Where are all the sadists.

Sad news... :-( I'm sorry for your dad...
I wish they get better soon...
** Big comforting hug **

Sorry to hear that :(
I hope he is at least comfortable and happy, I suppose that is all you can hope for some times...

Hello, Ragnar!

I missed your message earlier. *hello hug*

Oh dear, so did I? Where's gunny, did the drop bears get him? Maybe he forgot to put vegemite behind his ears.

Happy 100 points gunny.

A quiet night tonight.

Two random quotes:

“There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness. We must have felt what it is to die, Morrel, that we may appreciate the enjoyments of life.
Live, then, and be happy, beloved children of my heart, and never forget, that until the day God will deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is contained in these two words - 'Wait and Hope'.”
~ Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night. In their gray visions they obtain glimpses of eternity, and thrill, in waking, to find that they have been upon the verge of the great secret. In snatches, they learn something of the wisdom which is of good, and more of the mere knowledge which is of evil.”
~ Edgar Allan Poe, Complete Tales & Poems

Perhaps you should start some discussion topics so that everyone comes out of lurking ;-)

Good idea. I thought that maybe someone would pick a topic inspired from the two random quotes. Any topic suggestions?

That's okay.

So book talk it is. :-)

Have you read The Count of Monte Cristo? Do you like reading the classical books, or are you a bigger fan of more modern literature?

I got one,On the good ship Venus,by......................

I have to admit that I have not read it. I have read some German classics but to be honest I always liked the modern books more so I gave up on reading the classics since while they may be classics if I have not much fun reading them, then it is a waste of time.

I haven't read The Count of Monte Cristo but I probably should as I absolutely loved The Three Musketeers.
I'm a bit hit and miss with classical books, I would love to read more but in an attempt to read some classics I picked up Don Quixote and The Three Musketeers and while I usually finish a book in a few days if I'm reading quickly or a few weeks if I'm reading it on and off, I think I read Don Quixote for about 8 months, and only got about half way. Not sure if it was a bad translation, it's age, or just that it's a really difficult book to read, but I had to keep rereading bits to try and understand what was going on... it almost put me off reading altogether :/
But I love The Three Musketeers and have read it numerous times (and would probably class it amongst my favourite books) but I'm wary of picking up other classics in case they prove as difficult a read as Don Quixote was...

Edit: And some quotes, because why not :)

"In general, people only ask for advice," he said "that they may not follow it or if they should follow it that they may have somebody to blame for having given it".”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers

“I'm sure you're very nice, but you'd be even nicer if you went away.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers

Why do I get the feeling there is something sinister being your suggestion. :-)

It's not a bad book, though it has been a long time since I last read it. I tend to be the opposite when it comes to older books, I love older books and find it hard to find modern books that I like. I often feel the current market is swamped with books that are all just the same story. Not that there aren't many good books written by modern authors, I read just as much modern stuff as I do older stuff, but I have always loved the older works more (classical literature and up to mid 20th century).

You are right a lot of the modern book are just the same in a different disguise. That is why I really like the books by Brandon Sanderson, he has a lot of great ideas and the books are never boring or give me the feeling of being all the same.
So would be the Count of Monte Cristo a book you would recommand if I wanted to have a look at classic books again or is there something else even better for that purpose? Since it has been some years since I last read some classics I would not mind having a look at another one since tastes changes, so perhaps I would like such a book.