tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1008954639175647714.post992658716924704101..comments2024-01-06T01:32:29.535-05:00Comments on reading avidly dot com: *The African Queen, by C.S. ForesterNancyOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12027036137062767840noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1008954639175647714.post-55725113997155162252010-05-16T12:13:40.853-04:002010-05-16T12:13:40.853-04:00You're so right about the boat itself as the t...You're so right about the boat itself as the third main character. <br><br>and the African Queen (what's left of it) is still around in Key Largo, FL!NancyOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12027036137062767840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1008954639175647714.post-83677199958353167422010-05-16T09:03:41.803-04:002010-05-16T09:03:41.803-04:00i have just read this for our reading group. i hav...i have just read this for our reading group. i have never seen the film so had no preconceived notions of it - i wouldn`t have read it on my own volition because it seems a blokey sort of book! however , i enjoyed it . i thought it was a "ripping yarn" type of adventure story, and although it mainly features two humans of the opposite sexes, and you might therefore hope it`d be romantic it was more gritty than that. in fact i think the title is more accurate -it is not called "Romance on the African Queen" ! There is so much description of the actual vessel itself that i think it is the third character . boats are given names and spoken of by sailors as if they have personalities of their own . A large number of words are devoted to dealing with the boat , mending it, feeding it with fuel, taking care not to damage it ,lots of technical stuff for the practically minded, especially sailing/engineering types. I am a land-lubber my self and going on the pond in the local park is about as far as i would venture , but i found this very educational - the boat terminology in particular struck me - i think it was a good idea to get to grips with it, or parts of the story would have been difficult to understand, or boring . i think the characters were described very much from an outside point of view , so that i didn`t identify too much with them ; thus the way it ended did not disappoint me at all - i was rather glad in fact that they didn`t actually do the deed they set out to do - they were left , as they had began, as rather innocent little people , and i am sure they did live happily ever after - or as happily as most people in real life do ! shame the boat sank !Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1008954639175647714.post-88598111317327733172010-04-08T18:42:17.513-04:002010-04-08T18:42:17.513-04:00You're not weird. Lots of people didn't ev...You're not weird. Lots of people didn't even know there was a book. LOL <br><br>What's your favorite classic film?NancyOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12027036137062767840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1008954639175647714.post-61200825625359852572010-04-08T18:39:48.767-04:002010-04-08T18:39:48.767-04:00I am so silly, do you know what? I didn't even...I am so silly, do you know what? I didn't even realize that Forrester wrote this! I am a classic movie fan and this is one of the few that I can't stand. I know, that makes me weird, but in this case, I don't think that I could stomach the book. Usually, I can separate the book from movie. That might be asking too much with this one.Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16890023141515213059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1008954639175647714.post-63533780394504411752010-04-07T09:26:05.464-04:002010-04-07T09:26:05.464-04:00Thanks for your comment. I wonder if you and I are...Thanks for your comment. I wonder if you and I are a dying breed? LOLNancyOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12027036137062767840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1008954639175647714.post-74830117277357208822010-04-07T09:15:19.065-04:002010-04-07T09:15:19.065-04:00I like reading a book and deciding for myself and ...I like reading a book and deciding for myself and try not to project an opinion based on a movie. In general, I prefer the older books rather than contemporary ones and this sounds like a fine read to me. I'm re-discovering books I meant to read long ago and haven't for one reason or another. Thanks for another good and thoughtful review.Jeannie @ Pine Cottage Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12925631590854817165noreply@blogger.com