Perfect presents
Daughter phoned to say that she had bought me this edition of The Big Issue whilst out and about in the city today. I hadn't even texted her to beg! But I won't receive it until she returns from working in Edinburgh next week. There hasn't seen a Big Issue seller seen round here since Woolworth's closed down. The town is really rather dead these days. Now our bookshop is giving up too. As much my fault as any, because I buy online and from the numerous charity shops. The difference is just too great between full new price and discounted/second hand rates.
Meanwhile have persuaded son to buy me this book for my birthday present. It won't arrive until early next month but I think it'll be worth the wait:
From here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Parades-End-based-Tom-Stoppard/dp/057129913X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345489624&sr=1-1
It is not the novel, but Tom Stoppard's series accompanying volume, 352 pages, presumably of his dramatisation script, including "bonus scenes which were not broadcast, an introductory essay by Tom Stoppard, and a selection of stills from the production as well as photographs taken on location." Excellent.
Started re-reading the 900 page novel as a result of this article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2190323/Parades-End-Two-sex-scenes-minutes--steamy-saga-BBC-hopes-grab-Downtons-crown.html
Sex on a train! How did I miss that? But the novel is so complex and multi-layered in its structure that I had indeed failed to absorb this exact fact at the foot of page 121, where Christopher Tietjens considers whether or not he is being punished by God for the sexual offence of having had physical contact with his wife before marriage. Of course, she had her reasons for ensuring that they did... and he is the victim in truth, because it is in his nature to take all his responsibilities seriously. So, anyway, it's certainly going to be an unexpectedly racy start to the BBC series on Friday evening. I'm not complaining. Just checking up on what else I might have missed! :-))