tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post3987342664742581850..comments2023-11-05T22:12:49.545+11:00Comments on World. Oyster. Stage.: poets and thievesMelbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257719342445833725noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-76204611499040699782009-05-09T21:06:00.000+10:002009-05-09T21:06:00.000+10:00No, no, email me! I want to hear yours! I just mea...No, no, email me! I want to hear yours! I just meant that they are good stories but they'd be better if they were "the time I met so-and-so stories" rather than the "time I almost met so-and-so."<br /><br />God I've made so many mistakes this weekend. Car got towed from clearway, completely forgot about Princess' Turkish class.<br /><br />Arrrgh. Should have stayed in bed last two days.Melbahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02257719342445833725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-74849134405960573162009-05-09T19:09:00.000+10:002009-05-09T19:09:00.000+10:00Okay, so apparently I shouldn't email that story t...Okay, so apparently I shouldn't email that story to you.<br /><br />I'll just tell you about it next time I see you.I'm not Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05520955840731268537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-73473623519140029092009-05-09T15:02:00.000+10:002009-05-09T15:02:00.000+10:00Hey INC, how goes it??
I hate those almost met so...Hey INC, how goes it??<br /><br />I hate those almost met so-and-so stories. I almost met the Maori Queen, as well as the guys from Australian Crawl when they'd just started, ie small fame. I don't care about the Aussie Crawl boys; I would have loved to meet the Maori Queen though.Melbahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02257719342445833725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-12197454056773545062009-05-09T08:37:00.001+10:002009-05-09T08:37:00.001+10:00I read cloudstreet. every single unpunctuated word...I read cloudstreet. every single unpunctuated word of it. I believe that my reason for doing this could best be described as sheer bloodymindedness.<br /><br />That was 11 years ago and I have read nothing of his since. <br /><br />I nearly got to meet Tim Winton a few years ago. I'll email you that story one dayI'm not Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05520955840731268537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-41838512727127811152009-05-09T08:37:00.000+10:002009-05-09T08:37:00.000+10:00This comment has been removed by the author.I'm not Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05520955840731268537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-29651408172383394742009-05-08T23:25:00.000+10:002009-05-08T23:25:00.000+10:00squib we just have to disagree on this. i think th...squib we just have to disagree on this. i think the book is actually something quite special in that it's different and now i am coming to some truly moving parts. i don't think you can properly comment because you haven't read it. maybe it gets better after page 18? how will you ever know? does it really matter?<br /><br />probably not. hope the poetry is going well. from memory deadline is tomorrow?Melbahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02257719342445833725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-61687237080830450162009-05-08T12:41:00.000+10:002009-05-08T12:41:00.000+10:00Melba, I think if the jacket had stated 'this book...Melba, I think if the jacket had stated 'this book is nothing special', I might have liked it more. Great expectations and all thatsquibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10744419106501810243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-27214151148476414852009-05-08T10:07:00.000+10:002009-05-08T10:07:00.000+10:00I just finished Breath. It is the first Tim Winton...I just finished <I>Breath</I>. It is the first Tim Winton I have ever read – his other titles have just not appealed to me at all. <br /><br />It was extremely readable, and bleak, and there was kinky sex in it. I think you'll like it. I did.<br /><br />Even so, it has not inspired me to read any of Winton's other books. They just sound <I>so dull</I>. I kind of can't stand books set in Australian outposts. Cultural cringe!Rowenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14546609855430227765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-3155323261597715712009-05-07T17:13:00.000+10:002009-05-07T17:13:00.000+10:00Wow, usually my radar picks up a description like ...Wow, usually my radar picks up a description like the one you've just included, squib. How did I miss it? I'm not into romances, not much. The time travelling doesn't bother me, I guess I'm fascinated by it, and want to see what happens.<br /><br />About all the dust jacket accolades etc, I never EVER read those. I find them very off putting, and I admit even seeing them there makes me a bit wary. But I'm enjoying the book, even though you've made me think more about it now.<br /><br />Hadn't noticed the dialogue was bad - but then writing dialogue's not my strength...Melbahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02257719342445833725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-28316326867348335662009-05-07T16:26:00.000+10:002009-05-07T16:26:00.000+10:00Melba, poem writing was going well until today. I ...Melba, poem writing was going well until today. I tried this exercise where you write a poem/letter to a dead person. This upset me so much I had to stop<br /><br />Time Traveller review I did a long time ago-<br /><br /><br />Okay, a lot of people love this book. The jacket is covered in plaudits from The Observer, The Times, and The Guardian… if that still doesn’t convince you of its brilliance, the inside of the jacket (front AND back) contain more rave reviews ’startlingly original’, ‘inspirational’, ‘a rare book’, ‘unmissable’… I got up to page 18 and stopped. I found the dialogue completely unconvincing and contrived. I found the whole chrono-impairment thing laughable and the descriptions of Clare, ‘the wife’, were somehow trashy and shallow.<br /><br /> ‘-this astoundingly beautiful amber-haired tall slim girl turns around and looks at me as though I am her personal Jesus.’ (The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger)<br /><br />The Big Issue wrote that this book ‘will break your heart’.<br /><br />Yep, especially when I think about how it cost $23.95<br /><br />If you like romances then this is probably for you. I’m just not sure why it’s being lauded as something extraordinary when its so clearly very very ordinary.squibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10744419106501810243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-455298892828780802009-05-07T14:29:00.000+10:002009-05-07T14:29:00.000+10:00Life of Pi is good. Well, I liked it. it was diffe...Life of Pi is good. Well, I liked it. it was different and I finished it, but that was a few years ago, before I got to my current fiction-saturation point. And I don't believe Time Traveler's is shit. Still waiting to hear back from squib on that.<br /><br />Out of the last few books I've read in the last couple of months (Slap, Dressmaker, The Reader, The Gathering, and now TTW) I would say The Gathering and TTW have been the most enjoyable.<br /><br />And how can you lump Lovely Bones and Perfume with Da Vinci Code? Admittedly it's years since I read Perfume, but Lovely Bones I thought was alright.<br /><br />I've avoided the Kite Runner on the strength of your damning of it Perseus, and am not at all tempted.Melbahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02257719342445833725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-35888164848745995472009-05-07T12:20:00.000+10:002009-05-07T12:20:00.000+10:00After my disastrous experiences reading 'Perfume',...After my disastrous experiences reading 'Perfume', 'The Lovely Bones', 'The Kite Runner' and Page 1 of 'Da Vinci Code' (I couldn't get past page 1 - I got to the bit about the albino and had to stop) I have put a blackban on all modern best-sellers. 'The Time Traveller's Wife' and 'Life of Pi' are the victims of my blackban, but I'm sticking to it.<br /><br />I bet they're shit.Perseushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11292281862441986618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-73797881675542680462009-05-07T12:11:00.000+10:002009-05-07T12:11:00.000+10:00What was it that stopped you with Time Traveler's ...What was it that stopped you with Time Traveler's wife, squib? I'm interested because for me, it's proven fresh and different. While it's an ambitious book in terms of the plot, I think it's well managed, and well written.<br /><br />How go the poems?Melbahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02257719342445833725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-82822058679947719112009-05-07T12:08:00.000+10:002009-05-07T12:08:00.000+10:00I loathed 'The Timetraveller's Wife', though to be...I loathed 'The Timetraveller's Wife', though to be fair I didn't get past page 18<br /><br />I've never read anything by Winton but I really should because he gets mentioned a lot. But every time I read a blurb on one of his books I don't feel any desire to go any further<br /><br /><br /><I>do other people feel this sort of thing? </I>absolutely!squibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10744419106501810243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-68198696160680208182009-05-07T12:02:00.000+10:002009-05-07T12:02:00.000+10:00Oh, I like McEwan. I've liked pretty much everythi...Oh, I like McEwan. I've liked pretty much everything I've read of his, except maybe one didn't do it for me: The Child in Time. Can't remember why. I loved On Chesil Beach, and Atonement and whatever else I've read of his.<br /><br />Mmmm, your endorsement of Surrender is helpful, Perseus.Melbahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02257719342445833725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-6450976757206028252009-05-07T11:45:00.000+10:002009-05-07T11:45:00.000+10:00I loved The Time Traveller's Wife - I read it over...I loved <I>The Time Traveller's Wife</I> - I read it over Easter. Light and lively but not saccharine.<br /><br />You know who I can't come at? Ian McEwan. I may be a Palestine but I like a bit more plot to go with the flowery descriptions.<br /><br />Next up for me is <I>A Suitable Boy</I> - Vikram Seth.elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599212165013675405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13506151.post-36541269542521740022009-05-07T11:39:00.000+10:002009-05-07T11:39:00.000+10:00'Surrender' is awesome. I loved it. 'Thursday's ...'Surrender' is awesome. I loved it. 'Thursday's Child' is another Hartnett I really liked. I can see why others may not like her stuff, but it works for me. <br /><br />I read 'Cloudstreet' and thought it was 'good'. I started 'Dirt Music' and decided by page 4 it 'wasn't good', and gave up. I read one of his kids' books 'Blue-Bottle' or something, some kid with fish, and anyway, that filled an hour of my life. <br /><br />That's the sum total of my Winton experience, though I do own 'The Turning'.Perseushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11292281862441986618noreply@blogger.com