Circle of Friends, by Maeve Binchy: Reread. It's the only Maeve Binchy I've ever read, and that on the advice of captainoz  and sillyzilly2k , who, if they worked together, could probably get me to do anything. It's about Ireland, which I'm really missing right now, and it reminds me of Istanbul, because I read it there first, and it has interesting characters, and you ( Read more... )

Today we saw the Afghanistan exhibit of treasures from the National Museum in Kabul - from cities and burials of 2000 years ago and more (www.asianart.org/afghanistan.htm). Mine eyes are dazzled - she died young (of lust for gold. Me I mean.) So much lovely gold, and statues, bronzes, and glass of nice women and dippy-looking animals. Apart from ( Read more... )

I am back, intermittent poster that I am, to show you fabulous pictures of Scotland and make you jealous. You've probably all already seen
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Somehow, the English mythological picture of forests just does not match my own. In English stories forests are always dark, dangerous, evil, mysterious places, have you noticed? In Tolkien, of course, Mirkwood, the Old Forest where the hobbits meet Tom Bombadil (and are almost eaten by a willow tree), and Fangorn are all Not Nice places. The only ( Read more... )