Not in my hands yet, but it has come into the library for me to pick up at least. But...do I abandon Thomas Cromwell to his fate? Hmmm
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0 Kudo
A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute Nov 2009
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 BCCJillster |
A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute Nov 2009 |
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10/28/09 03:05 PM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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Currently reading: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Just Finished: Nine Dragons by M Connelly **** |
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pioneerbee |
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10/28/09 04:45 PM |
Well, it will still be there when you finish Alice, did you know he is related to Oliver Cromwell who will come after him and shake up
the royals again?
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BCCJillster |
#2 | |||
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10/28/09 05:01 PM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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And did you know that Mantel is planning a sequel? LOL I don't know where Wolf Hall ends yet, so I have no idea where the sequel picks up. Of course, the
vision of Cromwell (Thomas) in my head from the book is different than the Hans Holbein portraits. I guess I'll have to thicken him up.
I'm waiting for Henry to be less one-dimensional and childish, but I guess that's not in the cards.
Currently reading: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Just Finished: Nine Dragons by M Connelly **** |
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someonegetchristine |
#3 | |||
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10/28/09 05:34 PM BCC BookieMonster |
I've got Alice ready to read - I've just finished On the Beach - wanted to read something by the author before starting - the story has a doomed
ending, but the people seemed to keep their short lives full of hope by filling their days with domesticity and the fulfilment of basic tasks. It's a good
read.
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pioneerbee |
#4 | |||
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10/28/09 07:28 PM |
I suspect that Henry was a spoiled brat and not a very nice character.
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dlee10 |
#5 | |||
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10/29/09 03:54 PM BCC BookieMonster |
Opinion alert for Alice: If you don't want to know what I thought of the book don't go any further!
I read about half. Really liked it at first. The writing was slow but I was interested in the heroine's story. Then I hit the middle. I kept getting hung up on how the narrator was able repeat long conversations, ect... that he was only privy to in letters. Beautiful descriptions of Malay and Australia. But get a move on already! I skipped to the end (something I am VERY against!) because I cared enough to want to know the outcome but not enough to do the work getting there![/i]
Last Edited By: dlee10 10/29/09 03:58 PM.
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BCCJillster |
#6 | |||
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10/29/09 05:08 PM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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Well, I got it home from the library today and started in and kept going. Quite enjoying it, far more than I expected though I see Deb's comments above.
The funny thing is I was thinking about how direct the writing is, without tons of description, which moves things along. I guess that will change but not yet.
It has the same feeling of story telling as the Painted Veil did, with the sense of period and different expectations, socially. One thing I found surprising in the beginning was how much influence the lawyer had on the setting of the will (not a spoiler). Onward...
Currently reading: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Just Finished: Nine Dragons by M Connelly **** |
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wernoclue |
#7 | |||
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10/30/09 01:21 PM BCC ZEN Bookie MASTER |
After returning it to the library unread, I ordered a copy through AbeBooks and it arrived yesterday. The book was only $2.95. Powell's had plenty of the
author's other titles but not this one. I wish I'd picked up a copy of On the Beach while I was there but the 7 I did get were enough to
carry.
Karen
Don't know what I'm currently reading... between books for a minute. |
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someonegetchristine |
#8 | |||
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10/30/09 02:11 PM BCC BookieMonster |
My copy is a neat little dark blue leather covered book, which I picked up in a ubs a few weeks ago - I think it's come from an estate as it has the
initials A.C.W engraved on the bottom right corner. Its a small book, about 11cm by 11cm and quite thick with pencil sketches throughout and a gold bookmarker
attched. Its in good condition, although pages are yellowing. I wonder about its journey through the years.
Karen - would you like me to post On the beach to you?
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wernoclue |
#9 | |||
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10/30/09 02:52 PM BCC ZEN Bookie MASTER |
Chris, that would probably be more expensive than it's worth! I'll check a couple of the UBSs here, first, but thanks so much for the offer!
Karen
Don't know what I'm currently reading... between books for a minute. |
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BCCJillster |
#10 | |||
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10/30/09 03:30 PM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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Ooo Chris, how exciting. Don't you love a book with a 'history' even if it's unknown. Bet it adds to the reading pleasure too.
Currently reading: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Just Finished: Nine Dragons by M Connelly **** |
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someonegetchristine |
#11 | |||
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10/31/09 03:29 PM BCC BookieMonster |
Well, Ms Jean Paget is no slouch is she - Strachan, poor man, was taken aback with the manner of this lady who in her Uncle's eyes would quite probably not
be able to manage a large sum of money ! Indeed. I laughed at the bit when she is leaving her final meeting with him only to ask him, 'sure you can
manage all right now?'.
I'm assuming Shute would have his facts right about the high number of casualties in the railway being built buy the Japs 'one man died for every sleeper that was laid, and it was about 200 miles long'. Crikey.
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BCCJillster |
#12 | |||
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11/01/09 05:07 PM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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Sorry to see this book end--I really enjoyed it. Deb, I didn't find it lagged, though I kept waiting for it to bog down. Hey, at least it wasn't a
coming of age tale, right? LOL
Man oh man the attitudes toward women, right Chris? Yipes And not exactly politically correct toward the aborigines either, was it. I didn't realize til I looked words up that some of the terms must have been as offensive as the N word is to blacks. Sorry but I cant keep up with what the 'correct' term is since not all 'blacks' are 'African American' and it's exhausting anyway. The easy assumptions about the inadequacies of women are offset all the more by how readily Shute accepts Jean's strengths and abilities. Nice contrast.
Currently reading: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Just Finished: Nine Dragons by M Connelly **** |
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dlee10 |
#13 | |||
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11/02/09 07:00 AM BCC BookieMonster |
Yeah, I'm not sure why it bogged for me. Once Jean hit Australia I started reading it like a romance novel that wasn't quite working. At least this is
what I think in retrospect. I wish I had kept up now. Well, I can always retrieve the book from the library when I have a bit more time. Had I not started it
so soon, I would have had Jill's encouragement when I hit my snag so really, this is a lesson! Don't start too soon!
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BCCJillster |
#14 | |||
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11/02/09 07:36 AM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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No guarantee you would have liked it more though Deb. It's so much a matter of mood and personal taste. It didn't fade into a mushy romance if that
helps, 'cause I don't care for those either. I outlined what you missed in the spoilers thread just in case.
Currently reading: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Just Finished: Nine Dragons by M Connelly **** |
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wernoclue |
#15 | |||
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11/03/09 12:44 AM BCC ZEN Bookie MASTER |
Read about the first 100 pages this evening and I'm loving it. I'm going back for a few more pages before sleep.
Karen
Don't know what I'm currently reading... between books for a minute. |
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someonegetchristine |
#16 | |||
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11/03/09 06:25 PM BCC BookieMonster |
I'm enjoying it too....about half-way through. I love the slow and steady way in which the story is developing and also the writer's ability to
reflect the enormity of the horrors the women must have endured, in a dignified, understated way.
Here's a pic of a typical outback track around Alice Springs, sparse landscape, not many trees. 
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Blanchard |
#17 | |||
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11/03/09 09:41 PM BCC Zen Bookie Master
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Thanks, Chris! That gives us all a great idea of what the local landscape might be in a place like Alice Springs.
Betsy
Taking allergy pills is like having Snow White multiple personality disorder. You go from Sneezy/Grumpy to Sleepy/Dopey/Happy. from CEO of Zappo's, Tony Shieh |
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wernoclue |
#18 | |||
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11/04/09 01:56 AM BCC ZEN Bookie MASTER |
Chris said: "I love the ... writer's ability to reflect the enormity of the horrors the women must have endured, in a dignified, understated
way."
What a great way of putting it. I was thinking about the writing today and the only word I could come up with was reportorial, which is too removed and unemotional for the way the story is being told. Love the picture Chris; I remember looking long at Alice Springs when we were reading In a Sunburned Country and that photo looks almost friendlier than I remembered it.
Karen
Don't know what I'm currently reading... between books for a minute. |
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BCCJillster |
#19 | |||
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11/04/09 08:59 AM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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Makes me feel hot and thirsty just looking at that picture after reading the book. The size of the stations is frightening to a non-Texan like me. Given my
choice, I'll go to NZ thanks LOL
Currently reading: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Just Finished: Nine Dragons by M Connelly **** |
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someonegetchristine |
#20 | |||
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11/06/09 03:19 AM BCC BookieMonster |
I thought I'd put up a pic of the Brahmans, these are the cattle bred on the large stations throughout the central and top end of Australia, the area that
the book focusses on. . They were introduced into the country in 1933 and are tolerant of extreme heat which is
controlled by their dark pigmented skin, and super-efficient, large sweat glands. Also their sleek coats reflect the sun and they have a much slower metabolic
rate which results in less heat being generated. They have a number of digestive efficiencies over other breeds too.
They are docile beasts and quite often wander into campsites and quietly sit under the trees,as shown in the second pic, mum and junior just wouldn't budge when the owners of the long-hauler seen in the picture, waved and clapped and shouted to get them to move out of the way, they just sat their, unperturbed by all the fuss. We left shortly after taking the pic, so didn't see what the outcome was! (Phil took the photos!) 
Last Edited By: someonegetchristine 11/06/09 03:24 AM.
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