be announced on March 14th, so I'll buy all of the books that aren't available in the US then.

#26 Will return to reply to this properly tomorrow, but just wanted to let you know that I've just now got back from Book Group (Olive Kitteridge), where I mentioned that I'd suggested you join us on the 21st and Rachael was extremely enthusiastic that you join us and the others also said that you should absolutely join us. So now you have no choice ;o) (although, of course, you do...)... We've slimmed down as a group in the last couple of years (there were only 4 of us tonight and there'll be 4-6 of us in March), so it wouldn't be weird and they're all really lovely people (I was going to say that they're all medics too, but actually, these days, it's only half the group).

Re I Am Legend:
a) It's really short and a speedy read, so if you don't like it, it wouldn't be a chore;
b) It's not unusual for at least one of us not to have finished the book of the night and we usually end up talking about other books/stuff as well (tonight, we spent just as much time talking about the Neapolitan novels, Donald Trump, the EU referendum and today's news that the go ahead has been given for research in fertilized embryos (up to 7dpf as long as they'll never be implanted) as we did about Olive Kitteridge); and
c) Yes, it's sci-fi, but it's one of those sci-fi books I regularly recommend to non sci-fi readers (part of the reason I suggested it actually) as the sci-fi angle is really a means to address bigger moral and social issues (like all the best sci-fi). Don't be put off by the label - even if you don't join us, it's one you should read (also, the film of the same name bares NO relationship to the book - I really have no idea how they could get away with saying it was based on the book).

OK, I'm clearly in flow, so I will reply to the rest now after all ;O)

Clearly paediatrics was completely the right field for you to go in to, so all's well that ends well!

If I leave acadaemia. I have no idea Darryl. This is one of many reasons I've spent large chunks of the last couple of years (particularly the last 3rd of 2015) pretty stressed. In the end, I'll probably end up going somewhere where I can do something similar to what I'm doing at the moment but with opportunities to branch out and progress into something new with more responsibility. That's what I hope anyway. Whether or not it will happen is another issue.

Re: I am Legend, I'll refer you again to point c) ;o)

Good stuff - sounds like you'll be reading Signs for Lost Children when you're over here, so I can quiz you on your thoughts then!

OK, I should really finish my tea and go to sleep now, so I will return to the books later...

>27 flissp: Rachael was extremely enthusiastic that you join us and the others also said that you should absolutely join us. So now you have no choice

Ha! The 21st it is, then. I'll plan to read the book Iit's available in the US) in the first half of March and meet you all there, barring any other threats plans. You have a good track record with recommending books to me, and given your comments about it I'm now more interested in it than I was when I read the synopsis of it.

Interesting news about the UK's decision to allow scientists to genetically modify human embryos up to 7 days post fertilization. Thanks for that!

I'll definitely want to hear more about your thoughts on leaving academia when I see you next month. Fingers crossed that something that is suitable and palatable comes your way!

Back to >25 flissp: Dr. Meruelo's lab at the NYU School of Medicine is still going, but it took a big hit after Hurricane Sandy hit NYC in 2012. Flood waters knocked out the main generator at University Hospital, where the lab was located, and in addition to having to evacuate patients to other hospitals in Manhattan the freezers in the research labs were knocked out, and much of their contents were permanently lost as I understand it, as scientists couldn't get to the lab due to floodwaters, and those who were already there couldn't preserve them for the most part. Most of the labs moved from NYU Medical Center to a building in the South Village, and as a result of Sandy Dr. Meruelo's lab had to downsize, which meant that my friend Chris was one of the ones who was let go with little notice, despite her long tenure there. I'm sure that Dr. Meruelo, who was a bit eccentric but a very nice man, hated to have to do that, and from Chris's description he was very pained to have to tell her that her position was being terminated.

That termination may have been the best thing for her, though. Not long after that Chris suffered a closed head injury after she fell and hit her head on a concrete sidwalk while walking in Greenwich Village. She went to the closest ED and had a CT scan, and although she didn't sustain a skull fracture or intracranial hemorrhage as a result of the fall the study did show a very large intracranial aneurysm. She had surgery to repair it within a week, and she is doing great postoperatively. If the aneurysm had burst she likely would have died within minutes or been left neurodevastated, especially since the lab was no longer within University Hospital.

I'll definitely buy Signs for Lost Children when I'm there, as neither that book nor Bodies of Light are available in the US, but I probably won't read it straight away, unless it is shortlisted for this year's Wellcome Book Prize on March 14th.

#28 Very glad to have you join us next week Darryl! I'm pretty sure you'll get on with everyone. Not certain about the book - have you had a chance to read it yet?

Looking forward to your thoughts on Signs for Lost Children too - I'm loath to spoil Bodies of Light with a sequel (it just felt like such a good point to leave the story), but I'll read it if everyone says it's good enough!

Wow re your friend. Just goes to show that even in the worst situations, there's often a positive - glad to hear she's doing well.

It's been a while since I updated books (surprise!), so I've got quite a few to list. I'll try to come back later to comment on some of them properly, but in the meantime:

6) Olive Kitteridge: Elizabeth Strout.
My book group loved this one. I thought it was well written, but wasn't as enthused. Will definitely have to come back to say more about this one.

7) Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay: Elena Ferrante
8) The Story of the Lost Child: Elena Ferrante
Final 2 books in the Neapolitan series. I really loved these (and I think having to interrupt my reading of them to read Olive Kitteridge for book group may have had some impact on my enjoyment of the latter). Will have to return to talk about this series too. Highly recommended.

9) The President's Hat: Antoine Laurain
For my new book group (and on the list for the normal book group, see msg1). Meh. Bit whimsical for me. Liked the final chapter though.

10) One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night: Christopher Brookmyre
The first of his that I read and probably still my favourite - I just had a sudden craving to read it again (no idea why actually). A senior school reunion on a converted oil rig gets very out of hand when it's invaded by terrorists. Or are they? Very funny, if rather gruesome on occasion.

11) Red Rising: Pierce Brown
12) Golden Son: Pierce Brown
13) Morning Star: Pierce Brown
I can't for the life of me remember how I came across this trilogy, but they were well paced and good fun to read. Rebellion of the downtrodden, ill used underclass etc etc. I don't like using comparisons to describe books, but someone described the first as The Hunger Games crossed with Ender's Game and it really is a very apt description, particularly as I'm trying to be speedy here!

14) Our Endless Numbered Days: Claire Fuller
I've been meaning to read this since it came out. Disturbing, but very good, although ultimately not perfect. Will come back to this one.

15) The Name of the Wind: Patrick Rothfuss
18) The Wise Man's Fear: Patrick Rothfuss
Someone suggested this series to me and I'm very much enjoying it (although there was a dip for a large chunk of the second half of the second book, which felt a bit like wish fulfilment). Was very annoyed to realise towards the end of the 2nd that the final part of the trilogy isn't out yet and doesn't even have a publication date (he has another book set in the same world that I'd mistakenly thought was the final part - grrr). Gripping anyway.

16) I Am Legend: Richard Matheson
Re-read for book group (my suggestion). Interestingly, I didn't enjoy this nearly as much the second time round - I found his writing style a bit irritating for quite a bit of the book. It's a thoughtful story though and still packs a punch.

Wide Sargasso Sea: Jean Rhys
Another re-read for the other book group. Jean Rhys' prequel to Jane Eyre - focusing on Bertha, the woman in the attic. I first read this when I was 17 and was extremely moved by it. Again, second time round I was less so, although it will still rate as the best prequel/sequel for a classic (written by someone else) that I've read. Will return to talk about this one too.

>29 flissp: I haven't read I Am Legend yet, Fliss, but I have it on my Kindle. I'm otherwise free on Monday, so I'll see you and Rachael there!

Signs for Lost Children was chosen for this year's Wellcome Book Prize shortlist, so I'll buy it later this week. I'm meeting Claire at Daunt Books tomorrow afternoon, so I'll look for it there.

Chris's surgery went well, and she seems to be enjoying her (forced) retirement.

>29 flissp: Nice to see you Fliss! I have been trying hard to resist the Patrick Rothfuss because of the final volume not being released but then I bought The Name of the Wind last year so I suspect it's only a matter of time before I read it...

Fliss, I do wish you posted more because I always enjoy your thread and your succinct analysis of the books you've read.

Darryl at the book club? Should be interesting for all concerned and I'm sure he'll bat well for the group!

Have a lovely weekend.

Have a wonderful Easter.

#30 Hi Darryl! Great to see you last week and glad you got home OK in the end. I have taken on board the Les Blancs recommendation - will definitely book... Let me know when you get to Signs for Lost Children! ;o)

#31 Hi Heather! Yep, I very much enjoyed them, particularly the first - it's just a great story, which is genuinely (mostly) unpredictable (even if it did get a waylaid for a little bit in the middle of the second - you'll know the bit I mean when you get there...). Hold out if you can though, because although you aren't left on a cliffhanger exactly, the whole story is a retrospective on how the central character got to where he is when you start the series, so naturally, the big climax isn't going to come until the end of the final book. It's very frustrating - I just hope Patrick Rothfuss doesn't do a Robert Jordan and extend the series beyond the projected trilogy (I don't think he will - he's a better writer and it would kind of mess with the timeline he's set in the book - but...)

#32-33 Hi Paul - what a lovely thing to say - thank you! Darryl did indeed bat well and, as I suspected, fit in naturally with everyone. Hopefully his next visit will coincide with another meet up.

Happy Easter to you too and I hope you had a lovely weekend.

I've a couple more books to add to my list, but I need to get back to work now, so I shall return later (as I want to expand a bit on what I said about a couple of the books in my last post as well...)

>34 flissp: Half way through a week here that is simply rushing by but will culminate in my return to the UK to visit my dear old mum in hospital in Leeds and to try to do a little bit of business in Manchester before a trip to Sao Tome and Ghana. Some of it may sound glamorous but I am sure it will be exhausting.

#35 The best holidays are exhausting! I hope it went well and that your mum is OK?

Yet another long gap since my last post. I'm mostly just de-lurking because there were people talking about the 20th Century Literature online collection on the Today programme this morning and I thought it sounded fantastic (and something the rest of you would probably be interested in)... eg Here are some of George Orwell's notes for 1984.

I've read quite a few more books in the interim (I've been in a bit of a series phase) - I'll try to drop by for an update at some point today/tomorrow.

In the interim though, Happy Towel Day everyone!

>35 PaulCranswick: Fliss it is a shame that when Hani and I managed to get down to London to meet Darryl and some of the gang, you weren't able to be amongst their number. Hopefully next year when I am back more often, we will manage to meet-up.

Wouldn't it be nice if 2017 was a year of peace and goodwill.
A year where people set aside their religious and racial differences.
A year where intolerance is given short shrift.
A year where hatred is replaced by, at the very least, respect.
A year where those in need are not looked upon as a burden but as a blessing.
A year where the commonality of man and woman rises up against those who would seek to subvert and divide.
A year without bombs, or shootings, or beheadings, or rape, or abuse, or spite.

2017.

Festive Greetings and a few wishes from Malaysia!

This is the Christmas tree at the end of the Pacific Beach Pier here in San Diego, a Christmas tradition.

To all my friends here at Library Thing, I want you to know how much I value you and how much I wish you a very happy holiday, whatever one you celebrate, and the very best of New Years!

Looking forward to your continued company in 2017.
Happy New Year, Fliss