Saturday TeaRoom 1/10/09 Good reads?

[Chip]

The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe gets very good reviews, but it didn't quite strike home with me. I have still to find any book in the fantasy genre to rival The Lord of the Rings. I doubt I ever will.

Agreed. I am reading some C.S. Lewis's trilogy that seems thin by comparison to Tolkien's trilogy. Also trying to get into Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass series, and always seem to have something Tolkien close by. Currently amusing myself with the Hobbit, again.

I have a bunch of books relating to China and Japan that I really need to do more than look at the purty pictures.

I love to cook, have a lot of very interesting cookbooks that I want to semi study. My problem is, I always try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to cooking, hmmm, and tea actually, rarely taking an author's word for gospel or direction.

[Cinnabar Red]

Currently reading several books:

Occasional reference:
The Digital Photography Book
A Glossary of Chinese Puerh Tea(first Edition) by Cham Kam Pong
The Violin Makers of the Guarneri Family

Serious reading:
"Through a Glass Darkly" by Donna Leon, a mystery starring the Commisario Guido Brunetti. Takes place in Venice

This mornings tea: 2004 Liming Yue Chen Yue Xiang Puerh Cake. Hope I brew it better than last time

[Ron Gilmour]

Currently reading Our Mutual Friend by Dickens as well as the first volume of Janet Browne's Charles Darwin: a Biography. Darwin's 200th birthday is coming up next month, so I'm trying to get into the spirit of things. I'm also taking a salutary dose of Strunk & White's Elements of Style, as I fear that my writing has gotten sloppy of late.

I'm enjoying a wonderfully vibrant and fruity Ceylon on a lazy Saturday morning.

Hope everyone is having a great day!

[Chip]

Started the TeaDay with Yabe Supreme from Japanese Green Tea Shop, great sencha! SweeTEA agreed, Gandalf, Koi and Wulong were just curious of the proceedings.

Thanks to Chip for the chance to taste this lovely gyo.


BTW, Chip, I finally broke down and ordered two more of those cute toin travel sets you have.

You are quite welcome, it is always fun to share exciting teas. When I see your series of photos on this tea in the travel pot I also own, it is like deja vu all over again.

Gyoku Hou from O-Cha troubled me a bit at first attempt, but after I tamed it, it really sang! I wish I had more.

I am going out on a limb and guessing you got the one white and the one celadon travel set, might be wrong on the second one though. Which did you get? I probably have both.

[Riene]

Ah, you all are reading good stuff! I am so buried at work right now that I am taking things home to do at night. I'll spend a minute or two on a book of evil Sudoku puzzles right before I go to sleep, but I haven't time to read at the moment. Maybe next week...

Yunnan Noir in my mug this morning.

[gingkoseto]

I always read >10 books at the same time and have them scattering around the place. Some I finish sooner, some more slowly. Currently the one that grabs most attention of mine is Orchid Thief. It's a very interesting book. I like the parts talking about how crazy and even "insane" people could get about orchids. I definitely see some similar traits on tea people

[Vulture]

The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe gets very good reviews, but it didn't quite strike home with me. I have still to find any book in the fantasy genre to rival The Lord of the Rings. I doubt I ever will.

Agreed. I am reading some C.S. Lewis's trilogy that seems thin by comparison to Tolkien's trilogy. Also trying to get into Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass series, and always seem to have something Tolkien close by. Currently amusing myself with the Hobbit, again.

While I agree that the story is the top true fantasy story, the writing itself wasn't the best. If you want another really good fantasy read, read Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master from Raymond E. Fiest (if you haven't already). It's my favorite fantasy book(s) to date while Treason by Orson Scott Card is my second (though its a sci-fi/fantasy blend)

And even more so my favorite story overall has to be Berserk (manga). Its just that good.

[gingkoseto]

I have been reading "La comédie humaine" (Balzac) for about three weeks.

Keemun with my breakfast to start a cold day (-10°C 14°F)

Looks like you will be occupied for a while When I was little I read a bit of Balzac and liked Victor Hugo a lot. I has been years that I haven't read these classics and really want to go back to them

[Beidao]

I am not reading ANYTHING now. Which is a great relief - I read 205 books in 2008. I studied literature in the autumn and now I just don't want to read at all for a while. Need a break!

[bi lew chun]

Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed. It's my fifth book in the Hainish Cycle, and it is sublime--an anarchist libertarian society contrasted with one not unlike a mashup of the Western world in the 17th-21st centuries through the eyes of a genius physicist on the verge of a galaxy-altering theory.

Man, sci-fi stories sound so lame when described.

[shogun89]

I have never really been into books but recently I saw a book that is called Given Up For Dead that seems very interesting to me. Might have to get it for this snowy boring season.

[Shelob]

Currently the one that grabs most attention of mine is Orchid Thief. It's a very interesting book. I like the parts talking about how crazy and even "insane" people could get about orchids. I definitely see some similar traits on tea people

I agree Gingko, definate similarities w/TeaFiends!

Currently in my cup Adagio's oolong #40

Have a FAB TeaDay Afternoon everyone

[Chip]

Yeah, orchid collectors will spend 1000's to build their orchid collection. Sounds like some tea/teaware fanatics I know.

Adagio Golden Monkey a little earlier. Sweet.

And now Chiran Supreme from O-Cha, which is definitely supreme at this price point

[Shelob]

Yeah, looks like everyone here 'collects' something whether it be tea, teaware, etc:)

And somewhat off the tea topic - speaking of collections, Chip, how much have you spent on your Geisha Cat/Cat Collection, or should that be Collective?
I truly a curious to know, just how many of these creatures do you own? Well, maybe I should say currently provide food and shelter for since we all know that catz allow us to own them, we do not have a the choice

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