The Book Tower

Against my better judgement, I drove out to the shopping mall on the edge of town yesterday morning clutching my shopping list. The trip was a disaster; I couldn’t find anything I wanted as I battled through the frantic crowds and the whole expedition was cut short when I realised I’d left my wallet at home.

The experience taught me several things. Not to visit the shopping mall a week before Christmas, not to go out without my wallet and not to attempt to buy anything in bookstores. Wherever I went, I just saw the same old titles.

Continue reading Stocking Fillers [2]

Even though I’ve seen one or two interesting book challenges this week I’ve decided not to take part in them. Not that I’m really struggling with my current challenges, I just feel a bit challenged out. There’s also the worry that I’ll be proposing a reading challenge for books left over from reading challenges challenge in six months time.

Reading challenges are great fun but I’m not so keen on all the planning ahead. Rather than know what books are lying in wait for me I prefer to find them as I go along. Sometimes other books jump out of the shadows, sometimes you just change your mind.
I pass my pile of reading challenge books every time I walk down to the kitchen. Henry James is there staring at me with a “when are you going to read What Maisie Knew then?” Charlotte Bronte gives a conspiratorial nod with “and he hasn’t even touched Jane Eyre yet!”

I’ll get to them, but The Thirteenth Tale is going to be in my stocking this Christmas so that might take precedence.

Comment [1]

We’re into December and end of the year book lists are popping up everywhere. I thought it was time to compile my own short selection. I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few, so I’ll be adding to this post as I remember.

Continue reading Book Ends

Another reading challenge, this time from A Reader’s Journal. I like this challenge, firstly because it’s a simple idea. Read five classics in January and February 2007. You’re also permitted to overlap other challenges, so hopefully I can cheat a little with the From the Stacks challenge.

Continue reading Winter Reading Challenge [3]

Stop reading now if you’re bored with the whole Rachel Cooke and Susan Hill and John Sutherland debate. I’d read countless blog posts criticising Cooke’s views before I decided to go and read her original article for myself. Now I’ve read it I think it’s time I added my own tuppence worth.

Continue reading From One Disgruntled Pooter [3]