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Read Any Good Books Lately?

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'Owning Up: The Trilogy' by George Melly.

 

Although a bit slow in places and with perhaps too much detail of his early life, if the purpose of an autobiography is to let the reader get to know and understand the author, then this is probably the best autobiography I have ever read.

 

How he has survived until his 80's is truly amazing. This does appear to be a family trait, so hopefully he has a few years left in him yet.

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This book should perhaps be on all deathlisters Xmas lists.

 

Synopsis form Amazon:

"Get Dead", a guide to death, takes a good hard look at the subject and asks people in the death business what they think. A nurse, forensic policeman, pathologist, embalmer, funeral directors, lawyer, a husband and wife freelance grave-digging team, religious and not-so religious figures all share their experiences, tales and feelings on this most certain yet baffling of subjects. On top of the dozens of interviews, it also includes a bewildering range of facts, stats and information about death. And then, if that wasn't enough, there's practical, economic and legal advice. And a load of contacts should you need them. It's not a sad book, far front it. Like virtually all interviewees told the author... at the end of the day, you've got to laugh.

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Vulcan 607 by Rowland White.

 

The story of Operation Black Buck in 1982, well worth reading if you have an interest in aviation.

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I opened up Graham's 'Life after death' I don't agree with all that he says, but some of his points are worth viewing.

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is anyone trying to complete this ?

 

 

Christmas quiz

 

I need some help with question 1 , 2 and 3 ....well...and a few others actualy....

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is anyone trying to complete this ?

 

 

Christmas quiz

 

I need some help with question 1 , 2 and 3 ....well...and a few others actualy....

Questions 18 and 19 I don't know the answers to, but I do know where to find them, if that's any help. The rest: not a clue.

 

Edit to add: 21.

 

regards,

Hein

Edited by Magere Hein

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is anyone trying to complete this ?

 

 

Christmas quiz

 

I need some help with question 1 , 2 and 3 ....well...and a few others actualy....

Questions 18 and 19 I don't know the answers to, but I do know where to find them, if that's any help. The rest: not a clue.

 

Edit to add: 21.

 

regards,

Hein

 

Thanks for trying , Hein , ...but I've got all those....

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In the spirit of the season, I highly recommend Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore, to everyone except Xenon II.

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A wind up, surely?

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A wind up, surely?

 

a wind up for sure, but highly amusing all the same wouldn't you agree??

 

This one cracked me up in particular

 

Some art confronts you, forcing you to reexamine your life and see the world in a new light. This engaging, challenging type of art not only transcends one's expectations of expression but creates new forms of aural communication. This is the art invented by the one and only Darvis Hypercraft.

 

Like a strung out nun with no pants on, Darvis comes out screeching, scratching his arms and emitting one continuous fart in the key of D. Nearby birds die and children within earshot are scarred for life. Even unfortunate rats in his pathway commit suicide by scratching their ears out, especially during "Wir Zwei Allein."

 

Those who escape his first salvos of pop music are later assaulted with amateurish guitar solos and subpar drumbeats. They are then napalmed by Darvis' falsetto offerings in "The Best Is Yet To Come" and "Dance Dance D'Amour." Listeners are left with loss of bladder control and the inability to cry anymore.

 

Many have credited Darvis' legendary production crew for sculpting such perfect songs. I, however, suggest the magic lies in Darvis' own voice- a voice I would compare to two gorillas honking on a legless cow.

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Currently reading 'Here Comes the Sun' a book about George Harrison's spiritual journey. Some odd insights including the claim that the classic; 'something' is really about his falling in love with the Krishna branch of the Hundu religion.....hmmmmm.

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Bookies taking bets on the boy wizard's demise in the final book. Shortest odds on Voldemort to off him.

 

Either way, we'll probably know in 2007, what do the Potterheads on the list think?

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Hmmmm, the smell of slowly rotting spam above, it'll be binned soon enough. In the meantime I'm reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, lucid, thought provoking and I never knew he was married to Lalla Ward - Romana from Dr Who and formerly Mrs Tom Baker. I'll bet Dawkins is a breath of fresh air after the eccentric Baker.

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I too was given Dawkins book for Christmas. The irony was intentional. He's preaching to the converted in my case, but it has made me try to be more intolerant of religion.

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I too was given Dawkins book for Christmas. The irony was intentional. He's preaching to the converted in my case, but it has made me try to be more intolerant of religion.

I have MET Richard Dawkins!

 

 

And I have just read The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. Excellent.

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WASP Factory, ah, I was nobbut a lad, the vivid ferocity of the burning sheep, the cold-hearted cruelty of the treatment of the wasps, the simmering sexual mystery. Good 'un. Still rated Espedair Street better mind, though it's a totally different kind of book.

 

Richard Dawkins f****n' rocks IMHO, I love the rhetorical sniping humour that under-pins it all, shame he's going to Hell!

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Richard Dawkins f****n' rocks IMHO, I love the rhetorical sniping humour that under-pins it all, shame he's going to Hell!

As I've been assured by several christians, Halibuts and drive-by ranters I'm hellbound anyway, so why should it be a shame that RD will end up there too? As Mark Twain (IIRC) said: heaven for climate, hell for society.

 

regards,

Hein

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WASP Factory, ah, I was nobbut a lad, the vivid ferocity of the burning sheep, the cold-hearted cruelty of the treatment of the wasps, the simmering sexual mystery. Good 'un. Still rated Espedair Street better mind, though it's a totally different kind of book.

Disturbing stuff, Mr Banks' work.

 

Canal Dreams and A Song of Stone are two books I shan't be re-reading any time soon.

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Aye NAP but you've read others and likely forgotten many things about them. Banks has a habit of staying in there and - disturbed by them or not - you've just given the man a recommendation as far as some posters will be concerned.

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I'm with NAP on this one, I read Use of Weapons and The Business and found myself not really following what was going on, and not really caring either by the end. Strange, as I usually love Sci-fi and weirdness in general, and everyone I know (well, those who know what sort of books I like) swore blind I'd have loved Banks's stuff.

 

I've been reading the Raymond E. Feist books recently, I must say I'd never heard of him until I got lent 'The Magician'. Got through 7 so far and there's 2 left in the series I'm reading, but tragically the person who's borrowing them off their dad for me has just discovered he's started to re-read the one I need next, and has took it to India with him. They're fairly formulaic (as is most fantasy stuff) but I think they're well written, and span many different characters and years whilst keeping a sense of continuity which I like.

 

It is these books that has inspired me to try and get round to marketing slip-on book covers with suitably best-seller nonsense on, so that geeks like me can read fantasy/sci-fi books on the train without the shame. Why must every fantasy book ever written have a bronzed warrior, dragon, hawk or 'sexy' female elf (or ideally all of them) on the front cover? :banghead:

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