interim July book log

Just so that I can keep track of the month's books so far. Reviews may or may not follow.

38) Edward Marston -- The Iron Horse
Fourth book in the Railway Detective series. Victorian era police procedural, this volume being about a very nasty attempt to interfere with the favourites in the Derby. The case starts with the discovery of a severed head in a hatbox... As with the others in the series, I enjoyed this competently written pulp, but not a keeper for me.
LibraryThing entry

39) Georgette Heyer -- Death in the Stocks
Another of Heyer's mysteries, this one being the first of four about Superintendent Hannasyde, or so LibraryThing tells me. Lots of fun, although the characters were occasionally annoyingly rather than entertainingly eccentric. I liked it enough to stay up late finishing it.
LibraryThing entry

40) Jennifer Ashley -- The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
Bought this one on the strength of the review at Dear Author. Historical romance with a hero who has Asperger's Syndrome. Very, very well done, and the person who was going to get my copy if I didn't want to keep it is going to have to buy her own. :-)
LibraryThing entry

41) Val McDermid -- Blue Genes
First one from this author that I've read, and I liked it a lot. Fifth in the series about Manchester-based Private investigator Kate Mulligan. I will note that part of what I enjoyed about it was the immersion in the city I currently live in. I'll probably go and get more of these once I've reduced the tbr mountain a bit.
LibraryThing entry

glasses - comparison of weight and edge thickness

Because I am a geek, I just went and rounded up assorted pairs of glasses and my postal scales...

1) The latest varifocals.
Full frame titanium, the lowest grade of the several types of high index plastic now available. The lens area is slightly smaller than on the other pair.
Weight is 21g.

code numbers on the frame: 53 17-140 titan 277 24882521 | specsavers 1003194

picture at Specsavers site


2) the first pair of varifocals.
Full frame titanium, the highest grade of the several types of high index plastic now available.
Weight is 19g.

code numbers on the frame: 52 19-140 titan 172 24315364 | specsavers 1001676

picture at Specsavers site


3) the pair I bought a year ago.
Half frame titanium, the highest grade of the several types of high index plastic now available.
Weight is 15g.

code numbers on the frame: 51 19-135 titan 263 24857482 | specsavers 10[blurred]

picture at Specsavers site

(These are some of the most comfortable glasses I've ever worn, although I still don't like the way these shallow designer lenses lose you peripherial vision at the top and bottom.)

4) the last pair I bought before leaving the US, so 3 to 4 years ago.
Full frame lightweight (I think titanium, but not sure), and high index lenses
These have the much deeper lenses you used to be able to get, and that are no longer available in lightweight frames because the cool kids don't wear them.
Weight is 28g

code numbers on the frame: M115 215 140 D.V. | 140 Marchon(R) DV

Ah, googling finds me a picture of the M115 frame.

5) An old pair, probably about 12-15 years old.
I think these were the "other" pair on a 2 for 1 from Specsavers -- I'd left my glasses behind on a trip, and I needed to get a new pair anyway. So I called into the local branch who made me up an emergency pair from their "available in an hour" range, plus a pair in lightweight lenses (which at the time took at least a week to make). Once I got the lightweight set a couple of weeks later, these ones were relegated to emergency backup.
Full frame, standard plastic lenses. The frame would have been the lightest set I could find available for same day fitting, but I'm not sure if it was a titanium frame. The other set isn't around, but I remember it being distinctly lighter on my nose than this set, probably about the same as (4).
Weight is 36g

code numbers on the frame: Marco 24056208 | Specsavers FP 1612089

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And the conclusion from all that? Yes, it really does make a difference in the weight pressing on your nose when it comes to frame style, frame material, and lens material. Of course, it also makes a difference in the weight on your wallet...

It's not an entirely accurate comparison, as the oldest set is also a higher prescription, but there is a very clear difference in edge thickness from the top end "light and thin" (1 and 3) to the standard "light and thin" (2 and 4), and from the standard "light and thin" to the basic plastic lens (5).