The Island by Victoria Hislop
This is the author’s debut novel and it is interesting and involving if a little on the light side. I enjoyed finding out about the island life of recent Crete and about leprosy and the leper colony. Some of the main characters are lacking some depth but there is a good amount of detail about the places and lifestyles of the people which betrays the author’s background in travel journalism. Incidentally the author is married to Ian Hislop of Private Eye and Have I Got News For You fame.
‘On the brink of a life-changing decision, Alexis Fielding longs to find out about her mother's past. But Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before moving to London. When Alexis decides to visit Crete, however, Sofia gives her daughter a letter to take to an old friend, and promises that through her she will learn more. Arriving in Plaka, Alexis is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throw from the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga - Greece's former leper colony. Then she finds Fortini, and at last hears the story that Sofia has buried all her life: the tale of her great-grandmother Eleni and her daughters and a family rent by tragedy, war and passion. She discovers how intimately she is connected with the island, and how secrecy holds them all in its powerful grip...’
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
More of wot I have heard…
annA rydeR
On Wednesday we went to the Chanticleer folk club with Lorraine and Paul and watched the wonderfully entertaining annA rydeR. She is an obviously accomplished musician and a talented writer with a great sense of humour. She played a few heart-warming folk number, jazzy songs, and funny tunes (the Hoover song got us all chortling along). Anna played the piano, guitar, accordion, ukulele & piano, trumpet & piano and her finale was on the bicycle pump (this was probably only limited by what she could carry). It seems her talent is not limited to music as we saw some of her cartoon greeting cards that she is also making and selling through the Hare and Bare website (Paul did think that name sounded pornographic, but we’ll let him off).
On Wednesday we went to the Chanticleer folk club with Lorraine and Paul and watched the wonderfully entertaining annA rydeR. She is an obviously accomplished musician and a talented writer with a great sense of humour. She played a few heart-warming folk number, jazzy songs, and funny tunes (the Hoover song got us all chortling along). Anna played the piano, guitar, accordion, ukulele & piano, trumpet & piano and her finale was on the bicycle pump (this was probably only limited by what she could carry). It seems her talent is not limited to music as we saw some of her cartoon greeting cards that she is also making and selling through the Hare and Bare website (Paul did think that name sounded pornographic, but we’ll let him off).
More of wot I have read…
The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood
This is a gentle non-challenging romantic story that is sweet but not overly exciting either.
‘When he was a boy, Charlie St. Cloud almost perished in a car crash that killed his little brother, Sam. Years later, Charlie is still trying to atone for his loss. It is only when he meets Tess Carroll, a captivating, adventurous yachtswoman, that he is faced with a choice – between death and life, the past and the present, holding on and letting go. The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud is a romantic and exhilarating novel about second chances and the liberating power of love.’
This is a gentle non-challenging romantic story that is sweet but not overly exciting either.
‘When he was a boy, Charlie St. Cloud almost perished in a car crash that killed his little brother, Sam. Years later, Charlie is still trying to atone for his loss. It is only when he meets Tess Carroll, a captivating, adventurous yachtswoman, that he is faced with a choice – between death and life, the past and the present, holding on and letting go. The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud is a romantic and exhilarating novel about second chances and the liberating power of love.’
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
More of wot I have heard…
The Family Mahone - Mahone Brew
BBC Radio DJ Mark Radcliffe (DJ Mahone) was a founder member of this folk ensemble and writes much of the band’s songs. The latest album has a distinct beer drinking theme right down to the name and the label on the cover which features specially commissioned ale from Mr. W and Mr. C at the interesting boutique WC Brewery.
It is a very rousing and humorous collection of tunes played with real enthusiasm and skill, a nice contemporary twist on a traditional folk sound.
The name of the band hints to their punk approach to the music and the original Celtic punk band, the Pogues. Originally known as the Pogue Mahone the Pogues took their name from the anglicized of the Irish phrase póg mo thóin, or ‘kiss my arse’.
BBC Radio DJ Mark Radcliffe (DJ Mahone) was a founder member of this folk ensemble and writes much of the band’s songs. The latest album has a distinct beer drinking theme right down to the name and the label on the cover which features specially commissioned ale from Mr. W and Mr. C at the interesting boutique WC Brewery.
It is a very rousing and humorous collection of tunes played with real enthusiasm and skill, a nice contemporary twist on a traditional folk sound.
The name of the band hints to their punk approach to the music and the original Celtic punk band, the Pogues. Originally known as the Pogue Mahone the Pogues took their name from the anglicized of the Irish phrase póg mo thóin, or ‘kiss my arse’.
Monday, April 16, 2007
More weird weather…
Not long ago we had snow on the ground, this weekend it was up to 25 degrees, and later on we might still have frosts. We took advantage of the lovely weather and traded indoor chores for outdoor ones working in the garden and at the allotment. We painted most of the fences and planted out a border in the rear garden and cleared out the shed so that we can start planting seeds. We had a difficult time planting the potatoes at the allotment as the ground was rock hard and the sun blazing hot. On Sunday morning we went for a walk in the woods with a neighbour who showed us where the bluebells were starting to bloom carpeting the ground in a purple haze. In the afternoon out side there was the distinct smell of accelerant and burnt sausages wafted across the back gardens as people took the opportunity to spend the whole day outside.
Working away again…
I have just returned from a week in The Netherlands at one of our offices there learning more about the product range of the company I work for. The course was with several colleagues from throughout the world and it was interesting talking with them and discovering what we had in common and what we didn’t. We stayed in 's-Hertogenbosch, a town also known colloquially as Den Bosch.
Once the one time home of Hieronymus Bosch (the Bosch part of his name taken from the name of the town) the 16C painter of weird and scary paintings on a religious themes, such as The Temptation of St. Anthony (I found a shop selling models of some of the images in his paintings and bought the least freaky one, which was the fish-boat in the foreground of the main panel.)
A quaint old town, Den Bosch retains much of its old-world character with pedestrian cobbled streets, Dutch gable end buildings, canals throughout and under the town, and wonderful masonry signs on buildings showing the occupation of the original occupiers (a relief of a brewer for an Amstel shop, another of a baker elsewhere). The statue/relief tradition has been maintained with modern equivalents on the side of buildings between the original and the religious statuary.
There was a real feeling of prosperity in the town with fancy designer clothes boutiques, interior design shops, and streets of cafés, restaurants and drinking establishments, the patrons of which filled the narrow streets with a joyful noise.
There were the typically Dutch establishments dotted around such as the bicycle shop (with every variety of bike and accessory available), the ‘koffee’ shop (the distinct sweet smell signalling its presence), and the comic shop (the Dutch and the Belgium seem to share the obsession with weird and wonderful comics for young and old alike). I found a lovely old fashioned sweet shop down one of the quieter side streets, where there were shelves upon shelves of jars containing their multicoloured goodies. Here I bought a pick-and-mix bag of liquorice for Sue who loves them (although even she has difficult with the extra salty Dutch ones).
The weather was unseasonable warm as it has been in the UK too, and this brought out the café culture and the excess of bare skin. The skies remained clear throughout the week and on after I returned home.
Once the one time home of Hieronymus Bosch (the Bosch part of his name taken from the name of the town) the 16C painter of weird and scary paintings on a religious themes, such as The Temptation of St. Anthony (I found a shop selling models of some of the images in his paintings and bought the least freaky one, which was the fish-boat in the foreground of the main panel.)
A quaint old town, Den Bosch retains much of its old-world character with pedestrian cobbled streets, Dutch gable end buildings, canals throughout and under the town, and wonderful masonry signs on buildings showing the occupation of the original occupiers (a relief of a brewer for an Amstel shop, another of a baker elsewhere). The statue/relief tradition has been maintained with modern equivalents on the side of buildings between the original and the religious statuary.
There was a real feeling of prosperity in the town with fancy designer clothes boutiques, interior design shops, and streets of cafés, restaurants and drinking establishments, the patrons of which filled the narrow streets with a joyful noise.
There were the typically Dutch establishments dotted around such as the bicycle shop (with every variety of bike and accessory available), the ‘koffee’ shop (the distinct sweet smell signalling its presence), and the comic shop (the Dutch and the Belgium seem to share the obsession with weird and wonderful comics for young and old alike). I found a lovely old fashioned sweet shop down one of the quieter side streets, where there were shelves upon shelves of jars containing their multicoloured goodies. Here I bought a pick-and-mix bag of liquorice for Sue who loves them (although even she has difficult with the extra salty Dutch ones).
The weather was unseasonable warm as it has been in the UK too, and this brought out the café culture and the excess of bare skin. The skies remained clear throughout the week and on after I returned home.
More of wot I have read…
Never have your dog stuffed by Alan Alda
Like most people I guess I only really know Alan Alda from the MASH TV series and I was interested to find out more about the man. The opening line is an immediate hook and it becomes apparent that it is from a defining moment in his life. It is a sweet and gentle read that comes from the heart without being over sentimental and which avoids the overt name dropping that some so called celebrities seem to resort to these days.
‘He's one of America's most recognizable and acclaimed actors -- a star on Broadway, an Oscar nominee for The Aviator, and, for eleven years, the inimitable Hawkeye Pierce on the M*A*S*H TV series -- during which time he became the only person ever to win Emmys for acting, writing, and directing. Now Alan Alda has written a memoir as elegant, funny, and affecting as his greatest performances.
"My mother didn't try to stab my father until I was six," begins Alda's irresistible story. The son of a popular actor and a loving but schizophrenic mother, he spent his early childhood backstage in the erotic and comic world of burlesque and went on, after early struggles, to achieve extraordinary success in his profession.
Yet Never Have Your Dog Stuffed is not a memoir of show-business ups and downs. It is a moving and funny story of a boy growing into a man who then realizes he has only just begun to grow. It is the story of turning points in Alda's life, events that would make him what he is -- if only he could survive them.
From the moment as a boy when his dead dog is returned from the taxidermist's shop with a hideous expression on its face, and Alda learns that death can't be undone, to his decades-long effort to find compassion for the mother he lived with but never knew, to his acceptance of his father, both personally and professionally, Alda learns the hard way that change, uncertainty, and transformation are what life is made of, and that true happiness is found in embracing them.
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, filled with wonder, good humor, and honesty, is the crowning achievement of an actor, author, and director. But surprisingly, it is the story of a life more filled with turbulence and laughter than any Alda has ever played on the stage or screen.’
The Last Juror by John Grisham
The former lawyer turned author writes about what he knows; law and crime, and I know him best from the Pelican Brief. This novel also explores the nature of small towns in the deep south of America during the 1970’s with a detail of someone who was there. It is a wonderful and gentle read that revels in the atmosphere of a place and time that not everybody will be familiar with. I enjoyed the book and found the pace and feel of it a pleasant alternative to some of the more action packed novels out there at the moment.
‘In 1970, one of Mississippi's more colorful weekly newspapers, The Ford County Times, went bankrupt. To the surprise and dismay of many, ownership was assumed by a 23 year-old college dropout, named Willie Traynor. The future of the paper looked grim until a young mother was brutally raped and murdered by a member of the notorious Padgitt family. Willie Traynor reported all the gruesome details, and his newspaper began to prosper.
The murderer, Danny Padgitt, was tried before a packed courthouse in Clanton, Mississippi. The trial came to a startling and dramatic end when the defendant threatened revenge against the jurors if they convicted him. Nevertheless, they found him guilty, and he was sentenced to life in prison.
But in Mississippi in 1970, "life" didn't necessarily mean "life," and nine years later Danny Padgitt managed to get himself paroled. He returned to Ford County, and the retribution began.’
The Raw Shark Text by Steven Hall
…also see the ‘annotated raw shark texts’ for in-depth analysis…
Wow, this is a very special book, a conceptual-psychological-literary thriller that plays with words and ideas in a wonderfully visual and at times even graphic-novel kind of way. Elements of the book jar and prod at the mind in a deliberately uncomfortable manner (is Mycroft Ward = Microsoft Word, is Dr Trey Fidorous = Richard Dreyfuss?). It is a nicely written and captivating read that, if rumours are true, will be appearing on celluloid before too long. Pretty good for a first novel.
The bastard love-child of The Matrix, Jaws and The Da Vinci Code – Mark Haddon
‘FIRST THINGS FIRST, STAY CALM.
If you are reading this, I’m not around anymore. Take the phone and speed dial 1. Tell the woman who answers that you are Eric Sanderson. The woman is Dr Randle. She’ll understand what has happened and you will be able to see her straight away. Take the car keys and drive the yellow Jeep to Dr Randle’s house. If you haven’t found it yet, there’s a map in the envelope – it isn’t too far and it’s not hard to find.
Dr Randle will be able to answer all your questions. It’s very important that you go straight away. Do not pass go. Do not explore. Do not collect two hundred pounds.
The house keys are hanging from a nail on the banister at the bottom of the stairs, don’t forget them.
With regret and also hope,
The first Eric Sanderson.’
Like most people I guess I only really know Alan Alda from the MASH TV series and I was interested to find out more about the man. The opening line is an immediate hook and it becomes apparent that it is from a defining moment in his life. It is a sweet and gentle read that comes from the heart without being over sentimental and which avoids the overt name dropping that some so called celebrities seem to resort to these days.
‘He's one of America's most recognizable and acclaimed actors -- a star on Broadway, an Oscar nominee for The Aviator, and, for eleven years, the inimitable Hawkeye Pierce on the M*A*S*H TV series -- during which time he became the only person ever to win Emmys for acting, writing, and directing. Now Alan Alda has written a memoir as elegant, funny, and affecting as his greatest performances.
"My mother didn't try to stab my father until I was six," begins Alda's irresistible story. The son of a popular actor and a loving but schizophrenic mother, he spent his early childhood backstage in the erotic and comic world of burlesque and went on, after early struggles, to achieve extraordinary success in his profession.
Yet Never Have Your Dog Stuffed is not a memoir of show-business ups and downs. It is a moving and funny story of a boy growing into a man who then realizes he has only just begun to grow. It is the story of turning points in Alda's life, events that would make him what he is -- if only he could survive them.
From the moment as a boy when his dead dog is returned from the taxidermist's shop with a hideous expression on its face, and Alda learns that death can't be undone, to his decades-long effort to find compassion for the mother he lived with but never knew, to his acceptance of his father, both personally and professionally, Alda learns the hard way that change, uncertainty, and transformation are what life is made of, and that true happiness is found in embracing them.
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, filled with wonder, good humor, and honesty, is the crowning achievement of an actor, author, and director. But surprisingly, it is the story of a life more filled with turbulence and laughter than any Alda has ever played on the stage or screen.’
The Last Juror by John Grisham
The former lawyer turned author writes about what he knows; law and crime, and I know him best from the Pelican Brief. This novel also explores the nature of small towns in the deep south of America during the 1970’s with a detail of someone who was there. It is a wonderful and gentle read that revels in the atmosphere of a place and time that not everybody will be familiar with. I enjoyed the book and found the pace and feel of it a pleasant alternative to some of the more action packed novels out there at the moment.
‘In 1970, one of Mississippi's more colorful weekly newspapers, The Ford County Times, went bankrupt. To the surprise and dismay of many, ownership was assumed by a 23 year-old college dropout, named Willie Traynor. The future of the paper looked grim until a young mother was brutally raped and murdered by a member of the notorious Padgitt family. Willie Traynor reported all the gruesome details, and his newspaper began to prosper.
The murderer, Danny Padgitt, was tried before a packed courthouse in Clanton, Mississippi. The trial came to a startling and dramatic end when the defendant threatened revenge against the jurors if they convicted him. Nevertheless, they found him guilty, and he was sentenced to life in prison.
But in Mississippi in 1970, "life" didn't necessarily mean "life," and nine years later Danny Padgitt managed to get himself paroled. He returned to Ford County, and the retribution began.’
The Raw Shark Text by Steven Hall
…also see the ‘annotated raw shark texts’ for in-depth analysis…
Wow, this is a very special book, a conceptual-psychological-literary thriller that plays with words and ideas in a wonderfully visual and at times even graphic-novel kind of way. Elements of the book jar and prod at the mind in a deliberately uncomfortable manner (is Mycroft Ward = Microsoft Word, is Dr Trey Fidorous = Richard Dreyfuss?). It is a nicely written and captivating read that, if rumours are true, will be appearing on celluloid before too long. Pretty good for a first novel.
The bastard love-child of The Matrix, Jaws and The Da Vinci Code – Mark Haddon
‘FIRST THINGS FIRST, STAY CALM.
If you are reading this, I’m not around anymore. Take the phone and speed dial 1. Tell the woman who answers that you are Eric Sanderson. The woman is Dr Randle. She’ll understand what has happened and you will be able to see her straight away. Take the car keys and drive the yellow Jeep to Dr Randle’s house. If you haven’t found it yet, there’s a map in the envelope – it isn’t too far and it’s not hard to find.
Dr Randle will be able to answer all your questions. It’s very important that you go straight away. Do not pass go. Do not explore. Do not collect two hundred pounds.
The house keys are hanging from a nail on the banister at the bottom of the stairs, don’t forget them.
With regret and also hope,
The first Eric Sanderson.’
Friday, March 30, 2007
More of wot I have heard…
Faithless - Forever Faithless
I found this at the checkout at a supermarket for under £5, a bargain for this collection of the band’s better known tracks. Even if you don’t know much about them you will have heard their music backing shows or adverts on the box. A great accessible dance act that is musically accomplished and lyrically inspiring. The gentle, dreamy and soulful voices reach deep inside your head where the words resonate while the incessant beat drives your feet to tapping. Love it!
I found this at the checkout at a supermarket for under £5, a bargain for this collection of the band’s better known tracks. Even if you don’t know much about them you will have heard their music backing shows or adverts on the box. A great accessible dance act that is musically accomplished and lyrically inspiring. The gentle, dreamy and soulful voices reach deep inside your head where the words resonate while the incessant beat drives your feet to tapping. Love it!
I love Dorking…
We have a new ‘tourist attraction’ in Dorking. In the middle of the roundabout on the main junction into the town is a ten foot tall metal cock. The Dorking Cock is a symbol of the town and dates back to when they used to breed these five toed chickens locally.
Naturally the new construction has caused plenty of comment and discussion and the noble beast itself has been adorned variously with streamers and daffodils in the short time it has been here (we are waiting for Easter to see what materialises then!).
I know the name of the town itself has come in for some comment from friends and family who associate dork and dorking with something else, but a T-shirt available shows that the locals don’t take themselves too seriously (I love Dorking). I’ve got to get me one of those!
Discussions about the Dorking Cock
Naturally the new construction has caused plenty of comment and discussion and the noble beast itself has been adorned variously with streamers and daffodils in the short time it has been here (we are waiting for Easter to see what materialises then!).
I know the name of the town itself has come in for some comment from friends and family who associate dork and dorking with something else, but a T-shirt available shows that the locals don’t take themselves too seriously (I love Dorking). I’ve got to get me one of those!
Discussions about the Dorking Cock
All kind of Folk…
The Chanticleer Folk Club is based out of the Friends Provident Social Club in Dorking and this provides and excellent venue with good performance space, comfortable seating area and separate (and cheap) bar. I suspect the name of the club is a reference to the Dorking cockerel. The club is run by Neil ‘the goblin’ McRitchie and his wife Martina. Neil used to work at the Hobgoblin music store and he plays the melodeon for the Rampant Rooster Morris side and the Pugwash Ceilidh Band. The club meets most Wednesdays from 8:30pm until 11:00pm and usually alternates weekly between a guest artist and a ‘singer’s night’ where club members perform.
Our last visit to the folk club was to see the Geordie fiddle player Tom McConville with Claire Mann on fiddle, flute, and whistle and vocals and Aaron Jones on bouzouki, guitar and vocals. They played traditional tunes, jigs and reels from all around the UK and gave a great performance to the small audience for a couple of hours.
Our last visit to the folk club was to see the Geordie fiddle player Tom McConville with Claire Mann on fiddle, flute, and whistle and vocals and Aaron Jones on bouzouki, guitar and vocals. They played traditional tunes, jigs and reels from all around the UK and gave a great performance to the small audience for a couple of hours.
A day in bonny Scotland…
The Monday after I returned from Brussels I was again on a plane, this time to Aberdeen where I was to meet with a couple of guys from the local office and go to visit a customer to talk about some work they want us to quote for. It takes longer to fly to the other end of the country than it does to some places in Europe and the ‘glamour’ of the ‘jet-set’ soon wares off when you have to shuffle in queues through several airports. Luckily I was able to go there and back in a (long) day and get back home by evening.
Out and about in Brussels…
I recently visited Brussels for a few days on a training course for work, learning about some of the company’s new products. There were a couple of colleagues from my office with me along with our opposite numbers from Sweden, The Netherlands, France, Bulgaria and the local office and our German boss. It is interesting to meet people from all over Europe and to find out a little about them and fortunately, for us ignorant types, the company language of English means they all speak more than one language (some embarrassingly speak many more).
More of wot I have read…
London Bridges by James Patterson
This book is trying to be an action packed thriller with a worldwide (centred on America) threat in the vein of the TV series ’24’. The main problem is the Alex Cross is no Jack Bower; in fact I became very frustrated with his lack of constructive input or drive (he seemed to spend most of his time jetting around, walking in parks brooding or asleep). The almost omnipotent, omnipresent villain with limitless funds and resources was too much too. It was a quick read, but for me, ultimately unsatisfying.
‘Alex Cross is back in his tenth and most explosive adventure yet.
In broad desert daylight, a mysterious platoon of soldiers evacuates the entire population of Sunrise Valley, Nevada. Minutes later, a huge bomb detonates a hundred feet above the ground and lays waste to homes, cars, and playgrounds: a town annihilated in an instant.
And so is the Wolf
Alex Cross is on vacation in San Francisco with his girlfriend, Jamilla Hughes, when he gets the call. The Russian super criminal known as the Wolf claims responsibility for the blast. The Wolf is the deadliest nemesis Cross has ever faced, and the fact that he is still at large is agonizing for him and his new bosses at the FBI.
And so is the Weasel
Major cities around the globe, including London, Paris, and New York, are threatened with total destruction. The Wolf has proven he can do it - the only question is who can stop him in time. Surveillance film of the blast reveals the presence of another of Alex Cross's most dangerous enemies, the ruthless assassin known as the Weasel. The thought of these two dark geniuses joining forces makes Alex's blood run cold.
Now are you scared?
World leaders have just four days to prevent an unimaginable cataclysm. In a matter of hours, Cross is catapulted into an international chase of astonishing danger. Joining forces with Scotland Yard and Interpol, Alex fights his way through a torrent of false leads, impersonators, and foreign agents before he gets close to the heart of the crimes. Racing down the hairpin turns of the Riviera in the most unforgettable finale James Patterson has ever written, Alex Cross confronts the truth of the Wolf's identity - a revelation that even Cross himself may be unable to survive.’
The Husband by Dean Koontz
I have written about Dean Koontz before and his skill in descriptive writing and characterisation and in this book he doesn’t disappoint. He manages to drag you into a nightmare scenario while delicately describing the environment and revealing the hidden depths and of his characters exposing them to evermore extreme conditions in a tantalising and believable manner. I found this book riveting.
‘With each and every new novel, Dean Koontz raises the stakes—and the pulse rate—higher than any other author. Now, in what may be his most suspenseful and heartfelt novel ever, he brings us the story of an ordinary man whose extraordinary commitment to his wife will take him on a harrowing journey of adventure, sacrifice, and redemption to the mystery of love itself-and to a showdown with the darkness that would destroy it forever.
What would you do for love? Would you die? Would you kill?
We have your wife. You can get her back for two million cash. Landscaper Mitchell Rafferty thinks it must be some kind of joke. He was in the middle of planting impatiens in the yard of one of his clients when his cell phone rang. Now he's standing in a normal suburban neighbourhood on a bright summer day, having a phone conversation out of his darkest nightmare.
Whoever is on the other end of the line is dead serious. He has Mitch's wife and he's named the price for her safe return. The caller doesn't care that Mitch runs a small two-man landscaping operation and has no way of raising such a vast sum. He's confident that Mitch will find a way. If he loves his wife enough… ...Mitch does love her enough. He loves her more than life itself. He's got seventy-two hours to prove it.
He has to find the two million by then. But he'll pay a lot more. He'll pay anything.
From its tense opening to its shattering climax, THE HUSBAND is a thriller that will hold you in its relentless grip for every twist, every shock, every revelation...until it lets you go, unmistakably changed. This is a Dean Koontz novel, after all. And there's no other experience quite like it.’
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
Where I like many of the subjects Dan Brown explores in his books and enjoy a certain amount of conspiracy and intrigue too, I find his execution sometimes jars and throws me off when I am reading. His annoying trait of telegraphing important messages as if the reader is a simpleton is condescending and disruptive to the narrative flow. Also Robert Langdon often appears ignorant of some things whilst making implausible leaps of deduction at other times. Important clues that have been hidden for centuries are solved in mere moments. If you get over these little frustrations the far-fetched story is quite entertaining.
‘When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati... the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth.
The Illuminati has surfaced from the shadows to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy... the Catholic Church.
Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces he has hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.
Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair... a secret location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.
An explosive international thriller, ANGELS & DEMONS careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war...’
This book is trying to be an action packed thriller with a worldwide (centred on America) threat in the vein of the TV series ’24’. The main problem is the Alex Cross is no Jack Bower; in fact I became very frustrated with his lack of constructive input or drive (he seemed to spend most of his time jetting around, walking in parks brooding or asleep). The almost omnipotent, omnipresent villain with limitless funds and resources was too much too. It was a quick read, but for me, ultimately unsatisfying.
‘Alex Cross is back in his tenth and most explosive adventure yet.
In broad desert daylight, a mysterious platoon of soldiers evacuates the entire population of Sunrise Valley, Nevada. Minutes later, a huge bomb detonates a hundred feet above the ground and lays waste to homes, cars, and playgrounds: a town annihilated in an instant.
And so is the Wolf
Alex Cross is on vacation in San Francisco with his girlfriend, Jamilla Hughes, when he gets the call. The Russian super criminal known as the Wolf claims responsibility for the blast. The Wolf is the deadliest nemesis Cross has ever faced, and the fact that he is still at large is agonizing for him and his new bosses at the FBI.
And so is the Weasel
Major cities around the globe, including London, Paris, and New York, are threatened with total destruction. The Wolf has proven he can do it - the only question is who can stop him in time. Surveillance film of the blast reveals the presence of another of Alex Cross's most dangerous enemies, the ruthless assassin known as the Weasel. The thought of these two dark geniuses joining forces makes Alex's blood run cold.
Now are you scared?
World leaders have just four days to prevent an unimaginable cataclysm. In a matter of hours, Cross is catapulted into an international chase of astonishing danger. Joining forces with Scotland Yard and Interpol, Alex fights his way through a torrent of false leads, impersonators, and foreign agents before he gets close to the heart of the crimes. Racing down the hairpin turns of the Riviera in the most unforgettable finale James Patterson has ever written, Alex Cross confronts the truth of the Wolf's identity - a revelation that even Cross himself may be unable to survive.’
The Husband by Dean Koontz
I have written about Dean Koontz before and his skill in descriptive writing and characterisation and in this book he doesn’t disappoint. He manages to drag you into a nightmare scenario while delicately describing the environment and revealing the hidden depths and of his characters exposing them to evermore extreme conditions in a tantalising and believable manner. I found this book riveting.
‘With each and every new novel, Dean Koontz raises the stakes—and the pulse rate—higher than any other author. Now, in what may be his most suspenseful and heartfelt novel ever, he brings us the story of an ordinary man whose extraordinary commitment to his wife will take him on a harrowing journey of adventure, sacrifice, and redemption to the mystery of love itself-and to a showdown with the darkness that would destroy it forever.
What would you do for love? Would you die? Would you kill?
We have your wife. You can get her back for two million cash. Landscaper Mitchell Rafferty thinks it must be some kind of joke. He was in the middle of planting impatiens in the yard of one of his clients when his cell phone rang. Now he's standing in a normal suburban neighbourhood on a bright summer day, having a phone conversation out of his darkest nightmare.
Whoever is on the other end of the line is dead serious. He has Mitch's wife and he's named the price for her safe return. The caller doesn't care that Mitch runs a small two-man landscaping operation and has no way of raising such a vast sum. He's confident that Mitch will find a way. If he loves his wife enough… ...Mitch does love her enough. He loves her more than life itself. He's got seventy-two hours to prove it.
He has to find the two million by then. But he'll pay a lot more. He'll pay anything.
From its tense opening to its shattering climax, THE HUSBAND is a thriller that will hold you in its relentless grip for every twist, every shock, every revelation...until it lets you go, unmistakably changed. This is a Dean Koontz novel, after all. And there's no other experience quite like it.’
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
Where I like many of the subjects Dan Brown explores in his books and enjoy a certain amount of conspiracy and intrigue too, I find his execution sometimes jars and throws me off when I am reading. His annoying trait of telegraphing important messages as if the reader is a simpleton is condescending and disruptive to the narrative flow. Also Robert Langdon often appears ignorant of some things whilst making implausible leaps of deduction at other times. Important clues that have been hidden for centuries are solved in mere moments. If you get over these little frustrations the far-fetched story is quite entertaining.
‘When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati... the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth.
The Illuminati has surfaced from the shadows to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy... the Catholic Church.
Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces he has hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.
Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair... a secret location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.
An explosive international thriller, ANGELS & DEMONS careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war...’
Thursday, March 15, 2007
More of wot I have read…
Fallen Angels by Bernard Cornwell and Susannah Kells (his wife Judy Cornwell)
This book has characters connected with A Crowning Mercy and along with that and his Gallows Thief book they are the only ones I have read. All are similar and display the author’s passion for the detail of the period that has made him so well know especially for his Sharpe series. His characters tend to be quite romantically drawn in a somewhat stylised way, but they are fun and fit in well with the adventurous nature of the story. His books are an easy and enjoyable read.
‘The Lazenders, a gilded family, have been the envy and pride of Britain for centuries. But Toby Lazender, the heir, is now mysteriously absent. His sister, Campion, is running the family estates in his absence.
But Lazen Castle is, unknowingly, a house under siege. The Fallen Angels – among the most powerful and dangerous men in Europe – are plotting to bring revolution to England. To succeed, they need money, and the Lazender fortune can provide it. A web of deceit closes around Lazen, drawing Campion ever closer to a subtle trap that has been laid for her. Her only hope for survival lies with the Gypsy – her brother’s aloof horse-master – a man whose loyalties have always been uncertain.’
This book has characters connected with A Crowning Mercy and along with that and his Gallows Thief book they are the only ones I have read. All are similar and display the author’s passion for the detail of the period that has made him so well know especially for his Sharpe series. His characters tend to be quite romantically drawn in a somewhat stylised way, but they are fun and fit in well with the adventurous nature of the story. His books are an easy and enjoyable read.
‘The Lazenders, a gilded family, have been the envy and pride of Britain for centuries. But Toby Lazender, the heir, is now mysteriously absent. His sister, Campion, is running the family estates in his absence.
But Lazen Castle is, unknowingly, a house under siege. The Fallen Angels – among the most powerful and dangerous men in Europe – are plotting to bring revolution to England. To succeed, they need money, and the Lazender fortune can provide it. A web of deceit closes around Lazen, drawing Campion ever closer to a subtle trap that has been laid for her. Her only hope for survival lies with the Gypsy – her brother’s aloof horse-master – a man whose loyalties have always been uncertain.’
More DIY…
We have been spending more time and money on decorating the house and it is getting close to how we want it. We have had more help from others too, Sue’s mum has made us some curtains and one of Sue’s aunts has done some wall papering while Sue’s sister jet-washed the deck, I put up some shelves and fixed the squeaking wardrobe doors, and Sue cooked an amazing roast dinner. Now that the weather has started to warm up we have also been down at the new allotment digging and planning while the back garden is also getting some attention with spade and saw.
Infestations…
Our new house has evidence of previous woodworm in some of the floorboards in our bedroom. Recently on a couple of nights we heard a random ticking sound that we couldn’t place, we didn’t have any clocks and the heating had been off for several hours so of course I thought ‘death-watch beetle!’ We weren’t one-hundred percent sure and I suspected a few other things, but we thought it was better to be safe than sorry, and so we arranged for a ‘Timber Pathologist’ to come around a do a survey. When he came over we lifted a few floor boards and he drilled a hole in another to inspect with a probe and in the end he was happy that we didn’t have a problem. I moved the two wicker baskets that sat on the bookcase behind our bed (they were pushed right up against the wall) and we haven’t heard the noise since.
But now we seem to have an infestation of cats! Our cat flap in the back door is either open or shut and normally we leave it open so our cat Sooty can come and go as he pleases. We also usually keep all the internal doors open to let the air circulate. The cat’s food is kept on the kitchen floor by the back door, and although he is a fussy eater, the bowls are always empty. On a couple of occasions we have come home from work and he has greeted us as usual while another black cat has come downstairs and run out through the cat flap. Also on a couple of nights ginger cat has come in and Sooty has started hissing at him so that I have had to get up and shoo it off. Now we have to close doors and the cat flap for some peace and quiet. It must be noted that Sooty is not averse to entering other neighbouring houses for food and a sleep either.
But now we seem to have an infestation of cats! Our cat flap in the back door is either open or shut and normally we leave it open so our cat Sooty can come and go as he pleases. We also usually keep all the internal doors open to let the air circulate. The cat’s food is kept on the kitchen floor by the back door, and although he is a fussy eater, the bowls are always empty. On a couple of occasions we have come home from work and he has greeted us as usual while another black cat has come downstairs and run out through the cat flap. Also on a couple of nights ginger cat has come in and Sooty has started hissing at him so that I have had to get up and shoo it off. Now we have to close doors and the cat flap for some peace and quiet. It must be noted that Sooty is not averse to entering other neighbouring houses for food and a sleep either.
Monday, February 19, 2007
More of wot I have heard...
The Decemberists – The Crane Wife
The second album I have of this band and it is similar in style to the first. It has strong storytelling elements that seem to be based in (American) folk traditions, though every so often they seem to enjoy throwing in a curve ball. It is an album to sit and listen to more than to play in the background. It demands a certain level of attention from the listener for which it rewards with little gems of audio delights.
Brooke Fraser – What to do with daylight
This artist was new to me and I didn’t know what to expect when I played her album. Sent as a present by my brother and his wife from NZ I have since found out that this young Kiwi girl is very popular there and in Australia. She has a pleasant voice and the songs are nicely written. We have played it a couple of times now and it will probably be on high rotation for a while to come.
The second album I have of this band and it is similar in style to the first. It has strong storytelling elements that seem to be based in (American) folk traditions, though every so often they seem to enjoy throwing in a curve ball. It is an album to sit and listen to more than to play in the background. It demands a certain level of attention from the listener for which it rewards with little gems of audio delights.
Brooke Fraser – What to do with daylight
This artist was new to me and I didn’t know what to expect when I played her album. Sent as a present by my brother and his wife from NZ I have since found out that this young Kiwi girl is very popular there and in Australia. She has a pleasant voice and the songs are nicely written. We have played it a couple of times now and it will probably be on high rotation for a while to come.
Another year older...
Amongst the many cards and gifts I received for my birthday were books on foraging ‘food for free’, picking wild fungi safely, and spotting birds found in the British garden (along with a pair of binoculars), the latest novel by Dean Koontz, various T-shirts, a pair of jeans, a wallet, a box of wine, a nice whiskey, some chocolates, and a couple of CDs. Since we have only recently moved into our new home we decided not to go away, as we often do for my birthday, instead family and friends came over the weekend before and we entertained at home.
Virtually working...
Trip to Barcelona
I recently went to Barcelona with work on an annual sales conference. Somewhere in the region of 500 people from offices throughout our EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region came and joined in. Some of the extra curricular activities included a trip to the Barcelona football club home ground where we had a reception, tour and presentations with Eidur Gudjohnsen giving a brief talk. Not being that interested in sport or in football (soccer) in particular it all left me somewhat cold. One of the hotels we were in was near to the ground and during the few days we also saw Ronaldinho in the bar. Some of the attendees at the conference went to one of the matches on the Sunday evening. We also went on a short bus tour of the sights of the town (I had seen much of it when Sue and I visited a few years before) and we ended up having dinner at the Casa Batllo , one of the architect Antoni Gaudi’s best designed houses.
Trip to Manchester
I had another trip away this year, though this was only a flying visit to our training school in Manchester where I was learning about one of our products. The visit coincided with expected ‘blizzard’ weather conditions that were to sweep the west, south and midlands. On my journey back I prepared myself for the possibility that I would have to stop and book in at a hotel for the night, but the horrors predicted by all of the news networks and travel services didn’t affect my route at all, in fact I got home in record time as hardly anybody was on the roads. The public utilities in the UK can’t seem to cope with any minor variation in the weather (leaves on the line, the wrong type of snow etc.). A few centimeters of snow and everybody is all doom and gloom, yet colleagues of mine battled through several feet of snow in Germany and there the trains were running and the taxis still ran at 140kph down the autobahn!
I recently went to Barcelona with work on an annual sales conference. Somewhere in the region of 500 people from offices throughout our EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region came and joined in. Some of the extra curricular activities included a trip to the Barcelona football club home ground where we had a reception, tour and presentations with Eidur Gudjohnsen giving a brief talk. Not being that interested in sport or in football (soccer) in particular it all left me somewhat cold. One of the hotels we were in was near to the ground and during the few days we also saw Ronaldinho in the bar. Some of the attendees at the conference went to one of the matches on the Sunday evening. We also went on a short bus tour of the sights of the town (I had seen much of it when Sue and I visited a few years before) and we ended up having dinner at the Casa Batllo , one of the architect Antoni Gaudi’s best designed houses.
Trip to Manchester
I had another trip away this year, though this was only a flying visit to our training school in Manchester where I was learning about one of our products. The visit coincided with expected ‘blizzard’ weather conditions that were to sweep the west, south and midlands. On my journey back I prepared myself for the possibility that I would have to stop and book in at a hotel for the night, but the horrors predicted by all of the news networks and travel services didn’t affect my route at all, in fact I got home in record time as hardly anybody was on the roads. The public utilities in the UK can’t seem to cope with any minor variation in the weather (leaves on the line, the wrong type of snow etc.). A few centimeters of snow and everybody is all doom and gloom, yet colleagues of mine battled through several feet of snow in Germany and there the trains were running and the taxis still ran at 140kph down the autobahn!
Around the home...
The House
Boiler replacement
We had always planned to one day change the boiler in the new house as we have a preference for a combi-boiler rather than having separate hot water and central heating, when the electric immersion heater failed though we were forced to act quicker than we expected. Unfortunately we couldn’t easily replace the heating element in the hot water cylinder because whoever fitted the boiler placed directly above the cylinder, preventing us from getting access to the bits inside it. This lack of planning and poor execution is a theme that seems to run throughout the house (some might call it qwerky!). For a few weeks we had to do without hot water and we were washing either at work, at Sue’s mums, or at the local swimming baths. Now it has been replaced we are pretty much back to normal.
New furniture
We sold much of our furniture to the woman who was buying our old house as we had bought it when we moved in there approximately 10 years before. We brought only the sitting room furniture (the seating we intend to change later once we have finished the redecoration), and some shelving and storage units. We had bought new beds just before the move and we had a lovely old oak dining table given to us by Joyce and Terry (the frame of which is several hundred years old). We had new dining chairs delivered in the nick of time just before Christmas ready for use by all our visitors who were coming over to dine with us during the festive break. We have bought a few pieces of furniture which are in the Indian style in dark rosewood and rustic finish and they seem to suit the style of the cottage very well.
Decorating
We had help from Sue’s brother and nephews with plastering and some painting, enabling us to repaint the lounge, dining room, front bedroom and start on the bathroom. We have now nearly finished painting, with just the woodwork in most of the rooms and the walls and woodwork in the bathroom yet to do. Sue’s aunt is coming over soon to hang some wall paper on a feature wall to complete the lounge and then it is details such as door furniture, shelves, some pictures and a curtain left to hang after that.
Fence
We had some storms earlier in the year and the only fence in gardens in our terrace of houses to come down was ours. It was completely rotten and so we again called on Sue’s brother to come over and put up a new one with strong concrete posts that should now last a while.
Allotment
We still have our old allotment which we will slowly rob of useful plants, moving them either to a new allotment or to plant out in our garden. There is a section of land behind us that is being used as a vegetable garden and we have asked the owner if he would consider letting us rent (or buy) some of it off him, but we haven’t heard back from him yet. We have bought our seed potatoes, onions and garlic and we plan on starting planting in a couple of weeks, once the ground starts to warm up.
Boiler replacement
We had always planned to one day change the boiler in the new house as we have a preference for a combi-boiler rather than having separate hot water and central heating, when the electric immersion heater failed though we were forced to act quicker than we expected. Unfortunately we couldn’t easily replace the heating element in the hot water cylinder because whoever fitted the boiler placed directly above the cylinder, preventing us from getting access to the bits inside it. This lack of planning and poor execution is a theme that seems to run throughout the house (some might call it qwerky!). For a few weeks we had to do without hot water and we were washing either at work, at Sue’s mums, or at the local swimming baths. Now it has been replaced we are pretty much back to normal.
New furniture
We sold much of our furniture to the woman who was buying our old house as we had bought it when we moved in there approximately 10 years before. We brought only the sitting room furniture (the seating we intend to change later once we have finished the redecoration), and some shelving and storage units. We had bought new beds just before the move and we had a lovely old oak dining table given to us by Joyce and Terry (the frame of which is several hundred years old). We had new dining chairs delivered in the nick of time just before Christmas ready for use by all our visitors who were coming over to dine with us during the festive break. We have bought a few pieces of furniture which are in the Indian style in dark rosewood and rustic finish and they seem to suit the style of the cottage very well.
Decorating
We had help from Sue’s brother and nephews with plastering and some painting, enabling us to repaint the lounge, dining room, front bedroom and start on the bathroom. We have now nearly finished painting, with just the woodwork in most of the rooms and the walls and woodwork in the bathroom yet to do. Sue’s aunt is coming over soon to hang some wall paper on a feature wall to complete the lounge and then it is details such as door furniture, shelves, some pictures and a curtain left to hang after that.
Fence
We had some storms earlier in the year and the only fence in gardens in our terrace of houses to come down was ours. It was completely rotten and so we again called on Sue’s brother to come over and put up a new one with strong concrete posts that should now last a while.
Allotment
We still have our old allotment which we will slowly rob of useful plants, moving them either to a new allotment or to plant out in our garden. There is a section of land behind us that is being used as a vegetable garden and we have asked the owner if he would consider letting us rent (or buy) some of it off him, but we haven’t heard back from him yet. We have bought our seed potatoes, onions and garlic and we plan on starting planting in a couple of weeks, once the ground starts to warm up.
Christmas and New Year...
As we had just moved into our new house we took the opportunity to have Christmas and New Year at home. Joyce and Terry and Liam the dog came down to stay with, as did Jamie back from University in Hull. We had other family and friends over during the festive season and Sue and Joyce made very good use of the double oven cooking traditional roasts for the masses. We interspersed the eating with walks in the countryside, visits to the local hostelry and naps on the sofa. After Christmas Sue and I were left to our own devices for New Years, and took it easy kicking back and enjoying Jools Holland’s Hootenanny on the TV. This meant that we were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on New Years Day and so we joined the local Westcott History Group , or a Sue calls them – the Hysterical Society, and went for a walk. The day was bright and fresh and the outing made us feel very virtuous. After our visit to see a 300 year old farm (with mulled wine and mince pies included) and the much older Saxon church we stopped at a pub to celebrate before returning home to open the champagne.
Friday, February 16, 2007
More of wot I have read...
Insomnia by Stephen King
King’s writing style tends to lean towards action and violence, often graphic and gratuitous, rather than a steady building of suspense and tension that I prefer. I thought his choice of main characters was inspired and I was looking forward to learning how they viewed the world, but they too seemed to become more inclined towards heroic activity than you would have credited them with. I was not totally convinced with the supernatural elements that King tried to convey in this book and this inevitably frustrated me. I just think I don’t get on with his writing style, but I know many others do.
'Ralph Roberts has a problem: he isn't sleeping so well these days. In fact, he's hardly sleeping at all. Each morning, the news conveyed by the bedside clock is a little worse: 3:15...3:02...2:45...2:15. The books call it "premature waking"; Ralph, who is still learning to be a widower, calls it a season in hell. He's begun to notice a strangeness in his familiar surroundings, to experience visual phenomena that he can't quite believe are hallucinations. Soon, Ralph thinks, he won't be sleeping at all, and what then? A problem, yes - though perhaps not so uncommon, you might say. But Ralph has lived his entire life in Derry, Maine, and Derry isn't like other places, as millions of Stephen King readers will gladly testify. They remember It, also set in Derry, and know there's a mean streak running through this small New England city; underneath its ordinary surface awesome and terrifying forces are at work. The dying, natural and otherwise, has been going on in Derry for a long, long time. Now Ralph is part of it. So are his friends. And so are the strangers they encounter.'
Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
I found this book much more my cup of tea and I was drawn in immediately, attracted by the playful writing and the sympathetic and qwerky characters. Even though the idea is not necessarily a new one, the interpretation seemed fresh and exciting. I particularly enjoyed Koontz attention to detail and his almost poetic style of description.
"The dead don't talk. I don't know why." But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn. Maybe he has a gift, maybe it's a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd's otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo's sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it's different. A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd's deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15.
Today is August 14.
In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares—and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.
Forever Odd by Dean Koontz
As a sequel this book suffers from the fact that we know many of the secrets we didn’t in the first book, and taking it on a step sometimes pushes the boundaries just a bit too far. There is not a lot extra that we find out about the characters we like and the new characters seem even more outlandish than before. It could be trying too hard.
Every so often a character so captures the hearts and imaginations of readers that he seems to take on a life of his own long after the final page is turned. For such a character, one book is not enough — readers must know what happens next. Now Dean Koontz returns with the novel his fans have been demanding. With the emotional power and sheer storytelling artistry that are his trademarks, Koontz takes up once more the story of a unique young hero and an eccentric little town in a tale that is equal parts suspense and terror, adventure and mystery — and altogether irresistibly odd.
We're all a little odd beneath the surface. He's the most unlikely hero you'll ever meet — an ordinary guy with a modest job you might never look at twice. But there's so much more to any of us than meets the eye — and that goes triple for Odd Thomas. For Odd lives always between two worlds in the small desert town of Pico Mundo, where the heroic and the harrowing are everyday events. Odd never asked to communicate with the dead — it's something that just happened. But as the unofficial ambassador between our world and theirs, he's got a duty to do the right thing. That's the way Odd sees it and that's why he's won hearts on both sides of the divide between life and death.
A childhood friend of Odd's has disappeared. The worst is feared. But as Odd applies his unique talents to the task of finding the missing person, he discovers something worse than a dead body, encounters an enemy of exceptional cunning, and spirals into a vortex of terror. Once again Odd will stand against our worst fears. Around him will gather new allies and old, some living and some not. For in the battle to come, there can be no innocent bystanders, and every sacrifice can tip the balance between despair and hope. Whether you're meeting Odd Thomas for the first time or he's already an old friend, you'll be led on an unforgettable journey through a world of terror, wonder and delight — to a revelation that can change your life. And you can have no better guide than Odd Thomas.
The Husband by Dean Koontz
I received this book for my birthday from my wife and it is a real page-turner. I didn’t want to put it down, drawn as I was into the horror as Mitch’s world is turned upside down and everything (well almost everything) he though was good turns bad. At the end it had my pulse beating faster as I willed him on. I have really enjoyed the few books I have read by this author and I will look out for more of them now.
What would you do for love? Would you die? Would you kill?
We have your wife. You can get her back for two million cash. Landscaper Mitchell Rafferty thinks it must be some kind of joke. He was in the middle of planting impatiens in the yard of one of his clients when his cell phone rang. Now he's standing in a normal suburban neighborhood on a bright summer day, having a phone conversation out of his darkest nightmare.
Whoever is on the other end of the line is dead serious. He has Mitch's wife and he's named the price for her safe return. The caller doesn't care that Mitch runs a small two-man landscaping operation and has no way of raising such a vast sum. He's confident that Mitch will find a way. If he loves his wife enough… Mitch does love her enough. He loves her more than life itself. He's got seventy-two hours to prove it. He has to find the two million by then. But he'll pay a lot more. He'll pay anything.
BloodBowl by Matt Forbeck
If you approach this book with the same attitude as the game of BloodBowl them you probably won’t be disappointed. It is never going to win any literary awards but then that never was its aim. It’s just a bit of fun.
He should have stuck to fighting dragons…
Dunk Hoffnung’s life is going nowhere fast and being an adventurer is definitely not all it’s cracked up to be. The pay is terrible, the conditions harsh and the only people you meet are generally monsters and they’re more interested in eating your flesh than sitting down and sharing their feelings…
When sports agent Slick Fullbelly spots Dunk bringing down a Chimera with a spear from a hundred paces, he’s sure that his search is over. Slick works for the Bad Bay Hackers, and they need a new thrower. Dunk is about to be plunged headfirst into the insane world of Blood Bowl, the fastest, meanest sport in this dark and brutal fantasy world. Dunk puts down his sword and steps off the battlefield…… onto the football field.
DeadBall by Matt Forbeck
This is more of the same, bad jokes, terrible puns, and wild action that is absolutely nothing more than a bit of fan fun.
Would-be star quarterback Dunk Hoffnung is back and, unfortunately, he's not smelling of roses. His dreams of fame and stardom within the ridiculously violent game of Blood Bowl have all come to nothing. But a good player never says die (though they have been known to say "Ouch" or "Look, take the ball! Just don't hurt me!" or "Not in the face!") and he's determined to make his name… in the Albion leagues. All he has to do is survive the dirty tricks, the sneaky cheating and the exploding footballs. And that's just the players on his team.
King’s writing style tends to lean towards action and violence, often graphic and gratuitous, rather than a steady building of suspense and tension that I prefer. I thought his choice of main characters was inspired and I was looking forward to learning how they viewed the world, but they too seemed to become more inclined towards heroic activity than you would have credited them with. I was not totally convinced with the supernatural elements that King tried to convey in this book and this inevitably frustrated me. I just think I don’t get on with his writing style, but I know many others do.
'Ralph Roberts has a problem: he isn't sleeping so well these days. In fact, he's hardly sleeping at all. Each morning, the news conveyed by the bedside clock is a little worse: 3:15...3:02...2:45...2:15. The books call it "premature waking"; Ralph, who is still learning to be a widower, calls it a season in hell. He's begun to notice a strangeness in his familiar surroundings, to experience visual phenomena that he can't quite believe are hallucinations. Soon, Ralph thinks, he won't be sleeping at all, and what then? A problem, yes - though perhaps not so uncommon, you might say. But Ralph has lived his entire life in Derry, Maine, and Derry isn't like other places, as millions of Stephen King readers will gladly testify. They remember It, also set in Derry, and know there's a mean streak running through this small New England city; underneath its ordinary surface awesome and terrifying forces are at work. The dying, natural and otherwise, has been going on in Derry for a long, long time. Now Ralph is part of it. So are his friends. And so are the strangers they encounter.'
Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
I found this book much more my cup of tea and I was drawn in immediately, attracted by the playful writing and the sympathetic and qwerky characters. Even though the idea is not necessarily a new one, the interpretation seemed fresh and exciting. I particularly enjoyed Koontz attention to detail and his almost poetic style of description.
"The dead don't talk. I don't know why." But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn. Maybe he has a gift, maybe it's a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Sometimes they want justice, and Odd's otherworldly tips to Pico Mundo's sympathetic police chief, Wyatt Porter, can solve a crime. Occasionally they can prevent one. But this time it's different. A mysterious man comes to town with a voracious appetite, a filing cabinet stuffed with information on the world's worst killers, and a pack of hyena-like shades following him wherever he goes. Who the man is and what he wants, not even Odd's deceased informants can tell him. His most ominous clue is a page ripped from a day-by-day calendar for August 15.
Today is August 14.
In less than twenty-four hours, Pico Mundo will awaken to a day of catastrophe. As evil coils under the searing desert sun, Odd travels through the shifting prisms of his world, struggling to avert a looming cataclysm with the aid of his soul mate and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His account of two shattering days when past and present, fate and destiny converge is the stuff of our worst nightmares—and a testament by which to live: sanely if not safely, with courage, humor, and a full heart that even in the darkness must persevere.
Forever Odd by Dean Koontz
As a sequel this book suffers from the fact that we know many of the secrets we didn’t in the first book, and taking it on a step sometimes pushes the boundaries just a bit too far. There is not a lot extra that we find out about the characters we like and the new characters seem even more outlandish than before. It could be trying too hard.
Every so often a character so captures the hearts and imaginations of readers that he seems to take on a life of his own long after the final page is turned. For such a character, one book is not enough — readers must know what happens next. Now Dean Koontz returns with the novel his fans have been demanding. With the emotional power and sheer storytelling artistry that are his trademarks, Koontz takes up once more the story of a unique young hero and an eccentric little town in a tale that is equal parts suspense and terror, adventure and mystery — and altogether irresistibly odd.
We're all a little odd beneath the surface. He's the most unlikely hero you'll ever meet — an ordinary guy with a modest job you might never look at twice. But there's so much more to any of us than meets the eye — and that goes triple for Odd Thomas. For Odd lives always between two worlds in the small desert town of Pico Mundo, where the heroic and the harrowing are everyday events. Odd never asked to communicate with the dead — it's something that just happened. But as the unofficial ambassador between our world and theirs, he's got a duty to do the right thing. That's the way Odd sees it and that's why he's won hearts on both sides of the divide between life and death.
A childhood friend of Odd's has disappeared. The worst is feared. But as Odd applies his unique talents to the task of finding the missing person, he discovers something worse than a dead body, encounters an enemy of exceptional cunning, and spirals into a vortex of terror. Once again Odd will stand against our worst fears. Around him will gather new allies and old, some living and some not. For in the battle to come, there can be no innocent bystanders, and every sacrifice can tip the balance between despair and hope. Whether you're meeting Odd Thomas for the first time or he's already an old friend, you'll be led on an unforgettable journey through a world of terror, wonder and delight — to a revelation that can change your life. And you can have no better guide than Odd Thomas.
The Husband by Dean Koontz
I received this book for my birthday from my wife and it is a real page-turner. I didn’t want to put it down, drawn as I was into the horror as Mitch’s world is turned upside down and everything (well almost everything) he though was good turns bad. At the end it had my pulse beating faster as I willed him on. I have really enjoyed the few books I have read by this author and I will look out for more of them now.
What would you do for love? Would you die? Would you kill?
We have your wife. You can get her back for two million cash. Landscaper Mitchell Rafferty thinks it must be some kind of joke. He was in the middle of planting impatiens in the yard of one of his clients when his cell phone rang. Now he's standing in a normal suburban neighborhood on a bright summer day, having a phone conversation out of his darkest nightmare.
Whoever is on the other end of the line is dead serious. He has Mitch's wife and he's named the price for her safe return. The caller doesn't care that Mitch runs a small two-man landscaping operation and has no way of raising such a vast sum. He's confident that Mitch will find a way. If he loves his wife enough… Mitch does love her enough. He loves her more than life itself. He's got seventy-two hours to prove it. He has to find the two million by then. But he'll pay a lot more. He'll pay anything.
BloodBowl by Matt Forbeck
If you approach this book with the same attitude as the game of BloodBowl them you probably won’t be disappointed. It is never going to win any literary awards but then that never was its aim. It’s just a bit of fun.
He should have stuck to fighting dragons…
Dunk Hoffnung’s life is going nowhere fast and being an adventurer is definitely not all it’s cracked up to be. The pay is terrible, the conditions harsh and the only people you meet are generally monsters and they’re more interested in eating your flesh than sitting down and sharing their feelings…
When sports agent Slick Fullbelly spots Dunk bringing down a Chimera with a spear from a hundred paces, he’s sure that his search is over. Slick works for the Bad Bay Hackers, and they need a new thrower. Dunk is about to be plunged headfirst into the insane world of Blood Bowl, the fastest, meanest sport in this dark and brutal fantasy world. Dunk puts down his sword and steps off the battlefield…… onto the football field.
DeadBall by Matt Forbeck
This is more of the same, bad jokes, terrible puns, and wild action that is absolutely nothing more than a bit of fan fun.
Would-be star quarterback Dunk Hoffnung is back and, unfortunately, he's not smelling of roses. His dreams of fame and stardom within the ridiculously violent game of Blood Bowl have all come to nothing. But a good player never says die (though they have been known to say "Ouch" or "Look, take the ball! Just don't hurt me!" or "Not in the face!") and he's determined to make his name… in the Albion leagues. All he has to do is survive the dirty tricks, the sneaky cheating and the exploding footballs. And that's just the players on his team.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
The country life…
The local Westcott History group has done some investigation on the little village of Westcott that we now inhabit and reveals that it was mentioned in the Domesday Book. The sign on the green has a small thatched dovecote upon it with the letters of the compass above (though the N has been replaced with a T to spell out WEST of Westcott).
The village sits in an Area of Natural Beauty at the foot of the North Surrey Downs by Ranmore Common which is criss-crossed by many footpaths and walkways including the Pilgrim’s Way that runs all the way down to Canterbury. A path runs passed our front door and down to where it crosses Pipps Brook before climbing up towards the common.
We are in the lovely named Mole Valley District (named after the river that is so called for its habit of disappearing into the ground to emerge elsewhere), and near to the old market town of Dorking (why does everyone snigger at the name?)
Dotted around the countryside are many fine pubs and picturesque villages and just over the ridge of the Downs is the UKs largest vineyard, Denbies, who make some very fine wines.
The village sits in an Area of Natural Beauty at the foot of the North Surrey Downs by Ranmore Common which is criss-crossed by many footpaths and walkways including the Pilgrim’s Way that runs all the way down to Canterbury. A path runs passed our front door and down to where it crosses Pipps Brook before climbing up towards the common.
We are in the lovely named Mole Valley District (named after the river that is so called for its habit of disappearing into the ground to emerge elsewhere), and near to the old market town of Dorking (why does everyone snigger at the name?)
Dotted around the countryside are many fine pubs and picturesque villages and just over the ridge of the Downs is the UKs largest vineyard, Denbies, who make some very fine wines.
New home sweet home…
Well we have moved into our new home at last after many months of negotiating and waiting for everybody involved being ready. On Monday the 11th the removal men arrived (from the old peoples home it seemed – four guys, the youngest of which was in his fifties the oldest nearer seventy) and started to shift our mountain of possessions in the pouring rain (and that is even though we were leaving the dining suite, sideboard, wardrobes, TV cabinet and all of the appliances with the exception of the freezer behind). In fact they soon filled the first van up and had to arrange for another to come for the remaining household items and garden plants and equipment. The elderly removal team then went off to wait at the new house while Sue went with friend Carole to the estate agents to wait for the monies to exchange and to pick up the keys while I took some of our more valuable items and the cat in our car to join the old boys at the new place.
After we got the keys it was another few hours of shifting stuff, interspersed with the occasional tea, until all the items were indoors and the guys left at around 5pm. We took Carole up to one of the three local pubs for a meal (a wonderful Thai curry) before she left and we returned to our new home totally exhausted.
We both had the week off and we were kept very busy each day unpacking, building new flat pack furniture, painting the front bedroom (painted Chelsea Blue for the previous owners football mad son) and fixing the odd little fault that we had found (we needed a new door lock and had a leak under the sink). Luckily we were able to prevail on the services of Sue’s builder brother Dave and his son Terry to help us out, and when the range cooker and dishwasher arrived Dave came back to help connect the gas and electric when the delivery engineers refused (the electrical outlet had to be moved). This close to the festive season could have proven difficult to get anyone else in and so he literary saved our turkey and Christmas for the family.
After we got the keys it was another few hours of shifting stuff, interspersed with the occasional tea, until all the items were indoors and the guys left at around 5pm. We took Carole up to one of the three local pubs for a meal (a wonderful Thai curry) before she left and we returned to our new home totally exhausted.
We both had the week off and we were kept very busy each day unpacking, building new flat pack furniture, painting the front bedroom (painted Chelsea Blue for the previous owners football mad son) and fixing the odd little fault that we had found (we needed a new door lock and had a leak under the sink). Luckily we were able to prevail on the services of Sue’s builder brother Dave and his son Terry to help us out, and when the range cooker and dishwasher arrived Dave came back to help connect the gas and electric when the delivery engineers refused (the electrical outlet had to be moved). This close to the festive season could have proven difficult to get anyone else in and so he literary saved our turkey and Christmas for the family.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Tits like coconuts…
With the weather turning nippy and many a bird finding things becoming harder, it is important to think about how you look after your little friends this winter. Apparently half a coconut hung from a tree branch is a favorite of many a small bird and will help see them through this tough time of year. (What did you think I was talking about?)
Trip to Geneva…
We recently had a short weekend break to Geneva with a couple of friends for a spur of the moment holiday. We had all done a good deal of research and so had a plan of what we wanted to do and see. The main tourist season had ended so we missed out on a few of the events that we would have liked to catch but we did have a nice day out to the nearby suburb of Carouge that has a delightful market, some fabulous arty shops including an awesome toy shop. We loved the old town and the view from the top of the cathedral across the city and lake was spectacular. Naturally we ventured out onto the lake passed the fountain, crossing several times in the little taxi boats. (A single pass ticket can get you on all public transport from trains, trams, busses and boats and also gives benefits for several attractions around town and is available for 48 and 72hr periods). We ate well in several establishments from the quirky and intimate ‘at my cousins house we eat chicken’ to more exclusive establishments (Though I seemed to have found a taste for expensive drinks without even trying) and Sue and I enjoyed the locally caught Perch.
Moving House…
Things seem to be progressing now at last (fingers and toes crossed). We have finally exchanged contracts and set a date of the 11th of December for the big day. We have been busy writing to our service providers, packing boxes and making arrangements for the move. We will take the week off and hope to have most things sorted for when friends and family start arriving for Christmas. We have ordered our new range cooker and dishwasher after checking twice on the size (how big!), and I needed a lie down afterwards when I saw the bill.
The new house is similar to the one we are leaving in that it is a mid terraced two-up-two-down cottage but it has a converted loft space giving us an extra room. The bathroom and kitchen are bigger but the gardens are pretty much the same size (I have spotted a section of land at the back that is currently being used as a veggie plot and I think I will try and contact the owners to see if they want to rent or sell it to us). We do have the advantage of being able to walk down the lane and out onto the North Surrey Downs and a short journey takes us into Dorking where there are all the facilities of a good sized market town including mainline train links to London.
The new house is similar to the one we are leaving in that it is a mid terraced two-up-two-down cottage but it has a converted loft space giving us an extra room. The bathroom and kitchen are bigger but the gardens are pretty much the same size (I have spotted a section of land at the back that is currently being used as a veggie plot and I think I will try and contact the owners to see if they want to rent or sell it to us). We do have the advantage of being able to walk down the lane and out onto the North Surrey Downs and a short journey takes us into Dorking where there are all the facilities of a good sized market town including mainline train links to London.
More of wot I have read…
Heroes Die by Matthew Stover
I am not sure about this book. It is in a very macho style with excessive focus on prolonged and graphically violent fight scenes interspersed with chauvinistic male/female interaction and little character or background development. If you like your action hard and fast without any guilt then this could be for you. Personally I would have liked to know more about the technology, sociological background and motivation that leads up to this novel.
‘Renowned throughout the land of Ankhana as the Blade of Tyshalle, Caine has killed his share of monarchs and commoners, villains and heroes. He is relentless, unstoppable; simply the best there is at what he does.At home on Earth, Caine is Hari Michaelson, a superstar whose adventures in Ankhana command an audience of billions. Yet he is shackled by a rigid caste society, bound to ignore the grim fact that he kills men on a far-off world for the entertainment of his own planet--and bound to keep his rage in check.But now Michaelson has crossed the line. His estranged wife, Pallas Rill, has mysteriously disappeared in the slums of Ankhana. To save her, he must confront the greatest challenge of his life: a lethal game of cat and mouse with the most treacherous rulers of two worlds…’
Supermen Isaac Asimov collection of sci-fi short stories
An interesting read of some quite different and variable stories. It has been a long time since I have read short stories and I enjoyed the different style and pace that is a necessary part to them.
‘The unique and sometimes powerful stories included in this multi-authored collection of short stories are, as the title suggests, tales of men that could be considered to be supermen. This anthology contains a number of good stories and some excellent ones about human beings that are in some way superior to ourselves. There are 12 tales from some of today’s better known science fiction writers.
'What Rough Beast' by Damon Knight is an excellent story about a man who can twist time and events. He can create wealth, heal the sick, and change the world in an infinite number of ways. This was a very entertaining story with an intriguing concept.
'Worlds To Kill' by Harlan Ellison is a very good story about a man who destroys entire worlds for a living.
'In The Bone' by Gordon R. Dickson tells the intriguing tale of one man searching for new worlds and equipped with the best technology that man can provide. He begins to feel godlike until he meets a technology just little better.
Larry Niven, Poul Anderson, Dean R. Koontz, A. E. van Vogt, Roger Zelazny and Robert Silverberg are some of the other writers that contributed to this above average collection of short stories. I first bought this collection back in the eighties. It sat, for some unknown reason, on my bookshelf collecting dust. Finally, craving some short science fiction stories, I read this book. I found it to be a very enjoyable book. Like any short story collection certain stories are better than others. However, there are enough varied ideas and concepts that everyone should find something that they like in this book. Amazon Reviewer’
The Universe Maker by A.E. Van Vogt
This is another book that I am in two minds about. I found it difficult to have sympathy for Cargill, who seems self serving and chauvinistic (this might be a product of the time when it was written – 1950’s). It also seems that the author skips a little lightly over some of the more complex and far fetched concepts leaving me unsatisfied with his explanations. Nevertheless it is quite an original story line and for that it is worth the effort.
‘Morton Cargill is about to die for a crime he committed 400 yrs. ago. Lieutenant Morton Cargill was brought from the past to be punished for his crime, an accidental murder that took place centuries before. Now he is in a world ruled by the Shadows, an evil people who can pass through solid walls & remain untouched by weapons. But the Shadows are being threatened by the Planiacs, a celestial race that lives high above the earth & to whom the preservation of Cargill's life means their own existence. Now Cargill is hunted by one race, held captive by the other, caught in a deadly clash of minds & machines - in a terrifying world where he doesn't know the rules!’
I am not sure about this book. It is in a very macho style with excessive focus on prolonged and graphically violent fight scenes interspersed with chauvinistic male/female interaction and little character or background development. If you like your action hard and fast without any guilt then this could be for you. Personally I would have liked to know more about the technology, sociological background and motivation that leads up to this novel.
‘Renowned throughout the land of Ankhana as the Blade of Tyshalle, Caine has killed his share of monarchs and commoners, villains and heroes. He is relentless, unstoppable; simply the best there is at what he does.At home on Earth, Caine is Hari Michaelson, a superstar whose adventures in Ankhana command an audience of billions. Yet he is shackled by a rigid caste society, bound to ignore the grim fact that he kills men on a far-off world for the entertainment of his own planet--and bound to keep his rage in check.But now Michaelson has crossed the line. His estranged wife, Pallas Rill, has mysteriously disappeared in the slums of Ankhana. To save her, he must confront the greatest challenge of his life: a lethal game of cat and mouse with the most treacherous rulers of two worlds…’
Supermen Isaac Asimov collection of sci-fi short stories
An interesting read of some quite different and variable stories. It has been a long time since I have read short stories and I enjoyed the different style and pace that is a necessary part to them.
‘The unique and sometimes powerful stories included in this multi-authored collection of short stories are, as the title suggests, tales of men that could be considered to be supermen. This anthology contains a number of good stories and some excellent ones about human beings that are in some way superior to ourselves. There are 12 tales from some of today’s better known science fiction writers.
'What Rough Beast' by Damon Knight is an excellent story about a man who can twist time and events. He can create wealth, heal the sick, and change the world in an infinite number of ways. This was a very entertaining story with an intriguing concept.
'Worlds To Kill' by Harlan Ellison is a very good story about a man who destroys entire worlds for a living.
'In The Bone' by Gordon R. Dickson tells the intriguing tale of one man searching for new worlds and equipped with the best technology that man can provide. He begins to feel godlike until he meets a technology just little better.
Larry Niven, Poul Anderson, Dean R. Koontz, A. E. van Vogt, Roger Zelazny and Robert Silverberg are some of the other writers that contributed to this above average collection of short stories. I first bought this collection back in the eighties. It sat, for some unknown reason, on my bookshelf collecting dust. Finally, craving some short science fiction stories, I read this book. I found it to be a very enjoyable book. Like any short story collection certain stories are better than others. However, there are enough varied ideas and concepts that everyone should find something that they like in this book. Amazon Reviewer’
The Universe Maker by A.E. Van Vogt
This is another book that I am in two minds about. I found it difficult to have sympathy for Cargill, who seems self serving and chauvinistic (this might be a product of the time when it was written – 1950’s). It also seems that the author skips a little lightly over some of the more complex and far fetched concepts leaving me unsatisfied with his explanations. Nevertheless it is quite an original story line and for that it is worth the effort.
‘Morton Cargill is about to die for a crime he committed 400 yrs. ago. Lieutenant Morton Cargill was brought from the past to be punished for his crime, an accidental murder that took place centuries before. Now he is in a world ruled by the Shadows, an evil people who can pass through solid walls & remain untouched by weapons. But the Shadows are being threatened by the Planiacs, a celestial race that lives high above the earth & to whom the preservation of Cargill's life means their own existence. Now Cargill is hunted by one race, held captive by the other, caught in a deadly clash of minds & machines - in a terrifying world where he doesn't know the rules!’
Friday, October 13, 2006
More of wot I have read…
Lindbergh - by A. Scott Berg
This was an enthralling account of an amazing person. I felt my feelings for Charles Lindbergh swing from sympathy for the foul treatment he suffered at the hands of the press, through awe at the incredible mental capacity and focus of the man, to distaste at the bullying and self-centred attitude towards people he claimed to care the most about. At the end I had to admit to a misting of the eyes as his end approached. It could be possible to excuse the man his failings when you consider his start in life and I am sure it crossed his mind that this and the family history of mental illness may have had an effect on him. Perhaps it was more by chance that he changed the world in 1927, but it was entirely down to his actions throughout his life that no-one forgot it or him.
Here is an interview with the author talking about his Pulitzer Prize winning book.
‘Charles Lindbergh's solo flight from New York to Paris captured the imagination of a post-war generation hungry for heroes, and cemented an exalted spot for the 25-year-old pilot from Minnesota in the collective American imagination. A. Scott Berg's thorough new biography of the aviator suggests that despite the public scrutiny that accompanied his every move until his death in 1974, Lindbergh remained an intensely private man. The son of ill-matched parents who separated when he was 6, he was painfully shy and emotionally guarded. "Aviation created a brotherhood of casual acquaintances ... in which he felt comfortable," writes Berg with characteristic perceptiveness.
Lindbergh's wife, the writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh, gave Berg unrestricted access to her husband's and her own voluminous personal papers--and he made good use of them to assess both the couple's relationship and their activities. Probably the most startling revelation is a brief but candid discussion of Anne's affair in the late 1950s with a New Jersey doctor, which helped assuage her need to vent emotions in a way her buttoned-up husband found insupportable. (During the horrendous days in 1932 when their 20-month-old son was kidnapped and killed, Berg notes, she never once saw Charles cry.) The biography is solid on all aspects of Lindbergh's career, including his notorious urging that America stay out of World War II; Berg rebuts charges that Lindbergh was a Nazi or a traitor, but rightly criticizes the anti-Semitism latent in some of his speeches. With this book, Berg succeeds in surveying Lindbergh's fascinating life and assessing its historic impact.’ - Amazon.com
This was an enthralling account of an amazing person. I felt my feelings for Charles Lindbergh swing from sympathy for the foul treatment he suffered at the hands of the press, through awe at the incredible mental capacity and focus of the man, to distaste at the bullying and self-centred attitude towards people he claimed to care the most about. At the end I had to admit to a misting of the eyes as his end approached. It could be possible to excuse the man his failings when you consider his start in life and I am sure it crossed his mind that this and the family history of mental illness may have had an effect on him. Perhaps it was more by chance that he changed the world in 1927, but it was entirely down to his actions throughout his life that no-one forgot it or him.
Here is an interview with the author talking about his Pulitzer Prize winning book.
‘Charles Lindbergh's solo flight from New York to Paris captured the imagination of a post-war generation hungry for heroes, and cemented an exalted spot for the 25-year-old pilot from Minnesota in the collective American imagination. A. Scott Berg's thorough new biography of the aviator suggests that despite the public scrutiny that accompanied his every move until his death in 1974, Lindbergh remained an intensely private man. The son of ill-matched parents who separated when he was 6, he was painfully shy and emotionally guarded. "Aviation created a brotherhood of casual acquaintances ... in which he felt comfortable," writes Berg with characteristic perceptiveness.
Lindbergh's wife, the writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh, gave Berg unrestricted access to her husband's and her own voluminous personal papers--and he made good use of them to assess both the couple's relationship and their activities. Probably the most startling revelation is a brief but candid discussion of Anne's affair in the late 1950s with a New Jersey doctor, which helped assuage her need to vent emotions in a way her buttoned-up husband found insupportable. (During the horrendous days in 1932 when their 20-month-old son was kidnapped and killed, Berg notes, she never once saw Charles cry.) The biography is solid on all aspects of Lindbergh's career, including his notorious urging that America stay out of World War II; Berg rebuts charges that Lindbergh was a Nazi or a traitor, but rightly criticizes the anti-Semitism latent in some of his speeches. With this book, Berg succeeds in surveying Lindbergh's fascinating life and assessing its historic impact.’ - Amazon.com
A new set of wheels…
I collected my new company car this week and returned the 'old' Saab with a few thousand more miles on the clock.
I now have a Vauxhall Astra. The model is an Astra Sport Hatch Design 1.6i 16v Easytronic, and it is painted Royal Blue.
This car is two grades lower than I am allowed, but in return for downgrading I get money back and the tax is much lower. And since there is only Sue, who doesn’t drive, and me at home and we don’t have off-street parking, it seemed to make sense to choose something small and practical. The Easytronic gearbox is a variant on the semi-automatic that allows you drive in fully auto (I do a lot of motorway miles) and also allows you to drive as a clutch-less manual. The Design trim level also gives you automatic lighting and automatic windscreen wipers, making life even easier.
I now have a Vauxhall Astra. The model is an Astra Sport Hatch Design 1.6i 16v Easytronic, and it is painted Royal Blue.
This car is two grades lower than I am allowed, but in return for downgrading I get money back and the tax is much lower. And since there is only Sue, who doesn’t drive, and me at home and we don’t have off-street parking, it seemed to make sense to choose something small and practical. The Easytronic gearbox is a variant on the semi-automatic that allows you drive in fully auto (I do a lot of motorway miles) and also allows you to drive as a clutch-less manual. The Design trim level also gives you automatic lighting and automatic windscreen wipers, making life even easier.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Bricks and mortar II...
We have now found another property which we have had an offer accepted on this time in a village called Westcott just west of Dorking in amongst the picturesque Surrey hills in the delightfully named Mole Valley District. The house is a three bedroom mid-terrace house with a reasonable sized kitchen and garden. Westcott is a little village with a church, a bakery, two convenience stores and three pubs. There are several walking and cycling paths out into the countryside, up into the gentle rolling hills, and over to Denbies Vineyard (the largest in the UK). Dorking itself is a bustling town with lovely historic buildings, smuggler’s caves, and antique shops along with all the essentials and with good transport links to London and elsewhere.
A marriage on the border…
We had a couple of days off recently to attend a wedding of one of Sue’s work colleagues at Hexham in Northumberland. The wedding was at Langley Castle a few miles away from the historic town and from Hadrian’s Wall between two families that have historic Scottish and Reiver names. The event was wonderful and in a great setting we ate and drank well and danced traditional rounds to the live folk band before boogying down to the disco.
While we were in the area we had a look around the historic and picturesque town of Hexham with its Abbey and Gaol, and we went down the road to see the impressive Roman ruins at Corbridge.
We broke our return journey in Derbyshire and visited a couple of National Trust houses. The grand Kedleston Hall and the rather spooky Calke Abbey.
While we were in the area we had a look around the historic and picturesque town of Hexham with its Abbey and Gaol, and we went down the road to see the impressive Roman ruins at Corbridge.
We broke our return journey in Derbyshire and visited a couple of National Trust houses. The grand Kedleston Hall and the rather spooky Calke Abbey.
A harvest festival…
Once again the autumn signifies the end of summer and the last warm days as they shorten as we get closer to winter. In the garden it is a time of bounty as we reap what we have sown. An abundance of courgettes, tomatoes and blackberries has led to Sue making more chutneys and jams. We have been pleasantly surprised with this year’s melon, sweet peppers and butternut squash which are large and plentiful. The hot, dry summer that benefited the more exotic crops was not so good for our traditional mainstay and we had a disappointing return from our potatoes and our corn as we were not able to give them enough water.
More of wot I have heard…
Nouvelle Vague, Vol I
…and…
Bande A Part – by Nouvelle Vague
These are a couple of interesting albums by a French outfit that have taken classics and rarities from rock, pop, and punk and given them a twist by reinterpreting them with a Gallic café/club feel.
Damaged – by Lambchop
We have many of this band’s recordings and have seen them live a couple of times, once at a regular gig and once where they performed live accompaniment to a silent film. Kurt Wagner leads a large ensemble cast of musicians with his characteristic soft and raw lyrics that require concentrated effort by the listener to extract the most from them.
Feast of Wire – by Calexico
Gentle and delicate TexMex folk have been a mainstay of the Calexico sound for some years now (though I have read that some fans consider that they have ‘sold out’ with their more mainstream later albums). I have several of this band’s recordings and they rate very highly in my personal chart.
…and…
Bande A Part – by Nouvelle Vague
These are a couple of interesting albums by a French outfit that have taken classics and rarities from rock, pop, and punk and given them a twist by reinterpreting them with a Gallic café/club feel.
Damaged – by Lambchop
We have many of this band’s recordings and have seen them live a couple of times, once at a regular gig and once where they performed live accompaniment to a silent film. Kurt Wagner leads a large ensemble cast of musicians with his characteristic soft and raw lyrics that require concentrated effort by the listener to extract the most from them.
Feast of Wire – by Calexico
Gentle and delicate TexMex folk have been a mainstay of the Calexico sound for some years now (though I have read that some fans consider that they have ‘sold out’ with their more mainstream later albums). I have several of this band’s recordings and they rate very highly in my personal chart.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
More of wot I have read…
The Accidental - by Ali Smith
I found this a very unusual book that doesn’t have an obvious plot narrative but investigates how a stranger affects the lives of a family that is drifting aimlessly when she turns up at their door by accident.
It is a very well written and engaging story the spends most of it’s time exploring the different ways people react to external forces and does a good job of getting you inside the head of the characters.
"Winner of the Whitbread Award for best novel and a finalist for the Man Booker Prize, The Accidental is the virtuoso new novel by the singularly gifted Ali Smith. Jonathan Safran Foer has called her writing “thrilling.” Jeanette Winterson has praised her for her “style, ideas, and punch.” Here, in a novel at once profound, playful, and exhilaratingly inventive, she transfixes us with a portrait of a family unraveled by a mysterious visitor.
Amber—thirtysomething and barefoot—shows up at the door of the Norfolk cottage that the Smarts are renting for the summer. She talks her way in. She tells nothing but lies. She stays for dinner.
Eve Smart, the author of a best-selling series of biographical reconstructions, thinks Amber is a student with whom her husband, Michael, is sleeping. Michael, an English professor, knows only that her car broke down. Daughter Astrid, age twelve, thinks she’s her mother’s friend. Son Magnus, age seventeen, thinks she’s an angel.
As Amber insinuates herself into the family, the questions of who she is and how she’s come to be there drop away. Instead, dazzled by her seeming exoticism, the Smarts begin to examine the accidents of their lives through the searing lens of Amber’s perceptions. When Eve finally banishes her from the cottage, Amber disappears from their sight, but not—they discover when they return home to London—from their profoundly altered lives.
Fearlessly intelligent and written with an irresistible blend of lyricism and whimsy, The Accidental is a tour de force of literary improvisation that explores the nature of truth, the role of chance, and the transformative power of storytelling.
I found this a very unusual book that doesn’t have an obvious plot narrative but investigates how a stranger affects the lives of a family that is drifting aimlessly when she turns up at their door by accident.
It is a very well written and engaging story the spends most of it’s time exploring the different ways people react to external forces and does a good job of getting you inside the head of the characters.
"Winner of the Whitbread Award for best novel and a finalist for the Man Booker Prize, The Accidental is the virtuoso new novel by the singularly gifted Ali Smith. Jonathan Safran Foer has called her writing “thrilling.” Jeanette Winterson has praised her for her “style, ideas, and punch.” Here, in a novel at once profound, playful, and exhilaratingly inventive, she transfixes us with a portrait of a family unraveled by a mysterious visitor.
Amber—thirtysomething and barefoot—shows up at the door of the Norfolk cottage that the Smarts are renting for the summer. She talks her way in. She tells nothing but lies. She stays for dinner.
Eve Smart, the author of a best-selling series of biographical reconstructions, thinks Amber is a student with whom her husband, Michael, is sleeping. Michael, an English professor, knows only that her car broke down. Daughter Astrid, age twelve, thinks she’s her mother’s friend. Son Magnus, age seventeen, thinks she’s an angel.
As Amber insinuates herself into the family, the questions of who she is and how she’s come to be there drop away. Instead, dazzled by her seeming exoticism, the Smarts begin to examine the accidents of their lives through the searing lens of Amber’s perceptions. When Eve finally banishes her from the cottage, Amber disappears from their sight, but not—they discover when they return home to London—from their profoundly altered lives.
Fearlessly intelligent and written with an irresistible blend of lyricism and whimsy, The Accidental is a tour de force of literary improvisation that explores the nature of truth, the role of chance, and the transformative power of storytelling.
More of wot I have heard…
Still - by Lily Allen
A (s)punky girl that sings from the heart on subjects that matter to the younger generation. To us she sounds like a female equivalent of the Streets – Mike Skinner. Catchy tunes and pointed lyrics make this a lively album and a good debut.
Veneer - by Jose Gonzalez
This artist has become popular here in the UK for having a track used in a TV commercial. His style of music is quite and gentle with simple arrangements that although they don’t always leave a strong impression, they do give and fine overall feeling to the album.
Late Night Tales - by Flaming Lips
The Late Night Tales series of albums has a different artist select tracks that mean something to them. It is an insight to the influences on them as well as being an eclectic mix of popular and less well known music. We have collected most of the series so far and have enjoyed them all and this is no exception.
A (s)punky girl that sings from the heart on subjects that matter to the younger generation. To us she sounds like a female equivalent of the Streets – Mike Skinner. Catchy tunes and pointed lyrics make this a lively album and a good debut.
Veneer - by Jose Gonzalez
This artist has become popular here in the UK for having a track used in a TV commercial. His style of music is quite and gentle with simple arrangements that although they don’t always leave a strong impression, they do give and fine overall feeling to the album.
Late Night Tales - by Flaming Lips
The Late Night Tales series of albums has a different artist select tracks that mean something to them. It is an insight to the influences on them as well as being an eclectic mix of popular and less well known music. We have collected most of the series so far and have enjoyed them all and this is no exception.
Bricks and mortar…
We are slowly getting closer to completing on our house sale and are looking at moving out at the end of the month. We went and had another look at the house we were thinking of buying and now that the owner has moved out it looked different empty. We spent quite a while there measuring and looking at what we wanted to change. It didn’t look as attractive proposition as it did before and so we were up until 2am trying to work out in our minds what we really wanted and eventually decided it wasn’t that house, so we pulled out. Now we are looking for somewhere else again. We will stay with friends and family and rent until we find the right one.
Flowers in your hair…
We spent a long weekend camping in a field beside the river Thames with several thousand other people at the annual Womad Festival. Originally set up by Peter Gabriel, the festival has been going now for many years and celebrates WOrld Music, Arts and Dance. I met Sue and her sister Deb after work on Thursday and together we drove up to reading where we joined Dave who had gone on ahead earlier in the day to set up the tents with his brother Steve. The two tents we had were huge and drew admiring/envious glances from other campers. The main event started on Friday and this was when Blonde-Deb and the boys joined us.
The whole event is very inclusive and friendly with families rubbing shoulders with original Hippies, Rastas, Eco-Warriors, and even the occasional Goth. The music is varied, some of it ethnic some alternative and others just plain odd. The music started well with a band from New York called Yerba Buena (Afro-Cuban funk). We also liked Sasla Celtica (Salsa-Scottish folk), the Gotan Project (French electronica), Batucada Sound Machine from New Zealand (a mix of rhythm based music with Afro-Latino feel), Ska Cubano (Jamaican-Cuban crossover), Sunshiners from Vanuatu (giving modern classics a reggae makeover) and Laura Veirs from Seattle (a folksy singer-song writer).
The whole place was a riot of colour, sounds, smells and tastes. All sorts of flags flew with images as varied as red, green and gold marijuana leaves, Che Guevara, rainbow flags and classic peace emblems to pirate Jolly Roger’s. Smoke from incense burners and ‘herbal’ cigarettes drifted out from tepees and coffee tents. We were spoilt for choice with the variety of interesting and tasty food stalls that surrounded the site. If all this was too much you could wander around the multitude of stalls that were sell all manner of interesting items. I was persuaded to buy an acoustic guitar that was particularly cheap (now I only need to learn how to play it).
Apart from a few showers one evening the weather remained very good, in fact it turned that it has been the hottest July on record.
The whole event is very inclusive and friendly with families rubbing shoulders with original Hippies, Rastas, Eco-Warriors, and even the occasional Goth. The music is varied, some of it ethnic some alternative and others just plain odd. The music started well with a band from New York called Yerba Buena (Afro-Cuban funk). We also liked Sasla Celtica (Salsa-Scottish folk), the Gotan Project (French electronica), Batucada Sound Machine from New Zealand (a mix of rhythm based music with Afro-Latino feel), Ska Cubano (Jamaican-Cuban crossover), Sunshiners from Vanuatu (giving modern classics a reggae makeover) and Laura Veirs from Seattle (a folksy singer-song writer).
The whole place was a riot of colour, sounds, smells and tastes. All sorts of flags flew with images as varied as red, green and gold marijuana leaves, Che Guevara, rainbow flags and classic peace emblems to pirate Jolly Roger’s. Smoke from incense burners and ‘herbal’ cigarettes drifted out from tepees and coffee tents. We were spoilt for choice with the variety of interesting and tasty food stalls that surrounded the site. If all this was too much you could wander around the multitude of stalls that were sell all manner of interesting items. I was persuaded to buy an acoustic guitar that was particularly cheap (now I only need to learn how to play it).
Apart from a few showers one evening the weather remained very good, in fact it turned that it has been the hottest July on record.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Infrequent Update...
Again it has been a while since I have written on this blog. Nervous tension has smothered my ability to focus on anything creative. I am now gainfully employed again (though we are still buying Lottery tickets just in case), and I have completed my first month (not an easy prospect after half a year of dossing about). The job is similar to what I was doing before but for a competitor company to my previous employer (making engineering estimates and generating quotations for industrial control and safety systems).
I had to spend some time up at the Manchester office recently for product training and sales meetings so I have been doing quite a lot of travelling and staying in hotels, living out of a suitcase. Not as much fun as it sounds.
The bonus with this new job is that I get a company car (currently a Saab 93), a phone (benefit or not, I’m not so sure) and healthcare, pension and share schemes. The disadvantage is that it is in Bracknell near Reading, which is at least an hour and a half drive away. But since we had already decided to move house, it just means we needed to focus on looking in the area around the new job.
On the subject of the house we but it up for sale and had one viewing in the following week. She subsequently put an offer in and we accepted, so we have sold (subject to contract) and have been spending several weekends driving around various parts of the country looking at houses. It would seem that you don’t get an awful lot for your money these days! We wanted a 2+ bed semi or end of terrace house with a good-sized garden (for the vegetable plot) and not too away far from the countryside. It would seem that we’d need to make some compromises along the way. We found a mid-terraced (middle one of three) house that is no bigger than the one we are leaving, but the garden is much bigger (it is about 200ft long), and it backs onto forestry commission land that stretches for miles. The gate at the bottom of the garden opens out onto a lane that is called the Devils Highway and is a former Roman road that leads off into the middle of the forest.
We have also been getting together with friends and family on a regular basis and, since the weather has been quite good, some of the time has been outdoors. We are in a drought-ban at the moment, which means there are strict water restrictions and we have to be aware of conservation methods. We have to water our vegetables with a watering can rather than a hosepipe or sprinkler, not easy with the size of allotment we have. Good news is that we are starting to eat some of our homegrown bounty and are picking salad, asparagus, rhubarb and now strawberries like they are going out of fashion (Sue has had to make several fruit puddings and jars of jam and chutney with the excess). Good news is that Wimbledon brought the rain with it as usual.
We met up with a couple of our Kiwi friends while they were over in dear old Blighty for holidays and hopefully we will meet others that are due to be up this way later on in the year.
We spent a long weekend in and about Suffolk as groupies to the Aldbury Morris Men as they danced their way from one picturesque village to another (pub to pub). Audiences were good and enjoy the more furious stick dances. The sight of these older men (who should know better) splintering shards out of sturdy lumps of wood is quite a sight. Luckily the ancient and protected art of dancing-with-hankies seems to be exempted from the usual Health and Safety regulations and they don’t need to wear goggles as the wood fragments fly through the air. One of the local hotels that we stayed in was happy for them to take over part of the bar of an evening so that they could play songs and sing into the night for as long as the beer flowed. Sue is trying to convince me that I am not too young to join their merry men, but I am not so sure.
Sue travelled up to Manchester while I was there and we went across to Hull to see Jamie and to help him move into his new digs. Most of the heavy stuff had already been moved by Jamie and a friend of his who has access to a van. Quite cleverly he arrange to stay at the new place to organise the furniture (plug in his computer), while Sue and I stayed at the old place and cleaned it (a serious job). We stayed over in a spare room and he took us out to his local with a couple of friends. After we had bought the shopping and routed an aerial connection up to his room, we left and returned home (the leaving doesn’t get any easier).
I had to spend some time up at the Manchester office recently for product training and sales meetings so I have been doing quite a lot of travelling and staying in hotels, living out of a suitcase. Not as much fun as it sounds.
The bonus with this new job is that I get a company car (currently a Saab 93), a phone (benefit or not, I’m not so sure) and healthcare, pension and share schemes. The disadvantage is that it is in Bracknell near Reading, which is at least an hour and a half drive away. But since we had already decided to move house, it just means we needed to focus on looking in the area around the new job.
On the subject of the house we but it up for sale and had one viewing in the following week. She subsequently put an offer in and we accepted, so we have sold (subject to contract) and have been spending several weekends driving around various parts of the country looking at houses. It would seem that you don’t get an awful lot for your money these days! We wanted a 2+ bed semi or end of terrace house with a good-sized garden (for the vegetable plot) and not too away far from the countryside. It would seem that we’d need to make some compromises along the way. We found a mid-terraced (middle one of three) house that is no bigger than the one we are leaving, but the garden is much bigger (it is about 200ft long), and it backs onto forestry commission land that stretches for miles. The gate at the bottom of the garden opens out onto a lane that is called the Devils Highway and is a former Roman road that leads off into the middle of the forest.
We have also been getting together with friends and family on a regular basis and, since the weather has been quite good, some of the time has been outdoors. We are in a drought-ban at the moment, which means there are strict water restrictions and we have to be aware of conservation methods. We have to water our vegetables with a watering can rather than a hosepipe or sprinkler, not easy with the size of allotment we have. Good news is that we are starting to eat some of our homegrown bounty and are picking salad, asparagus, rhubarb and now strawberries like they are going out of fashion (Sue has had to make several fruit puddings and jars of jam and chutney with the excess). Good news is that Wimbledon brought the rain with it as usual.
We met up with a couple of our Kiwi friends while they were over in dear old Blighty for holidays and hopefully we will meet others that are due to be up this way later on in the year.
We spent a long weekend in and about Suffolk as groupies to the Aldbury Morris Men as they danced their way from one picturesque village to another (pub to pub). Audiences were good and enjoy the more furious stick dances. The sight of these older men (who should know better) splintering shards out of sturdy lumps of wood is quite a sight. Luckily the ancient and protected art of dancing-with-hankies seems to be exempted from the usual Health and Safety regulations and they don’t need to wear goggles as the wood fragments fly through the air. One of the local hotels that we stayed in was happy for them to take over part of the bar of an evening so that they could play songs and sing into the night for as long as the beer flowed. Sue is trying to convince me that I am not too young to join their merry men, but I am not so sure.
Sue travelled up to Manchester while I was there and we went across to Hull to see Jamie and to help him move into his new digs. Most of the heavy stuff had already been moved by Jamie and a friend of his who has access to a van. Quite cleverly he arrange to stay at the new place to organise the furniture (plug in his computer), while Sue and I stayed at the old place and cleaned it (a serious job). We stayed over in a spare room and he took us out to his local with a couple of friends. After we had bought the shopping and routed an aerial connection up to his room, we left and returned home (the leaving doesn’t get any easier).
Friday, April 28, 2006
Home again…
Well, we have been back in the UK for almost one month now and to some extent it is as if we were never away. A round of dinners and parties has welcomed us back and everybody seems well and happy.
We were out in the allotment straight away and were surprised how little work was needed to get it back into order. Seeds are now planted and germinating and we are even enjoying some crops that have over wintered.
One thing that was immediately obvious when we returned was how busy and noisy it is outside our house. After having the peace and quiet in New Zealand it came as a shock to us. So we have decided to move. Our house is on the market with a local estate agent and we have been browsing the internet for possible places to move to.
We want to find a place that gives us an opportunity to enjoy the good life without forcing us to spend the next twenty years paying for it. For the same price as our small two bedroom terrace cottage in the suburbs, we can buy a three bedroom detached house in a rural location with enough land to grow our veggies on. The only thing we need to decide is what rural location to choose. We still want to be accessible to London and our family and friends so we would only be an hour or two away and preferably near a main line station. If we are canny we might be able to get all of this and not have a mortgage to worry about, thus freeing up more time for us to try and capture some of the quality of life we are striving for.
Although my first attempt at a novel was rejected by everyone I sent it to I am trying to be optimistic. I have some new ideas for it and I will make some changes, hopefully improving it, before trying some UK publishers. I also have ideas for several other stories that just require me getting some ‘brain space’ to start on them. Sue and her mother have bought me some more paints and canvasses so that I can also continue with my painting.
We are looking for jobs in the meantime too, as we still need to pay the bills, so Sue has started back at her old job on a part time basis, and I have been knocking on doors of companies in my old industry. I think I will have a few options open to me in the next week or too including my old job. Some of the opportunities are further a field, in Bath, Northampton and Middlesex, and if any of these come to fruition they may dictate which county we end up moving to.
Monday, March 27, 2006
As one summer ends, another begins…
We are counting down the days until we migrate north again. The clocks have gone back in NZ and forward in the UK and the seasons are changing. We have had a great time down under, but we are keen now to return to our own home and catch up with other friends and family that we left behind six months ago. We have learnt a lot from our experience of dropping out for half a year. If we were to do it again we would definitely do some things differently. There are many aspects of the trip we are keen to continue with. I hope to carry on writing and painting, and get back to doing more drawing too. We want to be able to have more of a say in how we work (working smarter – not harder). Time needs to be made for ourselves and others, it is more satisfying to do things you want with those you want to, than not. So if anyone has a job I can do part-time, from home or near to it then let me know.
So it is ‘see you later’ to those we leave behind and ‘hello again’ to those we will see very soon.
So it is ‘see you later’ to those we leave behind and ‘hello again’ to those we will see very soon.
More of wot I have read...
This is an interesting concept for a book. The author revisited the tradition of serialisation of books in newspapers with the backing of The Scotsman. The only downside is that the book seems to lack a storng narative or plotline; probably a side affect of writing the book in short snipets for readers who may not get to read every issue.
44 Scotland Street - by Alexander McCall-Smith
‘When twenty-year-old Pat rents a room from handsome and cocky Bruce, she inherits some delightfully colourful neighbours: Domenica, an insightful and eccentric widow; Bertie, a five-year-old who's mastered both saxophone and Italian; and Irene, his overbearing mother. Pat's new job at a gallery seems easy enough. Her boss spends most of his time drinking coffee in a local café and discussing matters great and small, and Pat's duties are light.
That is until she realizes that one of their paintings may be an undiscovered work of a renowned Scottish artist and she discovers that one of their customers may be in on the secret. Add to this a fancy ball, love triangles and an encounter with a famous crime writer, and you have Alexander McCall Smith's entertaining and witty portrait of Edinburgh society.’
44 Scotland Street - by Alexander McCall-Smith
‘When twenty-year-old Pat rents a room from handsome and cocky Bruce, she inherits some delightfully colourful neighbours: Domenica, an insightful and eccentric widow; Bertie, a five-year-old who's mastered both saxophone and Italian; and Irene, his overbearing mother. Pat's new job at a gallery seems easy enough. Her boss spends most of his time drinking coffee in a local café and discussing matters great and small, and Pat's duties are light.
That is until she realizes that one of their paintings may be an undiscovered work of a renowned Scottish artist and she discovers that one of their customers may be in on the secret. Add to this a fancy ball, love triangles and an encounter with a famous crime writer, and you have Alexander McCall Smith's entertaining and witty portrait of Edinburgh society.’
Sunday, March 12, 2006
And the rain fell...
We took a few days off to visit the Coromandel Peninsular in the Kombi van. We drove to Thames on the first day and stopped for a tour of one of the gold mines that made this town in the 19th century. A guy who looked almost as ancient as the equipment he was talking about gave us a tour. He demonstrated the noisy stamp battery that crushed the ore, talked about the refining process using mercury and then he took us for a short walk through the mine. We had lunch on the Thames coast before wandering around the small town. We stopped the night at a nearby campsite that included a butterfly park (we gave the butterflies a miss, opting for a cold drink in the evening sunshine).
We heard that the weather was predicted to become wet as a low pressure system swept the north of the island so we decided to reorganise our plans to make sure that we fitted in a visit to our favourite tourist site in the region. In the morning we rang the booking line for the Driving Creek Railway and booked a couple of tickets for the morning train. We then drove up the slow coast road, made slower by road works, arriving just as the train driver rang his bell. New Zealand potter Barry Brickell set up the site and to get the raw materials he needed for his work out of the hills he built the original train. Now 30 odd years later the train ride is a booming tourist attraction and the site is constantly being improved with more things to do and see. The valuable work that was been done to retain and expand the native planting has been secured for future generations as Barry Brickell has arranged for the site to be gifted into trust for the community when he dies. Afterwards we had a walk through the small town of Coromandel before buying some local smoked fish and having lunch besides the sea again.
As promised the weather closed in and rain prevented us from visiting some of the gardens we had hoped to see in the area, so we drove on over the hills towards the east coast. The whole region is sparsely populated and has some dramatic scenery from mountain to coast. We eventually pitched up at Mercury Bay’s main town of Whitianga where we managed to get set up before the heavens opened up. We spent much of the evening in the TV room with other tourists who were sheltering with their dinner and bottles of wine.
In the morning the report was still for unsettled weather, so we broke camp and headed further south, this time to another gold mine, this time at Waihi. The Martha mine is opencast rather than underground and is impressive for the big hole in the middle of the town. We saw an interesting video at the mine information centre that explained the process and how the mine was soon to close and would become a large lake. We had a walk around a nearby art gallery full of interesting pictures, sculptures and the like before we decided to carry on with our journey. The heavens opened again and drove us to seek shelter off the road, where we ate our lunch from the shelter of the van next to a river as the rain pounded down. When it let up we continued through Karangahake gorge and turned north head towards Thames again. We passed through farmland as we entered the Hauraki Plains, stopping briefly at a cheese farm shop to sample their wares. We continued on towards the Miranda Holiday Park that was adjacent to the hot pools. It is situated out in the middle of nowhere but it was one of the nicest appointed sites that we had visited, and it did have its own private 38-degree thermal hot pool.
The next day we travelled home up the other coast of the Firth of Thames, opposite the Coromandel and the weather improved as we drove becoming sunny and warm as we arrived home again.
We heard that the weather was predicted to become wet as a low pressure system swept the north of the island so we decided to reorganise our plans to make sure that we fitted in a visit to our favourite tourist site in the region. In the morning we rang the booking line for the Driving Creek Railway and booked a couple of tickets for the morning train. We then drove up the slow coast road, made slower by road works, arriving just as the train driver rang his bell. New Zealand potter Barry Brickell set up the site and to get the raw materials he needed for his work out of the hills he built the original train. Now 30 odd years later the train ride is a booming tourist attraction and the site is constantly being improved with more things to do and see. The valuable work that was been done to retain and expand the native planting has been secured for future generations as Barry Brickell has arranged for the site to be gifted into trust for the community when he dies. Afterwards we had a walk through the small town of Coromandel before buying some local smoked fish and having lunch besides the sea again.
As promised the weather closed in and rain prevented us from visiting some of the gardens we had hoped to see in the area, so we drove on over the hills towards the east coast. The whole region is sparsely populated and has some dramatic scenery from mountain to coast. We eventually pitched up at Mercury Bay’s main town of Whitianga where we managed to get set up before the heavens opened up. We spent much of the evening in the TV room with other tourists who were sheltering with their dinner and bottles of wine.
In the morning the report was still for unsettled weather, so we broke camp and headed further south, this time to another gold mine, this time at Waihi. The Martha mine is opencast rather than underground and is impressive for the big hole in the middle of the town. We saw an interesting video at the mine information centre that explained the process and how the mine was soon to close and would become a large lake. We had a walk around a nearby art gallery full of interesting pictures, sculptures and the like before we decided to carry on with our journey. The heavens opened again and drove us to seek shelter off the road, where we ate our lunch from the shelter of the van next to a river as the rain pounded down. When it let up we continued through Karangahake gorge and turned north head towards Thames again. We passed through farmland as we entered the Hauraki Plains, stopping briefly at a cheese farm shop to sample their wares. We continued on towards the Miranda Holiday Park that was adjacent to the hot pools. It is situated out in the middle of nowhere but it was one of the nicest appointed sites that we had visited, and it did have its own private 38-degree thermal hot pool.
The next day we travelled home up the other coast of the Firth of Thames, opposite the Coromandel and the weather improved as we drove becoming sunny and warm as we arrived home again.
More of wot I have read...
I absolutely devoured this book, a present for my birthday recently. The author’s style was interesting and the use of long and seemingly irrelevant footnotes gave the whole book a feeling that it was more of a historical documentary than a work of fiction. A very engaging story, nicely written…
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - by Susanna Clarke
‘Two magicians shall appear in England. The first shall fear me; the second shall long to behold me…
Centuries ago, when magic still existed in England, the greatest magician of them all was the Raven King. A human child brought up by fairies, the Raven King blended fairy wisdom and human reason to create English magic. Now, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, he is barely more than a legend, and England, with its mad King and its dashing poets, no longer believes in practical magic.
Then the reclusive Mr Norrell of Hurtfew Abbey appears and causes the statues of York Cathedral to speak and move. News spreads of the return of magic to England and, persuaded that he must help the government in the war against Napoleon, Mr Norrell goes to London. There he meets a brilliant young magician and takes him as a pupil. Jonathan Strange is charming, rich and arrogant. Together, they dazzle the country with their feats.
But the partnership soon turns to rivalry. Mr Norrell has never conquered his lifelong habits of secrecy, while Strange will always be attracted to the wildest, most perilous magic. He becomes fascinated by the shadowy figure of the Raven King, and his heedless pursuit of long-forgotten magic threatens, not only his partnership with Norrell, but everything that he holds dear.’
***
A very different book is a new one from Stephen King. I had not read any of his before, although I have seen a few of his films, and I didn’t know what to expect. The idea behind the story is interesting and I suspect it is the main motivation for the writing of the book. I was not so keen on the writing style hear which is obviously action pact and visual as horror stories often are. It was also difficult to become emotionally involved in the characters and the situation and the hugely earth shattering implications of the event were difficult to accept. Nevertheless it will give you something to talk about, even if it is not on your cell phone…
Cell - by Stephen King
‘There’s a reason cell rhymes with hell
On October 1, God is in His heaven, the stock market stands at 10,140, most of the planes are on time, and Clayton Riddell, an artist from Maine, is almost bouncing up Boylston Street in Boston. He’s just landed a comic book deal that might finally enable him to support his family by making art instead of teaching it. He’s already picked up a small (but inexpensive!) gift for his long-suffering wife, and he knows just what he’ll get for his boy Johnny. Why not a little treat for himself? Clay’s feeling good about the future.
That changes in a hurry. The cause of the devastation is a phenomenon that will come to be known as The Pulse, and the delivery method is a cell phone. Everyone’s cell phone. Clay and the few desperate survivors who join him suddenly find themselves in the pitch-black night of civilization’s darkest age, surrounded by chaos, carnage, and a human horde that has been reduced to its basest nature…and then begins to evolve.There’s really no escaping this nightmare. But for Clay, an arrow points home to Maine, and as he and his fellow refugees make their harrowing journey north they begin to see crude signs confirming their direction: KASHWAK=NO-FO. A promise, perhaps. Or a threat…’
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - by Susanna Clarke
‘Two magicians shall appear in England. The first shall fear me; the second shall long to behold me…
Centuries ago, when magic still existed in England, the greatest magician of them all was the Raven King. A human child brought up by fairies, the Raven King blended fairy wisdom and human reason to create English magic. Now, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, he is barely more than a legend, and England, with its mad King and its dashing poets, no longer believes in practical magic.
Then the reclusive Mr Norrell of Hurtfew Abbey appears and causes the statues of York Cathedral to speak and move. News spreads of the return of magic to England and, persuaded that he must help the government in the war against Napoleon, Mr Norrell goes to London. There he meets a brilliant young magician and takes him as a pupil. Jonathan Strange is charming, rich and arrogant. Together, they dazzle the country with their feats.
But the partnership soon turns to rivalry. Mr Norrell has never conquered his lifelong habits of secrecy, while Strange will always be attracted to the wildest, most perilous magic. He becomes fascinated by the shadowy figure of the Raven King, and his heedless pursuit of long-forgotten magic threatens, not only his partnership with Norrell, but everything that he holds dear.’
***
A very different book is a new one from Stephen King. I had not read any of his before, although I have seen a few of his films, and I didn’t know what to expect. The idea behind the story is interesting and I suspect it is the main motivation for the writing of the book. I was not so keen on the writing style hear which is obviously action pact and visual as horror stories often are. It was also difficult to become emotionally involved in the characters and the situation and the hugely earth shattering implications of the event were difficult to accept. Nevertheless it will give you something to talk about, even if it is not on your cell phone…
Cell - by Stephen King
‘There’s a reason cell rhymes with hell
On October 1, God is in His heaven, the stock market stands at 10,140, most of the planes are on time, and Clayton Riddell, an artist from Maine, is almost bouncing up Boylston Street in Boston. He’s just landed a comic book deal that might finally enable him to support his family by making art instead of teaching it. He’s already picked up a small (but inexpensive!) gift for his long-suffering wife, and he knows just what he’ll get for his boy Johnny. Why not a little treat for himself? Clay’s feeling good about the future.
That changes in a hurry. The cause of the devastation is a phenomenon that will come to be known as The Pulse, and the delivery method is a cell phone. Everyone’s cell phone. Clay and the few desperate survivors who join him suddenly find themselves in the pitch-black night of civilization’s darkest age, surrounded by chaos, carnage, and a human horde that has been reduced to its basest nature…and then begins to evolve.There’s really no escaping this nightmare. But for Clay, an arrow points home to Maine, and as he and his fellow refugees make their harrowing journey north they begin to see crude signs confirming their direction: KASHWAK=NO-FO. A promise, perhaps. Or a threat…’
Sunday, February 26, 2006
In the kitchen...
Everyone here at Fylde Fields has been working very hard on new products for the shop and markets. Sue especially has been cooking up a storm creating new chutneys, relishes, jams and sauces out of the various crops we have been harvesting.
Since all of the olive oil has sold out and the new crop is not due to be harvested for a couple of months more, my folks have wanted other products to sell at the markets and from the shop.
We have a large range now of familiar and more unusual combinations, all of which we have sampled and enjoyed. The produce is mostly grown in our own garden our sourced locally wherever possible. I personally like the Tomato & Passionfruit Jam, Cucumber & Mint Chutney, Ploughman’s Chutney, and the Diavolo Hot & Spicy Plum Sauce.
Yum yum…
Since all of the olive oil has sold out and the new crop is not due to be harvested for a couple of months more, my folks have wanted other products to sell at the markets and from the shop.
We have a large range now of familiar and more unusual combinations, all of which we have sampled and enjoyed. The produce is mostly grown in our own garden our sourced locally wherever possible. I personally like the Tomato & Passionfruit Jam, Cucumber & Mint Chutney, Ploughman’s Chutney, and the Diavolo Hot & Spicy Plum Sauce.
Yum yum…
More of wot I have read...
I have read a couple more of the Diskworld series of books that I am so fond of. These are written much as the all of the others and there are many ‘in jokes’ for the faithful, without distracting from the stand-alone nature of the books. More of the same and just as good as all of them…
Going Postal – by Terry Pratchett
‘Moist von Lipwig is a con artist… …and a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork’s ailing postal service back on its feet.
It’s a tough decision.
But he’s got to see that the mail gets through, come rain, hail, sleet, dogs, the Post Office Worker’s Friendly and Benevolent Society, the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer.
Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too.’
THUD! – by Terry Pratchett
‘It's a game of Trolls and Dwarfs where the player must take both sides to win...
It's the noise a troll club makes when crushing in a dwarf skull, or when a dwarfish axe cleaves a trollish cranium...
It's the unsettling sound of history about to repeat itself ... THUD!’
***
I have been reading many books on history for background research into the Fencible soldiers of New Zealand. All very interesting stuff, but a bit dry at times. Sue got me the next book out from library on a whim, and I found it very entertaining both from a story point of view and from its construction. Very well worth seeking out…
The London Pigeon Wars – by Patrick Neate
‘Gunnersbury claims that the hostilities were commenced at the battle of Trafalgar. But the verity is that Trafalgar was just a skirmish, a starling-tempered flare-up of pointed beaks and posturing. Really, for everybirdy, the war began with its utterance, and that was later, after the murder of Brixton 23 above the Acre Lane Sainsbury’s.
The London pigeons are at war. They’re not sure what they’re fighting about. It could be politics or personality or territory or religion or maybe the ‘unilluminable nik’ called Murray?
Down on the ground, a gang of twentysomethings are facing up to the disappointments of adulthood: while their peers seem ‘so good at London’. These guys… umm… aren’t. The hatmaker can barely sell a hatpin, the IT whiz-kid’s gone bust, and the TV micro-celeb’s continually being stopped in the streets – mistaken for someone else. But then Murray comes into their midst. And he’s different…’
***
I have read this biography for more research and was taken with the sad, desperate story of this little known New Zealand heroine.
Jean Batten the Garbo of the skies – by Ian Mackersey
‘Jean Batten was on of the great aviation megastars of the 1930s. Her spectacular flights ranked with those of Britain’s Amy Johnson and America’s Amelia Earhart. Yet, despite her brilliance as a pilot, she remained the least well known of them all. For the dentist’s daughter from New Zealand built an impregnable wall around her private life – which was dominated, though few ever knew it, by the formidable influence of her mother.
Drawing on secret memoirs found after Jean Batten’s death and on hundreds of interviews with people who knew her, this biography of Jean’s sad and elusive life explodes the enduring myths of happiness and perfection that she created for herself. It also finally solves the mystery of her bizarre and lonely end. The real Jean Batten emerges as a fascinating woman, who combined bravery and ruthlessness with the stunning and seductive beauty she used so effectively to fulfil her great ambitions.’
Going Postal – by Terry Pratchett
‘Moist von Lipwig is a con artist… …and a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork’s ailing postal service back on its feet.
It’s a tough decision.
But he’s got to see that the mail gets through, come rain, hail, sleet, dogs, the Post Office Worker’s Friendly and Benevolent Society, the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer.
Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too.’
THUD! – by Terry Pratchett
‘It's a game of Trolls and Dwarfs where the player must take both sides to win...
It's the noise a troll club makes when crushing in a dwarf skull, or when a dwarfish axe cleaves a trollish cranium...
It's the unsettling sound of history about to repeat itself ... THUD!’
***
I have been reading many books on history for background research into the Fencible soldiers of New Zealand. All very interesting stuff, but a bit dry at times. Sue got me the next book out from library on a whim, and I found it very entertaining both from a story point of view and from its construction. Very well worth seeking out…
The London Pigeon Wars – by Patrick Neate
‘Gunnersbury claims that the hostilities were commenced at the battle of Trafalgar. But the verity is that Trafalgar was just a skirmish, a starling-tempered flare-up of pointed beaks and posturing. Really, for everybirdy, the war began with its utterance, and that was later, after the murder of Brixton 23 above the Acre Lane Sainsbury’s.
The London pigeons are at war. They’re not sure what they’re fighting about. It could be politics or personality or territory or religion or maybe the ‘unilluminable nik’ called Murray?
Down on the ground, a gang of twentysomethings are facing up to the disappointments of adulthood: while their peers seem ‘so good at London’. These guys… umm… aren’t. The hatmaker can barely sell a hatpin, the IT whiz-kid’s gone bust, and the TV micro-celeb’s continually being stopped in the streets – mistaken for someone else. But then Murray comes into their midst. And he’s different…’
***
I have read this biography for more research and was taken with the sad, desperate story of this little known New Zealand heroine.
Jean Batten the Garbo of the skies – by Ian Mackersey
‘Jean Batten was on of the great aviation megastars of the 1930s. Her spectacular flights ranked with those of Britain’s Amy Johnson and America’s Amelia Earhart. Yet, despite her brilliance as a pilot, she remained the least well known of them all. For the dentist’s daughter from New Zealand built an impregnable wall around her private life – which was dominated, though few ever knew it, by the formidable influence of her mother.
Drawing on secret memoirs found after Jean Batten’s death and on hundreds of interviews with people who knew her, this biography of Jean’s sad and elusive life explodes the enduring myths of happiness and perfection that she created for herself. It also finally solves the mystery of her bizarre and lonely end. The real Jean Batten emerges as a fascinating woman, who combined bravery and ruthlessness with the stunning and seductive beauty she used so effectively to fulfil her great ambitions.’
Island life...
I had never been to Waiheke Island before and so after Sue had been earlier on in the year we decided to take a short break out their with my folks. The island is only an hour away from Auckland if you take the slow, and cheaper, vehicle ferry from Half-moon Bay or 35 minutes from Downtown on the passenger ferry. We took Dubbin, our 1974 VW Kombi with us so that we could tour the island in style. We rented a friends holiday home at Onetangi and we were settled in by midday and down by the beach enjoying lunch and a drink in the sunshine watching the waves gently roll in.
We toured the entire island seeing the Stony Batter rock outcrops and old WWII gun emplacements, visiting Olive Groves and Wineries to sample their wares. We took lunches with is in our van and stopped a many of the glorious and tranquil bays to eat them as we watched the scenery and wildlife. We went and a couple of walks through the bush and Sue and I were delighted to see some of the rarer bird life such as the Morepork owl, the huge Wood Pigeons, Tui songbirds and the charming little Fan-Tails that followed us through the woods chatting to us all the way. We saw some of the art that the island is well known for, attracting as it does a variety of colourful ‘artists’. Dubbin was quite a hit as we pottered around the island.
We had a nice break in the sunshine, eating a drinking too much again. Sue will miss the daily swims in the clear blue water.
We toured the entire island seeing the Stony Batter rock outcrops and old WWII gun emplacements, visiting Olive Groves and Wineries to sample their wares. We took lunches with is in our van and stopped a many of the glorious and tranquil bays to eat them as we watched the scenery and wildlife. We went and a couple of walks through the bush and Sue and I were delighted to see some of the rarer bird life such as the Morepork owl, the huge Wood Pigeons, Tui songbirds and the charming little Fan-Tails that followed us through the woods chatting to us all the way. We saw some of the art that the island is well known for, attracting as it does a variety of colourful ‘artists’. Dubbin was quite a hit as we pottered around the island.
We had a nice break in the sunshine, eating a drinking too much again. Sue will miss the daily swims in the clear blue water.
Taking to the rails...
For my birthday treat this year Sue and I went on a train journey through New Zealand on the Tranz Scenic Rail network. They have three tourist routes through the North and South Islands, each different and spectacular in its own way.
The Overlander took us from near Auckland down the North Island to Wellington and takes in the Raurimu Spiral as it climbs up onto the volcanic plateau through the National Park and past the volcanic cones of Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. The scenery changes again as it crosses the Rangitikei River with its deep sided gorges and towering bridges. Later the tracks run beside the coast providing views of Kapiti Island and glimpses of the South Island in the distance before it runs through a long tunnel and into Wellington. Don’t expect the trains to run on schedule. We were delayed for a couple of hours with various problems including a tree on the line.
Wellington is one of our favourite New Zealand cities and although our stay was short we were not disappointed this time either. We stayed in the Shepard’s Arms Hotel on the pretty Tinakori Road not far from the Botanical Gardens. The hotel was reasonable and had all we needed (accept a plug for the bath) and looked quaint, based as it was on the original hotel of the same name that was established in 1870. The next morning we strolled down to the Parliament Buildings and took the very interesting free tour around them before having a quick look at the delightful Old St Paul’s (a weeding practice stopped us from spending more time here). We wandered around the waterfront and had lunch at a rustic food hall at the Wellington Market. We spent a good few hours in the Te Papa museum particularly enjoying the Golden Days, Passports and New Zealand in Bloom exhibitions.
We took the ferry across to the South Island and joined the TranzCoastal train at Picton bound for Christchurch. As the name suggests this route took us mainly down the east coast of the South Island after cutting through the wine-growing region of Marlborough. All of the trains have an exposed viewing area to allow a better opportunity to take photos without the interference of the glass windows in the other carriages. Running so close to the sea was a breezy experience and we had to come back inside for a break and to clean the salt rind off our glasses.
We arrived at Christchurch later in the day and walked to our Best Western Motel in Riccarton, near Hagley Park. We had been given vouchers for this chain of motels and we were very impressed with the facilities and service that we received at the Annabelle Court on Riccarton Road. We had a few of days here in the Garden City, although one of those would be taken up with our TranzAlpine excursion. We explored the beautiful Botanical Gardens as we walked through towards the centre of town. Worcester Boulevard with the tram, entertainers and Arts Centre Weekend Market were lovely, and throughout the small city everything looked enticing. The Cathedral Square with its market, the Avon River and the punts. We ate in New Regent Street looking at the faded glamour of the terraced buildings and pastel colours. We took a bus out to the Mona Vale Gardens, which were nice (though we were put off by constantly stumbling over various wedding parties). I had been given tickets to see a gig that night as a birthday present, so before the event we returned to New Regent Street and ate a fantastic evening meal at the Six Chairs Missing restaurant. The tickets were to see Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy at the Creation club at 8pm. We arrived a little early, but the doors didn’t open until around 9pm and then we had more than an hour until after the support act finished until the main act came on. Needless to say, after a long day walking around the town, we were starting to flag. As we had an early start the next day we left the club before the gig finished. Christchurch at night is a very different place full of drunken yobs, not attractive at all.
We took the day return excursion on the TranzAlpine from Christchurch on the east coast to Greymouth on the west, and back again. On the way the train runs across the wide-open Canterbury Plains before winding its way through the Southern Alps up to Arthur’s Pass over more dramatic river gorges in the shadow of the tallest mountains in the country. Through the 8-kilometre tunnel from the dry and arid plains to the wet rainforest of the west coast, the train journeyed down to Greymouth. After a short break we returned again to Christchurch. All of the way on each train we had most entertaining and informative commentary from the crew pointing out places of interest as we passed them by. Out of all of the trains the TranzApline is the biggest and most popular by far, next was the TranzCoastal and lastly the long Overlander journey.
We returned the way we came with an evening in Wellington where we walked through the Botanical Gardens and took the Cable Car down into town where we ate on the fashionable heart of town.
The journey was very interest and we saw some amazing scenery that you wouldn’t see by flying or driving, even so we were glad to step off the train at the end of it. We still think Wellington is our favourite city, but Christchurch is not too far behind.
The Overlander took us from near Auckland down the North Island to Wellington and takes in the Raurimu Spiral as it climbs up onto the volcanic plateau through the National Park and past the volcanic cones of Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. The scenery changes again as it crosses the Rangitikei River with its deep sided gorges and towering bridges. Later the tracks run beside the coast providing views of Kapiti Island and glimpses of the South Island in the distance before it runs through a long tunnel and into Wellington. Don’t expect the trains to run on schedule. We were delayed for a couple of hours with various problems including a tree on the line.
Wellington is one of our favourite New Zealand cities and although our stay was short we were not disappointed this time either. We stayed in the Shepard’s Arms Hotel on the pretty Tinakori Road not far from the Botanical Gardens. The hotel was reasonable and had all we needed (accept a plug for the bath) and looked quaint, based as it was on the original hotel of the same name that was established in 1870. The next morning we strolled down to the Parliament Buildings and took the very interesting free tour around them before having a quick look at the delightful Old St Paul’s (a weeding practice stopped us from spending more time here). We wandered around the waterfront and had lunch at a rustic food hall at the Wellington Market. We spent a good few hours in the Te Papa museum particularly enjoying the Golden Days, Passports and New Zealand in Bloom exhibitions.
We took the ferry across to the South Island and joined the TranzCoastal train at Picton bound for Christchurch. As the name suggests this route took us mainly down the east coast of the South Island after cutting through the wine-growing region of Marlborough. All of the trains have an exposed viewing area to allow a better opportunity to take photos without the interference of the glass windows in the other carriages. Running so close to the sea was a breezy experience and we had to come back inside for a break and to clean the salt rind off our glasses.
We arrived at Christchurch later in the day and walked to our Best Western Motel in Riccarton, near Hagley Park. We had been given vouchers for this chain of motels and we were very impressed with the facilities and service that we received at the Annabelle Court on Riccarton Road. We had a few of days here in the Garden City, although one of those would be taken up with our TranzAlpine excursion. We explored the beautiful Botanical Gardens as we walked through towards the centre of town. Worcester Boulevard with the tram, entertainers and Arts Centre Weekend Market were lovely, and throughout the small city everything looked enticing. The Cathedral Square with its market, the Avon River and the punts. We ate in New Regent Street looking at the faded glamour of the terraced buildings and pastel colours. We took a bus out to the Mona Vale Gardens, which were nice (though we were put off by constantly stumbling over various wedding parties). I had been given tickets to see a gig that night as a birthday present, so before the event we returned to New Regent Street and ate a fantastic evening meal at the Six Chairs Missing restaurant. The tickets were to see Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy at the Creation club at 8pm. We arrived a little early, but the doors didn’t open until around 9pm and then we had more than an hour until after the support act finished until the main act came on. Needless to say, after a long day walking around the town, we were starting to flag. As we had an early start the next day we left the club before the gig finished. Christchurch at night is a very different place full of drunken yobs, not attractive at all.
We took the day return excursion on the TranzAlpine from Christchurch on the east coast to Greymouth on the west, and back again. On the way the train runs across the wide-open Canterbury Plains before winding its way through the Southern Alps up to Arthur’s Pass over more dramatic river gorges in the shadow of the tallest mountains in the country. Through the 8-kilometre tunnel from the dry and arid plains to the wet rainforest of the west coast, the train journeyed down to Greymouth. After a short break we returned again to Christchurch. All of the way on each train we had most entertaining and informative commentary from the crew pointing out places of interest as we passed them by. Out of all of the trains the TranzApline is the biggest and most popular by far, next was the TranzCoastal and lastly the long Overlander journey.
We returned the way we came with an evening in Wellington where we walked through the Botanical Gardens and took the Cable Car down into town where we ate on the fashionable heart of town.
The journey was very interest and we saw some amazing scenery that you wouldn’t see by flying or driving, even so we were glad to step off the train at the end of it. We still think Wellington is our favourite city, but Christchurch is not too far behind.
Writer's cramp...
Although the Blog has not been updated as frequently as it used to be I have still been writing. I have actually finnished my first novel to a stage where I have been happy to send it off to several publishers for their comments. So fingers crossed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)