Square Eyes

Read too many books to mention since I last wrote (typed) in here.

Currently reading 'The lost diaries of Adrian Mole, 1999 - 2001' - Sue Townsend.
Was delighted to find this in WHSmiths the other day as I never even knew she'd done another book on him, anyway nice catching up on Adrian and finding out what he's getting up to now

Oh thanks for the headsup. I read AM and the weapons of mass destruction, think that was the last one - this seems to be a just-released book - in fact, it says it's not released until 6th Nov on websites!

I'd not realised there was a new Mole book imminent either - excellent!

My most recent read was Three Men On The Bummel by the fantastically-named Jerome K Jerome (best author's name ever!). If you've ever read Three Men In a Boat you'll know what to expect. Funny stuff.

Now on to Racing Pigs and Giant Marrows: Travels Around The North Country Fairs by Harry Pearson. Does exactly what it says on the cover

Love 3 men on the bummel. When I first read this, though bummel was the name of the tandem they used. Jerome's final observations about Germany seem a little off the mark considering their subsequent behaviour in the following 50 years! I did like the bit (if it was in this book) about how in a 100 years Victorian knick-knacks might even be considered worth collecting - of course they are...

Jerome is disappointing in that you don't find a plethora of other great stuff after the three men set of stories. Diary of a pilgrimage sort of half-captures the feel in places, but his autobiography is great if you can find that. It's lovely to hear how in his youth he crossed over the fields of North West London to get to work - places now just suburban parts of London.

Idle thoughts of an idle fellow is quite easy to find; sort of all right, but the comedy is very gentle to our modern tastes. Second thoughts of an Idle Fellow is harder to find, "They and I" is pretty good, though still quite bland. And don't bother with the 1950's movie of 3 Men in a Boat - awful!

The one with Jimmy Edwards and Laurence Harvey? Too late! I saw it a year or two ago. I agree with you, though, it doesn't do the book justice at all. It doesn't even seem to resemble the book a lot of the time!

Helpfully a Bummel was explained (in a quote from the book) on the back cover of the edition I've just read so I was fully conversant with its meaning from the off

I suppose he had the (supposed) lack of a sense of humour/strict adherence to authority in your typical German summed up pretty well, if not the stuff in that closing chapter! I liked his rant about certain authors' over-reliance on florid descriptions of the scenery in their books too. That's one of the things that always put me off Thomas Hardy (after reading Far From The Madding Crowd).

Cheers for the tips on his other books too, Geffs. I'm quite the novice on Mr Jerome so that's all very handy.

I seem to be engrossed in Graphic Novels at the minute. Mrs. Head picked up the seven Sin City G.N's at the carboot for £3.50 (selling for £6.00 each on eBay so quicks in there!).

I'm onto number four but the first is still my favourite. For anyone who hasn't read them but has seen the film it's Marv the big guy going after Goldie the Hookers killer and finding out it was a Hobbit

Anyone else read Graphic Novels? Or are they for young people and nerds?

Just finished 'Boy A' by Jonathan Trigell, having only recently getting round to watching the drama based on the book it was interesting to get more of an insight into the story through the book.

Also read 'Isle of Wight to get Ceefax' by John O'farrell, very funny book from the website http://newsbiscuit.com/

About to start reading 'Survivors' by Terry Nation.

Oh, finished reading Survivors ages ago now, really enjoyed it, much more than the recent re-adaptation of it.
I take it the origianal series followed the book more closely. Now that was interesting.
Just finished reading 'The boy in the striped pyjamas' as well, I had bought the dvd to watch the other week but somehow from leaving the store & getting home it vanished.

I'm currently reading one of three (or more) every night to Lilli:

I Love You, Blue Kangeroo.
What Shall We Do, Blue Kangeroo.
Happy Birthday, Blue Kangeroo.

When I get time I read some my CSI: NY novel. Got to chapter 4 so far

I'm reading Gulliver's Travels at the moment. Did you know that it's actually a series of separate adventures and that the Lilliput stuff only takes up the first quarter or so of the book? I didn't. At the moment I'm on the second bit, where he's tiny in a world of giants. There's some seriously good allegorical stuff going on in this book, even if some of the antiquated language is a bit hard to follow for the slightly obtuse thirty-something reader in 2009!

The Head wrote:I seem to be engrossed in Graphic Novels at the minute. Mrs. Head picked up the seven Sin City G.N's at the carboot for £3.50 (selling for £6.00 each on eBay so quicks in there!).

I'm onto number four but the first is still my favourite. For anyone who hasn't read them but has seen the film it's Marv the big guy going after Goldie the Hookers killer and finding out it was a Hobbit

Anyone else read Graphic Novels? Or are they for young people and nerds?

I read them now and again. I would say they are for 30 somethings and nerds.

I had been speeding through books in recent weeks, but I've slowed considerably since starting The Merchant of Venice. I think I'm enjoying it, but I can never fully tell with Shakespeare until I've been through once and got the plot clear in my head!

I recently read Bret Hart's autobiography. A riveting read yet extremely one-sided.

I've been having an Agatha Christie fest after watching ITV's 'Marple'.

Started with 'Halloween Party' then 'Murder is Easy' almost finished 'Dumb Witness' and I'm going to go for 'The Moving Finger' next. My Mom has the whole collection of A.C.'s books which came in handy. I read around half of them a few years ago when I was flat on my back after accident No1, but, stopped when I was up and about, plus, I found you can guess 'Who Done It' when you've read a few of AC books.

I might try and finish the whole collection this time around though.

My age range has moved on a bit now. From ".........Blue Kangaroo" to "Doctor Who: Prisoner of the Daleks".

Not getting much time to read these days though. I find it better to get the audio books and listen to them while falling asleep. Getting behind on those though. Currently listening to "The Ice Warriors" (again its all Doctor Who you know) and I have another Patrick Troughton one waiting on my computer! I think It's "The Underwater Menace" but it's been waiting so long I've forgotten.