Paul C's 2018 Part 9

BACK TO THE BEGINNING SO TO SPEAK

Poetry

I have started reading The Iliad (in translation of course) and am enchanted.



This is its memorable opening:

RAGE:
Sing, Goddess, Achilles’ rage,
Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks
Incalculable pain, pitched countless souls
Of heroes into Hades’ dark,
And left their bodies to rot as feasts
For dogs and birds, as Zeus’ will was done.
Begin with the clash between Agamemnon--
The Greek warlord--and godlike Achilles.

Which of the immortals set these two
At each other’s throats?
Apollo
Zeus’ son and Leto’s, offended
By the warlord. Agamemnon had dishonored
Chryses, Apollo’s priest, so the god
Struck the Greek camp with plague,
And the soldiers were dying of it.

I ME MINE



This is an image of two elevations of the latest project I am involved in. Menara KL118. 118 storeys on the site of the stadium where Malaysia's independence was declared. It will be known as Merdeka Tower or Indepedence Tower and will be completed by the beginning of 2021. I will be assisting the Main Contractor, Samasung C&T as their Contract Manager on that project and the KLCC Sapura Tower.

So life is busy just now.

Married with three children (although they are bigger than I am - well except my eldest). Yasmyne is 21, Kyran 18 and Belle is 14. Yasmyne is entering her final year in University and Kyran is about to embark upon his own academic adventures. There is every likelihood that Belle will also start studying in the UK in September so I may see them all sparingly unless I get my finger out and get my projects moving in the UK.

I have a certain notoriety for buying more than I read, although slightly straitened circumstances have made me seem more reasonable even though my "Cranswickian" urges are barely suppressed.

This is something of a re-launch back into the group for me and I hope to get back to the activity levels I used to have here shortly.

Books Read in 2018

January

1. The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien (1960) 224 pp
2. The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester (1996) 251 pp
3. Girl with Green Eyes by Edna O'Brien (1962) 256 pp
4. Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (1996) 257 pp
5. Lupercal by Ted Hughes (1960) 63 pp
6. Girls in their Married Bliss by Edna O'Brien (1964) 199 pp
7. The Luck of Ginger Coffey by Brian Moore (1960)
8. Wild Tales by Graham Nash (2013) 345 pp
9. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) 300 pp

February

10. The Map and the Clock edited by Carol Ann Duffy and Gillian Clarke (2016) 669 pp
11. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan (2013) 448 pp
12. Felicia's Journey by William Trevor (1994) 213 pp
13. Elegies by Douglas Dunn (1985) 64 pp
14. The Judge and His Hangman by Friedrich Durrenmatt (1951) 124 pp

March

15. An Armenian Sketchbook by Vasily Grossman (1962) 207 pp
16. The Road to Lichfield by Penelope Lively (1977) 216 pp
17. A Book of Common Prayer by Joan Didion (1977) 272 pp
18. 100 Best-Loved Poems edited by Philip Smith (1995) 93 pp
19. The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White (1936) 256 pp
20. Time Present and Time Past by Deirdre Madden (2013) 224 pp
21. Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov (1957) 96 pp
22. The Spartans by Paul Cartledge (2002) 254 pp

Books Read in 2018

April

23. Night Without End by Alistair MacLean (1959) 373 pp
24. Pandorama by Ian Duhig (2010) 55 pp
25. The Sword and the Circle by Rosemary Sutcliff (1981) 374 pp
26. The Light Beyond the Forest by Rosemary Sutcliff (1979) 164 pp
27. The Road to Camlann by Rosemary Sutcliff (1981) 159 pp
28. The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell (1995) 495 pp
29. Enemy of God by Bernard Cornwell (1996) 473 pp
30. Arabian Sands by Wifried Thesiger (1959) 330 pp
31. The Vegetarian by Han Kang (2007) 183 pp
32. A General Theory of Oblivion by Jose Eduardo Agualusa (2012) 243 pp
33. Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon (1930) 162 pp

May

34. A Drinking Life by Pete Hamill (1994) 265 pp
35. Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell (1997) 480 pp
36. No Continuing City by Michael Longley (1969) 38 pp
37. A Boy in Winter by Rachel Seiffert (2017) 237 pp
38. The Dry by Jane Harper (2016) 401 pp
39. Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham (1929) 222 pp
40. An Exploded View by Michael Longley (1973) 42 pp
41. Seven Ways to Kill a Cat by Matias Nespolo (2009) 246 pp
42. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby (1997) 139 pp
43. The Ultras by Eoin McNamee (2004) 256 pp
44. Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari (2016) 456 pp
45. Man Lying on a Wall by Michael Longley (1976) 32 pp

June

46. Slow Horses by Mick Herron (2010) 328 pp
47. Echo Gate by Michael Longley (1979) 50 pp
48. The Dinner by Herman Koch (2009) 309 pp
49. Generals by Mark Urban (2005) 313 pp
50. The Journeyman Tailor by Gerald Seymour (1992) 361 pp
51. Behind Closed Doors by Laurence Rees (2008) 411 pp

Books Read in 2018

July

52. Gorse Fires by Michael Longley (1991) 32 pp
53. A Nest of Vipers by Andrea Camilleri (2013) 274 pp
54. The Road to Valour by Alli McConnon (2012) 260 pp
55. The South by Colm Toibin (1990) 254 pp
56. Goodbye Columbus by Philip Roth (1959) 221 pp
57. Cockroaches by Jo Nesbo (1998) 437 pp
58. The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma (2015) 412 pp

August

59. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga (2008) 321 pp
60. Something to Answer For by PH Newby (1968) 285 pp
61. Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash by Eka Kurniawan (2014) 209 pp
62. Britain Since 1900 : A Success Story? by Robert Skidelsky (2014) 406 pp
63. Doctor Who : Rose by Russell T Davies (2018) 197 pp

September

64. The Great Prize Fight by Alan Lloyd (1977) 180 pp
65. One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus (1998) 493 pp
66. A Moment of War by Laurie Lee (1991) 122 pp

BRITISH AUTHOR THEME CHALLENGE 2018

JANUARY - DEBUT NOVELS - https://www.librarything.com/topic/275745#6259410
FEBRUARY - THE 1970s - https://www.librarything.com/topic/276329#6262597
MARCH - CLASSIC THRILLERS - http://www.librarything.com/topic/276329#6266669
APRIL - FOLKLORE, FABLES AND LEGENDS - https://www.librarything.com/topic/276329#6264065
MAY - QUEENS OF CRIME - https://www.librarything.com/topic/275745#6260378
JUNE - TRAVEL WRITING - http://www.librarything.com/topic/276329#6266685
JULY - THE ANGRY YOUNG MEN - http://www.librarything.com/topic/276329#6266706
AUGUST - BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION - http://www.librarything.com/topic/276329#6265570
SEPTEMBER - HISTORICAL FICTION - http://www.librarything.com/topic/276329#6266539
OCTOBER - COMEDIC NOVELS - https://www.librarything.com/topic/276329#6266707
NOVEMBER - WORLD WAR ONE - https://www.librarything.com/topic/275745#6258461
DECEMBER - BRITISH SERIES - https://www.librarything.com/topic/276796#6268684

WILDCARD - THE ROMANTICS - https://www.librarything.com/topic/276796#6271176

The format of the British Author Challenge next year will be slightly different in that it will be based upon themes.
That said for guidance I will choose 10 books each month to help and guide that theme along but, as you know me, you can then read what you jolly well like anyway!

IRISH AUTHOR CHALLENGE 2018

Format

I will select five males and five females and there will be two special months.

January : EDNA O'BRIEN
February : WILLIAM TREVOR
March : DEIRDRE MADDEN
April : Samuel Beckett
May : IRISH CRIME WRITERS
June : ANNE ENRIGHT
July : COLM TOIBIN
August : MOLLY KEANE
September : RODDY DOYLE
October : POETS & PLAYWRIGHTS
November : EMMA DONOGHUE, JENNIFER JOHNSTON, MAGGIE O'FARRELL
December : JOHN BANVILLE, SEBASTIAN BARRY, COLUM MCCANN

American Author Challenge



American Author Challenge 2018

January - Joan Didion - Book of Common Prayer COMPLETED
February - Colson Whitehead
March - Tobias Wolf
April - Alice Walker
May - Pete Hamill - A Drinking Life COMPLETED
June - Walter Mosely

ANZ Author Challenge



I will be doing Kerry's ANZAC Bingo Challenge 2x12

ANZAC Bingo 2x12
1: Read a book about conflict or war DONE THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP NORTH
2: Read a book with more than 500 pgs
3: Read an Aussie crime novel DONE The Dry
4: Read a book using word play in the title
5: Read a book about exploration or a journey
6: Read a book longlisted for the IMPAC Award
7: Read a book that's part of a series
8: Read a memoir/biography (can be fiction)
9: Read a book written under a pen name
10: Read a book with a musical plot
11: Read a book with water featured in title/cover :
12: Read a book with an immigrant protagonist :

OTHER CHALLENGES

Guardian 1000 (998) Books - 332 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270237#6197972

1001 Books First Edition - 288 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/268508#6162704

Booker Prize Winners - 28 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/268508#6165614

Nobel Prize Winners Read - 63 out of 114 laureates read something. https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6207224

Pulitzer Prize Winners (6 main categories) - 23 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6207348

National Book Award Winners (Fiction) - 16 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6208562

Women's Prize Winners - 5 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6208568

Giller Prize Winners - 6 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6208574

Miles Franklin Winners - 5 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6208578

Walter Scott Prize Winners - 2 Read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6209474

Baillie Gifford Winners - 3 Read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6209503

James Tait Black Winners - 17 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6209513

Whitbread/Costa Winners (4 categories) - 24 winners read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6209540

Dublin International Literature Award - 7 winners read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6209556

PEN Faulkner Award Winners - 3 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6209725

National Book Critics Circle Awards - 6 read https://www.librarything.com/topic/270794#6209733

READING FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR

CURRENT READING

The Iliad by Homer
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Longitude by Dava Sobel
Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 BOOKS


Create Your Own Visited Countries Map

1. Ireland - Edna O'Brien
2. United Kingdom - John Lanchester
3. United States of America - J.D. Vance
4. Canada - Brian Moore
5. Ghana - Yaa Gyasi
6. Australia - Richard Flanagan
7. Switzerland - Friedrich Durrenmatt
8. Russia - Vasily Grossman
9. Kyrgyzstan - Chingiz Aitmatov
10. Ethiopia - Wilfrid Thesiger
11. South Korea - Han Kang
12. Angola - Jose Eduardo Agualusa
13. Belgium - Georges Simenon
14. Argentina - Matias Nespolo
15. France - Jean-Dominique Bauby
16. Netherlands - Herman Koch
17. Italy - Andrea Camilleri
18. Norway - Jo Nesbo
19. Nigeria - Chigozie Obioma
20. Israel - Yuval Noah Harari
21. India - Aravind Adiga
22. Indonesia - Eka Kurniawan

READING RESOLUTIONS

NEXT ONE IS YOURS

Happy new thread, Paul and good luck for your activity plans.

Love to you, Paul, and ALL your threads!

>17 SirThomas: Lovely to see you Thomas. I think that is the first time you have been first to one of my threads.

>18 AMQS: Thank you Anne. The Doppleganger is safely back from Jakarta and managed to get me to send her RM300 (about US75) which she saved and pocketed because she said it arrived too late to buy anything!

Happy new thread!

>20 amanda4242: This place - relaunched or not - wouldn't be the same without you, Amanda. Thanks for stopping by as always.

Happy new thread Paul!

>3 PaulCranswick: A remarkable tower you are building there, and what a contrast to the picture in >1 PaulCranswick:

Happy new thread!

>2 PaulCranswick: Although I've read the Iliad in two different translations is looks as if we have very few books in common - many that show up on the shared list were acquired by my husband. I notice you have the Bernard Cornwell Arthurian books listed and wondered if you had read many others and which ones and how you would compare them. I read one of Bernard Cornwell's short stories and it was so appallingly awful that in spite of a brief infatuation with Sharpe on TV, I haven't tried reading else he's written.

Happy new one, Paul.

>22 EllaTim: Lovely to see you Ella. Yes, there are certainly no buildings in Yorkshire anything approaching 116 storeys.

The tallest building in Yorkshire is Bridgewater Place which is all of 112 metres spread over 32 storeys.

The tallest building in the UK is The Shard in London at 310 metres (87 floors) (4th tallest in Europe)

The tallest building in Europe is the Federation Tower is Moscow at nearly 374 metres.

The tallest building in North America is the One World Trade Centre at 541 metres.

KL118 will be 644 metres tall and would place it 2nd tallest in the world if completed today.

>23 quondame: I don't think I would enjoy his short stories either Susan. I do like his Saxon chronicles of Uthred very much and I enjoyed his Arthurian books. I don't mind his Sharpe books either but the sheer number of them palls a little.

>24 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara - it is good to mount something of a comeback!

>19 PaulCranswick: It feels good to be the first.
And if it's only once in a lifetime :-).
But more importantly, this was not the last post in this thread!
Go on and have a lovely weekend.

Wowzer that is an amazing looking building. Good luck with the project.

I hope you and yours are having a good weekend.

Happy new thread, Paul, and welcome back to the fold! Even with your busy life and RL sidetracks, you are still ahead of me in your reading!!

I'll be honest, those tall towers terrify me. You would never get me inside one of those, specifically, not going *up*

Happy new thread, Paul, I didn't know they named a village after you ;-)
You inspired me, as I was wondering what to read next, so I started the Iliad from the e-library.

Happy New Thread, Paul. I hope this is the big comeback, of Cranswickian proportions.

Happy new thread, Paul. Wonderful photos.

Happy new thread, Paul!
>3 PaulCranswick: Wow! I love the innovative design!

>27 SirThomas: No I have enjoyed my relaxing Sunday. Groceries delivered home in the morning ordered online. Talk about modern convenience! Satay in the evening.

Happy new thread! That is one impressive construction project. What's the projected timeline? Ie, it took me a decade to build Solar Probe - is this something similar?

>28 calm: It is impressive looking, Calm, isn't it? I am enjoying my assignment with Samsung - it sort of revitalises my self-belief (since they actively sought me out) as well as helping me pay some bills.

This is the other project I am managing for them contractually. Lot 91 KLCC or Sapura Tower

>29 jessibud2: I am not a huge fan of heights either, Shelley but I would not be quite as reticent about going up and down them as you perhaps.xx

>30 FAMeulstee: Glad to be of help Anita - I am sure that Amber would say that everyone should read Homer's epics at least once!

They didn't quite name the place after yours truly but probably my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather!

>31 msf59: I certainly hope so Mark. You presently lead the pack by 1000 posts this year so someone really ought to come back and keep you company!!

>32 BLBera: Thanks Beth. Lovely to see you.

>33 Carmenere: Thank you, Lynda. It will be an eye-catching building when it is built. Normal buildings are erected using grade 30 or grade 35 concrete. This one is generally using grade 95! This means that the concrete shall have a compressive strength of 95 kn/mm2 achieved within 28 days of concrete pour.

>35 drneutron: It is intended to be complete in early 2021, Jim. Since we were out of the ground in January that is basically 36 months of work on the superstructure. This will be quite an achievement if we make it.

Just checking in - I think I managed to lurk pretty much the entirety of the last thread! Many hugs.

Happy New Thread Kind Sir! Glad to have you back, not that you ever really left. :)

>36 PaulCranswick: That's some impressive building. I remember watching out my window at the ant-like efficiency of dump trucks arriving and departing just as they were needed and realizing how much skillful planning went into just laying a foundation for a moderate office complex, sure that I only saw the tip of the tip of that iceberg.

Happy New Thread, Paul.

>2 PaulCranswick: Oh, Stanley Lombardo's translation - I love that one. So does Amber, if I remember correctly. You'll have a great time with it, methinks. I've got Emily Wilson's translation of The Iliad on my tbr. I loved her new one of The Odyssey.

>3 PaulCranswick: and >36 PaulCranswick: I like those designs, Paul. Ultra modern, but not that awful sharp, industrial, cold appearance of so many newish buildings. Dare I say >3 PaulCranswick: has a somewhat feminine shape?

Happy new thread, Paul. That is quite the tall building. I wouldn't want to wash those windows! >25 PaulCranswick: It is lovely to see you quoting stats. Good luck on getting back on track with LT posting.

>44 laytonwoman3rd: That's what I thought as well! Beautiful design.

But I hadn't realised that it was so high, I think it would scare me as well.

>40 BekkaJo: Hugs gratefully received, Bekka. I do think that I am turning into a lurker too!

>41 mahsdad: Thanks Jeff. Yep, my hologram has been fully in attendance whilst I have been MIA.

>42 quondame: It is almost all in the planning, Susan. Given the importance of the strength of the foundations in a super high rise building, the more continuous the pour of concrete the better. This is especially the case here with the heat and humidity so rapidly impacting the concrete mix and the constant threat of rain hampering the process.
Sapura tower has real logistical challenges being in the very heart of the town and having a very tight and congested site. The construction contract does not allow for the payment of off-site materials but we simply cannot deliver all fabricated materials to the site due to the severe limitations of space. This is placing a severe cash-flow burden on some of the key sub-contractors so I was hard at work this last work trying to persuade the Employer via its site representatives to bend that particular rule and make some payment in such respect. I am hopeful that my charm has worked and this has released an extra $5 million to the Contractor and Sub-Contractor to lighten respective burdens.

>43 jnwelch: Well spotted Joe, but I'm not reading that translation to be honest; I just took it off the internet as the one I'm reading wasn't as readily available online. I am reading a translation by Stephen Mitchell. I would say that my version is perhaps less poetic but has been described as "robust".

>44 laytonwoman3rd: I like the buildings too, Linda and this does help in my work too. I am all for feminine shapes as well!

>45 Familyhistorian: Ha Meg! You hit upon one of the difficulties of high rise buildings! I wouldn't fancy the task of being on or operating the BMU (Building Maintenance Unit) for either project. The gondola that is used to clean and sometimes replace windows would take a seriously brave fellow to ride upon it at 600 metres above the ground. I am not applying for the post.

Stats will return very soon. I will update the posting and reading stats this week.

>46 EllaTim: Away from those two projects, Ella, my own construction company is undertaking the far more mundane but certainly more personally taxing task of building a new hospital on the city outskirts for the state government of Selangor. Selgate Hospital is only (only?!) 8 storeys high but it is no joke to build a hospital with the challenge of coordinating all of its services, etc.

This is the model of what the hospital will look like hopefully in about 18 months time and I shall be more proud of successfully finishing this one than any of the others. I took the project and even the Client felt that we couldn't do the work for the price. We are currently on track and my cost reconciliations indicate that we will outstrip my initially forecasted profit.

>48 PaulCranswick: Ah, got it. I do like Stephen Mitchell as a translator, but haven't read his Iliad. His liberal translation of the Tao Te Ching is my favorite one of that ancient writing.

>50 PaulCranswick: Very cool. Big project!

You are scaring me with all this work you are taking on. Holy moley! Just awe-inspiring, Paul.

Inspired by your book shopping, I plucked 45 fine books from the shelves at a library sale on Saturday. Put them in my tote, paid for them, and lugged them home. Why, I feel downright Cranswickian.

Keep on chooglin'.

Paul--Congrats on a new thread!! Nice to see you humming along at your usual speed again. And BTW I don't know how you do that--I always knew you were a busy man, but holy cow!! Those are some BIG construction projects. I am glad that they sought you out--that has to be good for the ego, right?! : )

>50 PaulCranswick: That looks like a very noble hospital building, Paul. I like the brightness of all the windows. No wonder you are proud of it and that you are finding it hard to keep juggling all of your tasks with such mammoth projects underway.

Happy new thread, Paul!

Happy new thread and happy new week, Paul! And good luck for that beautiful project!

Happy new thread! You certainly are tackling a lot of projects right now -- hope everything goes smoothly!

I don’t think I have ever gotten in to say happy thread on your first day!

Happy new thread!

You have some beautiful projects to work on.

Happy new thread mate. It looks as if we are going to win the Roses clash after a crazy two days of play and in Division Two there are already two results before the ned of day two with Leicestershire claiming a good win over Kent and Sussex bowling Glamorgan out twice in the day for 85 and then 88.

Hope you have a good week mate and send love and hugs from both of us.

>3 PaulCranswick: What an incredible project! I am in awe of your ability to help make this a think of beauty.

Thinking of you and wishing you all good things.

>51 jnwelch: It is perhaps less poetic in a lyrical sense than some others, Joe, but the narrative flows nicely.

The project for the hospital is close to US$20 million and is the largest single project my construction company has undertaken.

>52 weird_O: I am perpetually dizzy with work myself, Bill, explaining why I keep falling off the radar recently.

45 books in a single shop has me reminiscing for simpler times for me!

>53 Berly: Nice to be back Kimmers! Not only good for the ego but essential in saving my bacon.

>54 Familyhistorian: I haven't visited the hospital site yet this month with all my Samsung issues to deal with but I will put that right at the weekend.
Lovely to see you Meg.

>55 scaifea: Thanks Amber dear. I will WILL get round the threads shortly.

>56 Deern: Thank you Nathalie. I have something coming up hopefully in Tangiers in October which I am extremely excited about. Morocco is a place I have always wanted to spend time in.

>57 foggidawn: So do I, Foggy, so do I.

>58 witchyrichy: Thank you Karen - always a pleasure to have you stop by. xx

>59 johnsimpson: Yes mate and Root was the hero.......with the ball!

Hope that steadies the ship.

Give my love to Karen and I hope to see you both soon.

>60 Whisper1: I am always inspired to see you here, Linda. Your bravery and good cheer gives me a pep every time. xx

Happy New Thread, Paul! Your projects are very impressive. Regarding the hospital, and having worked in a large free standing children's hospital for 18 years I can tell you that your hospital, at least by American standards, is huge!

Here are photos of our hospital, which has over 300 beds and is now probably the largest children's hospital in Georgia, and one of the largest for children in the US. It's big, but nowhere near as much as the one you'll build.







The main and older part of our hospital is actually behind these new sections, but the combined structure is still small in comparison to yours.

>66 kidzdoc: That's lovely Darryl and, scale wise, my model may have exaggerated size somewhat. It will eventually be 225 beds so yours is actually bigger!

>66 kidzdoc: Very nice and friendly looking entrance hall!

In Toronto, the world-famous Hospital For Sick Children (familiarly known as Sick Kids) has 453 beds (I just googled to find that out). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hospital_for_Sick_Children

Is ours the largest? I don'tknow

>67 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. It's a warm and welcoming place to work in, which is in line with the newer children's hospitals I've been in. The original hospital in this location was built in the 1970s, after moving from its original location just east of Atlanta. The old section is nice enough, but if you looked at the structure of the building and not its decorations you wouldn't know that you were in a hospital for children.

>68 EllaTim: Thank you! It's easy for those of us who work there to take it for granted, but every so often I'm rewarded with a view that reminds me of its beauty and warmth.

>69 jessibud2: The Hospital for Sick Chilldren is world famous, as you said, and it's very highly respected in the pediatric community in the United States. It and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London would certainly be the best known children's hospitals outside of this country.

Sick Kids isn't the largest one in the world, or even North America, though. Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) in Houston has 639 beds, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has 527 beds. I've seen TCH once, and I pass by CHOP every time I travel to and from PHL, Philadelphia International Airport, by train. Both hospitals dwarf the one I work in, and both have associated research and clinic buildings that make our system seem tiny.

I'm late to the party! Happy new thread :)

Just wanted to swing by and wish you a happy weekend, Paul. Hope things calm down soon.

>70 kidzdoc: My daughter is a developmental pediatrician at Texas Children’s. She mostly works offsite where the Autism Clinic and other developmental clinics are located, but she does regular evaluations in the NICU, the cardiac units, and any other units in the hospital where developmental issues arise.

My husband is an architect and for many years almost exclusively did architectural work for hospitals in Seattle, Oregon, Alaska and Canada. Now he’s with another firm and is working exclusively on projects for Amazon. He says hospitals are about the most complicated buildings to design and construct.

Been away from LT for a few months. I ‘m back now, but have an incredibly busy 6 months coming up, so we’ll see how long that lasts.

Hi Paul, happy new thread! I thought you'd been rather quiet again this week and went looking for you, only to unearth this.

Chiming in on the 'my hospital's bigger than yours' discussion ;0) KK Women and Children's Hospital in Singapore has 830 beds.



But according to Google, the biggest children's hospital is in Lahore, Pakistan.

Hi Paul, and belated happy new thread.

My, my, you are certainly busy!

I recently had a Cranswickian haul from visiting a friend in Montana who gave me over 85 duplicates. I also bought about 10 books while there. Only 10, you say? Well, even though Media Mail here in the US is a good deal, it still cost me USD70 to get them all home.

Hugs from central NC!

>68 EllaTim: Ella, It is of course an excellent feature of a hospital - especially one treating children - that it should appeal and welcome rather than repel its 'guests'.

>69 jessibud2: That is a nice size for a hospital but nowhere near the biggest.

The biggest hospital in the world, in terms of beds, and by a considerable margin, is Chang Gung Memorial hospital in Taiwan which has 10,000 beds - more than double its closest rival (West China at Sichuan University with 4,300 beds).

The hospital has successfully carried out more than 1,000 liver transplants and serves 8.4 million outpatients a year.

>70 kidzdoc: I have worked on five hospital projects, Darryl, including my present one which is the first my construction company.

Since the 1990s I worked on three hospitals for my Korean clients, Ssangyong - two in Singapore - Tan Tok Seng teaching hospital and KK Hospital and Selayang Hospital in Kuala Lumpur. On top of this I was involved in Pandan Hospital in Johor Bahru.

When the present one is completed I will have been involved in the delivery of over 4,000 hospital beds which I am quite proud of,

Pandan 704 beds
Selayang 960 beds
KK 830 beds
Tan Tock Seng 1,400 beds
Selgate 225 beds

Total 4,119 beds.

>71 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita. Lovely to see you.

>72 bell7: Thanks Mary. So do I!

>73 arubabookwoman: That's really cool, Deborah. I agree with your husband in general terms they are very challenging projects. Mega high rise also presents real challenges but I think the nuclear projects I worked on at the end of the 80s and beginning of the 90s were tougher.

>74 humouress: I have very happy memories of KK Hospital, Nina. I wrapped up the main contractor's final accounts on the project and coined my catchphrase "pick a pocket with a smile" with the Koreans as Ssangyong made a tidy profit whilst the Singapore government thought they got a wonderful deal.

>75 karenmarie: That is one heck of a haul, Karen! I hope to Cranswickian again myself in the near future!

Lovely as always to see you. xx

>67 PaulCranswick:

If I wan't terrified of being called out for blatant retro sexism,
I'd wonder if this size thing was mostly a guy thing...

Happy new thread, Paul. Hope you are having a great weekend!

>77 PaulCranswick: That's a lot of hospital beds, Paul! Have a great weekend, if you get to have one with your busy schedule.

>80 m.belljackson: Well I am not so sure about that, Marianne, the 490 metre TRX building under construction is a less than popular addition to our skyline. It was described by a friend of mine just yesterday as "The Dildo" and she did so straight faced.

>81 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle - you too my dear.

>82 Familyhistorian: Yes Meg. My main project interests have been power stations (I have been involved in 5), hospitals and aviation. The complexity of the high-rise building is also something that appeals.

>83 PaulCranswick:

Well, yeah, dildo and phallus pretty much barkin' up the same tree.

The blue is very appealing.

Your friend sounds like a refreshing speaker.

>83 PaulCranswick: She is, Marianne, she is. Good friend of Hani.

Paul--I just want to bask in the fact that right now I have more posts than you, a thing that never happens and sure to be short-lived now that you are back! And, just to be clear, I would gladly fall far behind your stats if it meant more of you here. : )

I've always been a fan of the KLCC building which embodies the fact that you can have a world record breaking skyscraper that looks beautiful and interesting.



But it looks like Malaysia is going the way of Singapore, throwing up steel and concrete blocks that mar the skyline. No offence meant - I'm kinda old fashioned in my outlook. My husband, on the other hand loves the Singapore skyline.

>87 Berly: And I have missed your silver tongue, Kimmers!

>88 humouress: I agree in the main Nina. Some of the buildings going up including the one in >83 PaulCranswick: mar rather than beautify the skyline. I do think that KL118 is an attractive building though. That is a nice view of KLCC by the way looking across from the KLCC mosque. I am a regular there on Fridays and I walk through the shopping portion of the twin towers podium pretty much every day.

I had a nice surprise yesterday when I was informed by Samsung that they were increasing my fee on account of my increased responsibilities despite my hours remaining the same. I hadn't asked for the extra money as I was secretly very happy that they trusted me sufficiently to help them on both projects and it not being sought makes it more precious. It is very needful as well as I slowly but surely whittle down my debts.

Some extraordinary buildings there Paul, and you should be rightly proud of those you had some part in building.

Hope you had a bit of reading time this weekend. It's been family weekend here with siblings and cousin, so not much page turning.

Happy Sunday, Paul. Glad to hear the work is beginning to pick up. Congrats on the hospital contract too.

How is the reading coming? Not seeing much activity on that front. Grins...

Hi Paul!

Congrats on the exciting work and unexpected fee increase.

>90 Caroline_McElwee: Relaxing weekend, Caroline. Managed to finish an early Jo Nesbo Harry Hole book which was published later than some of the more famous books and am closing in on finishing a couple more.

>91 msf59: Thanks Mark. Reading wise I am not doing great but not dreadful either, I have managed 57 books so far and will manage to complete at least a couple more before the month end.

>92 karenmarie: Thank you Karen. A shot in the arm financially is always welcome. xx

Glad to hear of the upturn for your business. If they liked you enough to give you a bonus, they may like you enough to give you more business. But that would mean less reading time. Oh the trades we have to make in life.

>93 PaulCranswick: Funny how the book completions tend to come in at the end of the month when you are reading a bunch at the same time. Have you given up on the AAC? I notice your list only goes to June.

>89 PaulCranswick: Yay for Samsung realizing the value you bring and compensating you for it!

>89 PaulCranswick: that's GREAT news!! :D
Happy Monday and happy new week to you!

The things about Children's Hospital beds made me curious. Cincinnati Children's Hospital has 629 registered beds. I knew it was likely the largest of any of the ones where I lived.

>95 benitastrnad: I was pleased, Benita, but the workload is staggering even for a workaholic like me.

>96 Familyhistorian: I didn't manage to finish as many as I had hoped, Meg, but I did at least finish one more before the end of the month with The Fishermen downed at the death.

Doing my best to catch up a bit here Paul -- what an intense job yours is!

I've started a silly thread about bookmarks and someone said you would like knowing about it -- I'll come back with a link. Nope, have to try again

cool bookmarks

>101 sibylline: I love bookmarks Lucy. I will go and take a look.

I like book depository because they take the trouble to enclose a card bookmark with all their deliveries. I think it is a lovely touch.

>102 PaulCranswick: When I buy secondhand books online, I am always pleasantly surprised if there is a bookmark in the book :-)

>102 PaulCranswick: I also like the BD bookmarks! I ordered some kids book's for Chloe and they sent her a Peppa Pig bookmark and she was delighted!

Hope you had a great weekend!

>103 FAMeulstee: Indeed, Anita. I just think it is such a nice gesture and I look forward to them as much as the book sometimes!

>104 ChelleBearss: As you can imagine, Chelle, I do have quite a few of those bookmarks from BD. Come in handy as well as I often have so many books on the go at once.

Hi Paul. I'm using BD bookmarks at the moment as well.

Hope you and yours are having a great weekend

Just dropping by Paul. I am very glad business has been picking up for you. Some lovely building photos up there including Darryl's lovely and impressive looking hospital.

The less than stellar number at >83 PaulCranswick: makes me think of the new Salesforce tower in San Francisco which in my opinion stinks bigtime. Skylines of cities are changing rapidly.

Hi Paul! I am also glad that your business is better.

>106 calm: Lovely to see you Calm. I have far too many bookmarks in use at the moment!

>107 RBeffa: Thanks for stopping by Ron. I guess that TRX building is the most hated skyscraper coming up in Malaysia in many a moon.

>108 banjo123: The debts are still holding me back Rhonda but there are shoots of recovery.

Glad to hear there are shoots of recovery Paul.

I hope you got some reading time this weekend.

>111 Caroline_McElwee: Managed some Caroline but without finishing anything.

I'm planning to complete all the Booker winners in the remaining months of the year.

So far I have read 26 winners (exactly half of the present total) and I will do the remaining 26 in the next five months with a Christmas reading of the Booker 2018 winner (TBA).

AUGUST

Something to Answer For by PH Newby COMPLETED
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga COMPLETED
The Bone People by Keri Hulme
The Elected Member by Bernice Rubens
In a Free State by V.S. Naipaul
Staying On by Paul Scott

SEPTEMBER
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle
The Conservationist by Nadine Gordimer
The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G. Farrell
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

OCTOBER
The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch
The Life & Times of Michael K by J.M Coetzee
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Vernon God Little DBC Pierre

NOVEMBER
The Ghost Road by Pat Barker
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
G. by John Berger
The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson
Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey

DECEMBER
The Famished Road by Ben Okri
How Late it Was, How Late by James Kelman
In the Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

+ THE 2018 MAN BOOKER WINNER

Except the to be revealed winner of the prize, I have all remaining 26 winners now on the shelves.

>113 PaulCranswick: Nice project Paul! Good luck reading.

It's an interesting list. I've read only three of them, but they were good ones.

Hi, Paul! I see Life of Pi in that list - I hope you love it as much as I did. So fabulous.

Great plan, Paul! I look forward to following your progress through the Booker Prize winners. I've read 13 of the books you've listed, with my favorites being The Remains of the Day, The Siege of Krishnapur and The Luminaries, all of which earned five stars from me.

Have you read Troubles by J.G. Farrell, the Lost Booker Prize winner? I also gave it five stars.

That's very ambitious, Paul! Good for you!

Hi Paul!

Excellent goal, Paul, and good luck to you.

I would like to read The Luminaries this year, and October sounds like a good month for it.

I have all three of the J. G. Farell books on my shelves and haven't read any of them. They are starting to call to me.

I am slowly working my way through the National Geographic Directions series. These are 23 books that were published back in the early 2000's. The National Geographic Society commissioned well known authors to write about a place, region, or country with which each is familiar. The books are long essay averaging about 175 pages. For instance, Anna Quindlin wrote about London, concentrating on her fascination with sites associated with Dickens and Trollope. Diane Johnson wrote about her neighborhood in Paris, since she has an apartment and lives there. The playwright, David Mamet lives in Vermont and he wrote about that state. Jan Morris wrote about the purchase and restoration of her house in Wales.

The books are not easily found, and I have been having to get most of them from our InterLibrary Loan department. I am not reading them one right after the other, but am reading them whenever the urge strikes. I have read about half of the titles in this series and it should take me several years to finish all of them, but it is a project, and I am steadily working on it. Right now I am reading Sicilian Odyssey by the American author Francine Prose. She and her husband have traveled frequently in Sicily and this book is a collection of her essays about that island. I just finished reading her short essay about visiting the museum dedicated to Tomasi di Lampedusa. He is the author of The Leopard and a venerated Sicilian author. Now I am curious about this book and think that the time has come to read that one.

>114 EllaTim: I have read 26 Booker winners to date and have another 26 (as listed) to go, Ella. Will finish two of them this week.

>115 scaifea: I think my favourites of those that I have read:

Midnight's Children
Sacred Hunger
Saville
Last Orders
Troubles
Wolf Hall

Least Favourites

The Gathering
The Sea
The God of Small Things
The Sellout
Offshore
Holiday

>120 PaulCranswick:

The Gathering = from my review = "...the great circular redundancy of 'Don't tell Mammy..." = earned barely 2 stars.

So when you order books from Book Depository how long does it take to get them, Paul?

>116 kidzdoc: I had a feeling you would approve, Darryl!
Yes all the Booker winner that weren't listed, weren't listed because I read them already. Troubles is definitely in the upper echelons of Booker winners for me.

>117 ChelleBearss: I love nothing better than planning for glory (and being subsequently disappointed!).

>118 karenmarie: Would be nice if you could join me for that one, Karen.

>119 benitastrnad: Farrell was an excellent author, Benita. Wryly cunning.

That book series sounds very interesting.

>121 m.belljackson: Well we agreed on that one. The six in my list of Bookers that I liked least amaze me in that a panel of so-called experts actually picked them above all other fiction written in that particular year.

The Gathering won in 2007. I would have picked Mister Pip from the shortlist and The Gift of Rain if including the longlist.

I would have taken Arthur and George from 2005, the year in which Banville won for The Sea.

Jack Maggs didn't make the shortlist in 1997 but how can anyone read it and not think it superior to The God of Small Things.

I thought The Sellout was a dreadfully heavy handed pastiche and would have picked The North Water from the longlist of 2016.

>122 Familyhistorian: Interesting question, Meg, and a difficult one to answer. It can vary from about 10 days to over a month. Sometimes tests my patience to be quite honest.

#121

I agree with your assessment of The Gathering. In its favor - I did finish it and didn’t Pearl Rule it, which is what I did with John Banville’s The Sea. It wasn’t worth finishing.

I would add to the list of clunkers last year’s winner Lincoln in the Bardo. It has been a long time since I read such a vulgar (as in low class) piece of writing. I will put this one on my list of “What were they thinking” winners.

I regret not Pearl Ruling this novel. But I kept hoping that there would be a point to it and then I got to the end before the author made it.

>113 PaulCranswick: I have read 11 of these, and they were a good bunch. Except I HATED The Bone People. I know lots of folks loved it, though.

That is a nice challenge.

Catching up and Wow on all the projects. Impressive buildings.

>14 PaulCranswick: Glad to see your around the world project is going so well. Mine fell through last year when I went manic and stopped reading altogether. But I'm starting some new goals this year, now that I'm married and settled down (which was hopefully not part of being manic, lol).

Hope you enjoy all your Booker reads.

>126 benitastrnad: I will finish two more Booker winners over the next couple of days, Benita, which will take me to 28 winners read.
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga is a very interesting piece of work which I veer from really liking to not caring for in the space of mere paragraphs. I can see why it won but would place it firmly in the middle rank of winners. Something to Answer For is the inaugural winner and the most difficult for me to track down and buy. It is a very quirky piece of writing indeed and a little of its time. Again it is not the worst Booker I have read but not close to being amongst the better ones either.

>127 benitastrnad: I have found some of his short stories far too obtuse and often repellent so I am not overly confident of loving it. I am, as all who grace my thread will know, fiercely pro-american. I do think though that the flavour of the Booker Prize has been harmed by inclusion of writers from the US. I think that the committee has tried unduly to be left-field in its selections of American authors and I have to say that Paul Beatty and Ottessa Moshfegh from 2016 were poor choices IMHO. The debut novel by the latter, in particular, smacked so obviously to me of immaturity and inexperience in the construction of the work that I am almost surprised she found a publisher for it. The Sell-Out was parody of the most ham-fisted, heavy handed type that parts of it set my teeth on edge.

To be fair I reserve comment on the Saunders book but I am not overly optimistic.

>128 banjo123: The Bone People, which I aim to lose myself in this weekend does not strike me as an easy read, Rhonda.

>129 SuziQoregon: Thanks Juli - I must say though that there are considerable problems in getting them to completion.

>130 The_Hibernator: I wouldn't quite say that it is going well, Rachel, in that I am a quarter of the way through with almost two thirds of the year gone!

I am pleased to see that married life agrees with you so.

>131 thornton37814: I am fairly sure that I won't enjoy them all, Lori!!

I haven't been awake enough to visit in a long time, Paul, but I love the gorgeous buildings and am happy to see you productive and happy at work.
Ah - the Bookers. I haven't read all that many from your favorites/losers lists, but I agree whole-heartedly about Midnight's Children, Sacred Hunger,
Troubles, and Wolf Hall. Also we are in agreement on The Gathering. We part company on The God of Small Things though. I thought it was incredibly beautiful and moving. Oh well. That keeps things interesting. I also appreciated The Bone People even if I can't say that I enjoyed it.
I can chime in on some others later, but I will say that Blind Assassin is my very, very least favorite of all M. Atwood's books that I've read, and I've read a nice pile of them.
Happy Weekend! It's coming!

>135 LizzieD: Ah the weekend, I remember those!

That is a bit worrying on the Atwood book as I have struggled with some of her work before.

Hi Paul thanks for visiting my thread.

The God of Small Things only got 2 stars from me. I really like some of the books in the favourite list and Sacred Hunger is on my to read pile so it sounds like I should move it closer to the top.

I really liked The Bone People though it is a tough read. I've also read Vernon God Little, Life of Pi and The Famished Road off your to read list and thought they were all good books

I've got The Blind Assassin on my re-read pile, it is pretty low down that pile but it is years since I read it and I don't remember much. I do know that it wasn't my least favourite Atwood.

I haven't read The Luminaries either but I do have a copy.

Hi Paul, hope you have had a good week mate and wishing you a really good weekend. Finally play started today and England got off to a good start then a delay then back on and another wicket before a huge rainstorm curtailed play for a good two hours or so. When play re-started the bowlers got stuck in and by the close they had got India all out for 107 with Anderson getting a five-for. I just hope we go into our innings with a good mindset and build a total.

Sending love and hugs to you all mate from both of us.

>137 calm: Lovely to see you, Calm. I prefer books generally which tell a story rather than confuse and irritate. That is probably why Sacred Hunger and Saville feature highly in my list of the better Bookers.

>138 johnsimpson: Thanks John. That is a pretty low score by a good Indian line-up but they were scuppered by English conditions weren't they? We should get the better of it. I'll be interested to see how Pope does as he appears to have oodles of talent. I thought that Malan was a bit lucky to get selected for the test side in the first place if I'm honest.

Give my love to Karen.

Delurking to say Hi! : )

>141 PaulCranswick: Lovely as always to see you Kimmers. I reckon I will have my thread hopping legs working this weekend again, so I hope to catch up with most of my pals accordingly.

That would be most loverly!!! Miss seeing you here there and everywhere. : )

I haven't read an awful lot of the Booker prize winners, although many of them are on my TBR list. I see we agree on The God of Small Things---that one didn't engage me at all. I really loved Paddy Clarke, Ha, Ha, Ha, and, of course Wolf Hall. I was lukewarm about The Elected Member, and have never been able to get through an Iris Murdoch novel. One of these days, I'm going to set myself a deliberate schedule to read more of the Bookers, although I know better than to imagine I will ever get to all of them.

>134 PaulCranswick: Isn't that the truth?! The Bookers are definitely a mixed bag.

I've not read all your favourites but really thought Sacred Hunger was amazing. Hope you're having a good weekend.

Wishing you a good weekend, Paul!

Morning, Paul! Hope you had a great weekend!

I found out yesterday that Café Also, the restaurant in North London where I met you, Hani and several other LTers in 2016, closed this past March after Michael Joseph, the co-owner of the café and Joseph's Bookstore next door, decided to retire. We were thinking of having another LT group meet up there next month, when Debbi, Joe & I will all be there, but Debbi noticed that the restaurant was apparently permanently closed, and Paul Harris found an article from The Jewish Chronicle that confirmed its closure. We were all saddened by this news, as it was my favorite brunch spot in London, and probably the restaurant I've dined in the most in the past three or four years.

Hi Paul! I'd love to at least attempt The Luminaries in October and have penciled it into my desk calendar as a reminder.

I hope you had a good weekend and am sending good wishes to you for the coming week.

>147 ChelleBearss: Not much of a weekend, Chelle, as I was working for most of it. What bit I had was ok. xx

>148 kidzdoc: That is sad news, Darryl.
It was a lovely day heightened by good food and great company. Meeting you and Joe and Debbi and Caroline and Luci and Bianca and Paul and Claire (and her sister) all for the first time was a tremendous experience for Hani and I.

>149 karenmarie: Let's try to struggle through it together, Karen. I tried to read it a couple of years ago and couldn't concentrate upon it enough. Hopefully this time I will do it justice.

Hope you were able to get to The Bone People this weekend. It is challenging, and disturbing, but I loved it.
I like books that tell stories too. As I recall, at the beginning it seemed to me that The Bone People was going to be a little surreal and head off into dreamland. But stick with it; it’s soon back in the real world with a very compelling story. I’ve always wondered why the author never really wrote anything else substantial.

>6 PaulCranswick: How did you enjoy The White Tiger? I recall it feel a little flat wth me, just a little.

Your projects sound FULL ON! I can't imagine the stress that might be involved in something that....tall.

You may remember that I enjoyed The Bone People immensely! Even though it is a tough read, it is beautiful and one that will stay with you.

Love your Booker project! I just checked, I still have to read 24 winners, mainly the older ones which are also harder to find. Read the Gathering this year and found it "meh", but can't say that I liked the 2 shortlisted competitors I read any better. I liked The God of Small Things and had more issues with The Inheritance of Loss. Haven't read The Sea yet. Loved The Luminaries, but it caught me in the right mood. I'm scared of The Bone People (has been on my shelf for years) and the Siege of Krishnapur.

I just checked and I have read a grand total of 7 of the Booker Prize winners. The best one was Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively followed closely by Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. I hated Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders and can't imagine what that committee was thinking.

Oh oh, my Book Group will be reading Lincoln in the Bardo later this fall. I’ll try to read it with an open mind. Best of luck with completing your Booker Project, Paul. Looks like I’ve only read 20 of the winners. Highest rated: Possession, Lowest rated: The Gathering.

Hi Paul, I've been doing more lurking than posting these days but wanted you to know that I am still keeping in touch with you. Sounds like you are having a productive year both with your reading and with your RL. I am still plugging away at reading from the 1,001 List and have found some truly wonderful reads but there have also been some that I totally fail to see how they made the list.

Just dropping by to wave, Paul. Number two son heads your way on camp in a couple of hours; I hope Malaysia looks after them well.

>152 arubabookwoman: I have just managed to finish Something to Answer For which was the inaugural Booker winner and probably the toughest to find. The Bone People awaits. Lovely to see you Deborah. xx

>153 LovingLit: Well Megan, it wasn't an absolute favourite but it wouldn't make my hall of shame either. I do recall your enthusiasm for The Bone People. The two skyscraper projects are taking up so much of my time at the moment, especially the KL118 as it is behind schedule and full of sub-contractor disputes.

>154 Deern: Nathalie I have now finished 28 of the Booker winners and have 24 to go, the same as you!

>155 benitastrnad: Yes, Benita. Lincoln in the Bardo fills me with trepidation, I will admit.

>156 Donna828: 20 is also not bad going Donna. Surprisingly for someone who enjoys and writes poetry, I found the poetic digressions of Byatt's Possession a bit distracting.

>157 DeltaQueen50: The 1001 list is also on my bucket list, Judy, but I am still stuck well below 300. I agree with you on the sheer obtuseness of some of the selections.

>158 humouress: I am sure Malaysia will take good care of him, Nina. xx

>160 PaulCranswick: I just started Golding's Rites of Passage (Winner 1980) which is also a ROOT, a 1001 and fits the September BAC. :)
The 1,001 list has just been updated, 10 books have been taken off and 10 fresh ones added of which I read only 2. Unfortunately for me they haven't added any recent Booker winners or longlisted books except for Ali Smith's Winter.

I honestly think Lincoln in the Bardo won because of the author's "creativity" in the book's arrangement more than anything else. It's a quick read, but a strange book.

*peeks head out of the foxhole*

I liked Lincoln in the Bardo!

*covers head and hides from incoming artillery fire*

Wondering which ones they added and which ones they removed from the 1001 list?

In our real life book discussion group somebody suggested that Lincoln in the Bardo should be read as if it were a play. The more I thought about that idea, the more it seemed to fit. However, if it were a play I would still say it was vulgar.

I think there is a message in the book somewhere but I had real trouble picking it out. It wasn’t totally awful (such as John Banville’s The Sea, but it isn’t a book I would highly recommend either.

I'm another one who liked Lincoln in the Bardo, Paul. I think the unusual structure made it difficult or unenjoyable for some readers. For me, Lincoln's tie to his son was poignant and beautifully conveyed.

I loved Lincoln in the Bardo. Our book club is reading it for our November discussion, and I have bought the audiobook. I think I'll listen and read along.

I liked Lincoln in the Bardo - I read it as poetry( and for some reason I have been not reading poetry for a number of years.)

>125 PaulCranswick: Your packages from Book Depository show up in a more timely fashion than they do here, Paul. Sometimes they take 3 or 4 months! I have stopped ordering from them and from Wordery because they also take a long time to show up, though to be fair the last book from Wordery showed up in 3 weeks. Sometimes it takes so long to receive the books that I forget that I ordered them!

Hej Paul, just wanted to say hello and look at your pictures.

>101 sibylline: Thanks, Lucy, for the bookmarks link. I do catalog my bookmarks as well http://www.librarything.com/catalog/paulstalder collection: Lesezeichen

Paul, I haven't been by for awhile but I'm just stopping in to say hello and good wishes.

Chiming in again on your books. I liked *Lincoln/Bardo* O.K. I appreciated the novel approach but found the writing mediocre. Maybe that's the fault of the concept. Anyway, I suspect that it will be a curiosity in 20 years rather than a new classic. I loathed The Luminaries, and I was disappointed that it was so. I didn't care at all about the organization and again, found the writing mediocre or even a little less. If I read it again, I might react differently. I've certainly enjoyed the Harry Potters more this time than the first, and I didn't find Catton's writing any better than Rowling's. Anyway, for me a superior book set in 19th century New Zealand was Rose Tremain's The Colour. That's what I'd recommend.
Meanwhile, I wish you a happy weekend with some concentrated reading time.

It takes me about a week to receive something ordered from Book Depository. I'm always amazed it arrives so quickly from the UK. They seem to have a partner here in the US where they ship things first; then they are sent by mail from a US location.

>162 Deern: I am still monitoring my 1001 progress against the first edition, Nathalie. In the unlikely event that I knock all those off, I'll look at the other editions.

>163 thornton37814: I have found some of his short stories decidedly strange. Seems that the reaction to his novel is similar - originality lauded but ......

>164 kidzdoc: Don't worry Darryl, I won't call out the hounds!

>165 arubabookwoman: I was thinking much the same thing myself, Deborah, and will go and look them up soon. xx

>166 benitastrnad: I am not entirely opposed to vulgarity in literature if it is in keeping with the piece! I haven't read it, Benita, so I can't comment upon it in detail yet.

>167 jnwelch: I will go into it with an open mind, Joe. Sometimes a novel will grab you despite yourself. Let's see.

>168 karenmarie: Interesting Karen. Who is the narrator of the audio book?

>169 torontoc: Now you have me intrigued, Cyrel, because as you know poetry is more my bag!

>170 Familyhistorian: I think that I have had a couple of examples of books never arriving but usually it is 2 weeks to a month.

>171 paulstalder: Lovely to have the group's original Paul drop by! I love my bookmarks!

>172 Oregonreader: Lovely to see you Jan. I am more guilty than most these days for not getting round the threads as I would like.

>173 LizzieD: Rose Tremain at her best is really good, Peggy, I totally agree. I loved her The Road Home.

>174 thornton37814: A week is pretty darned good, Lori.

Paul! I finally had time to read through this thread, and I'm WAY behind in your adventures. What a lot of work on your plate just now! The hospital looks wonderful, the towers - well - are big.

Have you decided to stay in KL, or are you still planning to move to the UK? I've completely lost track, alas.

>181 ffortsa: You have lost no more track than I, Judy! The ultimate aim is to go back to the UK but work and life keeps getting in the way.
Lovely to see you here and I really do hope to soon be my normal self and get around the threads with some vim and vigour.

Number 2 son has safely crossed the perils of immigration and is back in Singapore. Can’t wait until he gets home so I can hug him. After a shower.

>183 humouress: Hope he hasn't had too much durian or he might need two showers first! xx

>184 PaulCranswick: My fussy eater? I doubt it.

But he very proudly displayed the evidence on his leg of the leech he acquired - thankfully he didn’t bring it back with him. His friend was rather keener and (deliberately, apparently) collected four.

I stopped by the local Friends of the Library book sale today and walked out with a box of twenty books--I felt down right Cranswickian!

>185 humouress: I have also accumulated leeches in my longer time here - they have been a significant burden to my business in the last few years!

>186 amanda4242: Well done Amanda!

It’s been ages since I’ve stopped by and said hello, so here I am to say hello and hope all is well with you and yours, Paul.

>83 PaulCranswick: Scrolling past that photo, I thought it was just me thinking that it looked a little...risqué until I backed up and read other’s comments... That’s quite a building. Lol.

I loved Lincoln in the Bardo but then I really enjoy Saunders’ short stories. They’re different, to say the least - fun and quirky.

>188 Copperskye: Lovely to see you, Joanne.

We were talking at lunchtime today about the phallic design of the TRX building and I do believe that it will be a fitting legacy to the recently vanquished Prime Minister!

I had to stop at your thread, Paul, when I saw our group is approaching 100,000 messages :-)
According to the group counter (on the right at the top of each thread, not sure how often it is updated) we are at 99,967 messages now, so I think we will get there today.

>187 PaulCranswick: :0) In that case, I'm very glad he didn't bring it back.

>190 FAMeulstee: Here's my contribution, Anita.

Hi Paul! I hope you have a book-filled weekend.

>178 PaulCranswick: That's what's so intriguing about the audiobook of Lincoln in the Bardo, there are one hundred and sixty-six readers. Here's the blurb from Amazon:

The 166-person full cast includes, in order of their appearance:
Nick Offerman as HANS VOLLMAN
David Sedaris as ROGER BEVINS III
Carrie Brownstein as ISABELLE PERKINS
George Saunders as THE REVEREND EVERLY THOMAS
Miranda July as MRS. ELIZABETH CRAWFORD
Lena Dunham as ELISE TRAYNOR
Ben Stiller as JACK MANDERS
Julianne Moore as JANE ELLIS
Susan Sarandon as MRS. ABIGAIL BLASS
Bradley Whitford as LT. CECIL STONE
Bill Hader as EDDIE BARON
Megan Mullally as BETSY BARON
Rainn Wilson as PERCIVAL "DASH" COLLIER
Jeff Tweedy as CAPTAIN WILLIAM PRINCE
Kat Dennings as MISS TAMARA DOOLITTLE
Jeffrey Tambor as PROFESSOR EDMUND BLOOMER
Mike O'Brien as LAWRENCE T. DECROIX
Keegan-Michael Key as ELSON FARWELL
Don Cheadle as THOMAS HAVENS
and Patrick Wilson as STANLEY "PERFESSER" LIPPERT
with Kirby Heyborne as WILLIE LINCOLN,
Mary Karr as MRS. ROSE MILLAND,
and Cassandra Campbell as Your Narrator

>190 FAMeulstee: Interesting Anita! I keep record of the top 140 threads in terms of posts each year. Those 140 threads accounted for 90,237 posts this year. We are well down on some of the years but I think we will pass the worst year in terms of activity which was 2015.

>191 humouress: I will make a concerted effort to help push well over 100,000 posts this weekend. xx

>192 karenmarie: Wow, what a cast!

More stats to push for Paul? It looks like you have made us all aware of posting stats.

Hi Paul - I'm having an off-reading year after at least ten good reading years, hence my posting is down on previous years.
Regarding the Booker Winners - I agree with you on Midnight's Children, a great read and I put The Bone People up there too. Just counted up that I've read 21 winners. I liked some of the less popular ones such as Howard Jacobson's The Finkler Question & The Line of Beauty. I love all Bernice Rubens' books and The Elected Member was one of the first of hers I read. Couldn't finish The god of small things.
I'm less enamoured with The Booker now that they've included the US, as it now seems to rely on the US entries over Canadian, Australian or NZ writing. I'm more likely now to just go for Australian or NZ awards to look for good reads.
My daughter is currently doing a NZLit paper at Uni, she chose to do the paper because she really likes the lecturer, who lectured on Joseph Conrad's Lord Jim and Lord Byron in a previous paper she took. She's loving it and loves reading Frank Sargeson who I don't think I have ever picked up.

Hi Paul! Nice to see your thread humming again. Trying to push for that 100,000! Let's go!

The group counter is only updated once a day, so somewhere yesterday there was message 100,000, we are now at 100,124 messages!

PAUL = Today's (Sunday, August 19th) online free The New Yorker - The Sunday Archive - "Cityscapes"
features a cool review of their past Architecture articles. Hope you can enjoy it.

Hi Paul! I'm just dropping in to say hello, but I have to add that I admire your Booker reading project. I haven't read many of the winners, but I can't imagine loving one more than I do Possession. I do want to get to The Siege of Krishnapur, though.

I hope your weekend was a good one!

Just dropping by to say hi! Trying frantically to catch up post hols, so I hope all is well.

>195 Familyhistorian: Stats will be up and running again very soon, Meg, I promise.

>196 avatiakh: Lovely to see you Kerry. I didn't much enjoy Lord Jim in truth. I appreciate Conrad's work without ever really enjoying him very much.

>197 Berly: It remains a very quite and muffled buzz, Kimmers!

>198 FAMeulstee: I do hope we manage to pass the present annus horribilis of 2015 and I think we can but I fear that the next worst year of 2016 is probably beyond reach.

>199 m.belljackson: I do like looking at beautiful things, Marianne. Thank you for sending me that link/hint. xx

>200 Dejah_Thoris: Lovely to see you Princess. I have started The Bone People which is surprisingly accessible so far. I also want to push on with In a Free State and The Elected Member this month.

>201 BekkaJo: I wish I could look forward to hols, Bekka. I really am snowed under with work at the moment and loving much of it but feeling the strain tremendously on a Sunday in particular. Sundays used to be a time when I would happily spend 4 or 5 hours trawling the threads of my friends. I cannot stay awake long enough to do that now. xx

>205 PaulCranswick: I'm sorry it's still so frantic Paul - well, sort of sorry because I know it's a good thing to have the work coming in. But hoping you get some help soon and some time to breathe again. xx

>206 BekkaJo: Thanks Bekka. It is hari raya haji tomorrow but I will be at my desk.

I had to google that... sucks that you have to work :(

Hi, Paul! Delurking here to say that >202 PaulCranswick: I agree about Conrad: I appreciate him but don't generally enjoy him.

Sorry you're so swamped with work you can't get on LT as much anymore. We miss the old you, but we understand. I am not as active as I was 5 years ago, but given that I totally fell off the radar the ladt two or three years, I'm actually doing pretty good this year, for me. 🙂

Agreeing, it's a pain you are not getting a little more down time Paul. Hope things improve soon.

Happy Tuesday, Paul! Hope your work load lightens in the near future. Sending hugs. : )

Happy Hari Raya Haji, Paul.

ETA: hope the weather was good at your end. My husband was saying that he's noticed that every year in Singapore, at least, it pours with rain on the day, just when all the Muslims are going out visiting in their finery.

Stopping by to say hello! My summer took a busy turn and I haven't been connecting. Hope fall provides more free, quiet time. Hope you are enjoying your work that keeps you busy! I love what I do and can get completely absorbed but miss having some down time for other pursuits.

Hi, Paul. I've been off visiting family for the last few weeks, but I'm back home now and catching up on threads (or at least trying to).

It's good to have all the work but I hope that you find a better work/life balance soon, Paul.

>208 BekkaJo: It isn't a huge holiday surprisingly for Johor (where my in-laws are from) but the East coast put this holiday before the one to celebrate the end of fasting.

>209 scaifea: Always found him a very dry writer, Amber, for some reason.

Hi Paul, hope you get some time off for the weekend. Family are visiting so I am hoping it will still be possible to carve out some time for reading (!)

Happy Friday, Paul. I hope your weekend will be a relaxed one.

Just here to wish you a happy weekend! :)
I keep falling behind on threads this year...

Classes started this week at UA and so I am back to old grind. I was dreading it, but once the students got on campus it was fun to see them. I will be leaving this coming weekend to go home to get my mother settled back at the house after her hip replacement and will be there for two weeks. I anticipate many long mornings with coffee and a good book during this break.

I am currently reading some bang-up dystopian YA Victoria Aveyard - Red Queen series and two different books of essays. All of them are good books. I also FINALLY started South Riding by Winifred Holtby and had to look up on Wikipedia about the county committees and how they work. I have had this novel checked out from our library for 5 years and it is one that I plan on taking to Kansas if I don’t finish it before I leave, but so far this is a novel I am enjoying.

"I have had this novel checked out from our library for 5 years " How does that work?

#222
We have unlimited renewals. Books have to be renewed every semester. Once a year you have to bring everything you have checked out back to the library, but if there are no holds on the book you can recheck it. If there is a hold you can’t renew it and have to leave it at the library.

South Riding must have been popular back in the day as our library has three copies of it. If somebody else wanted it they probably checked out one of the other copies.

I have started this book several times, I just haven’t finished it, or even made a good start on it. I keep getting distracted by other titles. I have decided that now is the time to get it read.

>210 The_Hibernator: So swamped indeed Rachel that it has taken me 6 days to respond!

>211 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks Caroline. No real end in sight at the moment. My eyes are pretty tired at the moment.

Hi Paul! Hope you manage to stay above the swamp. We will be here whenever you manage to catch a breath. I miss you, your books and your stats. Mostly you. : )

>212 Berly: So do I, Kimmers, because I am not sure how long I can keep going at this pace!

>213 humouress: Let it be said that the higher powers are not without a sense of humour, Nina!

>214 witchyrichy: I am enjoying the work, Karen, and certainly needs must. I do miss you all terribly though I must confess.

>215 ronincats: And lovely it is to see you as always, Roni.

>216 Familyhistorian: The balancing act is all, Meg. Little time left for private life, LT and/or much reading. :C

>218 charl08: I was never as prolific a reader as you, Charlotte, but I do miss getting closer to 200 books a year.

>219 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara. I caught up on some sleep on Sunday and watched some Netflix (thanks Hani) - two series La Foret and The Tudors. Some of the historical inaccuracies of the latter grated a little but on the whole it is immensely enjoyable.

>220 Deern: I too am barely clinging on, Nathalie, dear. Miss getting around the threads.

>221 benitastrnad: Lovely to see you revelling in being busy, Benita. Hope your mom and her new hip are getting along famously.

I need to read South Riding soon.

>222 laytonwoman3rd: Is it a library for slow readers or are you going to pay one heckuva library fine?!

>223 benitastrnad: That sounds like some library, Benita. The university library, I guess?

>225 Berly: Just changed my shoes, Kimmers, as I got a bit too much of the swamp on 'em. xx

Not good....!

We miss seeing you, Paul, and I am sure the bookshop owners in your vicinity miss you as well!

Paul -

To brighten your weekend, here's some things you rarely see:

"Contemporary Muslim Fashions at San Francisco's Young Museum
(deyoungmuseum.org)
examines the sweeping impact as well as the subtleties of Islamic dress codes,
spotlighting modest looks from designers such as Malaysia-based Haslinda Rahim Blancheur.

The exhibit demonstrates how ... the rise of Muslim women as style setters extends
far beyond their communities." (September to January)

Sorry you are too busy for a weekend Paul. Don't be stacking up more working weekends than your health can tolerate. False economy!

Sorry to see that work is keeping you so busy, but that's great that your company has so much business! Hope you are getting some rest too

Missing all your usual activity, Paul, but I'm hoping that means things are picking up for your business!

Hi Paul! I hope that all the hard work is paying off. I also hope that you're taking care of yourself with this heavy workload as much as possible.

Everytime I am on your thread lately, Paul, I am in doubt. Not leave a message, so I don't create extra "work" and you have already enough to do, or leave a message to let you know you are not forgotten...
Well it was leaving a message this time ;-)

Hi Paul, having been away for a few days with helping to move Amy and Andy to their new home I see that you are very busy with work, I hope that it is not too stressful for you and that things will start to ease a bit for you.

Yet again we have made a bloody hash of the first innings in the fourth Test, when is Root going to listen and bat at four and when are the hierarchy at the ECB going to listen to the commentators and pundits who have a wealth of experience and when are we going to see the Championship back to how it was WITH OUR test players playing county cricket to get red ball experience instead of the bish bash cricket before an important series. I know your views mate and we do align but no one else it seems, enough of the rant.

I hope you start to get some me time mate and send love and hugs to you, Hani and the kids from both of us dear friend.

>232 Berly: Most certainly wouldn't be, Kimmers!

>233 Familyhistorian: Me too on both counts, Meg!

>234 m.belljackson: I am probably not the best fashionista going, Marianne, but modern islamic fashions do often show that modesty can be becoming.

>235 Caroline_McElwee: Well today was a little respite as it is Independence Day here, Caroline. 61 years since the end of colonial rule in Malaya and I am involved in building the 118 storey building on the site of the declaration of that independence in 1957.

>236 ChelleBearss: Having the business and getting paid for it are not often one and the same Chelle but I cannot complain about my Korean clients.

>237 thornton37814: Well it does mean I am otherwise very busy, Lori. xx

>238 karenmarie: I am hopeful that it will eventually pay off, Karen.

>239 FAMeulstee: Oh no, Anita - please post! I have never too much going on not to appreciate my lovely friends here. xx

>240 johnsimpson: Thanks mate and lovely to see you as always.

Yes the test team is a strange animal isn't it? Very little in the way of top order batsmen.
I would look at Mitchell, Gubbins, Denly and Hildreth for the last test in a completely shaken up batting line-up. I would spare the game to Bairstow as he shouldn't be playing with a broken finger.

Mitchell, Gubbins, Denly, Root, Hildreth, Stokes, Buttler, Ali, Curran, Woakes and Anderson

Hello, Paul! How do you do?

(((((Paul)))))

>241 PaulCranswick:

Ah, I thought maybe some of your Family might enjoy visiting the museum site in September.

Hey Paul, sorry to read things are still so busy. I'm enjoying the Booker longlist - some crackers on there this year, I think, although I don't know (of course I don't!) who the judges will pick for the shortlist. Will you treat yourself to any of them when the busy times calm down a bit? Really enjoying a crime novel about 19c Edinburgh - if you read it you would be heartily glad your youngster lives in the 21c version... *filthy*

>244 brodiew2: Lovely to see you Brodie. I have made it to my 53rd year at least mate.

>245 ronincats: Hugs are always welcome, dear Roni.

>246 m.belljackson: There is nothing remotely islamic in Hani, Yasmyne or Belle's sense of apparel. Marianne, but I am sure that they would like to have a look anyway.

>247 charl08: I always seem to get most of the longlist at some stage Charlotte but it takes me an age to read them all. I think only Warlight has been spotted in the shops here of the current longlist.

Weekend wishes for more time off for you! : )

>248 PaulCranswick: From Charlotte's post:

2017 Longlist I own all 13 books but have only read 1 so far
2016 longlist I own all 12 books but have only read 7 so far
2015 longlist I own 11 of the 13 books but have read only 3 so far
2014 longlist I own 11 of the 13 books but have read only 3 so far
2013 longlist I own 11 of the 13 books but have read only 2 so far
2012 longlist I own all 12 books but have only read 3 so far
2011 longlist I own 12 of the 13 books but have only read 2 so far
2010 longlist I own 12 of the 13 books but have only read 2 so far
2009 longlist I own 8 of the 13 books but have only read 3 so far
2008 longlist I own 7 of the 13 books but have only read 3 so far
2007 longlist I own 7 of the 13 books but have only read 5 so far
2006 longlist I own 12 of the 19 books but have only read 1 so far
2005 longlist I own 12 of the 17 books but have only read 4 so far
2004 longlist I own 11 of the 22 books but have only read 1 so far
2003 longlist I own 9 of the 23 books but have only read 4 so far
2002 longlist I own 12 of the 20 books but have only read 3 so far
2001 longlist I own 12 of the 24 books but have only read 3 so far

Total longlisted books 268

Owned longlisted books 186

Read longlisted books 50

Shows of my magpie tendencies exactly. Owning 70% of the books but reading only 19% of them.

>250 Berly: Thanks Kimmers!

Booker Shortlists

2000 Own 4 of 6 Read 1
1999 Own all 6 Read 4
1998 Own 4 of 6 Read 2
1997 Own 5 of 6 Read 2
1996 Own 5 of 6 Read 5
1995 Own all 5 Read 2
1994 Own 4 of 6 Read 0
1993 Own 5 of 6 Read 1
1992 Own 4 of 6 Read 2
1991 Own all 6 Read 3
1990 Own 5 of 6 Read 4
1989 Own 4 of 6 Read 1
1988 Own 4 of 6 Read 1
1987 Own 4 of 6 Read 2
1986 Own 5 of 6 Read 3
1985 Own 4 of 6 Read 1
1984 Own 5 of 6 Read 5
1983 Own 4 of 6 Read 2
1982 Own 3 of 6 Read 2
1981 Own 5 of 7 Read 2
1980 Own 6 of 7 Read 4
1979 Own 2 of 5 Read 1
1978 Own 5 of 6 Read 2
1977 Own 4 of 6 Read 2
1976 Own 3 of 6 Read 3
1975 Own 2 of 2 Read 2
1974 Own 3 of 5 Read 2
1973 Own 3 of 4 Read 0
1972 Own 1 of 4 Read 0
1971 Own 3 of 6 Read 0
1970 Own 2 of 6 Read 1
1970 Own 4 of 6 Read 2 (Lost Booker)
1969 Own 3 of 6 Read 3

189 Books shortlisted

132 books owned

67 books read

Still a magpie 70% of the books owned 35% of the books read

So since inception there have been 470 books longlisted or shortlisted for the Booker (including the 13 this year)

I own 318 of these books

I have read 117 of Shortlisted and Longlisted Bookers

>251 PaulCranswick: Impressive stats, I'm probably in similar territory.

>255 avatiakh: I felt an urge to do a few stats at least, Kerry!

It would be interesting to see what stats Darryl and Nathalie would have for the Bookers - Winners, Longlisted and Shortlisted.

Interesting to see what happened with your Booker books, Paul. I bet there are many of us who have similar reading stats for most of our collections - so many more unread than read.

Happy Birthday, Paul. Wishing you a lovely day.

>257 Familyhistorian: Yes Meg. My unread pile at home stands at an unmanageable 4,000 plus even after plenty of culls.

>258 Ameise1: Thanks you so much Barbara. 52 today.

>232 Berly: I thought that was some strange sea animal!

My Booker reading log is shameful, considering I have been working on it for years. I own a lot, and have no impetus to read them. Today I purchased The Long Take at the Chch Word Festival and even got it signed :):):) I aim to read it!!

>260 LovingLit: Good for you, Megan.

Belated birthday! I saw on facebook then failed to get over here and wish you many good things and lots of lovely books. Hani's facebook post was very sweet :)

Hope you had a great day and are getting to relax for once. X

It's your birthday Paul? Or was that yesterday? Anyway, many happy returns, and wishing you a very good year!

>251 PaulCranswick: Stats! I'm spotting an inverse relationship between number of books owned and number of books read...(runs for cover fast)

>262 BekkaJo: Not belated, Bekka. 2nd Sept is my birthday so you are well in time!

>263 EllaTim: Thanks Ella!
Yes, I do buy far more than I read.

Happy birthday, Paul! Best wishes for another outstanding year!!

>265 Carmenere: Thank you, Lynda. I hope your wishes come true!

Happy birthday, Paul!
May your wishes come true - have a great time with family, friends and books!

Happy birthday, Paul!! Here's to a more relaxing year ahead!

Have a wonderful birthday!

Hi Paul! Happy Birthday to you. I hope your day has been special.

Happy Birthday Paul

Happy Birthday, Paul. Many happy returns.

Happy birthday, Paul! Hope you got spoiled!

>267 SirThomas: Thank you Thomas.

>268 jessibud2: I really do hope so, Shelley.

>269 torontoc: Thanks, Cyrel

>270 karenmarie: It has been quite relaxing, Karen, thank you.

>271 calm: Thanks Calm, it is a good time for me to come back into the fold.

>272 BLBera: Thank you, Beth.

>273 ChelleBearss: I am always spoiled, Chelle.

Happy birthday, Paul, and many more of them.

Happy a Birthday Paul, I hope there will be a small book haul to celebrate, as well as some fine dining, and cake.

>278 Matke: Thanks Gail. Lovely to see you in these parts.

>279 Caroline_McElwee: No books bought today but an excellent Mexican meal. Thank you Caroline.

Happy birthday!

Just stopping by to wish you a very Happy Birthday! Like Hani's dedication to you on Facebook! Take care of yourself.

Belated Happy Birthday, Paul!

Happy birthday!

A belated happy birthday, Paul!

I hope you had a great birthday, Paul!

Happy Birthday from the other side of the date line!

Happy belated birthday!

It's still September 2 here (we are always behind) so many happy returns of the day, Paul. May the coming year bring you more work/life balance.

>259 PaulCranswick: You make me feel better with your unread 4,000, Paul, as mine are more in the 2,000+ range. But then, you probably have a longer time to get your reading done than I as you are still relatively young.

Hope you've had a good birthday, Paul. I see there's cake!

>281 amanda4242: Thank you, Amanda. It is good to be back.

>282 ronincats: Thanks Roni. Hani loves her facebook!

>283 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita. It is already Monday and time for work!

>284 drneutron: Thank you, Jim

>285 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda

>286 harrygbutler: I did have thank you, Harry.

>287 quondame: Thanks Susan. All the different time zones do make birthday wishes confusing don't they?

>288 figsfromthistle: Thank you Anita and thanks for your several visits this year whilst I have not been around quite so much. Believe me it is appreciated.

>289 Familyhistorian: I hope we both get to finish all our books, Meg! xxx

>290 laytonwoman3rd: There was and it was very tasty, Linda, thank you.

Finally catching up on some threads, Paul, and I am sorry to see that I missed your birthday. Belated happiness wishes from me and all the gang here at the Pecan Paradisio. I am hoping that it was full of fabulous.

Happy Belated Birthday Paul!!! May the current year be as special as you are!

>296 Crazymamie: Lovely to see you over here, Mamie! My day is better for knowing that the Pecan Paradisio is in good repair.

>297 Whisper1: Thanks Linda. I hope I am able to live up to that sentiment. xx

Paul--I was on time on FB, but a little late here -- Happy Birthday!!! I think you need a new thread in honor of your new year. Just saying. : )

Hi Paul! I hope your weekend includes some plans for relaxing.

>295 PaulCranswick: Hmm, if that came true we would probably live forever. It's not like those TBR stacks stay at those numbers!

Happy Weekend, Paul. I think I wished you Happy Birthday on FB, but I missed you over here. I hope you had a great day.

I hope you and the business are doing well and I still miss seeing you around.

Happy weekend, Paul! I hope you are getting some reading in, even if life is super-busy.

A very belated birthday, Paul, and hope it was a good one! Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Well, I missed your birthday and I'm about a hundred threads behind but ALOHA, Paul!

No, I'm not in Hawaii. Only it's late here and I'm sleepy....

I've read four of this year's Booker long list nominees so far. The Overstory seems to be my first choice, so far, with Washington Black running a strong second.

Totally belated happy birthday Paul! I was off LT again for over a week and missed it. Have a lovely Sunday (what's left of it in your parts of the world) and a great and super-successful new week!

>299 Berly: thread coming soon Kimmers, promise!

>300 karenmarie: It is a fairly long weekend, Karen, as it is the King's birthday here and that affords yet another public holiday.
It has been spoilt somewhat by my mum being hospitalised on Friday night. Chest infection by all accounts.

>301 Familyhistorian: Yes, I know. They certainly never seem to get any smaller!

>302 msf59: Thanks Mark. Things are still a bit hectic here but I do hope that they'll settle down soon.

>303 banjo123: I am reading loads but not really getting things finished. Thanks for stopping by, Rhonda.

>304 bell7: Thank you, Mary. xx

>305 EBT1002: Lovely to see you Ellen, whether from the American North West or Hawaii> xx

>306 Deern: Those sentiments certainly appeal, Nathalie. Your visits always make my day.

Best wishes to your Mum!!!

>311 Berly: Thanks Kimmers. I think she is on the mend. xx

Paul--I'm very glad to hear that. It is so stressful when those we love are hurting, especially when we are far away and can't do anything. My best to both of you.

Hope your mom's infections clears up quickly, and leaves no lasting effects.

>313 Berly: I must say though that whatsApp is a wonderful tool at being able to "be there" from afar.

>314 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks Linda, I am hopeful that she is on the mend and, at least, in good hands.

>315 PaulCranswick: I used WhatApp with my daughter when she was in Ireland and it was great! Glad you have a way to connect. : )

Hope your mum is feeling better Paul.

>316 Berly: It is a great and fairly secure tool, Kimmers. To actually talk to and see my mum in such a time is, as you may imagine, a great comfort.

>317 Caroline_McElwee: She is happily at home, Caroline. xx

Good to see your mum is back home, Paul.
I hope you are not completely absorbed by work, and have some free time to unwind.

Good to hear that your mum is doing better and that you were able to keep in contact with her, Paul. I hope things are going well for you on the home front as well.

Belated birthday wishes Paul!

I’ve been away from the forum side of LT and am now slowly catching up, leaving the more prolific threads till last. Glad your mum’s better.

I am back from my two week stint in Kansas. My mother had her hip replaced and I went there to spend some time with her and help get her to and fro while she is still recovering. She is doing fine and I got some time off.

I took her to the movie of Crazy Rich Asians and when we left, she asked if Singapore really looked like that. I told her that I thought it did, as I had this friend in Kuala Lumpore who regularly posted pictures of his latest construction projects. I said that South Asia is a rich region and that it isn't like what so many people think. It has become very sophisticated and trendy.

I enjoyed the movie, and I think that its popularity will make Singapore the next big vacation trend for people here in the US.

>318 PaulCranswick: Glad to hear it Paul.

Are you any nearer getting a bit of downtime? It really is harder to come back from burn out, than occasionally saying 'no, I can't work this weekend'. I know it's different when it's your business, but just sayin.

I hope you and your mother are doing well Paul!

Hi Paul! Thinking of you and hoping that things are going well for you. I'm glad to hear that your mum is on the mend and home. I certainly know the feeling of being part-way round the world from family members and worrying when they're sick or hurt.

Hi Paul! Wishing you well! I hope your mother is mending well.

Hi!

A week and no Paul posts...you must be slammed with RL. I hope you catch a break soon. Missing your banter and stats! ; )

Echoing the sentiment of missing Paul! Life does catch up with us at times though. Compiling up-to-date handouts for genealogical presentations I'm doing next month is on today's agenda. Of course, petting cats is on it too, and I suspect that will be done before I even get around to typing the first word. Hoping to finish reading a book I'm not enjoying so much in a bit. It's an ARC. The problem is the subgenre.

Hi Paul, sorry to read that your mum has been poorly mate and hope she is on the mend now, it must be awful for you being so far away. With very little on the posting front from you recently must mean that you are very busy at the present time and hope you get a bit of a break so that you can get a bit of reading and posting done.

Hope all is well with the family mate and both Karen and I send love and hugs to you all dear friend.

(((((((Paul)))))))

*worries*

Wow.... I finally find my way over here to get caught up and you are MIA from your own thread??? Hope all is well with you, family and business. {{{hugs}}}

Just checking in Paul. Hope to see you around again soon.

Hope your Mum is doing well

You've been missed these last couple of weeks. I hope all is well with you & yours and you have a wonderful weekend.

I'm still ticking!

Thanks to all my friends who have looked in during my absence.

Work and life is hectic and more than a little stressful.

Will catch up with all your wonderfully caring and supportive messages and start a new thread sometime very soon.

>337 PaulCranswick: Thank God! We were about to send out a search party! (((hugs)))

>338 amanda4242: I won't disappear so easily and not for as long again, I hope, Amanda. xx

>319 FAMeulstee: It was another scare for her Anita and she isn't doing too well. My own situation is also tough with work and life issues aplenty to try and overcome.

>320 Familyhistorian: Thank you Meg. It isn't the easiest time in the world for me with two kids going to overseas study, debts to settle aplenty, work being a real grind (especially people not paying their bills) and so on.

>321 humouress: Thanks Nina. I cannot count among the more prolific threads just for the moment but you made me smile anyway. xx

>322 benitastrnad: Singapore is quite a place, Benita, but somewhere that gets claustrophobic after a while. I enjoyed working on projects there for the Changi Airport Extension and Marina Bay Sands in particular.
Glad to see your mom is in good spirits after her op.

>323 Caroline_McElwee: I am starting to feel like that a little to be quite honest, Caroline.
Re-read a book by Laurie Lee this last few days as I know for sure that he succulent prose will get me reading. What a lovely chap he was too.

>324 EllaTim: Thanks Ella. I am pleased to report that my mum is probably doing better than I am! I am working on a Saturday morning complete with sore throat and slightly chesty cough.

>325 karenmarie: Distance is a major problem sometimes, Karen, but alleviated somewhat by whatsApp in truth. My mum doesn't own a mobile phone or a computer and probably would have little idea on how to operate either but I was able to coordinate with either my brother or sister to time a call to them to coincide with their visits to my mum. She is much better, thankfully.

>326 The_Hibernator: Thank you Rachel. Lovely to see you as always. xx

>327 amanda4242: Thanks for popping by Amanda, to see if the lesser spotted Cranswick has been sighting somewhere above the ether!

Glad to see you check in, Paul. We have missed you. Also happy, to hear your Mum is doing better. Hope you start feeling better yourself.

>328 Berly: I have also been missing my pals here Kimmers! It is nice to be back and hopefully I can sustain my presence a little while this time.

>329 thornton37814: Aren't we lucky, Lori, having so many lovely friends here to keep us company even during our absences! I hope you are coping with your busy lifestyle better than I am.

>330 johnsimpson: Nice to see you here John. Mum is much better mate, thanks.

Bit peeved at the squad to tour Sri Lanka to be honest. I like Joe Denly but what has he done to deserve a call up this term? How on earth can Jennings retain his place. Wasn't it time to give either or both of Anderson and Broad a rest?

My squad would have been:

Joe Root, Daryl Mitchell, Rory Burns, Nick Gubbins, Jimmy Bairstow, James Hildreth, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler, Moen Ali, Adil Rashid, Jack Leach, Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Ollie Stone, Jamie Overton

Thinking is that Mitchell deserves his chance due to half a dozen seasons of consistent and mature performances. Nick Gubbins' figures are damaged by some atrocious pitches at Lords. James Hildreth has been in excellent form and plays on the most spin favouring tracks in England at Taunton. Pope deserves to tour but his figures are as skewed as Gubbins' are due to the benign pitches at the Oval. I am pleased with Stone getting selected but kicking off with him and Overton would be fearsome.

>331 ronincats: Hugs right back, Roni xx

>332 laytonwoman3rd: I am a fairly resilient little fellow, Linda, don't worry overly. xxx

>333 lkernagh: Lovely to see you Lori. I have missed your threads this year. xx

>334 avatiakh: Here I am Kerry and all the happier for seeing you!

>335 SuziQoregon: Thanks Juli - she is A-OK at the moment, I think.

>336 bell7: It does give me a lovely warm feeling, Mary, that my friends here are looking out for me. I am happy beyond words to have a little time to report in.

>344 msf59: Great to see you Mark. It is also good to see you still attempting (almost single handedly) to keep the stats of the group ticking along.

Very relieved to see you checking in, Paul. I think a bunch of us were really getting worried!

>349 ronincats: I don't want to tempt fate by proclaiming invincibility but I won't disappear so easily, Roni. Missed you loads too by the way.

Glad to see you back, Paul.
Sending all good wishes for you and yours.
Have a nice weekend with a little bit calm and peace.

Glad to see you posting, Paul. Take care of yourself. Hugs

Good news Paul; I'll be off to London in a couple of weeks, which should give you enough time to pop over to Singapore and say you missed me but you tried anyway ;0)

Good to know you're still around and things are going along, even if not smoothly.

>351 SirThomas: Thanks Thomas. It is good to be back! Now for a new thread and a trawl through the threads to say hello and thank you to all my buddies for not forgetting me completely.

>352 Ameise1: Thank you Barbara. Lovely to see you here. xx

>353 humouress: Hahaha - oh ye of little faith! I will more probably see you in the UK than Singapore!

>355 PaulCranswick: I’ll give you my dates and you can miss me there too :0)

>356 humouress: Hahaha touche