Colleen McCullough

[primrose777]

OH YES !!!! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY IN ADVANCE TO ALL MOTHERS ON THIS BOARD !!!
(Thank your primrose for reminding me)

May you all receive a lot of books as gifts, and may they all be exchangeable *L*

EDIT: Make that "Thank YOU primrose for reminding me."

@ DATo, had a wonderful Mothers day. My Daughtet gave me 2 books, War and Peace and Gone with the Wind. Great choices for 16 year old. Keepers both.

[Gannon]

Primrose you will love "War and Peace" one of my all time favourites. Have never read "Gone with the wind".
I know that all you guys have an ever increasing TBR like me, but I highly recommend "The Dovekeepers" by Alice Hoffman. Great read with alot of emotion and brilliantly developed characters. Love how it is divided into four parts each narrated by a different character. If you get a chance it is a great read.

[Fran]

@Gannon
Glad The Dovekeepers delivered ... I was awaiting your opinion before adding it to the TBR & I just checked my library branch & it's available
You have to check out Curse Of The Spellmans ..... following DATo recommendation I got my hands on it & really loving it, kept me awake 'till 2am last night even with work today! It has some similarities with Jasper & some brilliant characters & like Jasper don't let the front cover put you off (it's NOT chick lit!)

[Gannon]

@Gannon
Glad The Dovekeepers delivered ... I was awaiting your opinion before adding it to the TBR & I just checked my library branch & it's available
You have to check out Curse Of The Spellmans ..... following DATo recommendation I got my hands on it & really loving it, kept me awake 'till 2am last night even with work today! It has some similarities with Jasper & some brilliant characters & like Jasper don't let the front cover put you off (it's NOT chick lit!)

Howdy Fran. "Curse of the Spellmans" sounds great, I have added it to the TBR list. I don't think you will be disappointed with "The Dovekeepers".

[primrose777]

Primrose you will love "War and Peace" one of my all time favourites. Have never read "Gone with the wind".
I know that all you guys have an ever increasing TBR like me, but I highly recommend "The Dovekeepers" by Alice Hoffman. Great read with alot of emotion and brilliantly developed characters. Love how it is divided into four parts each narrated by a different character. If you get a chance it is a great read.

Thanks Gannon, I have put the Dovekeepers on my TBR list, sounds great. No matter how large my list becomes, keep the recommendations coming. Love it. My Daughter did choose two of the largest books I have ever seen , will take me many a winters evening to get through. Nice.

[Fran]

Primrose you will love "War and Peace" one of my all time favourites. Have never read "Gone with the wind".
I know that all you guys have an ever increasing TBR like me, but I highly recommend "The Dovekeepers" by Alice Hoffman. Great read with alot of emotion and brilliantly developed characters. Love how it is divided into four parts each narrated by a different character. If you get a chance it is a great read.

Thanks Gannon, I have put the Dovekeepers on my TBR list, sounds great. No matter how large my list becomes, keep the recommendations coming. Love it. My Daughter did choose two of the largest books I have ever seen , will take me many a winters evening to get through. Nice.

@primrose777
Especially as you have kids I think you would probably love The Spellmans too ......... I highly recommend them so much so that I picked up another in the series at lunchtime today

[Maud Fitch]

Especially as you have kids I think you would probably love The Spellmans too ......... I highly recommend them so much so that I picked up another in the series at lunchtime today

Fran, it sounds like something I should read!
Gannon, love that new avatar!

On the subject of reading, I posted my review of Julian Barnes "The Sense Of An Ending" on the Julian Barnes "The Sense Of An Ending" thread under specific books.

The novel isn't good and it isn't bad. I am indecisive, divided, on my opinion of it. I really wanted to love it, but somehow I just couldn't. Too inconclusive, too many dangling ideas, too many unanswered questions. I re-read the comments Fran, Gannon and DATo made and it appears that you all enjoyed it but felt similarly about the open ending. I'm glad I read it because no doubt I will come across it at Book Club. Heated discussions will ensue!
Please let me know what you think of my theories.

Enjoy your weekend, one and all.

[Gannon]

Especially as you have kids I think you would probably love The Spellmans too ......... I highly recommend them so much so that I picked up another in the series at lunchtime today

Fran, it sounds like something I should read!
Gannon, love that new avatar!

On the subject of reading, I posted my review of Julian Barnes "The Sense Of An Ending" on the Julian Barnes "The Sense Of An Ending" thread under specific books.

The novel isn't good and it isn't bad. I am indecisive, divided, on my opinion of it. I really wanted to love it, but somehow I just couldn't. Too inconclusive, too many dangling ideas, too many unanswered questions. I re-read the comments Fran, Gannon and DATo made and it appears that you all enjoyed it but felt similarly about the open ending. I'm glad I read it because no doubt I will come across it at Book Club. Heated discussions will ensue!
Please let me know what you think of my theories.

Enjoy your weekend, one and all.

Howdy howdy Maud.

I think that Julian Barnes goal is to leave the reader in exactly the state you are in. I think he has left everything "up in the air" on purpose. As soon as you finish the novel questions start popping into your head. I also believe that he intentionally left the book very short to encourage readers to go back and read it again. Great review by the way.

Jasper has to be getting close now. I was watching "Game of Thrones" the other night where they send all their messages by raven. It got me thinking that maybe Jasper is coming by raven. But after thinking about it I realised how silly this idea was. Where are they going to get a raven big and strong enough to carry a book?

It is Friday morning and I am sitting on the verandah with my coffee reading while the rain comes down. Who could ask for more? I don't know what it is, I just love the rain.

I hope you have a fantastic weekend.

[Maud Fitch]

.....It is Friday morning and I am sitting on the verandah with my coffee reading while the rain comes down. Who could ask for more? I don't know what it is, I just love the rain.

I hope you have a fantastic weekend.

G'day Gannon. Yep, I love the rain, too. It's soft and misty and everything is cool and grey. Such a contrast to the harsh glare of perpetual sunshine! Even the green leaves change colour with a bit of nourishing damp. Not sure if it will last (it's usually only a one-dayer) although our overnight temperatures are set to plummet dramatically over the next week as we head towards winter. Brrrr.

Jasper's book coming via raven? LOL. On the subject of fantasy, I'm reading the last book in The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris d'Lacey. I guess it's young adult reading but I enjoy them and now have the full set of seven books. If you haven't read them, you've probably seen the big dragon eye on the front cover, in different colours, all with 'fire' in the title.

You have a whopping great weekend yourself!

[Gannon]

.....It is Friday morning and I am sitting on the verandah with my coffee reading while the rain comes down. Who could ask for more? I don't know what it is, I just love the rain.

I hope you have a fantastic weekend.

G'day Gannon. Yep, I love the rain, too. It's soft and misty and everything is cool and grey. Such a contrast to the harsh glare of perpetual sunshine! Even the green leaves change colour with a bit of nourishing damp. Not sure if it will last (it's usually only a one-dayer) although our overnight temperatures are set to plummet dramatically over the next week as we head towards winter. Brrrr.

Jasper's book coming via raven? LOL. On the subject of fantasy, I'm reading the last book in The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris d'Lacey. I guess it's young adult reading but I enjoy them and now have the full set of seven books. If you haven't read them, you've probably seen the big dragon eye on the front cover, in different colours, all with 'fire' in the title.

You have a whopping great weekend yourself!

Winter is just about here Maud. Whipppeeeeeeeeeee.. I just got up and it is freezing here, I actually have my hoodie on. I will have to have a look at the Dragon Chronicles. I picked myself up the latest Richard North Patterson the other day. Don't know if you like him but I am a big fan.

It looks like it is going to be a cold wet weekend, perfect reading weather.

YOU have a whopping great weekend.

[DATo]

Winter is just about here Maud. Whipppeeeeeeeeeee.. :D :D I just got up and it is freezing here, I actually have my hoodie on. :D I will have to have a look at the Dragon Chronicles. I picked myself up the latest Richard North Patterson the other day. Don't know if you like him but I am a big fan.

It looks like it is going to be a cold wet weekend, perfect reading weather.

That's right, rub it in !!! *LOL* I hate the heat and it was 35 C here today, and the worst of it was that I was working outside on my garden all .... ALL ... day. It is ornamental gardening and the payoff will be worth it but boy was it hot !!! I was off work and decided to make the most of it but I should have chosen a cooler day. I envy you Gannon. "Some like it COLD!" Sounds like a good title for a book.

By the way, I am now reading my first Jasper Fforde book - The Fourth Bear.

Hot can be good reading weather too - if you have central air conditioning. I have the house cooled down to glacial temperatures and Jasper awaits .... so ... toodles. *waving* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Maud Fitch]

.....By the way, I am now reading my first Jasper Fforde book - The Fourth Bear.

Hot can be good reading weather too - if you have central air conditioning. I have the house cooled down to glacial temperatures and Jasper awaits .... so ... toodles. *waving* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DATo, I hope you enjoy "The Fourth Bear". It's a nice introduction to the zany world of Jasper Fforde. If it tickles your fancy, I can recommend his Thursday Next series because I believe you are literary savvy enough to catch the inside jokes. Would love to read your comments on the JF thread one day!

[Fran]

.....By the way, I am now reading my first Jasper Fforde book - The Fourth Bear.

Hot can be good reading weather too - if you have central air conditioning. I have the house cooled down to glacial temperatures and Jasper awaits .... so ... toodles. *waving* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DATo, I hope you enjoy "The Fourth Bear". It's a nice introduction to the zany world of Jasper Fforde. If it tickles your fancy, I can recommend his Thursday Next series because I believe you are literary savvy enough to catch the inside jokes. Would love to read your comments on the JF thread one day!

@Maud
Now you have DATo hooked ... he loves mining the literary gems.
Did you consider The Spellmans at all?

[Gannon]

Winter is just about here Maud. Whipppeeeeeeeeeee.. I just got up and it is freezing here, I actually have my hoodie on. I will have to have a look at the Dragon Chronicles. I picked myself up the latest Richard North Patterson the other day. Don't know if you like him but I am a big fan.

It looks like it is going to be a cold wet weekend, perfect reading weather.

That's right, rub it in !!! *LOL* I hate the heat and it was 35 C here today, and the worst of it was that I was working outside on my garden all .... ALL ... day. It is ornamental gardening and the payoff will be worth it but boy was it hot !!! I was off work and decided to make the most of it but I should have chosen a cooler day. I envy you Gannon. "Some like it COLD!" Sounds like a good title for a book.

By the way, I am now reading my first Jasper Fforde book - The Fourth Bear.

Hot can be good reading weather too - if you have central air conditioning. I have the house cooled down to glacial temperatures and Jasper awaits .... so ... toodles. *waving* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hahaha, sorry Dato, did not mean to rub it in. I also hate the heat, and love the cold. I am so glad that you are reading "The Fourth Bear" and cannot wait to hear what you think of it. My copy is still coming and the only sure thing I know about it, is that it is somewhere on this planet. . Estimated arrival date is the fourth of next month so, fingers crossed it won't be too far off. Happy reading.

[DATo]

Gannon Fran & Maud,

Well, I've been up to my old tricks and once again spent the entire day in sweltering heat turning over dirt, sifting compost, hauling compost up a hill (very bad ... VERY bad), planting, roto-tilling another flower bed and generally exhausting myself. I cannot remember the last time I was as spent as I am right now as I type this.

I came in, took a shower, and immediately plopped into bed with Jasper Fforde (didn't mean that the way it sounded). I am at the point where the police bear has surprised Spratt, Mary and Ash in the warehouse where the porridge has been smuggled. Enjoying it very much. A bit like The Spellmans on hallucinogens. Definitely different, but quite enjoyable. Thanks to Maud for introducing Jasper to the forum.