Hi Guys,
Well lets see....took 4 books with me on vacation and only managed to start to read one of them, whilst my David took 3( Dan Brown's and raved about them!!) and bought another 3-4 when he was away....now what does that tell me...lol.

I am reading Bill Bryson's Made in America which is a fun,interesting and really informative wee book. Additionally I am having a go at Alan Hollinghurst's 'The Line of Beauty', it is the tale of gay guy growing up and coming out in Thatcher's Britain, pretty good read so far. Classic kind of gay themed book, but more than just a story of one young gay man and his life...takes a look at Britain etc at that time.

I am struggling with a poem that I am trying to construct at the moment so any suggestions for inspiration would be cool too.

Cheerio for now ..Vincent..x

Sometimes (especially in the mornings, lately) I am a wee bit dyslexic. For a moment I thought you wrote, "coming out in Thatcher's Brain." That brought me up short for a second and gave me a laugh when I re-read it.

But, about the poem, is this the one where the blue/black bird shows up or the bird on fire?

OMG! I just realized that you are using the proper Vincent avatar. tee hee...

LOl.....snort, we shall never let him forget some of those cracking comments re birds and stars, made whilst staying with you guys, need to get them documented somehow....maybe that could be another short comedic poetical offering!!!....mmmmmh.

As for my poem darlin, yes the the bird ...well one of them at least was a bluish black, not a Grackle but a Cat Bird...and we saw plenty more of those in Central Park too. See you have been very busy in the poetical sense, lol...got us (and Ray) out of you hair and the creative juices got the chance to ferment again

Well, let's just say you guys inspire me.

As for your blog... hmm... nothing since May 27? Been working more heavily on the book then? I hope, I hope!

Hey we need to give links to these in the links section...

My blog...well yes have a draft that was to be posted, just needs more work. Been thinking about the book a lot lately, Conor goes on his hols with his Mum tomorrow so I will have time to settle, get a routine going, time to myself...although I am missing him terribly already...and he upstairs sleeping at the moment!! Just seem to have loads on my mind at the moment. Promise to deliver....good to see you are doing a bit, lol, like your wee tired rant... in yours though...snort.

Cheerio for now...Vincent..x

Just re-read Brokeback Mountain, by Annie Proulx, with all the hype about it winning the Vienna Film Award....I am looking forward to seeing how it has translated to celluloid. I really enjoy her books(Postcards was a cracker), kind dark and full of internal thoughts and conversations...quite brilliant none the less. Brokeback is relevant today in so many ways...although as sad and poingnant a wee book as ever I have read....always thought Steinbeck's The Pearl held that position alone...but not now.

Currently reading Wicked, the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, though I fear with the witch sex involved I may not pass that one on to my 14 year old for a while.

Also reading Specimen Days by Michael Cunningham (author of The Hours and A Home at the End of the World). Thanks for the recomendation on that one. He's a master story teller, like the hours this involves characters in three different time periods, though he presents it quite differently this time. I've finished the first of the three parts and he's as amazing as ever. The Walt Whitman twist (as you can guess by my screen name) was enough to turn me on to reading this one!

That's one thing that foot surgery will get you-- More reading time!

Both Wicked and Specimen Days were very good reads. I wonder what our own Wizard of Oz here would think of Wicked.

Specimen Days was dark but wonderful writing by Michael Cunningham, the sort of thing I've come to expect from him. I wasn't sure what to expect in part three. I had never read his science fiction before, but it was probably the most enjoyable of the three parts.

Now I'm onto A Density of Souls, by Chris Rice ( son of Anne Rice of Vampire fame). Could be interesting, or it could be just an adolecent's first book, published on his parents' coat tails. I'll let you know.

Just got a few new books...Stephen Donaldson is a fav sci-fi fantasy writer and a new one of his The Runes Of The Earth looks good ( the White Gold Wielder series was as amazing as the LOTR's etc).

Am currently finishing Brian Kennnedy's second book Roman Song, which is about the life of a young gay Irish man who has now moved to Rome from Belfast. Can't wait to have a go at one my lovely b/f David is reading, Alan Bennett's Untold Stories, didn't think it would be his genre but he seems hooked!!

So what's new and interesting in your bedside reading list?

Cheerio for now...Vincent..xx

I have been doing some soul searching so I picked up a few from the local book pusher (um retailer) that I am currently reading.

1. The Authentic Gospel of Jesus
by Geza Vermes
2. Misquoting Jesus
by Bart D. Erhman
3. World's Religions
by Robert Pollock, from "The Everything" series -- light reading, but informative.

The first two discuss some of the problems in the early translations from the original texts and how so many of today's christian sects rely on tradition and early (flawed and politically skewed) translations rather than trying to accomplish a truly modern translation (with as much accuracy and as little outside influence as possible) that can be applied in modern life.

Yes, I like SciFi, too. The last good series I read was the "Alvin Maker" series. Very good alternative history while holding a lot of pertinent history in place. These were written by the same author as "Ender's Game".

I feel like an idiot! My reading list includes:

1. The new Harry Potter book
2. The 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" book
3. The Best of Irish Cooking (St. Patrick's Day is coming and, really, how much corned beef and cabbage can one have?)
4. Dear Mr. President - a book of letters to the President's of the United States through the years.

Other than those, I'm scouring the internet for college scholarships and grants. My oldest starts in the fall.

All pretty light reads, but as an English teacher friend of mine says, "At least you're reading".

My dear hubby just finished reading Bill Bryson's, The Life and Times of the THUNDERBOLT KID! He chuckled and chortled to himself in bed for a few nights....well I think that was what he was amused at!!

I read a few of Bill's books, and whilst most were very good...A Walk in the Woods was terrific, I started to tire of the same old travel logue formulae, however he has changed the genre of late and this one deals with his life growing up in 1950s Des Moines...well some one had to (thats a line from his very first book!).

Enjoy...so any one having a good read at the moment.

Cheerio for now...Vincent...x

Do any of you read science fiction/fantasy books? My favorite authors are Robert Jordan and Anne McCafferey. I will read almost any author if the books are in a series and I have access to the whole series, preferring series books to single novels. Anyone else feel the same way?

i LOVE robert jordan. i thought i was the only person abouve 15 who did! have you read david eddings belgrad series? iam currently reading janet evanovichs' stephanie plum novels for the 2nd time.

I have not read the Belgrad series, but I have read some of Eddings works. Another very good choice!

I just picked up the book Eragon. I want to have it read before I see the movie. My only fear is that the series isn't completed yet. I will probably get really into the first 2 books and have to wait and wait and wait and...

I need to get a library card and start reading some of the books that everyone above has mentioned.

Maybe we should have a book specific forum. Somebody can suggest a book for everyone to read, and we could post our thoughts about it - maybe by chapter - that way one could read at their own pace - and noone would give the ending away. Any thoughts or ideas about this? (Maybe I should make this a new thread?)

Anyway... Happy Thanksgiving all! (Even if you are not in the US, feel free to feast tomorrow - if anyone asks, just blame us! LOL)