Before I forget – my dear friend Lyn has recently set up a blog. She’s been reading lots of blogs for years, and I’m delighted that she’s taken the plunge – do go and pay her (and her beautiful cat Abby) a visit: Prefer Reading.
Oxford is submerged in more snow than I’ve ever seen in Oxford before. Or, possibly, anywhere. Sadly I didn’t take my camera around with me today, but Harriet (who also lives in Oxford) has posted a couple. I should be experimenting with new referencing software I downloaded, but more of me wants to be reading this:
I mentioned it in one of my hauls the other day, and nobody yelped in recognition, but perhaps somebody has heard of Ib Michael? Do I have any Danish readers?! According to my ‘Around The World’ thingummy widget I’ve had 54 visits from Denmark since July. Doesn’t that seem incredible? Almost all my comments seem to come from the UK and US, but apparently people in countries like Bahrain, Namibia, Estonia have visited… in fact 147 countries worldwide. How many countries *are* there? And is ‘Reunion’ really one of them?
I’m getting off topic – what I was saying was that I feel like some wintery reading. The book I absolutely recommend, when it’s chilly, is Tove Jansson’s The Winter Book – hopefully Prince is from the same school. Maybe I’ll find out tonight, if the lure of BiblioExpress doesn’t work.
You’ll be pleased to know that I’m still on no-bought-books, but I have already been given two. Becca gave me a late Christmas present of Novel Destinations: Literary Landmarks from Jane Austen’s Bath to Ernest Hemingway’s Key West, which looks brilliant – in fact, I almost bought it for myself a few weeks ago, but decided to wait and see if anybody had got it for me for Christmas! And yesterday I met up with Simon S, who very kindly gave me An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson. Since he’s buying approximately 24 books fewer than me this year, I think he’s very brave, and slipped him a book too…
I have a feeling that a lot of my friends will be receiving book parcels from me this year, as I need to feed my book shopping addiction support the book industry somehow…
I knew buying books for others would become your way of getting round the 24 only issue …. although I'm sure I'd do it too. Isn't it a truism that one buys books for others that one wants to read oneself? I know I do.
'Prince' looks very interesting, although I've not heard of the author.
I've got some pictures of the snow, which I'll post tomorrow. Have decided my cold needs looking after, so am staying home.
I'm so jealous of your snow! We have cold, but sunshine.
I've never heard of the first book, but I, too, received the Upson book in my Christmas haul and am looking forward to it. Your "acquisitions" always look so tempting! I'm still sitting at 0 purchases…trying to hold out until at least February.
Susan in TX
Thank you Simon. Abby sends love.
Mmmm Buying books as presents…. how can you guarantee not to read them before putting them in the post? (I seem to remember that your father used to buy books for people at Christmas and read them all before he gave them as presents.. but, shhh, they probably don't know that!)
A tricky problem. Maybe you need a 'minder'and a lockable book cage!
Would the lockable book cage be Simon sized? It might be the only way he can resist temptation in the later months. I'd make sure Mel fed him ….
You could add Sri Lanka to the list of people who visit your very newsy, interesting blog!
Wouldnt mind some of the cold weather this way though. I like your list of unknown books that you recommend.
Glad you liked the book, I will hunt down the other one for when I next see you. I am debating reading your delightful present this weekend of holding off just a little longer!!
I'd hazard a guess that Reunion refers to Reunion Island. Reunion Island is a french speaking country off the coast of Africa. My geographical knowledge doesn't extend to knowing where off the coast of Africa it is but I would suggest it's in the Southern Hemisphere. Our school used to do french exchanges there rather than France.
Réunion is part of France, though as it's stuck in the middle of the Indian ocean (not far from Mauritius, if that helps) it seems to have its own internet domain registration. It's the same with Martinique and Guadeloupe in the Carribean. Interestingly, and not a lot of people know this, all three are part of the EU, so our little union actually stretches over half way across the world! hth