The Lamplighter is a crime novel set in Edinburgh, circa 1866. The characters are reminiscent of a Sherlock Holmes story, and reading about streets and destinations that I’ve been to really drew me into the story. Throw in a little philosophy and a dash of the supernatural and you have a book that is just plain fun to read.
yeah, this flick is categorized as a “thriller” but in the first few minutes I had to laugh out loud at the line:
“No, we don’t have any monkeys in Scotland. If we did have monkeys we’d probably deep fry them.”
It was awesome watching Judi Dench do something different.
Intense. This book is INTENSE. This is a thriller ride, for sure.
I started this book yesterday, pulling it out of my bag to pass away the time in the reception lobby of an employment agency waiting for my appointment. The receptionist saw what I was reading and squealed, and gushed on about how she was just back from holiday and so enjoyed reading it that she’d bought up copies for everyone. I was pleased, as this was now two glowing recommendations I’d received for this book.
I read 20 pages there, 30 more pages at my next appointment wait, and picked it up again when I returned home and was unable to put it down until I finished. And now I see that a another novel [sequel] was just released and I’m having to restrain myself from ordering it.
I can’t tell you WHY I liked this book so much because that might give some of it away. All I can tell you is that it was one of the better thrillers I have read in a long, long time. One of the cover quotes says it best: ‘Disturbing…promising debut…combines many conventions of the genre but with far more exquisite, intricate results than the norm…Pack[s] a visceral punch’
It’s funny (funny sad, not funny haha) how I can simultaneously feel both smart and stooopid. I’m reading Leaves of Grass and have come to “O Captain! my Captain!”. I feel like an idiot because I didn’t know this was written by Walt Whitman, nor did I know any of the poem past that opener. I feel quite brilliant though because now I can say with pride that I know who wrote it and that I have actually READ the damn poem. Woot.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
by: Walt Whitman (1819-1892)
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
It’s been 20 years since I started attending college on & off. This past quarter I got the chance to finally take the last required course needed for my AA degree. This was the assigned textbook. Unlike a lot of other math courses, I can honestly say that THIS math you will use. I should know, I’ve been using this shit for years as an Office Manager and Bookkeeper.
Knowing most of the course material often made we want to gouge out my eyes with a spork, but I still learned some stuff that has practical applications.
I graduate June 15th. Woot.
This is the sequel to Cody McFadyen’s debut novel “Shadow Man”, and is every bit as gripping as the first. It is so good, that although he could continue with a series for this main character, it would be perfect if the story stopped here.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the last ten Jack Reacher novels, this one included. Two more to go, so thankfully Lee Child is working on #12.
Although this series deals with the same character in different situations, each book was written as a stand-alone so you can pick up any book and dive right in without missing a thing.
This book was a little different than the others, and I liked the change. Jack Reacher is the perfect storybook hero, the kind you could easily turn into a pretend boyfriend. No big surprises, just a lot of detailed action—exactly how I like it.
Plus, this was the book that Lee Child himself autographed for me. Sigh. It is now placed safely in my sister’s bookcase where it will await my return (sometime next year).
okay, any re-enactment “acting” in this is terrible, but easy to overlook when you are concentrating on the subject matter. For a movie that is only 16 minutes long, it manages to draw out so many emotions—laughter, anger, sadness, and tears of joy.
Koko is an amazing being. To learn more about her, and her kitten, visit Koko’s website.
SPOILER ALERT:
This book plodded along like a decent smut novel until 3/4 of the way in when the two main characters were finally having sex and it turns out that despite being separated for 12 years and each marrying other people she somehow managed to “save” herself for him. OH COME ON!! I call fucking bullshit! HE left HER 12 years ago, marrying somebody else he supposedly got pregnant and yet she was made to feel like she needed to apologize for making a life and OHMYGOD I could throttle this author. Good romance does NOT mean sacrificing the authenticity of a woman and basing her validity upon who has been between her legs. This author should be ashamed of herself. Grrr!
Tagline: Drama queens… Prepare to meet your king.
this short manages to convey the “drama” of dating in just 12 minutes. Rather over the top, but that’s how many dates (especially blind dates) can feel.
SO enjoyable. My sleep schedule has been a bit off the past couple of days (I’m sleeping solidly, but for only 4 hours, wtf?). My younger sister met Mr. Lanz at a wedding this past Spring and he gave her one of his albums. While in SF she bought this one, or maybe it was the other way round, either way listening to it reminds me of a fun weekend with my sisters and makes me feel quiet and rested. Lovely. I’d most certainly recommend his stuff.
FILLING:
9 ounces white chocolate, cut into pieces
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 large egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon of Amaretto (or liqueur of choice)
GARNISH:
8 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled
2 pints strawberries
white chocolate shavings
TART SHELL:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa
2 tablespoons cornmeal
3/4 cups pecans
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted & cooled slightly
Preheat oven to 350F
Process the dry ingredients (including pecans) in a food processor until fine. Add butter & process until dough forms. Press dough over the bottom and sides of a 9 inch tart pan. Refrigerate the tart shell for 30 minutes before baking.
Blind bake the crust in a preheated 350F oven for 25 minutes or until just set. Remove parchment and weights from blind bake. Bake the shell about 10 mintues more or until completely dry. Cool completely.
FILLING:
To make the white chocolate filling, combine the chocolate pieces witht he butter in a heat proof bowl. Place over a ban of hot, but no simmering, water and stir to melt. Remove from hot water and stir in the crea a little at a time. Keep stirring until the mixture is very smooth. Press plastic wrap against the surface and chill to set the filling.
To finish the filling, combine the egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl and place over a plan of simmering water. Whisk gently until the egg whites are hot and sugar is dissolved. Remove the egg whites from the simmering water and whisk until the whites are cool and have increased in volume to produce a light meringue. Meanwhile, beat the chocolate filling to lighten it and beat in the Amaretto. Fold the meringue into the filling and spread in the cooled tart shell. Chill the tart in the refrigerator until very firm to the touch.
Dip the berries in the prepared white cholcoate. Place the finisher berries on a paper-line pan. Refrigerate to set white chocolate. Arrange dipped berries on the filling (we fanned the berries). Decorate the tart with chocolate shavings.
Serves 10!
Roasted Vegetables:
olive oil
2 1-pound eggplants, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
3 large red bell peppers
Couscous:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
3 cups water
2 cups (12 ounces) plain couscous
1/2 cup coarsley chopped roasted salted cashews
1/4 dried cherries, halved
1/4 cup dried apircots, cut into slivers
For vegetbles:
Preheat oven to 400F. Generously rub two heavy duty baking sheets with olive oil. Mound eggplant cubes on 1 sheet; drizzle with 4 tablesppons oil. Sprinkle with salt and peper; toss to coat. Spread out evenly. Roast eggplant and zucchini until golden and tender, turning occasionally with spatula, about 20 minutes for zucchini and 40 minutes for eggplant. Transfer vegetables to bowl and cool. Char peppers directly over gas flame or under the broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in a paper bag; let stand for 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers. Cut 2 peppers into 1-inch pieces. Thinly slice remaining pepper and reserve for garnish.
For couscous:
Hat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add opion; saute until soft, about 6 minutes. Mix in curry powder; stir 1 minute. Add 3 cups water; bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer curry water 10 minutes. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large pot. Add couscous and stir constantly until color darkens and couscous is toasted, about 3 mintues. Mix in hot curry water. Turn off heat, cover pot, and let stand until couscous is tender and curry water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork to separate grains. Mix in cashews and currants and cool completely. Mix in eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper pieces. Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper. Mound salad on large platter; garnish with reserved bell pepper slices.
1 tablesppon fresh lemon juice
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 pound log of soft goat cheese, cut crosswise into 6 rounds
egg wash (made by beating 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water)
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs (we used Japanese bread crumbs)
1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts
2 small heads of frisee (washed, spun dry, separated into bite size pieces)
1 small head radicchio (washed, spun, shredded via chiffonade technique)
Vinaigrette:
in a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, shallot, garlic, mustard, parsley, and salt/pper (to taste). Add the oil in a stream, whisking until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
Preheat oven to 400F
Combine bread crumbs with hazelnuts. Dip the goat cheese pieces into the egg wash, dredge them in the breadcrumb mixture, and transfer them to a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Bake the goat cheese pieces in the middle of the oven for 6 mintues. While that’s baking, toss the frisee and radicchio with the vinaigrette.
Divide the salad among 6 plates; arrange 1 goat cheese round on each salad. Serve immediately.
First course prepared in the “April in Paris” class I attended last night. Delicious.
RECIPE:
4 large cucumbers (6-8” long)
4 cups plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons minced cilantro
3 tablespoons minced dill
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
peel cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, and de-seed. Coarsley chop cucumbers. Combine ingredients and pureee until smooth. Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.
This 2006 movie version is a star-studded cast remake of the 1949 Oscar winning classic based on the 1946 Pulitzer Prize novel of the same name, written by Robert Penn Warren.
I’m interested in seeing the original film adaptation, however since this is the version my sister owns it’s the one I watched. I thought the book was good, and that there was just way too much information to stuff into a movie. And in the case of the 2006 version, I see where eliminating pertinent information could cloud one’s perceptions of the characters and dull the impact of events.
Skip the flick, read the book instead.
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