Should she stay or should she go!

Advantages: easy to read
Disadvantages: none

..., however never one to look a gift horse in the mouth I picked this book up at my local cardboard recycling centre, it was just sat there on the top waiting for me to pick it up! I'm really glad I did as enjoyed reading it, the book flowed very well, it was not exactly gripping (mind you are "chick lits" supposed to be gripping?) but it was an enjoyable, quite funny and easy read from start to finish. I particularly enjoyed Anna's parents, I found reading about them very funny. The characters are believable and very down to earth and it is very easy to warm to Anna and feel sorry for Adam. I feel that Eleanor Moran has done a very good job with her first novel. I would certainly read another book by Eleanor when she gets around to writing one. Has this made me want to read more "chick lits", no but I would certainly pick one up if...

paulpry118 03.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Stick or Twist - Eleanor Moran

The grass is always greener...

Advantages: Lovely easy read
Disadvantages: none

...managing a huge project at work, supporting one of her friends as she goes through the anguish of IVF and she's also childminding her godson while his mum suffers a personal tragedy. When she discovers that Adam is dating again it really is the final straw. This is Eleanor Moran's debut novel and it's a thoroughly enjoyable read. Before I had even read the first page I was laughing out loud as Anna laments that monogamy and monotony are such worryingly similar words and then proceeds to describe how her conversations with Adam are most likely to be about which sort of toilet paper they should buy. As the novel is written in the first person the reader is able to share all Anna's hopes and anxieties with her and this really draws you in to the story. I love the fact that as I read the story it feels that Anna is talking to and confiding in me...

kingfisher111 01.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Stick or Twist - Eleanor Moran

An exotic and compelling delight to savour

Advantages: Compelling, moving and beautifully detailed
Disadvantages: Takes the occasional fictional diversion from fact

..., and despite her family's desperate attempts to avert crisis Mutnodjmet can only watch in horror as the great empire of Akhenaten and Nefertiti self-destructs in a gripping and heartbreaking climax as Egypt fights back to reclaim its history. This is a brilliant piece of storytelling. It is brilliantly researched, and although some fictional liberties have been taken (acknowledged openly by the author at the end of the book) it is so well grounded in fact that it hardly matters. The family tree at the start of the book was particularly useful in keeping track of family connections and grasping difficult names. Moran has entwined all that is known about the royal court of the Heretic King, as well as historical theory and intelligent guesswork, to create a complex and riveting novel full of delicious detail that brings the exotic Ancient Egyptian...

elliepotten 17.09.2008 (05.01.2009) · Read review
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Review of Nefertiti - Michelle Moran

Cult Reading!

Advantages: Well presented and written with balanced views
Disadvantages: Not an in-depth study, though great for a quick read

...heavily doped-up slaves by their masters. The racist Klu-Klux Klan organisation is also explored, looking at the symbolism behind its rituals and aesthetics and including a rather perturbing picture of a US flag-waving KKK parade marching on Washington DC in 1925. There is also a section on Satanism, looking at the Abbey of Thelema sect of Aleister Crowly and his associated 'Magick' traditions, as well as the Church of Satan of Anton Lavey. Rather than launch into tabloid hysteria, Moran takes a balanced look at these societies, and dismisses 'Satanic Panic' views to arrive at the conclusion that Laveyian 'Satanism' is an atheistic and hedonistic system that rejects the dogmas of Christianity in favour of essentially pagan concepts of man as an animal with associated animal instincts, the overt suppression of which is deemed unhealthy. Indeed...

Burning_Darkness 28.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Secret World Of Cults - Sarah Moran

Very modern hotel in a very convenient location

Advantages: Location, rooms
Disadvantages: Availability, lack of loyalty/points scheme

...I first visited the Chiswick Moran Hotel in July 2006 when it first opened, as I'd just begun working in Brentford about a mile from the hotel and it fast became my favourite hotel in the area. Since then i've stayed there probably in excess of 150 nights over the last 2 years. The Hotel The hotel is part of a small chain owned by an Irish family which has other hotels in Central London and Dublin. As I mentioned above, the hotel itself is relatively new, having been open just over 2 years, and its taken some time and had its teething problems, but I think they've got things just about right now. Each room is very modern, with thick pile carpets, designer lamps, bright colours, and everything is very clean. There are lots of rooms designed to fit all sorts of needs, from standard double rooms, twin rooms, family rooms...

geordieg00 21.08.2008 · Read review
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Review of Chiswick Moran Hotel, Hounslow

People need things that are bad for them.

Advantages: Wity, well-observed, poetic.
Disadvantages: Not for people of a particularly happy disposition.

...Clever, honest and well-observed. This comedic gem comes from Black Books' very own Dylan Moran. a gaunt, lost-looking irishman never seen without a drink in his hand. Dylan Moran's misanthropic, bitter and often even poetic ramblings are nothing short of genius, as he covers a plethora of topics, from childhood to global politics. His rants about the modern world are fuelled by such dismissal and confusion, but still remain free from vitriol. Often losing his thread, the audience hang on his every word, laughing uncontrollably at his perfectly observed observation about the state of the world, delivered with impeccable innebriated nuance. For those of you who were fans of Black Books, you can expect to see Bernard Black doing stand-up. Its very difficult to tell exactly to what extent Bernard can even be considered a 'character...

Mutalisk 23.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Dylan Moran - Monster - Live (DVD)

CZECH THIS OUT!!!

Advantages: Quiet location, within walking distance of most tourist attractions, close to transport links
Disadvantages: Steps at entrance to this hotel are not very wheelchair friendly

...We've just returned from a sightseeing trip to Prague and had a truly wonderful visit to this magnificent city. We stayed for three nights at the 4* City Hotel Moran from 17th - 20th November and we found it to be a comfortable and peaceful retreat at the end of each hectic day. The hotel has recently been tastefully refurbished (you can still get a faint smell of paint) and still has a 'new' feel to it. ******************** SITUATION The hotel is in central Prague, two minutes walk from the Vltava (Moldau) River and a very pleasant 15 minute riverside stroll to the Charles Bridge. In fact most of the tourist attractions of this wonderful city are within easy walking distance. The one exception to this is Prague Castle, however with a tram stop just around the corner from the hotel and a single fare of only 20...

Paul99ine 29.11.2005 · Read review
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Review of City Moran Hotel, Prague

"Just A Tall Child Holding A Beer"

Advantages: Amusing, some great observations
Disadvantages: A bit short, his other work's a bit funnier

...~~~ Dylan Moran ~~~ I first came across Dylan Moran in his role of Bernard Black in the TV series ?Black Books?. Whilst I enjoyed his ?performance? as a grumpy, drunken bookstore owner, I mainly watched the show because of Bill Bailey and so never really thought much about following up his career. It wasn?t until I stayed over a friend?s of mine who showed me his first stand-up DVD, ?Monster? that I really began thinking about him as a comedian. Having watched ?Monster? at a friend?s house, (a promptly buying it myself at the first opportunity) I kept an eye out for anything else Dylan might release. It was with some interest then that when ?Dylan Moran ? Like, Totally?Live? appeared in my Amazon suggestions that I thought it might be well worth checking out. I suspect that Dylan is one of those comedians relatively few...

BlueMidget 23.06.2007 · Read review
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Review of Dylan Moran - Like, Totally... Dylan Moran Live (DVD)

A drunkerd in his right a genius

Advantages: Great comedian
Disadvantages: Erm...?

...Dylan Moran stand up presents you with one important questions - is he a comic genius with perfect timing or a drunk irishman with a microphone. Either way - it's brilliant. I'm sure those of you familiar with Dylan Moran are also familar with Black Books, and how similar his comedy is to his character in the show - in fairness, he did write Black Books! For those of you not so familiar, allow me to acquint the two of you. From the word go, Dylan Moran has you laughing - but you don't really always know why. His comedy style is, well like I say either genius, or due to alcohol. He seems to ramble on and on saying the next words that come into his head and sometimes, stays on subject. He tackles some of the great dilemas we all face, the struggle of using a cashpoint at 1 am when drunk, your potential and how you should...

paulgood529 17.01.2009 · Read review
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Review of Dylan Moran - Monster - Live (DVD)

Look Bernard... Bernard, look...Bernard!

Advantages: Just so funny.
Disadvantages: You will have to take up smoking and acquire a taste for wine

...About 18 months ago I was in London with some friends doing the usual London things like watching crazed old ladies rummage through bins, and businessmen pick up cigarettes from the floor and smoke them. Having already watched all three seasons of Black Books and fallen hopelessly in love with Bernard, when my friend spotted "Dylan Moran - Monster Live" playing at a theatre across the road, we ran, dodging big red buses with abandon. Naturally, it was sold out, but we cought it on Channel 4 by chance about a year later and Our Bernard didn't let us down. Character and Style = -- Mini Biography -- Dylan Moran was born in 1971 in County Meath, Navan, Ireland. He left school at 16 with no qualifications and aparently spent 4 jobless years "drinking and writing bad poetry". In 1993 won the "So You Think You're Funny...

sakura42 24.06.2006 · Read review
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Review of Dylan Moran - Monster - Live (DVD)