PDA

View Full Version : Friday 19th August


irwcustom
08-19-2005, 01:15 PM
Me again:)

Errr ..what did I have... cheese and tom sarnies bolted down in 1 minute flat because I was rushing around like a blue arsed fly. Roll on the Bam curry night on Sunday.

Book Worms.

Tell us about your great read. I have not read much fiction at all (other than on bam;) ). Have spent my life studying text books etc. I like biographies myself. My favourite book of all time is 'With a little help from my friends' by Sir George Martin. His 'All you need is ears' is great too - more about his earlier life in that one. I read the Davinci code on holiday ..that started off good, but got a bit predictable and labouring the points. I got the 'apple' cryptex clue well before it was revealed. It was a good read though considering I don't read fiction. I think Michael Palin is closer to the Holy Grail though.

Norman Wisdoms auto b was great - really interesting. Just read that on holiday too. He had nothing and was very badly treated as a kid. He blagged his way into Ed Sullivans house to try to get on his show. Ed turned him down but gave him full credit for initiative on fooling everybody to get in. Then a few years later, he did appear on the show. he did all his own stunts - even one where he flies off the top of an ambulace -AFTER a real stuntman broke several bones doing the same stunt that the film company insisted the Norm wasn't allowed to do. He also recorded a song and sugested they use it ..but it wass poo pooed without even a listen. So he told a songsmith to say that he wrote it ..and yes, once it was all done and dusted ..he did rub their noses in it.

Frank Skinners (British Comic) Auto B was great too - incredibly honest ..and well...Frank.

I read John Peels biog was ok till it got to the punk era which he is famous for, but I lost interest in that one. I liked the stories of his time in America though.

Paul McCartneys Barry miles ghost written biog was good, though a bit contradictory to the anthology (which as a book is also brilliant). I hated his summing up of writing %ages on pretty much every song that was between him and John as a collaboration. His stories and recollections and insights into the songs here are fantastic though.

Alistair Tailors book was great - the Beatles 'mr fix it'. Lots of great stories and insights in to the real personalities of not only the beatles, but their wives and friends.

Zilmo
08-19-2005, 02:53 PM
Peperoni and cashew pizza. Thought about having veal just to yank the chains of the BHL's on TGP, but went with the pizza instead.

gretsch63
08-19-2005, 04:26 PM
CROW......

jas
08-19-2005, 05:25 PM
I had just a handfull of cashews for lunch but had an early dinner.

I read one of the most interesting novels recently by your countryman, Darren, Martin Amis. It's called "Time's Arrow" and it's written by a consciousness that observes his "self" aging backwards. For example, the narrator thinks that when you go to a restaurant, the waiter assembles garbage scraps on a plate and brings it to you. You assemble it into a nice looking meal by taking stuff from your mouth. When you're done, you and the waiter spend some time reviewing the meal with the aid of the menu. The waiter pays you for eating there. That part's trivial - the book gets very grim.

I also read a mystery by Amis that was excellent called "Night Train" and am currently reading his rant about Stalin and Stalin's relationship to western liberals in "Koba the Dread - Laughter and the 20 million".

In between those, I read the 1919 Influenza book that is coincidentally one of the 3 books that G.W. Bush allegedly plans to read on vacation this summer. I do look forward to discussing the book with W as it's one of the few that we've both read (if, indeed, he does slog through) as I, regrettably, have not yet read "The Hungry Caterpillar".

-John

Big Mike
08-19-2005, 10:11 PM
Stress day from hell for me..(still ranting Darren! :))

I had McDonalds "Heart Attack in a Sack" Big Mac meal.

I love to read. I hate to admit I have a soft spot for the Harry Potter books, and read them several times.

Also, I LOVE Clive Cussler books (until recently..I like the Dirk Pitt main character novels). My favorite is likely Dragon. i like the mix of adventure, cloak and dagger, etc.

I love reading to escape. I also like the Dan Brown novels, but really, I'll read just about anything I can get my hands on!

redmax61
08-19-2005, 10:58 PM
Sonic.

Don't look at me. It took me this long to finish "Charlie and the great glass elevator" by Roald Dahl.

pembell
08-20-2005, 04:49 AM
Out to lunch at Italian restaurant in Covent Garden, so shared brushetta with buffalo mozzarella, followed by salmon and avacado penne and glass of chilled semillon. Superb. Then went and bought the Hohner - great day!

Currently reading John Simpson's book on Saddam - really interesting and gripping read. John's been through a lot as the BBC's main correspondent in Iraq and the book is essentially a recant of his life and experiences over the last couple of decades.

I'm also reading "Salam Pax" - the Baghdad blogger - got a pre-occupation with Iraq at present! Another very readable and enjoyable book.

On the lighter side, I'm a Terry Pratchett fan - re-reading Night Watch at the moment, in between the two above.

Other than that, it's Total Guitar and Guitarist every month!

David Coverversion
08-20-2005, 02:58 PM
Pasta, with ham and peppers in a spicey tomatoe sauce.

Love the Harry Potter books too, I like the way they've grown.

Currently reading Karin Slaughter, excellent stuff, perhaps not on a par with Patricia Cornwell but very very good all the same.

If you like off the wall stuff, try Jasper Ffordde, his books are exceptionally clever and very very funny.

Still trying to write my first book, a comedy based in South Wales in the '80's. I scrap it every week though, it's rubbish!!

kingsleyd
08-21-2005, 05:23 PM
Friday's lunch: Thai with my GF... drunken noodles and choo-chee duck with sticky rice.

I'm a big Harry Potter fan and finished the new one about 2 weeks ago.

Another wonderful read recently was "The Rotter's Club" by Jonathan Coe. A wonderful coming-of-age story set in Birmingham (England, not Alabama) and with background music by the likes of Hatfield and the North and Henry Cow, some of my favorite bands from that era.

Currently reading "In The Blink Of An Eye," about one of the "big bangs" in the history of life on planet Earth.