tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post6151533120281356107..comments2024-03-25T11:29:25.356-04:00Comments on Existential Ennui: Game Without Rules (Hodder & Stoughton, 1968) by Michael Gilbert: Book Review, plus Mr Calder and Mr Behrens (Hodder, 1982)Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-3553110331182078982013-10-09T11:25:20.108-04:002013-10-09T11:25:20.108-04:00I still haven't read the second Calder and Beh...I still haven't read the second Calder and Behrens collection, so I may shuffle that up the to-read pile ahead of After the Fine Weather. And well done on scoring a US first of Game Without Rules. Nice jacket on that, plus it predates the UK first.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-55149245347542962842013-10-07T21:35:32.285-04:002013-10-07T21:35:32.285-04:00I bought Game Without Rules (a very nice American ...I bought Game Without Rules (a very nice American first edition for a very low price) after it came in at number two on your year end list but didn't get around to starting it until last weekend (prompted by seeing your lovely cover of After the Fine Weather). I can't believe I waited so long to try it - it is fantastic. And now I am completely obsessed with finding copies of all his books. <br /><br />And another item - now that I have a dog, I seem to love all things dog-related (or else this is a symptom of me starting to lose my mind). After reading GWR, I am now trying to figure out a way to get a Persian deerhound of my own, just like Rasselas.<br /><br />More Michael Gilbert, please!Book Gluttonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14569975755798562829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-71476673521882538942012-12-31T07:55:15.867-05:002012-12-31T07:55:15.867-05:00How did I miss you reading a Michael Gilbert!? I&...How did I miss you reading a Michael Gilbert!? I'm glad you enjoyed it (otherwise I would have had to raise my left hand slightly).<br /><br />And a belated congratulations!OlmanFeelyushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17521657876810568251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-59794260807857386422012-02-06T16:07:36.115-05:002012-02-06T16:07:36.115-05:00Ha, thanks Kelly. Those better not've been fir...Ha, thanks Kelly. Those better not've been first editions of Danielle Steel novels, though...Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-76747063753854521232012-02-04T23:24:42.744-05:002012-02-04T23:24:42.744-05:00Happy Blog Birthday! *Throwing streamers made from...Happy Blog Birthday! *Throwing streamers made from cut-up copies of Danielle Steel novels*Kelly Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01752857506190488860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-63657290825668432992012-02-04T06:38:11.921-05:002012-02-04T06:38:11.921-05:00Well thank you for your kind words, Anonymous, and...Well thank you for your kind words, Anonymous, and for your Forster info. The misspelling of Compress was the AbeBooks seller's, not mine, but again, the additional info is welcome.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-65798084579890403622012-02-03T16:51:21.604-05:002012-02-03T16:51:21.604-05:00Nick Jones: You say that you hate a lot of the stu...Nick Jones: You say that you hate a lot of the stuff you write.<br /><br />You may be the only one.<br /><br />"Shakespeare Head Conpress [sic!] Printing (whatever the hell that is)"<br /><br />Shakespeare Head was the name of a publishing firm founded in 1904.<br /><br />http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/teach/privatepress/shakespeare.html<br /><br />The Shakespeare Head Press owned Compress [with an m, not an n] Printing Ltd.<br /><br />BTW, I'm the anonymous poster who dug up the Klim Forster info for you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-10767743567840660042012-02-03T04:50:40.441-05:002012-02-03T04:50:40.441-05:00Oi, Reynolds: you callin' me a fackin' wan...Oi, Reynolds: you callin' me a fackin' wanker? Oh, no, wait, you're calling yourself a wanker. That's fine, then! By the way, odd coincidence that both our anniversaries are on the same day...<br /><br />Luke, I'm sure there are plenty of folk who read The Greasy Spoon (me among them), and I know EE has a decent audience now, certainly bigger than most other books blogs. But to be honest, I was perfectly fine when it was just me, Olman and Book Glutton reading EE. More than anything else, EE is a way for me to keep my hand in with the writing; I wrote for a living in the 1990s (music journalism mostly), but as I moved into more editorial roles I had fewer opportunities to write. Making myself write for EE helps redress that balance, but the downside of that is I hate a lot of the stuff I write!Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-86047932557610975822012-02-02T23:43:39.893-05:002012-02-02T23:43:39.893-05:00Happy anniversary! Obviously, there are one or two...Happy anniversary! Obviously, there are one or two of us wankers out there who find some value in your prattling on and on about whatnot and wheresoforth.<br /><br />(I've always been lousy at imitating accents and dialects.)Trenthttp://violentworldofparker.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-41777181765532893082012-02-02T12:00:18.861-05:002012-02-02T12:00:18.861-05:00Yup, I feel the same way about The Greasy Spoon. ...Yup, I feel the same way about The Greasy Spoon. I'm often thinking "is there anyone out there actually reading the blasted thing?" <br /><br />You're getting all these "hits", but these could easily be internet surfers in the Mid West- on your page for a third of a second- and then on to the next one; or even worse some form of automatic Big Brother internet computer corporation techy skimmer thing- I've often wondered why I get so many hits from Seattle...Lukehttp://www.lukehoney.typepad.com/the_greasy_spoon/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-61895559756182550982012-02-02T07:28:10.950-05:002012-02-02T07:28:10.950-05:00Luke, Jessica, John: thank you all for the congrat...Luke, Jessica, John: thank you all for the congrats – even though it's only technically EE's birthday (maybe I should instigate an "official" birthday too, like the Queen).<br /><br />Re the "pompous, pretentious" thing, that was written in jest... mostly. Truth is, while half the time I enjoy enthusing about the books I love, the other half I annoy the living daylights out of myself. My "style" frequently infuriates me, my "research" is often perfunctory, and there are days when I just feel like deleting the whole bloody blog. Mind you, I guess that's probably true for most bloggers. Or maybe it isn't. Who the hell knows.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-34906977754641598542012-02-01T21:33:30.100-05:002012-02-01T21:33:30.100-05:00Many happy page loads of the day and then some. An...Many happy page loads of the day and then some. And your blog isn't even showing any frown lines for such an oldster. Very nice.<br /><br />I agree with Luke: not at all pompous or pretentious. When I'm not adding names to my list of "Check Out These Writers" I'm usually envying your impressive book collection and the shops in your country. Keep up the enlightening posts!J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-91601547372295168292012-02-01T17:40:29.547-05:002012-02-01T17:40:29.547-05:00happy sort-of blog-o-versary! ;) lol. I posted a b...happy sort-of blog-o-versary! ;) lol. I posted a blurb about you today on my blog: http://authorjess.blogspot.com/2012/02/whats-up-wednesday-trip-around.htmlJessica L Buike (AuthorJess and Operation Relax)https://www.blogger.com/profile/06975884899298324993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-14842098800643799742012-02-01T14:44:10.111-05:002012-02-01T14:44:10.111-05:00You're too hard on yourself. Why do you think...You're too hard on yourself. Why do you think EE is pompous and pretentious? I've learnt much from your blog over the last year or so. Well done that Man!Lukehttp://www.lukehoney.typepad.com/the_greasy_spoon/noreply@blogger.com