Book Bloggers Christmas Swap 2008

So, the reason I have been posting way more than usual is not that I have finally pulled my finger out and stopped procrastinating..its because I have been lying in bed or on the sofa pretty much constantly since Wednesday feeling sorry for myself. Instead of just getting the flu, I managed to discover the world of bacterial bronchitis, so I'm not supposed to do much other than sit home. Sounds great, but its amazing how bored one can get so quickly! To make matters worse, I was actually too ill this weekend to carry out any of my winter solstice plans, and was left feeling rather bereft last night (though that may have been the antibiotics!).

But what did Mr Postie bring me this morning to brighten up my day? None other than my Secret Santa gift from the lovely Quixotic, and I was quite lost for words upon opening it.

Yes indeed, a box full of delights. First I found a beautiful handmade card and an adorable knitted gnome (who you can see has helped himself to my supply of sloe wine already!).

Also in this box of goodies...Dreams Underfoot by Charles De Lint and Strange Roads by Peter S Beagle, both books by authors that I have been longing to read ever since you naughty bloggers recommended them to me!






But she didn't stop there! I also found another card, some beautiful writing stationery (about which I am totally obsessed, just ask Rhinoa!) and two lovely little button badges that suit me perfectly!


Quixotic, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and wish you a very Merry Christmas! You've certainly brightened up a rubbish week for me.

I also want to thank Nymeth for organising this year's Book Blogger Christmas Swap. I'm sure I am not the only blogger with a big smile on my face because of what you have organised, many many thanks for your festive cheer! My thoughts will also be with Dewey, who has done so much for events like this. Winter blessings to you all and may all your dreams blossom in the coming year!

(Apologies for the poor quality photographs. They were taken on my phone as I managed to lose my camera last week. My brand new camera. Just before my holiday. Typical!).

Watchmen Trailers

I do wish that film production companies would not release trailers for films so early. They get you all excited about seeing a film that you won't be able to see for six months. So unfair..

Apple - Movie Trailers - Watchmen

My Daughter, The Fox - Jackie Kay

Read for: The Short Story Challenge

I'm still a little unsure of what I think about this short story (hence no rating). My first instinct was that I loved Kay's writing, so lyrical and full of beauty and life. The premise was unusual, but accepted by the narrator, embraced even. I find that summing up the story, woman gives birth to fox, just doesn't get across what it is really about, the pains and joy of motherhood. I am not a mother, and thus this story perhaps reaches me on a different level to those who have had a child.

On the other hand, Kay's story is bittersweet. Even with all the joys of being a mother and experiencing the love of her daughter, the narrator has to accept the difference between them, and that she will almost certainly outlive her child. Encouraging the reader to accept that the child is a fox is a hard task, perhaps made easier by the short length of the story. We are not given enough time to disbelieve. I honestly don't know what to think, I have no immediate feeling of pleasure or disgust, or boredom or amusement when reading this story, thus this review is quite difficult to write!

One thing that does stand out to me is Kay's description of her daughter's unconditional love. This innate bond between mother and child, formed in the womb. It reminds me of a recent photograph of a family friend, lying on the bed with her newborn daughter beside her. The mother is beaming, holding the tiny fingers of her first child. But it is the look on the child's face that moves me and I can only think of one word to describe it...adoration. Her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open, she gazes into her mother's face with delight. That if nothing else explains to me this bond and perhaps, may even help me choose if and when it is time for me to have a child...perhaps..

"Nobody tells you how flattering it is, how loved you feel, your child following your every move like that. Her beady eyes watched me open my post as if it was the most interesting thing anybody could do....Her eyes lit up, fierce with love. When she looked at me from those deep dark eyes of hers, straight at me and through me, I felt more understood that I have ever felt from any look by anybody."

Blog Advent Tour 2008

Welcome to your next stop on the great Blog Advent Tour 2008 as organised by the ingenious Kailana from The Written World and Marg from Reading Adventures!

I thought I would share a little something about my build-up to the winter holidays this year. I live in Norwich, a mediaeval city on the east coast of the UK. The city is not very large, but famous for its 11th century Cathedral and Castle, old markets, fairs, street theatre, crafts, infamous Colmans mustard and of course for our most famous resident...the great Stephen Fry! I have only been living here for two and a half years, but love the history and culture the city has to offer, and this is the first time that I have been here during the build-up to Christmas.


Every year the city hosts numerous festive events and I have had the pleasure of attending both the Mediaeval Fayres over the past two weekends, one at the Dragon Hall and the other in the cloisters of the Cathedral. Both were transformed by the presence of stallholders in traditional costumes selling mediaeval style wares, such as pottery, woodwork, games and jewellery. Minstrels, jugglers, fire eaters and storytellers graced the halls, passages and cloisters, with the smell of hog roast and mulled wine permeating the brisk winter air. I was particularly taken by the traditional ash longbows, but I did not have enough silver coin and had to be pleased enough with a beautiful old flowerpress, antique wooden jewellery box and mediaeval dice game in a small leather pouch. Here is a little taste of the Historic Christmas Fayre in the Cathedral.

And the final highlights to my mediaeval winter celebrations..a trip to the theatre to see a lovely performance of Charles Way's play Merlin and the Cave of Dreams and a visit to the somewhat drafty Cathedral to see the fabulous group the Mediaeval Baebes play their best performance yet (in my humble opinion), with the audience sipping mulled wine in an effort to stop shivering. I was even graced with my favourite song (which brought more than one tear to my eye) and the lovely ladies signed a copy of their new album for me. Drums, flutes, strings and beautiful lyrics sung in mediaeval latin, english and welsh in a stunning mediaeval setting. I do not know how I am going to top this next year!


A very Merry Yule/Christmas/Hanukah (etc etc delete as appropriate) to you all! Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to visit the other blogs on today's advent blog tour:

Laclau from Conversaciones de cafe
Kriss from The Swim Mom
Morgan from Insert Clever Name Here

And there are plenty more fabulous sites to visit from tomorrow:

20 December
Jessica from The Bluestockings Society
Naida from The Bookworm
BookClover
BookThingo

21 December
Rhinoa from Rhinoa's Ramblings
Melissa from Remember to Breathe
The Bluestocking Guide
Michelle from Fluttering Butterflies

22 December
Think Pink Dana
My Friend Amy
Nicole from Linus's Blanket
Susan from Reading, Raving and Ranting by a Historical Fiction Writer

23 December
Jane from Janezilfeandtimes
Memory from Stella Matutina
Debbie from Friday Friends Book Blog
Cari from Book Scoops

24 December
Carl from Stainless Steel Droppings
Sheri at Semicolon
Kailana's Written World

The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K.Rowling

Rating: 4 1/2

I am indeed a Harry Potter fan. Not the kind of fan who feels the need to dress up in a Hogwarts uniform when I get home, but I have been known to collect HP stationary and merchandise (only because I receive so many as gifts!) and I have in the past organised a No 12 Grimmauld Place party...complete with Black family tree, house-elf heads, doxies, puffskeins and a screaming portrait (stains of dishonour!!)... Which is why there is no way I could have avoided buying The Tales of Beedle the Bard, and no way I would not have bought the special edition. I have not been disappointed on either count.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard are five short stories that have been compared in tone to our muggle Aesop's Fables. They are short, amusing anecdotal tales aimed at teaching lessons of morality and truth to young witches and wizards. It is the final story in the book that has particularly relevance to Harry Potter, which is revealed in later books through his mentor, Albus Dumbledore.

The Wizard and the Hopping Pot is an amusing tale of a miserly wizard getting his just desserts and being taught compassion. The Fountain of Fair Fortune is a somewhat romantic tale of four people searching for a magical fountain to cure their ills and grant their desires. The Warlock's Hairy Heart is the story of a young warlock determined never to fall in love, and reads far more like a Grimm Brothers fairy tale, with its mystery and dark ending. Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump is another jovial tale of a foolish king determined to be the only great sorcerer in the kingdom and quickly duped by a wily charlatan, who blackmails an old witch to do his bidding. The Tale of Three Brothers is the fifth and final tale and perhaps the most reminiscent of our muggle fairy tales with three brothers attempting to cheat Death.

These stories are indeed lovely little fairy tales, but it is Dumbledore's notes that are the icing on the cake. Enchanting and witty, they are full of Dumbledore's warm and mischevious humour, and give another little glimpse into the mind of a wizard Harry Potter fans have all grown to admire and love. Perfect for Potter fans, but entertaining enough for anyone who enjoys fairy tales to read, the Tales of Beedle the Bard are a very welcome addition to my Potter collection.

Other blog reviews:
In Spring it is the Dawn
Melody's Reading Corner
Things Mean A Lot
Age 30+...A Lifetime of Books

(Have I missed yours?)

Eva's Bookshelf Meme

I was tagged for this meme by its creator, the lovely Eva of A Striped Armchair, who quite rightly says that it is not just the content of books that make us enjoy them, but the books themselves. So...

The Rules
1. Tag 3-5 people, so the fun keeps going!
2. Leave a comment at the original post at A Striped Armchair, so that Eva can collect everyone’s answers.
3. If you leave a comment and link back to Eva as the meme’s creator, she will enter you in a book giveaway contest! She has a whole shelf devoted to giveaway books that you’ll be able to choose from, or a bookmooch point if you prefer.
4. Remember that this is all about enjoying books as physical objects, so feel free to describe the exact book you’re talking about, down to that warping from being dropped in the bath water…
5. Make the meme more fun with visuals! Covers of the specific edition you’re talking about, photos of your bookshelves, etc.

The Meme
the book that’s been on your shelves the longest: Like Eva, most of my childhood books are boxed away (in my parents attic no less!) and lovingly dusted off every now and then when I'm fishing out old Christmas decorations or mattresses for the many guests. But most of my childhood books are in there, the Roald Dahls, Enid Blytons, AA Milnes and Beatrix Potters. But the book that I have had the longestis one of the funniest and sweetest picture books I ever had the chance to read: The Lazy Beaver by Giovanni Gallo. An adorable story about a colony of beavers moving to a new home where they start unpacking and rebuilding until it soon becomes apparent that young Betram isn't doing his fair share of the work. He becomes so lazy that his front teeth get so long that they hurt and he can't do anything. So Betram has to visit the dentist and learns his lesson! The oldest books in terms of age on my shelf are the entire second hand collection of Willard Price's adventure stories. They nurtured my desires to travel and explore and my love of nature as a child, and thankfully are now back in print. Highly recommended for adventurous children, though perhaps a little dated now!

a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time, etc.): There are so many books that remind me of people and places that I find it hard to pick just one. Seeing as it is approaching New Year however, this sprang to mind. When I think of The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt, I am always going to be reminded of the first time I read it. I was living in Hawaii and spent New Years Eve with two very good friends at the dolphin lab we worked at, eating homemade Japanese food, playing cards, listening to music and the locals singing on the beach, watching the fireworks and playing with the dolphins. It was probably one of the most peaceful, relaxing and pleasant New Years I have spent, and went back to one of my friends houses that evening, where we ate dinner and watched movies all night. The next day I woke up early to a torrential downpouring of rain. I lay on my sofabed, reading The Last Samurai, with the sounds of the rain and the smell of the wet trees wafting in through the open windows. I did not want that day to end, nor that rain to ever stop. The book, recommended to me by the friend I was staying with, a fellow bookseller and bookjunkie, is about a young single mother raising her son, who happens to be a genius, using the seven samurai as role models to give the boy a father figure. It is an odd and interesting first novel, but beauifully written and the front cover of the US edition is quite frankly delicious! However, I think I will always be disappointed reading that book again, as I will never be able to replicate that wonderful morning.

a book you acquired in some interesting way (gift, serendipity in a used bookstore, prize, etc.): I was sent to Australia recently for a 2 day job. Yes, sent from the UK all the way to Australia for 2 days work. With the journey there and back and some time to acclimatize etc, it made a week. And I'm an environmental scientist...oh the irony. Anyway, I wasn't about to head all that way without seeing two of my good friends who live in Brisbane, so I headed east for a week too (making the trip last 2 weeks which alleviated my guilt..well a bit). While I was there, we visited my favourite tea house in the entire world..Batavia, a colonial style tea house which also sells furniture, lamps, candles, all inspired by the east indies. And it was there, while enjoying my high tea, that I discovered the Iron Fairies. Rather than describing these enchanting creatures, I suggest you take a look at the website. I came home clutching Volume 1 in delight and have been relishing their creativity ever since.

the most recent addition to your shelves: This would be The Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling, but as I'm about to review it later today, I'll mention another recent addition, well three...the Winter King, Enemy of God and Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell. I have wanted to read this series for a long time, no doubt due to the ever persisent Rhinoa, fellow bookworm, stationery junkie and giver of fabulous recommendations! I have The Winter King on my list for the Arthurian Challenge, and lucked upon all three in a Waterstones 3 for the price of 2 offer. Bargain! I'm very much into all things Arthurian and the moment, possibly due to the BBC show Merlin that has just finished over here (sniffle), so I hope to get to this series soon.

a book that’s been with you to the most places: My favourite book of all time, hands down, no competition, is I Dreamed of Africa by Kuki Gallmann. It is the story of a woman's life in Africa, experiencing the wonder of living on a ranch in the wild and the tragedies that strike her family. I have travelled a lot in the past, living in several different countries, but I have never been able to part with this book on long journeys away from home. Kuki has come with me to Australia, China, the USA, Canada and poetically, back to Africa. She comforts me like no other book I have ever read. When I read it, I weep, I smile, I dream and I know that however hard life can get, it is important that you experience it, live it and share it. Kuki Gallmann is an inspiration to me, and I love knowing that this book can travel with me anywhere life leads me, even though it may now look a little worse for wear!

a bonus book that you want to talk about but doesn’t fit into the other questions: I'm not sure I can single out any more books today! I become very attached to all of them.

I shall tag Nymeth, Rhinoa, Darla D, Naida and Valentina, but all are welcome to participate. Thanks Eva!

Dewey's Books Challenge

I've been finding keeping up with challenges difficult as I am so fickle with choosing books to read in advance and then picking something completely different up later! I decided not to join any challenges in 2009, but have chosen to make a couple of exceptions. The first is Dewey's Books Challenge, a wonderful way to honour and celebrate the life of Dewey, one of our most beloved book bloggers who is sorely missed. I haven't posted about her passing before as I never seem to find the right words, so this is my way of honouring Dewey, and all the wonderful reviews she has shared with us in the past. I am very grateful to Chris and Robin for designing and hosting this challenge.

So to the challenge! Either:

1. Pick one book from each of the 6 years that Dewey has archives of. You can access her archives by clicking on the archive link in the sidebar of her website. It’s a dropdown menu. For instance, you would read one book that she reviewed in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 for a total of six books.

2. The other option is to read 5 books that Dewey reviewed, which can be from any year.

The rules are simple! Choose either option 1 or 2 from above and read your five or six books between January 1st and December 31st 2009 (though the challenge unofficially starts now). Check back to the Dewey's Books page to update on the challenge, mini-challenges and giveaways, and post your reviews on the Mr. Linky’s on the Dewey's Book Challenge Reviews blog.

The most important thing is to enjoy yourselves and remember that we are celebrating a blogger who has made such an impact on so many people. If you sign up by January 1st, you'll be entered into the prize draw for one of Dewey's infamous chocolate monkeys! So I'm heading on over to Dewey's blog to peruse her many many reviews. Happy reading.