E. F. Benson The Luck of the Vails.  ( Why read this? Is it recommended? )

This year has flashed past, and I've read hardly anything in the way of serious whole-book reading, and now I'm turning to in an attempt to better that poor record.  The book in hand (ie on screen) is The Prime Minister spurred thereto by blueinkedpalm's comments on some preceding Trollope novels, most recently The Eustace Diamonds and Phineas Redux.  I've ( Read more... )

It's been a full-on few weeks, including (as was always on the cards) a funeral.  I feel like such an idiot to need to learn again and again (I am so sick of this) about the finality of death and what living in time means.  Time is change and things not being the same.  Yes, of course.  Everybody knows that ( Read more... )

This gadget sounds really useful!  I have a coconut scraper made like a small stool, with the scratching part sticking out one side.  This is fun (in a mild way) but the sharp teeth sticking out at shin level aren't the best plan for kitchen furniture.  A bench-mounted, relocatable, had-whirled scraper sounds just the ticket!

I've been reading quite ( Read more... )

Oh, pooh!  Crummy old Dreamwidth has lost a great chunk of draft post.  Well - so it goes.  I'll be back with a new yearish post in a day or so, but in the meantime, have some thoughts on two books read recently.

Dark emu, black seed - Bruce Pascoe.  ( Read more... )

Recently I saw on tielan's journal a meme, which involved asking for a letter, and, being given it, thinking of five fiction characters for that letter, and offering comments and ideas about each one.  I liked the idea, so I asked her for a letter - she gave me... F:

Fanny Price (Mansfield Park):  I love how her strengths shine in adversity - the ( Read more... )

I hope I manage to see it rising tonight - of course (of course!) I'm double-booked with a lecture, but still, one can hope.  It's Mid-autumn Festival, which has (I'm told) different meanings in different places, but here is for children, with lanterns, masks, presents and parties.  For the last few days there's been a buzz of the excitement ( Read more... )

I've been work-travelling!  which involved another hotel, another swimming pool, and the chance to swim at six in the morning, as well as in the afternoon, and then again between the last session and catching the bus back home.  Bliss!  Because summer's ebbing, but hasn't gone yet ( Read more... )

There's been more listening than reading happening for me lately.  Music, for starters - a terrific Bach concert, and another of unthemed scraps from all over, which began with Octet for Eight Strings (Prelude and Scherzo) by Shostakovich which was new to me, and brilliant.

But I've been listening to literature, too, courtesy of Librivox - to Arthur ( Read more... )

Something I read: I finished the book The Just City - I've already tipped my main reactions to the book, but in sum, I do feel positively about it - I found myself putting off finishing it because I was enjoying the ride -  but not stunningly so.  I liked the idea of it more than the execution, I guess.  Minor point:( behind a cut, in case spoilery )