Oscar Wilde's obsession with books

Advantages: Full of fascinating information about Wilde's life and love of books
Disadvantages: None really, except maybe best enjoyed by those with some prior knowledge of Wilde

...The controversial Victorian playwright and poet Oscar Wilde, so the introduction to this book tells us, ?devoured and luxuriated in books?. He had a lifelong thirst for reading, so it?s not surprising to find that his house in Chelsea was packed with them. Not only was he an avid collector, but he was also an accomplished speed reader with a remarkable ? and to some extent photographic ? memory which helped him to absorb and recall instantly vast amounts of prose and verse. As a reviewer for the Pall Mall Gazette, he could master a book's content, plot or argument in minutes. (If only ciao had been around in those days as well). Maybe it is only fair to get the one major chink in his armour out of the way quickly. Once, when he was preparing a lecture on the poet Chatterton, most of his notes were made up of entire pages and paragraphs...

JOHNV 24.11.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Oscar's Books - Thomas Wright

"Salami smells like dirty socks" says Oscar

Advantages: Entertaining story with great illustrations
Disadvantages: might give kids ideas!

...Oscar by Torbjorn Lundmark and Dana K. Lundmark ISN 0868962813 Published by Ashton Scholastic Yet another of my children?s books brought back with us from Australia in 1989 so it is quite an old book. It was actually a birthday present from a pre-school friend of my 27 year old daughter! It has been read to many classes of children in school over the years and my husband read it to our grandchildren when they stayed the night a few weeks ago. All enjoyed the story and appreciated the humour which is expressed in both the story and the illustrations. The story is about a nice, well behaved little boy called Oscar who hates salami (I question why anyone would force their child to eat salami) and his ingenious ways of avoiding eating the stuff. The illustrations showing Oscar?s hatred of salami are wonderful and I love the way hid huge...

catsholiday 25.10.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of OSCAR - Torbjorn Lundmark

The Strand Palace Hotel

Advantages: Central location, clean
Disadvantages: Food, rooms

...We stayed at this hotel in London a little over a month ago now for two nights, we chose this hotel mainly because of the central location and because it was only a ten minuite walk from the show we had booked to go too. Check in was very quick - About ten minuites and the staff at the reception seemed very friendly. My first thoughts on the hotel was that it looked really clean and that it was nicely decorated and it looked modern. I was a little dissapointed with our room as it was very small and basic, our room had a double bed, tea and coffee making facilities, a tv with satellite and a small, basic en suite bathroom with a shower. The views from our room very very poor - A block of offices which made our room dark as they were so close. The hotel has two bars and two resturaunts, the bars were again nicely decorated...

kate44 03.05.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of The Strand Palace Hotel, London

Foxtrot Oscar - Sam Tyler wouldn't last a week.

Advantages: A lot of humour and great characterisation
Disadvantages: A bit of clumsy writing, gags petering out

...The 1970s, when everyone went to work on orange spacehoppers, and Slade were the coolest band in town. You could leave your front door unlocked as well. I might only have been born in 1979, but that's how it was, right? In the last couple of years, Life on Mars has reminded us that the decade was really about cops driving through piles of cardboard boxes and wearing brown corduroy. Although the policemen work hard, drink hard and swear like troopers, though, they're always on the side of the angels. Aren't they? Foxtrot Oscar by Charlie Owen tells the story of a police station in a troubled Manchester suburb (fondly known as 'Horse's Arse') during the long hot summer of 1976. The novel is a sequel to the recent Horse's Arse, and focuses on the exploits of a group of policemen with lurid nicknames like Pizza, Psycho, the Grim...

Olly_Plimsoll 19.05.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Foxtrot Oscar - Charlie Owen

And The Oscar For Best Director Goes To... Kirsty

Advantages: Gorgeous Host, Great Awards Ceremony Awarding Everyone In The Film Industry
Disadvantages: Long

...mThe Oscar for Best Director for the best film ever made goes to Kirsty F... wait; I?m getting a little bit ahead of myself here, that?s not going to happen for a few more years. As most of you know I do dream of doing something within the media industry, whether it?s directing, writing or editing, these awards are for everyone, most of the crew within a film are looked at for their creativity, their passion and most importantly the final footage that comes together, came together because of their brilliance. These awards are called The Oscars and this year in my opinion they were very special. The Oscars are integral part of the media industry, there is a season during January/February where all of the actors, actresses and everyone else in the media industry get dolled up and go to countless awards ceremonies, The Golden Globes...

DixieChick10 06.03.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of The Oscars 2009: How did you feel about this years winners?

Hotel International

Advantages: Location, breakfasts
Disadvantages: Poor rooms

...I recently went on a cultural girlie trip with a friend to Paris. I was left to do all the booking. I was looking for a reasonable hotel, near a metro stop, which included breakfast. I came across the Hotel International on various travel sites and it seemed fairly highly rated so I booked us in for three nights. LOCATION: The hotel is located 6 Rue Auguste Barbier in the 11th Arrondissement. The nearest Metro stop is Garcourt which was a two minute walk away and it was a five minute walk to Republique which gives good links to other lines. It's not really central enough to avoid the Metro and walk to the attractions but it was located so close to a stop that it seemed ideal. PRICE: Prices vary depending on size of room and season. There are singles, doubles and triples available. We paid Euro254 for the whole time...

tartlette83 17.06.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Hotel International, Paris

A Picture by Oscar Wilde

Advantages: Brilliantly horrific and satirical, written with a sense of the beauty words can construct that astounds, this is simply wonderful...
Disadvantages: Age has not stolen it's power to disturb - this is no charming classic...

...Oscar Fingal O' Flahertie Wills Wilde was an author and playwright whose range covered just about every genre in the book, and in life he was both amused and pained that many thought this range suggested superficiality. That is one crime of which Wilde can never be justifiably accused. The content of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', a work which is almost semi-autobiographical, works on a multitude of levels. In short, this is the story of a man exposed, through literature given to him by one Lord Henry, to the darker side of life, the sins and pleasures of the flesh and the spirit. Throwing himself into these pleasures with vigour and enthusiasm, the once pure-hearted Dorian Gray becomes a black beast. He remains youthful, beautiful and saintly looking, while all the time the titular picture of him grows more and more repellent as...

RichardW 17.02.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

sachas hotel

Advantages: good price,great location
Disadvantages: no window

...****Sachas hotel- Manchester**** I booked this hotel last minute as i had a job interview in Manchester and needed somewhere quite cheap ,that was also near the centre. **Location/Getting there** This hotel is located in Tibb street which is a 2 minute walk from Piccadily Gardens or 10 minutes away from Chorlton street bus station.The Train station is a little bit further away say maybe a twenty minute walk but i don't think that this is that bad .You can also get a tram from Piccadily gardens and this goes to quite a few places.You could also get a taxi to the hotel but i am not sure what parking is like if you were to take your own car. **Reception/staff** Since i had never been to Manchester before i phoned and asked the staff for directions -they were very nice and helped me out.When i got there i think i got the same...

katie22008m 04.09.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Britannia Sachas Hotel, Manchester

Oscar Wilde's story of the victory of kindness.

Advantages: A story with a moral without being preachy.
Disadvantages: I personally feel the ending is a bit difficult to figure out for young children.

...the tree he is on. And from then the giant undergoes change of heart. The children are let in and the flowers bloom and the birds chirp. But the giant pines for that child who never comes again till it is just the right time for him to. A heart warming story. Oscar Wilde is one of my favorite classical writers. This one is a real good read for smaller kids. Buy it for them but oh please don't leave them agonizing over the end. Explain it to them....

urooj0691 08.04.2009 (09.04.2009) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of The Selfish Giant - Oscar Wilde

Fantastic Hotel

Advantages: Fantastic Food
Disadvantages: Lifts are quite small

...When we decided to make a return trip to Benalmedina we opted to go to the four star Hotel Las Arenas as it was recommended by friends. It is slightly further out just opposite the Castle Bill Bill and when you cross the road it?s a flat walk all the way to the marina which is away from the large hills on which many of the other hotels are located. Reception On arrival check in was swift and at this time we opted to pay for a safety deposit box we were then handed the safe key and card key to room 524 and pointed in the direction of the lifts. On looking round reception it was laid out with tables and chairs and also had a grand piano, a small bar ,toilets and computers with internet access. There is a large board telling you about entertainment available during the day and at night. The whole area was laid out for wheelchair access...

elspeth334 15.10.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Las Arenas Hotel, Benalmadena