h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I don't think it's the same Lawhead, though he has been writing since the early 1980s and isn't afraid of including sex and violence where appropriate. He mostly writes Arthurian/Celtic fantasy, but has wandered into sf from time to time. [Could you be thinking of 'Dream Thief'? I haven't read that one.] He's American.

The Screwtape Letters is excellent, and I do also enjoy both Narnia and Perelandra. And the Canticle for Leibowitz. My mum loves a newish series of books about an angel who hangs around with sundry Biblical characters, which is a nice idea, but the writing makes me want to scream.

Marv, the idea of giving the woman the 'Preacher' series is truly inspired.

I'm trying to think of the right smiley to use in response to the Ghanaian breastfeeding technique described by Wilma. seems inappropriate!

[Mr. D ]

[WA ]

And here's what I should have done... h2g2's (rather out of date now) Entry on Lawhead: A337088

[GDZ]

*returns from the parental unit*

I need to buy a bottle of nettle killer this afternoon for the new garden.

[] puts on waders for the backlog

>>and I found my toe tapping (or trying to, thanks to the sticky theater floor)


i would much rather a sticky theater floor to a semi-recently mopped one. i went to the movies last night and almost gave myself a concussion, slip sliding my way into my seat and nearly going under the seat in front of me as i went to sit down.

David I would offer to let her read my copy of "Preacher" but I'd like it back and I am sure she would burn it as satanic or something.

[tartaronne ] managed to get through blog after four days on knees - (nope, nothing religious - unless cars, bricks, pirates, dinosaurs, trains forming an interesting city and featuring loads of different actions and tales, stationary in our living room that number of days, is considered religious.)

[mr]

I've posted this on the What Book Thread but wondered if any of our Salonistas have read Atlas Shrugged. It's been growling at me from under my desk for months. Should I tackle it?

I have heard some very good things about Atlas Shrugged, but I've not read it. It will have some fairly strong conservative leanings I believe considering the author. I'd be interested to see what people think of it.

[Lady C.}

I'd rather stab myself in the eye than read anything by Ayn Rand.

Seriously, if you enjoy being bludgeoned over the head by political/social theory at the expense of a plot, if you want to read a 600 page justification of base selfishness...oops, objectivism, if you like one-dimensional characters, by all means go ahead and read Atlas Shrugged.

<>

::points and laughs::

In the interests of full disclosure I should mention that I *did* read The Fountainhead long ago, in a misguided attempt one summer to Read the Classics.* I developed an intense loathing for Rand not long afterwards. It gets reinforced everytime I get sucked into one of those tedious Internet arguments with someone devoted to her writings and philosophy.

*And this goes back to our discussion of The Classics. Who decided what's on the list and why? Pah.

As soon as I find a clan of devoted persons intent on informing me so-and-so's books are the Greatest Thing Ever and Full of Important Ideas and Expounding a New and Perfect Philosophy of Life, and all and any disagreement leads to screams and ad hominem attacks and general carrying on, I make a mental note to keep my alas already fairly cluttered and dusty mind entirely free from further cluttering and move swiftly on. So Ayn Rand's fans have carefully put her in my 'never ever' cupboard, locked it, thrown key in Atlantic, and then burnt cupboard down. Alas, Dostoevsky, who I KNOW is brilliant, is in the very same cupboard, and it's all my Dad's fault, for he would verily leap to his feet whenever I entered his house and pile Dostoevsky into my arms with orders that I simply MUST etc. He'd've done much better by telling me I was probably too young to get much out of the Brothers Karamazov...

Anyway. I decided in the interests of hygiene and convenience that I should dig through that outer spur of Mount To-Be-Read that has risen about my bedside table, do a little dusting and hoovering, and create a handy collection of perfect convalescing books where I can get at them.

Crickey, the DUST down there. I feel I have probably ruined a very nice layer of developing top-soil. Also, found a birthday card from my 30th birthday. Shaming, as I am currently 32.

Rand's fans tend to be a bunch of rather humorless bastards, don't they?

::smacks self on forehead and replaces the don't with an aren't::

no, i'd say "don't" was right, as it concludes "tend to be". If you ahd just said Ayn Rand's fans are etc." then "Aren't" would have been the correct conclusion.

Can you tell I'm bored?

We all have our moments, Egon.