Weekend Miscellany

I wonder how many Weekend Miscellanies I’ve done now?  It feels like nearly 100, but I daresay it isn’t that many yet.  I hope you’re still finding them useful – I know that I enjoy people’s round-up posts, and I also like being able to collect together bits and pieces rather than scattering them through the week.  This weekend I’ll be at work on Saturday, but not up to very much on Sunday.  I’m in a bit of a reader’s block at the moment – or, rather, reading a couple of books that I’m finding dull but have to finish – so perhaps I’ll indulge on Sunday and read something fun.  What are you up to?

1.) The link – if you happen to be in the Oxfordshire area at the end of June, why not go and see AA Milne’s brilliant play The Dover Road (PG Wodehouse’s favourite play, donchaknow) in Dorchester-upon-Thames?  More info here.  I’m hoping to go, if I can persuade some others.

2.) The blog post – if you’re not doing so already, you should follow Thomas on his tour around the UK.  He’s back in the US now, but is putting up glorious photo posts of his travels – he basically seems to have had the perfect trip (give or take potentially fatal car journeys) and has gone to many places I dream of visiting.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned on here that Thomas and I had cream tea at the Randolph whilst he was in Oxford – I daresay it will appear on his blog at some point, although we didn’t actually have a photo taken.  I met Thomas on his last visit, along with lots of other bloggers, but it was a real delight to have him to myself for a couple of hours.  I always get a bit nervous about these things, which either makes me very quiet or very voluble – well, just call me Garrulous Gary, because I chatted away animatedly all the way through, and Thomas did too.  It was so easy, and such fun.  We spoke surprisingly little about books (although we agreed to continue reading each other’s blogs, despite my dislike of Hotel du Lac and Thomas’s of Rebecca) – but we seemed to speak of many other topics under the sun.

3.) The book – I passed on my copy of Julie Myerson’s Then to my housemate Mel, who read it instantly (remember those days, of never having unread books on your shelf?) and tells me it is brilliant – and baffling.  Dystopia, amnesia, and hallucination were the words I grasped from the conversation – which sounds as though it could be enthralling, or could be a huge mess – sounds as though it’s the former.  Maybe one day I’ll have time to read it… thank you to Jonathan Cape for sending me a copy.  I’ll try to persuade Mel to write about it for me…

Happy Jubilee Weekend, everyone!  Well, the actual Jubilee was back in February, so happy 59th anniversary of the Coronation, everyone.  I hope you’ve got street parties etc. planned, and are ready to toast HRH Elizabeth II – Republicans not welcome for one weekend only ;)  (I jest – my beloved, but foolish, brother is a staunch republican.)  (I mean republican in the anti-monarchy sense, not the US party sense…)  Ahem.  Right, I should be making this Jubilee-themed in some way, but I’m not – instead, it’s the usual book, blog post, and link.

1.) The blog post – is, as so often, cheating on my part.  It’s a whole blog – a photo blog, at that.  Deborah inadvertently introduced me to Humans of New York when I saw her comment on Facebook, and I was immediately hooked.  A young photographer, Brandon, goes all over New York taking portraits of interesting-looking people he sees on the street.  These tend towards a few categories – people with brightly dyed hair; cute children; dignified older people – but that’s fine, it’s not intended as an exhaustive gallery.  His little snippets of their conversations enhance the pictures, and it’s a really wonderful project.  I would love it if it were anywhere in the world, but if you’re besotted with the Empire State, then you’ll love it even more.  Facebook group is here; website is here.  I couldn’t find anything about whether or not people were allowed to reproduce photographs, with the intention of advertising his project, but… well, I’ll remove them if I’m told to!

2.) The link – is the Independent’s series on neglected authors, featuring Rachel Ferguson of The Brontes Went To Woolworths and Alas, Poor Lady fame – and Passionate Kensington, which I gave to Rachel a while ago and now want to read myself!

3.) The book – Polity Books recently sent me Letters to Hitler, edited by Henrik Eberle.  The letters are from the public – whether fooled by his charisma or antagonistic to his regime.  It looks like it might be a very challenging, disturbing read – but also a book which offers a social history like no other.  I’m going to have to brace myself to read it, but I don’t think we fight evil by ignoring it.

By the time you read this, I’ll either be in London or Sussex – a couple of my friends and I are off to Charleston and Monk’s House (the homes of Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf respectively) for a literary jaunt.  At least that’s the plan – right now I feel deathly with one of my oh-so-common colds.  But I am determined to enjoy myself!  I am equally determined to tell you about a book, a link, and a blog post… so make yourself comfortable, and enjoy.

1.) The book –  I can’t remember how I found this title, but it’s been waiting in a draft post for many months: David Batterham’s Among Booksellers.  Read all about it here, but essentially it’s the letters of a bookseller travelling Europe, meeting the eccentric booksellers of the world on his way.  It sounds great fun.

2.) The link – apparently the French isn’t very good in this clip (I watched it silently with the subtitles, and also wouldn’t notice poor French anyway) but cat-lovers will find this amusing, I think…

3.) The blog post – is a little silly, and not entirely for the faint-hearted.  You’ve probably heard of Fifty Shades of Gray/Grey and have probably the same level of desire to read it as I have (i.e. none whatsoever) – well, Book Riot have read it so that you don’t have to!  Their review is very funny…

4.) P.S. – if you’re in the UK, make sure you’re watching the documentaries Chatsworth on BBC and 56 Up on ITV – both are brilliant so far.  And, guess what?  They’re on at the same time.  Of course.  9pm on Mondays – started last week, and have a couple more episodes to come.

Happy weekend, one and all.  I’m enjoying being down in Somerset, with beautiful Sherpa (oh, and Mum and Dad, of course) – and sometimes the internet stretches its reach as far as my bedroom.  Fingers crossed that I can get through writing this post without it crashing.

1.) The book – doesn’t appear to be out yet (although they’re saying early May on the website): it’s a reprint of Richmal Crompton’s wonderful novel Matty and the Dearingroydes, being brought out by Greyladies Books (who reprinted Leadon Hill a while ago.)  No cover image yet, but this is a wonderful novel with one of those eccentric, joyful, outgoing heroines whom I cherish.  I wrote a review of it in 2010, which you can read here – I’m glad there will soon be copies available easily!

2.) The blog – is a new one, called A Musical Feast.  Samantha emailed me and mentioned that she’d started up a blog, and I’m always delighted to see new faces in the blogosphere.  Go along and say hello!  Yes, the blog title sounds musical, and that is one of Samantha’s interests – but the literary side is there, in the pun on Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast.  Incidentally, Chris told me I must read Hemingway’s novel a while ago.  I hadn’t even heard of it, although I knew the quotation from the Book of Common Prayer.  I digress…

3.) The link – isn’t remotely highbrow, but it’ll give you a laugh, especially if you like puns… and American celebrities… but mostly puns.  Enjoy.

Happy weekend, one and all!  I think mine will be spent justifying my thesis in a thousand words (fun) and – rather better – hopefully the first trip of 2012 to Jane’s Teas.  But I shall not leave you neglected, oh no – here is a miscellany to enjoy.

1.) The book – the first I heard of Marilynne Robinson’s new collection of essays was through a post at Mary’s Library.  Mary found When I Was a Child I Read Books a little uneven, and I’ve got to admit, the excitement I felt at the title (a book about books, yay!) was dampened rather when I discovered what it was actually about (philosophy and theology and stuff… oh.)  I have no problem with those topics, but they don’t compare to my love of books-about-books.  Still, I’m intrigued to read it, since Robinson is such a brilliant writer – and this afternoon got a ticket to see Robinson talk about the book at Blackwell’s on 15th May.  (Anyone around in Oxford then?)

2.) The link – is a week-long course my supervisor Sally Bayley is helping to run in Oxford: Sylvia Plath Interdisciplinary Masterclass.  All the info is here, for those with the interest, finances, and proximity to Oxford!  I would just add, Sally is lovely, passionate about literature, and able to engage people in discussions about it in a dynamic and friendly way.  That sounds like a testimonial, doesn’t it?!  But it’s true :)

3.) The other link – is the Explore Learning National Young Writers’ Award, a competition for budding writers aged 5-14.  A story on ‘Old and New’, max. 500 words, can be submitted after April 11th by email, post, or at your local Explore Learning Centre.  Andrew Cope will be the judge – apparently he writes the Spy Dog series.  Being out of the loop on children’s books, I don’t know it – but I bet lots of you have read it aloud to your kids!  All the info you need is here – I’d love to know if your children/grandchildren/nephews/nieces etc. are entering.

4.) The blog post – is Daniel’s at Hibernian Homme, mostly for the beautiful picture, and the question at the end – but also because if you haven’t discovered Daniel’s quirky, joyous, bohemian corner of the blogosphere yet, then you need to do some exploring…

I was quite miscellaneous (as it were) yesterday, so this feels a bit like an elongated weekend…. but there is always room for a book, a link, and a blog post!

1.) The book – is Edgar Allen Poe’s Murder at the Rue Morgue and other stories, sent to me by Penguin.  It’s part of their new Penguin English Library series, each of which comes with a rather funky patterned cover.  (Yes, folks, that’s right – I’m bringing back the word ‘funky’.)  They’re not reinventing the wheel with their choices – there certainly aren’t any undiscovered voices being, er, discovered – but it’s always fun to have classic books in attractive formats.  Trollope’s The Warden has also arrived, and will hopefully be the incentive I need to read some Trollope (although I feel oddly guilty about reading non-twentieth century titles this year…)

2.) The blog post – is Eva’s intriguing question: reading pilgrim or reading monk?  I’ll let her explain the rest…

3.) The link – is a trailer (of sorts) to a film I’ll be seeing on Sunday: Grand Hotel.  It’s based on the book by Vicki Baum, which I have had in my possession but never read, and won the Oscar for Best Film back in 1932.  Oxford’s wonderful Ultimate Picture Palace often show classic films, and this is the final in their ‘season’ on films set in hotels.  Great idea, no?

If you happen to be in Oxford at 3.45 on Sunday… do come along!

Hope you’re having a good weekend!  I’ll be off on one of my trips to villages with odd names – this time it’s the turn of Ready Token.  Brilliant, no?  I’ll leave you with a book, a link (or two), and a blog post.

1.) The links – I started writing a post last November on book covers (and by ‘started writing’, I mean I copied out two links and wrote ‘COVERS’ as the post title) but I’ve realised that it’s not going to come to fruition for a while. So instead I’ll just give you the links.  The first is to an excellent Caustic Cover Critic  interview with designer Alison Forner, which includes many examples of her beautiful work – one of which is above.  The second is a sort of review of the best covers of 2011 (which sadly too few illustrations), from the Guardian.  JUST what you wanted in the middle of March, no?

2.) The book – fans of the Mapp and Lucia series by E.F. Benson will be pleased to know that another sequel has been written by Guy Fraser-Sampson (also known as Pursewarden).  His Major Benjy really caught the spirit of the original series (my thoughts here) and, if we can’t have Benson writing new books, then Guy Fraser-Sampson is second best.  And although these things shouldn’t matter, I’m glad that he’s been given a lovely cover this time around – for Lucia on Holiday.  If you’re quick, you might be able to hear Guy talk about it about on Radio 4’s Open Book.  Lucia on Holiday is published on 29th March.

3.) The blog link –  is Trevor’s fantastic review of Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book, on his site The Mookse and the Gripes.  If you’ve yet to be convinced to try it out, I think he might just do the trick.

Happy weekend, folks!  Mine is looking chirpier than last week, as I seem to be back on my feet.  A bit of coughing here, a bit of sneezing there, but it no longer feels like my brain has gone on holiday without leaving a forwarding address.  (This isn’t what I wanted when I hoped my blog would go viral, ba-duhm-crash.)  For the first time in a while, I’m actually going to be disciplined and stick to a book, a link, and a blog post.

Oh, but first a reminder that it’s March!  And thus it is time to read A View of the Harbour, if you’re participating in Elizabeth Taylor Centenary Celebrations.  I’ll be hosting a discussion later in the month, and will hopefully start reading it myself this weekend (if I don’t get distracted by reading In Cold Blood for book group.  I know Polly and Simon love it, but I’m a bit trepidatious…)

1.) The link – comes via my housemate Debs’ friend Jo.  It’s a response in the Guardian to that list of beautiful bookshops which did the rounds a while ago (did I post them here?  I can’t remember – there were some stunning places.)  Basically it’s about the most unattractive and haphazard bookshops containing the best ‘finds’ – and does raise the question: why are so many secondhand bookshop owners grumpy and unpleasant?  Is it just me who has found this?  Is it because I buy cheap books, and they’re hoping I’ve got my eyes on £500 first editions?  (There are notable exceptions, of course – the staff in Slightly Foxed bookshop, for instance, are always lovely.)  Enough waffle from me – the article is here.

2.) The book – Urania, in the Virago Modern Classics LibraryThing group, mentioned a book in passing which really intrigued me: The Faster I Walk, The Smaller I Am by Kjersti Skomsvold.   All I know about this book is that it’s a Norwegian novella – but those are two definite buzz words for me, and I was immediately sold.  Onto the Amazon wishlist it went, for a post-Lent purchase… but I’d love to know if you’ve come across it already, and what you think?

3.) The blog post – is Tom’s very amusing review of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which I saw on Simon S’s Twitter feed (yes, Twitter – I’m there occasionally!)  Turns out Tom and I have a mutual friend called Carly from Real Life.  She also blogs, or blogged, here.  And now the indefinite chain of blog-links-to-blog-links-to-blog is in full force…

Hope you all have nicer weekends lined up than I do.  Well, the weekend will probably be fine, it’s just that I’ve come down with a horrible cold… that stage where you feel semi-conscious all the time.  Yeah, not fun.  Lots of bed and Lemsip for me tomorrow… And it’s going to be a pretty brief miscellany, so that I can slump in a heap somewhere.  (Cue violins, etc.)

1.) You know me, I love a review of Miss Hargreaves – and I especially love this one by Chris.  Go and have a gander – and if, for some strange reason, you’ve yet to read the novel… get to it!

2.) Doesn’t The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel look wonderful?  I can’t believe Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Penelope Wilton are in a film together – and one that looks such heartwarming fun.

3.) A review of Diary of a Provincial Lady, you say?  Iris and Jenny are happy to oblige.

Happy weekend, everyone!  Mine will be a little less fun than yours, at least to start off with, since I’ll be at work.  But then I’m off to London to see a film that’s so bad it’s become a cult hit – you can read more about it here.

It’s been a while since I last did a Weekend Miscellany, so I’m going to be casting my mind back a bit for some of these…

1.) Claire (Captive Reader) continues to delight me with her reading choices, mostly because they’re books I love too.  I have longed for the day when a fellow blogger would fall in love with AA Milne’s writing (my AAM obsession began pre-blog, where I read nearly everything he wrote, so SiaB has been less AAM-tastic than it would have been, had I begun blogging in 2001.)  Anyway, Claire has done just that – click here for her review of Milne’s Autobiography.  But it doesn’t end there – she’s also written a stonker of a review of my favourite non-fiction read from last year, William Maxwell and Sylvia Townsend Warner’s letters, The Element of Lavishness.  Go check ’em out.

2.) Lovely Merenia sent me the link to a Guardian article on ‘Top 10 Literary Believers‘.  As I emailed Merenia, I am appalled that John Ames (from Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead) didn’t make the cut.  Which believers would you add to the mix?

3.) World Book Day for Book Aid International is back on 1st March!  I’m just going to quote the blurb they sent me, as they can best tell you about their great works:

Book Aid International increases access to books and supports literacy, education and development in sub-Saharan Africa. We send over 500,000 brand new books annually to 2,000 libraries, benefiting 2.4 million people every single year. Overall, we’ve sent more than 20 million books to partner libraries since 1954. Take a look at our website for further information: www.bookaid.org

4.) Thomas has succumbed and joined A Century of Books!  Hurrah!  That makes at least six of us doing it, over the course of a year or more.

5.) Thesis restraints (not to mention A Century of Books) meant that I shan’t be able to read Roz Morris’s My Memories of a Future Life, but the blurb she sent me did sound intriguing:

My Memories of a Future Life is much more than a twist on the traditional reincarnation tale. It is a multi-layered story of souls on conjoined journeys – in real time and across the centuries. It’s a provocative study of the shadows we don’t know are driving our lives, from our own pasts and from the people with us right now. It asks questions about what we believe, what we create and how we scare and heal each other.

Above all, it’s the story of how one lost soul searches for where she now belongs.
 
If you’re a fan of audio, you can listen to the first 4 chapters here, on download or by streaming.
 
6.) I don’t entirely know what an online trend book of the visual arts is, but apparently The Red List is one.  It looks interesting – have a gander here.

That’ll do for now.  I’m sure there were other links I was going to include, but… they can wait until next week!