Plakias Forums
Plakias => PlakChat => Topic started by: Pritch on June 02, 2004, 04:01:16 PM
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Greetings all, and trust everyone well and looking forward to the Summer ahead. Myself, am off on the 17th August 'en famile' and can't wait to get back and kick back !!
To the point of this topic - Book on Crete.
I love a good book and have finished for the 3rd time 'Winds Of Crete' (originally read in 1986)- has anyone read it ? If not then thoroughly recommend it. Avaialble from any bookseller in Crete, and am sure have seen it in the main - gift shop - on the front in Plakias
Got me thinking as well, has anyone else read any good books on Crete and if so what are they so I may add to my collection for those long winter evenings ?
Cheers guys,
Pritch
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Thanks for the tip Pritch, I'll try and pick up a copy and let you know what we think
Martyn & Svetlana
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The Creten Runner ,is also worth a read,also available in Plakias.Eleni although set in Northern Greece is also compelling reading,both also available through Amazon, Happy reading,and have a great time.
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Many thanks Ken and Kathy, I'll try and get hold of a copy. All good stuff, must try and leave some time for the beach and bars though in between the reading.
Martyn & Svetlana
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For those looking for a good book:
Captain Corelli's Mandoline from Louis de Bernières is one of the best books I have read in years.
It is funny,beautiful, romantic and yet very cruel.
I have great sympathy for the Greek people and all they have endured in the war.
The film, sorry to say this, is terrible in comparison.
Penelope Cruz is the only actress in the film I can recognize from the book as acting and being Pelagia. (Nicolas Cage was definitely not Antonio Corelli and (this coming from a woman) and where were the dolphin, psipsina, little Lemoni?)
Of the bravery of Pelagia and her father Iannis, Mandras, Carlo and all the others nothing is mentioned in the film.
The film certainly does no justice to the book.
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Hi
I tend to look at the book of 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' and the film as almost two separate stories. I read the book first and saw the film sometime later. I enjoyed them both, but I am pleased I read the book first.
A book Peter is fond of reading is 'Flowers of Rethymnon' - not about flowers in the accepted sense, but the story of the Escape from Crete written by an Australian. We bought our copy in Plakias, but found it among the 'wild flower' sections!
Cheers to everyone, counting down now!!
Yvonne
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Have to agree with Loukafran on this 'Captain Corellis Mandolin' Fantastic book although the first few chapters are hard going.
If you have seen the film, forget all you have seen before reading the book.
One I picked up, again in most supermarkets out there was 'Crete 1941' which as you may guess ia about the war but is accounts from Cretans and servicemen that were on the island at the time, very interesting read!
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Have to step in here with a defence of the film "Captain Corelli's Mandolin", although I would stress that I haven't read the book. At the time of its release the film was given the most awful slating by the critics. But I found it (or rather, the bit that I saw) very enjoyable: a nice romantic storyline, and good music.
On the other hand "Traffik" - released round about the same time - received such rave reviews that I made a special point of going to see it...and regretted it. It was so boring I could hardly keep my eyes open, and was glad when it finally came to an end.
Just shows you can't trust the critics.
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I'm glad you say the first few chapters are hard going, plakias34 as that's about as far as I got with the book. I'll have another go as just about everyone says how good it is. As for the film - I didn't think much of it.
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DITTO !!!
Started this book twice and just never got going with it, which in truth has put me off even having another glance at it, so also glad its not just me.
Pritch
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Last year read "The Island" by Ian Hislop's wife about the leper colony on Spinalonga near Ag Nic on the North coast of Crete. Very moving.
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Last year read "The Island" by Ian Hislop's wife about the leper colony on Spinalonga near Ag Nic on the North coast of Crete. Very moving.
Yep me too, last year on the beach saw this book polished off. Got mixed reviews but I enjoyed it.
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Last year read "The Island" by Ian Hislop's wife about the leper colony on Spinalonga near Ag Nic on the North coast of Crete. Very moving.
Yep me too, last year on the beach saw this book polished off. Got mixed reviews but I enjoyed it.
I read that too last year in Plakias - but I did not realise it was by Ian Hislop's wife
roger
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Last year read "The Island" by Ian Hislop's wife about the leper colony on Spinalonga near Ag Nic on the North coast of Crete. Very moving.
Just started reading 'The Island' - fascinating and quite gripping. Enjoying it so far. Karen read it last week while we were in Zante and thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Last year read "The Island" by Ian Hislop's wife about the leper colony on Spinalonga near Ag Nic on the North coast of Crete. Very moving.
Yep me too, last year on the beach saw this book polished off. Got mixed reviews but I enjoyed it.
I read that too last year in Plakias - but I did not realise it was by Ian Hislop's wife
roger
I read it this year & loved it, now I'm reading A Taste of Honey by Bryon ? ( will post surname later ), he's a canadian guy but from greek roots he was a chef and now is planning to retire on Crete, all set around the Plakias area. Really good so far. I borrowed it from Andy, at the Library so if you want to read it i'll be taking it back in October.
Rowena
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Last year read "The Island" by Ian Hislop's wife about the leper colony on Spinalonga near Ag Nic on the North coast of Crete. Very moving.
Yep me too, last year on the beach saw this book polished off. Got mixed reviews but I enjoyed it.
I read that too last year in Plakias - but I did not realise it was by Ian Hislop's wife
roger
I read it this year & loved it, now I'm reading A Taste of Honey by Bryon ? ( will post surname later ), he's a canadian guy but from greek roots he was a chef and now is planning to retire on Crete, all set around the Plakias area. Really good so far. I borrowed it from Andy, at the Library so if you want to read it i'll be taking it back in October.
Rowena
Shamelessly copied from Wikipedia
Victoria Hislop is a British author. Educated at St Hilda's College, Oxford, she worked in publishing and as a journalist before becoming an author.
Her first novel The Island, which the Sunday Express hailed as the new Captain Corelli's Mandolin, was a Number 1 Bestseller in the UK, its success in part the result of having been selected by the Richard and Judy Book Club for their 2006 Summer Reads. She married journalist and Private Eye editor, Ian Hislop on 16th April 1988. They have two children and live in Kent.
Now who will be reading the seveth Harry Potter on the beach tommorrow?
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Last year read "The Island" by Ian Hislop's wife about the leper colony on Spinalonga near Ag Nic on the North coast of Crete. Very moving.
Yep me too, last year on the beach saw this book polished off. Got mixed reviews but I enjoyed it.
I read that too last year in Plakias - but I did not realise it was by Ian Hislop's wife
roger
I read it this year & loved it, now I'm reading A Taste of Honey by Bryon ? ( will post surname later ), he's a canadian guy but from greek roots he was a chef and now is planning to retire on Crete, all set around the Plakias area. Really good so far. I borrowed it from Andy, at the Library so if you want to read it i'll be taking it back in October.
Rowena
Shamelessly copied from Wikipedia
Victoria Hislop is a British author. Educated at St Hilda's College, Oxford, she worked in publishing and as a journalist before becoming an author.
Her first novel The Island, which the Sunday Express hailed as the new Captain Corelli's Mandolin, was a Number 1 Bestseller in the UK, its success in part the result of having been selected by the Richard and Judy Book Club for their 2006 Summer Reads. She married journalist and Private Eye editor, Ian Hislop on 16th April 1988. They have two children and live in Kent.
Now who will be reading the seveth Harry Potter on the beach tommorrow?
At first I was a bit confused as the characters live in a village called Plaka and I kept thinking it was our beloved Plakias but I dont think we have too many lepers in Plakias (do we)?
Tony
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Whilst in Plakias last month, I finished reading the two books I had taken with me and had to find something else to read. Of course, the selection of books in English in Plakias is limited, so I bought a book about the battle of Crete, and I am still reading it. It is more interesting because I know where a lot of the places are, especially as I passed Maleme and the Tavronitis bridge on my way to Paleochora - I had heard of these places on the board, courtesy of Harribobs discussions.
It sounds as though the allies shouldn't have lost the battle at all, had they been more organised and had some communication.
Greecemad
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Whilst in Plakias last month, I finished reading the two books I had taken with me and had to find something else to read. ...
Check out the shelves on the left in Ali & Dave's - there's a good selection of "previously enjoyed books" ... plus five more, after our visit. (Assuming Ali's read them )
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if you're interested in the battle of crete, and what went on after in the resistance movement, aided by the british, no sorry allied forces, I would recommend these
Crete, the Battle and Resistance Alan Beevor ( anything he writes is worth reading)
Ill met by Moonlight, W Stanley Moss. the journal of the abduction of Gen Kreipe, absolutely Boy's Own stuff
(http://harribobs.smugmug.com/photos/136816406-M.jpg)
The Cretan Runner George Pysoundakais, probably the only written history of the period by a cretan. George died recently, i sad to say. The book was translated by Paddy Leigh Fermor, who was the other main conspirator in the Kreipe abduction
(http://harribobs.smugmug.com/photos/56989928-L.jpg)
Paddy roamed europe before and after the war and his books are well worth reading, we know he has a book about the raid and abduction, but he's never published it, probably never wanting to take the gloss off his partners book ( and film)
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Crete, the Battle and Resistance Alan Beevor ( anything he writes is worth reading)
That's the book I bought
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Off at a slight tangent, harribobs's mention of PLF reminded me of a thread on another board, a few months back ...
Battle of Kalamata WW2 (http://zorbas.de/scripts/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3894)
... there are a couple of posts with details of the commemoration, another with documentary links and a report (with link to pictures) of the event.
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Can't believe nobody's mentioned Nikos Kazantzakis yet - Crete's greatest writer, at least of the last couple of hundred years or so, and he's got a football stadium and, if my memory serves, an airport named after him. You can generally buy English translations of Zorba the Greek and The Last Temptation of Christ in larger British bookshops and you can order Freedom and Death (which is the absolute dog's and unremittingly Cretan) or Report to Greco on the interweb thingy. Not necessarilly the easiest of reads - something like a cross between Hemingway and Joseph Conrad - but if you're lying on a beach you can always feed the pages you've already read to the nearest passing goat...
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Off at a slight tangent, harribobs's mention of PLF reminded me of a thread on another board, a few months back ...
Battle of Kalamata WW2 ([url]http://zorbas.de/scripts/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3894[/url])
... there are a couple of posts with details of the commemoration, another with documentary links and a report (with link to pictures) of the event.
ah! Mani, (never been, but) PLF has ( had) a house there i believe
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Off at a slight tangent, harribobs's mention of PLF reminded me of a thread on another board, a few months back ...
Battle of Kalamata WW2 ([url]http://zorbas.de/scripts/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3894[/url])
... there are a couple of posts with details of the commemoration, another with documentary links and a report (with link to pictures) of the event.
ah! Mani, (never been, but) PLF has ( had) a house there i believe
Going by the tail-end post in that thread, from John M, PLF is still alive, well and living in/on the Mani - he looks remarkably well, too, judging by the pic that John M uploaded.
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Going by the tail-end post in that thread, from John M, PLF is still alive, well and living in/on the Mani - he looks remarkably well, too, judging by the pic that John M uploaded.
oh yes he's still alive and kicking, i just didn't know if he had the house at Mani still
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if anyone is seriously interested in the Battle of Crete, I have recently discovered that the The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945, the battle for Crete is available on line
NZ BOC history (http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Cret.html)
although this was written with no knowledge of Ultra, it's an amazing detailed account ( i have a hard back edition btw)
cvhris
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What are people reading this year whilst on the beach?
Tony
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What are people reading this year whilst on the beach?
Tony
I read Shiprocked its about the off shore pirate radio station Caroline, fantastic reading!
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What are people reading this year whilst on the beach?
Tony
I read Shiprocked its about the off shore pirate radio station Caroline, fantastic reading!
Hi
I read the Da Da De Da Da Code by Robert Rankin, and a book of Anais Nin's short stories.
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I'm just reading "Just Kids" by Patti Smith.
From Brooklyn to Chelsea Hotel, a Life of Art and Friendship (English Edition)
"Smith's evocative, honest and moving coming-of-age story reveals her extraordinary relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe. Part romance, part elegy, "Just Kids" is about friendship in the truest sense, and the artist's calling."
A wonderful piece of paper!
shinaria
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Being a bit of a music biography fan, last year it was 'Led Zeppelin-When Giants Walked the Earth', In 2008 it was 'Slash by Slash' and 'Scar Tissue' by Anthony Kiedis.
Last year I also enjoyed the quartet of 'Red Riding' books by David Peace.
This year it will be the Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson-'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...etc, a biography on Kurt Cobain, a book on Bill Hicks and 'Dawn of the Dumb' by Charlie Brooker.
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This year it will be the Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson-'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...etc,
i was very impressed by these
i did a quite a few books on the beach this year, apart from the above, the last but latest, 'Jack Reacher' book by Lee Childs was the most memorable
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Hoping to resume reading "Angels and Demons" if it's still in Morpheas' library.
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One of the best books I've read while out there was 'The Island' by Victoria Hislop
If you've ever been to Spinalonga, it's an incredibly emotional read, and yes I admit to filling up a few times and had to put it down and compose myself.
george...
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Enjoyed Angels and Demons, and pretty much all of Terry Brooks's stuff. The Island was a great read - made a visit to Spinalonga a must.
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One of the best books I've read while out there was 'The Island' by Victoria Hislop
If you've ever been to Spinalonga, it's an incredibly emotional read, and yes I admit to filling up a few times and had to put it down and compose myself.
george...
I went to Spinalonga in October 1978 and then it was just desolate with skeletons visible in crypts under scattered stone slabs. I imagine it is no longer like that..or is it?
Roger
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Enjoyed Angels and Demons, and pretty much all of Terry Brooks's stuff. The Island was a great read - made a visit to Spinalonga a must.
Agreed G&K, but I recommend the visit first and then you can relate to the book so much better.
Unfortunately they're renovating the place which in my opinion is spoiling the atmosphere of the place. I first visited there in 1978, and the place was 'DEAD'! Totally empty of ALL life, no plant life, no bugs, completely silent except for the tumbleweed being blown along the road. It was probably one of the spookiest places I've ever been to!
I got into Dan Brown a few years ago while out there (no more to be said really), I grabbed a copy of Digital Fortress, while dumping my read book and haven't looked back!
george...
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One of the best books I've read while out there was 'The Island' by Victoria Hislop
If you've ever been to Spinalonga, it's an incredibly emotional read, and yes I admit to filling up a few times and had to put it down and compose myself.
george...
I went to Spinalonga in October 1978 and then it was just desolate with skeletons visible in crypts under scattered stone slabs. I imagine it is no longer like that..or is it?
Roger
Our messages overlapped Roger, you put this in while I was typing.
I'll always remember that graveyard, it gives be goose bumps just thinking about it, and the round house where they dumped the dead paupers? I actually got my camera through one of the small windows and took a few shots. The camera worked, the flash went off... but no pictures!!
george...
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Maybe the spirit was willing but the flash was weak?
Barny.
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Maybe the spirit was willing but the flash was weak?
Barny.
I think you might be right Barny, it was a very quite day and only one small group was on the island, so I held back and got a real feel for the place. I stood still and just looked around and tried to imagine what it must have been like.
I've never had a feeling of being completely surrounded when being so alone, before or since.
george...
Many happy returns BTW Barny, HOW OLD?????
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I would recommend Birds Without Wings by Louis de Berniere. An extremely poignant story of how people of Christian and Muslim origin, living in Asia Minor and Greece in reasonable harmony, were stirred up by others and eventually turned on each other, which led to the partition of the races/religions. I learnt a lot about the history of the places that I had been visiting for years.
Mike
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Enjoyed Angels and Demons, and pretty much all of Terry Brooks's stuff. The Island was a great read - made a visit to Spinalonga a must.
Oops
I've got my authors confused. Angels and Demons sounds like a Terry brooks book, but of course was Dan Brown. I liked The Davinci Code very much; less so, Angels and Demons, and but was put off Dan
Brown completely when I read The Digital Fortress which I thought was too predictable.
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I don't usually read detective novels but I have "The Messenger Of Athens" by Anne Zouroudi waiting to be read - but not sure if I can put off reading it for another month till we get to Plakias! I have read another in the series, "The Taint Of Midas". I don't know if it's that good a detective story or not, but I found it fascinating for its picture of Greek life, and the impact of tourism on the way people live. I have previously read most of Barbara Nadel's Inspector Ikmen series for the picture they give of life in Istanbul. All fairly easy reads.
If you want something more weighty I can recommend Mark Mazower's "Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews 1430-1950". Fascinating picture of what was once a very multi-cultural city under the Ottoman Empire. Gives some of the wide historical background to the events of 1922-23 referred to in "Birds Without Wings", which was mentioned in a recent post.
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If you want something more weighty I can recommend Mark Mazower's "Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews 1430-1950". Fascinating picture of what was once a very multi-cultural city under the Ottoman Empire. Gives some of the wide historical background to the events of 1922-23 referred to in "Birds Without Wings", which was mentioned in a recent post.
sounds interesting paul, a friend of mine is looking into the use of 'Greek Christian' intelligence officers in the Ottoman empire service, used against the british and commonwealth forces at Gallipoli
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Back from 18 days in Plakias ... and not really arrived here yet ...
There is a new book about Plakias which is availlable in several Supermarkets: "Ο Πλακιάς του χθες" by Charidimos Andrea Papadakis. Loads of historic photos (b&w) from the early days of photograpy til the
beginning 80s, but mostly the 50s-70s. All Greek, 15€
http://agonigrammi.wordpress.com/ (http://agonigrammi.wordpress.com/)
shinaria
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On the subject of books, are there any tavernas or bars that have a book-swap facility?
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On the subject of books, are there any tavernas or bars that have a book-swap facility?
You'll tend to find that most apartments will have a shelf or something where you can swop books Paul, usually in their reception area or near the main entrance. I know Dave and Ali were doing it for a while so maybe some of the other supermarkets are doing the same. But there is a library on the road to the youth hostel that is evidently quite good. Most common languages are available.
george...
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Nothing to do with Plakias (or Greece) but on my last holiday I read "Zimmer Men" and really enjoyed it and feel anybody who likes cricket would as well!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/aug/1...eisure.features (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/aug/14/sportandleisure.features)
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Kostas Chrysoulla have a bookcase in the bar where people leave them when they go home if that's any help
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I loved The Island too.
I went to Spinalonga in 1986 and I think it''s the most eerie place I've ever been, I had an overwhelming feeling of sadness while there.
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On the subject of books, are there any tavernas or bars that have a book-swap facility?
Information here (http://forums.plakias.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=1149&view=findpost&p=10399) about the library.
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[Information here ([url]http://forums.plakias.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=1149&view=findpost&p=10399[/url]) about the library.
Thanks very much. I had not found that thread; I thought I had seen some reference to a library closing, so it is good to know that it is up and running. Problem (how many books to bring with me) solved!
Paul B
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"Angels & Demons" were not in the Morpheas' library so instead I'm reading "A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian" by Marina Lewycka. Not "funny" as The Times described it but poignant and sad.
Noopsy
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"Angels & Demons" were not in the Morpheas' library so instead I'm reading "A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian" by Marina Lewycka. Not "funny" as The Times described it but poignant and sad.
Noopsy
I didn't find it very funny either but I suspect "funny" is a very personal reaction! (With which I often disagree).
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"Angels & Demons" were not in the Morpheas' library so instead I'm reading "A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian" by Marina Lewycka. Not "funny" as The Times described it but poignant and sad.
Noopsy
I read that a few years ago Noops, Freddie stopped by while I was reading it on the beach and exclaimed 'TRACTORS!!!!!'
I enjoyed the book though!
george...