Shirley

Advantages: Insights into the true characters of Emily and Anne Bronte
Disadvantages: Not an easy read

..."Shirley" by Charlotte Bronte. Penguin Classics. ISBN 0-14-043095-4 This is a gem of a book, written just after Jane Eyre and set in the time of the Napoleonic Wars, it is one of Charlotte Bronte's best. It follows the fortunes of two women Caroline Helstone and Shirley Keeldar and their involvement with the Moore brothers. These relationships are set against the politics of England and the Continent at the time of the Luddite uprisings and Napoleonic wars respectively. In that respect Shirley has a farther reach as a novel than some of Charlotte Bronte's other more personal novels such as Jane Eyre. It is particularly interesting as a literary piece because there is some evidence that the two principle female characters are based on Charlotte's two sisters Anne and Emily and as such give the reader some insight into what...

mjn 09.01.2001 (05.01.2001) · Read review
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Review of Shirley - Charlotte Bronte

Alfie Gives A Hand - Shirley Hughes

Advantages: Nice Story With Detailed Illustrations.
Disadvantages: None

...About The Author Shirley Hughes published her first book Lucy and Tom's Day in 1960. Since then she has illustrated over two hundred children's books and is known as a champion of children's literature. Shirley Hughes has been awarded the Kate Greenaway medal, the prestigious Eleanor Farjeon Award and in 1999 she was honoured with an OBE for her distinguished services to Children's literature. The Story Alfie is very excited, he has been invited to his best friends birthday party and he has never been to a party before. Mum tells him all about parties how you take a present, games he would play and all about the delicious party food. Alfie was a little nervous about the party especially when he realised Mum and Annie Rose (his baby Sister) would not be there. He decided to take his blanket and held...

debmercury 02.05.2008 (01.05.2008) · Read review
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Review of Alfie gives a hand - Shirley Hughes

FREE DVDs

Advantages: Free trial, large choice, post included,new realeases
Disadvantages: see review

...I like movies and I like freebies, so when you get offered both in one swoop you?re bound to accept! I used my two week free trial with this company and remained with them for a couple of monthsbefore moving on to try many other companies free trials (and winning a new DVD player on Tesco DVD rental site on their free trial offer). I then had an email from DVDs 365 asking me to go back, and offering me a free DVD if I did so. I had just left Tesco (with my new DVD player) so I chose to go back with them. ∆◊◊ THE SERVICE THEY OFFER ∆◊◊ Basically it?s like going to a video shop and hiring films on DVD, except you don?t pay for each film you chose ? rather a monthly fee for which you can watch as many movies as you can fit in, for us this is usually around 8 a month (2 a week usually weekends...

dabmim 15.11.2004 · Read review
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Surprising Picture Quality - Panasonic DVD-S54

Advantages: Incredible picture quality when compared to my old non-upscaling player with a scart lead
Disadvantages: Sometimes disc drive can be really noisy when DVD's initially load.

...At first I wasn't convinced by up-scaling DVD player technology but was persuaded after reading an article in "What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision" magazine. Unable to afford a Blu-Ray player my sister and I bought the Panasonic DVD-S54 to match our parents brand new Panasonic TX-32LZD80 LCD television as their Christmas 2008 present. Admittedly it was a slightly selfish purchase as we both live at home and wanted to watch DVDs on the big new TV ourselves! We bought the player from the electrical retailer Comet for about £100 just before Christmas so there were no discounts applied. On Christmas day when opened we found a relatively small box tightly packed with the player in polystyrene packaging. All the components such as cables, remote and manuals were well presented in their own protective plastic bags, to keep them protected. The player...

bobbacon985 12.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of Panasonic DVD-S54

Lemmon & MacLaine Return and Are Even Wilder Now

Advantages: Wilder, MacLaine, Lemmon; great, Oscar winning score by Previn
Disadvantages: Too long, with a few too many endings; not for every taste

...****************************************************************** TITLE: Irma La Douce RATING: **** CAST: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Lou Jacobi, Bruce Yarnell, Hershel Bernardi, Hope Holiday, Joan Shawlee, Grace Lee Whitney, Paul Dubov, Harold McNear, Cliff Osmond, Diki Lerner, John Alvin, Bill Bixby, Louis Jourdan, James Caan, Moustache. DIRECTOR: Billy Wilder SCREENWRITERS: Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond STUDIO: United Artists / The Mirisch Corporation / Phalanx Productions RUNNING TIME: 143 min. RATED: Not Rated (US) & 15 (UK); contains partial nudity, some violence, and adult subject matter. DVD AVAILABILITY: 6 GBP from Amazon; ASIN# B00005KISZ ****************************************************************** INTRODUCTION...

eve6kicksass 18.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of Irma La Douce (DVD)

She became an MP - even with that hair, Lady Astor

Advantages: Well-written, extremely interesting, and the author comes across as genuinely likeable
Disadvantages: None

...Who could resist a title like that? And is this some lesser-known Shirley Williams, a former librarian or something? The answer is no. So why the title? Shirley Catlin, as she was born, tells us in the early pages of this memoir that during her childhood her father encouraged her to climb the bookshelves in their Chelsea house, right up to the ceiling. It was a secret between the two of them, as her mother, Testament of Youth Author Vera Brittain, would have immediately anticipated cracked skulls and broken arms. Apart from Margaret Thatcher and Barbara Castle, Shirley Williams was probably the best-known female politician in Britain of her generation. She recalls her early childhood in the years before the Second World War, and her evacuation to America ? where she might have become a child star, in the running for the leading role...

JOHNV 25.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Climbing the Bookshelves: The Autobiography of Shirley Williams - Shirley Williams

Courage explained and illustrated so well

Advantages: A wonderful book for slightly older children, beautifully illustrated
Disadvantages: Some younger children may find it a little too emotional

... THE LION AND THE UNICORN By SHIRLEY HUGHES Anybody who has had anything to do with children MUST have come across the wonderful Shirley Hughes. She was born on the Wirral in 1927, she is an author and illustrator who has written over 50 books and illustrated over 200. The first book she both wrote and illustrated, Lucy and Tom, a simple account of the children's day, was published in 1960. But it wasn't until the 1970s that she began to publish regularly. Her notable books include "Dogger", "Alfie"and "The Nursery Collection". Her pictures are delightful and easily recognised as her work. In fact the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool put on a display of her work in 2003. In 1999 she was appointed OBE for services to children's literature. The Lion and the Unicorn is a delightful...

oldchem 31.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Lion and the Unicorn - Shirley Hughes

Missing Soft Brown Toy Dog

Advantages: Teaches Children To Be Kind
Disadvantages: None

...Dogger written and illustrated by Shirley Hughes The Story Dogger is a soft brown toy dog who belongs to Dave. Dogger is very well loved and a little worn in places. Dave loves Dogger and takes him everywhere with him. Dave's baby brother Joe likes hard toys; Bella Dave's big sister takes seven teddies to bed with her. Dave likes only Dogger. One afternoon when they where picking Bella up from school they noticed the school was going to have a summer fair men where putting flags up, Dave put Dogger up to the railings to show him. On the way home Dave was very quiet. When bed-time came he said"I want Dogger" but Dogger was no where to be found. Mum looked everywhere, Dave waited anxiously but Dogger could not be found. Dave went to bed feeling very sad. The next day it was the School Summer Fair. There was a Fancy...

debmercury 26.04.2008 · Read review
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Review of Dogger - Shirley Hughes

A Female Mid-Life-Crisis With Laughs

Advantages: -
Disadvantages: -

...Willy Russell proved he had talent when he wrote Educating Rita. It was apparent he knew how people coped and dealt with things, and also how they felt about others and themselves, even. Willy Russel, in Shirley Valentine, writes about a woman who wants to be who she was. Not looks wise. Not hair wise. Not even boobs wise! No, she just wants to be able to be that woman again in her heart, and be Shirley Valentine once again. Shirley Valentine is one of those deep, light-hearted films for everyone. It’s a lovely tale, but it’s got a heck of a story or two, and it’s an absolute gem. It was performed on stage for a while, and it was a big hit there, as well (Willy Russel also wrote the stage play). Shirley Valentine will touch anyone who has a heart. It’s a woman who wants to be who she was. Someone who was she...

Mattroberts 16.08.2003 · Read review
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Review of Shirley Valentine (DVD)

Gone to Greece back in 2 weeks!

Advantages: Too many to list
Disadvantages: Changes in the words

...This was my Mum's favourite film and when it was first released on VHS all those years ago, she bought it immediately. My Mum loved this film so much that she got me and my sister involved in watching it with her. I have seen it so many times now I know all the words. The Story Shirley Bradshaw (Pauline Collins) is a middle aged English housewife who has lost the person who she once was as a girl; she was Shirley the Brave, Shirley Valentine. Through Shirley we get introduced to her children (Brian & Miranda), friends and husband, Joe. We are also taken back to her teenage rebellious years and how he used to pick on Marjory Majors. In a turn of events Shirley meets up with Marjory in her later years (played by Joanna Lumley) and discovers some shocking news! Shirley has two friends in her life Jane and the wall...

kgray71 16.01.2006 · Read review
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