New pics announced, and a book finished

Just added a couple more pictures onto my pix.ie profile, taken this evening - go have a look and laugh!

Also, today I finished Asne Seierstad's One Hundred and One Days. This book was written by a journalist corresponding for Scandinavian press and media from Baghdad during the US attacks in the early 2000's, and gives a very close view of life in a city under attack, as well as the other bureaucratic and propagandist trials and tribulations of being a journalist in Iraq. Well written and compelling, worth a read.

It highlights the frustration that journalists encounter, and the realities of life for reporters working in a warzone outside the 4 or 5 minute report that we watch at 6pm in our cosy sitting room world.

I recently finished a couple of books. Not at the same time, that would be confusing, but within the last couple of weeks.

One was Daemon, a techno-thriller by a chap called Leinad Zeraus. I never had heard of him before, but judging by the ending there's probably another book either out there already, or on the way shortly. This was very enjoyable. I don't know how to describe the plot, so Ill tell you briefly what happens. A games developer dies. Strange things start to happen - like deaths and that. Turns out, the games developer had left a set of instructions on some computers about causing some mischief and mayhem after his (admittedly early) death.

It's believable far-fetched, or would it be fairer to say far-fetchedly believable? Anyway, it'll take more than AVG antivirus to solve this problem! Highly recommended.

The other book will be mentioned shortly. Today we were in Stradbally for the steam rally. Not as good as 2006, but maybe it's cos we'd seen it before. Beer 2 is bubbling away nicely...

Oh, I totally forgot and had to come back - we had some beautiful icecream at Stradbally. Rossmore home-made icecream. Delicious, creamy, and better value than a 99. I had chocolate and hazelnut (which was really tasty without being overpoweringly chocolatey) and toffee, while M had vanilla and honeycomb (which was really nice, not too sweet!). I can't link to them cos they don't got no website!

Further edit - this from laoisfoods.com,and more from the Kilkenny People from some time or other "The ice cream factory set up at Rossmore, Rathdowney by Aubrey and Rebecca Stanley is now up and running. Trading under Rossmore Farm House Ice cream it is a family enterprise. They have their refrigerated van and sell on Fridays to the Farmer's Market, Portlaoise and on Saturdays to the market in Thurles.Anyone can call to the factory and purchase ice cream."

Am decking

Not blogging.
A Bookcrossing book was released by I in Maynooth, it was taken but has not yet been registered...

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas has been finished and is a very powerful book. I shan't say anything more on it, to be honest anything I'd say might well ruin it. Would be happy to discuss it more privately if anyone wants to hear anything more about it. Other than that, it's not to be spoilt so....just read it if you want to read a book that leaves an impression.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman has also been completed recently. Very well written, NG must have put serious effort into research into this book. It's almost fantasy, but based in modernish America, where there's a war of will, or a war of worship being waged between the old pagan gods brought over by settlers (Norse gods, Gaelic gods and so on) and the new gods (materialism, television, you get the picture). I felt the book didn't quite have the climax it seemed to be building to, but I certainly enjoyed reading it. Put it in the "better than most" recommendation pile.

Was there something else....oh yes - Iain Banks' "The Steep Approach to Garbadale." Garbadale is the climactic setting for this part family saga, part forbidden love story set in Scotland. The family saga is to do with whether or not the family, which owns the rights to a seriously successful board game, is prepared to sell said game to a multinational for a serious amount of money. The forbidden love, well I try not to give too much away in this blog but it's a difficult story between cousins. As you're used to me saying, Banks is a fantastic writer and evokes great conversations and characters. As you're used to me saying, I thoroughly enjoyed this 'un too!

I bid you goodnight, as I return to the gradual onset of muscle fatigue. This better be worth it!

Terry Pratchett. A brief Appreciation

I like Terry Pratchett. Well, I like his writing. It's funny. I just finished "Thud" and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It doesn't matter what the story is, to be honest, I unconditionally recommend it. Even if you don't like reading. But if you don't like reading, you won't be reading this, so my recommendation is in a sense compromised. Hmmm. Anyway, Thud is gud. Read it and enjoy it.

Also good are such meals as Shepherd's Pie. We ran over a shepherd earlier, and M said - well, that's dinner sorted.

Weekends feel a little longer when you go out on a Friday night, but Saturday can suffer. Yay back to work tomorrow. Catch you guys soon.