Nice people thread part 5 - nicely does it

Davesnave

vivatifosi wrote: »

I loved Alan Garner's the Weirdstone of Brisingamen. For me it was the bridge book between what I enjoyed as a younger child (the Chronicles of Narnia) and adult reads.

He could have been the equivalent of Rowling, but had no concept of feeding his audience with fresh material, so although the sequel to that was just as good, as was Elidor, he started losing readers with The Owl Service and probably alienated the rest with Red Shift!

Moral of the story: authors don't always write for the same audience.

Personally, I think The Stone Book Quartet is a fantastic, but it seems to leave most people cold.

chewmylegoff

vivatifosi wrote: »

GP is on Beeb too so time to get your rear out. You just missed Hamilton and Raikkonen drag racing out of the pits. Wow!

ETA: haven't read the book, but will certainly look it out, thanks!

I had dragged said rear to the couch so I didn't miss it!

The tomorrow series of books is really big in Australia (author is Australian) think it was written in the 70s not sure though. They released the first one as a film last year which I thought was pretty good - didn't make enough money globally though so looks like they won't do the others. I haven't got around to reading the books yet.

silvercar

Just panicked. Our American visa waivers ran out when the passports ran out. OHs fault, his is upto date and he just told me to change the address to where we are going on ours - logged in to mine and it says authorisation expired.

PasturesNew

Davesnave wrote: »

He could have been the equivalent of Rowling, but had no concept of feeding his audience with fresh material, so although the sequel to that was just as good, as was Elidor, he started losing readers with The Owl Service and probably alienated the rest with Red Shift!

I have no recollection of the storyline, but I do know I read Elidor when I was a kid.

Once read, I don't remember books.... and I have to mostly read them in one sitting so I don't forget who is who and what's going on. That's one of the reasons I gave up reading years ago - I tried bedtime reading but had to read the whole book before I got to sleep..... and then I couldn't get hold of enough books.... so I stopped reading.

PasturesNew

silvercar wrote: »

Just panicked. Our American visa waivers ran out when the passports ran out. OHs fault, his is upto date and he just told me to change the address to where we are going on ours - logged in to mine and it says authorisation expired.

I don't know the significance of this except you need to get another... and as your passport has run out anyway you couldn't use it. So is it important?

vivatifosi

silvercar wrote: »

Just panicked. Our American visa waivers ran out when the passports ran out. OHs fault, his is upto date and he just told me to change the address to where we are going on ours - logged in to mine and it says authorisation expired.

We're on our second ESTA. Came through really quickly, a couple of minutes at most. Not sure whether it was because we're well and truly in the system as have travelled to the US c40 times, but for sure they were quick.

Get them updated with the ESTA website rather than one of those fake ones that plug up the front page ASAP and make sure you update the ESTA details on the documentation for the flight. Hopefully you won't have a problem. You are supposed to give 72hrs notice, but I have heard of people doing it later than that and being ok, though can't promise that's always the case. If you are outside of the 72hrs window you shouldn't have a problem at all.

silvercar

PasturesNew wrote: »

I don't know the significance of this except you need to get another... and as your passport has run out anyway you couldn't use it. So is it important?

Passports renewed in 2010, but the ESTA was dated before that. OH thought we just have to put new passport numbers in and change the address details, but the ESTA expires when a passport expires, so a new application is needed.

If we had renewed before Dec 2011 it would have been free, now there is a charge, but it is the timing that is important.

Luckily we looked at it today.

sss555s

zagubov wrote: »

Anyway got back down south in one piece after meeting my new niece, sorting out dad's new computer, and filling up this time with nicely priced £1.37.9 petrol.

Allthess's, if you're ever visiting your aunt in Surrey, fill up at Preston (Bamber Bridge) Sainbsury's!;)

Thanks for the tip zag. I may be travelling down South in 4 weeks time :beer:

sss555s

vivatifosi wrote: »

GP is on Beeb too so time to get your rear out. You just missed Hamilton and Raikkonen drag racing out of the pits. Wow!

It was a great race and is a very exciting season :T

lostinrates

zagubov wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with young people's books.

I actually thought that "the Hobbit" was a better read than "Lord of the Rings".

Viva's younger than me and won't recognise most of the books I used to enjoy as a youngster.

Alan Garner's, Leon Garfield's and Madeleine L'engle's stuff..
P.L Travers - who used to run reading groups when I lived near the Tate Library (as an adult)

I am younger than you both and recognise those writers mentioned.