It took me a while to warm up to the music but the goofiness and outright charm and joy of most of the songs won me over. Now I can’t stop bopping to it.

This is the album that made me into a Cohen fan. His voice is incomparable.

The book is completely different from the impressions I had of it, given by film and television. It’s so much more complex, elevated, dramatic, tragic and gothic. And the end is heartbreaking. Definitely a must read for everyone.

Finally getting around to giving this book a whirl after buying Bookslut and stocked at the local indie store.

It’s a novella, but the short length fits the connected character potraits perfectly. All of them are perfectly conveyed by the almost colourless narrator whose sole purpose seems to be familiarizing us with her strange relatives, all overshadowed by her Great Granny Webster.

What an excellent story. The best things I liked about it were the wry, off-kilter humour and the elegant flow of the prose. Hughes seems to be the kind of writer who could write about anything and make it interesting. Of course, such a subject as human behaviour under extreme circumstances (usually) cannot fail to be riveting. I’m so glad I read it.

It’s the best Hammett that I’ve read so far. The action and characters are bigger and better, more enthralling, while still retaining that cool, and intangible Hammett element. Really good stuff.

This turned out to be a more exciting read than I expected. I can certainly see why it was chosen for the Penguin Reds and I’m looking forward to reading more Balzac from the Penguin and NYRB prints.

This was my first Chrestomanci-I’ve twice attempted Charmed Life but haven’t made it past the first page-and I quite enjoyed it. A bit different from the other Jones, and even most children’s fantasy (that I’ve read), as most of the action takes place in an (obviously British-styled) aristocratic household, complete with the various classes of servants and all the drama such minor communities offer when mixed with magical intrigue.

Jones, of course, makes it a hilarious, entertaining and delighting read.

As my recent consumption shows I’ve developed an interest in everything Cicero, or at least everything having to do with his speeches, oratory and treatises (not so much concerned about the letters or poetry).

I’m not a philosophy buff but I did enjoy having a look at how the mainstream philosophy movments of the day viewed emotional behaviour. The commentary at the back was especially helpfully and clarifying and proving additional info about any particular point I was fuzzy about, and the notes were in kind. I haven’t read the Appendices yet but it provides details on the major sources/influences for these particular disputations. It pretty much had everything a novice needed. Excellent text.