A Merchants Tale

Advantages: Lovely surroundings and great food
Disadvantages: The location of the toilets

...I think that you could eat out for a year in Lancaster and be able to find somewhere new to eat everyday. One place that you must not miss out on if visiting the city is the wonderful little pub that has recently changed it's name from The Merchants to Merchants 1668. Built in 1688 ( hence the name!!) the building was originally used as a wine cellar for Lancaster Castle and is part of the same building as the tourist information office. This tiny little pub is in Market Street just a stone throw away from the railway station in the road to the Castle and Priory. Set in Castle Hill opposite the main post office in Lancaster it is lovely little pub full of character and old world charm. Recently taken over by new management the Merchant offers an incredible menu of locally produced food - and fits into the Gastropub bracket...

oldchem 07.07.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of The Merchants, Lancaster

The Merchant Adventurers' Hall, York

Advantages: Lots of history
Disadvantages: Admission charges

...I have been to York many times but prior to my most recent visit I had never been to The Merchant Adventurers Hall. I had seen the signs for it but I was never too sure what it was and since its tucked away out of sight from the main thoroughfares it's a place I always forget to check out. A friend recently told me that this is a 14th century timber framed building that is the largest building of its type and age in Britain so I figured that this time around I ought to check it out. Built as a medieval guildhall in 1368 this is probably the oldest surviving building in York, although in an historical city like York there are several other places that also stake this claim. It is not to be confused with the nearby Merchant Taylor's Hall, which was a mistake that I initially made. The Merchant Adventurers' Hall is tucked away down...

micksheff 09.06.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Merchant Adventurers' Hall, York

Travellers' Tales

Advantages: A true classic of the English language
Disadvantages: In Middle English without translation, it can be difficult to read

...he lerne, and gladly teche.' Every now and then I cannot help but re-read this part of the Prologue, for a reminder of what I'm aiming for in my own life. Many when asked indicate that the 'Tale of the Wyf of Bathe' is their favourite. It is of course no great surprise that the tale of the Wife of Bath, questioning sexual virtue and morality, would end up being a popular piece. It involves both secular and religious issues, ideas of the Virgin Mary, and the place of women in society generally. Chaucer was son of a wine merchant, something near and dear to my heart. Chaucer was well-read, well-phrased, well-mannered, industrious in literary and legal/administrative pursuits, as I trust I will become, if not already so qualified. As one can see from the above examples, English has changed much over the past 600 years, but...

frkurt 31.01.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer

Tales of Beedle the Badass

Advantages: Great for Potter fans, easy to read
Disadvantages: Not incredibly detailed as they are very short stories.

...for witchcraft and wizardry. Harry is a rather famous child having been the only Wizard to have been attacked by ?The Dark Lord?(a very bad man!) and lived to tell the tale. The Good, The Bard and the Ugly The Tales of Beedle the Bard was put on the shelves in late 2008 as an offering for fans of the Harry Potter series. All of the proceeds went to the Children?s High Level Group (a charity founded by Rowling herself in 2005 to help kids living in large residential institutions). The original hand written copy sold for nearly £2-million at auction with the money going towards the same charity (though it was operating under a different name at that point). In the final instalment of the series (without ruining the story for those of you who haven?t read the Potter books) Hermione Granger (one of the main characters) inherits a book written...

ryanando 27.09.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J. K. Rowling

Arcane Tales

Advantages: Fantastical queer Tales. Evocative Descriptions of the exotic. Some Scottish Settings.
Disadvantages: Colonial high-society Biases. Fascination with Otherness. Basic Knowledge of Subjects required.

...Supernatural Tales is an anthology of short stories from the early 20th century horror writer John Buchan. Although the collection is mainly made up of those stories which have to do with strange goings-on, in my opinion a better title would be ?Arcane Tales", because most of the stories are more queer and unsettling than terrifying or even overtly fantastical, and they almost all share an emphasis on "ancient secrets". Baron Buchan the author was a British imperialist. (colonial administrator of South Africa, and governor general of Canada, anyone?) This shows through in his writing style with the tone of an old gentleman and connoisseur ? Rule Britannia! Guide the Savage- protégée and be a man! (think Rudyard Kipling's style) I?m sure this would annoy a lot of people, but I don?t care enough to argue with someone just...

dragonhelmuk 12.05.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Supernatural Tales - John Buchan

Unexpected Tales!

Advantages: great stories
Disadvantages: none

...Tales of the Unexpected was published way back in 1979. All 16 of the short stories included were were written for magazines until they were packed together in one very good book. I don't read short stories. I find that in the majority of cases they are either lacking in the necessary details or they are crammed to the brink with too many details which make it difficult to understand the ending! Hard to please I know. So basically the only reason why I even bothered to read this book was because of the author. Namely, one of my favourites! The stories included are: Taste Lamb to the Slaughter Man from the South My Lady Love, My Dove Dip in the Pool Galloping Foxley Skin Neck Nunc Dimittis The Landlady William and Mary The Way Up to Heaven Parson's Pleasure Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat Royal...

crezzie 04.03.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Tales of the Unexpected - Roald Dahl

'Merchant' shows Will power

Advantages: Great story; fine acting from main characters
Disadvantages: Modern viewers may find Anti-Semitism disturbing

...***This opinion reveals major details about the film's plot, but they can be avoided.*** The time Mid to late 16th century. There is tension between the Jews and the Christians. The Jews can lend money and demand interest; the Christians cannot. The place Venice, place of barges, canals and far more water than modern viewers will be used to; also home to a gaggle of bare-breasted prostitutes who appear occasionally The players Antonio, the merchant after whom the play and film are named: Jeremy Irons His protégé, Bassanio: Joseph Fiennes Bassanio's friend Gratiano: Kris Marshall Lorenzo, another member of Bassanio's retinue: Charlie Cox Shylock, a Jewish moneylender: played magnificently by Al Pacino Portia, Bassanio's love interest: Lynn Collins Nerissa, Portia's maid: Heather Goldenhersh Jessica, Shylock's daughter...

rappinhood 05.08.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of The Merchant Of Venice (DVD)

Arctic Tale

Advantages: Learn about polar bears in the arctic
Disadvantages: graphics arent very good and things to do are limited

...I would recommend this game to younger children. Its a very basic and easy to use game which learns you how polar bears live in the arctic. Arctic Tale the game gives you an insight into what the games about on one of the first pages. It says;- 'Our story starts in the shadow of Snow Mountain. In this unforgiving land, many challenges face the young Arctic animals during the early years of their lives'. I started to play the game, on the top screen on the left there is a large red heart which next to it says 3 and there is a message in the middle which says ' Each time you emerge from the den your strength and bravery will increase. Today for the first time, you will explore beyond the confines of Snow Mountain!' On the bottom screen there are two polar bears in the snow, a mother and a baby. You play as the baby polar bear...

Danii_Wilson01 18.06.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Arctic Tale (Nintendo DS)

Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

Advantages: First rate entertainment
Disadvantages: Not a single one!

..., The Knight's tale, The Wife of Bath's tale, The Merchant's Tale, The Pardoner's tale and the Franklin's tale. All are extremely entertaining. Some are amusing, some are moving, and some are both amusing and moving. There are tales of chivalrous Knights, of chivalrous alchemists, of drunken students and of fast friends who become dangerous and deadly foes. Amongst my favourite tales is that of Chanticleer and Pertelote. Chanticleer is a proud cock and Pertolete the love of his life. Along with the other six ladies in his harem, of course! Both Chanticleer, Pertelote and a fox learn several valuable lessons. There is also a written biography of Geoffrey Chaucer on the DVD. I feel it would have been preferable to have had this read by the actors who appeared on the DVD, but that is a minor quibble as this is probably one of the best films I...

Martinscholes 12.10.2005 (13.10.2005) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Canterbury Tales (Animated) (DVD)

A Bronx Tale Review

Advantages: Characters.
Disadvantages: Subplot a little underdeveloped.

...Having watched Robert De Niro's directorial debut for the first time since its 1993 release, I have to be honest and say that my initial reactions are mixed. Don't get me wrong, I did really enjoy The Bronx Tale for its ambition in tackling various themes of family, trust, anti-racism, and love. Though, at times, it did feel as if the movie was more impressive on the ideas front, rather than the actual execution. The story concerns working-class bus driver Lorenzo Anello (De Niro) and his son Calogero. "C", for short, soon witnesses a murder committed by local gangster Sonny (Chazz Palminteri), and is asked to identify the killer by the police. But, he doesn't and Sonny walks free, which prompts a developing relationship between the two, with Sonny treating C as if he was his own son (much to the dismay of C's own Father). A Bronx...

andycarrington 12.06.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of A Bronx Tale (DVD)