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The Oxford Companion to Beer
Tom Colicchio and Garrett Oliver
Book
For millennia, beer has been a staple beverage in cultures across the globe. After water and tea, it...
Moses Boyd recommended Grounantion by Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari in Music (curated)
Yoga Mudras
Health & Fitness and Lifestyle
App
Yoga Mudras - Hand Gestures for Energy Flow, Wellness and enhanced Perception. BACKGROUND Mudras...
Shaun Collins (3 KP) rated Lethbridge-Stewart: Beast of Fang Rock (#3) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
Perhaps it's my love of lighthouses and lighthouse culture, perhaps it's my overwhelming nostalga for the original televised story Horror Of Fang Rock, perhaps it's just the amazing talent that is Andy Frankham-Allen. Perhaps all three. Whatever it is, Beast Of Fang Rock is a return to form for the Lethbridge-Stewart series. It manages to be a Scooby-Doo style mystery, a classic base under siege story, and an intricate time travel tale simultaneously, not to mention an all-around great yarn. These characters are fully formed and fleshed out, and each brings something marvelous to the party. (And makes one wonder if Frankham-Allen has some sort of inside track to the BBC, what with season 9 episodes turning out to have similar threads!)
My only complaint (and it's a small one) is the Brigadier himself is pushed back so slightly in this one in favor of Anne Travers. But, thats as it should be. This is her story, her time to shine, and Lethbridge-Stewart seems content to back her characterization until he's needed to be the man of action during the thrilling third act. As I said, its a SMALL complaint.
Definitely give this one a read kids!
My only complaint (and it's a small one) is the Brigadier himself is pushed back so slightly in this one in favor of Anne Travers. But, thats as it should be. This is her story, her time to shine, and Lethbridge-Stewart seems content to back her characterization until he's needed to be the man of action during the thrilling third act. As I said, its a SMALL complaint.
Definitely give this one a read kids!
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Bees in Books
May 10, 2018
***RECEIVED AN ADVANCED REVIEW COPY***
The Bees is the most unique book I have read in my life. I can't say that I have read a book that was completely about bugs. It reminded me a lot of Bee Movie.
Flora 717 is at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to bee culture. She is a sanitation worker. It's her job and the job of the other floras to keep the hive in tiptop condition. But, there is something special about Flora 717. She is bigger than others in her group and she is pulled aside for more assignments besides cleaning. When Flora is taken to meet the Queen, she finds out more and more about the hive she lives in and about the lives of past and future colonies. Flora breaks some rules in good ways and in bad, but throughout it all she must survive!
The Bees in most interesting. Even though it was about bees, I wanted to know what was going to happen next and how Flora was going to handle every situation. I learned a lot more about bees than I may ever want or need to know, but it's cool to get a glimpse into their world.
The Bees is the most unique book I have read in my life. I can't say that I have read a book that was completely about bugs. It reminded me a lot of Bee Movie.
Flora 717 is at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to bee culture. She is a sanitation worker. It's her job and the job of the other floras to keep the hive in tiptop condition. But, there is something special about Flora 717. She is bigger than others in her group and she is pulled aside for more assignments besides cleaning. When Flora is taken to meet the Queen, she finds out more and more about the hive she lives in and about the lives of past and future colonies. Flora breaks some rules in good ways and in bad, but throughout it all she must survive!
The Bees in most interesting. Even though it was about bees, I wanted to know what was going to happen next and how Flora was going to handle every situation. I learned a lot more about bees than I may ever want or need to know, but it's cool to get a glimpse into their world.
Micah Ulibarri (79 KP) rated Ready Player One (2018) in Movies
Apr 7, 2018
Willy Wonka for the Digital Age
I went in to this movie somewhat cautious. I hadn't read the book, but the trailers looked very overwhelming.
I was excited to see that though it was very visually stimulating, I did not feel overwhelmed, just enamoured. 20 minutes in told my wife I would be seeing it again and the next time hopefully in a 3D IMAX. I want to be able to fully appreciate the visual beauty.
I also really enjoyed the theme. I found it particularly relevant. The character growth is almost subtle, but the point of it is very strong. In an age where we are all stuck to screens, Ready Player one has a very strong message.
Acting Kudos to Mark Rylance for being the brilliant billionaire. Unfortunately the characters being digital for more than half the movie makes it hard to really see their acting chops.
I also enjoyed all the pop culture references. Even though I felt like a lot of them were just before my time. 80s references and earlier and I'm a 90s kid.
All in all, I think it will stand the test of time on both a visual and message level. And everyone should see it and appreciate what a movie experience can be.
I was excited to see that though it was very visually stimulating, I did not feel overwhelmed, just enamoured. 20 minutes in told my wife I would be seeing it again and the next time hopefully in a 3D IMAX. I want to be able to fully appreciate the visual beauty.
I also really enjoyed the theme. I found it particularly relevant. The character growth is almost subtle, but the point of it is very strong. In an age where we are all stuck to screens, Ready Player one has a very strong message.
Acting Kudos to Mark Rylance for being the brilliant billionaire. Unfortunately the characters being digital for more than half the movie makes it hard to really see their acting chops.
I also enjoyed all the pop culture references. Even though I felt like a lot of them were just before my time. 80s references and earlier and I'm a 90s kid.
All in all, I think it will stand the test of time on both a visual and message level. And everyone should see it and appreciate what a movie experience can be.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Tolkien (2019) in Movies
May 7, 2019 (Updated May 7, 2019)
Bio-pic of the pop culture colossus is badly hamstrung by the fact it can only allude to the great man's works (they don't even have the rights to the text of his gravestone), and also by the fact that all the stuff he is most famous for doing happened when he was a middle-aged professor sitting in his study for hours at a time.
So instead the script rustles up some sub-Dead Poets stuff about fine-young-chaps-together, and a somewhat trite romance, all the while suggesting that JRR couldn't look out of the window or turn on a light without being bombarded by visions of dragons and black riders and the rest of it. No wonder he wrote all those books; it must have been vital therapy for him. A few scenes do hint at the authentic, but also essentially un-cinematic Tolkien, the man who invented languages as a hobby and loved trees, and they do lift the film, but they also make you realise how bland most of this movie is. Nichola Hoult is good as Professor T and the film is well-mounted, but it still feels like a cash-in which is pushing its luck.
So instead the script rustles up some sub-Dead Poets stuff about fine-young-chaps-together, and a somewhat trite romance, all the while suggesting that JRR couldn't look out of the window or turn on a light without being bombarded by visions of dragons and black riders and the rest of it. No wonder he wrote all those books; it must have been vital therapy for him. A few scenes do hint at the authentic, but also essentially un-cinematic Tolkien, the man who invented languages as a hobby and loved trees, and they do lift the film, but they also make you realise how bland most of this movie is. Nichola Hoult is good as Professor T and the film is well-mounted, but it still feels like a cash-in which is pushing its luck.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Black Mirror - Season 5 in TV
Jun 15, 2019
Not up to it’s usual high standard
Black Mirror is known for having a dark and futuristic take on modern society, and this is why it has always succeeded. It’s bleak and harrowing at times and whilst it’s not a happy programme to watch, it’s bloody good. The problem with series 5 is that it feels like an entirely different show, and not for the better.
Whilst each episode has it’s own take on modern society and technology (VR, social media and musical pop culture), none of this felt particularly new or unique. Don’t get me wrong, the episodes aren’t bad at all. But they’re just not brilliant. There are good performances (Andrew Scott especially) and the storylines are vaguely interesting, they just don’t get pushed far enough into the dark and bleak Black Mirror world we’re used to. Not only that, but none of these stories have particularly bad endings. It all just feels a little bit meh and after the rather wonderful Bandersnatch, I’d been looking forward to another great season. Sadly, it’s been a bit of a letdown. I’m really hoping that this is just a blip and that the next series is back on form, and not a sign that Black Mirror has run out of decent ideas...
Whilst each episode has it’s own take on modern society and technology (VR, social media and musical pop culture), none of this felt particularly new or unique. Don’t get me wrong, the episodes aren’t bad at all. But they’re just not brilliant. There are good performances (Andrew Scott especially) and the storylines are vaguely interesting, they just don’t get pushed far enough into the dark and bleak Black Mirror world we’re used to. Not only that, but none of these stories have particularly bad endings. It all just feels a little bit meh and after the rather wonderful Bandersnatch, I’d been looking forward to another great season. Sadly, it’s been a bit of a letdown. I’m really hoping that this is just a blip and that the next series is back on form, and not a sign that Black Mirror has run out of decent ideas...
A World Full of Animal Stories: 50 favourite animal folk tales, myths and legends by Angela McAllister is a beautiful and interesting book of folktales and legends that celebrate animals and culture. These stories are brought to life as the reader travels the globe to Africa, Asia, North and South America, Europe, Australia and Oceania.
It is a book full of cultural stories, with strong messages and wonderful illustrations. Familiar stories such as The Billy Goats Gruff, The Nightingale, and The Ugly Duckling are in the book so the reader will learn where those stories came from. In the contents guide it has each of the stories listed under the continent they belong to, with the country that relates to the story in brackets next to its title, which is useful for finding a specific story or learning about a certain region.
The stories are not long, which makes it perfect for bedtime stories. One story a night will give your child something to think and talk about. This would also would be great for the classroom, particularly when learning about different cultural stories and traditions.
I received an ARC of A World Full of Animal Stories from NetGalley via Quarto Publishing Group and Frances Lincoln Childrens.
It is a book full of cultural stories, with strong messages and wonderful illustrations. Familiar stories such as The Billy Goats Gruff, The Nightingale, and The Ugly Duckling are in the book so the reader will learn where those stories came from. In the contents guide it has each of the stories listed under the continent they belong to, with the country that relates to the story in brackets next to its title, which is useful for finding a specific story or learning about a certain region.
The stories are not long, which makes it perfect for bedtime stories. One story a night will give your child something to think and talk about. This would also would be great for the classroom, particularly when learning about different cultural stories and traditions.
I received an ARC of A World Full of Animal Stories from NetGalley via Quarto Publishing Group and Frances Lincoln Childrens.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Things Fall Apart in Books
Jul 10, 2018
I received this book as part of a book exchange for my book club. I was excited because it finally gave me a reason to read a book that has been on my "I should read this" list. I finished this book and I honestly have no idea what my thoughts are. I'm trying to put them into words and I'm failing.
I liked this book for the multicultural issues that it proposes. It had elements that I have never grasped or read before which I enjoyed. I loved learning about the culture and customs of this tribe. I also loved how complex the main character was. I loved how at moments you're wanting him to be shunned and at other moments you want him to be fully embraced by his tribe.
I didn't like how abrupt the ending was. It was leading to the climax of the story and then just halted leaving me extremely unsatisfied. I want a resolution and I want a cookie cutter ending where everything is wrapped up tight with a cute little bow. Unfortunately, that isn't this book.
All in all, I'm happy that I read this book. I'm thrilled that I finally found time to read it. I'm just not so sure how I feel about it either.
I liked this book for the multicultural issues that it proposes. It had elements that I have never grasped or read before which I enjoyed. I loved learning about the culture and customs of this tribe. I also loved how complex the main character was. I loved how at moments you're wanting him to be shunned and at other moments you want him to be fully embraced by his tribe.
I didn't like how abrupt the ending was. It was leading to the climax of the story and then just halted leaving me extremely unsatisfied. I want a resolution and I want a cookie cutter ending where everything is wrapped up tight with a cute little bow. Unfortunately, that isn't this book.
All in all, I'm happy that I read this book. I'm thrilled that I finally found time to read it. I'm just not so sure how I feel about it either.