Search
Search results
Heathski (173 KP) rated The Closer We Are To Dying in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Well written and easy to read (2 more)
Full of wonderful stories
Family
Poignant beautiful memoir that I will always remember.
I read this a long time ago. I'm not that into reading biographies but I will always remember this book. It's about the memoirs of the father of the author and their family. His father is dying and Joe recounts the story of their reconciliation while he stays by his beside. Stories are told about the past, both happy and sad, humorous and at times violent. I grew up listening to stories from my older generation, which might be why I enjoyed this so much. It also reminded me a little bit of my uncle's, they always looked Italian and were mischievous. The way it is written is beautiful and engaging, and the stories are emotional, captivating and sometimes shocking. If its still available, it is a book I highly recommend you pick up and read.
Inspired by the 25th anniversary of The Princess Bride, Cary Elwes, better known as Westley, sat down to share his memories of making the film. He goes from being cast at the age of 23 to meeting his cast mates and stories from filming on sound stages and on location. Helping him out, we get sidebars from his co-stars, the director, and the writer.
And any fan of the movie will love the stories told here. It is obvious that everyone has fond memories of their time on set, are proud of the results, and thrilled that so many people love the movie as much as they do. Even the stories that aren’t completely positive are amusing. I know I’ll watch a couple scenes differently as a result of the stories shared here.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2018/02/book-review-as-you-wish-by-cary-elwes.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
And any fan of the movie will love the stories told here. It is obvious that everyone has fond memories of their time on set, are proud of the results, and thrilled that so many people love the movie as much as they do. Even the stories that aren’t completely positive are amusing. I know I’ll watch a couple scenes differently as a result of the stories shared here.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2018/02/book-review-as-you-wish-by-cary-elwes.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Akward (448 KP) rated Above and Below in Tabletop Games
Aug 4, 2018
Design is awesome (2 more)
Mechanics are fun and easy to teach
Mechanics have lots of replayability
Above and Below is a great introductory game to adventure mechanics. Nothing in the game is difficult, and players can feel accomplished, even in their first game. But there is also enough variety to allow for great replay ability and to still keep the game interesting for experienced tabletop players.
And oh man, is the design awesome. You'll be amazed at the level of detail that went in to the cartoony graphic design.
Ultimately, the biggest downfall is the lack of adventure stories. You might think I'm crazy, because there are 208. But in just a few games, we managed to replay quite a few stories. This is less than ideal, because not knowing the outcomes of the stories is integral to the gameplay. Perhaps this is something that the expansions fix, but I have not played them.
And oh man, is the design awesome. You'll be amazed at the level of detail that went in to the cartoony graphic design.
Ultimately, the biggest downfall is the lack of adventure stories. You might think I'm crazy, because there are 208. But in just a few games, we managed to replay quite a few stories. This is less than ideal, because not knowing the outcomes of the stories is integral to the gameplay. Perhaps this is something that the expansions fix, but I have not played them.
David McK (3632 KP) rated Cúchulainn & The Crow Queen in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Honestly?
I'm not really sure how this fits into the categories I have set up on my Goodreads account.
This is a re-telling of the stories of 'The Hound of Ulster', of Cuchulainn, from his birth through to the cattle raid of Ulster and his final death at the hands of the Morrigu, the Crow Queen.
It's also a straight re-telling, which is both its strong point (there's no trying to fit modern sensibilities / political statements into it) and it's weak point (these stories were originally intended to be told orally).
I have to say, I did find that most of the chapters didn't really 'flow' into each other; that there was no connection to the stories other than (occasionally) having Setanta (Cuchulainn's real name) himself appear in them every so often: for my money, Neil Gaiman's Norse Myths is a better retelling of stories that have helped shape modern society.
(Oh, and in the end, I opted for shelving this as Educational)
I'm not really sure how this fits into the categories I have set up on my Goodreads account.
This is a re-telling of the stories of 'The Hound of Ulster', of Cuchulainn, from his birth through to the cattle raid of Ulster and his final death at the hands of the Morrigu, the Crow Queen.
It's also a straight re-telling, which is both its strong point (there's no trying to fit modern sensibilities / political statements into it) and it's weak point (these stories were originally intended to be told orally).
I have to say, I did find that most of the chapters didn't really 'flow' into each other; that there was no connection to the stories other than (occasionally) having Setanta (Cuchulainn's real name) himself appear in them every so often: for my money, Neil Gaiman's Norse Myths is a better retelling of stories that have helped shape modern society.
(Oh, and in the end, I opted for shelving this as Educational)
Fore!: The Best of John Hopkins on Golf
Book
For more than 35 years, John 'Hoppy' Hopkins covered the biggest stories in golf, from Major...
To-Morrow
Book
'It was as if the sea, breaking down the wall protecting all the homes of the town, had sent a wave...
Miss Brill
Book
'And again, as always, he had the feeling he was holding something that never was quite his - his....
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2436 KP) rated Murder in the Mountains in Books
Feb 2, 2022
High Altitude Homicide
It’s murder and mayhem in the mountains in this collection of nine short stories. We get mountains from all over the world and stories set in every season, not just ski season. From a deadly hike or two to a hot chocolate contest with a dead body, there is plenty to keep you entertained.
Each story is from a different author, and each story is fun. A couple are filled with enough other things going on that the mysteries are short changed, but those are the exceptions. Many of these characters have appeared elsewhere, but that doesn’t truly matter as each story introduces you to the characters. These stories are on the long side for short stories; they averaged about 45 minutes each for me to read, so there is plenty here to keep you entertained. If you are missing a mountain vacation, this collection is perfect for you. Personally, I’m going to stay home where it is safe and pick up another book.
Each story is from a different author, and each story is fun. A couple are filled with enough other things going on that the mysteries are short changed, but those are the exceptions. Many of these characters have appeared elsewhere, but that doesn’t truly matter as each story introduces you to the characters. These stories are on the long side for short stories; they averaged about 45 minutes each for me to read, so there is plenty here to keep you entertained. If you are missing a mountain vacation, this collection is perfect for you. Personally, I’m going to stay home where it is safe and pick up another book.