Well, that's another two done and dusted. This reading lark is quicker and easier than I thought.
Last night I read Marvels. Another graphic novel that features superheroes, but who do not 'star' in the stories. Instead, the focus is on Phil Sheldon, a run of the mill homo-sapien news photographer. The book spans his career, from the 1940s to the 1970s as he takes pictures of various Marvel superheroes (and some supervillains) as they go about their superheroing and how they affect the ordinary people around them. The original Human Torch, Prince Namor, the SubMariner and Captain America feature first, followed by the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Galactus, the X-Men and Spiderman.
The story, charaterisation and artwork is extraordinary! It really made me feel like I was there in the 40s, 60s and 70s.
The second book was an actual book! The Carpet People by the Terry Pratchetts - Yes, both of them. The 17 year old one and the 43 year old one - If you don't believe me, click here.
I picked it up after lunch and had finished it just before tea (the late afternoon/early evening meal, not the hot drink). Just goes to show how gripping it is!
The cover image is from the original 17 year old Terry Pratchett's book - Which he illustrated himself! The book I have is the one featured in the wikipedia link up there (if you'd bothered to click).
FYI: It didn't rain this morning so I got those hostas repotted.
so, you are not reporting upon a hostas taking incident? heh heh.
ReplyDeleteObsessive reading is something I understand. Notice I hardly blogged last year? Well, that might have been due to the 250 or so books I managed to squeeze in.
I heard that Terry Pratchett is very ill...early onset Alzheimers. What a shame, he's a great writer.
Those hostas had almost escaped confinement on their own, they were so pot bound!
ReplyDelete250 or so?! It seems I have some way to go to catch you up, KG.
As for Terry Pratchett: Yes, I've only recently found out about his Alzheimer's. But did you also know that he suffered a mild stroke, resulting in the ability to recall the lyrics of advertising jingles from 40 years ago and the inability to knot a tie?
I used to be an avid book reader as a teenager.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read a book in almost 5 years.
I blame the interweb.
It is very distracting, isn't it Piggy. What kind of books did you read?
ReplyDeleteI didn't read much last year because of bloody addictive Sudoku!
Marvels is good, from what I remember. But what do you mean it made you feel like you were there in the 40s, 60s, and 70s - you were!
ReplyDeleteMarvels was set in the 20th century, not the 17th!
ReplyDeleteThat looks like an awesome Marvel on up there. Might have to check it out. Who's the bird man?
ReplyDeleteI love books, I spend way too much time reading them when I should be doing other things.
ReplyDeleteT-Bird: The birdman is Angel in his 60s style X-Men uniform. He's dreamy!
ReplyDeleteDinah: But they're such a good form of procrastination!
I completely agree. Lovely and dreamy.
ReplyDeleteYou know who else is dreamy? Cillian Murphy. I just watched Breakfast on Pluto. Super number one!
Reading? At least I posted about about sperm banks....
ReplyDeleteT-Bird: I haven't seen BoP (too lazy to write the full title. Although I might as well have done because it's a lot shorter than all this parenthesised* rubbish) but he is kind of dreamy in an unusual way in Sunshine.
ReplyDelete* Is that even a word, or am I making things up again?
Dora: I'd almost forgotten you! Although the horror of that sperm bank post was nearly enough to make me wish I had.
If you liked Marvels, IDV, you should check out the Marvel Comic Alias, which follows the fortunes of a very minor member of The Avengers (and isn't that TV series featuring the leggy bird). But then, you may have already, in which case feel free to ignore me.
ReplyDelete* gasp *
ReplyDeleteYou're... You're alive, Wyndham!
I haven't checked it out - I will now, though. Thank you!
Lovely
ReplyDeleteI was given two ring binders with law stuff to read before Tuesday
Yours sounds a lot more entertaining
If too much time on Wiki serves me well, the leggy bird on the Avengers is an 18-year-old Whatshername, her what played Pats. Highly rootable IMHO.
ReplyDeleteJoanna Lumley?
ReplyDeleteRoot away Spike. Root away!