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Starling
Half-elven
Jan 28 2015, 6:18pm
Post #26 of 53
(1461 views)
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It's so ice to see you around here. Good luck with your audio books. I'm sure people around here will have plenty of good recommendations, should you need any.
Keep resting up. x
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Ginger
Rohan
Jan 28 2015, 6:34pm
Post #27 of 53
(1459 views)
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I am glad you are doing well and that you can come here for at least short periods of time. I was a few days late reading the last reading thread. I wanted to wish you well with your surgeries. My husband had eye surgeries in December, not nearly as serious as yours (he could drive after a day). His eyesight is much improved, to the point where I wonder if he should have been driving before it.
I find I cannot concentrate on audio books. I like having the book itself in my hands.
I wish you well with your recovery and next surgery.
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Kim
Valinor
Jan 28 2015, 6:47pm
Post #28 of 53
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Sorry it was traumatic for you, but glad to hear you're on the mend! Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
#OneLastTime
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Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Jan 28 2015, 7:03pm
Post #29 of 53
(1460 views)
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...I started listening to a version of LotR (I couldn't tell you which one) and I got so impatient I put the audio away and just picked up the books for yet another reading! I keep thinking I should invest in an unabridged version to keep around, just in case.
Again, I greatly appreciate everyone's good wishes. The doctor doesn't start the follow-up procedures until next week, so I'll say again, so far so good. 
Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow....
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Riven Delve
Tol Eressea
Jan 28 2015, 7:05pm
Post #30 of 53
(1464 views)
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(but I also hated him when I was a youngster. I'm realizing I was pretty violent in my reactions to my reading in the old days!  )
“Tollers,” Lewis said to Tolkien, “there is too little of what we really like in stories. I am afraid we shall have to try and write some ourselves.”
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Theodora
The Shire
Jan 28 2015, 7:27pm
Post #31 of 53
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I just finished a book by John Williams called Augustus. Williams uses (fictional) letters written by people around Augustus, the emperor who succeeded Julius Caesar, to describe the man and his life and it is truly a beautiful book. His motives, his ambitions, the politics and intrigues in ancient Rome and how they affect Augustus, his daughter, his friends and enemies, almost become visible in this book. I finished reading it in a day, I couldn’t put it down.
Williams also wrote Stoner, which is equally beautiful.
Next on my list is Butcher’s Crossing. It is set in a completely different time and place and hopefully it is as good.
John Williams is an American author and his books Stoner, Augustus and Butcher’s Crossing are very popular in my country. Williams was discovered by a publisher who bought the rights to the books and decided to publish them without knowing beforehand if the books would sell a lot of copies. But they sold extremely well. This made me wonder if the books were as popular in America.
Does anyone know?
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NottaSackville
Valinor
Jan 28 2015, 7:51pm
Post #32 of 53
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We'll continue to keep you in our thoughts and prayers -
Notta
 Happiness: money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important and so are friends, while envy is toxic -- and so is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude. - The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner as summarized by Lily Fairbairn. And a bit of the Hobbit reading thrown in never hurts. - NottaSackville
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NottaSackville
Valinor
Jan 28 2015, 7:54pm
Post #33 of 53
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Yes - I wish I could forget about his illness when reading
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I do find myself analyzing things and thinking "did I miss something, or is he a bit off there?" And since Pratchett is so clever (and subtle at times) there are plenty of occasions for this (which I'm sure are 100% explained by "Notta is just not clever enough!")
But overall, yes, the book is great and so apparently/hopefully is the author.
Notta
Happiness: money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important and so are friends, while envy is toxic -- and so is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude. - The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner as summarized by Lily Fairbairn. And a bit of the Hobbit reading thrown in never hurts. - NottaSackville
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squire
Half-elven
Jan 28 2015, 7:58pm
Post #34 of 53
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I was surprised to find it had been made into a film, which I had gotten curious about as I rounded the final curve in reading the book. I viewed the trailer online, and it kind of put me off. The cinematography was pure technicolor when the story is essentially a rain-soaked grey, the announcer's tone was upbeat like the film was a Western starring a cutely heroic pioneer family, and the casting of Paul Newman and Henry Fonda as Hank and Henry Stampler really puzzled me. So I guessed somehow the book had sold well enough that it was perceived by Hollywood as a star vehicle, but they had decided that the material itself was way too dark to film it as it was written. I think they even added a subtitle, "Never Give An Inch!" and promoted the film with it, playing down the more enigmatic main title.
But... as I said... my speculations on the trailer aside, did you like the movie? I'd love to know. I'd consider trying to find it, if it's on DVD, if word of mouth is good.
squire online:
RR Discussions: The Valaquenta, A Shortcut to Mushrooms, and Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit
Lights! Action! Discuss on the Movie board!: 'A Journey in the Dark'. and 'Designing The Two Towers'.
Footeramas: The 3rd & 4th TORn Reading Room LotR Discussion and NOW the 1st BotR Discussion too! and "Tolkien would have LOVED it!"
squiretalk introduces the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: A Reader's Diary
 = Forum has no new posts. Forum needs no new posts.
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Jan 28 2015, 11:38pm
Post #35 of 53
(1442 views)
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Glad you could pop in.
Audio books take some getting used to, but I've adapted while driving. I do miss bits when my mind wanders; when I'm reading in print I can go back and re-read.
Crossing fingers and toes for a complete recovery for you.
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"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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RosieLass
Valinor
Jan 28 2015, 11:50pm
Post #36 of 53
(1441 views)
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Hope your recovery is speedy and comfortable!
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I adore audiobooks, but it totally depends on the quality of the narrator. A bad narrator can ruin a good book, and a terrific narrator can rescue a "so-so" book.
The Rob Inglis-narrated LOTR is excellent. 
"BOTH [political] extremes are dangerous. But more dangerous are team fanboys who think all the extremists are on the OTHER side." (CNN reader comment)
It is always those with the fewest sensible things to say who make the loudest noise in saying them. --Precious Ramotswe (Alexander McCall Smith)
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RosieLass
Valinor
Jan 28 2015, 11:53pm
Post #37 of 53
(1456 views)
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Popularly, I would guess Mr. Darcy is the favorite, but I have a feeling that Colin Firth has a *little* bit to do with that.
(For the record, Mr. Darcy isn't even my second favorite. That would be Colonel Brandon. And not entirely because of Alan Rickman.  )
"BOTH [political] extremes are dangerous. But more dangerous are team fanboys who think all the extremists are on the OTHER side." (CNN reader comment)
It is always those with the fewest sensible things to say who make the loudest noise in saying them. --Precious Ramotswe (Alexander McCall Smith)
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cats16
Half-elven
Jan 29 2015, 12:24am
Post #38 of 53
(1449 views)
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Funny you say that, because, for whatever reason, I can't get Lee Pace out of my head as Mr. Knightley. Something about him, I guess. Clearly we have different images running through our minds!
Of course, I'm sure you wouldn't bat an eye at the idea of LP in that role. 
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
(This post was edited by cats16 on Jan 29 2015, 12:24am)
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Riven Delve
Tol Eressea
Jan 29 2015, 12:56am
Post #39 of 53
(1444 views)
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I would still have thought of Mr. Knightley as a grumpy old man even if I had pictured Lee Pace as he is now (practically middle-aged!!)...but you know, age brings such wisdom that we can see the folly of our youthful impressions. I really would have no objections whatsoever to him playing that role these days. Richard Armitage--even better.
Funny you say that, because, for whatever reason, I can't get Lee Pace out of my head as Mr. Knightley. Something about him, I guess. Clearly we have different images running through our minds!
Of course, I'm sure you wouldn't bat an eye at the idea of LP in that role.
“Tollers,” Lewis said to Tolkien, “there is too little of what we really like in stories. I am afraid we shall have to try and write some ourselves.”
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Kimi
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Jan 29 2015, 4:52am
Post #41 of 53
(1431 views)
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Very glad to hear you're in the recovery phase of round one.
Audio books are a good compromise for the moment!
The Passing of Mistress Rose
My historical novels
Do we find happiness so often that we should turn it off the box when it happens to sit there?
- A Room With a View
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a.s.
Valinor
Jan 29 2015, 12:25pm
Post #42 of 53
(1428 views)
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Hi Lily, glad you "reported in"! 
I consider audio books to be "extra reading" I can cram in when reading a text is just not possible, such as commutes to and from office, etc. There are good and not so good readers, but once I relax into the story, it's a good option. Hope you find it so, as well.
a.s.
"an seileachan"
"A safe fairyland is untrue to all worlds." JRR Tolkien, Letters.
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Jan 29 2015, 7:07pm
Post #44 of 53
(1428 views)
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Yeah, I never liked Mr. Darcy that much.
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I know he's shy and all, but honestly, he's so rude to Lizzie at the first ball. I still loved the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, though.
Col. Brandon is pretty sweet, though it bothers me that he seems to fall in love with Marianne solely because she looks like his lost love, at least at first. Oh, well. Alan Rickman was lovely in that role.
I don't really care for any other other Austen heroes that much. But Mr. Knightley (dang, I spelled his name wrong before) is wonderfully snarky and intelligent and funny. In fact, he reminds me a bit of book-Aragorn.
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"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Annael
Immortal
Jan 29 2015, 10:31pm
Post #45 of 53
(1426 views)
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when I recall that time several of us ladies were gushing about Mr. Darcy, and someone's husband finally had enough and said "but the book never mentions his terrible dental problem."
Since evidence can be adduced and interpreted to corroborate a virtually limitless array of world views, the human challenge is to engage that world view or set of perspectives which brings forth the most valuable, life-enhancing consequences.
- Richard Tarnas, The Passion of the Western Mind
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Jan 30 2015, 1:14am
Post #46 of 53
(1413 views)
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I seem to remember reading somewhere that Errol Flynn had bad breath :-D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Aragorn the Elfstone
Tol Eressea
Jan 30 2015, 4:20am
Post #47 of 53
(1405 views)
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So happy everything went well! :)
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I feel like the worst kind of neglectful person, because I missed your post last week where you announced your surgery.  But I am so glad to hear that it went like clockwork.
Enjoy those audiobooks (as best you can ) and fear not - you'll be back to turning those pages before you know it!
"The danger with any movie that does as well as this one does is that the amount of money it's making and the number of awards that it's got becomes almost more important than the movie itself in people's minds. I look at that as, in a sense, being very much like the Ring, and its effect on people. You know, you can kind of forget what we were doing, if you get too wrapped up in that."
- Viggo Mortensen
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Meneldor
Valinor
Jan 30 2015, 4:29am
Post #48 of 53
(1402 views)
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first novel by Rajan Khanna. Post zombie-apocalypse adventure story with dark and gritty protagonists who fly blimps and scavenge the dead remains of civilization for food. You can tell they're dark and gritty cuz they use the f-bomb a lot. Meh.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. -Psalm 107
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zarabia
Tol Eressea
Jan 30 2015, 9:37am
Post #49 of 53
(1399 views)
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I can't even stand the little air puff test they do in routine eye exams. Glad to hear that recovery is going well. Take care!
BTW, I love just about anything by Bill Bryson.
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning 'round
~Do You Realize?, The Flaming Lips
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Elberbeth
Tol Eressea
Jan 30 2015, 10:33pm
Post #50 of 53
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I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it, although I don't really remember much about it, but not having read the book I can't compare it, and often that changes things. The thing that stuck in my head (apart from the tragedy which would probably be a spoiler if I named it) was that the wife had no idea how to properly hang clothes on a clothesline!
"There are some things that it is better to begin than to refuse, even though the end may be dark."
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'Grumpy old man'
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