Today I had to present to senior management some of the things we're doing with elearning in the library. I was nervous about it, mainly because there was a bit of a subtext to promote what we're doing in order to give support for further funding for our efforts. I always feel a bit on the left foot about doing this kind of thing because some of the other presentations are so "wow" in terms of cool elearning teaching in content based courses. Our experience of elearning in the library is different to that of a course teaching languages or construction for example, and although I feel what we're doing has value and merit, it doesn't especially have the "wow" factor. Elearning in our library runs in parallel with what teachers are doing in their courses and compliments what they do.
And that is all for today. I am tired and a bit emotional about some other stuff, so time for shut down. Dee-do-dadum *shutdown sound*
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
#blogjune Day 7: In which I blether on about elearning, technology, libraries and pedagogy
over at TROID...
and just for Janine and anyone else who is keen, here is the link to the Dahl recipe I mentioned in the previous curry post. It's quite a soupy one so serve it in separate bowls. :)
and just for Janine and anyone else who is keen, here is the link to the Dahl recipe I mentioned in the previous curry post. It's quite a soupy one so serve it in separate bowls. :)
Monday, June 06, 2011
#blogjune Day 6: In which I bite a caterpillar's bottom and share a recipe
Spent the day with a whole lot of others, gathering for fellowship and inspiration and faith renewal. The children were pretty good through the long services.
Came home and did housework, DH mowed the lawn.
Miss4 rediscovered this wretched toy yesterday. In case you didn't realise, it drives me nuts eventually.
Janine asked for this recipe so here it is :) It is a great vegetarian recipe. I add chickpeas or kidney beans to bump up the protein factor if I use it as a vegetarian main.
Batata Nu Shak ( Spicy potatoes with tomatoes)
(from Flavours of India / Madhur Jaffrey (1995) London: BBC Books, ISBN: 0563370777, pg. 69)
Serves 4-6
4 Tbsp vege oil
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 dried hot red chillies
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp gr. asafoetida (hing)*
10 fresh curry leaves if available**
4 small potatoes (450g) peeled or unpeeled, cut into 1cm pieces
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp gr turmeric
2 tsp salt
2 fresh hot green chillies
2.5 cm piece fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh green coriander
2 med sized tomatoes chopped into 2.5cm dice (I use a can of chopped tomatoes)
1 1/2 Tbsp desiccated coconut
1/2 Tbsp jaggery or brown sugar
3/4 Tbsp thick tamarind paste ***
Heat the oil in a large, wide, preferably non-stick pan or wok over medium high heat.
When hot, put in mustard seeds. As soon as they pop, a matter of seconds, add the cumin seeds, red chillies, bay leaves and asafetida. Stir for 4-5 secs and add the curry leaves. Stir once and add potatoes, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, green chillies and ginger. Stir to mix.
Add 150ml water. Cover and simmer for 10 mins over low heat.
Now add the fresh coriander, tomatoes, coconut, gr. coriander, jaggery or brown sugar and 350ml water. Stir to mix, then cover again and leave to simmer for a further 10 mins. Add the tamarind pastes. Simmer for a further 2-3 mins. Remove from heat.
Serve with Indian breads as part of any Indian meal.
* Asafoetida is a strong smelling spice that replaces the use of garlic/onion in some Indian dishes. I don't mind the smell, but some people find it very pungent. Keep it in a sealed container. It can be obtained from any Indian spice store. It smells very strong when you use it but when cooked has a mellow flavour.
**Curry leaves are often sold in my PakNSave near the vermicelli in the vege section. Also obtainable from Asian and India stores. They freeze well and I have them in the freezer, helping myself when needed for curry dishes.
*** You can buy tamarind in a couple of forms from Asian stores and Indian food stores. I usually buy the dried cake form which I then break a piece off and reconstitute it with boiling water. I then press it through a tea strainer to get the paste and strain out the seeds. You can get it in concentrate form too, which is more convenient since you don't have to get the seeds out, but be careful to get the dilution factor correct. Too much will overpower the dish. You can use lemon juice if you don't have any on hand as tamarind is a souring flavour.
Came home and did housework, DH mowed the lawn.
Miss4 rediscovered this wretched toy yesterday. In case you didn't realise, it drives me nuts eventually.
Janine asked for this recipe so here it is :) It is a great vegetarian recipe. I add chickpeas or kidney beans to bump up the protein factor if I use it as a vegetarian main.
Batata Nu Shak ( Spicy potatoes with tomatoes)
(from Flavours of India / Madhur Jaffrey (1995) London: BBC Books, ISBN: 0563370777, pg. 69)
Serves 4-6
4 Tbsp vege oil
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 dried hot red chillies
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp gr. asafoetida (hing)*
10 fresh curry leaves if available**
4 small potatoes (450g) peeled or unpeeled, cut into 1cm pieces
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp gr turmeric
2 tsp salt
2 fresh hot green chillies
2.5 cm piece fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh green coriander
2 med sized tomatoes chopped into 2.5cm dice (I use a can of chopped tomatoes)
1 1/2 Tbsp desiccated coconut
1/2 Tbsp jaggery or brown sugar
3/4 Tbsp thick tamarind paste ***
Heat the oil in a large, wide, preferably non-stick pan or wok over medium high heat.
When hot, put in mustard seeds. As soon as they pop, a matter of seconds, add the cumin seeds, red chillies, bay leaves and asafetida. Stir for 4-5 secs and add the curry leaves. Stir once and add potatoes, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, green chillies and ginger. Stir to mix.
Add 150ml water. Cover and simmer for 10 mins over low heat.
Now add the fresh coriander, tomatoes, coconut, gr. coriander, jaggery or brown sugar and 350ml water. Stir to mix, then cover again and leave to simmer for a further 10 mins. Add the tamarind pastes. Simmer for a further 2-3 mins. Remove from heat.
Serve with Indian breads as part of any Indian meal.
* Asafoetida is a strong smelling spice that replaces the use of garlic/onion in some Indian dishes. I don't mind the smell, but some people find it very pungent. Keep it in a sealed container. It can be obtained from any Indian spice store. It smells very strong when you use it but when cooked has a mellow flavour.
**Curry leaves are often sold in my PakNSave near the vermicelli in the vege section. Also obtainable from Asian and India stores. They freeze well and I have them in the freezer, helping myself when needed for curry dishes.
*** You can buy tamarind in a couple of forms from Asian stores and Indian food stores. I usually buy the dried cake form which I then break a piece off and reconstitute it with boiling water. I then press it through a tea strainer to get the paste and strain out the seeds. You can get it in concentrate form too, which is more convenient since you don't have to get the seeds out, but be careful to get the dilution factor correct. Too much will overpower the dish. You can use lemon juice if you don't have any on hand as tamarind is a souring flavour.
Sunday, June 05, 2011
#blogjune Day 5: In which curry is made and consumed in large quantities
My sister had a GF visiting who had heard about our curry feast and wanted to experience them. She is vegetarian so Indian food is an easy option. I did have to cater to my dedicated carnivore husband though, so I made:
My sister made:
Dad made:
and P bought indian sweets from the sweet shop.
While we were at Mum & Dad's, Mr7 got out the didgeridoo to play with. He used to be terrified of it, but now he's embraced his Australian heritage. (My parents are originally from NSW, Australia).
- Vindaloo
- Tamarind fish
- Batata Nu shak (potatoes in a spicy sauce - I also included chickpeas in it)
- Bhindi (okra or lady's fingers) with a garlic/seasame seed/coconut/poppy seed coating
- Saag paneer
- Mango lassi
- Semolina firni
My sister made:
- Aloo ghobi
- rice
- A dahl from Uttar Pradesh
Dad made:
- pooris
and P bought indian sweets from the sweet shop.
While we were at Mum & Dad's, Mr7 got out the didgeridoo to play with. He used to be terrified of it, but now he's embraced his Australian heritage. (My parents are originally from NSW, Australia).
Saturday, June 04, 2011
Day 3: social media catchup
There are heaps of posts from the #blogjune participants.. it's hard to keep up with them all. I'm not succeeding in commenting on many this time around.
Day 4: Hat #blogjune
I spent most of the day at a class making a felted hat. The class was good and the hat successful, though the kimono silk didn't felt in as I hoped. I will have to use it differently to what I imagined. I feel guilty for leaving DH with the children though.
Dinner was a failure. The only person who liked it was me.
Dinner was a failure. The only person who liked it was me.
Thursday, June 02, 2011
Day 2: Diligent Room Tweetup
Owing to some sharp monitoring of tweets I noticed a southerly Diligent Room blogger was in town so a tweet up was in order!
Thanks to some willing grandparents we were able to get together sans sproglets - a rare treat for some of us ;-)
A night of conversation ranging from phenomenology to converting the entire NZ library nation to Koha, laughs and dessert.
The obligatory photo in which we all look like nutters, including the dude with the saxophone... and so to bed.
Did you notice? My eyes are flashing! *gasp* eyemote alert!
Thanks to some willing grandparents we were able to get together sans sproglets - a rare treat for some of us ;-)
A night of conversation ranging from phenomenology to converting the entire NZ library nation to Koha, laughs and dessert.
Did you notice? My eyes are flashing! *gasp* eyemote alert!
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Today is the day! #blogjune
* x-posted from TROID*
It is June 1st and today we’re launching blogging every day for June (#blogjune). Gird your loins bloggers, because we’re in it for 30 days of blog writing!
Last year, a bunch of librarians & others on Twitter decided to challenge themselves to blog everyday for the month of June. It was a challenge, but the participants enjoyed it so much that we have decided to do it again.
Blogging as a practice, appears to be slowing down for many people including myself. I am reluctant to give it up entirely though. I think it is because I’ve made some valuable connections with other people through my blog, it is my space to talk about my interests and let’s face it, 140 characters and Facebook statuses are limiting when you have a lot to say.
So here we go – hold onto your cardies because the wild ride is about to begin! My Google reader subscriptions just got bigger.
I'll update this post will be updated later in the day with a link to an OPML feed/netvibes page of all the June bloggers.
Edited to update: OMGoodness - there are fifty-flippin'-six of them! WOW!
It is June 1st and today we’re launching blogging every day for June (#blogjune). Gird your loins bloggers, because we’re in it for 30 days of blog writing!
Last year, a bunch of librarians & others on Twitter decided to challenge themselves to blog everyday for the month of June. It was a challenge, but the participants enjoyed it so much that we have decided to do it again.
Blogging as a practice, appears to be slowing down for many people including myself. I am reluctant to give it up entirely though. I think it is because I’ve made some valuable connections with other people through my blog, it is my space to talk about my interests and let’s face it, 140 characters and Facebook statuses are limiting when you have a lot to say.
So here we go – hold onto your cardies because the wild ride is about to begin! My Google reader subscriptions just got bigger.
I'll update this post will be updated later in the day with a link to an OPML feed/netvibes page of all the June bloggers.
Edited to update: OMGoodness - there are fifty-flippin'-six of them! WOW!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Blogging, every day of June
Last year, a group of us decided to blog every day of June. This is a heads up to say we're doing it again this year, though some days I'll be blogging over at The Room of Infinite Diligence about library related stuff.
Over the weekend I made two nuno scarves for two different people.
"Blue skies and flowers"
"Breath of winter"
You can click through to my Flickr to see the details if you're interested.
I also made some booties for Miss4. I liked how these turned out but it was a learning experience for me. There were 4 layers of wool in this project which I found difficult to work with in terms of feeling the resist and eliminating seams. I ended up with a ridge along the edges of the resist because the merino inner felted a bit faster than the outer. I managed to work it out a bit but not entirely. Shrinking the boots to Miss4's feet was hard work but fortunately she was willing to sit there and let me use her feet as the "last". She was giggling away as I was rubbing the soles - I think it tickled a bit. I sewed some leather on as soles to help prevent slipping.
I found a place online that sells vintage kimono silks (www.cherryblossom.co.nz ). I ordered some remnants. They arrived the other day - I'm excited to try them out as embellishment for felting, but also think they will work for card making and scrapbooking.
Over the weekend I made two nuno scarves for two different people.
"Blue skies and flowers"
"Breath of winter"
You can click through to my Flickr to see the details if you're interested.
I also made some booties for Miss4. I liked how these turned out but it was a learning experience for me. There were 4 layers of wool in this project which I found difficult to work with in terms of feeling the resist and eliminating seams. I ended up with a ridge along the edges of the resist because the merino inner felted a bit faster than the outer. I managed to work it out a bit but not entirely. Shrinking the boots to Miss4's feet was hard work but fortunately she was willing to sit there and let me use her feet as the "last". She was giggling away as I was rubbing the soles - I think it tickled a bit. I sewed some leather on as soles to help prevent slipping.
I found a place online that sells vintage kimono silks (www.cherryblossom.co.nz ). I ordered some remnants. They arrived the other day - I'm excited to try them out as embellishment for felting, but also think they will work for card making and scrapbooking.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Weekends with felt
With this autumnal weather it seems appropriate to be thinking of warm woolly things.
I picked up some alpaca wool the other day and decided to try it layered with some of the merino wool. It is a different texture to the merino. Not sure if it's clear in this picture, but the fibre in the lower left is the alpaca wool, the darker in the top right is merino. To me, the merino feels fluffier but with shorter fibre length. The alpaca is lovely and soft and has a longer fibre length.
I purchased the alpaca wool from Craftworld. I really love this marketing ploy - a photo of the alpaca from which the fibre came from! Very sweet.
I started with the merino layer. I wanted to see if the wool "prickle factor" would be decreased if I mixed the fibre. Not sure that it does but I've yet to try felting just the alpaca. Merino's prickle factor isn't too bad for me but others find it uncomfortable.
Here it is with the alpaca layer. The rovings for the alpaca were very fine.
I found felting the two fibres wasn't as simple as using solely merino. It took a while for the alpaca to felt and fuse with the merino. In fact I was starting to get concerned that I might have two separate layers happening. But after working on some areas more vigorously it did finally merge. The alpaca fibre did seem to make the over all effect more fluffy than I expected. I think it would be better if the two were carded together rather than placed in layers perhaps.
Here is DH modeling it for me. I gave it to my Dad since he wears scarves. I like the embellishment on this one - simple but effective. It reminds me of stones that you see on the beach or some streams that have stripes of different minerals in them.
Then I decided to make MIL a scarf for mother's day. Here it is laid out before wetting.
And after being felted. With a felt flower on a pin for decoration. So tempting to keep it for myself.
I also made one for my Mum.
Close up of the silk chiffon embedded in the scarf.
Hoping to attempt some 3D stuff soon.
I picked up some alpaca wool the other day and decided to try it layered with some of the merino wool. It is a different texture to the merino. Not sure if it's clear in this picture, but the fibre in the lower left is the alpaca wool, the darker in the top right is merino. To me, the merino feels fluffier but with shorter fibre length. The alpaca is lovely and soft and has a longer fibre length.
I purchased the alpaca wool from Craftworld. I really love this marketing ploy - a photo of the alpaca from which the fibre came from! Very sweet.
I started with the merino layer. I wanted to see if the wool "prickle factor" would be decreased if I mixed the fibre. Not sure that it does but I've yet to try felting just the alpaca. Merino's prickle factor isn't too bad for me but others find it uncomfortable.
Here it is with the alpaca layer. The rovings for the alpaca were very fine.
I found felting the two fibres wasn't as simple as using solely merino. It took a while for the alpaca to felt and fuse with the merino. In fact I was starting to get concerned that I might have two separate layers happening. But after working on some areas more vigorously it did finally merge. The alpaca fibre did seem to make the over all effect more fluffy than I expected. I think it would be better if the two were carded together rather than placed in layers perhaps.
Here is DH modeling it for me. I gave it to my Dad since he wears scarves. I like the embellishment on this one - simple but effective. It reminds me of stones that you see on the beach or some streams that have stripes of different minerals in them.
Then I decided to make MIL a scarf for mother's day. Here it is laid out before wetting.
And after being felted. With a felt flower on a pin for decoration. So tempting to keep it for myself.
I also made one for my Mum.
Close up of the silk chiffon embedded in the scarf.
Hoping to attempt some 3D stuff soon.
Friday, May 06, 2011
Please sign this petition
On March 7, 2011, the publisher HarperCollins instituted an expiration policy on eBooks that are licensed to libraries. Under this new arrangement, eBooks would "self-destruct" after being checked out 26 times. This would require libraries to re-purchase the eBook if they wanted to continue to make it available. [Read More]
I don't agree with their assumptions and attitudes. I hope you'll join me in petitioning this practice to stop.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
March-April Reading Round Up
Indian takeaway : one man's attempt to cook his way home / Hardeep Singh Kohli.
"Hardeep Singh Kohli loves many things in life - but none more than food. He loves to eat it, he loves to cook it. So when he decided to travel round India in search of his roots, what seemed the obvious thing to take with him? It was shepherd's pie and Yorkshire pudding." "Indian Takeaway is the hilarious story of Hardeep's attempts to cook his way round India, dishing up very British meals for the people he meets. How will a Goan garage mechanic, a Delhi socialite or a Mysore hippy cope with fish and chips, or a Full English Breakfast? What will they make of his madcap quest? And will Hardeep find a kitchen to call home?"--BOOK JACKET.
Funny, interesting and made me hungry. Tries to be introspective but doesn't really succeed.
The Holmes affair / Graham Moore.
As the world mourns the demise of Sherlock Holmes at the foot of the Reichenbach Falls, Conan Doyle has a new preoccupation. A chance encounter sets him on the trail of a brutal killer targeting suffragettes. Together with Bram Stoker, he roams the streets of Victorian London searching for clues. And in present-day New York, Harold White's lifelong obsession with Sherlock Holmes turns into something far more sinister. The world's leading Doyle scholar is found murdered in his hotel room, and only Harold is familiar enough with the Holmes novels to recognise the clues the killer has left. Clues which will lead him not only to a murderer, but also to Conan Doyle's missing diary - and a secret that Conan Doyle, a hundred years earlier, risked everything to hide.~from the blurb
Two parallel stories - one from Conan Doyle and the other from modern day. An interesting tangled web of deceit and lies. Well written.
This body of death / Elizabeth George.
"While DI Thomas Lynley is still on compassionate leave after the murder of his wife, Isabelle Ardery is brought into the Met as his temporary replacement. The discovery of a body in a Stoke Newington cemetery offers Isabelle the chance to make her mark with a high profile murder investigation. Persuading Lynley back to work seems the best way to guarantee a result: Lynley's team is fiercely loyal to him and Isabelle needs them - and especially Barbara Havers - on side. The Met is twitchy: a series of PR disasters has undermined its confidence. Isabelle knows that she'll be operating under the unforgiving scrutiny of the media, so is quick – perhaps too quick – to pin the murder on a convenient suspect. The murder trail leads Lynley and Havers to the New Forest, and the eventual resolution of the case. Its roots are in a long-ago act of violence that has poisoned subsequent generations and its outcome is both tragic and shocking."-- Publisher description.
I had to get over my pique that George had killed off Lynley's wife in the prequel to this. George always writes comprehensively and with great skill to weave a multiplicity of threads through her books.
Persona non grata : a novel of the Roman empire / Ruth Downie.
Gaius Petreius Ruso and his companion, Tilla, become embroiled in a family scandal when Severus, the family's chief creditor, winds up dead.~ from the blurb
Another in this series that I enjoyed. I seem to be reading a lot of mysteries lately. Must be in that sort of mood.
Twitterature : the world's greatest books in twenty tweets or less / Alexander Aciman and Emmett Rensin.
Famous literature presented in Tweet form. Mildy amusing. You do have to be a Twitter user to really appreciate it I think.
Blackout / Connie Willis.
When a time-travel lab suddenly cancels assignments for no apparent reason and switches around everyone's schedules, time-traveling historians Michael, Merope, and Polly find themselves in World War II, facing air raids, blackouts, unexploded bombs, dive-bombing Stukas, rationing, shrapnel, V-1s, and two of the most incorrigible children in all of history--to say nothing of a growing feeling that not only their assignments but the war and history itself are spiraling out of control.~from the blurb
All clear / Connie Willis.
When three Oxford historians become unexpectedly trapped in 1940, they struggle not only to find their way home but to survive as Hitler's bombers attempt to pummel London into submission. Meanwhile, in 2060 Oxford, the historians' supervisor and seventeen-year-old Colin Templer are engaged in a frantic and seemingly impossible struggle to find them.~from the blurb
It's been a while since Willis wrote the first book in this series (The Domesday book). These sequels have been worth waiting for. I found them gripping and couldn't put them down (managed to muck up dinner a couple of times because of it). I do recommend them. They are classified as sci-fi but I think if you're a fan of historical fiction you'd find them good too. Especially if, like me, you have fantasies of travelling back in time to experience what it was like.
The scarlet contessa : a novel of the Italian Renaissance / Jeanne Kalogridis.
Daughter of the Duke of Milan and wife of the conniving Count Girolamo Riario, Caterina Sforza was the bravest warrior Renaissance Italy ever knew. She ruled her own lands, fought her own battles, and openly took lovers whenever she pleased. Her remarkable tale is told by her lady-in-waiting, Dea. Dea reviews Caterina's scandalous past and struggles to understand their joint destiny, while Caterina valiantly tries to fight off Cesare Borgia's unconquerable army.~from the blurb
Kalogridis has written about this era before and she doesn't disappoint with this one. Good writing, suitable amounts of conflict and relationships will appeal to many.
Passage / Connie Willis.
A clinical psychologist obsessed with near death experiences, Joanna Lander joins forces with Dr. Richard Wright, a neurologist who has come up with a way to manufacture NDEs in the laboratory with the help of a mind-altering drug, but the experiments may yield far more than she ever anticipated.~from the blurb
Set in modern day and somewhat different in style to her time-travelling sci fi, this book explores the experience of death in quite an imaginative way. I didn't like it as much as her time travelling series.
An empty death / Laura Wilson.
This is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed 'Stratton's War'. It is summer, 1944: London's exhausted inhabitants are living hand-to-mouth in a world of dust and dereliction, and war-weary DI Ted Stratton is no exception. In this novel he must investigate the suspicious death of a doctor.--Publisher.
Another mystery! Good stuff, classic crime with a psychological twist.
Scapegallows / Carol Birch.
A convict colony in New South Wales, Australia, is the setting for Birch's new novel, based on real events. Margaret is stranded at a settler's homestead as the floodwater draws in and she finds herself facing death, as she has several times before.~from the blurb
I liked this book and found it engaging. I enjoyed the historical aspects to it (as usual) and also the Australian links in it. Based on a real person and their letters back to the old country it explores the themes of justice, truth and law.
The lovely bones / Alice Sebold.
Susie Salmon looks down from a heaven which looks a lot like her school playground. There are counsellors to help newcomers adjust, and friends to room with. Everything she wants appears as soon as she thinks of it - except the thing she wants most: to be back with the people she loved on Earth.~from the blurb
I've resisted reading this one for a while, purely because I thought it might be too gory and distressing. As it turns out, I was wrong and the bit I was scared of wasn't at all as bad as I thought. I liked the story and thought the approach to be quite original in many ways. I wasn't so sure about one part close to the end where Susie returns to earth briefly in someone else's body - that didn't work for me. But overall, it was a good read.
The river knows / Amanda Quick.
Teaming up with wealthy and handsome Anthony Stalbridge, who suspects prominent society figure Elwin Hastings of hiding dangerous secrets, Louisa Bryce of late-Victorian London investigates her beliefs about Hastings's criminal activities.~from the blurb
Lie by moonlight / Amanda Quick.
Hired to tutor four orphaned girls at remote ramshackle Aldwick Castle, Miss Concordia Glade is pleased to find her pupils both eager and bright. Indeed, they are bright enough to have noticed some oddities about their situation. Provided for by an unseen benefactor, they are surrounded at all times by hard-eyed guards in the guise of gardeners - and their previous tutor, she learns, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Stepping into this uncertain atmosphere, Concordia sees at once what must be done. Of course, even the best-laid plans can go awry... and even the most independent, strong-minded lady must occasionally accept an offer of help.~ from the blurb
These two were a bit of fluff, suitable camping reads. :) Nice to have some unchallenging romance now and again.
"Hardeep Singh Kohli loves many things in life - but none more than food. He loves to eat it, he loves to cook it. So when he decided to travel round India in search of his roots, what seemed the obvious thing to take with him? It was shepherd's pie and Yorkshire pudding." "Indian Takeaway is the hilarious story of Hardeep's attempts to cook his way round India, dishing up very British meals for the people he meets. How will a Goan garage mechanic, a Delhi socialite or a Mysore hippy cope with fish and chips, or a Full English Breakfast? What will they make of his madcap quest? And will Hardeep find a kitchen to call home?"--BOOK JACKET.
Funny, interesting and made me hungry. Tries to be introspective but doesn't really succeed.
The Holmes affair / Graham Moore.
As the world mourns the demise of Sherlock Holmes at the foot of the Reichenbach Falls, Conan Doyle has a new preoccupation. A chance encounter sets him on the trail of a brutal killer targeting suffragettes. Together with Bram Stoker, he roams the streets of Victorian London searching for clues. And in present-day New York, Harold White's lifelong obsession with Sherlock Holmes turns into something far more sinister. The world's leading Doyle scholar is found murdered in his hotel room, and only Harold is familiar enough with the Holmes novels to recognise the clues the killer has left. Clues which will lead him not only to a murderer, but also to Conan Doyle's missing diary - and a secret that Conan Doyle, a hundred years earlier, risked everything to hide.~from the blurb
Two parallel stories - one from Conan Doyle and the other from modern day. An interesting tangled web of deceit and lies. Well written.
This body of death / Elizabeth George.
"While DI Thomas Lynley is still on compassionate leave after the murder of his wife, Isabelle Ardery is brought into the Met as his temporary replacement. The discovery of a body in a Stoke Newington cemetery offers Isabelle the chance to make her mark with a high profile murder investigation. Persuading Lynley back to work seems the best way to guarantee a result: Lynley's team is fiercely loyal to him and Isabelle needs them - and especially Barbara Havers - on side. The Met is twitchy: a series of PR disasters has undermined its confidence. Isabelle knows that she'll be operating under the unforgiving scrutiny of the media, so is quick – perhaps too quick – to pin the murder on a convenient suspect. The murder trail leads Lynley and Havers to the New Forest, and the eventual resolution of the case. Its roots are in a long-ago act of violence that has poisoned subsequent generations and its outcome is both tragic and shocking."-- Publisher description.
I had to get over my pique that George had killed off Lynley's wife in the prequel to this. George always writes comprehensively and with great skill to weave a multiplicity of threads through her books.
Persona non grata : a novel of the Roman empire / Ruth Downie.
Gaius Petreius Ruso and his companion, Tilla, become embroiled in a family scandal when Severus, the family's chief creditor, winds up dead.~ from the blurb
Another in this series that I enjoyed. I seem to be reading a lot of mysteries lately. Must be in that sort of mood.
Twitterature : the world's greatest books in twenty tweets or less / Alexander Aciman and Emmett Rensin.
Famous literature presented in Tweet form. Mildy amusing. You do have to be a Twitter user to really appreciate it I think.
Blackout / Connie Willis.
When a time-travel lab suddenly cancels assignments for no apparent reason and switches around everyone's schedules, time-traveling historians Michael, Merope, and Polly find themselves in World War II, facing air raids, blackouts, unexploded bombs, dive-bombing Stukas, rationing, shrapnel, V-1s, and two of the most incorrigible children in all of history--to say nothing of a growing feeling that not only their assignments but the war and history itself are spiraling out of control.~from the blurb
All clear / Connie Willis.
When three Oxford historians become unexpectedly trapped in 1940, they struggle not only to find their way home but to survive as Hitler's bombers attempt to pummel London into submission. Meanwhile, in 2060 Oxford, the historians' supervisor and seventeen-year-old Colin Templer are engaged in a frantic and seemingly impossible struggle to find them.~from the blurb
It's been a while since Willis wrote the first book in this series (The Domesday book). These sequels have been worth waiting for. I found them gripping and couldn't put them down (managed to muck up dinner a couple of times because of it). I do recommend them. They are classified as sci-fi but I think if you're a fan of historical fiction you'd find them good too. Especially if, like me, you have fantasies of travelling back in time to experience what it was like.
The scarlet contessa : a novel of the Italian Renaissance / Jeanne Kalogridis.
Daughter of the Duke of Milan and wife of the conniving Count Girolamo Riario, Caterina Sforza was the bravest warrior Renaissance Italy ever knew. She ruled her own lands, fought her own battles, and openly took lovers whenever she pleased. Her remarkable tale is told by her lady-in-waiting, Dea. Dea reviews Caterina's scandalous past and struggles to understand their joint destiny, while Caterina valiantly tries to fight off Cesare Borgia's unconquerable army.~from the blurb
Kalogridis has written about this era before and she doesn't disappoint with this one. Good writing, suitable amounts of conflict and relationships will appeal to many.
Passage / Connie Willis.
A clinical psychologist obsessed with near death experiences, Joanna Lander joins forces with Dr. Richard Wright, a neurologist who has come up with a way to manufacture NDEs in the laboratory with the help of a mind-altering drug, but the experiments may yield far more than she ever anticipated.~from the blurb
Set in modern day and somewhat different in style to her time-travelling sci fi, this book explores the experience of death in quite an imaginative way. I didn't like it as much as her time travelling series.
An empty death / Laura Wilson.
This is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed 'Stratton's War'. It is summer, 1944: London's exhausted inhabitants are living hand-to-mouth in a world of dust and dereliction, and war-weary DI Ted Stratton is no exception. In this novel he must investigate the suspicious death of a doctor.--Publisher.
Another mystery! Good stuff, classic crime with a psychological twist.
Scapegallows / Carol Birch.
A convict colony in New South Wales, Australia, is the setting for Birch's new novel, based on real events. Margaret is stranded at a settler's homestead as the floodwater draws in and she finds herself facing death, as she has several times before.~from the blurb
I liked this book and found it engaging. I enjoyed the historical aspects to it (as usual) and also the Australian links in it. Based on a real person and their letters back to the old country it explores the themes of justice, truth and law.
The lovely bones / Alice Sebold.
Susie Salmon looks down from a heaven which looks a lot like her school playground. There are counsellors to help newcomers adjust, and friends to room with. Everything she wants appears as soon as she thinks of it - except the thing she wants most: to be back with the people she loved on Earth.~from the blurb
I've resisted reading this one for a while, purely because I thought it might be too gory and distressing. As it turns out, I was wrong and the bit I was scared of wasn't at all as bad as I thought. I liked the story and thought the approach to be quite original in many ways. I wasn't so sure about one part close to the end where Susie returns to earth briefly in someone else's body - that didn't work for me. But overall, it was a good read.
The river knows / Amanda Quick.
Teaming up with wealthy and handsome Anthony Stalbridge, who suspects prominent society figure Elwin Hastings of hiding dangerous secrets, Louisa Bryce of late-Victorian London investigates her beliefs about Hastings's criminal activities.~from the blurb
Lie by moonlight / Amanda Quick.
Hired to tutor four orphaned girls at remote ramshackle Aldwick Castle, Miss Concordia Glade is pleased to find her pupils both eager and bright. Indeed, they are bright enough to have noticed some oddities about their situation. Provided for by an unseen benefactor, they are surrounded at all times by hard-eyed guards in the guise of gardeners - and their previous tutor, she learns, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Stepping into this uncertain atmosphere, Concordia sees at once what must be done. Of course, even the best-laid plans can go awry... and even the most independent, strong-minded lady must occasionally accept an offer of help.~ from the blurb
These two were a bit of fluff, suitable camping reads. :) Nice to have some unchallenging romance now and again.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
March and April in pictures
For want of a blog post I did a mosaic of some of my daily photos from March and April.
This project has been very interesting and somewhat challenging. A lot of my photos are of what I'm doing at home since that is when I'm mostly able to think about taking a picture. Must try for some more work related photos to better reflect what my life is like at present. Also, food features a lot.
So, stuff that has happened:
Stuff that hasn't happened:
Hoping my holiday is going to revive the creative side of me... I desperately need some time and space for it.
This project has been very interesting and somewhat challenging. A lot of my photos are of what I'm doing at home since that is when I'm mostly able to think about taking a picture. Must try for some more work related photos to better reflect what my life is like at present. Also, food features a lot.
So, stuff that has happened:
- baked some afghans
- got a new car (and sold the other older one.. it has retired to the country)
- managed to fall over and twist my ankle again, not quite as bad as last year
- made a heap of quince paste
- sewed up a monkey's bum
- Also sewed a dress for me but am not happy with it so it'll probably go in the rag bag - very disappointing. The pattern looked good, but once again I discover that my bust size is not accounted for in the sizing of these patterns. Meh.
- cooked multiple dinners
- read some books
- did housework
Stuff that hasn't happened:
- felting
- further fleece sorting, washing etc
- scrapbooking (well, not for me anyway)
Hoping my holiday is going to revive the creative side of me... I desperately need some time and space for it.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Quince paste
Quince paste in the dehydrator
Originally uploaded by pdugmore2001.
I am fond of quinces. They look so bohemian and old but have lovely flavour - a sort of cross between plum & pear. I really like quince jelly but this year when Mum turned up with some I decided to make quince paste.
I used a recipe from an ancient (1970s! ha ha - I was born then so makes me ancient as well) paperback of Elizabeth David's French cooking book :) It's an easy recipe even though I've written a lot of words here.
Rub the down off the quinces and put in a pot and cover with cold water. Heat until the water is almost at the boil. The book says you cook them till soft but don't let the skins split.. however, mine started splitting before they were totally cooked.
Take out the quinces and let cool enough to handle. Peel off the skins and core the fruit, put skins/cores/pips back into the water you used and bring to boil. Reduce the water to about a 1/3 of the original amount. You should start to see the carnelian colour of the quinces coming through.
Remove the cores/skins from the water. Chop up the fruit left over from earlier and weigh it. Now weigh out the same amount of sugar. Put the fruit and the sugar into the water and bring to a slow boil. I used a stick blender to puree the fruit once it was soft enough.
Keep boiling, stirring regularly until the fruit starts to come away from the sides and bottom of the pot. (Mine didn't get that far because I was afraid of burning it. However, it was definitely thickly coating the spoon and very thick! Towards the end you have to watch it closely so it doesn't burn and be careful of it spitting and getting your hands).
Pour into a prepared pan. I used a lamington pan lined with foil. Let cool overnight. The book then advises you to dehydrate the paste in a plate warmer section of the oven (she refers to an Aga oven I think). I have a dehydrator so I just plunked in squares of it onto the fruit leather liner and put it on low. You dehydrate it until it is firmer. Though I have to say mine was already pretty firm!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Put a ring on it
Miss 4 came home very proud of herself. "Jason gave me a wing!"
It's a little cardboard tube. I didn't realise courting started this young.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Mad inventor
Mr 7 is obviously going to follow in Gyro Gearloose's footsteps.
Below - diagram for his invention. A whistle.
And the diagram realised. Not sure why a whistle has guitar like strings though.
His parents look forward to being kept in the style to which they would like to become accustomed through the royalties from his patents.
Below - diagram for his invention. A whistle.
And the diagram realised. Not sure why a whistle has guitar like strings though.
His parents look forward to being kept in the style to which they would like to become accustomed through the royalties from his patents.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sundry happenings & February/March Reading Round Up
The auctions have finished and we raised a total of $6229! Wow! All credit to Louise who has tirelessly co-ordinated the whole event. All of my donations sold and I have to say the person who won the felted bag got a bargain since they retail for rather more than the final bid! :-) But that is okay.
And oh.. Japan. No words. :-(
In other news:
I have 2 raw fleeces that I'm sorting at present. They are going up north to be washed and carded but the person who is doing this requires them to be de-seeded and sorted. It's a stinky, messy job.
Miss 4 stuck a piece of lego up her nose last Sunday which necessitated a visit to A&E after trying to blow it out was unsuccessful. Fortunately for her it was a single, flat, round piece and not a square one with sharp edges. Mr 7 was concerned that a) his lego would be returned to him and b) it would be clean.
We have been enjoying watermelons from the garden. We've had 8 in total.
Recently the US National Archives uploaded a collection of photos to the Flickr Commons of women from the Civil War era. I loved looking through them. I wondered about their stories. Some of them are ordinary looking, others stunningly beautiful. Their clothes are amazing.
The other thing I wonder... how on earth did they do their hair!?
Many of the photos are un-named with minimal information. This, and the fact my kids have been looking through their scrapbook albums have motivated me to get back into doing a layout after a long hiatus.
Nothing amazing - I need to find my groove again.
The good thing about the oncoming winter is that scrapbooking fits well with being inside on wet days :)
Reading Round Up
The bookseller's daughter / Pam Rosenthal.
um... didn't finish it. It started off okay and then the characters were jumping into the sack at every opportunity. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a prude and like a bit of the old horizontal mambo in stories, but oh boy... this one made me roll my eyes.
Medicus and the disappearing dancing girls / Ruth Downie.
Caveat emptor : a novel of the Roman Empire / Ruth Downie.
Crime stories set in Roman Britain. I like.
Back when we were grownups : a novel / by Anne Tyler.
Beck Davitch looks back on her thirty-year marriage to Joe and her role as a mother and manager of the Open Arms, wondering if she is living the life she was meant to live and reconsidering her dedication to the family business.~ from the blurb
This was good. I think we've all at some time wondered what life would be like if we'd taken a different pathway. I liked how the book ended up too.
Life of Pi : a novel / Yann Martel.
Pi and his family, who own a zoo, decide to emigrate from India. On the way, tragedy strikes and the ship is sunk. Pi finds himself in a life boat with a hyena, a zebra, a tiger and an orangutan. He manages to keep his wits as the food chain establishes itself. ~from the blurb
This one won the Booker prize for fiction in 2002 and I think deservedly so. The blurb makes the story sound fantastical but when you actually read it, it does in the end seem plausible. Some thought provoking themes run through the novel.
As always, Julia : the letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto : food, friendship, and the making of a masterpiece / selected and edited by Joan Reardon.
I've read Julie and Julia and seen the film of same. (I liked the film better funnily enough). This book is a selection of letters between Julia and Avis, the woman who managed to get Julia's cookbook published. I really like this book. The development of friendship between two feisty, intelligent woman is heart warming and uplifting.
The last lecture / Randy Pausch, with Jeffrey Zaslow.
Based on the extraordinary final lecture by Carnegie Mellon University professor Pausch, given after he discovered he had pancreatic cancer, this moving book goes beyond the now-famous lecture to inspire readers to live each day with purpose and joy.~ from the blurb
There has been a lot of people who've liked this book. I found it just a bit on the OTT side of things. It's not that I disagreed with what the author was writing but perhaps the manner of it. Oh well.
Water for elephants : a novel / Sara Gruen.
Set in the circus world circa 1932. When Jacob Jankowski, orphaned and adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her. ~from the blurb.
The story is interwoven with Jacob as an old man telling the story. Some of it is sad but I really liked this book. Again, like the Life of Pi, some thought provoking themes running through it. Some have said it mirrors the story of Jacob in the Bible. Not sure I can see the connections myself.
And oh.. Japan. No words. :-(
In other news:
I have 2 raw fleeces that I'm sorting at present. They are going up north to be washed and carded but the person who is doing this requires them to be de-seeded and sorted. It's a stinky, messy job.
Miss 4 stuck a piece of lego up her nose last Sunday which necessitated a visit to A&E after trying to blow it out was unsuccessful. Fortunately for her it was a single, flat, round piece and not a square one with sharp edges. Mr 7 was concerned that a) his lego would be returned to him and b) it would be clean.
We have been enjoying watermelons from the garden. We've had 8 in total.
Recently the US National Archives uploaded a collection of photos to the Flickr Commons of women from the Civil War era. I loved looking through them. I wondered about their stories. Some of them are ordinary looking, others stunningly beautiful. Their clothes are amazing.
The other thing I wonder... how on earth did they do their hair!?
Many of the photos are un-named with minimal information. This, and the fact my kids have been looking through their scrapbook albums have motivated me to get back into doing a layout after a long hiatus.
Nothing amazing - I need to find my groove again.
The good thing about the oncoming winter is that scrapbooking fits well with being inside on wet days :)
Reading Round Up
The bookseller's daughter / Pam Rosenthal.
um... didn't finish it. It started off okay and then the characters were jumping into the sack at every opportunity. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a prude and like a bit of the old horizontal mambo in stories, but oh boy... this one made me roll my eyes.
Medicus and the disappearing dancing girls / Ruth Downie.
Caveat emptor : a novel of the Roman Empire / Ruth Downie.
Crime stories set in Roman Britain. I like.
Back when we were grownups : a novel / by Anne Tyler.
Beck Davitch looks back on her thirty-year marriage to Joe and her role as a mother and manager of the Open Arms, wondering if she is living the life she was meant to live and reconsidering her dedication to the family business.~ from the blurb
This was good. I think we've all at some time wondered what life would be like if we'd taken a different pathway. I liked how the book ended up too.
Life of Pi : a novel / Yann Martel.
Pi and his family, who own a zoo, decide to emigrate from India. On the way, tragedy strikes and the ship is sunk. Pi finds himself in a life boat with a hyena, a zebra, a tiger and an orangutan. He manages to keep his wits as the food chain establishes itself. ~from the blurb
This one won the Booker prize for fiction in 2002 and I think deservedly so. The blurb makes the story sound fantastical but when you actually read it, it does in the end seem plausible. Some thought provoking themes run through the novel.
As always, Julia : the letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto : food, friendship, and the making of a masterpiece / selected and edited by Joan Reardon.
I've read Julie and Julia and seen the film of same. (I liked the film better funnily enough). This book is a selection of letters between Julia and Avis, the woman who managed to get Julia's cookbook published. I really like this book. The development of friendship between two feisty, intelligent woman is heart warming and uplifting.
The last lecture / Randy Pausch, with Jeffrey Zaslow.
Based on the extraordinary final lecture by Carnegie Mellon University professor Pausch, given after he discovered he had pancreatic cancer, this moving book goes beyond the now-famous lecture to inspire readers to live each day with purpose and joy.~ from the blurb
There has been a lot of people who've liked this book. I found it just a bit on the OTT side of things. It's not that I disagreed with what the author was writing but perhaps the manner of it. Oh well.
Water for elephants : a novel / Sara Gruen.
Set in the circus world circa 1932. When Jacob Jankowski, orphaned and adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her. ~from the blurb.
The story is interwoven with Jacob as an old man telling the story. Some of it is sad but I really liked this book. Again, like the Life of Pi, some thought provoking themes running through it. Some have said it mirrors the story of Jacob in the Bible. Not sure I can see the connections myself.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Charity auction: Red Cross funding for Christchurch Earthquake Relief
This weekend I've been busy. Louise has organised a charity auction on Facebook to raise money to give to the Red Cross in response to the devastating earthquake in Christchurch. So these are the things I'm donating to the auction. If you are interested in bidding on them, you can join the group. If you aren't a Facebook member but still want to bid, email Louise and see if there is some way you can nominate a proxy (or something).
Donation 1
Donation 2 (three jars of this so three opportunities to win)
Donation 3
Donation 4
Donation 5
Donation 6 - Kisses for Christchurch: Nuno felted merino wool on polyester chiffon wrap
DH's relatives from that area appear to be safe though I haven't heard about how their houses etc have fared. It seems our friends down there are alive but some have lost material things. One family has lost their house & pets and they have evacuated to here in Auckland to one our other friend's who lives locally.
It has been a strange sort of time since the earthquake happened. On the one hand, we've had to keep on about our daily business, but myself and others I've spoken to have found it hard to focus on anything in particular. The news coverage has been extensive but I've had to step away from it at times just to keep myself on an even keel. It has been so touching to hear of people, organisations and countries contributing to helping those affected.
[for the believers]... On Sunday, someone mentioned Psalm 46 which I found encouraging and restorative:
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
etc...
(New International Version, ©2010)
I don't find it profitable to ask why these things happen or make dire predictions about the meaning of natural events. We live in a world governed by physical laws like gravity, plate tectonics and so on so it is inevitable that we'll see this stuff occur. But it is a strength to me to know there is grace and peace within these experiences.[/for the believers]
Donation 1
Donation 2 (three jars of this so three opportunities to win)
Donation 3
Donation 4
Donation 5
Donation 6 - Kisses for Christchurch: Nuno felted merino wool on polyester chiffon wrap
DH's relatives from that area appear to be safe though I haven't heard about how their houses etc have fared. It seems our friends down there are alive but some have lost material things. One family has lost their house & pets and they have evacuated to here in Auckland to one our other friend's who lives locally.
It has been a strange sort of time since the earthquake happened. On the one hand, we've had to keep on about our daily business, but myself and others I've spoken to have found it hard to focus on anything in particular. The news coverage has been extensive but I've had to step away from it at times just to keep myself on an even keel. It has been so touching to hear of people, organisations and countries contributing to helping those affected.
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
etc...
(New International Version, ©2010)
I don't find it profitable to ask why these things happen or make dire predictions about the meaning of natural events. We live in a world governed by physical laws like gravity, plate tectonics and so on so it is inevitable that we'll see this stuff occur. But it is a strength to me to know there is grace and peace within these experiences.[/for the believers]
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
12 books for 2011 | invitation to photo essay
- Water for elephants / Sarah Gruen
- The Thirteenth Tale / Diane Setterfield
- Three Cups of Tea / Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
- The Secret Life of Bees / Sue Monk Kidd
- Outliers / Malcolm Gladwell
- And then there's this : how stories live and die in viral culture / Bill Wasik.
- Strength in What Remains / Tracy Kidder
- The 10pm Question / Kate De Goldi
- Year of magical thinking / Joan Didion
- Her fearful symmetry / Audrey Niffenegger
- Atonement : a novel / Ian McEwan.
- Blindsight / Maurice Gee
My other book related project is to photograph the library book pile whenever I get books from a library. This is going to be a like a photo essay of my reading for the year. It will be books from whatever library I borrow from, public or academic. If you'd like to join my project, I've made an open Flickr group you can join. It's uncompetitive, no pressure and doesn't have to be artistic in any way. I like seeing what other people borrow.
My first photo is this one:
Libraries (particularly public libraries), are being threatened by budget cuts and closures around the world. In New Zealand we are fortunate that we haven't suffered the drastic cuts like the US, and now the UK where 400 libraries are planned to be closed. That is 400 libraries worth of staff and collection that will no longer be available to the tax paying community. Tomorrow there will be a day of protest in the UK over these closures. Check out this scary map of libraries affected produced by the author of Public Libraries News.
View Larger Map
I think it is worth pointing out that this is more than just books we're talking about. The printed book is an enduring physical entity and it'll be around for a while yet. E-books are great and are becoming more important. I'm anxious for them to mature past the issues relating to digital rights management and the multiplicity of ereaders available on the market so that we can really get our digital teeth into using them especially in the academic library world. Libraries supply other resources like magazines, local history collections, newspapers, resources for family historians. Have you tried the audio books available from your library? Auckland Public libraries has great collection that you can access online and put on your mobile device via Overdrive. Great for when you're sick, for kids, on long road trips or just to chill out.
It is worth pointing out that it is more than just resources we're talking about. Libraries are a physical space too where people come to meet, work and relax. They are warm and relatively safe places to be. Public libraries are open to everyone in the community regardless of race, gender or ability. Academic libraries provide a much needed physical sanctuary for students and even staff of their institution. The digital space should not be disregarded either as much interaction can take place between the user and the library in the virtual realm.
So use your library. Don't let it be taken away from you.
By Phil Bradley
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
January Reading Round Up
Zoia's gold / Philip Sington.
A novel based on the hidden life of Zoia Krukovskaya, the last-known survivor of the Romanov court and an artist who learnt the secret of painting with gold. ~from the blurb
Found this one intriguing from the mystery point of view, and also the art history behind the story. I wanted to find out more on this artist, but haven't managed to yet.
January Blogosphere Book Club Book of the Month
Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress / Dai Sijie ; translated from the French by Ina Rilke. New York : Knopf, 2001. ISBN: 037541309X
During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, two boys, both sons of doctors, are sent to the top of a mountain for "re-education". An education that involves carting buckets of excrement up and down precipitous paths. But their lives take an unexpected turn when they meet the beautiful daughter of a local tailor and stumble upon a forbidden stash of Western literature. ~from the blurb
This is a short and sweet book which I really enjoyed. The struggles of the young men seemed so poignant and dare I say, romantic. I wanted to know more of the seamstress though. I particularly liked the imagery of the Chinese country-side.
The timewaster diary / Robin Cooper.
The year starts badly for Robin, losing his job for sending so many letters in work time, and for his wife Rita, who sprains her ankle (yet again). But Robin has a cunning plan - his marrying of the crossword and sudoku into his devilish 'crossoku', which might just make their fortune. ~from the blurb
I laughed dear readers, I laughed over this book. It was also an interesting read in juxtaposition with The Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith (which has been recreated as a blog). They have much in common!
Secrets / Freya North.
"They drive each other crazy. And they both have something to hide. But we all have our secrets. It's just some are bigger than others! Joe has a beautiful house, a great job, no commitments -- and he likes it like that. All he needs is a quiet house-sitter for his rambling old place by the sea. When Tess turns up on his doorstep, he's not sure she's right for the job. Where has she come from in such a hurry? Her past is a blank and she's something of an enigma. But there's something about her -- even though sparks fly every time they meet. And it looks as though she's here to stay!"--Publisher description.
Typical chick lit but good stuff. I liked.
The Detective Branch / Andrew Pepper.
A robbery at a prawnbroker is a headache for Pyke and a valuable religious artifact appears to have motivated the robbery. Then several suspicious murders later Pyke must face up to forces within the police and the church who would rather the secrets from the past remain buried forever.~from the blurb
A good crime novel - winced a bit at some of the dodgy behaviour of the detective but it was all in aid of a good story.
Singing saltwater country : journey to the songlines of Carpentaria / John Bradley with Yanyuwa families.
John Bradley's compelling account of three decades living with the Yanyuwa people of the Gulf of Carpentaria and of how the elders revealed to him the ancient songlines of their Dreaming. ~from the blurb
Started this one with high hopes but didn't completely finish it. It was a bit repetative to totally hold my attention but I can see for people who live in that area it has valuable insight into the values of the local tribes. What was interesting was trying to get my head around some of the different ways of knowing described in the book. It was also interesting to see again how important story telling is to the human race for information transfer as well as entertainment.
Nine dragons : a novel / Michael Connelly.
The murder of John Li, a South L.A. liquour store owner, hits LAPD Detective Harry Bosch hard, and he promises Li's family that he'll find the killer. As he uncovers a link to a Hong Kong triad--a lethal and far-reaching crime ring that follows many immigrants to their new lives in the U.S.--his world instantly explodes and the person he holds most dear is taken from him. ~from the blurb
Typical crime thriller genre but still enjoyed it.
Ruso and the demented doctor / R. S. Downie.
Army doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso is waiting for the gods to smile on him. But, on a posting to the hostile North of Britannia, he’s in for a long wait. Not least because the locals have a new hero who likes to strap antlers to his head and scare the Romans silly, while Ruso’s slave girl, Tilla, is stubbornly refusing to identify the culprit in a police line-up. But when Ruso is waylaid at the Fort of Coria, where a fellow doctor has confessed to a grisly murder, it’s a case of out of the cauldron and into the fire. With Tilla thrust outside the fort (and into the arms of a former lover), Ruso is landed not only with Doctor Thessalus’s patients but also the tricky task of getting him to retract the confession. Something smells fishy about this murder and Coria is miles from the sea … Ruso faces a nightmarish investigation trailed by the secret police, hunted by the Stag Man and betrayed by Tilla, is it any wonder he’s seeking solace in the rather-too-watery local beer?~from the blurb
Interesting mystery story with some twisty bits and great historical flavour!
A novel based on the hidden life of Zoia Krukovskaya, the last-known survivor of the Romanov court and an artist who learnt the secret of painting with gold. ~from the blurb
Found this one intriguing from the mystery point of view, and also the art history behind the story. I wanted to find out more on this artist, but haven't managed to yet.
January Blogosphere Book Club Book of the Month
Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress / Dai Sijie ; translated from the French by Ina Rilke. New York : Knopf, 2001. ISBN: 037541309X
During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, two boys, both sons of doctors, are sent to the top of a mountain for "re-education". An education that involves carting buckets of excrement up and down precipitous paths. But their lives take an unexpected turn when they meet the beautiful daughter of a local tailor and stumble upon a forbidden stash of Western literature. ~from the blurb
This is a short and sweet book which I really enjoyed. The struggles of the young men seemed so poignant and dare I say, romantic. I wanted to know more of the seamstress though. I particularly liked the imagery of the Chinese country-side.
The timewaster diary / Robin Cooper.
The year starts badly for Robin, losing his job for sending so many letters in work time, and for his wife Rita, who sprains her ankle (yet again). But Robin has a cunning plan - his marrying of the crossword and sudoku into his devilish 'crossoku', which might just make their fortune. ~from the blurb
I laughed dear readers, I laughed over this book. It was also an interesting read in juxtaposition with The Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith (which has been recreated as a blog). They have much in common!
Secrets / Freya North.
"They drive each other crazy. And they both have something to hide. But we all have our secrets. It's just some are bigger than others! Joe has a beautiful house, a great job, no commitments -- and he likes it like that. All he needs is a quiet house-sitter for his rambling old place by the sea. When Tess turns up on his doorstep, he's not sure she's right for the job. Where has she come from in such a hurry? Her past is a blank and she's something of an enigma. But there's something about her -- even though sparks fly every time they meet. And it looks as though she's here to stay!"--Publisher description.
Typical chick lit but good stuff. I liked.
The Detective Branch / Andrew Pepper.
A robbery at a prawnbroker is a headache for Pyke and a valuable religious artifact appears to have motivated the robbery. Then several suspicious murders later Pyke must face up to forces within the police and the church who would rather the secrets from the past remain buried forever.~from the blurb
A good crime novel - winced a bit at some of the dodgy behaviour of the detective but it was all in aid of a good story.
Singing saltwater country : journey to the songlines of Carpentaria / John Bradley with Yanyuwa families.
John Bradley's compelling account of three decades living with the Yanyuwa people of the Gulf of Carpentaria and of how the elders revealed to him the ancient songlines of their Dreaming. ~from the blurb
Started this one with high hopes but didn't completely finish it. It was a bit repetative to totally hold my attention but I can see for people who live in that area it has valuable insight into the values of the local tribes. What was interesting was trying to get my head around some of the different ways of knowing described in the book. It was also interesting to see again how important story telling is to the human race for information transfer as well as entertainment.
Nine dragons : a novel / Michael Connelly.
The murder of John Li, a South L.A. liquour store owner, hits LAPD Detective Harry Bosch hard, and he promises Li's family that he'll find the killer. As he uncovers a link to a Hong Kong triad--a lethal and far-reaching crime ring that follows many immigrants to their new lives in the U.S.--his world instantly explodes and the person he holds most dear is taken from him. ~from the blurb
Typical crime thriller genre but still enjoyed it.
Ruso and the demented doctor / R. S. Downie.
Army doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso is waiting for the gods to smile on him. But, on a posting to the hostile North of Britannia, he’s in for a long wait. Not least because the locals have a new hero who likes to strap antlers to his head and scare the Romans silly, while Ruso’s slave girl, Tilla, is stubbornly refusing to identify the culprit in a police line-up. But when Ruso is waylaid at the Fort of Coria, where a fellow doctor has confessed to a grisly murder, it’s a case of out of the cauldron and into the fire. With Tilla thrust outside the fort (and into the arms of a former lover), Ruso is landed not only with Doctor Thessalus’s patients but also the tricky task of getting him to retract the confession. Something smells fishy about this murder and Coria is miles from the sea … Ruso faces a nightmarish investigation trailed by the secret police, hunted by the Stag Man and betrayed by Tilla, is it any wonder he’s seeking solace in the rather-too-watery local beer?~from the blurb
Interesting mystery story with some twisty bits and great historical flavour!
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