>>>>
>>>>That reminds me (speaking of gadflies). Ever read a book called "The Gadfly" by E.L. Voynich? Hard to say if you'd like it. It's a very political novel written in the late 1800s. Considered one of the first truly political novels. It has a very socialist bent; a book about revolution, but regardless of one's own political beliefs, it's hard to deny the beauty of the story and the characters. A remarkable book even if it does go well beyond my own belief system.
>>>>
>>>>HEY CHARLES, have you read it? Sorry for shouting, but he might not be reading this.
>>>
>>>I wasn't but I heard you shouting <s>
>>>
>>>Don't know it. Putting it on list.
>>
>>You can download it from the Gutenberg Project. It's no longer under copyright.
>>
>>>
>>>Made me think of movie of Conrad's Secret Agent with Bob Hoskins where Robin Williams does a master turn (in an uncredited part) as The Professor, an anarchist who is a human bomb ready to blow himself up if he is arrested. Marvelous.
>>
>>Gee, speaking of Bob Hoskins, I remember being literally dragged kicking and screaming a couple of hundred years ago to a movie that two female friends of mine wanted to see. I really didn't want to go. I really, really didn't want to go. It was called "Mona Lisa". It turned out to be a stunningly terrific movie.
>
>Very very good movie. About that period he did another great one with Helen Mirren - The Long Good Friday.

That's the one where he's the Belfast gangster, right? Another good one.