Merry Generic Winter Day-Off With No Religious Content

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Here's an actual fashion question:

Since time immemorial, or at least for the last several years, I have worn Abboud suits and Nordstrom shirts. I've been thinking about trying some different shirts -- Brooks Bros.? Tyrwhitt? Pink? I'm open to suggestions here -- but want to make sure the cut of the shirt doesn't look odd with the cut of the Abboud suits. Thoughts?

Pinks tend to be slimmer in cut. Tyrwhitts are not. Pink also makes a slim cut line, but I don't think they have a whole lot of patterns for it yet. Pinks are great because they last forever. I've had some for five years.

Do not waste money on Pink ties, however. They are overpriced crap. Tyrwhitt, OTOH, is crazy underpriced in its ties, which are of a far better quality (I think) than Pink. Caveat: I like thicker ties because I'm over 6' (non-internet) and tend to wear my pants a little low, and wear the ties hanging with the tip just over the bottom of the belt. I need a lot of fabric and thick weave to get a respectably sized knot. YMMV... Some folks say Tyrwhitt ties are too bulky.

I never owned an Abboud suit, but Pinks work perfectly with Hickeys, Zegnas and Canalis.

Originally posted by barely_legal
Crap, I realized after posting this that I've already read Never Let Me Go. You are right, it was good. What other books can you recommend by that author?

Hank may have replied to this already, but I wouldn't know since I have him on ignore. But his taste in novels is as good as his nose for convenient junior high school bathrooms, because Ishiguro is brilliant. If you ever want to break the 500-page barrier you should try The Unconsoled.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Pretty Little Flower
They tuck.

And tape.

[robustpuppy]

I don't know if this is up barely's alley, but the most recent book that I read and could not put down was The Red Tent. It's a recasting of the biblical story of Dinah, but it's really about the relationships between women. I would hardly describe it as chick lit, but am sure it would resonate with women more than men. I loved it, it made me wish I'd had 4 mothers and a whole bunch of sisters. Probably in the 500 page range, though.

Amazon linky: http://www.amazon.com/Red-Tent-Anita...e=UTF8&s=books

And don't miss this gem of a review:

"I think historical fiction is taking an actual event,time, etc. in history and making up a person, people, etc. who may actually have lived in those times. The fashion now is to take history and make up your own facts and people. The problem is that there are lots of people out there who take these historical novels as the truth. But the Bible actually was written about people who actually existed and tells their stories and about the Chosen People, God, etc. I actually have a problem with making up people who didn't exist or have biblical figures do things that aren't in the Bible. You know, it isn't called the Holy Bible, the Gospel, the Truth, etc. for nothing."

[nononono]

Originally posted by barely_legal
I have read some of the Colin Dexter novels, but I've read them out of order so I get kind of confused. Is there a website where you can find out what order these series that have been around for decades should be read in?

I've read the Ladies Detective Agency novels by Smith -- are the 44 Scotland Street series similar in style? They aren't very substantive mystery-wise, but the characters are well-written and interesting and they are easy to read and enjoy.

eta: after writing this, I checked out the blog that Anne posted and apparently it lists the authors' books in chron order. That looks very helpful.

For my holiday flight reading this season, I read James Ellroy's Black Dahlia. Good, easy, noir-mysteryish. I also read a really really stupid book called The Psycho Ex Game, which I do not recommend. I am about to start The Corrections, which comes to me highly recommended.

Oh, and for light mystery reading, I recommend Monkeewrench by PJ Lambrecht and Traci Lambrecht (mother-daughter writing team). Here's an article on a later book of theirs:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/book...run/index.html

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by barely_legal
Ok, I'll give it a shot.

Anne, thanks for your recs too. you are all very very helpful, as usual.

Crap, I realized after posting this that I've already read Never Let Me Go. You are right, it was good. What other books can you recommend by that author?

Remains of the Day is the single best novel ever. The movie makes it seem very Merchant/Ivory but the novel is not. His other books get a bit surreal.

[Anne Elk]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
I also like Walter Mosely.

I would also recommend Colin Dexter, creator of Inspector Morse. Not sure if anyone has mentioned him.

I'm currently running through these on Netflix. Love them. Haven't read the books though. I also like the Cadfael series, but that may be because I have a crush on Derek Jacobi.

RT - did you ever run into Morse in the pubs of Oxford?

[barely_legal]

Originally posted by nononono
For my holiday flight reading this season, I read James Ellroy's Black Dahlia. Good, easy, noir-mysteryish. I also read a really really stupid book called The Psycho Ex Game, which I do not recommend. I am about to start The Corrections, which comes to me highly recommended.

Oh, and for light mystery reading, I recommend Monkeewrench by PJ Lambrecht and Traci Lambrecht (mother-daughter writing team). Here's an article on a later book of theirs:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/book...run/index.html

I may have to respectfully delegate you to the NotBob corner for book recommendations. I really didn't enjoy Black Dahlia and I hated The Corrections. In fact, I think The Corrections is why I refuse to read books recommended by NotBob anymore.

But Oprah loved it and it was a major bestseller, so I am clearly in the minority on that one.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Remains of the Day is the single best novel ever. The movie makes it seem very Merchant/Ivory but the novel is not. His other books get a bit surreal.

Are you saying the movie makes the novel seem like a movie?

Originally posted by robustpuppy
Are you saying the movie makes the novel seem like a movie?

Nice edit. The first version was too cruel, even for you.

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I hear Murakami has a new book coming out this summer, if you're into that sort of thing, which I am.

For additional inspiration, see this list of the top 75 unread books of 2006.

I just ordered a book on that 75 list. The Trick is to Keep Breathing by Janice Galloway. Is it wrong to pick out a book and read it primarily because you love the Garbage song that uses the same title? Actually the amazon reviews make it sound like something right up my alley.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by barely_legal
I may have to respectfully delegate you to the NotBob corner for book recommendations. I really didn't enjoy Black Dahlia and I hated The Corrections. In fact, I think The Corrections is why I refuse to read books recommended by NotBob anymore.

But Oprah loved it and it was a major bestseller, so I am clearly in the minority on that one.

2 (is the minimum size of minority we are in). Though the plot line about the father could have become a wonderful story or novel if 85% of the book had been pared away.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
Are you saying the movie makes the novel seem like a movie?

Try again?

• Remains of the Day is by the same author, and may be the single best novel ever. They made a movie of it and if you have seen the movie you might have the wrong impression. The movie makes the story seem very Merchant/Ivory but the novel is not. His other books get a bit surreal.

and let's all also have a truce on the comparing each other to PPNYC as well, okay? that 2 for me this week alone.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Anne Elk
I'm currently running through these on Netflix. Love them. Haven't read the books though. I also like the Cadfael series, but that may be because I have a crush on Derek Jacobi.

RT - did you ever run into Morse in the pubs of Oxford?

My memory of the pubs of Oxford is a bit hazy. Hell, my memory of in general Oxford is hazy. I'm surprised I didn't end up going straight to rehab afterwards. Though law school probably was about as much fun as rehab.

Barely, I read a ton of mysteries too (though I don't read nearly as much as you do, it looks like) and P.D. James has always been a favorite. I agree that Martha Grimes is not nearly as good as she used to be, and I agree that the Cat Who... books are crap.

Try Ian Rankin. Police procedural/mysteries set in Edinburgh, with one consistent detective (John Rebus) who's very interesting. Start with the beginning novels, which are a ways back. Not sure of the first one -- maybe Knots and Crosses or Hide and Seek, around there.