I've always wanted to go to Banff -- the pictures look so lovely.

And I'm glad that someone else thought Dr. Zhivago was dull. I read the book and I still watched the movie, and I was disappointed both times.
MrsDarwin | Homepage | 07.01.08 - 11:01 am | #

I always think of Dick Francis as winter reading. His new books always came out in the fall -- I'd buy it and give it to my mother for her birthday in November and then she'd lend it to me to read. When she sold the house and got the condo, I had to find room for the 40 or so volumes in "our" collection. We were both quite concerned as Mr. Francis aged that we were going to have to find a new birthday tradition, but this year's book, which his son co-wrote with him was really good. I'm kind of afraid to reread the early paperbacks -- they're all falling apart.

I loved the Detective Inspector Chen books too - I hope she writes more.
Meg | Homepage | 07.01.08 - 11:18 am | #

I'm glad to get that endorsement of his son's writing. I only recently became aware of it and was hesitating ...
Julie D. | Homepage | 07.01.08 - 11:33 am | #

Dear Julie,

I just wanted to note that something that may not come across clearly in another reader's interpretation of Hawthorne's book are the subtle strains of humor and with, both dark and light, that permeate the whole work. Hawthorne is often viewed as somber to the point of dour, but careful reading of his work shows ennumerable examples of the amusing and sometimes of that which would provoke LOL.

I'm glad you enjoyed the recorded book, far more people should be reading both Hawthorne and Henry James. If so, our present state of literature would not be nearly so deplorable.

(I say that and then I note that Jhumpa Lahiri, whose most recent book was a vast disappointment sites Hawthorne as a major influence. And yet, it tells in the beauty and careful control of the prose--there are few writers out there now who bother.

Thanks for encouraging wider reader of great literature. It IS for everyone despite the fact that we sometimes lock ourselves out.

shalom,

Steven
Steven Riddle | Homepage | 07.01.08 - 12:36 pm | #

Steven, you are so very right about Hawthorne's humor and wit. Quite often it was his musings about such things as what every one is interpreting when seeing a comet that would make me burst out laughing and then continue with the book at a time when I felt the story had somewhat bogged down. That is when I fell in love with his common sense and humor.
Julie D. | Homepage | 07.01.08 - 2:32 pm | #