#katie collins is my favourite

[partoftheairforce]

peak babygirl clown

[cazzyf1]

My favourite quotes from 'Champion Year' by Mike Hawthorn

Tw: Description of Peter Collins death

Three days after the manuscript of this book was delivered to the publishers Mike Hawthorn was killed on the Guildford by-pass. When the book was going to press Mr. Matthews, a New Zealand poet, kindly sent to the publishers the following verse which the tragic accident had moved him to write:

He was a nation's Golden Boy

At twenty-nine the brightness failed,

And he was dead.

He went as he had lived, flashing

A lonely pathway to the stars:

What's to be said?

I think for him a nobler crown

Now wreathes that many-laurelled brow-

The course is run.

For England's laughing cavalier

The Race is won.

This book is dedicated to the memory of 'Mon Ami, Mate' Peter Collins

The 1958 series achieved a new high in mismanagement, due mainly to the invetable question of money; it was on and then off and on again almost as many times as a chorus girl's costume in a Windmill revue - p20

From there to Milan we had one of the most hair-raising rides I had ever experienced; our coach was driven by a completely manic driver who just pressed on down the autostrada as though it was a clear soup rather than the traditional pea soup type of fog. He obviously couldn't see a thing so I decided it was best to curl up and get to sleep before the accident happened. Anything he came up behind just pulled out and passed. At one point his nerve failed him and he tucked in behind a large lorry crawling along about five miles an hour. After a while he plucked up the courage and passed it; once we were all safely past the passengers gave him an enormous cheer, whether of reielf or genuine applause I still can't make up my mind! - p21/22

It might have been a better party had Peter been there, but he and Louise were in America; he was the only really notable absentee from the party - p22

I had doubtful distinction of not scoring a win on either sports or racing cars throughout the whole season and had anyone asked me what the chequered flag looked like I should have referred him to Stirling - p22/23

Stirling did 1m 44s driving with one eye bandaged after Katie had bashed him accidentally - p27

I decided not to swim, the Argentine sun and my fair skin didn't get on, so I lazed under an enormous sun brolly and read the papers in the shade. I suppose we were there about four hours and although I had not been in the sun for more than a few minutes I noticed my legs smarting rather as we flew back. Tito's pilot let me fly as far as Montevideo where we stopped to clear customs. The smarting, a sort of tingling like pins and needles, got much worse and by the time we got back to Burnos Aires my legs were really hurting. Back at the hotel I found they were bright red and very painful. During the night they started swelling up badly and I got a doctor in who gave me some sort of jollop for them. Apparently it had been the reflection of the sun off the sand and I was lucky that I had kept my sweater on as otherwise my body would have got it too. I spent the next two days in bed in great pain and thus missed the first day's training for the sports car race. Enormous water blisters blew up under the skin and the thought of driving horrified me- p33

Feeling lousy and looking like a lobster I reported for duty on race day - p34

Like a flash Boy Scout instinct always latent in Hawthorn sprang to the fore. "Why not let Ggendebien take my place," I said to Tavoni "and he can drive with Taffy." Nobody seemed to appreciate my noble gesture, but anyway I didn't have to drive although some reports say that I did - p35

After four days or so my legs got better although they were still upsetting me, but I met a very nice Argentinian girl who had a Cadillac and she drove me to and from the circuit. Martha Pristerini, I think her name was. She had a very little penthouse flat with the smallest swimming pool ever. You dived in and hit your head the other end immediately, all in one easy movement - no trouble at all - p36

It was an uneventful period except for the news of Fangio's kidnapping - p41

Apparently a lot of the voters thought the money involved in staging a motor race could have been better spent on the half million unemployed characters in Cuba - knowing what South American race organisation is like I was all for the rebels - p41

Fortunately the whole thing was done as a gesture and Fangio was never in danger although I did read somewhere that he was tortured. It turned out that he had been locked up in a room with a television set, which comes to the same thing, I suppose, if you don't like the television - p41

Bonnier had a beard and while he was walking in Havana a car screamed up and characters with Tommy guns searched him because they thought he was one of the rebels. Evidently the rebels rather went in for the beards - p41

Pete and Louise stayed there too and we had a lot of fun buying our own food which Louise cooked for us. We would go to one of the self-service stores and we always ended up with an enormous bill and far more food that we needed - p42

The evenings we spent quietly watching the television and once I get in front of the goggle box I stay there. I'm a complete fan and I look in whenever I can at home - p42

Peter had driven down with Louise from New York in a borrowed Chev. and collected his usual ticket for speeding - p42

I got back to our motel and went up to Pete and Louise's room. He had just run his bath, which he had been looking forward to, but he didn't get it - I stepped straight into it without even taking my clothes off! - p45

After changing I went off with Ivor on a party which we ended up about six o'clock in the morning playing poker in a hotel bedroom with three State Troopers, motor cycle 'cops'. I was getting a bit worried as we were winning, which upset them, they had very large guns; they kept nudging me and saying: "Don't you think it's time you went home?" So we went. - p45

I had always wanted a boxer and Ian gave me one of the pups. His name was Boris and he was a fine character, so ugly he was beautiful, but I didn't like the name. - p51

The main drama of the day came from the public address system which broadcast frequent and impassioned appeals to a schoolboy not to eat the sandwiches his mother had prepared for him as they contained broken glass. It was reported the next day that he had eaten them before the announcement and hadn't noticed anything odd about them! - p52

On the Sunday Carol and I flew home taking the dog with us; we had still not thought of another name for it. When we got to the Aero Club we had a drink; I had my usual pint of light ale and bitter and was chatting to Carol when I looked round to find the boxer tucking into my grog. So that was it - from then on he was Grogger - p52

The tragic thing was that I eventually ran him over. Much later in the year, during the Motor Show, I had the Ferrari demonstrator car out and a friend at Tilford Green wanted a ride. As I drove off just to go round the houses, Grogger tried to follow us but someone called him back. As we drove back he must have seen me and he jumped straight in front of the car. I don't think he knew anything about it, but I felt utterly terrible. He was my first dog and the first dog I had ever run over. I felt the only thing to do was to get another one quickly, which I did, another boxer, nine weeks old, Grogger the second - p52

Phil and Pete had quite an experience when out on the Ferrari mule they met a real live one which reared up - no doubt in imitation of the prancing horse of the Schuderia Ferrari badge - and threw its rider off - p61

We did several laps with the little Fiat and when we weren't driving round we spent the time swimming and sunbathing in a little bay. Peter, Louise and me and sometimes Phil Hill would go; sometimes Taffy or Seidel and his wife would join us. We'd take a picnic basket and eat and doze and swim. They were good times that I shall always remember - 61

In this book I am expressing my own opinions, and often those of Pete, whose views on motor racing were very similar to mine. It is more than possible that we were alone in these, but there it is. I recently read a survey of British eating habits and I was just as horrified to read that thirty million Britions eat custard every Sunday. So here is Hawthorn, sticking out his neck again: I don't like custard or the Targa Florio - p63

Taffy started off on our car with instructions from me that if he was going to bend it, then he must bend it well and truly, which made him laugh and eased the tension of the start! - p63

Louise was waiting for me in their little vespa. Louise let me drive it back to Monte Carlo, and we had enormous fun throwing it around the corners - p68

It was a long way back for Stirling, but he had me for company in the same row! - p71

Pete and I went straight to his boat after the race where a party started that was to end in the small hours of the morning in the Tip Top Club. I cannot recall who was there, but my definition of a memorable party is one that I don't remember much about. - p78

It was an irony of fate that Pete was to lose his life on my favourite circut - p90

As is usual on the start we were given the time signals, one minute to go, thirty seconds to go and then from then seconds we were given a count down. I suddenly decided I would play a joke on Stirling and when the count reached "One" I started to run like hell for the car. Stirling correctly waiting for the zero shouted: "You bastard, Hawthorn!" This made me laugh so much that I could hardly find breath to run, when I did get to the car I was still laughing and made a complete nonsense of the start. I had not intended to jump the gun to gain time, but the final laugh was well and truly on me because Stirling, Tony Brooks, Salvadori and Behra all got away in front of me - p92/93

As I got away the Autosport report says: "Mike gave what might be described as a jocular wave to Reg Parnell." The gesture I made was certainly jocular, but I wouldn't have called it a wave! - p95

I got an enormous applause from the crowd who throughly enjoyed the show, so before jumping in I bowed to them and went off feeling rather like the conjurer who says his next trick is impossible. Needless to say my act did not go down well elsewhere, as it had put paid to our chances and had given Stirling a handsome lead of over four minutes - p96

Always after the Nurenburgring races we meet up in Pete's and Louise's room in the Sporthotel for drinks. It is usually a fairly gay party as most people are staying there and so don't have far to go home. Pete had got some whiskey and beer and we sat around and talked - p97

It was obvious I had had it for clouds of white smoke from a racing car does not denote a happy event, as it does in the Vatican circles in Rome. There it means a new Pope has been elected, but in Grand Prix racing circles it means you had it in a big way! - p109

He has written books on Continental travel so when we set off by taking a road I used to take to the circut I said nothing. Then we turned off again. "Are you sure this is the way?" I asked, "Oh yes," said Rodney, "it's a short cut, a special way I know. I recognise it." This went on until late that evening when we got to Dinant, which is only about fifty miles from Spa, so we decided we would stay there. I was in no hurry, and Rodney never is. Roy would have liked to press on but he was out numbered. We had quite a night at Dinant, but the funny thing was that it only takes about four and a half hours to get to Paris from Spa, and it had taken us all that to get to Dinant. The next day we set off about ten and Rodney said he would get us near to Paris as he could, drop us off and we could get a train. So off we went, and I'm certain that we came across roads that the French and the Belgians don't even know exist to this day. Show Rodney a side road and he will take it, especially if it isn't signposted. We travelled about forty miles an hour, which is Rodney's cruising speed, and one which I throughly enjoy. I cannot bear the type who tries to impress you by driving fast. We made innumerable refuelling stops which I also enjoy. Rodney's favourite is gin and French. After seven hours of this we eventually reached Rheims and Roy and I decided we would stand a better chance at getting to Paris that night if we took a train; I think Rodney was rather relieved as he could press his own way, but I had throughly enjoyed the experience - p113/114

I set off for Le Mans on Wednesday with Bernard Cahier, a motoring correspondence for one of the American motoring magazines, in his very much modified Renault Dauphine - at a rate of knots that would have horrified Rodney; it certain did me - p114

In the morning we drove up to Paris and caught the train back to England and Pete and Louise came down to Farnham with me to stay the night in Frensham Ponds Hotel. We actually heard the results of the race at my garage in Farnham. At the hotel they were quite shattered to see us and could hardly believe their eyes! - p120.

Duncan was taken off to hospital with bruises all over him, and that is a lot of bruises because that is a lot of Duncan. Many amusing stories are told of his stay in hospital but I like best the one that describes Duncan's agony lying in bed watching all the 10,000-franc notes of his second prize floating out of the window one after the other. This upset him much more than his physical injuries! - p121

Poor Stirling was again accused of being frightened and only doing it for the money. As a professional driver he was entitled to race for money and as for being frightened I can only say that even if he was not, I certainly was - p123

I immediately said to Tavoni that I thought Luigi should drive in place of me, the old boy scout instinct in me coming to the fore again - p126

On Tuesday night we went to the Crazy Horse Saloon, a very popular night club with strip-tease acts and waiters with twirling Victorian moustaches and long white aprons. The place is so crowded that you are usually drinking out of someone else's glass and it's a very good spot. During the evening Stirling asked me how I was going down to Rheims and I told him by plane if possible, but that I had nothing fixed. He offered me a lift in his Mercedes 22oS. I looked at Katie and asked her what he was like on the road now. Katie said: "Oh, he's very good now and drives quite slowly." So I said: "Thank you, Stirling, very much, I'd love to come." Off we set next day, stopping for lunch at Soissons, where we met up with Ken Gregory and his wife and Harry Schell, also en route to Rheims. I was able to tell them that Stirling was driving very well and quite capable of controlling a car on the roads! - p133

I asked if I might be permitted to drive around the circuit to have a look where it all was. Pete said he would lead me round and show me the worst bits, and eventually we got permission to do this. Before we set out I asked Peter if the lap would make any difference as far as fuel was concerned. All our cars had had auxiliary side tanks fitted; I had an extra big rear tank and my side tank, but he had a smaller rear tank than mine as well. I had asked about the fuel situation and had been told that I would be able to get through the race all right, but that with Peter's car it would be a close thing. I asked Pete about it and he said: "Not to worry; it will be all right, I'm sure it will." So we went off and drove this one lap and took our position again...Right on the last lap trouble came to Pete; he was lying fourth and ran out of fuel. If he had not done that extra lap to show me where the oil was he would have made his fourth. As it was he pushed it over for fifth. - p139-141

I could see the place where Luigi had gone off; I could not see the car, which was hidden in the cornfields beside the track. I was terribly worried, but there was nothing I could do. I remembered his crash at Spa and how he got away with that and I just hoped he had been lucky again - p140

One night a crowd led by Luigi had somehow manhandled Harry Schell's car, a little 4-wheeled Vespa, through the main door of the hotel and up the stairs to the first floor. Unfortunately Harry was on the fourth floor. They couldn't get it into the lift and so the plot, which was to drive it along the corridor to Harry's room and blow the horn, misfired. They left it outside the managers office on the first floor and put a few flowers around it. Then they had a new idea and they went up to his room and lit long strip of newspaper which they pushed under the door. Poor Harry had a rather disturbed night and when he got up in the morning and found his vespa he was a little upset! However, his sense of humour asserted itself in the end and all was well. It turned out to be his girlfriends birthday and a gift of scent and some flowers put everything right. That night Harry and Monique went out to dinner and when he fame back and went up to his room he opened the door to find it completely empty except for a vase of flowers in the middle of the floor. There was no carpet, no curtains, no bed, no table, chairs, clothes or wardrobe; nothing. The lot had gone! The boys, led by Luigi had ransacked the room and carried all the stuff out. Harry's face was a picture, but he took it very well and everyone piled the stuff back again. Strange though it may seem, I can report that I was in bed and sleep during both of these parties! - p144

Anyway, we sat around for a while and then someone said that it was no good being miserable about it. "He's gone and that's it; nothing we can do. Let's go out and have a drink." Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do, but that is what we did - p144

He wanted to know whom I would like to have as team drivers if the project reached that point. I said I would like to have Pete and Phil Hill. I knew Pete would come and drive with me, and I thought Phil might to - p150

All you had to do was leave the pits, walk into the pub and have a pint of draught Guinness, which I absolutely love. I know that one can get it over here, but to me it is not the same thing; it's not got that tang to it. But in Ireland it is wonderful and very cheap and with my Rheims winnings to come I did not exactly stint myself - p151

It was pouring with rain and I had been sheltering in the pub behind the pits, weatherproofing myself with the Guinness - p152

It is just a case of too much Hawthorn chasing too little car - p154

Peter and I talked over our plan for the race. Pete, on his typically generous way, had said that he was going to do everything he could to help me win the championship - p157

On the continent this wishing one good luck is considered unlucky and the way to wish a driver all the best is to murmur a very rude word in French; polite society refers to it as "cinq lettres". There is also an Italain phrase, in bocca al lupo, which means, literally, "in the mouth of the wolf", to which there is a rude answer, the origin of the phrase has never been satisfactory explained, but this too serves to wish a driver well. It may sound silly, but those minutes on the starting gride are twitch making in the extreme and small things can assume an importance quite out of proportion - p158

I remember the last few laps of the race very well because I was very hot and thirsty and every time I went through the Becketts the marshals on that corner, Tony Rolt, Bill Ruck-Keene and David Phillips, were standing there drinking beer from pint mugs and taunting me by swigging the stuff as I went through - it made me even thirstier. On the last lap I signalled to them that I would like a drink myself, so after I got the flag I kept going fairly fast until I reached the Becketts where I stopped and was given a pint of shandy. Then I drove on sipping the shandy. I had my crash hat off and drove in with the drink - it foxed a lot of people. A friend of mine overheard a couple discussing this. One chap said that he wondered how I had got ahold of the beer. His friend, obviously out to impress, said: "Oh, that's just a gimmick, he had it with him all through the race!" It made a sort of triple pint act, because at Goodwood when I raced the Grand Prix car Peter had got hold of a black board on which he had drawn a wonderfully lifelike picture of a pint of beer and he had shown me this on my last few laps; the thought of it helped me on my way. Then during the May Meeting at Silverstone when Pete was well in the lead I got a pint of beer from the beer tent and stood in front of the pits with it holding it out so that he could see what was waiting for him besides the chequered flag - p162/153

This called for drinks and Pete, Louise and I repaired to the beer tent for a few before he and Louise went off to Kidderminster. Unfortunately they took my sports jacket with them in their car and, of course, my money, my keys, my pipe and everything. I hadn't a clue that they had taken it and I thought it had been stolen from my car - p163

Each morning I used to get up at eleven o'clock, put on my dressing gown and go along to Pete and Louise's room to have breakfast with them, and just laze around. One day we spent all day in our various rooms lounging in pyjamas and dressing-gowns, just slipping into overalls for practise and then coming back to our rooms to read and talk. It was a wonderful way to relax - p171

On his way up to Nurburg Pete had brought one of those wooden puzzles to make up a circle. Then you slide them all out and start afresh. Pete had taken the pieces apart and tried to memorise them, but when he tried to put them together again he just couldn't remember how. He spent hours poring over this thing, getting furious with it. On the morning of the race I went along to their room fairly early. Louise was already awake, but Pete was still asleep, snoring his head off. I looked down at him sleeping there and for some reason I felt happy looking at him. He is one that won't die, I thought. Then he woke up and saw me standing there and swore at me for waking him. "Come on," I said, "It's a nice bright morning and time for you to get up." And so, moaning and groaning, he did get up, put on his dressing-gown and got back into bed again. Then we shouted for breakfast, a sort of combined breakfast and lunch, as the race was not due to start until 2.15pm. I remember we had a couple of boiled eggs each and bread and jam and toast and lashing of tea and milk and when we'd drunk the tea we finished off the milk. Then Pete really got down to his puzzle and various people came in and tried to help, Phil Hi and Jo Bonnier amongst them. I had given up; it was far beyond my brain power. I think it must have been about an hour before the race, just before we were due to go down, that he gave a triumphant shout: '"I've done it, I've done it!" Sure enough he had done it, and Louise was terribly intrigued and started peering at it. "Jolly good," she said. "Do you think if I take it to bits I could do it?" Pete nearly hit the roof at this and said: "Don't touch it. I've done it and it can stay like that so I can show everybody." So it was left just as he had solved it, all the pieces in their appointed place. I am glad he did so, glad too that he completed it before he was killed, it had meant so much to him in those last few hours - p171/172

Despite the fact that Peter's win at Silverstone had brought him within striking distance of Stirling, he was still determined that he wanted me to win the Championship - p172

Pete and I did exactly what we had done the previous year. We got side by side and Pete signalled to me that he wanted me to be first and he would take second place - p174

He was driving as well as he had ever driven - p175

He went round the corner perfectly normally but running wide, and the car slid, drifting out. His back wheel hit the bank and the car lifted, running with the rear wheels on the bank which is about twelve inches high. God, I thought, the silly fool, we're both going to be involved in this. I thought he would spin off the bank across the road and I would hit him. I was just thinking up some choice words to say to him when we climbed out of the two bent Ferrari's when, without the slightest warning, fantastically quick, his car just whipped straight over. It gave no indication that it would do this, is just turned over. I could not believe that it had happened, it came as a completely paralysing shock. There was a blur of blue as Pete was thrown out and I put the breaks on hard and almost stopped as I looked round. I saw the car bounce upside down in a great cloud of dust, before it came to rest. What shall I do? Shall I stop or shall I go on? The thought raced through my head. I was desperately worried, it was so obviously a serious accident. I just did not know what to do. I was beset by doubt and anxiety. Shall I go on round and stop at the pits? No, I must not do that because Louise will be there and she'll be dreadfully worried. I'll go on and do another lap and then come in to see if by then they have some news on him. The race was forgotten, I could think of nothing else as I drove on almost automatically. - p176

By the car was Pete's crash helmet and one shoe and glove. His crash hat had been pierced, but had sprung back rather like a piece of cardboard does when you poke your finger through it. I was relived to see that there was no blood on the helmet and felt happier about things - p178

"How is Peter?" We asked, "Peter is dead," they said. I went into the hospital which was full of reporters and doctors, but they let me through when I told them who I was. I went to Louise and Tavoni - he was very calm and looking after her wonderfully well; she was being very brave. There was nothing to say; it would not have done any good if there had been. Pete was gone - p179

Pete was a public figure in death as well as life and the questions, the interviews and the clicking cameras proved a grim trail which broke me up completely. One cannot blame the reporters and the camera men who are only doing their job, but grief is a private thing which can only be borne alone - p179

I have tried very hard in this book - which is dedicated to his memory - to give the reader some idea of my friend, Peter Collins, of his gaiety and generosity, of his great courage and ability. I hope that I have succeeded; it was the hope of being able to contribute something to his memory that decided me to write this book. It tells of the year in which I became the first Englishman to gain the title of World Champion Racing Driver - with the help of mon ami, mate, Pete - p179/180

It makes clear his fame and achievement in motor racing, though it was not for his fame that I, and others, loved him - p180

An extract of a newspaper: A headmaster writes: May I be allowed to add a few words to your very fine obituary notice of Peter Collins? One of his less widely known interests was that of education, and it was through this that I first met him in 1955, when he became a member of the governing body of my school. He was keenly intrested in ever facet of education and derived much pleasure on his visits to the school from wandering around the classrooms talking to the children and inspecting their books; he interested himself in their sporting activities too, and, needless to say, the children for their part loved to have such a famous young man in their midst and always responded to his innate charm. Peter always had to wade through piles of autographs books each time he came! I always recall one particular incident which took place in my study when Peter talked unceasingly for a couple of hours to a group of grammar school boys who had been invited to meet him; the boys were spellbound and thrilled by all he had to tell them, and I well remember how welcome tea was to Peter on that occasion! Beneath his gay (happy) exterior Peter Collins was a young man of great maturity and unsweriving loyalty. I, personally, respected his judgement and advice; on one occasion in particular his wise counsel saved me from a serious error of policy. This tragic and untimely death of Peter Collins had removed from our midst not only a racing motorists of world renown but also a humble and unassuming young man endowed with wisdom and vision out of all proportion to his physical age - p180/181

Fame, someone once said, is the span of a day, but to live in the hearts of people - that is something. They are words that might as well have been written with Pete in mind - p181

Peter's death was a tragic blow to his wife, his family and his friends and also to motor racing; but he was not compelled to go motor racing, he wanted to, as do all of us who drive racing cars. There is left the sole consolation that Pete - and the others - died doing something they wanted to do - p184

Peter's death had affected all the drivers and none of us had much heart for the job ahead. I know that I drove with much more restate than usual, and so too did Stirling. I was upset also to find that my race number was 22. Both Pete and Luigi had been killed on cars with 2 as their number, and the sight of 22 on mine really put the wind up me. I rushed off to Tavoni and asked if I might have 24, which was Taffy's number, and he and Taffy both agreed; only the numbers were changed, not the actual cars. - p185

The crowd were obviously enjoying the Moss-Hawthorn duel, but I cannot say that I was myself - p189

I turned my head round, and to my astonishment it was not Stuart, but Stirling. I pulled a face at him as though to say: "Oh no, not this, the final indignity!" Stirling saw my expression of suprise and woe, and obviously thought: Well I mustn't rub it in - and very sportingly dropped back behind me - p190

In turning round I stalled the engine. I leapt out to push-start it and I had got it to the pavement prior to pushing it off into the road when a spectator rushed up to give me a hand. I lashed out at him furiously, because if he had touched the car I would have been disqualified. It had already happened to Tony Brooks earlier in the race, although I did not know that at the time. I am told I hit the poor chap quite hard; so if he should happen to read this, in the rare event of it being translated into Portuguese, I hope he will accept my apologies - p192

I was ushered into a room in which the officials were seated round a large table. I felt just like a schoolboy up before the Headmaster after being found smoking behind the five courts, or having been caught out of bounds with the Maths master's daughter, which is even more serious but far more fun - p193

Everyone was glad that Portugal was over. All the drivers admitted to having been very nervous; I know that I was and Stirling told me afterwards that he had the feeling that he was going to have an accident; happily he didn't, nor was there any untoward incident in the race - p197

On the aggregate Stirling had won the Kentish Trophy which I presented to him together with a large Laurel wreath and a big kiss on each cheek in the correct Continental manner! The spectators seemed to like that very much, although Stirling said it wasn't so hot - p197/198

Peter's road Ferrari was still at the works in Maranello and on his last visit to England with the car Pete had had fitted a set of Dunlop disc breaks of the type that are used on Jaguar XK 150. Just before his death he had driven the car back to Maranello so that Ferrari technicians could have a look at them. Ferrari said he would transfer these to my racing car, so Pete was still helping me in my efforts to win the Championship - p198

When Louise arrived in Millan she shook me somewhat by saying that someone was coming out from England to try Peter's Gran Turismo coupé with a view to buying it and driving it home. I had to break the news to her that I had the discs taken off the car and put on my racing car - it was slightly staggering news, which she took very well. The prospective buyer also took the news very well and still went down to see the car. In the end he decided against it, but not, I am glad to say, because I had pinched the breaks off of it - p201

I ran in to Stirling who had also just arrived. We chatted for a moment or so and I asked him how he was feeling about the race. "Absolutely terrible," said Stirling. "Thank goodness for that," I said, "it's exactly how I feel too!" - p203

Ronnie Noble of Sportsview had a television team down to cover the race and Stirling, who does a lot of interviews for the programme, interviewed me after the last practise session. We talked about the next say and then to round it off Stirling asked: "What are you going to do tonight?" Ronnie was obviously expecting an answer along the lines of "a quick meal and early to bed to get a good night's rest". Instead of that, I told Stirling what I had thought of doing. "What a jolly good idea," he said, "I think I'd do the same!" This all went down in sound on the film; I believe it caused quite a commotion when the rushes were run through in the projecting theatre at the B.B.C as Ronnie, who had entered into the spirit of thing, sent the film back without warning them. He had his own back on me because they did actually show Stirling having dinner with Katie and his parents, the going to bed at ten o'clock and putting out the lights. But Ronnie caught me later than that having a final drink at the bar of the Palace Hotel in Milan. Stirling's approach to motor racing is no doubt the right one, but mine is much more fun - p204

As we set out Taffy said he was worried because he didn't think he could go round the corners any quicker than he had in practise. I told him not to take them any quicker than he felt he could, that he was no to take any chances at all. "For goodness sake," I said, "don't have an accident." ... as they moved into the corner Taffy's car went straight up the back end of Schell's B.R.M and into the air. It was a horrifying sight. I saw the car, a blur of red, turn over in mid air and plunge behind the barrier on the outside of the corner. Just when the car was about ten feet in the air I saw Taffy come out of the car head first and dissappear into the bushes. There was an enormous cloud of dust as the car landed and then we were past. Tony and I were very near and it shook us both, but there was nothing to do but press on. As it turned out, both drivers were extremely lucky to get away with it. Harry was badly brushed and Taffy broke a leg. - p204/205

At the presentation Fangio make a long speech in Spanish which none of us understood, but there was no doubt that he was most moved by his reception - p209

I did not feel too well and Nevil Lloyd, who was with me, said that he reckoned that I had washed myself in that particular detergent that makes white things even whiter - p210

Everywhere I went people would say: "Oh yes, and when's this deciding race? Next Sunday?" And I would have to say: "No, not next Sunday, it's in four week's time." Then it got down to: "No, it's in three weeks' time." Then two weeks, and I was heartily pleased when I was able to say: "Yes, it is next Sunday, and I'm off tomorrow." - p213

In the citation which accompanied the awards they mentioned "difficulties of such a nature that many less courageous drivers would not have gone through trying as he did", to show that they appreciated the overwhelming loss of Peter. - p214

Lofty England also came with me. He had telephoned me a week or two before to tell me that by some strange coincidence he found it necessary to go out to Casablanca and have a look at the Jaguar sales organisation there and found it a coincided with the Grand Prix. I said it reminds me of that other classic case of coincidece; the football enthusiast whose grandmother used to die regularly every year and was always buried on the day of the Cup Final at Wembley! I was very happy about this because Lofty is one of the greatest team managers in racing and the thought of having him in the pit for this vital race was a most comforting one. Although Tavoni, too, is a very good team manager, it would mean a lot to me to have Lofty standing by - p215

Marie Claire, Oliver Gendebien's wife, who had come over to watch, suggested that I should take the Ferrari mascot out for a lap or two to bring me luck. She had found a chameleon; it was an odd little creature, and had a pair of beady eyes which could look in different directions at once which was a little disconcerting but very useful for watching motor races. It was quite tame and Gendebien had had it in his car with him when he put his fastest lap. I thought it would be better for the chameleon not to come round with me as he might get car sickness and turn a very peculiar colour - p219

As I passed it the Autocar said I gave a great wave; Autosport said I gave myself a boxer's salute. I don't know what I did; all I knew was that I had just become the Champion Driver of the World, the first Englishman to achieve the title - p224

The death of Peter Collins had made up my mind for me - at the end of the season I would retire - p225

I felt completely exhausted and in no particular mood to celebrate my victory. I went back to the hotel, had a bath and shaves and then went on to the prize-giving where I was given a special award - p227

My office was submerged beneath sacks of mail; the telephone rang unceasingly. Invitations poured in with every delivery asking me to speak at this dinner, be the guest of honour at that function, endore products of Messrs. So and so, open fêfes, close bazaars, appear here, there and everywhere, in person or on the television or the radio. About the only thing I was not invited to do was stand as a Liberal candidate in the next election - p228

By far the greatest honour accorded me was an invitation to a private luncheon party at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, November 6th. Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had adopted the custom of inviting various people from different walks of life to lunch with them informally - p229

After Pete had gone I had no wish to go on motor racing - p234

Instead of having flags waved a me I hope in the future to be waving them at others - p234

"Why have you retired?" Is so much nicer a question than "Why don't you retire?" - p234

[thingy-wing]

Here I am once again speaking to the void.

I have no local book club anymore, and I just want to build myself a little community of book lovers with similar reading likes/dislikes! So here we go!

Hi all, I’m Mac (she/her)! I’m 23 and from western Canada! I’m currently working on my second university degree and as of December will be, officially, a teacher! I’m falling back in love with reading at the moment (I got to preoccupied with journals and research in my first degree for a lot of fun reading) and have been really enjoying rereading old favourites and asking those around me to read their new/old favourites!

Genres I like (and read most often)

- fantasy

- dystopia

- romance

- mystery (murder)

-historical

- horror (no particular subgenre as of yet)

Favourite books of all time?

- Taxidermists daughter, Kate Mosse

- Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

- The Hunger Games trilogy, Suzzane Collins

- Piranessi, Susanna Clarke

- Horse, Geraldine Brooks

Favourite Books I have read in 2024

- Horse, Geraldine Brooks

- Everyone in my family has killed someone, Benjamin Stevenson

- Between two fires, Christopher Buehlman

- A certain Hunger, Chelsea G. Summers

Currently Reading:

- Wolfsong, Tj Klune

- The Cloisters, Katy Hays

- VenCo, Cherie Dimaline

I also read a lot of fan fiction which I am sure you will discover if you see my page!

[esgoraths]

Questionnaire Tag Game

Thank you for tagging me @starsuncounted :) (sorry this has taken me ages... who am I without my uselessness?)

Last song: I currently have You’re Own Your Own Kid by Taylor Swift in my head on repeat, if that counts

Currently watching: Started my millionth rewatch of Schitts Creek, and also slowly watching the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Currently reading: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, The Cloisters by Katy Hays and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (it's taking some time, I feel like I probably mentioned this in my last tag game…)

Current favourites: As you may have noticed I am back on my Hunger Games bullshit, and enjoying every minute. Finnick Odair you deserved better

No pressure tags @hobbitwrangler @coveredinsun @hiraethnix :)

[korshrimpski]

So I didn’t realise how much I was yapping about jeff skinner until now so I decided to add a “keep reading” line or it would take up so much dashboard space 😭 but enjoy this jeff skinner info dump

But yeah Jeff Skinner won the Calder with the Carolina Hurricanes and was drafted 7th overall in 2010, he’s played over 1000 games— but something funny about him and the Calder, the NHL awards where held in Las Vegas at Palms Casino Resort in the food court and you have to be 21 to get enter the casino floor which led to the food court but Jeff was 19 at the time and people were theorising if he was going to have trouble entering the floor, but he had no trouble entering so it was all good 👍

But Jeff Skinner letting the fans choose his suit is iconic: these were the 3 suits (he looks so dead inside in the 2nd photo) the first suit won

Jeff was called the Bieber of hockey by fans because he was a young bieber-ish looking guy and the captain at the time Eric Staal said this about jeff;

“It has a Justin Bieber-type feel to it, but he’s got a Justin Bieber-type look, too.”

While on the pop culture(ish) thing

He can name all three Jonas brothers (he blames his sisters for that knowledge)

He is the person in the Swift-Kelce jeresy meme

He’s met ed sheeran like 3 different times

He is the second youngest out of 5 siblings and the only boy. Growing up he did figure skating which is something that is bought up A LOT

But while he was in Carolina fans joked about him being the 5th staal brother as you can see here 👇

He was also in a movie called “death to smoochy” at 9 years old as one of the ice skating kids

He was traded to buffalo in 2018 and it was for lack of a better word controversial, because he had a no trade clause but then he activated the trade clause and chose buffalo (but with this I’m not 100% certain so if you know more please do tell)

And of course one of the most iconic things, Jeff Skinners goal song something that buffalo CLEARLY didn’t factor in when buying out jeff. The songs are as followed:

Party in the USA

I wanna dance with somebody

All I want for Christmas is you, but this was a one off on the 9th December 2022

And of course; high school musical, breaking free

And for Jeffs 1000th game he made a playlist (highly recommend listening to it) but the songs are:

The best of both worlds, hannah montana

The climb, miley cyrus

We can’t stop, miley cyrus

Firework, Katy Perry

What dreams are made of, hilary duff

My heart will go on, céline dion

Higher love, whitney houston

Beautiful soul, jesse mccartney

Sk8ter boy, avril lavigne

Conga, gloria estefen

Wannabe, spice girls

Bellas final, pitch perfect

EGOT, connor price

Jeff Skinner mentioned in a video when he was mic’d up that he watched Emily in Paris and loved it and this set of a saga of Emily in Paris jokes, and then the main actress Lily Collin made Jeff a personal video for his 1000 game

He also has a short series called between 2 stalls that I HIGHLY recommend watching it’s very funny

For a while he was also called “the mullet” because for all stars 2018 he started growing a mullet and the Sabres Insta posted this 👇

And this is honestly just one of my favourite Jeff Skinner quotes, what possessed him to say it idk (I made it into an inspirational quote because I can’t upload videos) (x, 1:02)

Additionally he might have a tragic love story with jack eichel but that is neither here nor there

He *might* have also been in love with Elias Lindholm, but that isn’t important either

Finally some of my personal favourite jeff skinner photos and videos

Here’s someones Pintrist board from 9 years ago that I found (it greatly entertained me)

Videos: (links)

Jeff Skinner, first point (goal) interview

Who is Jeff?

Between 2 stalls 1k game special

“You have no fucking teeth” chirp

Literally just smiley jeff

Undercover jeff skinner

And 2 skinny edits that won’t leave my brain

x

x (this one’s angsty, sorry)

Okay so jeff skinner won the calder? And he was drafted in the taylor/tyler year??

And apparently his suit choice for that year’s NHL awards was chosen by fan votes? On seventeen.com??

And he was called the “justin bieber of hockey”???

What the hell was going on in 2011????

[femalecelebrityoftheday]

My Most Posted Celebrities

I've been on tumblr for ten years now. It's a long time! I've posted a lot of female celebrities in that long time, so let's have a look back at who I've posted most often. Please remember that I only post people when I have new images of them, so there are some girls who I like a lot but haven't been able to post as often as I would have liked to. And some haven't been on the list for as many years as others. But if I've posted someone like thirty times or whatever it's fair to say they're one of my favourites! So here it is, the big list of everyone I've posted five times or more. (I left Elliot Page on because I posted him a lot back in the day and didn't want to pretend otherwise.)

96 times: Elle Fanning

89 times: Hailee Steinfeld

87 times: Emma Roberts

82 times: Chloe Grace Moretz

75 times: Michelle Trachtenberg

69 times: Natalie Portman

66 times: Kiernan Shipka

65 times: Anna Kendrick

61 times: Zendaya

56 times: Gillian Jacobs, Sophie Turner

51 times: Anne Hathaway

50 times: Kristen Stewart

48 times: Hayley Atwell

47 times: Karen Gillan

44 times: Emma Stone

43 times: Scarlett Johansson

41 times: Alison Brie

40 times: Olivia Wilde

39 times: Maisie Williams

38 times: Gemma Arterton

37 times: Kat Dennings

35 times: Amanda Seyfried, Emily Ratajkowski

34 times: Bailee Madison, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

33 times: Kate Beckinsale

32 times: Abigail Breslin, Chloe Bennet, Kristen Bell

31 times: Elizabeth Olsen, Natalie Dormer

30 times: Felicity Jones

29 times: Anya Taylor-Joy, Taylor Swift

28 times: Brie Larson

27 times: Jenna Coleman, Jessica Chastain, Kirsten Dunst

26 times: Elizabeth Henstridge, Tessa Thompson

24 times: Dakota Fanning, Emilia Clarke

23 times: Dakota Blue Richards, Dove Cameron, Elliot Page, Jennifer Lawrence, Kaitlyn Dever

22 times: Charlize Theron

21 times: Amy Adams, Avril Lavigne, Lauren Tsai, Ming-Na Wen, Peyton Roi List

20 times: Margot Robbie, Nathalie Emmanuel, Pom Klementieff

18 times: Billie Eilish, Charli XCX, Sadie Sink

17 times: Ariel Winter, Aubrey Plaza, Candice Patton

16 times: Camren Bicondova, Evan Rachel Wood

15 times: Ana de Armas, Imogen Poots, Laura Harrier, Lily Collins, Sophie Tweed-Simmons

14 times: Emmy Rossum, Gal Gadot, Janina Gavankar, Jessica Henwick, Keira Knightley

13 times: Adelaide Kane, Diane Guerrero, Emily Kinney, Freema Agyeman, Magda Apanowicz, Olivia Munn, Rose Leslie

12 times: Deborah Ann Woll, Fan Bingbing, Isla Fisher, Samara Weaving, Sarah Silverman

11 times: Angourie Rice, Barbara Palvin, Eva Green, Florence Pugh, Millie Bobby Brown, Rachel McAdams, Rosario Dawson, Zazie Beetz

10 times: Cobie Smulders, Daisy Ridley, Genevieve Buechner, Jameela Jamil, Joey King, Krysten Ritter, Laura Prepon, Liv Tyler, Willa Holland

9 times: Anna Chlumsky, Maya Hawke, Rose McIver, Zoe Saldana

8 times: Danielle Panabaker, Hannah Murray, Ivana Baquero, Jessica Lucas, Kate Mara, Katelyn Nacon, Katherine McNamara, Larsen Thompson, Laura Vandervoort, Lauren Cohan, Olivia Rodrigo, Tatiana Maslany

7 times: Alicia Vikander, Amy Acker, Billie Lourd, Elizabeth Gillies, Gemma Chan, Hannah John-Kamen, Katie McGrath, Lupita Nyong'o, Mackenzie Foy, Marion Cotillard, Milana Vayntrub, Phoebe Tonkin, Rebecca Hall, Taissa Farmiga, Tiya Sircar

6 times: Brianna Hildebrand, Camila Mendes, Elisabeth Moss, Emily Browning, Evangeline Lilly, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jessica Biel, Kathryn Newton, Leven Rambin, Natalia Dyer, Rihanna, Saoirse Ronan, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sydney Sweeney, Zoey Deutch

5 times: Alexandra Daddario, Aly Michalka, Amber Midthunder, Cara Delevingne, Cate Blanchet, Jaimie Alexander, Jamie Hayter, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Kate Upton, Lili Reinhart, Lily-Rose Depp, Lizzy Caplan, Sophie Thatcher, Thomasin McKenzie

Maybe I should have just done "ten or more times" since "five or more" isn't as impressive after ten years, but hey it's all interesting stuff!

Congratulations to ELLE FANNING and thanks to my friend @whoiwanttoday for creating the spreadsheet I still use for this!

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Which 21st century singer (Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd etc.) would each Cullen have as their favourite? For example, would Rosalie be a fan of girl in red or would Edward have posters of Lana Del Rey*?

*i can see him dancing to Radio and cringing at Off To The Races

I am about to admit something very embarrassing: I have little to no familiarity with 21st century music.

Oh, sure, I know names. I've heard songs. I live on this planet. But it's not my style of music and, just like all of my pop culture references are ancient, so is my music taste.

So... I'm not the best person to ask this.

But, I'll give this my best shot. Caveat that this is entirely headcanon, the only thing we know about Cullens and music is that Edward's the musician and music afficiando.

He knows Clair de Lune.

Alice

I see Alice is a very pop person. Into very upbeat, catchy, music that everybody loves. She was, of course, super into Brittany in the early 2000's and late 1990's. I imagine she's a very large fan of Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

She tells us that the next Taylor Swift album is going to be amazing.

No one's surprised by this.

Carlisle

I see Carlisle as just generally into good music of all genres. He's liked popular artists from all eras. So he's probably also a Taylor Swift fan, enjoys Lana Del Rey, Lorde, Mumford and Sons, etc. Probably a very eclectic taste.

Edward

Edward is Enoby Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way: bands he insists are indie/goffick and relatively unknown are actually Linkin Park (yes, this is canon, it's beautiful).

We also know Edward wasn't a fan of 60's music and loved the 80's. That's right, Edward enjoys Phil Collins' solo career.

He would not be a fan of Taylor Swift, she's too main stream (and frankly too good). For similar reasons he's not a fan of Lorde or Lana Del Rey (too good, too main stream).

God, who would Edward pick... I don't even know.

Owl City.

I can think of no other artist awful enough to be worthy of Edward's attention. This is part of the reason (other than the car crashes and the Volvo) that no one wants to ride when Edward's driving.

Emmett

Take him home country roads. And fuck anyone that isn't John Denver. He isn't a 21st century singer? HE IS NOW.

In all seriousness, I have no idea for Emmett. I could see him enjoying utterly ridiculous things just to confuse the family. Emmett's a huge Ke$ha fan, very into Gaga, in the 90's he was Nirvana and Pearl Jam's number one fan.

Really, anything that will annoy Edward and make Rosalie laugh.

Esme

Esme only listens to Rogers and Hammerstein musical soundtracks. It's the Sound of Music with Julie Andrews, on loop in the kitchen, for days. She occasionally gets a little outside her comfort zone and plays the soundtrack to "Singing in the Rain". This does not happen often though and she's mortified if anyone finds out.

She's never heard of the 21st century, Esme's still in the 1950's.

Jasper

Jasper's too depressed and too out of touch to pay any attention to musical artists. He hears what others play around the house, the pop Alice listens to isn't terrible.

Rosalie

Beyonce is her queen. Also a huge fan of Lorde, probably not of Lana Del Rey because even though her lyrics are thought provoking and very good they're Lana Del Rey lyrics. Not a message that Rosalie would be into.

Generally though, I think Rosalie would be very big into female artists and always has been.

Concluding Thoughts

That said, Edward is The Musical One (TM), it's implied that certainly no one plays the piano besides him and that the others aren't quite as interested in music.

Edward is the one with stacks and stacks of CDs.

[promenadewithme]

First of all, I want to thank all of you so much for the follows, likes, comments, reblogs and support in general! I can't believe I hit 50 followers so soon! I know it’s not much, but I actually didn’t expect any at all so I’m so happy!! Thank you ❤️

Now, this is how the celebration is going to work: first you chose a song and a character. Then send it to my requests with your pronoun of choice, along with any other specifications and I'll write you a fic based on the song! You can either send the song or specific quotes as prompts

To find the fics I will write, use the #Anastasia's 50 followers celebration

This event starts today (May 20th) and ends June 10th

Support Me on Ko-Fi - if you’re feeling generous 💕

Songs:

Fluff (Romantic)

Paper Rings - Taylor Swift

London Boy - Taylor Swift

Love Story - Taylor Swift

Lover - Taylor Swift

King of My Heart - Taylor Swift

Willow - Taylor Swift

Crazier - Taylor Swift

New Year’s Day - Taylor Swift

Daylight - Taylor Swift

Jump Then Fall - Taylor Swift

How You Get The Girl - Taylor Swift

You Are In Love - Taylor Swift

It’s Nice To Have A Friend - Taylor Swift

Today Was A Fairytale - Taylor Swift

State Of Grace - Taylor Swift

Mine - Taylor Swift

Delicate - Taylor Swift

Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur

Naked - James Arthur

Rewrite The Stars - James Arthur + Anne-Marie

I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz

I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran

Tenerife Sea - Ed Sheeran

How Would You Feel (Paean) - Ed Sheeran

Kiss Me - Ed Sheeran

Afterglow - Ed Sheeran

Lego House - Ed Sheeran

Dive - Ed Sheeran

Galway Girl - Ed Sheeran

Everything Has Changed - Ed Sheeran + Taylor Swift

I Was Made For Loving You - Tori Kelly + Ed Sheeran

Make You Feel My Love -Adele

One Call Away - Charlie Puth

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars

Count On Me - Bruno Mars

Little Things - One Direction

Night Changes - One Direction

Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley

Andante, Andante - ABBA

Waterloo - ABBA

All Of Me - John Legend

Ocean Eyes - Billie Eilish

Snowman - Sia

A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

Arms - Christina Perri

Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

Halo - Beyoncé

The Only Exception - Paramore

Dandelions - Ruth B

Someone To You - BANNERS

Would You Be So Kind - Dodie

Someone You Like - The Girl and The Dreamcatcher

If I Could Tell Her - Ben Platt 

Absolutely Smitten - Dodie

How Long Will I Love - Ellie Goulding

Angst (Romantic)

Good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo

Drivers License - Olivia Rodrigo

Deja Vu - Olivia Rodrigo

Brutal - Olivia Rodrigo

Traitor - Olivia Rodrigo

Enough For You - Olivia Rodrigo

1 step forward, 3 steps back - Olivia Rodrigo

Happier - Olivia Rodrigo

Jealousy, Jealousy- Olivia Rodrigo

Favourite Crime - Olivia Rodrigo

Hope Ur Ok - Olivia Rodrigo

Betty - Taylor Swift

Exile - Taylor Swift

Teardrops On My Guitar - Taylor Swift

Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift

Tolerate It - Taylor Swift

You’re Not Sorry - Taylor Swift

Should’ve Said No - Taylor Swift

White Horse - Taylor Swift

You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift

My Tears Ricochet - Taylor Swift

Back to December - Taylor Swift

Breathe - Taylor Swift

The 1 - Taylor Swift

All Too Well - Taylor Swift

Invisible String - Taylor Swift

Evermore - Taylor Swift

Lose You To Love Me - Selena Gomez

The Heart Wants What It Wants - Selena Gomez

When I Was Your Man -Bruno Mars

Someone Like You - Adele

Hello - Adele

All I Ask - Adele

Let Her Go - Passenger

Say Something - A Great Big World

Stay With Me - Sam Smith

California King Bed - Rihanna

Take a Bow - Rihanna

Broken Hearted Girl - Beyoncé

Tonight I Wanna Cry - Keith Urban

The Winner Takes It All - ABBA

SOS - ABBA

One Of Us - ABBA

Half a Heart - One Direction

Yesterday - The Beatles

If The World Was Ending - Julia Michaels

Colors - Halsey

Happier - Ed Sheeran

One Last Time - Ariana Grande

Why’d You Only Call Me When You High - Artic Monkeys

Play Date - Melanie Martinez

Just a Friend to You - Meghan Trainor

All I Want - Kodaline

Love You From A Distance - Ashley Kutcher

Potential Breakup Song - Aly & AJ

I Don’t Wanna See You With Her - Maria Mena

Let Her Go - Passenger

All My Tears - Ane Brun

Always On My Mind - Elvis Presley

Someone to you - Lewis Capaldi 

Before You Go - Lewis Capaldi

Others

Sit Still, Look Pretty - Daya

How To Be A Heartbreaker - MARINA

No Body, No Crime - Taylor Swift

Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

Blank Space - Taylor Swift

You Need To Calm Down - Taylor Swift

Getaway Car -Taylor Swift

Gorgeous - Taylor Swift

Bad Blood - Taylor Swift

The Man - Taylor Swift

22 - Taylor Swift

Dorothea - Taylor Swift

Marjorie - Taylor Swift

The Best Day - Taylor Swift

Mirrorball - Taylor Swift

I Forgot That You Existed - Taylor Swift

This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things - Taylor Swift

The Lakes - Taylor Swift

The Last Great American Dynasty - Taylor Swift

Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson

When I Kissed The Teacher - ABBA

I Have A Dream - ABBA

I've Been Waiting For You - ABBA

You'll Be In My Heart - Phil Collins

Titanium - David Guetta (feat. Sia)

F**ckin' Perfect - P!nk

New Rules - Dua Lipa

IDGAF - Dua Lipa

Bad Guy - Billie Eilish

You Should See Me in A Crown - Billie Eilish

COPYCAT - Billie Eilish

Count On Me - Bruno Mars

Stand By You - Rachel Platten

Firework - Katy Perry

Because You Loved Me - Céline Dion

See You Again - Wiz Khalifa + Charlie Puth

NO - Meghan Trainor

Skyfall - Adele

Gasoline - Halsey

Castle On The Hill - Ed Sheeran

Save Myself - Ed Sheeran

Supermarket Flowers - Ed Sheeran

Small Bump - Ed Sheeran

Growing Up - Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Ed Sheeran

7 Rings - Ariana Grande

Bad Liar - Selena Gomez

Rare - Selena Gomez

Who Says - Selena Gomez

I Turn To You - Christina Aguilera

Till There Was You - The Beatles

Sweetest Devotion - Adele

ps: sorry, I'm a Swiftie and a Sheerio <3

Characters

Character x fem! or GN! reader (ROMANTIC)

ACOTAR: Rhysand, Cassian, Azriel, Lucien, Helion, Tarquin, kallias and Tamlin.

BRIDGERTON: Anthony Bridgerton, Benedict Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton and Simon Basset.

GRISHAVERSE: Nikolai, Mal, The Darkling, Kaz, Matthias, Jesper, Wylan and David.

THRONE OF GLASS: Dorian Havilliard and Chaol Westfall.

HARRY POTTER: Harry, Ron, Neville, Draco, George, Fred, Oliver, Cedric, Young Sirius, Young James and Young Remus.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley.

MARVEL: Steve, Bucky, Sam, Pietro, Loki, Thor, Peter Parker, Ned, Tony, Bruce, Vision, Clint, T'Challa, Scott Lang, James Rhodes, Peter Quill and Stephen Strange.

THE HUNGER GAMES: Peeta, Gale and Finnick.

GREY'S ANATOMY: Derek Shepherd, Andrew DeLuca, Alex Karev, Jackson Avery, Mark Sloan, George O'Malley, Link, Koracick and Ben Warren.

TEEN WOLF: Scott, Stiles, Derek, Isaac, Liam and Jackson.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: Damon, Stefan, Matt, Klaus, Elijah and Kai.

NARNIA: Peter, Edmund and Caspian.

STAR WARS: Anakin, Obi Wan, Kylo, Han, Luke, Poe, Finn and Din Djarin.

Character x platonic!/sis!/bro!/enemy!/daughter!/son!/mentor!/or anything else platonic Reader

ACOTAR: Rhysand, Cassian, Azriel, Feure, Nesta, Elain, Mor, Amren, Nyx, Lucien, Tarquin, Helion, Kallias, Tamlin, Ianthe, Suriel and Bone Carver.

GRISHAVERSE: Nikolai, Mal, Darkling, David, Alina, Bahgra, Zoya, Tamar, Tolya, Apparat, Kaz, Matthias, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, Inej, Tantee Heleen and Pekka Rollins.

THRONE OF GLASS: Dorian, Chaol and Aelin.

BRIDGERTON: Anthony, Benedict, Colin; Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, Hyacinth, Lady Violet, Simon, Lady Danbury, Penelope, Lady Portia Featherington, Marina, Sienna, Genevieve, Cressida and Queen Charlotte.

HARRY POTTER: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Luna, Draco, George, Fred, Oliver, Cedric, Cho, Seamus, Fleur, Pansy, Myrtle, Sirius (old or young), James (old or young), Remus (old or young), Lily (old or young), Molly, Arthur, Bill, Percy, Charlie, Xenophilus Lovegood, Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hagrid, Moody, Flitwick, Umbridge, Bellatrix, Voldemort, Lucius, Narcissa, Peter Pettigrew, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Dobby and Nearly Headless Nick.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Mr Darcy, Georgiana Darcy, Mr Bingley, Caroline Bingley, Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Bennet, Mary Bennet, Lydia Bennet, Catherine Bennet, Charlotte Lucas, Wickam, Mr Collins, Mr Bennet, Mrs Bennet.

MARVEL: Steve, Peggy, Sharon, Natasha, Bucky, Sam, Carol, Monica Rambeau, Pietro, Wanda, Agatha Harkness, Loki, Frigga, Odin, Hela, Thor, Heimdall, Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, Valkyrie, Peter Parker, Ned, MJ, Tony, Pepper, Morgan, Happy, Howard, Bruce, Vision, Clint, T'Challa, Shuri, Scott, Hope, Hank, Cassie, James Rhodes, Peter Quill, Gamora, Mantis, Nebula, Groot, Rocket, Drax, Stephen Strange, Wong, Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, Maria Hill, Thanos, Ancient One, Red Skull, Ultron, John Walker and Zemo.

THE HUNGER GAMES: Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Finnick, Haymitch, Rue, President Snow, Primrose, Effie, Cinna and Johanna.

GREY'S ANATOMY: Meredith, Derek, Andrew, Alex, Jackson, Mark, Lexie, Cristina, April, Izzie, George, Callie, Owen, Addison, Arizona, Miranda, Amelia, Link, Burke, Teddy, Maggie, Richard, Carina, Ben Warren, Megan Hunt, Ellis Grey, Catherine Avery and Tom Koracick.

TEEN WOLF: Scott, Stiles, Malia, Lydia, Allison, Derek, Isaac, Liam, Jackson, Peter Hale, Chris Argent, Sheriff Stilinski, Kira, Melissa McCall and Noshiko Yukimura.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: Damon, Elena, Katherine, Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie, Jenna, Klaus, Elijah, Rebeka, Sheriff Forbes, Kai and Lexi.

NARNIA: Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, Caspian and Aslan.

STAR WARS: Anakin, Padme, Yoda, Jarjar, Obi Wan, Kylo, Rey, Han, Leia, Luke, Poe, Finn and Din Djarin and Grogu.

No pressure tags: @venuswritesfanfic @for-bebbanburg @maggiescarborough @multifandomfix @sweetnspicysimp @lazypeachsoul @magravenwrites

[nellygwyn]

BOOK RECS

Okay, so lots of people wanted this and so, I am compiling a list of my favourite books (both fiction and non-fiction), books that I recommend you read as soon as humanly possible. In the meantime, I’ll be pinning this post to the top of my blog (once I work out how to do that lmao) so it will be accessible for old and new followers. I’m going to order this list thematically, I think, just to keep everything tidy and orderly. Of course, a lot of this list will consist of historical fiction and historical non-fiction because that’s what I read primarily and thus, that’s where my bias is, but I promise to try and spice it up just a little bit. 

Favourite fiction books of all time:

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock // Imogen Hermes Gowar

Sense and Sensibility // Jane Austen

Slammerkin // Emma Donoghue 

Remarkable Creatures // Tracy Chevalier

Life Mask // Emma Donoghue

His Dark Materials // Philip Pullman (this includes the follow-up series The Book of Dust)

Emma // Jane Austen

The Miniaturist // Jessie Burton

Girl, Woman, Other // Bernadine Evaristo 

Jane Eyre // Charlotte Brontë

Persuasion // Jane Austen

Girl with a Pearl Earring // Tracy Chevalier

The Silent Companions // Laura Purcell

Tess of the d’Urbervilles // Thomas Hardy

Northanger Abbey // Jane Austen

The Chronicles of Narnia // C.S. Lewis

Pride and Prejudice // Jane Austen

Goodnight, Mr Tom // Michelle Magorian

The French Lieutenant’s Woman // John Fowles 

The Butcher’s Hook // Janet Ellis 

Mansfield Park // Jane Austen

The All Souls Trilogy // Deborah Harkness

The Railway Children // Edith Nesbit

Favourite non-fiction books of all time

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman // Robert Massie

Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King // Antonia Fraser

Madame de Pompadour // Nancy Mitford

The First Iron Lady: A Life of Caroline of Ansbach // Matthew Dennison 

Black and British: A Forgotten History // David Olusoga

Courtiers: The Secret History of the Georgian Court // Lucy Worsley 

Young and Damned and Fair: The Life of Katherine Howard, the Fifth Wife of Henry VIII // Gareth Russell

King Charles II // Antonia Fraser

Casanova’s Women // Judith Summers

Marie Antoinette: The Journey // Antonia Fraser

Mrs. Jordan’s Profession: The Story of a Great Actress and a Future King // Claire Tomalin

Jane Austen at Home // Lucy Worsley

Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames // Lara Maiklem

The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth // Anna Keay

The Marlboroughs: John and Sarah Churchill // Christopher Hibbert

Nell Gwynn: A Biography // Charles Beauclerk

Jurassic Mary: Mary Anning and the Primeval Monsters // Patricia Pierce

Georgian London: Into the Streets // Lucy Inglis

The Prince Who Would Be King: The Life and Death of Henry Stuart // Sarah Fraser

Wedlock: How Georgian Britain’s Worst Husband Met His Match // Wendy Moore

Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity from the Stone Age to the Silver Screen // Greg Jenner

Victorians Undone: Tales of the Flesh in the Age of Decorum // Kathryn Hughes

Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey // Nicola Tallis

Favourite books about the history of sex and/or sex work

The Origins of Sex: A History of First Sexual Revolution // Faramerz Dabhoiwala 

Erotic Exchanges: The World of Elite Prostitution in Eighteenth-Century Paris // Nina Kushner

Peg Plunkett: Memoirs of a Whore // Julie Peakman

Courtesans // Katie Hickman

The Other Victorians: A Study of Sexuality and Pornography in mid-Nineteenth Century England

Madams, Bawds, and Brothel Keepers // Fergus Linnane

The Secret History of Georgian London: How the Wages of Sin Shaped the Capital // Dan Cruickshank 

A Curious History of Sex // Kate Lister

Sex and Punishment: 4000 Years of Judging Desire // Eric Berkowitz

Queen of the Courtesans: Fanny Murray // Barbara White

Rent Boys: A History from Ancient Times to Present // Michael Hone

Celeste // Roland Perry

Sex and the Gender Revolution // Randolph Trumbach

The Pleasure’s All Mine: A History of Perverse Sex // Julie Peakman

LGBT+ fiction I love*

The Confessions of the Fox // Jordy Rosenberg 

As Meat Loves Salt // Maria Mccann

Bone China // Laura Purcell

Brideshead Revisited // Evelyn Waugh

The Confessions of Frannie Langton // Sara Collins

The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle // Neil Blackmore

Orlando // Virginia Woolf

Tipping the Velvet // Sarah Waters

She Rises // Kate Worsley

The Mercies // Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Oranges are Not the Only Fruit // Jeanette Winterson

Maurice // E.M Forster

Frankisstein: A Love Story // Jeanette Winterson

If I Was Your Girl // Meredith Russo 

The Well of Loneliness // Radclyffe Hall 

* fyi, Life Mask and Girl, Woman, Other are also LGBT+ fiction

Classics I haven’t already mentioned (including children’s classics)

Far From the Madding Crowd // Thomas Hardy 

I Capture the Castle // Dodie Smith 

Vanity Fair // William Makepeace Thackeray 

Wuthering Heights // Emily Brontë

The Blazing World // Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle

Murder on the Orient Express // Agatha Christie 

Great Expectations // Charles Dickens

North and South // Elizabeth Gaskell

Evelina // Frances Burney

Death on the Nile // Agatha Christie

The Monk // Matthew Lewis

Frankenstein // Mary Shelley

Vilette // Charlotte Brontë

The Mayor of Casterbridge // Thomas Hardy

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall // Anne Brontë

Vile Bodies // Evelyn Waugh

Beloved // Toni Morrison 

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd // Agatha Christie

The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling // Henry Fielding

A Room With a View // E.M. Forster

Silas Marner // George Eliot 

Jude the Obscure // Thomas Hardy

My Man Jeeves // P.G. Wodehouse

Lady Audley’s Secret // Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Middlemarch // George Eliot

Little Women // Louisa May Alcott

Children of the New Forest // Frederick Marryat

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings // Maya Angelou 

Rebecca // Daphne du Maurier

Alice in Wonderland // Lewis Carroll

The Wind in the Willows // Kenneth Grahame

Anna Karenina // Leo Tolstoy

Howard’s End // E.M. Forster

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 // Sue Townsend

Even more fiction recommendations

The Darling Strumpet // Gillian Bagwell

The Wolf Hall trilogy // Hilary Mantel

The Illumination of Ursula Flight // Anne-Marie Crowhurst

Queenie // Candace Carty-Williams

Forever Amber // Kathleen Winsor

The Corset // Laura Purcell

Love in Colour // Bolu Babalola

Artemisia // Alexandra Lapierre

Blackberry and Wild Rose // Sonia Velton

The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories // Angela Carter

The Languedoc trilogy // Kate Mosse

Longbourn // Jo Baker

A Skinful of Shadows // Frances Hardinge

The Black Moth // Georgette Heyer

The Far Pavilions // M.M Kaye

The Essex Serpent // Sarah Perry

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo // Taylor Jenkins Reid

Cavalier Queen // Fiona Mountain 

The Winter Palace // Eva Stachniak

Friday’s Child // Georgette Heyer

Falling Angels // Tracy Chevalier

Little // Edward Carey

Chocolat // Joanne Harris 

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street // Natasha Pulley 

My Sister, the Serial Killer // Oyinkan Braithwaite

The Convenient Marriage // Georgette Heyer

Katie Mulholland // Catherine Cookson

Restoration // Rose Tremain

Meat Market // Juno Dawson

Lady on the Coin // Margaret Campbell Bowes

In the Company of the Courtesan // Sarah Dunant

The Crimson Petal and the White // Michel Faber

A Place of Greater Safety // Hilary Mantel 

The Little Shop of Found Things // Paula Brackston

The Improbability of Love // Hannah Rothschild

The Murder Most Unladylike series // Robin Stevens

Dark Angels // Karleen Koen

The Words in My Hand // Guinevere Glasfurd

Time’s Convert // Deborah Harkness

The Collector // John Fowles

Vivaldi’s Virgins // Barbara Quick

The Foundling // Stacey Halls

The Phantom Tree // Nicola Cornick

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle // Stuart Turton

Golden Hill // Francis Spufford

Assorted non-fiction not yet mentioned

The Dinosaur Hunters: A True Story of Scientific Rivalry and the Discovery of the Prehistoric World // Deborah Cadbury

The Beauty and the Terror: An Alternative History to the Italian Renaissance // Catherine Fletcher

All the King's Women: Love, Sex, and Politics in the life of Charles II // Derek Jackson

Mozart’s Women // Jane Glover

Scandalous Liaisons: Charles II and His Court // R.E. Pritchard

Matilda: Queen, Empress, Warrior // Catherine Hanley 

Black Tudors // Miranda Kaufman 

To Catch a King: Charles II's Great Escape // Charles Spencer

1666: Plague, War and Hellfire // Rebecca Rideal

Henrietta Maria: Charles I's Indomitable Queen // Alison Plowden

Catherine of Braganza: Charles II's Restoration Queen // Sarah-Beth Watkins

Four Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Romanov Grand Duchesses // Helen Rappaport

Aristocrats: Caroline, Emily, Louisa and Sarah Lennox, 1740-1832 // Stella Tillyard 

The Fortunes of Francis Barber: The True Story of the Jamaican Slave who Became Samuel Johnson’s Heir // Michael Bundock

Black London: Life Before Emancipation // Gretchen Gerzina

In These Times: Living in Britain Through Napoleon’s Wars, 1793-1815

The King’s Mistress: Scandal, Intrigue and the True Story of the Woman who Stole the Heart of George I // Claudia Gold

Perdita: The Life of Mary Robinson // Paula Byrne

The Gentleman’s Daughter: Women’s Lives in Georgian England // Amanda Vickery

Terms and Conditions: Life in Girls’ Boarding School, 1939-1979 // Ysenda Maxtone Graham 

Fanny Burney: A Biography // Claire Harman

Aphra Behn: A Secret Life // Janet Todd

The Imperial Harem: Women and the Sovereignty in the Ottoman Empire // Leslie Peirce

The Fall of the House of Byron // Emily Brand

The Favourite: Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough // Ophelia Field

Night-Walking: A Nocturnal History of London // Matthew Beaumont, Will Self

Jane Austen: A Life // Claire Tomalin

Beloved Emma: The Life of Emma, Lady Hamilton // Flora Fraser

Sentimental Murder: Love and Madness in the 18th Century // John Brewer

Henrietta Howard: King’s Mistress, Queen’s Servant // Tracy Borman

City of Beasts: How Animals Shaped Georgian London // Tom Almeroth-Williams

Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion // Anne Somerset 

Charlotte Brontë: A Life // Claire Harman 

Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe // Anthony Summers

Queer City: Gay London from the Romans to the Present Day // Peter Ackroyd 

Elizabeth I and Her Circle // Susan Doran

African Europeans: An Untold History // Olivette Otele 

Young Romantics: The Shelleys, Byron, and Other Tangled Lives // Daisy Hay

How to Create the Perfect Wife // Wendy Moore

The Sphinx: The Life of Gladys Deacon, Duchess of Marlborough // Hugo Vickers

The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn // Eric Ives

Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy // Barbara Ehrenreich

A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie // Kathryn Harkup 

Mistresses: Sex and Scandal at the Court of Charles II // Linda Porter

Female Husbands: A Trans History // Jen Manion

Ladies in Waiting: From the Tudors to the Present Day // Anne Somerset

Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country // Edward Parnell 

A Cheesemonger’s History of the British Isles // Ned Palmer

The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister’s Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine // Lindsey Fitzharris

Medieval Woman: Village Life in the Middle Ages // Ann Baer

The Husband Hunters: Social Climbing in London and New York // Anne de Courcy

The Voices of Nîmes: Women, Sex, and Marriage in Reformation Languedoc // Suzannah Lipscomb

The Daughters of the Winter Queen // Nancy Goldstone

Mad and Bad: Real Heroines of the Regency // Bea Koch

Bess of Hardwick // Mary S. Lovell

The Royal Art of Poison // Eleanor Herman 

The Strangest Family: The Private Lives of George III, Queen Charlotte, and the Hanoverians // Janice Hadlow

Palaces of Pleasure: From Music Halls to the Seaside to Football; How the Victorians Invented Mass Entertainment // Lee Jackson

Favourite books about current social/political issues (?? for lack of a better term)

Feminism, Interrupted: Disrupting Power // Lola Olufemi

Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Worker Rights // Molly Smith, Juno Mac

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race // Reni Eddo-Lodge

Trans Britain: Our Journey from the Shadows // Christine Burns

Me, Not You: The Trouble with Mainstream Feminism // Alison Phipps

Trans Like Me: A Journey For All Of Us // C.N Lester

Brit(Ish): On Race, Identity, and Belonging // Afua Hirsch 

The Brutish Museums: The Benin Bronzes, Colonial Violence, and Cultural Restitution // Dan Hicks

Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls: A Handbook for Unapologetic Living // Jes M. Baker

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women White Feminists Forgot // Mikki Kendall

Denial: Holocaust History on Trial // Deborah Lipstadt

Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape // Jessica Valenti, Jaclyn Friedman

Don’t Touch My Hair // Emma Dabiri

Sister Outsider // Audre Lorde 

Unicorn: The Memoir of a Muslim Drag Queen // Amrou Al-Kadhi

Trans Power // Juno Roche

Breathe: A Letter to My Sons // Imani Perry

The Windrush Betrayal: Exposing the Hostile Environment // Amelia Gentleman

Happy Fat: Taking Up Space in a World That Wants to Shrink You // Sofie Hagen

Diaries, memoirs & letters

The Diary of a Young Girl // Anne Frank

Renia’s Diary: A Young Girl’s Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust // Renia Spiegel 

Writing Home // Alan Bennett

The Diary of Samuel Pepys // Samuel Pepys

Histoire de Ma Vie // Giacomo Casanova

Toast: The Story of a Boy’s Hunger // Nigel Slater

London Journal, 1762-1763 // James Boswell

The Diary of a Bookseller // Shaun Blythell 

Jane Austen’s Letters // edited by Deidre la Faye

H is for Hawk // Helen Mcdonald 

The Salt Path // Raynor Winn

The Glitter and the Gold // Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough

Journals and Letters // Fanny Burney

Educated // Tara Westover

Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading // Lucy Mangan

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? // Jeanette Winterson

A Dutiful Boy // Mohsin Zaidi

Secrets and Lies: The Trials of Christine Keeler // Christine Keeler

800 Years of Women’s Letters // edited by Olga Kenyon

Istanbul // Orhan Pamuk

Henry and June // Anaïs Nin

Historical romance (this is a short list because I’m still fairly new to this genre)

The Bridgerton series // Julia Quinn

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover // Sarah Mclean

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake // Sarah Mclean

The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics // Olivia Waite

That Could Be Enough // Alyssa Cole

Unveiled // Courtney Milan

The Craft of Love // EE Ottoman

The Maiden Lane series // Elizabeth Hoyt

An Extraordinary Union // Alyssa Cole

Slightly Dangerous // Mary Balogh

Dangerous Alliance: An Austentacious Romance // Jennieke Cohen

A Fashionable Indulgence // KJ Charles

[know-it-all-freak]

Paul playlist

A (very long) playlist of my favourite songs, that in one way or another I have related to Paul.

I Just Died in Your Arms - Cutting Crew

Crazy for You - Madonna

All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You - Heart

I Drove All Night - Cyndi Lauper

Hello - Lionel Richie

Words- F. R. David

Spiritual - Katy Perry

(They Long to Be) Close to You - Carpenters

Pale Blue Eyes - Velvet Underground

Lost in Your Eyes - Debbie Gibson

I Get Weak - Belinda Carlisle

Eternal Flame- The Bangles

Can't Fight This Feeling - REO Speedwagon

Addicted to You - Avicii

Damn! I Wish I Was Your Lover - Sophie B. Hawkins

Endless Love - Lionel Richie & Diana Ross

Even the Nights Are Better - Air Supply

You're the Inspiration - Chicago

I Want to Know What Love Is - Foreigner

Saving All My Love for You - Whitney Houston

Obsession - Animotion

I Only Want to Be With You - Dusty Springfield

Insatiable - Darren Hayes

Don't Be A Stranger - Dina Carroll

All the Man That I Need - Whitney Houston

I Surrender - Celine Dion

All of Me - John Legend

Sweet Dream - Beyonce

You Came - Kim Wilde

The Best - Tina Turner

This Time I Know It's for Real - Donna Summer

The Power of Love - Jennifer Rush

Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler

Je Ne Sais Quoi - Hera Björk (ESC 2010)

I Turn To You - Melanie C

Irresistible - Stephanie

Strangers in the Night - Frank Sinatra

Holding Out For A Hero - Bonnie Tyler

Hold Me Now - Johnny Logan

For Your Eyes Only - Sheena Easton

Love Me Like You Do - Ellie Goulding

Eyes Like Yours - Shakira

Breathless - The Corrs

Against All Odds - Phil Collins

My Heart Is Yours - Didrik Solli-Tangen (ESC)

Always - Bon Jovi

I Get So Emotional - Whitney Houston

Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra

I Call Your Name - Roxette

Father Figure - George Michael

I'm in Love With You - Joy Willams

I Love You - Woodkid

Off - Kathy Barnes

Let the Night Take the Blame - Lorraine McKane

Mercy - Duffy

Woman in Love - Barbra Streisand

Take My Breath Away - Berlin

Touch Me - Samantha Fox

Lay All Your Love on Me - ABBA

I Knew I Loved You - Savage Garden

Is This Love - Whitesnake

Dance Me to the End of Love - Leonard Cohen

Can't Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley

Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You - Glenn Medeiros

Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen

Dirty Little Secret - Alex Who?

Bonus tracks:

If I Could Write A Sonnet

Let the Great Big World Keep Turning

[killerqueen-66]

So I was once again bored

and so I decided to do one more post of my favourite actresses (because, gay)  Gifs aren’t mine. Enjoy all these wonderful women ;)

Evan Rachel Wood

Ruby Rose

Rachel Skartsen

Meagan Tandy

Nicole Kang

Isabella Gomez

Natalie Dormer

Chyler Leigh

Emilia Clarke

Lena Headey

Maggie Q

Paige Turco

Lindsey Morgan

Alycia Debnam-Carey

Marie Avgeropoulos

Thandie Newton

Eliza Taylor

Sidse Babett Knudsen

Jes Macallan

Kristen Bell

Victoria Smurfit

Kristen Bauer van Straten

Katie McGrath

Holly Marie Combs

Laura Leighton

Isla Fiaher

Nicole Kidman

Claire Foy

Julianne Moore

Jennifer Lawrence

Elizabeth Banks

Kristen Stewart

Naomi Scott

Ella Balinska

Raquel Cassidy

Amanda Holden

Melanie Scrofano

Dominique Provost-Chalkley

Katherine Barrell

Lily James

Cate Blanchett

Emma Stone

MyAnna Buring

Anya Chalotra

Jodhi May

Michelle Dockery

Maisie Williams

Karen Gillan

Elizabeth Olsen

Cobie Smulders

Linda Cardellini

Michelle Williams

Ruth Wilson

Suranne Jones

Sophie Rundle

Angelina Jolie

Amandla Stenberg

Paula Malcomson

Jena Malone

Amy Adams

Laura Dern

Reese Witherspoon

Zoë Kravitz

Anna Kendrick

Shailene Woodley

Lily Collins

Anne Hathaway

Sandra Bullock

Dakota Fanning

Elle Fanning

Margot Robbie

Jurnee Smollett-Bell

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Ali Wong

Charlize Theron

Saoirse Ronan

Idina Menzel

[landofthingsandsuch]

I was laying in bed cause I couldn’t sleep and I got to thinking about the movie Love, Simon (2018) which ended up getting a spinoff series Love, Victor (2020) which got me thinking about which movies I would love to see get their own series and reasons. So, here goes...

Boy Meets Girl (2014): I just want to know that Robby & Ricky made it and are still together 

In A Heartbeat (2017) short film: I don’t care if it stays animated or they make it live action but I need to know more Sherwin and Jonathan. Too precious.

Pretty Boy (2015) short film: I need more Sean. More Katie. And a chosen family. Katie helping Sean and his father John build their relationship and the Collins men being there for Katie while she tries to get her back her son. I’m tearing up already. 

Protect Me From What I Want (2009) short film: Saleem looked back so now what? Do him and Daz get together? I need more.

Shelter (2007): How is Zach doing in art school? Was Shaun able to get over his writer’s block and write his second book? How are they coping with raising Cody? 

Tonight It’s Me (2014) short film/Tonight It’s You (2016) short film: I just dig the character of CJ and I want to know more about him as a hustler and a person. 

The Falls (2012)/The Falls: Testament of Love (2013)/The Falls: Covenant of Grace (2016): Three movies in and I still can’t get enough of Chris & RJ. They are my favourite Mormons and I want more. 

Sex of Angels (2012): The dance party between Bruno, Carla & Rai the morning after was cool, but then what? Are they making this new relationship work?

These are just a few of films that I think would work as series. I hope it happens.

[captain-judd]

I did one of these a while ago but have an updated version, thanks for the tags @jingledean & @justagirlwhofellforsupernatural!!

Nickname: Squirt or Katie Bug

Zodiac: Sagittarius

Height: 5'5

Last thing I googled: carolina 8 inch logger boots (everyone was fussing about the Dean Boots and I wanted to know, okay!)

Song stuck in my head: Kill My Time - 5SOS

Amount of sleep: lately... 5 hours?

Lucky number: 5 and 16

Favourite song: September - Earth, Wind & Fire and Back in Black - AC/DC

Favourite instrument: I'm teaching myself drums! It's very fun

Dream job: absolutely no idea, career scholar perhaps

Aesthetic: lots of plants, books, comfy jeans and band tshirts, minimal effort haha

Favourite books: (I'm switching it up and doing books, infer favourite authors from these) The Martian by Andy Weir, Red, White & Royal Blue by Castle McQuiston, Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, All for the Game Trilogy by Nora Sakavic, The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins (💔)

Favourite animal noise: morepork/ruru (NZ owl) in the middle of the night

Random fact: I really miss going to see movies in cinemas

No pressure tags: @momosboo @im-sam-fucking-winchester @reyreysistance @pointlesstrashyexistence @tonysttrk 😊

[fragiledewdrop]

Road trip, stargaze, succulent ?

Hello! Thank you so much for the questions. Let's see:

Road trip: where's the farthest you've been from home?

London. I went in high school as a school trip. I definitely want to go there again now that I speak decent English :)

Stargaze: Celebrity crush?

Misha Collins and Katie McGrath. Look at them:

The fact that they played two of my favourite characters is just a bonus, really.

Succulent: what are you looking forward to?

Being well enough to study French seriously. Also drinking mulled wine. I might just go make it!

[theselkiesea]

Mid Year Book Freak Out Tag - 2020

Once again this is a YouTube tag but I need a distraction so lets review the reading year so far and some plans (that I can guarantee I won’t stick to) for the rest of 2020. Take these questions and do your own!

1. Best books you’ve read so far in 2019.

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

The House that Groaned by Karrie Fransman

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2019.

I’ve only read one sequel technically and it is volume eight of Deadly Class. I’ve ignored a lot of series so far this year and I’ve no idea why. I think it’s because most of the series are fantasy that I find intimating and because of everything happening in the world I just wanted shorter, easy stuff to get through.

But I’m gonna try and change that now for the rest of the year.

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to.

Honestly, too many for me to want to list cause I’ll get sad.

You are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Crescent City by Sarah J Maas

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It  by K.J. Parker

Ruinsong by Julia Ember

5. Biggest disappointment.

The Furies by Katie Lowe

The Gigantic Beard that was Evil by Stephen Collins

Bluestar’s Prophecy by Erin Hunter

6. Biggest surprise.

The One by John Marrs

The Driftwood Girls by Mark Douglas-Home

The Farm by Tom Rob Smith

7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you)

Amy Engel

8. Newest fictional crush.

Same as last year, I just don’t get crushes on fictional characters anymore. I mean, I did reread one of my favourite books of all time earlier this year which has a character I just love with all my heart but he ain’t new. Billy, love yah always.

9. Newest favourite character.

Ok so, she was a real person but I read a Joan of Arc retelling and I just love this girl so that’s my pick.

10. Book that made you cry

A few made me teary but not full on sobbing yet. However, with my reread of The Diamond of Drury Lane, this was the first time I cried at it because one of the quotes really hit me hard. But here a couple that made ma eyes water.

Worlds of You: Poetry and Prose by Beau Taplin

The Language of Fire: Joan of Arc Reimagined by Stephanie Hemphill

11. Book that made you happy.

I’ve read a lot of dark stuff this year y’all and I really like dark humour. This was hard to pick out some!

The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding

Shutter, Vol 1: Wanderlost by Joe Keatinge

Och Wheesht and Get Oan Wae It by Lewis Dawson

12. Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)

His Hideous Heart by Dahlia Adler but a bunch of folk have contributed to it. I first found out about this book from a booktuber I watch but then my friend read it so I had to purchase it!

13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

My Dark Vanessa by  Kate Elizabeth Russell

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

The Shadow Saint by Gareth Hanarahan 

Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames

[femalecelebrityoftheday]

My Most Posted Celebrities

I havent done this for a long time, so here’s the big list of everyone I’ve posted five times or more.  This isn’t exactly a ranking of my favourites, of course, as I can only post soeone if there’s a new pics of them.  And there’s some I like a lot who just don’t have that many new pictures.  But if I’ve posted someone like fifty time it’s a pretty safe bet that they’re one of my all time faves.  (I included Elliot Page because I posted him quite a lot over the years and didn’t want to just pretend that didn’t happen okay.)

80 times: Elle Fanning

79 times: Emma Roberts

73 times: Chloe Grace Moretz, Michelle Trachtenberg

65 times: Hailee Steinfeld

60 times: Anna Kendrick

55 times: Sophie Turner

52 times: Gillian Jacobs, Natalie Portman

43 times: Kiernan Shipka, Hayley Atwell, Emma Stone

41 times: Kristen Stewart, Anne Hathaway, Scarlett Johansson

40 times: Olivia Wilde

37 times: Alison Brie

36 times: Karen Gillan, Gemma Arterton

33 times: Kat Dennings

32 times: Chloe Bennet, Maisie Williams, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kristen Bell

31 times: Natalie Dormer

30 times: Zendaya, Kate Beckinsale, Emily Ratajkowski

29 times: Abigail Breslin

27 times: Felicity Jones, Taylor Swift

26 times: Kirsten Dunst, Elizabeth Henstridge

25 times: Bailee Madison, Elizabeth Olsen

23 times: Dakota Fanning, Amanda Seyfried, Elliot Page

22 times: Brie Larson, Jennifer Lawrence

21 times: Amy Adams, Ming-Na Wen, Jessica Chastain

20 times: Charlize Theron, Emilia Clarke

19 times: Peyton Roi List

18 times: Dakota Blue Richards, Jenna Coleman

16 times: Dove Cameron, Tessa Thompson, Ariel Winter

15 times: Aubrey Plaza, Camren Bicondova, Candice Patton, Imogen Poots, Sophie Tweed-Simmons

14 times: Charli XCX, Emmy Rossum, Nathalie Emmaneul, Keira Knightley, Evan Rachel Wood

13 times: Janina Gavankar, Lily Collins, Pom Klementieff, Magda Apanowicz, Olivia Munn

12 times: Avril Lavigne, Deborah Ann Woll, Rose Leslie, Sarah Silverman

11 times: Fan Bingbing, Gal Gadot, Eva Green

10 times: Anya Taylor-Joy, Cobie Smulders, Freema Agyeman, Isla Fisher, Krysten Ritter, Lauren Tsai, Liv Tyler, Margot Robbie, Rachel McAdams, Willa Holland

9 times: Anna Chlumsky, Barbara Palvin, Daisy Ridley, Genevieve Buechner, Laura Prepon, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Saldana

8 times: Danielle Panabaker, Diane Guerrero, Emily Kinney, Hannah Murray, Ivana Baquero, Jessica Lucas, Katelyn Nacon, Laura Vandervoort, Lauren Cohan, Rose McIver

7 times: Alicia Vikander, Amy Acker, Ana de Armas, Billie Lourd, Elizabeth Gillies, Jameela Jamil, Joey King, Kate Mara, Katherine McNamara, Katie McGrath, Larsen Thompson, Marion Cotillard, Maya Hawke, Milana Vayntrub, Tatiana Maslany

6 times: Adelaide Kane, Brianna Hildebrand, Elisabeth Moss, Evangeline Lilly, Hannah John-Kamen, Jessica Biel, Laura Harrier, Leven Rambin, Rebecca Hall, Saoirse Ronan, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Taissa Farmiga, Tiya Sircar, Zoey Deutch

5 times: Aly Michalka, Cate Blanchett, Emily Browning, Jessica Henwick, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Kate Upton, Lili Reinhart, Lily-Rose Depp, Lizzy Caplan, Lupita Nyong'o, Mackenzie Foy, Rihanna, Sadie Sink, Zazie Beetz

Congratulations to ELLE FANNING!