Fair enough - I wasn't really paying attention to who did what, and basically just pinned it on the - to me - most obvious name. But it's hard to argue he wouldn't have had the clout to at least prevent the worst of it had he wanted - or realised the need - to do so.

I enjoyed it a lot while I was watching it, at least until it became clear that someone was going to have to holler "Kaaaaaahhhhnnnn!" and Abrams was really pleased with himself for getting that in. My deep hatred of it comes from how terribly it all falls apart the second you start thinking about it - the whole thing…

I'm supposed to be putting together a photobook for an evening class I'm taking. I have several ideas… *makes vague gesture, goes back to playing Solitaire*

What's with the "intentionally bad" stuff? I mean, what's the idea behind setting out to write an intentionally bad play?

Have a short summary paragraph at the top, followed by a more in-depth article? That way, people with short and long attention spans both get what they want. And you get to write the in-depth thing, which is what you want.

I get why someone might not.

Same here. There's a sort of sediment consisting of books I couldn't get into but thought I might get back to someday, and a few that I've never really been in the mood for and which have been there so long I don't even see them anymore when scanning it for the next read. One of these days I'm going to have a…

Fatal flaw in that plan: surely you wouldn't lend out your signed-by-the-author first edition copy saying "To Mustache_Cat, something illegible, weird squiggle, The Author"? I wouldn't. But then maybe that's why I have no-one to go to such things with.

The Sarah Waters (The Paying Guests, on your recommendation) is in the Amazon package with Slade House. GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER, AMAZON.

I'm confused. Are you and your Date You Dragged Along supposed to share the one book, or are they assuming that you might be able to find a date, but you certainly won't find one who shares your sad-sack literary interests?

Can't speak for ElDan, but for myself I'd have said "quietly heartbroken". So sad-sad, I guess.

I've read that (liked it).

Do it! I'm an inveterate loner myself, and really enjoy going to such things on my own (not that I have much of a choice, but still). But I'd say it'll be fine, and absolutely worth your time, even if you'd rather have someone along if you could. Plus, these things don't come round every day…

I'm glad to hear you're coping OK. Hang in there.

You get chocolate mousse. Really, really bad chocolate mousse.

Hm. I was thinking a nice, relaxing historic novel of some sort. Or Slade House, if Amazon ever pull their finger out and get it to me.

I finally finished Tigerman. It was, as is anything by Nick Harkaway, well written, had some fairly good twists towards the end, and was overall a good read, but it just wasn't quite for me. Or maybe I was just too distracted by other stuff to fully appreciate it.

I've been to a David Mitchell reading. He was charming and fun and came across as one of these people whose minds are always off on weird tangents. Which is no surprise, I guess…

Thanks! I'll stick it on the list…

So… this is worth my time? It didn't look it, particularly, from the pilot.