Windsor 2,233 Posted March 13, 2006 I know it's very sad and square - but I'm reading a biography of the King of Tonga by Amaraki Taulahi. It's actually very good, the King's Mother, Queen Salote was quite a charactor. Indeed, she was rather popular with the crowds lining the Coronation route in 1953. She rode open carriage in the rain and enthusiastically waved to the crowds. Obviously they were easily pleased back in 1953... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DevonDeathTrip 2,358 Posted March 13, 2006 I know it's very sad and square - but I'm reading a biography of the King of Tonga by Amaraki Taulahi. It's actually very good, the King's Mother, Queen Salote was quite a charactor. Indeed, she was rather popular with the crowds lining the Coronation route in 1953. She rode open carriage in the rain and enthusiastically waved to the crowds. Obviously they were easily pleased back in 1953... From Robert Lacy - Royal historian: Well Queen Salote was an enormously large but very genial and smiling lady who .... became a unofficial star of the Coronation. And there's a famous joke told about her. She rode in the carriage totally undeterred by all the rain that was pouring down, refusing the umbrella that some other people used. And apparently Noel Coward was watching the procession and as he saw the carriage go by with Queen Salote and a rather insignificant little man in front of her, who was king or prince of some other part of the Commonwealth in those days. Somebody said to Noel Coward - who is that sitting with Queen Salote - and he looked very hard and then pronounced "her lunch"! That became one of the great jokes of the Coronation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,646 Posted March 13, 2006 Recently acquired Lords of Chaos, an account of mayhem and - eventually - murder amongst the Death Metal musicians of Norway. So far it's riveting, sad and strangely comical. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lady Grendel 139 Posted March 13, 2006 I just finished reading a book called Death of an Outsider by MC. Beaton. Great story! Hamish Macbeth was made into a great TV Series here, starring Robert Carlyle in the title role. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harvester Of Souls 40 Posted March 13, 2006 I read Mr Tickle this afternoon. All the shite just seems to melt away... definitely a masterpiece. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tempus Fugit 214 Posted March 13, 2006 I read Mr Tickle this afternoon. All the shite just seems to melt away... definitely a masterpiece. If you want classic escapist nonsense, then it has to be Billy Bunter "The Fat Owl of the Remove" every time, none of your PC rubbish there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harvester Of Souls 40 Posted March 13, 2006 If you want classic escapist nonsense, then it has to be Billy Bunter "The Fat Owl of the Remove" every time, none of your PC rubbish there. I don't do escapist nonsense... Mr Tickle works on so many levels throughout his literary journey. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handrejka 1,903 Posted March 13, 2006 I'm about to start on Grace Slick's autobiography. There might be a few 2007 contenders in there. I'll let you know. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anubis the Jackal 77 Posted March 13, 2006 Just read James Ellroy's 'American Tabloid' and 'The Cold Six Thousand' back to back. Deeply unpleasant, but top quality pulp. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,646 Posted March 13, 2006 For those of you interested in those who promote death amongst the population I'd like to recommend Harold Schechter's 'Deviant' and 'Deranged' bios of two classic killers Ed Gein and the totally awesome Albert Fish. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrunoBrimley 86 Posted March 14, 2006 I was at the book store just yesterday and purchased 3 more calming soothing novels about the 87th Precinct by that writer who died last year by the name of Ed McBain. I know he was also a few other people such as Evan Hunter and some Italian guy named Sal but I got to know him as McBain. I now have about 45 of the 87th Precinct books. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
honez 79 Posted March 14, 2006 I now have about 45 of the 87th Precinct books. I have one of them, so you may as well give up because I won't sell it. You'll never get the whole set. I also have Tom Clancy's Op Centre. If he wants it back he can PM me off list. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Godot 149 Posted March 16, 2006 I now have about 45 of the 87th Precinct books. I have one of them, so you may as well give up because I won't sell it. You'll never get the whole set. I also have Tom Clancy's Op Centre. If he wants it back he can PM me off list. I liked McBain but got a bit fed up with him when his cops started to get in to increasingly difficult situations. It was the one where Steve Carella was chained to a radiator that did it. I didn't like that. Still, he was a better character than Patricia Cornwell's smartarse Kay Scarpetta, although I would recommend The Body Farm for its deathlisting interest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Himmler Posted March 16, 2006 Richard Burton died yesterday of a cerebral hemorrhage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canadian Paul 97 Posted March 16, 2006 Richard Burton died yesterday of a cerebral hemorrhage. Or 21 years ago. More or less the same thing I suppose. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beebee 1 Posted March 16, 2006 just finished "dragon's egg" by robert l. forward. very good book, about creatures on a neutron star. written by an actual physicist. but now i have nothing to read! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,646 Posted March 16, 2006 Given your dual interests in death and the totally cosmic you might like Billy's Halo by Ruth McKernon, an account by an eminent scientist of the death of her eminent scientist father from - I think - dementure the book alternates human tragedy and a journey into the science of what happened to him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beebee 1 Posted March 17, 2006 Given your dual interests in death and the totally cosmic you might like Billy's Halo by Ruth McKernon, an account by an eminent scientist of the death of her eminent scientist father from - I think - dementure the book alternates human tragedy and a journey into the science of what happened to him. oh boy, death & dementia in one book. sounds like one of my daughter's textbooks. <my new symbol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,646 Posted March 17, 2006 What's she studying? Sounds like something we'd enjoy sharing on here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beebee 1 Posted March 17, 2006 What's she studying? Sounds like something we'd enjoy sharing on here. she is studing pre-med. she is going to be a coroner. she is the only person i know who fishes for invitations to autopsies. she will get the most disgusting old textbooks to read for fun. my other girl in ....lawschool! she plans on being a prosecuter. i already hear some real gross dinner conversations. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beebee 1 Posted March 17, 2006 my son, however, is studying chef-ery(?). we get to eat his homework. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,646 Posted March 17, 2006 my son, however, is studying chef-ery You get to eat your son's homework, chef-ery Dahmer got to eat his friends! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beebee 1 Posted March 18, 2006 my son, however, is studying chef-ery You get to eat your son's homework, chef-ery Dahmer got to eat his friends! he ain't seen any my boy's friends. i mean, even if he weren't dead, they are a scruffy looking lot. plus at least 3 of them are after my youngest daughter,who, if i must say it myself, is a knockout. this is one of my her favorite links. click on "stages of decomposition" and watch the lovely film towards the bottom. stages of decomposition the star of this little epic is apparently known as "beethoven". may he Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brinsworth House Baiter 12 Posted March 18, 2006 I'm just coming to the end of Caroline Graham's 'The Killings At Badger's Drift', which is the first of the 'Midsomer Murders' novels. Bought it in a charity shop years ago & have avoided reading it to be truthful, as I was expecting it to be a bit 'twee', given the genial nature of the television adaptation. How wrong I was, as it is a stonking good read & imagine my shock to find the F word being used! In Midsomer! What is the world coming to? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Pooka 26 Posted March 18, 2006 my son, however, is studying chef-ery You get to eat your son's homework, chef-ery Dahmer got to eat his friends! he ain't seen any my boy's friends. i mean, even if he weren't dead, they are a scruffy looking lot. plus at least 3 of them are after my youngest daughter,who, if i must say it myself, is a knockout. this is one of my her favorite links. click on "stages of decomposition" and watch the lovely film towards the bottom. stages of decomposition the star of this little epic is apparently known as "beethoven". may he A fascinating film. I thought that they could have slipped a dish of sausages in at the end ... jut to add a little humour. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
