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The Texanist: Fine Advice on Living in Texas
Book
The Texanist, Texas Monthly's perennially popular back-page column, has become the magazine's...
The Household Spirit
Book
There's something wrong next door. At least, that's what neighbors Howie Jeffries and Emily Phane...
CW
Conversations with Classic Film Stars: Interviews from Hollywood's Golden Era
Book
James Bawden: Seeing the way people behave when they're around you, is it still fun being Cary...
Black Sheep: The Hidden Benefits of Being Bad
Book
Richard Stephens became the focus of international media attention in 2009 for his research on...
The Zimzum of Love: A New Way of Understanding Marriage
Rob Bell and Kristen Bell
Book
Sunday Times bestselling author Rob Bell is joined in this book by his wife of twenty years,...
Hammer and Tickle: A History of Communism Told Through Communist Jokes
Book
The book that immerses the Cold War in the warm bath of nostalgia. Q: Why, despite all the...
Darren Fisher (2447 KP) rated Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) by Brian Eno in Music
Dec 18, 2020 (Updated Jan 15, 2021)
Eno On Peak
In the 80's I got into Brian Eno via Talking Heads (with the excellent Remain in Light alvum) and David Bowie (Low, Heroes and Lodger), rather than through early Roxy Music.
My first introduction to Eno's solo work was the compilation More Blank Than Frank in 1986, which after listening to, was enough to convince me that I really needed to check out more of his work. I found Taking Tiger Mountain on cassette in the bargain bins at Our Price (I think). No inlay card but it was going cheap. Taking a punt I got it home and was instantly blown away. Musically upbeat for most of its duration, the lyrics told dark, humorous and downright weird tales about espionage, Limbourg Asylum and the rape of a woman by a crazed machine. There's also a lot of references to China (as the album title suggests).
So obssessed by this album I once recycled my smashed up electric guitar body in to a 'skinning up' table (with coaster bed legs so you could push it from person to person). The main centrepiece of this 'table' was a big mound of wax which I attempted to mould into my own Tiger Mountain... Damn the drugs were good back then hahaha đâ
Album Highlights:
Burning Airlines Give You So Much More
Third Uncle
The True Wheel
My first introduction to Eno's solo work was the compilation More Blank Than Frank in 1986, which after listening to, was enough to convince me that I really needed to check out more of his work. I found Taking Tiger Mountain on cassette in the bargain bins at Our Price (I think). No inlay card but it was going cheap. Taking a punt I got it home and was instantly blown away. Musically upbeat for most of its duration, the lyrics told dark, humorous and downright weird tales about espionage, Limbourg Asylum and the rape of a woman by a crazed machine. There's also a lot of references to China (as the album title suggests).
So obssessed by this album I once recycled my smashed up electric guitar body in to a 'skinning up' table (with coaster bed legs so you could push it from person to person). The main centrepiece of this 'table' was a big mound of wax which I attempted to mould into my own Tiger Mountain... Damn the drugs were good back then hahaha đâ
Album Highlights:
Burning Airlines Give You So Much More
Third Uncle
The True Wheel
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Keeping Her (Losing It, #1.5) in Books
Sep 6, 2019
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved both Losing It and Faking it so I was so happy when the publishers accepted my request to read this too :D
This one alternates between Garrick and Bliss POV with each chapter and we see how they feel about going to London and meeting his family and friends. Garrick is worried how is mum will treat her and Bliss is worried they wont like her. Bliss being Bliss worries far too much but in that humorous way she has that leaves you smiling if not laughing out loud and Garrick is just his charming self trying to make things as easy as possible for her.
One scene I liked was where they go to meet his parents and Bliss, being her clumsy self, knocks over his mothers favourite vase and it smashes into pieces and she just stands there like a rabbit caught in headlights while going through this funny mental conversation with herself.
It isnÂt a full length novel but plugs the gaps of what happened between Losing It and Faking It with Garrick and Bliss. It was short and sweet and if you are a fan of the series then you have to read this. (Just make sure you do it in order or you may get a little confused :D )
I loved both Losing It and Faking it so I was so happy when the publishers accepted my request to read this too :D
This one alternates between Garrick and Bliss POV with each chapter and we see how they feel about going to London and meeting his family and friends. Garrick is worried how is mum will treat her and Bliss is worried they wont like her. Bliss being Bliss worries far too much but in that humorous way she has that leaves you smiling if not laughing out loud and Garrick is just his charming self trying to make things as easy as possible for her.
One scene I liked was where they go to meet his parents and Bliss, being her clumsy self, knocks over his mothers favourite vase and it smashes into pieces and she just stands there like a rabbit caught in headlights while going through this funny mental conversation with herself.
It isnÂt a full length novel but plugs the gaps of what happened between Losing It and Faking It with Garrick and Bliss. It was short and sweet and if you are a fan of the series then you have to read this. (Just make sure you do it in order or you may get a little confused :D )
Sarah (7798 KP) rated This Is Where I Leave You (2014) in Movies
Jul 25, 2020
Heartwarming
This is a film that has flown under my radar since it was released - I donât recall ever having seen it advertised until it recently popped up on Netflix, and I really wish Iâd discovered it sooner.
Starting with the obvious, this film has an absolutely stellar cast. The number of fantastic actors in this is truly impressive and theyâre partly the reason why I enjoyed this so much, as every single person performs wonderfully in their role, whether main (I cannot fault any of the main family) or side (Timothy Olyphant is particularly memorable). Theyâre helped by a great script which flits between incredibly heartwarming and darkly humorous with such ease. The plot itself is nothing new and this is where this film falls down a little as itâs nothing we havenât seen before. However this film just goes to show that itâs the journey and not the destination that matters as this is so well executed that the unoriginal plot is only a minor issue.
The only other problem with this film is that itâs pretty much made me an emotional wreck. I havenât laughed and cried so much in the space of 2 hours before. This might not be the most original film youâll ever see, but itâs so lovely and heartwarming that I dare you not to feel anything by the end.
Starting with the obvious, this film has an absolutely stellar cast. The number of fantastic actors in this is truly impressive and theyâre partly the reason why I enjoyed this so much, as every single person performs wonderfully in their role, whether main (I cannot fault any of the main family) or side (Timothy Olyphant is particularly memorable). Theyâre helped by a great script which flits between incredibly heartwarming and darkly humorous with such ease. The plot itself is nothing new and this is where this film falls down a little as itâs nothing we havenât seen before. However this film just goes to show that itâs the journey and not the destination that matters as this is so well executed that the unoriginal plot is only a minor issue.
The only other problem with this film is that itâs pretty much made me an emotional wreck. I havenât laughed and cried so much in the space of 2 hours before. This might not be the most original film youâll ever see, but itâs so lovely and heartwarming that I dare you not to feel anything by the end.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Been There, Married That in Books
May 23, 2020
âI was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Agnes Murphy Nash has the perfect Hollywood life...or so she thought until arriving home to find the gates and doors locked and is prevented from entering her own house. What ensues is a humorous look at divorce, the stupid things people do while divorcing, and how badly we can act.
Gigi Levangie Grazer could have written Been There, Married That as a Debbie Downer book especially when discussing Agnes having to still cohabitate with her husband during the divorce. Anyone who had to endure cohabitating knows there is not much to laugh about. Grazier focuses on the negative but writes it with such style you are guaranteed to laugh.
I do not usually read "women's fiction" or "chick lit" but, after reading its description, I figured I would give it a try. I am so glad I chose this novel. I will continue with my norms (mystery, YA, SciFi) but will not shun women's fiction immediately from now on. I will probably still avoid romances but Been There, Married That is not a romance novel.
I also heard part of the audiobook. The narrator, Amy McFadden, did a fabulous job and really brought this novel and its humor to life.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 5/23/20.
Agnes Murphy Nash has the perfect Hollywood life...or so she thought until arriving home to find the gates and doors locked and is prevented from entering her own house. What ensues is a humorous look at divorce, the stupid things people do while divorcing, and how badly we can act.
Gigi Levangie Grazer could have written Been There, Married That as a Debbie Downer book especially when discussing Agnes having to still cohabitate with her husband during the divorce. Anyone who had to endure cohabitating knows there is not much to laugh about. Grazier focuses on the negative but writes it with such style you are guaranteed to laugh.
I do not usually read "women's fiction" or "chick lit" but, after reading its description, I figured I would give it a try. I am so glad I chose this novel. I will continue with my norms (mystery, YA, SciFi) but will not shun women's fiction immediately from now on. I will probably still avoid romances but Been There, Married That is not a romance novel.
I also heard part of the audiobook. The narrator, Amy McFadden, did a fabulous job and really brought this novel and its humor to life.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 5/23/20.