Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

kerrensimmonds wrote:I agree with Jo re holidays and travelling (you can get a Lot of Books on an eBook weighing virtually nothing). I believe that the flip side is that there is no VAT on hard copy books, but there is on those you download onto an eBook.....
I am reading 'Wolf Hall' by Hilary Mantel at the moment - and it's HUGE. I only ever read novels in bed - before sleep, or when sleepless in the night - and it is heavy to hold! If only I had a much lighter eBook..... but maybe Wolf Hall is too new to have been saved for eReading.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard- ... -prices.do

Saw this in the Standard tonight, illustrated by a picture of Hilary Mantel holding "Wolf Hall" published by Macmillan.

I have to admit to loving gadgets. I have an IPhone - don't know how the world functioned without one - a laptop AND (heaven forbid!) a Kindle (ebook). It is an absolutely wonderful device. It weighs very little and is not backlit, so does not give one eyestrain, which computers can do. The books are downloaded within seconds - which is great when you are at airports, say, and thinking about reading material for a trip, and all you have to do is check out the best sellers at the airport bookstores - see what appeals and download it onto something that fits easily into one's purse. It is incredibly comfortable for reading, whether in a vehicle or in bed - you can even lie on your side and turn pages with the same hand that is holding it, so no having to disturb the covers and introduce potentially cold drafts! It has an inbuilt dictionary, so you can instantaneously look up an unfamiliar word, together with the opportunity to make notes or highlight passages. It also stores >2500 books. I love it! I am also seriously considering the new IPad which, in spite of a name that makes one think of STs, looks like a larger IPhone and even more amazing. So.....confessions of a technophile!!

Interrrrresting. Says it all, really. Thank you, Mary!

englishangel wrote:

kerrensimmonds wrote:I agree with Jo re holidays and travelling (you can get a Lot of Books on an eBook weighing virtually nothing). I believe that the flip side is that there is no VAT on hard copy books, but there is on those you download onto an eBook.....
I am reading 'Wolf Hall' by Hilary Mantel at the moment - and it's HUGE. I only ever read novels in bed - before sleep, or when sleepless in the night - and it is heavy to hold! If only I had a much lighter eBook..... but maybe Wolf Hall is too new to have been saved for eReading.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard- ... -prices.do

Saw this in the Standard tonight, illustrated by a picture of Hilary Mantel holding "Wolf Hall" published by Macmillan.

Btw - I was interested that they used a pic of the Sony ebok for an article on the Kindle. Wonder why??

The trouble with most of these gadgets is that they are so TINY. I have difficulty holding our cordless phone for any length of time as I get cramp in my arms. The TV remote control is small enough to make it a certainty that I will press at least 2 and generally 3 buttons at the same time.

If I bought an e-book (which I don't intend to do) I would have a lot of bare walls, because I consider books to be an essential part of the furnishings in most rooms!!

I have piles of books everywhere too!

Hmm... this ebook thingy... could you get loaded onto it books that are no longer published? Old books? Books for which you've hunted over the years?

Books which you've missed because you once loaned them to friends who never gave them back?

In which case, I must investigate this miracle gadget. I must say, I furnish with books, I love books, but this would enhance reading possibilities even more!

I like the idea that "If someone else can do it --- and shows me how --- then I can do it !"

This was the Mantra of my Grandfather -- Boxer Rebellion -- Relief of Khartoum--- Boer War-- First World War ---DCM

A man for whom I have always had the greatest respect --- I think he was right !!

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:I like the idea that "If someone else can do it --- and shows me how --- then I can do it !"

He may have had some knowledge of the old Chinease proverb:-

I hear...I forget
I see...and I remember
I do...and I understand

or as I was told the first time I scrubbed for a C-Section

See one
Do one
Teach one

the first two times I scrubbed with a very patient obstetrician and an experienced midwife for planned operations, the third time I was on my own for an emergency with a notoriously bad-tempered surgeon.

At the end he asked how many I had done and when I told him he asked who had taught me. "they did a good job" he growled. "Thanks, I think"

englishangel wrote:or as I was told the first time I scrubbed for a C-Section

See one
Do one
Teach one

the first two times I scrubbed with a very patient obstetrician and an experienced midwife for planned operations, the third time I was on my own for an emergency with a notoriously bad-tempered surgeon.

At the end he asked how many I had done and when I told him he asked who had taught me. "they did a good job" he growled. "Thanks, I think"

He sounds very much like an 'Old School' surgeon, Mary !

Sir Launcelot Spragg -- ?

No. a little Chinese guy. Wwhen the patient one had a party because he was going to greater things I kept turning round to find the little Chinese guy at my elbow topping up my wine glass. When I asked him why, his answer was unprintable in a forum such as this (it involved a piece of furniture for sleeping and a four letter word). It was nearly 30 years ago.

To get back to the original title of this thread -------

I STILL HAVE NOT !!