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24th October 2006, 11:31 PM
On a lighter note... whats gripped you in the book department?
Currently (with the sad death of Eric Newby) I am reading A short walk in the Hindu Kush, to be followed with his classic Love and War in the Appenines.
Ah... British bumbling adventure at its best.... my fave line in Short walk...On seeing them up a mountain blowing up air mattresses.. (remember we are around 16000ft up.........)
"You pansies..." then off he walks.. leaving them slack jawed... classic!
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
For really I think that the poorest he that is in England hath a life to live, as the greatest he
Thomas Rainborough 1647
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25th October 2006, 09:14 AM
Razzle and Sunday Sport}
Close enough for a country job!
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25th October 2006, 12:30 PM
If you're having a Newby fest, don't miss out 'Round Ireland in Low Gear' - cracking read and he visits loads of archaeological sites too. The pansies comment was from Wilfred Thesiger - proper old school Victorian relic of an explorer - standards have slipped a bit since his day... But the best Afghan travelogue has to be Robert Byron's 'The Road to Oxiana' - Classic. For modern - Rory Stewarts' 'The Places in Between' - a solo walk across the mountains to Kabul in January 2002 in the immediate aftermath of the 'War'. Sorry, bit of an armchair traveller...[8D]
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25th October 2006, 12:33 PM
sigh !
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
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25th October 2006, 12:59 PM
I've been reading 'Archaeology From the Earth' by Mortimer Wheeler; a cracking book. I've a few old classics lined up for after that.
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25th October 2006, 02:01 PM
I've been reading Newby's 'Journey round the Mediterranean'. He starts at Naples and goes round clockwise. Hadn't heard he was dead though.
About Thesiger's comment, frankly, its a bit rich coming from him!
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25th October 2006, 02:03 PM
Oh no - I did not know that Eric Newby had died - that will plunge my house into mourning. Great man.
Currently reading 'A history of the Arab peoples' by Albert Hourani. Also spending some time with my old student textbooks about Vikings, to get shiny pictures for my neice's school project about them.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished
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25th October 2006, 02:14 PM
Soft git that I am... I had a tear in my eye when I read his obit. worse when I was that Wanda (his wife) survives him... after nearly 60 years of marraige.... ... comes to us all though... and what his books taught me... live beyond your expectations...
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
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25th October 2006, 04:37 PM
Bill Brysons 'A Short History of nearly everthing'. It actually makes physics understandable and interesting, and I am nearly at the dinosaurs - v v exciting!!
the future's bright; the future's trowel shaped
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25th October 2006, 04:52 PM
Viz and a geology book
