While in Canberra recently, perhaps it was more a sense of “home-coming” (well, it was my home for about 4 years after all??), I did not end up buying any ‘speciality’ souvenirs there before returning to Singapore. Actually, I have never really been fond of buying souvenirs even on my previous trips – mostly postcards in fact, and perhaps a booklet here or here!?
However, on this trip I did come away with an almost overflowing bag! Why? I bought the following books:
Just finished reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) over the Christmas/New Year break (partly spent in Australia). Without giving too much away, just let me say that Book 6 will not be the last and there are many shocking surprises in store! Things are definitely getting more interesting and action-packed as we see a slowly maturing Potter taking matters into his own hands…
Watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, with some friends about two weeks ago. It was quite enjoyable, I must admit. The plot is getting more intricate and children’s-story feel is definitely much less for this episode.
Now, while the long wait between movie releases has been worth it in my opinion, I am nevertheless getting rather impatient to find out what happens next (given the annual release cycle for the movies). So, I did what any intelligent person would do under the circumstances, and sought out the print version, which is up to Book 6 by the way. 🙂
I immediately started with Book 5 – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – and I am about 1/3 of the way through now. The story is getting very interesting now and I can see why it is so appealing beyond its original intended audience of teenagers/young adults. The story is reasonably uncomplicated for an adult novel (good vs. evil, rising to great heights despite early hardship, prophecy and the destiny of a “chosen one”, etc.), and the setting is a world where magic and the “real world” co-exist side by side. At the same time, for Book 5, there is the usual teenager’s growing pains concerning loyalty and discovering the opposite sex. Sure, not your typical sophisticated thematic fiction, but I think it is unexpectedly entertaining so far.
Bought these two books recently. Initially bought one but because currently running into some issues on CSS dropdown menus and happened to see that the second book covers this. Very good source of reference. Clear and hands-on approach. However, only gripes is that no detailed discussion on font-size selection, in particular advice on choices for resolution-independent fonts.
Just want to leave a quick update about the Left Behind series. I had started on the final book of the series, Glorious Appearing or Book 12 in the series, about 4-5 months ago and was probably a third of the way into it when I stopped. Guess the thought of the ‘final victory’ made the ending kind of predictable – as would all who is familiar with the Bible!? Have not really managed to get beyond the battle in Jerusalem, but will probably get back to it after I finish Ender 6.
Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén