'No More Buying Books Until I've Read the Ones I've Already Bought' Thread

gilligansyle

mrs-moneypenny wrote: »

i remember GCSEs as well;). but i wont say how i performed in them.

on the home straights of my current read im debating wether to take my knitting or reading out with me tonight

Back in the days - when English Lit was a mandatory 'O' Level and they put you in for English Language as well,we had an English teacher who was a mad keen Dylan Thomas fan, and I have never been able to read anything about him since. She was really disappointed when he wasn't on the syllabus. Strangely enough though, when I was expecting my son, the name picked out for a girl was Caitlin, which is the name of his wife, so something must have stuck!
Just for reference, I left school in 1975 when they hadn't even invented calculators, let alone the internet.

gilligansyle

Have just finished 'Lady Susan' by Jane Austen, I'd forgotten how annoyed it made me feel - it's the only time that one of the characters in a Jane Austen book is really not nice and she abandoned it for Sense and Sensibility.

Next read will be 'Salmon of Doubt' Douglas Adams, which my son bought me for Christmas

wigglebeena

Anyone love fantasy, werewolves, vampires etc.? Patricia Briggs is aweeeeesome! (Except Iron-Kissed: a plot-free one to avoid.) But her car mechanic/shapeshifter heroine Mercy Thompson is pretty cool and smart.

mrs-moneypenny

im only a couple of years behnd you then, i left in the late 70s ('79 i think)

lilian1977

Just picked up the following from the library:

Worldwide Adventures in Love by Louise Wener - I loved Goodnight Steve McQueen and quite enjoyed The Big Blind so looking forward to this one

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett - sounds interesting from the description

La Bete Humaine by Emile Zola - because I thought I should read something a bit intelligent!

I also got La Vie En Rose by Jamie Ivey because I liked the sleeve but have just realised it's a sequel so will have to hunt down the first one before I can start it!

solventsoon

terryw wrote: »

When I was at school (this was shortly after the Romans left Britain) we studied Lark Rise for GCSE. As a sixteen year old lad I felt a bit guilty that I loved it!

For the benefit of younger readers of this thread, GCSE was an examination where you had to know all the content and and do it without any help from parents or the internet. Quite an antiquated concept really.

We are just waiting for Inspector Alan Grant. It really is a smashing read. A small clue - Colin Dexter's "The Wench is Dead" is probably a homage to this novel.

I did Lark Rise for O Level English, terryw, that's probably why the thought of it brings me out in a rash!
I'm giving up on Inspector Alan Grant - I know he's in a series of detective novels but no idea which one. Sounds like a good read though, so will look it up if you tell us which one:D

jintyb wrote: »

terryw .
Yes! I remember those days - was that when we were encouraged to think for ourselves? :rotfl:

Yep, that's right jintyb, unfortunately that's now considered to be a dangerous pastime:rotfl:

Tete_en_l'Air wrote: »

but I'll have to keep my motives secret from OH else he won't go! Does anyone else have a non-book-loving OH? Mine does not enjoy reading at all and says 'it's a mug's game'! :eek:
Mine used to hate reading but now he's got nearly as many books as me - all non-fiction though - and he refuses point blank to get rid of any of them - even ones he's read one and will never re-read:mad:

Thanks , glad to hear they get better and better too. Ugh if there's one type of book I don't enjoy it's auto/biographies, I find them so boring! With the exception of Boy by Roald Dahl
I don't really enjoy biographies at all but the Obama one is slightly different and it's really easy to read - he's got a good writing style. I'm really enjoying it.
Just done a swap on RiSi too, Coastliners by Joanne Harris (I loved Chocolat so my then-boyfriend bought me all her books, but I don't like the others, this one's unread) for Left Bank by Kate Muir, I'm a bit of a Francophile.

Agree, Chocolat was brilliant, but I didn't really like Coastliners either. I did enjoy Blackberry Wine and Five Quarters of the Orange, though.

solventsoon

gilligansyle wrote: »

Back in the days - when English Lit was a mandatory 'O' Level and they put you in for English Language as well,we had an English teacher who was a mad keen Dylan Thomas fan, and I have never been able to read anything about him since. She was really disappointed when he wasn't on the syllabus. Strangely enough though, when I was expecting my son, the name picked out for a girl was Caitlin, which is the name of his wife, so something must have stuck!
Just for reference, I left school in 1975 when they hadn't even invented calculators, let alone the internet.

Me too gilligansyle, same year. It's amazing to think how much has changed in that (very short!!!) time:rotfl:

jintyb

solventsoon wrote: »

Me too gilligansyle, same year. It's amazing to think how much has changed in that (very short!!!) time:rotfl:

I know! I left school in 1976 to work in an accounts office - we had to take turns if we wanted to use the amazing new invention - an electric adding machine! It was locked away every night because "it was very valuable" according to the boss, whom you had to address as Mr and we were all called by Miss or Mrs! Sorry, slightly off topic there!
I'm off today so I might investigate our library, its just been reburbished so it will be worth a look. I havent used a library in years, whats the betting I'll come back with a stack? No willpower, me! :rotfl:

Have a lovely day everyone!

terryw

jintyb wrote: »

I know! I left school in 1976 to work in an accounts office - we had to take turns if we wanted to use the amazing new invention - an electric adding machine! It was locked away every night because "it was very valuable" according to the boss, whom you had to address as Mr and we were all called by Miss or Mrs! Sorry, slightly off topic there!
:rotfl:

Have a lovely day everyone!

Huh, you youngsters had it easy. Back in 63 when I started, we used to dream of an electric adding machine as we toiled from 05.30 to 23.30 adding up figures entered into the ledger with a quill pen! During the winters (minus 90 below) we had to scrounge a bucket of coal to take to work every day just to de-ice the ink.

Today's youngsters have sheer luxury.:D

jintyb

terryw wrote: »

Huh, you youngsters had it easy. Back in 63 when I started, we used to dream of an electric adding machine as we toiled from 05.30 to 23.30 adding up figures entered into the ledger with a quill pen! During the winters (minus 90 below) we had to scrounge a bucket of coal to take to work every day just to de-ice the ink.

Today's youngsters have sheer luxury.:D

And I bet you could have a bloomin good night out and still have change out of a shilling! :rotfl: