I've been reading The Places in Between by Rory Stewart. I've learned more about Afganistan and the people there from this book than any newspaper article or news analysis. It's remarkable how his simple straightforward descriptions (he's trained as an archaologist I think) tease out the character and motivations of the people he meets along the ( Read more... )

Ooops, I've been away for a week for a few reasons:
a) work has been soooper busy, since we were 3 men down, due to vacations, someone leaving for grad school, and someone's dad died :-(
b) when work is busy, World of Warcraft is a tempting way to vege out, and I'm trying to get my druid up to 60, and be done with her for a while.
c) I've been ( Read more... )

*looks around* Where IS everyone today?

uhm, yeah. My Night Elf Druid is up to lvl 17, and got her sea lion form. Not that I still don't get killed by hordes of Murlocks.

more book news

1. I finished Nick Laird's book, Utterly Monkey. Not bad, amusing, definitely "Lad Lite" as someone said. The male characters were quirky and got into realistic ( Read more... )

Whoo! as the NY Times put it: Hugh Laurie won best actor for a dramatic television series for playing an irascible doctor as the lead in "House." He SO deserved it.

book news:

• Lynn Flewelling's new book The Oracle Queen will be out this June finally! It is the 3rd book of the Tamir Trilogy: The Bone Doll's Twin, and The Hidden Warrior are the ( Read more... )

how not to make a good impression:

Tip # 322: When wished a good day by your cashier, wish them and you have a better one while leering.

I'm still utterly blown away by Jonathan Coe's writing in The Rotter's Club. Completely and utterly in awe. If you have any interest in working class/ruling class, Birmingham, England, England in the early 1970 ( Read more... )

Jonathan Coe is BRILLIANT.

He's a British writer, who writes about boys very insightfully. It's a wonderful blend of comic and realistic drama all mixed together. Am reading The Rotter's Club and am blown away by the writing. It takes place in Birmingham, England, circa 1973:
Benjamin went up to his brother's bedroom, intending to lay down some ( Read more... )