Decided my other holiday read was too large to read at dinner (sooo nice, do you think they‘ll let me take the chef home?) so I finally started this - on book 3 now, wish the holidays were longer (according to the academics at the next table they should be - they are baffled that not everybody can spend three weeks at a swanky hotel every year - absolutely baffled!) so I could just keep reading …
Buying a book just for its cover and finding out that it‘s set right where you are spending your holiday … I‘m just a few pages in but I already like the narrator - angry 12-year old forced on a family hiking holiday who would rather be on her own in her room … sounds very familiar …
Enjoying the sunshine while it lasts …
So, three hours into this book and I find Florence and her special specialness mildly annoying and unpleasant but at least there‘s ghost stuff happening …
pickI found my first Pratchett novel in our local station bookshop aged 14 or so and read the Witch books completely out of order within weeks. I enjoyed the humour and the characters but never loved L&L that much. Listening to it now in the new audio version I realized how much I missed at that age - the grief, the fear of aging, the anger and the way that those can make you stronger … loved it so much more. Also: Indira Varma‘s Sean Ogg is 😍
Just listening to the audio book - the narration is just lovely. Do I really need to be awake for work tomorrow? (Yes. I absolutely do. Argh. Why isn‘t “I couldn‘t stop listening” a valid excuse to skip work?)
So. Decide to join parent on trip to ikea. Pick a book that‘s just long enough for the trip. Forget that it‘s bloody 5 pm in bloody January in bloody Germany. 😭 Well done, me.
So, there may have been a thing where the big evil online place sent me an email saying my pre-order‘d been cancelled. And I may have re-pre-ordered the book. And then it happened again. Which may have resulted in this little pile of fabulousness … Definitely won‘t be sending these back to get destroyed or whatever nasty things they do to returns there. Anyone in Germany who could use a free copy? (Also - the audio is utter delight! 💗)
Yep, that‘s how I‘ve been feeling lately … not today though, I‘m sitting in a lovely warm cosy place with a cup of tea and absolutely nobody who wants me to do stuff … bliss …
Correction - I absolutely and utterly adore Rosamond. And Jones and Arkady. Why is this book so very short?
I think I quite like Rosamond.
The tagged book was supposed to get a Catholic Award for teen books but German bishops said no (it deals w sex in a non-repressive way &one of the minor characters is trans). The jury decided not to choose another book instead. So, guess who bought lots of lovely books with what would‘ve been my church tax? When I picked up my pile this morning my fave bookseller told me that Papierklavier is now sold out everywhere. 🥳
This is a completely reasonable number of books by the same author to buy and read within two weeks. Y/y?
I need to rant about English teachers in my part of Bavaria for a bit - indulge me. Why is the choice of reading material for Abitur English classes so samey every single year? I‘ve been tutoring kids from those classes for over two decades and while Of Mice and Men and About a Boy are good books they are NOT the only books in the world!!!! Honestly! There are great writers whose names are not Hornby or Steinbeck, trust me. 🙄
so-soWell, it did get better towards the end but it definitely takes far too long before anything happens, mainly because the main characters spend most of the time introspecting instead of doing things - and then you don‘t pay attention for a minute because you‘re refilling your pineapple punch and they‘re suddenly all over each other. Liked the premise and some of the other characters were great so I stuck with it till the end. Rum punch def helps!
It‘s just not Christmas without a ridiculous amount of kitsch 😍
It‘s time! (Well, actually it was time last night after watching two (!!!) Christmas services on TV because apparently that‘s what we do now but last night was also when my phone battery died so I‘ll just pretend that I have way more self-control than I actually do ...) @Mrs_B Thank you so much for the books and the yummy chocolate - perfect for snuggling down over the next few days 💗. #jolabokaflodswap @MaleficentBookDragon
No, you mustn‘t rip your lovely present open. It‘s not time yet. Just a few more hours ... argh. This is hard!!! #jolabokaflodswap @Mrs_B Thank you! I adore the wrapping paper already!
Okay, stuff is starting to happen but although we‘re halfway through no men have knitted anything. I feel betrayed! Actually, all the knitting has been people thinking about having knitted something in the past. I do like the brothers - right now Damian is my fave because he told Kerry off because she knows “how to beat shit into the ground” - yep, that‘s exactly what she is doing.
Sooo ... Not sure about whether to stick with this one. The narrator of the audiobook is doing a great job and I really thought I‘d like it but I keep zoning out because nothing seems to happen and there‘s all this backstory/exposition/thinking (even in the middle of a dialogue) but not much plot so far. Does it get better once stuff happens? 🤔
Oh no! I forgot to take a picture of my parcel before I sent it off! Anyway, it‘s on its way to Ireland 🇮🇪 #JolabokaflodSwap @MaleficentBookDragon Thanks for organizing!!! 🙏
Don‘t you love books that come with a warning for grown-ups? I spent a few evenings this week with one of my favourite things - Czech kids‘ TV from the 80s. They‘re just magic! Flying Ferdinand (his name was changed for the German version, it‘s Čestmir in Czech) was one of my favourites - it‘s fantastical and absurd and completely bonkers ❤️
When I studied English Linguistics I did a presentation on Scots so of course this got a squee out of me 😍 There‘s a reading on BBC Scotland if you‘re interested: https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/eqvwxj/play/awbd9r/p08wtkmz
So, the last few months were a bit busy and I hardly had time for books (well, I did listen to loads of audio books ...) but now that we‘re back to a partial lockdown (which means we‘re among the closed places) I‘m stocking up on books, crochet patterns and theatre streams. I was so disappointed when I had to miss Emilia on stage so I‘m beyond pleased to see that there‘s going to be a stream in November! Woohoo! https://www.emilialive.com
Just read that bit out loud! I will be shouting about this bloody gorgeous translation for months 😍
Bro! I‘m still waiting for the book to arrive but I‘ve started listening to the audiobook. So good! 😍
Definitely shouldn‘t have read this part before teaching my own litter of tiny little show dogs. 😂 So very accurate ...
Student who is taking his A-Levels in English in two days‘ time has just asked me to send him an interpretation of The Road Not Taken because “there is nothing on the internet”. NOTHING ON THE INTERNET! 🤦♀️ Tempted to send him a link to this instead. Will join the league of oldies complaining about The Youth Of Today asap...
pickOookay, so that was unexpected - this was a recommendation from a friend and I wasn‘t convinced at first but I was so wrong! The narration is simply divine, the story & dialogue are hilarious and silly and the characters are adorable. Did I mention how fabulous the narration is? No? It‘s glorious - Michael Lesley is so dedicated to the story and so incredibly funny, it‘s just a pleasure to listen to. Definitely worth it just for that!
This wonderful book was co-written by Eavan Boland who has sadly passed away. Her poetry is wonderful but I haven‘t got anything here because I read her stuff when I was a student and didn‘t have money to buy her books. Have to change that asap.
There it is - I‘ve only read a few pages so far, my Latin is far more rusty than I thought ...
It's still Tuesday! Yay! Thanks @Buechersuechtling, I like those questions!
1. The tagged book - works well with a wee dram, or two, or ... er ... well.
2. I usually read English books in the original, with other languages it's either the English or German translation, whichever is available. There are a couple of French and Czech books on my shelves, as well as a Latin Harry Potter, although I find those hard to read.
#Two4Tuesday
Another blast from the past - got this edition as a Christmas present ages ago (1988 - I was 11!). Loved it to bits. It‘s got 17 out of the 18 volumes & it‘s pink. Best present ever! (If you‘re wondering - no, there is no previously unknown Blyton book about a girl called Dolly - these are the Malory Towers books. The German translation is ... interesting to say the least.) also, there are 12 extra volumes written by a German writer.
Just heard the sad news about Tim Brooke-Taylor 😟 Thanks for hours and hours of silliness & fun!
What a beautiful day for reading! I dragged my grandparents‘ old leather armchair into the sun, re-reading an old favourite that I probably read for the first time in this chair - feels like time travel!
pickWhat a surprise - completely forgot that I had preordered this one. What a gorgeous little book! Now to think of people to give this to, it‘ll make a lovely present, especially at the moment.
@AlaMich I‘m really bad at this - it‘s not Friday & it‘s been ages. Can I blame it on the current madness?
1. Absolutely - not so much with ebooks but with things that go on my shelves, I will always buy the prettier edition if possible.
2. had this on my wishlist for a while.
3. Our local paper, the radio, TV.
4. I have about 6 alarms - 1st: wake up, 2nd-4th: read or crochet, 5th: get up, 6th: PANIC!!!!
5. @ozma.of.oz
#friYAYintro
How did I not know that this has been turned into a Netflix series? Was browsing yesterday and thought, ooh that has the same title as that book I loved as a kid, read the description and let out a teeny squee - guess I‘m sorted for things to watch. It‘s just a shame that I got this from the library when I was a kid, would love to read it again. Will have to add it to the next order ...
So, all bookshops where I live have to close for the next few weeks so I went into immediate withdrawal even though I was at my favourite bookshop on Friday. Just ordered a bunch of books from them - first time I‘ve used their online shop.
So, the last couple of weeks have been wild - basically spent each waking moment at work or looking after my mum (who had surgery) and my dad (flu but thankfully not THAT flu) and now I‘m basically off work for the next 5 weeks as all lessons have been cancelled. There is just no middle ground, is there? So lots of time to catch up on my reading, including this gorgeous book I got today!
Business is really slow today - it‘s still snowing and people are still trying to be good for Lent - so I‘ve had time for hot chocolate, crochet and digging around some poetry books. Hadn‘t read Gernhardt in years and forgot how funny his stuff can be.
Argh! Still haven‘t finished Mr Loverman because the world won‘t let me but now the new Aaronovitch is out! So looking forward to that! I need to grow another set of ears or take a holiday and both are equally as likely ...
Just saw the trailer for the new Green Knight movie and it‘s ... intriguing. Not just for Dev Patel related reasons but because I really do love this text. Simon Armitage‘s version is hugely enjoyable - definitely recommended reading!
I‘m done with the very clever sheep and back at work (still sniffling and puffing) so it‘s time for a new companion on the road. Definitely chose a promising one with this - already in love with Barry and with James Goode‘s narration.
