Membre : ncgraham

Hi, Nathan. You made me laugh! I ~just~ added that book (Yolen's Briar Rose, which, no, I haven't read yet) to my wishlist. I spend WAY too much time review-surfing, I guess. In the new hobnob group this morning, I was reading about a new book, Moon Dance, which I followed to the author's page, who, though new to LT, had a few connections listed, which I followed, and one of those members showed Briar Rose in their most recent activity. An interesting cover, I clicked on it, read a few more reviews, then just ~had~ to add it to my wishlist. It grows much too fast in that way!

Do you ever spend time surfing the various waves of LibraryThing?

écrit par countrylife à 12:09 pm (EST) le Mar 18, 2010

Kiss' second album: Hotter than Hell. Why the link? I have no idea why.

I've got that very same LOR ed. and that B&N ed. of Wives and Daughters.

écrit par EnriqueFreeque à 11:18 pm (EST) le Mar 10, 2010

It was hotter than Hell, wasn't it?

écrit par EnriqueFreeque à 7:08 pm (EST) le Mar 10, 2010

I have and I am. I like writing first person well-enough - with varying degrees of success - and I can objectively appreciate the way the technique works, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, on the whole. *shrugs* To each their own and all that.

écrit par Shanra à 1:31 am (EST) le Mar 9, 2010

Oh good! I'm glad you're open to the darker stuff. It doesn't get much darker than Shakespeare at his doom and gloomiest nor in Notes from Underground - one of my all time faves. I can relate to that anti-social, socially inept narrator; don't ask me why; I just can. I hope especially you'll give Ted Mooney a try in Sept. (I know, bad month for you school-wise, probably) and his soon to be released novel, The Same River Between. He's a National Book Award nominated author who actually joined le salon not too long ago. I'm still giddy over that. He was nominated for his fantastic first novel I highly recommend, Easy Travel to Other Planets. Really whimsical, at times weird, writing.

Thanks for restarting the pimping thread, btw., I've been too busy lately to keep an eye on the salonistas reviews. I really appreciate it when others do so for me.

écrit par EnriqueFreeque à 10:21 pm (EST) le Mar 3, 2010

Le Salon reads are purposely obscureth in order to help broadeneth our collectiveth horizons. I'm mildly surprised you've not heard of Marguerite Yourcenar's Memoirs of Hadrian, as I think, based on what I see you reading over in Club Read, you might actually enjoy that one. I'd never heard of The Dwarf until Urania#1 recommended it. The majority of the balance are edgy, postmodern stuff you'd of only heard of if you already happen to be in to or educated in that oeuvre. I suspect you might appreciate the writing in much of what's schedulded, particularly Jesus' Son: Stories by Denis Johnson - a phenomenal, kicks you hard in the gut, book - though I doubt (again, based only on what I see you reading in Club Read) you'd much care for the content: Gritty, realistic, emotionally raw, edgy, counter-culterish, kind of material trending toward the dark side of life. I hope you'll try out Jesus' Son (I think it's apropos we'll be reading it over Christmas ;-) ) because it's barely 100 pages.

écrit par EnriqueFreeque à 7:28 pm (EST) le Mar 3, 2010

What a nice review to hit the hot reviews today! Can you tell me one more thing about 'The Castle in the Attic'? What ages might enjoy the book? My youngest son is 13, reads 1 to 2 books a week, of about Eragon type length. Was that about the age that you read this series? PS: I love it when people share their memories in their reviews. Nicely done!

écrit par countrylife à 3:11 pm (EST) le Mar 3, 2010

Good for you and all of us!
We're here at the same time!! - a thing that rarely happens to me.

écrit par LizzieD à 10:50 pm (EST) le Mar 2, 2010

Dear N.C.,
I came from Almacks because of the N.C. and because of the "Graham," dear husband's name. We certainly have a lot of mysteries and other good things in common as well as faith. I'm going to check out the John Piper book as soon as I finish speaking here.......I've invited you to join the Almacks group since you're already posting there.
Peggy

écrit par LizzieD à 10:47 pm (EST) le Mar 2, 2010

Great review of The Castle in the Attic! I've never read it, but you make me want to. I do own it.

Couple small things:

• At its most basic level, the story is deceivingly simple. I would use "deceptively" here instead.

• You use "cliche" in two places, which is fine, but you need the accent on the e. You can copy/paste this one: cliché.

• for she was able to create a character unnervingly a real person, full of flaws and insecurities and little virtues mixed up along with them. Need to add "like" after "unnervingly"; also, what "them" are isn't clear. I think you mean the flaws and insecurities, but it reads a touch awkwardly.

écrit par wisewoman à 8:55 am (EST) le Mar 2, 2010

Uh, yah, I mistyped. I do tend to make small mistakes when I try to multi-task. I don't do it well. ;) :D

écrit par MereChristian à 7:35 pm (EST) le Feb 23, 2010

Yah, I am. I'm in the middle of some job application/resume/interview stuff, so it'll take a bit. I do intend to read it eventually. I'm enjoying *The King of Attolia*. It is great so far. I think that I've sort of figured out a lot of it so far. Great book. :)

écrit par MereChristian à 5:05 pm (EST) le Feb 23, 2010

Ditto on A Wrinkle in Time. I read it a few years ago and wasn't overwhelmed. However, because of LOST, I decided to finish the series and when I read Book 2, it blew me away. A lot of people say Book 2 is their least favorite because it's too "deep." I'm guess that's why I like it. ; )

I agree on the Ditto Story summarization - some of my best and worst is in there. I think it's because that forum fosters a fearlessness about trying new techniques. Great way to learn - without worrying about criticism. At least when I was there - I don't know what it's like now.

écrit par Cymrugirl à 4:34 pm (EST) le Feb 22, 2010

By "finishing up a novel," I meant writing, not reading. I see now that this wasn't perfectly obvious.

écrit par Cymrugirl à 11:28 am (EST) le Feb 17, 2010

I'm stuffing myself with Madeleine L'Engle as well as Lloyd Alexander. I love them both. Also finishing up a novel that I started in November.

I just finished reading the third book in the Twilight series. Pathetic. If her series' success is any indication, we could have made a fortune together off of the Cymru/Giles/Yves story. It is a hundred million times better.

: )

What book is being associated with me down below? The Eyre Affair perhaps? If so, I haven't read that yet but would love to know why the association.

écrit par Cymrugirl à 11:27 am (EST) le Feb 17, 2010

*blush* Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed my review. ^-^

I really enjoyed the book, but I admit a certain bias because it ticked pretty much all of the "things Shanra likes" boxes. ^-~ It's a fun read, though, and I'm glad I'm able to recommend the whole book, rather than just the first 200 pages. I adored those. They read just like a Georgette Heyer novel (well, okay, like the one novel of hers I've read to date. But I will read more!), but then with a magical, otherworldly twist.

If you read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it! ^-^ (And of course I hope you'll enjoy it.)

écrit par Shanra à 1:16 pm (EST) le Feb 16, 2010

Thanks Nathan. That sentence refers to Hades' evil plot of holding Jane Eyre and other classics for ransom — not just their original manuscripts, but their very storylines, which he can change via the prose portal. What price is the world willing to pay that Jane Eyre (and other beloved classics) should remain intact?

I think you would enjoy the book! :) For some reason I associate it with Cymru, though I don't think she even owns the series.

écrit par wisewoman à 3:10 pm (EST) le Feb 13, 2010

Yes, they are my first, but certainly won't be my last! I love his writing style - as if he's smirking all the way through. Love it.

écrit par Cymrugirl à 1:59 pm (EST) le Feb 11, 2010

Good morning, ncgraham!

I'm loving the connections redo. While I was on your profile resetting your 'connection', I noticed that you have the Denton library favorited. Are you going to school there? My firstborn was born in Flower Mound 24 years ago. We did our shopping in Lewisville and Denton. We moved away from Texas 22 years ago. Last weekend, we had occasion to drive through Dallas, Lewisville and Denton on our way to a funeral. We had our eyes peeled looking for memories. We found ~nothing~ familiar! The whole area has grown so much!

I just added you to my list of 'Trusted reviewers'. I'm just curious - can you see that?

écrit par countrylife à 8:40 am (EST) le Feb 9, 2010

Oh, and the Tower of Babel line was mine :)

écrit par wisewoman à 1:46 pm (EST) le Feb 4, 2010

Is it really the way of the world to condemn Phantom? I thought most people liked it, but apparently not! I'm going to engage your Phantom breakdown in my thread just as soon as I have a moment. I'm glad we don't agree on EVERYTHING... that might get a little creepy.

Thank you for the edits, as always! :)

écrit par wisewoman à 1:10 pm (EST) le Feb 4, 2010

Done and done! Thank you; I had noticed that about my reviews a bit ago but didn't want to bother you with it. It *was* bothering me that they were down in the nether regions of zero thumbs :-P

écrit par wisewoman à 9:44 am (EST) le Jan 29, 2010

Finally one of your CoN reviews is getting its due! Three cheers for MN :)

Thanks for the edits on my Peter Pan review; I appreciate them. And yes, I know it's shocking I've never read it until now. But it's also shocking that you have never seen the whole of Hook! You simply MUST try to see it soon. It's one of my all-time favorite escapist movies, full of fluff but so much fun. Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman are excellent in their roles, especially Hoffman. And it has a wonderful score, playful and memorable and poignant.

And yes, all the actors were great in the 2005 film... it was just the approach I didn't like. I've gone back and clarified what I meant by "Freudian" in my review — everything was sexualized. Now there is definitely an undercurrent of that with all the female jealousy going on in Neverland, but Peter never got it. And in the 2005 film, he does. He gazes soulfully at Wendy all the time and it's just disturbing to me somehow.

écrit par wisewoman à 8:24 am (EST) le Jan 29, 2010

Okay okay... I just put a post in my thread confessing my Agatha Christie reading. Should I recommend a few good ones for you like I did with Heyer? I could start an Ask Rena thread =P

I'm solving my work difficulties by staying here after hours today, but can't do that every day. We'll see how I go.

Glad you liked the article - I am certainly slightly imbecile about Jane Austen - but apart from the movies, I am anything but imbecile about the spin-offs created from her work. A friend gave me P&P&Zombies as well as S&S&Sea Monsters for christmas, so I'll be reading them eventually. Agreed that the whole idea opens up a nightmare avalanche of "classics mashups" as the article says. The first page of both are well done for what they are though.

écrit par ChocolateMuse à 2:28 am (EST) le Jan 28, 2010

Hi Nathan! Sorry I've been so silent since you last posted to my profile. I actually never did have internet at home, but over the summer (your winter) I was house sitting and had the luxury of free time online without feeling guilty! Last year I spent rather a lot too much time on LT while at work, and I'm resolving to be a Better Girl this year. Hence, I am here less, and miss it. :(

Great reviews of yours! Thumbing all over the place! I too love the nostalgia of The Magician's Nephew, and your explanation of the nostalgic and fantastical evocation of London is great!

I've been mainly plodding through Les Mis, with some Agatha Christie distractions. I see you're logging everything you read on your thread, which is good stuff. I'm only going to post about the ones I have something particular to say about (partly for the no-time reason, and partly because I'm not as brave as you about posting fluff on a thread scary people like tomcat read - but I'm getting less intimidated by them nowadays), so Christie probably won't appear. I resolve though, that whenever I reread a Heyer, I will review it and let you know. *promise* :)

I saw this recently and thought of you: http://salon.com/books/jane_austen/index.html?story=/books/laura_miller/2010/01/...
There are some links at the side too, on Jane Austen in the news.

Oh btw, do you prefer to be referred to as ncgraham or Nathan on the threads?

écrit par ChocolateMuse à 1:16 am (EST) le Jan 28, 2010

More great reviews! Here are a few small things I noticed in Lady of Quality:

• ...rather than the mercurial body of work we get form her later imitator.
"Form" should be "from."

• Unlike Rochester, however, he convinces neither in his shady nor in his repentance. Should there be a noun after "shady"?

MN:

• In the first sentence, there is no Oxford comma in the title of LWW. Odd, I know!

• He is Digory Kirke, who used to live in country, It seems odd that the "he" here is italicized. Also, you need a "the" before "country."

• absolutely terrified of her brother Uncle Andrew I would take out "her brother."

I definitely teared up while reading them, just as I did near the end The Silver Chair. You need "of" after "end." Next paragraph, remove the Oxford comma from LWW's title.

That's all I saw. Couldn't agree more about the Aslan/Digory scenes in MN. I teared up when I listened to the FotF dramas last year for the first time. I'm not sure I ever really appreciated those parts fully before then.

écrit par wisewoman à 8:19 am (EST) le Jan 27, 2010

Brilliant review of Austen's minor works, Nathan. I loved every word except the extra "a" in this sentence:

I have a particular and somewhat twisted liking for Sir Edward, who has read Richardson’s Clarissa one too many times and a identifies little too closely with Lovelace, the antihero.

écrit par wisewoman à 7:08 pm (EST) le Jan 26, 2010

Oh, okay. *Blush* I didn't look. I just saw it on the friends feed thing. Yah, I would have been so envious. ;) :D

écrit par MereChristian à 10:51 pm (EST) le Jan 19, 2010

How did you get *A Conspiracy of Kings* early? :O

écrit par MereChristian à 10:29 pm (EST) le Jan 19, 2010

Hi Nathan,

Sorry, I was offline for a week, and now my online time is limited because I can only do this at work.

I see Amy gave you a quote of mine below (wow, I'm being quoted, how important am I?!) but here's a bit more from my own thread last year about colours:

Book Three, with all the characters except Frodo and Sam, is active, brightly coloured, full of trees and movement, with a large cast of characters. Book Four is quite a contrast - black, brown and red; the feeling is heavy and doom-laden. This contrast is genius in itself.

Lady of Quality isn't that great. It's the one Amy first started on and was turned off Heyer until I persuaded her to try another one. It's okay, but the heroine is a bit one-dimensional and the romance is pretty cheesy. And there aren't really any minor characters that make up for it. Better to read it once you get so committed to Heyer that you have to read everything she wrote.

I shall consider your suggestion re rating the Heyers - but I generally don't rate books, since I never know exactly what I'm rating... how much I personally liked it? How objectively 'good' I think it is? How well it's written? Whether it's a good story, or whether it makes me think? Too much variation. But I might review them all some time!

écrit par ChocolateMuse à 10:14 pm (EST) le Jan 19, 2010

I love film noir too. Have you read any of David Goodis? Last year I enjoyed his book Shoot the Piano Player. I'm currently reading Dark Passage. Both were turned into films.

I noticed you recently added James Agee's A Death in the Family. I haven't read that since college but the opening always stays with me for some reason.

écrit par VictoriaPL à 4:42 pm (EST) le Jan 19, 2010

Thank you! I didn't know that about Hughes, but you're right, it is nice to hear. Have you read any of her other books?

écrit par VictoriaPL à 4:36 pm (EST) le Jan 19, 2010

Chocolate wrote that on October 7:

I'm getting truly swept up in the green and grey and golden atmosphere of LoTR. The landscape is coming together in my mind along with the far-flung history and valour of Middle Earth. See, I'm even waxing poetical over it! Thank you for making me read it again, and showing me how to appreciate it!

Oh, I didn't know your email required a response. I will try to get back to you soon! You're right, it's been really busy. And I have a big backlog of reviews from the weekend...

écrit par wisewoman à 3:12 pm (EST) le Jan 19, 2010

The Folio Society has The Mill On the Floss on sale for twenty bucks, in a gorgeous cloth & crushed silk binding:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Medellia12/millonfloss.jpg

So I bought it just yesterday. It's my present to me for being a hard-working gal this month. They published Middlemarch as well in the same style, but in burgundy. I haven't seen it on the site lately so I hope I didn't miss my chance to snag it.

écrit par Medellia à 8:50 am (EST) le Jan 14, 2010

I'm pleased that I could make your day. I'm sure I will end up liking Silas Marner, as I'm completely enamored with George Eliot. I received Romola about a week ago in the mail; just idly flipping through it, I found great passage after great passage, and was sorely tempted to dive into it right away even though I don't have the energy to do any serious reading right now. :)

I have read a couple of your recent reviews and enjoyed them. I look forward to playing catch-up when I can. Are you back in school this week or next? Good luck getting back into the swing of things.

écrit par Medellia à 10:30 am (EST) le Jan 12, 2010

Hi Nathan. I'm glad the edits were useful to you, though I must disclaim that not all my reviews are meticulously edited. Sometimes when I reread them I find things to blush for!

Re: Lewis and losing one's salvation, it's probably true that he believed you could. But then you have things like "Once a king or queen in Narnia, always a king or queen"... make of that what you will. I suggest reading Screwtape with the caveat of the unreliable narrator primarily to facilitate enjoyment of that story, not as an argument that Lewis himself believed in eternal security.

(Congrats on the ridiculous number of thumbs you're getting for your Cotillion review, btw!)

écrit par wisewoman à 8:50 am (EST) le Jan 11, 2010

Thanks! I liked your review of Cotillion, too. Lionel Barrymore seems about right if we cast Mr. Penicuik as a crabbed old man. If we make him more sly perhaps Alec Guinness or Hugh Griffith--or even Bill Nighy, aged a bit.

You're not the only guy to be turned on to Georgette Heyer. Years and years ago I got my father reading them, too, and he and my sister and I used to quote them to each other. He loved their sense of absurdity.

And, by the way, HIS father was born in Denton!

All the best,
Victoria

écrit par Winter_Maiden à 11:15 pm (EST) le Jan 9, 2010

Edits and random comments:

• I agree about the difficulty of classifying Screwtape! I had that same problem when I went to tag it in my library. About the notion of losing one's salvation, I agree it's problematic, but do remember we're reading the demons' perspective on it. They aren't exactly trustworthy narrators! :) And maybe they are fooled themselves about the possiblity. I didn't see any typos in this one.

• I agree about HHB; if I HAD to pick one of the CoN, that would probably be the one!

Aravis, a runaway tarkheena avoiding marriage to the noble but despicable Ahoshta,

This threw me for a loop because I first interpreted "noble" as the virtue, not the social position. Could this be slightly reworked so there isn't a sudden contradiction between "noble" and "despicable"? I wonder if we need to know Ahoshta was nobility?

In the paragraph about the alleged racism, what do you think of throwing a paragraph break in there before "Moreover"?

but that their political system and culture may be, and that their political system certainly is.

You repeat "political system" in there; is that intentional?

But of course Calormen, however complex and affectionate its portrayal can never compare to Narnia.

This needs a comma after "portrayal."

Also, I don't think "Chronicles of Narnia" should be italicized in the last paragraph. I don't think series titles are italicized, just individual titles.

Great thoughts on Macbeth — no typos.

Cotillion:

where she may enjoy all the delights of her first season and perhaps make mad with Mr. Westruther jealousy.

I would fix this to say "and perhaps make Mr. Westruther mad with jealousy."

Freddy’s father is delightfully sarcastic and aware,

"Aware" seems awkward to me here. How about "perceptive"?

nor thoughtless of the position unfortunate acquaintances can put one in,

A bit wordy and confusing. How about "nor thoughtless of the problems that unfortunate acquaintances may cause"?

Freddy shows how worthy he is of one’s emulation.

Maybe "how worthy he is of emulation"?

Solstice Wood:

Her cousin Tyler, gangling, geeky teenager,

Add "a" after "Tyler."

is taken there by his mother, still coping with the shock of his father’s death and his mother’s remarriage.

This gets a little confusing. Do we need to know he is taken there by his mother? Is that important?

Sylvia is supposed to be our heroine, but she’s a pale figure at best, quickly becomes lost in the general milieu.

Change "becomes" to "becoming."

and the air of unknown peril, Robin McKinley’s novel Beauty also came to mind.

I would change "came" to "comes."

That's all I saw. It's been too long since we've edited each other's reviews!

écrit par wisewoman à 11:17 am (EST) le Jan 9, 2010

I loved your review of Cotillion! It's wonderful when young men aren't afraid to like something that is supposedly "girly." My husband loves Jane Austen movies and makes me sigh happily every time he recommends we watch one :)

I suppose you're right about Cotillion's slightly rushed denouément. It *is* a bit neat, isn't it? I didn't really notice when I was listening to it. Which reminds me, I hope you can get hold of the audiobook eventually. I think it really added to my enjoyment of the story.

And your Winter Rose review was brilliant as well. I haven't reread that one yet, but it's very high on the list. It's one of the ones that I remembered as more than a blur, from my crazy McKillip binge a couple years ago. Yes, I think it will certainly be my next McKillip...

And oh my, you just churned out a ton of reviews, didn't you? *scampers off to read them all*

écrit par wisewoman à 10:27 am (EST) le Jan 9, 2010

Really liked your review of "Cotillion"! Good stuff, so I thumbs-upped you with nary a "Dash it!"

Cheers
RMD

écrit par richardderus à 1:38 am (EST) le Jan 9, 2010

*preens*

Btw, I giggle at the picture you conjure up of you reading it with that particular cover. It was quite brave of you really!

*waits with thin veneer of patience for LoTR review*

écrit par ChocolateMuse à 11:53 pm (EST) le Jan 8, 2010

I just found your review on Cotillion. YAYAYAY I'm so glad you liked it! Dash it Kit, how could you not? What I mean is, must!

:)

And glad to see you at Club Read. I've been missing your presence around the place.

écrit par ChocolateMuse à 11:28 pm (EST) le Jan 8, 2010

Thank you. :) I really enjoyed your Winter Rose review by the by. I decided that since you and Amy were so passionate about McKillip that I'd order it. As it is, the Riddle-Master trilogy is next on my to-read list. :D

What are you currently reading? God bless. Tim

écrit par MereChristian à 1:22 pm (EST) le Jan 8, 2010

Four stars... this is promising...

écrit par wisewoman à 10:10 pm (EST) le Jan 5, 2010

YAY!!! So glad you're starting with Cotillion! Both Amy and I love that one, so you're in good hands.

I found Bel Canto pretty amazing too - can't remember if we've talked about that already. I don't think it'd stand up to a re-read.

To put in a picture, the pic has to be already online somewhere. Copy and paste this code: (a href=)(img style="height: 200px; margin-right:10px;" src="LINK LOCATION")(/a)

Replace the ( brackets with .

Right click on the picture you want to link to and select 'properties'. The copy the URL / address, and paste that into the code, replacing the LINK LOCATION bit.

If you don't want to limit the size, just delete the bit that goes img style="height: 200px; margin-right:10px.

That should be it - let me know if you have problems!

écrit par ChocolateMuse à 5:35 am (EST) le Jan 2, 2010

Hi, sorry I've taken so long to reply! Time of year and all...

Royal Escape is pretty deadly. Don't look at it as typical Heyer at all!

I see no LoTR review from you yet - waiting with bated breath.

I've joined Club Read instead of 50 Challenge for 2010 - I think Amy's going to as well, not sure. Hope we can still see you around this year! Congrats for getting your finals and all out of the way, and I hope you did well (I have little doubt about that!).

écrit par ChocolateMuse à 1:26 am (EST) le Jan 1, 2010