I’ve been a fan of Quantum Leap since it was on TV 15 years ago or more, and have all the series on DVD. We watch maybe one a week… so it’s taken nearly six months to see this series. Some great episodes, including one where Sam becomes a chimp, and an amazing finale when Sam leaps back into Al as a young man, caught up in a murder trial. A few logic leaps, as ever with time travel, but some amusing quips, and fascinating insights into both Al and Sam as people.

Steve Martin stars brilliantly as the father of three, trying to relate well to his children, juggling parenthood with his job and his wife. He has three siblings with very different attitudes; one has two rebellious teenagers, one is hot-housing his small daughter, and the other pretty much ignores his delightful son.

It’s character-based, like my favourite books, with plenty of interaction between the various siblings, cousins and other characters. Of course they’re exaggerated, but there’s a grain of truth in everyone. Some humour, and some pathos too – I just wished the topic of home education had come up with Kevin, the sensitive child who was so unhappy at school.

Rated 15, and I assume that’s because of several innuendos and sexual references. But there’s nothing explicit, no nudity, no violence, and – as far as I noticed – no bad language.Quote-right

Philip Yancey, in his usual clear style, looks at some of the books of the Old Testament. He explains why he thinks it’s important for Christians to read them; he also gives an overview of what they’re about. Different chapters cover Job, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the prophets in general.

Interesting and well worth reading, though not particularly deep or inspiring. Recommended.

The worst adaptation of a Jane Austen novel I have seen. Billie Piper is totally miscast as the demure, almost priggish Fanny Price, and while the film roughly follows the plot of the book, there are too many missing characters, and other unnecessary changes. There’s no sense of the 18th century at all; it looks like modern people dressed up in costume, and the camera work is bizarre at times. it’s strange how the BBC can make such excellent period drama productions, where as those made for ITV (such as this one) are generally much poorer quality. I’m glad we got this free with a newspaper rather than paying for it.

Fourth in the ‘Lone Pine’ series about a group of teenagers who have exciting adventures. Over twenty years since I read it, and although I remembered some of the plot I still enjoyed it. It’s set in a more innocent age (late 1940s) when children were basically safe outside, other than from the real villains, who – inevitably – get caught in the end.

Great characterisation, and although some of the style is dated (I actually have a second edition hardback rather than the somewhat abridged Armada version), it’s a good light read for adults and teens alike. Not necessary to have read others in the series, although it adds to the continuity and enjoyment to have done so.

Pratchett takes the surreality of time travel theory to an extreme, as he explores his oft-mentioned theories about the trousers of time.

Johnny Maxwell and his friends do a bit of time travelling, aided by the strange supermarket trolley owned by the even stranger Mrs Tachyon. They find themselves in 1941, immediately prior to an air raid which Johnny had studied for a history project.

Not as funny as the Bromeliad trilogy, or as clever as Discworld, but I still found this eminently readable and decidedly mind-boggling. Three and a half stars, really.

Dinah, an ambitious but impoverished young woman, propositions Paul, a rich American banker, in the hope of saving her family property. The book takes place in both the UK and USA, revolving around high finance and business. Fast-moving, tough characters, and well-woven plots with a fairly satisfying ending.

When I first read this in 2000 I concluded that it was not really my kind of book. In a sense that’s still true – the banking and high finance life of the early 20th century isn’t my scene.

But what a very well-written book it is; re-reading it, I was just as gripped as I was the first time, and also more appreciative of the characterisation, and the clever way the author has used the historical stories of Caesar and Mark Anthony as the basis for this amazing novel.

I did enjoy this, though it’s not my usual style. A man in his 30s needs to grow up, while a boy of 12 needs to learn to be a child… great characters, and some humour that almost made me laugh aloud in places. Thought-provoking too, pondering the meaning of life, and the importance of truth, and the nature of friendship.

More bad language than I’m comfortable with, but not as bad as some.

Black-and-white film based on the true story of Helen Keller, who was both deaf and blind due to a serious illness in babyhood. She had become totally wild, prone to horrendous tantrums and increasingly dangerous to herself and others. So a young teacher was employed to try and bring some control to her life, and see if she could help Helen to communicate via felt hand signs.

Excellent acting, particularly by Patty Duke who played Helen. I was sorry it ended so abruptly, however – I’d like to have seen more of the story, as I know Helen Keller went on to do amazing things with her life. Also disappointed in the sound quality; we had to use switch on subtitles as we found we were missing so much of the conversation.Quote-right

Classic book containing letters, conversations and spiritual maxims from a seventeenth century priest. Interesting, and encouraging, but not as revelatory or new as I had expected. Worth reading – probably three and a half stars rather than three – but on the whole what was said seemed rather obvious. Even if difficult for most of us to put into practise!