Porua’s Progress 2011 - Chapter II

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Porua’s Progress 2011 - Chapter II

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1Porua
jul 11, 2011, 3:31 pm



Hello everyone! Welcome to the second instalment of my 75 Books Challenge 2011.

2011 has been a slow reading year. The reason behind it is I’ve been busy with my new job and don’t have much time. But nonetheless, I try to make up for lost time whenever I can.

That’s all for now! Hope you all will join me once again! :-)

The first thread of my 75 Books Challenge, Porua’s Progress in 2011 can be found here,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/106099

2Porua
jul 11, 2011, 3:32 pm



TOP FIVE READS (JANUARY-JUNE)

1. Very Good, Jeeves. P.G. Wodehouse.

2. Detective Stories. Philip Pullman.

3. The Diary of a Nobody. George Grossmith.

4. Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgings. Charles Dickens.

5. The Ninth Life of Louis Drax. Liz Jensen.

3Porua
jul 11, 2011, 3:34 pm



First a few words of caution. This review contains spoilers. Primarily because that is the nature of the book that is called Rebecca. It is difficult to review it without divulging some of the book’s secrets. So, if anyone hasn’t read the book yet, don’t read this review.

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again”

This first line is enough to evoke a thousand different sensations among those who have read this immortal classic. With these words begins a journey few will forget.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/74280735

4klobrien2
jul 11, 2011, 5:02 pm

Beautiful picture, Porua! I loved Rebecca--so moody and atmospheric.

Karen O.

5tjblue
jul 11, 2011, 8:24 pm

Hi Porua!! I like the picture too!! Outside is one of my favorite places to read!!

6ChocolateMuse
Bewerkt: jul 11, 2011, 8:51 pm

As soon as I saw you had a new thread, I thought 'what will the picture be this time?' And I was not disappointed :)

Another great review! I quite like that she won. It's not the kind of ghost that flits away when you face it, if you know what I mean! And she doesn't win entirely - over place, not people. *trying to be cryptic*

7RosyLibrarian
jul 11, 2011, 9:21 pm

3: I have not read Rebecca yet, but I have been seeing it pop up a lot on the threads lately so I will come back to your review after I'm done. :)

8Porua
jul 13, 2011, 11:51 pm

#4 Thanks! Moody and atmospheric are the perfect words to describe Rebecca.

# 5 Hi, Tammy! Hope Ty is doing a lot better now.

# 6 Thanks! I am quite surprised by the amount of reading girl/woman paintings out there. Never would have known it if not for my threads in LT.

*Spoiler*

But isn't Maxim and his wife unhappy because of Manderley's destruction and their exile from their home country? It feels like they are on the run. They can't live the life they want to or deserve to. She blighted their happiness permanently, that is the feeling I got from the introduction at least.

*End Spoiler*

# 7 Rebecca is terrific! Hope you read it soon.

9ChocolateMuse
jul 14, 2011, 1:39 am

Spoiler

I think she had a victory, certainly, but only in so far as Manderly went. She took Manderly from them, and that's a victory. But I never got the impression that she destroyed their happiness forever. Remember that they were happiest on their honeymoon, before they went to Manderly at all. Once the place was destroyed, I took it to be both a sorrow and a great freedom for them. They could start again - and the experiences they'd been through acted as a strength - they'd come to know what they really wanted from each other.

End Spoiler

Do you agree? I rather like your impression. In a way, your thoughts on it really make the story stronger.

10alcottacre
jul 14, 2011, 2:47 am

Waving 'Hello,' Porua!

11Porua
Bewerkt: jul 15, 2011, 6:01 am

# 9 *Possible Spoiler*

Hi, Rena! In the introduction Maxim reads about county cricket and newspapers from home and I got the feeling that both of them were pining away for their country. They missed England terribly, didn't they? And Manderly too. Why else would she dream of it? That's why I had the feeling that even though they had each other, they missed being home most terribly. :-)

End of Possible Spoiler

# 10 Hey there! Good to see around after a long time! :-)

12PrueGallagher
Bewerkt: jul 16, 2011, 2:02 am

Chiming in with the chorus of love of Rebecca - one of my favourite books. Reminds me that I have My Cousin Rachel calling out to me from the Shelves of Shame...and isn't Daphne du Maurier just a lovely name....Also love the painting you have selected...just gloriously languid

13Porua
jul 17, 2011, 12:16 am

# 12 Hi! Thanks for dropping by! Oh I should read My Cousin Rachel too.

Thanks! I love the vividness of the painting.

14ChocolateMuse
Bewerkt: jul 18, 2011, 1:30 am

You know, I think you're right about Rebecca. That's great, thank you! I see it all differently now.

By the way, I found a Renoir painting of a woman reading which I like a lot:

http://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/LRG/21/2130/TFLED00Z/posters/renoir-pierre-...

She's so absorbed and not thinking at all about herself in the present. I like how her back is towards us. The painter/viewer is made to feel like they have no right to be there, this is a private moment.

15Porua
jul 18, 2011, 3:30 pm

# 14 Lovely painting! Thanks for the link, Rena! I love how Renoir always used such vivid colours for his paintings. He is one of my favourite painters.

16Porua
Bewerkt: jul 18, 2011, 3:32 pm



Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl was published in the US by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. in 1964 and in the UK by George Allen & Unwin in 1967.

The story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory revolves around little Charlie Bucket and his trip to the mysterious Mr. Willy Wonka’s amazing chocolate factory.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/74281858

17alcottacre
jul 18, 2011, 8:57 pm

#16: Nice review, Porua. It has been a long time since I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I will have to pick it up again some time.

18Porua
jul 18, 2011, 10:38 pm

# 17 Hi! Thanks for liking my review! :-)

19PiyushC
jul 19, 2011, 12:27 am

#16 A good review, yet to meet anyone who didn't like the book.

20Porua
jul 19, 2011, 2:06 pm

# 19 It is a likeable book. I'd like to read Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox someday.

21souloftherose
jul 19, 2011, 3:47 pm

Glad you enjoyed Rebecca and I especially enjoyed reading your and chocolatemuse's thoughts/interpretations.

I really loved Roald Dahl's books as a child as well as rereading them as an adult. I think if I read his books now I would feel concerned about how appropriate they might be for a child due to the violence but as a child I absolutely loved it (and was occasionally terrified by it but in a good way). My favourites (apart from Charlie) were Matilda which is about a young girl who loves reading, The BFG and The Witches. But really you should just read all of them!

22Porua
jul 20, 2011, 12:21 am

# 21 Thanks! I live for such discussions!

23Porua
aug 3, 2011, 12:51 pm



Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery was published in 1908. Popular since its publication, Anne of Green Gables continues to be a perennial favourite with readers all over the world.

Anne (spelled with an ‘e’, as she insists) is an orphan girl who gets ‘mistakenly’ adopted by an elderly brother-sister duo. Soon Anne finds acceptance at her new home and wins over most of her new acquaintances. Anne of Green Gables tells the story of Anne as she transforms from an awkward adolescent girl to an elegant young woman ready for college and the larger world.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/74281158

24jolerie
aug 3, 2011, 1:45 pm

I just read Anne of Green Gables earlier this year and most people were shocked that I've never read or watched any of the shows before. :)
I quite enjoyed the story as well since it was so reminiscent of a much similar time.

25Porua
aug 3, 2011, 1:55 pm

# 24 Oh yes not reading such children's classics as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Anne of Green Gables till one's an adult is weird, I guess. But one can't go back to change the past. Sigh!

26KiwiNyx
aug 3, 2011, 6:26 pm

I've never read Anne of Green Gables or seen the TV shows so you're not alone. It does sound like a sweet story that I would enjoy though and I love catching up on all the children's classics now. I think I have a better appreciation for them.

27alcottacre
aug 4, 2011, 1:06 am

Nice review!

28PiyushC
aug 4, 2011, 2:31 am

#23, 24 & 26 I am right there with you, I still haven't read Anne of the Green Gables!

29Morphidae
aug 4, 2011, 6:46 am

I didn't read Anne of the Green Gables or Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm until the last couple of years. Liked the first, not so much the second.

30Matke
aug 4, 2011, 10:00 am

Glad to know I'm not the only one who didn't read most of these as a child, although I did read and like, mostly for the ambience, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. A special pleasure as a teacher was the opportunity to read some of these to the children, while enjoying them just as much as the kids did.

I loved Fantastic Mr. Fox, not too crazy about Matilda, and looking forward to listening to the author read "Charlie", James and the Giant Peach, "Fox", and a couple of others--just bought an audio disc set, based on Ilana's recommendation. I'm not to keen on audio books as a rule, but couldn't resist the appeal of this set.

Oh, and more thumbed reviews! Thanks, Porua!

31PiyushC
aug 5, 2011, 12:25 am

I stay away from Audio books as a rule, not too crazy about someone else setting the pace for my book.

32Matke
aug 5, 2011, 9:12 am

>31 PiyushC:: Good point; hadn't thought about the pacing issue--I go back and re-read quite a bit, so that could be a problem. Tried listening to a short story in the car yesterday; very hard for me to concentrate. It's easier if I use headphones. One thing I do have and love is a marvelous recording of Paradise Lost by Anton Lesser. Magnificent.

33Porua
aug 6, 2011, 1:27 pm

# 26 I feel the exact opposite. I think I would have appreciated many of the children's classics much better as a child or at least as a teen.

# 27 Thanks!

# 28 Join the club!

# 29 Glad you enjoyed Anne of Green Gables!

# 30 Thanks for the thumb! I would love to read Fantastic Mr. Fox. I enjoyed the George Clooney version of it. I saw it in my favourite book store a couple of weeks ago but there was only one copy of it left and someone had placed it on 'hold'.

# 31 & 32 I have the same issue with audio books, pacing. May have to go back and re-listen to a lot of the parts because of it.

34PiyushC
aug 6, 2011, 2:25 pm

#32 & #33 Which would almost make it not worth the effort won't it? But I guess it is also a question of getting used to it, and I never really gave them much of a shot.

35Porua
aug 7, 2011, 12:50 pm

# 34 I don't really do audio books either but I use to listen to the BBC World Service programme Off the Shelf as a kid. It was a wonderful experience! That is where I first discovered books like Rebecca, Persuasion, The Ninth Life of Louis Drax and short stories like Peter Lovesey's Murdering Max and Graham Greene's A Shocking Accident. What I wouldn't do to get a hold of these gems on audio book format! Persuasion read by Juliet Stevenson is available on the market, I believe. So I couldn't really say I would never listen to a good quality audio book.

36Donna828
aug 7, 2011, 2:42 pm

Loved your review and subsequent discussion of Rebecca, one of my all- time favorite books. I have Anne of GG on my iPad. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who missed out on this series as a child.

Porua, are you on break from teaching? Is it getting more comfortable for you?

37Porua
aug 9, 2011, 12:51 pm

Thanks! Ah another one of us who missed Anne of the Green Gables as a child! Hope you enjoy it when you do get to it.

On the job front I am still rather unsettled. The end of semester is here. I am feeling kind of panicky as final test and grading time is here. Strange thinking that as a student I have felt calmer than this.

38Porua
aug 9, 2011, 12:51 pm



Spinning-Wheel Stories by Louisa May Alcott is a collection of 12 short stories with a perfunctory connecting tale. It was published in 1884.

The family has gathered at grandma’s home for Christmas. But a snow storm has all the young ones cooped up in the house. To pass the time grandma teaches the young girls how to use a spinning wheel that they found in the attic. Also, 12 stories with a healthy dose of morals are told. The 12 stories are namely Grandma's Story, Tabby's Table-Cloth, Eli's Education, Onawandah, Little Things, The Banner of Beaumanoir, Jerseys; or, the Girl's Ghost, The Little House in the Garden, Daisy's Jewel Box and How She Filled It, Corny's Catamount, The Cooking-Class and The Hare and the Tortoise.

The connecting tale is present at the first part of the book, then it disappears the midway through and reappears once again towards the end. I found this lack of continuity jarring.

The stories are for the most part very sugary. I am very fond of old classics but even I think that these stories are old fashioned. Some like Grandma's Story, Tabby's Table-Cloth, Eli's Education, Onawandah are really way too sugary.

Some of the stories are pretty good. I enjoyed The Little House in the Garden and The Hare and the Tortoise. Others like Little Things, The Banner of Beaumanoir, Jerseys; or, the Girl's Ghost, Corny's Catamount and The Cooking-Class are okay stories. Daisy's Jewel Box and How She Filled It I found kind of irritating.

Spinning-Wheel Stories has not aged well. Read only if you are a fan of Louisa May Alcott or of classics in general. Otherwise, I do not recommend this book.

39souloftherose
aug 14, 2011, 7:44 am

#38 Sounds like Spinning Wheel Stories is one to miss. I enjoyed all of Alcott's Little Women series when I was younger and I think Stasia recommended Eight Cousins by Alcott as also being a good read.

40alcottacre
aug 14, 2011, 8:38 am

#38: I will probably read that one just because I have never read it before, but I am not going to rush to do so.

41Porua
Bewerkt: aug 15, 2011, 11:56 am

# 39 & 40 Hi guys! Thanks for dropping by! :-)

This is the first Alcott I have read. Hope to like her other books much better. And Spinning-Wheel Stories wasn't all bad either.

42thornton37814
aug 14, 2011, 9:18 pm

I think I'm going to have to try Spinning-Wheel Stories. Even though it may be dated, it sounds like one I'd enjoy.

43Porua
aug 15, 2011, 11:57 am

# 42 Hope you like it better than I do! :-)

44Porua
aug 15, 2011, 12:14 pm



Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier is a piece of historical fiction. Published in 1999, it has enjoyed critical acclaim as well as commercial success. It was long listed for the Orange Prize in 2000.

The book presents a fictional account of the story behind Johannes Vermeer's painting Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Last year I read another book featuring a fictional account about a ‘fictional’ Vermeer painting, Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland. I loved that book very much despite it being way out of my usual reading comfort zone. So, I thought I should probably give Chevalier’s book a try too since they both deal with a similar subject matter.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/76972535

45Porua
sep 3, 2011, 1:22 am

It was my 'Thingaversary' on the 30th of last month. It has been two years since I first stepped into this world of LibraryThing and I have loved every minute of it. Thanks to all my fellow readers here at LT. I love you guys! :-)

I have been too busy to visit a bookstore and buy books to celebrate my Thingaversary. I did buy a couple of books before my Thingaversary. First up the complete The Chronicles of Narnia. God only knows when I would be able to read that gigantic volume!

Of course I got something from the works of my favourite Agatha Christie. I have yet to try any of her Tommy and Tuppence books. I decided to start with By the Pricking of My Thumbs.

I picked up another from the 'Red Hot Reads' series. I had enjoyed their Detective Stories so much that I couldn't resist their Science Fiction Stories edited by Edward Blishen and as a gift for my sports loving sister Sports Stories.

It has been ages since I read any non-fiction so picked up It's Only a Movie : Alfred Hitchcock a biography by Charlotte Chandler. I have always admired Alfred Hitchcock's work. His biography might be interesting to read.

A bunch of Penguin editions of Shakespeare's plays were going for real cheap at another book store. Picked up A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night.

But I still want something for my Thingaversary (any excuse to buy more books, right?). Here's to hoping for a brief sojourn at the nearest bookshop!

46alcottacre
sep 3, 2011, 2:53 am

Happy Thingaversary!

47Matke
sep 3, 2011, 9:03 am

Happy Thingaversary, Porua; may you enjoy many more here.

>45 Porua:: It seems that breathing is an excuse for me to buy books.

48souloftherose
sep 3, 2011, 11:13 am

Happy thingaversary! I always liked Christie's Tommy and Tuppence books so I hope you enjoy them.

49Porua
Bewerkt: sep 6, 2011, 3:39 am

# 46 Thank you!

# 47 Thanks! Yes even just breathing is an excuse to buy books. ;-)

# 48 Thanks! I am reading By the Pricking of My Thumbs now and am fairly enjoying it.

On related news, I have bought not three but four new books for my second 'Thingaversary'! Two books featuring Jeeves, The Inimitable Jeeves and Ring for Jeeves. I enjoyed Very Good, Jeeves earlier this year. I hope to enjoy these two too! Also bought Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote out of curiosity and a desire to broaden my horizon.

50Porua
sep 6, 2011, 3:41 am



Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope was published in 1857. This is the second book in a series of six books set in the fictitious cathedral town of Barchester, collectively known as The Chronicles of Barsetshire. This is the best known and perhaps the most popular book from the series.

Barchester Towers tells of the ‘upheaval’ caused by arrival of the new Bishop, Bishop Proudie, in Barchester. The new Bishop’s wife and his chaplain’s struggle for power, the many suitors of Eleanor Bold and her family’s anxiety over them, the return of Dr Stanhope and family after an interval of twelve years and much more form the rest of the story.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/65135353

51ctpress
Bewerkt: sep 7, 2011, 2:13 pm

Thank you for your fine reviews, Porua. Love 'em. Some comments:

#3: Do Rebecca wins? I just didn't have that feeling. The relationship between the unnamed heroine and Maxim de Winter is not destroyed - it's like a spell somehow have been lifted (in a degree anyway) when the narrator finds out Maxim wasn't in love with Rebecca. Mrs. Danvers goes to her own destruction. It's not a happy go-lucky ending, but one with hope, I find.

#44: Have watched the movie-adaptation and it's very good, although it's true - the emotions of Vermeer and Griet is very, very guarded...A very artistic and beautiful movie. In the movie Vermeer is more in the front, and maybe they have altered the story somewhat.

#50: Come on...what's not to like about Trollope? :) well, I just love Barchester Towers together with The Warden and Doctor Thorne (which by the way is even more concerned about money - as it is one of it's main subjects. My next Trollope is Framley Parsonage.

52Donna828
sep 7, 2011, 1:59 pm

Belated congratulations on your Thingaversary, Porua. I'm so glad that you discovered LT two years ago. ;-)

I see you bought Breakfast at Tiffany's. I think Capote is a good writer and I'd like to read more by him. I loved that movie and thought the Glee episode in New York gave a nice homage to Tiffany's. Like you, I watch Glee for the songs!

53Matke
sep 7, 2011, 3:21 pm

Hi, Porua!

Great review of the Trollope, well-deserved thumb, even though we're on opposite sides of the fence about it. I love Trollope, but that could be generational...I'm an old lady.

Heart of Darkness is short and pretty creepy. I read it last month for TIOLI. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, but I'm glad I read it. I've not read (why???) Breakfast at Tiffany's although I've read some of his other work with much pleasure.

I wasn't crazy about the Tommy and Tuppence series, but By the Pricking of My Thumbs was my favorite of that set. I'll be looking forward to your take on it.

54souloftherose
sep 7, 2011, 4:14 pm

#49 Hope you enjoy the Jeeves books! The other picks sound good too although I haven't read Breakfast at Tiffany's. I love the film but I think I've heard the book is different.

#50 I'm hoping to try Trollope again soon(ish). I read The Warden a long time ago and thought it was ok but some good friends love Trollope and have told me that the Barchester Chronicles get better as they go along.

55ChocolateMuse
sep 7, 2011, 9:48 pm

Interesting review of Barchester Towers, Porua. Only one star!!

Re the money matters, that, I believe is Trollope's point. That money shouldn't matter as much as it does, especially in marriage. His book The way we live now is all about that, and for all his great sense of humour, he gets fairly worked up about it.

Happy Thingaversary from me too!

56Porua
sep 10, 2011, 2:32 am

# 51 You’re welcome!

As I have said in my other comment I say she won because it felt like they were running away from Rebecca even though she is dead. They are the ones who are sort of exiled from their home, England. It feels like they have been punishing themselves somehow when in fact it should have been the likes of Mrs. Danvers and Jack Favell who should have been punished. They are away from their friends and their homeland. Even though they are together they are not contented. That is my opinion.

As with any literary adaptation, story of Girl with a Pearl Earring has also been altered. I haven’t watched the whole movie but from the parts that I have watched one thing I can say for sure is that the character of Pieter is in the movie. He seems kinder somehow.

I don’t dislike Trollope. I am willing to read more books by him. But Barchester Towers bored me at times. I didn’t mention this in my review but I don’t really get all this stuff about the complexity of High Church and Evangelical beliefs. Frankly, it doesn’t interest me. At times I felt bored and/or sleepy. And all that talk about money kind of gets on my nerves. Still, I am not saying I hate him. I just am not a fan of his yet.

57Porua
sep 10, 2011, 2:32 am

# 52 Thanks Donna! I am so glad that I found LT too! Where else would I have got to meet such wonderful people?

Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of those books that I hesitated a thousand times before buying. I don't know what to expect from it! The movie, which I have seen but only in parts, is said to be very different from the book. So, that's no help either.

"...the Glee episode in New York gave a nice homage to Tiffany's."

Yeah, I loved how Kurt and Rachel go out to really have breakfast at Tiffany's! My favourite song from the episode was Bella Note. Why oh why doesn't Mark Salling get to sing more songs on the show?

58Porua
Bewerkt: sep 10, 2011, 2:53 am

# 53 Hi!

Thanks for the thumb! As you know, I love Victorian lit! I have three different tiers of Victorian authors. First are those I love. Charles Dickens, Emily Brontë and Bram Stoker are on this first tier. Second are those whose some works I love and some I don’t. For example, Wilkie Collins. I love his more obscure The Queen of Hearts but dislike the more popular The Moonstone. Third is the ‘maybe’ list of authors. I reserve my judgment on them before trying more of their works. George Elliot (I have read only Silas Marner) and Trollope are on this list.

Heart of Darkness scares me. I think it will be a difficult read for me. That and Breakfast at Tiffany's are two of my ‘scary’ reads that I have picked up after much dilly-dallying. Hoping to step out of my comfort zone with them.

Tommy and Tuppence isn’t really my type of detectives and they are more spies than detectives at that. By the Pricking of My Thumbs seemed like the one I might enjoy the most. That is why I decided to start with it. Review will (hopefully) be up soon.

59Porua
sep 10, 2011, 3:01 am

# 54 I hope so too. I enjoyed Thank You, Jeeves earlier this year. Hopefully these are as good as or better than that.

Oh yes I have heard the books is very different form the movie. The movie is a ‘Hollywoodized’ version of it.
I hope the Barchester Chronicles gets better as the series goes on. Framely Parsonage (book 4) is on my TBR list.

# 55 "Happy Thingaversary from me too!"

Thanks! :-)

In my rating system, one star means above average. No star is bad.

60Donna828
sep 10, 2011, 10:24 am

>57 Porua:: My, you are a Gleek! I had to look up Mark Sailing to find out he is Puck. I know very few of the real names except for Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison.

>58 Porua:: I read Heart of Darkness ten or twelve years ago and liked it. No need to be afraid of it unless you don't care for those dark reads. I should probably read it again as I read it more for the adventure story and didn't contemplate the dark side of the soul enough!

Enjoy your weekend!

61Cait86
sep 10, 2011, 12:04 pm

Yay, a fellow Gleek! Long-time-lurker delurking to say that I love Mark Sailing, and all of his songs, particularly "Only the Good Die Young" (which I am listening to right now!).

62Porua
sep 13, 2011, 6:52 am

# 60 Yup, I am a Glee fan. I prefer to call all the actors by their real names rather than their screen names . That's why I know the real names.

Dark stories more often leave me disturbed. I tend to avoid books like that. There are of course exceptions like Jim Thompson's disturbing tale of a serial killer's downfall The Killer Inside Me or the Gothic lit Classic Wuthering Heights, both of which are on my top favourites list. But I do try to avoid books with disturbing themes.

# 61 As a song I don't really like Only the Good Die Young. I am a bit of a prude about it. Loved all of his other performances including Fat Bottomed Girls!

63Porua
sep 13, 2011, 6:55 am



By The Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie was published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in 1968 and by Dodd, Mead and Company in the US later the same year.

The title of the book comes from Shakespeare's Macbeth,

By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.

These lines are among my favourite lines from the play.

A visit to Tommy’s aunt Ada’s nursing home can always be a challenge. This time is no different as Tuppence has to sit it out at the visitor’s lounge after another one of Aunt Ada’s outbursts. Her only companion, a seemingly mild elderly resident of the home, suddenly asks her if it is her child that is buried behind the fireplace. Before she can make any sense of it Tuppence has to go way. As the elderly lady suddenly vanishes without a trace, Tuppence decides to investigate the matter and solve this intriguing puzzle.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/76731576

64Samantha_kathy
sep 13, 2011, 11:44 am

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.


My favorite lines from McBeth. And Tommy and Tuppence are my favorite Agatha Christie detectives, always have been. (Yes, I know I'm one of the few).

Have you ever read N or M?, it's my very favorite Tommy and Tuppence mystery, set during World War 2.

65Porua
sep 15, 2011, 2:10 am

My absolute favourite lines from Macbeth comes from Macbeth's famous soliloquy,

"...Out, out, brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury

Signifying nothing."


My favourite Agatha Christie detective is Miss Marple. Most people prefer Poirot I think. So, I am kind of in the minority too. :-)

This is my first Tommy and Tuppence book. Most of their other books are more spy thrillers than mysteries, right? I prefer mysteries to spy stories. So, I don't know if I'll try it. But then again never say never!

66Samantha_kathy
sep 16, 2011, 10:47 am

N or M? is set in WW2, but it's really a classical cozy mystery.

From memory (so some of the details might be slightly off): There are 2 famous German spies, N & M, and one of them has a crucial piece of information. Tommy is asked to look into it and Tuppence manages to tag along. They are in a hotel with a certain amount of people there and one of them is the German spy. Their job is to find out which one.

The whole job is a mystery and I think it's one of my all-time favorite Agatha Christie's. By The Pricking of my Thumbs is one of my least favorite. So maybe you should give N or M? a try and see if you like Tommy and Tuppence more.

67Porua
sep 17, 2011, 12:46 am

# 66 Hmm...German spies? Not really my thing but I would keep N or M?'s name in mind for future reference. I actually quite liked By the Pricking of My Thumbs.

68PrueGallagher
sep 17, 2011, 7:08 pm

Hello Porua - trying hard to catch up on all my starred threads...couldn't agree more about The Girl with the Pearl Earring Did nothing for me at all. Belated Happy Thingaversary! Keep up the interesting reviews!

69Porua
sep 17, 2011, 11:56 pm

# 68 Thank you! :-)

70ncgraham
sep 25, 2011, 3:01 pm

I was thinking the other day that I hadn't seen any updates from you (aside from reviews) recently, then I realized I hadn't starred your latest thread! Love the picture, love the Rebecca discussion. And I think Alcott has not aged well in general ... although I remember liking Eight Cousins too.

71Porua
sep 29, 2011, 3:12 am

# 70 Glad you found me again! I enjoyed discussing Rebecca. It is one of my favourites!

I haven't read any of Alcott's other works. Frankly Spinning-Wheel Stories have put me off of her writing.

72ncgraham
sep 29, 2011, 10:21 am

I think I'll give Little Women one more try, just because I'd like to say that I'd read it (plus, I love the Winona Ryder movie). And I'd definitely be open to rereading Eight Cousins, although I doubt I will like it as much as I once did.

73Matke
sep 29, 2011, 11:46 am

Just checking in, Porua, saying hello.

74Porua
Bewerkt: okt 5, 2011, 4:32 pm

# 72 Same here. Maybe I'll give Little Women a try just because it's a classic.

# 73 Hi! I am so happy to see you here! :-)

75Porua
okt 5, 2011, 4:33 pm



I am not really a major non-fiction reader. People may actually be shocked at the lack of non-fiction titles in my library. I don’t know why that is because I actually have enjoyed my little forays into the realm of non-fiction. It's Only a Movie: Alfred Hitchcock is no exception.

As an avid movie watcher, I have seen many of Alfred Hitchcock’s works. I must admit his movies make me feel uneasy (i.e. Rope. The movie starts with a scene that no one warned me about.) and at times plain revolted (i.e. Frenzy. Grisly to say the least.). But nevertheless, I find his movies interesting to watch and was eager to learn more about them.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/76733411

76ncgraham
Bewerkt: okt 5, 2011, 6:48 pm

"I don’t really care about the personal aspects of the lives of the people involved in the movie business. They are, after all, mere human beings like the rest of us."

Hmm, not sure I follow the logic here. I can understand not wanting to be part of a gossipy celebrity cult, of course. But aren't "mere human beings" worth reading about, whether they're famous or not? And isn't the point of a biography getting to know its subject on a deeper, more personal level? I like stories regarding the making of films too, but plot summaries? I'd rather just the movies themselves.

I'm a huge Hitchcock fan but have skipped some of his more horrific outings, a la Psycho and Frenzy. Rope didn't bother me overmuch, but my favorites from him are Notorious and North by Northwest. What about you? You only mentioned negative examples in your review.

77Porua
okt 6, 2011, 5:13 am

# 76 Celebrities are ‘human beings’ like us. As I am not a 'nosy' person in real life, I don't care about what my neighbours are having for dinner tonight or what my colleagues sex life is like. So, when I don't care about what the people next door or next cubicle/room/table are doing why should I care about what the 'celebrities' are doing? I believe in keeping my private life private and letting other keep their personal things personal. That's what I meant.

I like reading movie summaries and the process of movie making. Analyzing people's personalities and dissecting their inner demons is not my thing. But that's just me. To each his/her own.

I like his movies like Rear Window, To Catch A Thief, Psycho and to a certain extent Rope. I admire him as a pioneer, a visionary but he is not one of my favourites.

78ncgraham
okt 6, 2011, 9:19 am

That makes sense. I dislike sexy "tell-all" memoirs/biographies/autobiographies as well. :)

79ChocolateMuse
okt 6, 2011, 8:33 pm

I agree with both of you :) I've been reading the biography of Anthony Trollope, and it's helping my appreciation of The Small House at Allington quite a lot. But I'm not the least bit interested in sex and scandal, which, to my understanding, is the main aspect of most celebrity biographies.

80Porua
okt 7, 2011, 3:50 am

In the age of reality shows like Jersey Shore and Real Housewives and more abominations like Teen Moms and Toddlers and Tiaras, not liking dirty, tell-all, voyeuristic biographies is a rarity, my friends. Let's just hope we all stay the same. :-)

81Porua
Bewerkt: okt 19, 2011, 2:09 am



Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers was published in 1926. It is the second book after Whose Body? in the series of books featuring Sayers’ detective Lord Peter Wimsey.

Lord Peter Wimsey’s sister Lady Mary is engaged to Denis Cathcart. When Denis is found murdered suspicion falls on Lady Mary’s elder brother Gerald, the Duke of Denver. Lord Peter tries to sort things out but a haze of falsehood and silence makes getting at the truth difficult.

All of the plot points and the characters felt vaguely familiar. Headstrong and impulsive women, unworthy suitors, feudal Lords behaving immorally, an alluring seductress, ruination of a foolish young man; etc,etc.

Lord Peter is an okay detective. I just wish the way he speaks didn’t remind me so much of P.G. Wodehouse’s creation Bertie Wooster. It is hard to be serious about murder when snippets of Bertie’s misadventures are floating around inside my head! However they are from the same time period so it’s not that surprising.

Mrs. Grimethorpe is a very beautiful woman. I get it. But lines like these got on my nerves.

…a broad white forehead under massed, dusky hair black eyes glowing under straight brows, a wide, passionate mouth–a shape so wonderful that even in that strenuous moment sixteen generations of feudal privilege stirred in Lord Peter’s blood…

‘feudal privilege stirred’? Ick!

One of the major plot points I realized almost at the beginning of the book. The whole thing was staring at everyone’s face right from the start . Lord Peter even admits so himself nearing the end of the book

…”I am, without exception, the biggest ass in Christendom. When a thing is close under my nose I can’t see it….


But if everyone solved everything in the very first pages we wouldn’t have a mystery novel now, would we?

The last scene where Inspector Sugg finds Lord Peter, Inspector Parker and Freddy out on the streets was funny.

Overall, Clouds of Witness was an all right mystery. I can’t say I love my first Dorothy L. Sayers mystery but I am willing to read more of her books. I shall reserve my judgment till then.

82souloftherose
okt 19, 2011, 4:13 pm

#81 I think Lord Peter becomes less Wooster like as the series progresses. For me, the first time he became a 'serious' character was during a discussion he was having about guilt with a vicar in Unnatural Death (which happens to be the next book). And the fourth book, The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, is set during the 10th anniversary of Armistice Day and looks at the effects WWI had on Lord Peter and some of his friends. I haven't got much further in the series yet but perhaps The Bellona Club would be a good one to try next?

83ChocolateMuse
okt 19, 2011, 8:23 pm

I do want to try more myself one day. I only read that bells one (not Bellona club above, but the one about the church bells, can't remember its name), which was just too much like jumping into the middle of someone's life and needing to know the backstory.

And, ick indeed at the stirring of feudal privilege!!!

84ncgraham
okt 19, 2011, 9:22 pm

The Nine Tailors, Rena?

I've heard that the primary joy of the Lord Peter stories is actually watching him grow as a character. I have yet to read any of them, but have steadily been collecting them with a view to going on a binge someday. I am primarily familiar with Sayers as a translator.

85ChocolateMuse
okt 19, 2011, 9:41 pm

That's the one, thanks Nathan :)

Translator? What of?

86ncgraham
okt 19, 2011, 10:32 pm

Dante, The Divine Comedy (she died before finishing Paradiso). She also translated The Song of Roland. Additionally, she wrote poetry, plays, Christian nonfiction, and essays on education theory. Her work basically kick-started the classical education movement here in the US. A multi-talented woman, it seems.

87ChocolateMuse
okt 19, 2011, 11:21 pm

Well well well. So, like A.A Milne, she's better known for her lightweight stuff than her Real Work. At least to me, but I imagine it's the case for many.

88theaelizabet
okt 29, 2011, 5:14 pm

Long time, no see, Porua! Thought I'd find you and catch up.

I really like Sayers' "Wimsey' books and the Nine Tailors is my favorite. I didn't know about her translations, poetry or plays. How interesting!

89Porua
nov 1, 2011, 11:12 pm

Hello everyone! Thank you for visiting! :-)

I have been away these few weeks because the Fall Semester ends next month and what with grading papers, assignments and taking classes I have had very little breathing space. I knew being a student is tough. Now I know being a teacher is also no picnic!

I have managed to finish Science Fiction Stories chosen by Edward Blishen. My two Halloween reads were The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón and a re-read of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Haven't gotten around to reviewing Science Fiction Stories yet but the review to The Shadow Of The Wind will be up shortly.

If you are interested you may want to check out my review of Dracula from last year. The link to that review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/58554366

90Porua
nov 1, 2011, 11:22 pm

# 82 "I think Lord Peter becomes less Wooster like as the series progresses."

Thank goodness for that! Can you see someone like Bertie as a detective? I know I can't. Imagine the muddle he'll make of everything!

# 83 "which was just too much like jumping into the middle of someone's life and needing to know the backstory."

Exactly! That's what it feels like when I don't start a series of books from the beginning. Unfortunately, more often than not I end up doing exactly that. I jump right in the middle of a series without having read the previous books.

# 84 "I've heard that the primary joy of the Lord Peter stories is actually watching him grow as a character."

That's good to know. I do hope Lord Peter grows less silly as the series progresses.

# 88 Hi! Long time no see indeed. I am woefully behind on catching up with everyone here at LT. Need to remedy that as soon as possible.

91Porua
Bewerkt: nov 1, 2011, 11:41 pm



The Shadow of the Wind (La sombra del viento in Spanish) by Carlos Ruiz Zafón was originally published in 2001. The 2004 translation by Lucia Graves catapulted the book to worldwide fame.

The story is very dark in tone. This is a true example of Gothic literature. People who are dead, who are forgotten, people who are as good as dead or are better off dead, occupy most of the story. When I was reading the book, I felt like I was viewing the past through a dark glass. The past always seemed like a late afternoon with dark clouds gliding across the sky.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/79578789

92souloftherose
nov 5, 2011, 6:05 pm

#90 "Can you see someone like Bertie as a detective?" - if he had a Jeeves it would be fine!

Sorry to hear things have been so busy with work again. Are you coming up to the end of your first year now? Glad to see you got some good gothic reading done though :-)

93Donna828
nov 5, 2011, 7:20 pm

Hi Porua, thank you for the teaching update. I've been wondering how it was going. You will probably find your second year a bit less taxing. At least the stress level should go down.

I also liked the gothic feel of The Shadow of the Wind. That reminds me to look for a copy of the sequel, which is really a prequel. Have you read it?

94Porua
nov 8, 2011, 3:27 pm

# 92 Hello! Thanks for dropping by! :-)

Oh yeah I guess with Jeeves he would probably be able to pull it off! But even then Bertie is way too irritating to be a detective.

It has been a little more than six months now at my job. I am comfortable with teaching now. But the work pressure still gets to me.

This year I really enjoyed Halloween two very good examples of Gothic lit, The Shadow of the Wind and Dracula. Wish every year was this good!

# 93 Hi, Donna! Good to see you here! :-)

Oh I hope so too. Being a shy, bookworm who is kind of lazy at times makes it harder for me, I guess.

No, I haven't read The Angel's Game. I am curious about it though.

95tjblue
nov 23, 2011, 3:45 pm

Happy Thanksgiving Porua!!!

96Porua
nov 29, 2011, 1:59 am

# 95 Happy (belated) Thanksgiving Tammy! :-)

97Porua
Bewerkt: nov 29, 2011, 2:07 am



Science Fiction Stories is a collection of science fiction stories compiled by Edward Blishen. It is a part of Kingfisher Publication’s Red Hot Reads series, aimed mainly at adolescent readers.

The book starts with The Boy, the Dog, and the Spaceship (1974) by Nicholas Fisk. The story is perfect for the book’s intended adolescent audience.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/76731938

98Matke
Bewerkt: nov 29, 2011, 10:53 pm

Excellent review of Shadow of the Wind, Porua.

I think you'll find that Wimsey will be revealed as far more complex than the fatuous ass he is in the first couple of books. You know, I'd completely forgotten that line about "rights". Eww. You know, Sayers wrote a book called Are Women Human?. I've never explored it, but it's out there. I think Amanda Cross, whose real name temporarily escapes me, wrote heavily about Sayers and even concocted a mystery story with a main character whose life closely parallels Sayers' life.

ETA: Amanda Cross was the pen name of Carolyn Heilbrun, who was a very enthusiastic feminist. Her earlier mysteries, before her books became too political for my taste, are excellent mysteries featuring an amateur detective, Kate Fansler. Theyr'e well-written and funny, and contain lots of information about literature and about working in a university.

99Porua
nov 30, 2011, 1:07 am

# 98 Thanks! I just try to do give my honest opinion. I really appreciate your compliment. :-)

Glad to know Lord Peter improves because I don't want to miss put on any of the great cosy mysteries out there just because the main protagonist annoyed me.

I have heard of Are Women Human?. Intriguing title!

Thanks for mentioning Amanda Cross's mysteries. I'd look around for them.

100tjblue
dec 11, 2011, 3:28 pm

Just stopping to say HI!!

101Porua
dec 12, 2011, 2:12 am

# 100 Hello, Tammy! :-)

102tjblue
dec 22, 2011, 5:09 pm

Merry Christmas Porua!!! Hope you have a wonderful holiday!!!

103Donna828
dec 29, 2011, 9:59 am

Hi there, Porua. I hope you're enjoying your school break and reading something good. I set a record by not picking up a book for almost five days while my family was here! Happy New Year!

104Matke
dec 29, 2011, 1:39 pm

A Happy New Year, with lots of good reading, Porua!

105Porua
jan 2, 2012, 2:40 pm

# 102 A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Tammy! Hope you had a wonderful holiday.

# 103 Hi, Donna! The holidays were a whirlwind just like the whole year had been. Hope you had fun with your family. Happpy New Year to you too! :-)

# 104 Happy New Year! I hope the new year brings you better days and more happiness!

106Porua
jan 2, 2012, 3:15 pm

I need to wrap up this 2011 thread. But I am not sure I want to stay here at the 75 Books Challenge Group. I love it here so much but as 2011 has shown us I just cannot read as many books as I use to. I need to make up my mind before I start a new thread or anything.

Anyway, right now I have two reviews pending. Here's the first one for A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I will (hopefully) write the second one for The Inimitable Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse soon.

107Porua
Bewerkt: apr 25, 2012, 11:40 pm



In the introduction to this book, Bill Bryson explains why he decided to write a ‘popular science’ book. Bryson felt that most text books are needlessly complex and in general kind of dull. According to him,

“There seemed to be a mystifying universal conspiracy among textbook authors to make certain the material they dealt with never strayed too near the realm of the mildly interesting and was always at least a long-distance phone call from the frankly interesting.”

Thus, A Short History of Nearly Everything was born. In it Bryson tries to explain scientific matters in a language that would be easily understood by the general populace.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/74282303

108souloftherose
jan 2, 2012, 3:44 pm

#107 Nice review Porua - I enjoyed that book too. I don't think you should let the number of books you read influence your decision about whether to stay in the group next year because I can promise you that no-one else minds about that. But if you do decide to join a different group I will just star your thread there and follow along anyway :-)

109Porua
jan 2, 2012, 4:14 pm

# 108 Thank you for liking my review! And also thanks for your support! I need to make up my mind and my friends here can help me do that. I really love talking to you guys and dropping in on your threads! :-)

110Matke
jan 2, 2012, 4:21 pm

A thumb for the review, Porua! Very nice.

I don't think anyone pays much attention to the book count except the thread owner. To me, the 75'ers Group is all about sharing and fun, with book information exchanged but not the be-all and end-all of the group. We just have a really good time here.

That said, of course it must be your decision, but point me to your new thread if/when it starts---I don't want to lose contact with you.

111gennyt
jan 2, 2012, 4:45 pm

Another thank-you for the Bill Bryson review; I enjoyed that one too - listened to it as an audio book which was maybe not the best way to absorb all the info and I had to keep replaying chapters because I'd fallen asleep at night listening to them. But in the end I decided to just enjoy the stories and not worry about retaining all the information, and so I manage to finish it without too many more repeated sections . It certainly was quite a time-commitment.

I would also agree with the other comments about not worrying about the numbers of books read. I think there are as many people in the group who've read less than half of the 'official' target as there are those who've read more than twice as many, but we all enjoy the company and conversations and that's what matters.

Have a good year in 2012, whatever you decide!

112tjblue
jan 3, 2012, 10:13 am

Just stopping to say Hi!

I think you should stay here!!!!!!!!!!!

But I will visit you where ever you go. :-)

113Porua
jan 3, 2012, 1:32 pm

# 110 Thanks for the thumb! This group is friendly and everyone is so helpful. That's exactly why I like it around here. :-)

# 11 Thanks! The conversations are what I miss most when I am away from LT.

You know, 'I' put 'myself' under pressure. I feel kind of inadequate when I see so many of my fellow LT'ers reading so many books and writing great reviews. I’ll try to relax a bit more this year.

Thanks for liking my review!

"It certainly was quite a time-commitment."

Oh yes! It took me quite a while to finish A Short History of Everything.

# 112 Hi, Tammy!

Thanks for the encouragement!

114Porua
jan 5, 2012, 1:19 pm



The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse is a collection of eighteen interconnected stories. The book follows the adventures of Bertie Wooster’s clueless friend Bingo Little, as he keeps falling in love with every other girl he meets. Wooster and Jeeves, of course, get entangled in it all and hilarity ensues.

The book was first published in 1923. All the stories had previously been published in the Strand Magazine between 1918 and 1922.

The rest of my review is here,

http://www.librarything.com/review/77727481

115Porua
jan 5, 2012, 1:23 pm

So The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse was my last review of 2011. Hopefully, I'll be able to put up my new thread pretty soon! :-)

116ChocolateMuse
jan 8, 2012, 6:23 am

Make sure you link it here, Porua, so we don't miss it :)

117theaelizabet
jan 8, 2012, 1:29 pm

Hi Por and Happy New Year! Just as Choc wrote, please link so I can find you!

118Porua
jan 11, 2012, 4:27 am

# 116 Hi Rena! I'll do it right now! :-)

# 117 Hi! Happy New Year to you too. Linking right now.

119Porua
Bewerkt: jan 11, 2012, 4:29 am

I have finally started my new 75 Books Challenge thread 2012. It can be found here,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/130815

Hope to see you all there! :-)