frankie Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 So many things to get to! I have a longer wishlist at the Book Depository, but that's not complete either. I don't add all of the books I want because then my wishlist would be never-ending. I just try to keep it small. What's with your eye. Is it sore. Go to doctor I'll have you know that my TBR pile stands at 1995, not 1996, thank you very much! (And now it's at 1994 because I've read one book so far this year.) Actually, I think it was originally 1996, but then I had to recalculate some numbers and I was able to reduce it by one, so you must have seen the original total before I changed it. I can't believe I managed to stay below 2000 books last year. I really didn't think I could do it, so I'm not surprised at all that you might have assumed I would be over 2000 by now. And now I'm determined to never go above 2000 books (ha, I remember saying that when I was nearing 1000 books!), but it's going to be very difficult. I always know the original score, you can't hide anything from me Hehe! Hey, good job for not going over 2000 as you'd feared you would, in 2014. That's another goal you met! And what with your having been so much better at not buying as many books as before, you're not going to go over 2000 this year, either. I know you won't I received a book in the mail today: George Orwell's A Life in Letters. I ordered this last year, so it counts as a 2014 book (and don't try to tell me otherwise!). I think Devi received this for Christmas recently. Just after Christmas the Book Depository sent me an email saying that the price had gone down. It was so cheap that I had to get it! Aha, yep yep! I received another book in the mail today: In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. This is the second and final book I ordered in 2014 (therefore it doesn't count as a 2015 acquisition). Given how much I loved The Devil in the White City last year, I absolutely cannot wait to read this. I'm so excited for you, I know how much you loved The Devil in the White City! I hope you will love this one, too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Haha. Yes, it was Eleanor & Park we were going to read, but I'm happy for you that you received Landlines. Oh man, I just knew it was E&P after I posted in your thread and felt so silly Landline is going great, though, so I'm not that bothered. Let me check where I'm at with E&P. Crap, I'm 12/35. They have 13 copies at the libraries but 5 of those can't be reserved, so that makes 8 copies in total. Hm... I think it's going to take another month before I will get a copy. Yay! I'm glad she's finally watching the DVDs. Me too! It's been a while and I really want to start watching the show with you, and this time I want to go all the way! I mean to the end of the show, as I have all the DVD boxes except for the last one, which I will buy at some point before getting there. Wohoo go GG!! I finished Ripley Under Ground today. It wasn't quite as good as the first book, but I think it would be impossible to top the brilliance of The Talented Mr Ripley. RUG was excellent though, and I've rated it 9/10. Ripley is such a wonderful character; in fact, he might be one of my favourite characters ever written. He's so diabolical! I've been inspired by all of the recent talk about Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series to start The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I'm meant to be getting ready to go out, but I couldn't help but open the book to read just the first line or two. I ended up reading about six pages before I tore myself away. Yes, I think I'm going to enjoy this! You're really making me want to re-read the first book in the series and then read the other ones! And I don't think that's a very wise move from you if you wish I get to TPT the soonest... I really want to read the Alan Bradley book, too, after hearing so many great things about it lately, but I have so many other books to read through About 15 library books!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Oh! Oh! I forgot to check your lists yesterday to see which pictures you'd included in the posts! Oooooh so pretty! Great choices. They really liven up the posts, don't they Well, even more so. They posts are lively as they are!! I like the Rory one you chose. (I'm really glad you didn't add pictures in the post of me and poppyshake's best books ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 It's just as Kylie says. I would be the last person to expect anyone to read a book I've bought them straight away. It's to be read in your lifetime Janet .. or even intended to be read in your lifetime which is good enough for me I get a lot of pleasure at looking at all my unread books. I'm sure I'd get panicky if I was down to my last two or three .. thankfully that's one problem I will never have to face You will know when the time is right and nobody should ever read a book when the time is wrong!! Unthinkable! You might as well eat a mince pie in June I quite like the idea of eating a mince pie in June. It would feel a bit rebellious! Thanks for being understanding, although of course you would be. And you're right, I get pleasure from looking at my books and anticipating the eventual reading of them. I've only put in 77 titles from my TBR pile, which are on my priority reading list. This means that no matter what book I choose, I'm bound to be very excited by it. This is a great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Very exciting about the book jar! Everyone's taking pictures of them... I love them! How did you go about setting up your priority reads list? (I see you've already read one off it, well done!!) I'm surprised you could go for less than 100 titles! I hope you have fun with the jar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Kylie!! Wohoo! I was just going through new acquired books to the library and holy hecks, they now have a copy of the first Phryne Fisher novel! *reserving a copy...* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Cool! I wonder why they suddenly have the first book? Did you pester them to order it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Cool! I wonder why they suddenly have the first book? Did you pester them to order it? No I didn't, I swear! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I hope you enjoy your TBR pick, Kylie ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 *Drumroll* And the winner is...Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. I have this on my TBR pile. I tried reading it a couple of years ago, but I just wasn't in the right mindset. Hope you enjoy it. I have read one other by Jared Diamond, and it was a very interesting read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melodious Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 *Drumroll* And the winner is...Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. 76592.jpg This is actually a pretty good choice, as the non-fiction will go nicely alongside my two fiction books. Also, given that it took me many months to read The World without Us, which is a similar sort of book, I guess this will be a longer-term read too. Oooo I have Collapse by Diamond on my TBR and The World Without Us is sitting on my book shelf. How did you find it? This is the sort of area I'm interested in exploring more this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I've jumped on the bandwagon and made myself a reading jar. It looks like fun, and it adds another little exciting element to reading. Reading Jar.png I've only put in 77 titles from my TBR pile, which are on my priority reading list. This means that no matter what book I choose, I'm bound to be very excited by it. I badly want to choose a book now, but I'm already in the middle of two, so I should wait...oh, to heck with it...here goes! *Drumroll* And the winner is...Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. 76592.jpg This is actually a pretty good choice, as the non-fiction will go nicely alongside my two fiction books. Also, given that it took me many months to read The World without Us, which is a similar sort of book, I guess this will be a longer-term read too. Yay! Sticking your priorities in the jar was a great idea, especially as your TBR is fairly epic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I've jumped on the bandwagon and made myself a reading jar. It looks like fun, and it adds another little exciting element to reading. I've only put in 77 titles from my TBR pile, which are on my priority reading list. This means that no matter what book I choose, I'm bound to be very excited by it. I badly want to choose a book now, but I'm already in the middle of two, so I should wait...oh, to heck with it...here goes! *Drumroll* And the winner is...Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. 76592.jpg This is actually a pretty good choice, as the non-fiction will go nicely alongside my two fiction books. Also, given that it took me many months to read The World without Us, which is a similar sort of book, I guess this will be a longer-term read too. These jars are becoming the I Ching for books and booklovers . The jar knows what is best for you each time . Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond is on my wishlist now, and I've just bought The World Without Us ebook, as Weisman's Countdown is excellent, though not a book for light reading, and I'm seriously getting my own copy (library loan at the moment). Hope you like G, G and S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 I have this on my TBR pile. I tried reading it a couple of years ago, but I just wasn't in the right mindset. Hope you enjoy it. I have read one other by Jared Diamond, and it was a very interesting read. Thanks Bobbly! Yes, you definitely have to be in the right frame of mind for these types of books! Oooo I have Collapse by Diamond on my TBR and The World Without Us is sitting on my book shelf. How did you find it? This is the sort of area I'm interested in exploring more this year. I loved The World Without Us, although it took me a while to get through. It was so chock-full of fascinating information! Did I see you mention somewhere that Countdown is about population growth and management? Because there was a small chapter about that at the end of The World Without Us, and it was one of my favourite chapters (along with a chapter about nuclear power). Overpopulation is a fascinating topic to me (I'm doing my bit by not having kids ), and if Countdown is an entire book about the same subject, I'll definitely be bumping it up my wishlist! Yay! Sticking your priorities in the jar was a great idea, especially as your TBR is fairly epic. Thanks to you, Brian, for starting the book jar trend and and letting us copy you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melodious Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 I loved The World Without Us, although it took me a while to get through. It was so chock-full of fascinating information! Did I see you mention somewhere that Countdown is about population growth and management? Because there was a small chapter about that at the end of The World Without Us, and it was one of my favourite chapters (along with a chapter about nuclear power). Overpopulation is a fascinating topic to me (I'm doing my bit by not having kids ), and if Countdown is an entire book about the same subject, I'll definitely be bumping it up my wishlist! That wasn't me no. I've always been into these kinds of issues, overpopulation, green energy, rewilding etc. I did a business degree but for my dissertation I did it about green issues and energy. It's really shocking how we are dragging our heels about tackling these issues despite the decades of warnings and evidence from our scientists. Everybody just wants to leave it to the next generation and we risk our way of life through ignorance. Water, food and energy shortages are a looming reality. The planet will be fine and life will continue but it's whether we will still be apart of that cycle and to the capacity that we are now. This is a great book I read last year that I'm going to do a review for in the next day or two: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17160008-feral?ac=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Guns, Germs and Steel sounds fairly intense .. the jar is not going soft on you Hope you get on okay with it Kylie Iris is giving me the runaround a bit but I'm plodding on Possibly I would have abandoned but this is Iris .. I have too much respect for her for that but man .. I'm having to work hard! What a beginning to my relationship with the jar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 That wasn't me no. I've always been into these kinds of issues, overpopulation, green energy, rewilding etc. I did a business degree but for my dissertation I did it about green issues and energy. It's really shocking how we are dragging our heels about tackling these issues despite the decades of warnings and evidence from our scientists. Everybody just wants to leave it to the next generation and we risk our way of life through ignorance. Water, food and energy shortages are a looming reality. The planet will be fine and life will continue but it's whether we will still be apart of that cycle and to the capacity that we are now. This is a great book I read last year that I'm going to do a review for in the next day or two: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17160008-feral?ac=1 I agree with all of this, Melodious! I was talking to a friend about this very issue last night, and how our politicians (in my country, at least) are even refusing to acknowledge climate change. Our previous government implemented a carbon tax, and when they were voted out, the next government got rid of it. To be honest, I didn't look into it all enough to decide whether or not a carbon tax was the right way to go about things, but it was surely better than doing nothing! Governments clearly want it all to be someone else's problem. That book looks excellent! One food source that particularly worries me is our marine life. Those huge fishing trawlers with their massive nets just drag up anything and everything, and everything they don't want just goes to waste. Combine that with how much seafood we're eating, and the marine ecosystem has been hit so hard. I really believe that restrictions need to be placed on fishing to allow the fish population to recover and grow. I really don't think it would take too long. It just makes sense to me, but no one seems to want to think long term! I saw a really interesting interview on TV the other day, where two young gentleman in America have started 'harvesting' the tonnes of used fishing nets that are just left out in the oceans to kill wildlife, and they've worked out how to turn the netting into skateboards! I love hearing about stuff like this—where people work to find ways to turn something horrible into something useful that helps the planet. Guns, Germs and Steel sounds fairly intense .. the jar is not going soft on you Hope you get on okay with it Kylie Iris is giving me the runaround a bit but I'm plodding on Possibly I would have abandoned but this is Iris .. I have too much respect for her for that but man .. I'm having to work hard! What a beginning to my relationship with the jar Maybe a bit intense, but I think my jar has been kinder to me than yours has to you! Yikes, two intimidating books in a row! You seem to have whizzed through Murdoch's letters though. I'm very impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I had a lovely little bookish dream last night. Well, it's lovely to dream about books, but not so lovely when you wake up and realise the awesome dream wasn't real. Anyway, I visited a big IKEA store and was wandering around when I suddenly spotted a huge area full of bookcases...and the books were arranged by colour! I wandered around for ages checking out the selection (they were English books—not the Swedish ones you find in real IKEA stores). I took some photos so I could post them on BCF later. It was a while before I thought to check the prices. I was hoping maybe the books would be cheaper because they were being sold by IKEA...and they were! I was so happy (duh). I think the dream ended before I actually chose any books, but it was certainly nice having a look around. I wish you could choose what to dream each night. It would always be book shopping for me, while surrounded by friends and family (especially my dad). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melodious Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Overfishing is a huge problem. Once upon a time fish was considered an infinite resource but not any more. The fact is we are seeing one of the great mass extinctions and its the first in the planets history where it was due to another species. The carbon tax and the Kyoto protocol was the main pillar in my dissertation. It was mainly just a showcase legislation rather than anything significant but it should have been the first step in building something better. It is mind boggling when you have all these scientists whom we rely on for modern life and even all these economists stating it will cost us more money in the future to repair the damage rather than spending money now to prevent it but we still cling to the old ways. We could have weened ourselves off oil a long time ago at least when it comes to cars but all the money and tax breaks go to the oil industry not the green industry. We don't even learn from our own history and the civilisations that have disappeared because they were unable to control their population and resource management. I wonder what the man thought as he cut the last tree down on Easter Island? 'I think we risk becoming the best informed society that has ever died of ignorance.' - Reuben Blades Governments will only do something when the population demands it but it will probably be too late by then. There is a great agenda to keep the public uninformed about these kinds of issues and we are way too scientific illiterate considering science is the pillar that props up our society. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Maybe a bit intense, but I think my jar has been kinder to me than yours has to you! Yikes, two intimidating books in a row! You seem to have whizzed through Murdoch's letters though. I'm very impressed. Though it looked to be a big book .. hardcover and whatnot .. it wasn't too long .. 300 pages or thereabouts and the writing spaced out. This new one is a monster though .. an absolute door stopper. The spine has creased on it already and it's almost impossible to hold (large format paperback ) If it had to be a large book .. why couldn't it have been The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear? Rotten old jar .. I'm starting to hate it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I loved The World Without Us, although it took me a while to get through. It was so chock-full of fascinating information! Did I see you mention somewhere that Countdown is about population growth and management? Because there was a small chapter about that at the end of The World Without Us, and it was one of my favourite chapters (along with a chapter about nuclear power). Overpopulation is a fascinating topic to me (I'm doing my bit by not having kids ), and if Countdown is an entire book about the same subject, I'll definitely be bumping it up my wishlist! I bought TWWU, to read after Countdown ebooks,and I've only read 100 or so pages of Countdown, but so far it's concentrating on population growth, and the sensitive subject of possible population control. Weisman is an excellent writer, (I think), and the whole subject of Earth ecology is one of my interests. The whole subject is so complicated,as you and Melodious were discussing, but Countdown is an excellent read, so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Ah, so it was you who mentioned before that Countdown was about population growth? It sounds like it's just what I was hoping it would be. I'm really interested in the topic, and yes, population control is a rather sensitive subject! I'll be bumping this up my wishlist and hanging out to read your review when you've finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Though it looked to be a big book .. hardcover and whatnot .. it wasn't too long .. 300 pages or thereabouts and the writing spaced out. This new one is a monster though .. an absolute door stopper. The spine has creased on it already and it's almost impossible to hold (large format paperback ) If it had to be a large book .. why couldn't it have been The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear? Rotten old jar .. I'm starting to hate it If you have the same edition of Bluebear that I have, then it'll have a nice 'floppy' spine so you won't have to work so hard to keep it open. Is that what you meant when you said why couldn't it have been Bluebear? But just think, now that you have a couple of doorstops out of the way, that leaves more room in the jar for reads that are slightly thinner and 'lighter' reading! I bought a new book jar! And yes, I opened it in the store first and tested whether I could fit my whole fist inside before I bought it. The checkered-looking cloth is actually just cheap paper, so I'll get rid of that and try to pretty it up with something else. I've decided to make this a permanent feature in my library, so I want to make it look nice. The next stop is Officeworks to get some nice-coloured paper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I had a lovely little bookish dream last night. Well, it's lovely to dream about books, but not so lovely when you wake up and realise the awesome dream wasn't real. Anyway, I visited a big IKEA store and was wandering around when I suddenly spotted a huge area full of bookcases...and the books were arranged by colour! I wandered around for ages checking out the selection (they were English books—not the Swedish ones you find in real IKEA stores). I took some photos so I could post them on BCF later. It was a while before I thought to check the prices. I was hoping maybe the books would be cheaper because they were being sold by IKEA...and they were! I was so happy (duh). I think the dream ended before I actually chose any books, but it was certainly nice having a look around. I wish you could choose what to dream each night. It would always be book shopping for me, while surrounded by friends and family (especially my dad). This is a lovely dream ! I bought a new book jar! And yes, I opened it in the store first and tested whether I could fit my whole fist inside before I bought it. The checkered-looking cloth is actually just cheap paper, so I'll get rid of that and try to pretty it up with something else. I've decided to make this a permanent feature in my library, so I want to make it look nice. The next stop is Officeworks to get some nice-coloured paper! New Jar.png Nice ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 If you have the same edition of Bluebear that I have, then it'll have a nice 'floppy' spine so you won't have to work so hard to keep it open. Is that what you meant when you said why couldn't it have been Bluebear? But just think, now that you have a couple of doorstops out of the way, that leaves more room in the jar for reads that are slightly thinner and 'lighter' reading! I bought a new book jar! And yes, I opened it in the store first and tested whether I could fit my whole fist inside before I bought it. The checkered-looking cloth is actually just cheap paper, so I'll get rid of that and try to pretty it up with something else. I've decided to make this a permanent feature in my library, so I want to make it look nice. The next stop is Officeworks to get some nice-coloured paper! New Jar.png Lovely new jar Kylie .. hope it is kind to you My Bluebear is quite floppy I think but I was just meaning that it's a more attractive prospect. I know it's good (you told me ) and funny etc etc and it's fiction. A larger fiction book is not so much of a problem .. you don't get bogged down in facts and figures. Having said all that .. this one is reading just fine .. I should be alright Next time my jar will be nice .. it's testing me is all .. I shall pass the test and then we'll be friends Love the sound of your dream Books arranged by colour!! My idea of paradise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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