poppyshake Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 The Folio Society did a wonderful edition of this, with a gorgeous red and gold cover. One of the best children's books ever. That's good to know, I'm even more looking forward to it now I've just acquired (through ebay) the complete set of letters - all 6 volumes (!), for a stupidly low price. I've promised myself I will read them all!! I'm so jealous I can hardly write. What a treat ... well done you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) [/font]The Folio Society did a wonderful edition of this, with a gorgeous red and gold cover. One of the best children's books ever. I meant to attach a picture. Comes out a bit more silver than gold in the picture, but otherwise shows well, especially in the enlarged version. Feels fabulous too. Edited January 2, 2012 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 That is stunning .. absolutely gorgeous. The Folio Society produce the most exquisite books. I love looking at their site but it's all too tempting .. my purse won't stretch that far unfortunately, but you can tell just by looking that the books are top quality. Perfect for treats, special birthdays and christenings etc (I wonder if my mum would consider baptising me again ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I love looking at their site but it's all too tempting .. my purse won't stretch that far unfortunately I buy most of mine second hand - Mistress Masham cost me twelve pounds in immaculate condition. Still a treat, mind you, but not quite as frightening costwise as it might otherwise be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 I am enlightened .. I never thought of doing that (sometimes I wonder what my brain is for ) £12 is not any more than the cost of a new hardback book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 Review for Jeanette Winterson's Why Be Happy When You Could be Normal? on 2011 blog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 (edited) Review for Carol Birch's Jamrach's Menagerie on 2011 blog. Edited January 2, 2012 by poppyshake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy Reader Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Review for Jeanette Winterson's Why Be Happy When You Could be Normal? on 2011 blog. Excellent review I will definitely have to add it to the list now I thought the beginning to Oranges was brilliant but then it went weird at the end so was waiting for you to say the same about "Normal" but you didn't and a 10/10 can't be sniffed at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Great review Poppy, I remember watching Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit on the telly but I've never read anything by her so I'll be adding this one to my wishlist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 Excellent review I will definitely have to add it to the list now I thought the beginning to Oranges was brilliant but then it went weird at the end so was waiting for you to say the same about "Normal" but you didn't and a 10/10 can't be sniffed at. Thanks Sally It does take a darker turn before the end, and there is less humour as it goes along but it all seems to gel and the reasons for it are apparent and understandable. I laughed through the first three quarters and cried during the last quarter .. it really touched me and, as we said before, her voice comes through so strongly. All I can say is that I hope you love it as much as I do Great review Poppy, I remember watching Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit on the telly but I've never read anything by her so I'll be adding this one to my wishlist Thanks Kidsmum Hope you enjoy it This is the only book I've read of Jeanette's so far. I definitely want to read Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit and I've also got Sexing the Cherry but I think picking your way through her work can be a bit of a minefield. Having said that Sexing the Cherry is one of the ones that divides opinion so probably not a good one to begin my foray into Jeanette's fiction. I think I'll read Oranges first (though frankie I know hated it .. which worries me ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I might have already asked this, but does Alan have any brothers or any like-minded friends?! Send them my way, please! I think I've asked this before too. Get in line, girl! Great book hauls, Poppyshake! I'm very jealous of your purchases and gifts. I have two editions of The Bloody Chamber now, but I believe the edition you bought is the one I originally wanted (there's just no pleasing some people). What a lovely pic of your Boxing Day surprise! Cute little lights and all. Forgetting to wrap presents is exactly the sort of thing my Mum does sometimes. I really must get a copy of Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm, but I haven't seen your Vintage edition in the shops yet. I'm glad to see you have Books, Baguettes and Bedbugs. You'll probably get to read it before I do, so I look forward to your review. The transition period between 2011 and 2012 has been such a treat, because I got to read two of your book blogs. Gosh, I don't think I've even posted about your earlier posts in this blog. There has been so much to comment on that I keep putting it off until I have more time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 Great book hauls, Poppyshake! I'm very jealous of your purchases and gifts. I have two editions of The Bloody Chamber now, but I believe the edition you bought is the one I originally wanted (there's just no pleasing some people). I have nearly finished it now and it's been an absolute pleasure .. look forward to joining you over at the Reading Circle for a chat about it (I love all the covers that I've seen for it .. both Vintage and Penguin .. this one matches my other Carters which is nice and neat and tidy which poppyshake likes ) What a lovely pic of your Boxing Day surprise! Cute little lights and all. Forgetting to wrap presents is exactly the sort of thing my Mum does sometimes. I really must get a copy of Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm, but I haven't seen your Vintage edition in the shops yet. I'm glad to see you have Books, Baguettes and Bedbugs. You'll probably get to read it before I do, so I look forward to your review. My mum gave me the little battery operated lights. She has a set which she puts around her hat when she goes carol singing (bless!) I've had battery operated lights before and they last about five mins but these one's have been brilliant. On every day and no sign of fading yet .. and the good thing is they're hearts and as such I don't need to put them away on twelfth night I didn't mind having late Christmas presents or unwrapped ones, in fact we got in a bit of a tizz this year so I think in future years we might adopt the custom of opening our presents (or some of them) on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning was too hectic, we didn't get up early, we rushed opening our prezzies so that I could thank people when they called and I spent the rest of the morning/afternoon in the kitchen battling with the turkey (it won!) It wasn't relaxing. I am intending (though that of course means nothing ) to read Books, Baguettes and Bedbugs soon. One of the things I noticed when I looked through last years blog was that of the 52 books I bought at Hay I have only managed to read 12 .. though an additional 6 were replacement copies of books already read. But that still leaves 34 of the books unread!! And I find the longer a book is on the shelf the less likely I am to pick it up. So I am determined to read my new acquisitions soon as well as chipping away at the old TBR pile. The transition period between 2011 and 2012 has been such a treat, because I got to read two of your book blogs. Gosh, I don't think I've even posted about your earlier posts in this blog. There has been so much to comment on that I keep putting it off until I have more time. Awww thanks .. you are welcome here any time. Let yourself in (you have your own key don't you? ) and make yourself comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 This is a review of the first book I've read in 2012 .. and it's only the 3rd Jan :yes: oh yes folks, I am mustard! (who mentioned that my 2011 blog is missing eight reviews? .. very rude I must say ) Boy: A Tale of Childhood - Roald Dahl Book Blurb: Boy is a funny, insightful and at time macabre glimpse into the early life of Roald Dahl, one of the world's favourite authors. We discover his experiences of the English public school system, the idyllic paradise of summer holidays in Norway, the pleasures (and pains) of the sweetshop, and how it is that he avoided being a Boazer. This is the unadulterated childhood - sad and funny, sinister and delightful - that inspired the much-loved children's writer. Review: Great and exactly what you would expect and want from Dahl. From the start he sets out his stall and you know you're in for an entertaining read ... 'An autobiography is a book a person writes about his own life and it is usually full of all sorts of boring details. I would never write a history of myself. On the other hand, throughout my young days at school and just afterwards a number of things happened to me that I have never forgotten .... Some are funny. Some are painful. Some are unpleasant. I suppose that is why I have always remembered them so vividly. All of them are true.' You can see how his childhood experiences shaped his later fiction, there are tales here of sadistic headmasters (who were made into Archbishops of Canterbury .. in fact the Archbishop of Canterbury that crowned Queen Elizabeth II,) grimy old hags that run sweet shops and chocolate testing for Cadburys (I was outraged Public school boys were actually sent boxes of chocolates and asked to rate the new flavours ... a job which they took very seriously. Us lesser mortals had to fork out our pocket money for the pleasure. We didn't have to do fagging though and be beaten on a regular basis so I suppose fairs fair.) All that's needed is to slightly exaggerate these characters to make them even more grotesque and you have the perfect cast for one of Dahl's dark tales. Life at boarding school, as Roald represents it, is nothing like the cosy world of Malory Towers or Hogwarts (yes, I know Hogwarts wasn't very cosy with dementors floating about trying to give you the black dog but at least the headmaster and most of the teachers were decent human beings.) You definitely won't be hankering to go to Roald's school (Repton.) The tales of beatings and canings were so frequent that my bottom ached by the end of it (but it was the harshness and unfairness of those beatings that really rankled.) Roald seemed to lose any respect he may have had for both the education system and christianity as a whole and you have to wonder at the morals and ethics of a system that seeks to tyrannise young boys. A thoroughly enjoyable read because, as he says, he's left all the boring bits out. The text is interspersed with photo's, drawings and scraps from his weekly letters home ... delightful. I can't wait to read the sequel now. 9/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 (edited) I bought the following two today from the Sue Ryder charity shop (£1 ea) : Dandy Gilver & the Proper Treatment of Blood Stains - Catriona McPherson (don't ask ... I liked the cover ) The Midwich Cuckoos - John Wyndham (thanks for the suggestion Janet ) Edited January 3, 2012 by poppyshake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) Dandy Gilver & the Proper Treatment of Blood Stains - Catriona McPherson (don't ask ... I liked the cover ) I'm off to Amazon to have a look! ETA: Did you know that's 'mystery 5'? Her covers are pretty! The Midwich Cuckoos - John Wyndham (thanks for the suggestion Janet ) Good find - I hope you enjoy it. Edited January 4, 2012 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Review for Jeanette Winterson's Why Be Happy When You Could be Normal? on 2011 blog. Great review of Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal poppy, I've just bought this for my grandma for her birthday, so it's good to know you've enjoyed it. Also another good review for Boy - I have this on Mount TBR so might have to push it up the pile a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 ETA: Did you know that's 'mystery 5'? No I didn't .. oh bother now that I look I see it's not so bad because I've fallen a victim to her covers before. I've definitely got Winter Ground and I think I may have Bury Her Deep ... only I can't see it anywhere I'm not expecting great things but they are pretty and will probably be comfy cosy reads. Thanks for pointing it out Janet, the cover doesn't say it's mystery 5 though there is a quote from 'The Guardian' that says 'Dandy .. is a continuing delight' which should have given me a clue Great review of Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal poppy, I've just bought this for my grandma for her birthday, so it's good to know you've enjoyed it. Also another good review for Boy - I have this on Mount TBR so might have to push it up the pile a bit. Thanks Ben I do hope your grandma enjoys it. I'm glad I've read Boy .. it was one of those that kept nagging at me from the shelves. I think it was all the Roald Dahl films on over Christmas that gave me the nudge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Thanks Ben I do hope your grandma enjoys it. I'm glad I've read Boy .. it was one of those that kept nagging at me from the shelves. I think it was all the Roald Dahl films on over Christmas that gave me the nudge I'll let you know how she gets on. Boy is definitely one I'll get around to sooner than later, and haha that makes a lot of sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Ok this is a little bit naughty but I took back my two Roald Dahl books today to W.H. Smiths (Matilda & James & the Giant Peach.) I hadn't read them and remarkably they still had their buy one get one half price stickers on (which is unusual cos that's the thing I normally do first ... well directly after I've stopped swearing about the fact that they're on there in the first place.) And this is why .... The reason for poppyshakes naughtiness What's a girl to do? I paid £9.98 for two books from Smiths and will pay £16.00 for fifteen (I'm not good at Math's but I know that's a better deal and what's more it includes the two biogs and I desperately want to read the sequel and I didn't have Boy in the nice Quentin cover.) Alan wants to order another book from them so there won't be postage to pay either. Smith's didn't lose out, I went quite mad and splashed out on a sci-fi book. Phillip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle. Let no-one say I'm not taking my challenges seriously Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Review for Haruki Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running on 2011 blog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 I might have already asked this, but does Alan have any brothers or any like-minded friends?! Send them my way, please! Never mind that Poppyshake, do you have a sister? Great reading blog, you have given me many ideas for my genre challenge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Haha. Poor Poppyshake and her family. She's probably worrying that a whole lot of us are going to turn up on her doorstep one day demanding that she match-make us with her family members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 (edited) Poppy It sounds like you are quite a popular poster on here. Everyone wants to hook up with your relatives. I'm already married,so not searching for a husband,but do you have any rich great uncles ? Just joking --- I wouldn't know what to do with him if I had him . Edited January 6, 2012 by julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 No I didn't .. oh bother now that I look I see it's not so bad because I've fallen a victim to her covers before. I've definitely got Winter Ground and I think I may have Bury Her Deep ... only I can't see it anywhere I'm not expecting great things but they are pretty and will probably be comfy cosy reads. Thanks for pointing it out Janet, the cover doesn't say it's mystery 5 though there is a quote from 'The Guardian' that says 'Dandy .. is a continuing delight' which should have given me a clue It's a bit naughty of them not putting it on the cover, despite the very vague clue. I guess they don't want people to be put off if they haven't read the earlier ones. You're right, the covers are indeed very prettyful! Ok this is a little bit naughty but I took back my two Roald Dahl books today to W.H. Smiths (Matilda & James & the Giant Peach.) I hadn't read them and remarkably they still had their buy one get one half price stickers on (which is unusual cos that's the thing I normally do first ... well directly after I've stopped swearing about the fact that they're on there in the first place.) And this is why .... The reason for poppyshakes naughtiness Oh my goodness, that's a little bit too tempting. (Note to self: don't!). I don't see anything wrong with returning the books unread. It's only like taking a jumper back that you don't like when you get it home. I hate those stickers - like you I usually try to remove them immediately. One I took off last year (or maybe the year before) removed some of the gloss of the cover. I was not a happy bunny! Just out of interest, did you make a resolution to wear more black this year? I'm being cryptic really - I don't mean in dress sense, but you used to always post blue and now you've gone black. I liked the blue - see, I'm emulating it! (I'm not really expecting you to do it just for me - I'm just nosy curious! x ). Oh, and I don't want to marry a sibling of yours or an uncle. I just want to be your lodger! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Review for Haruki Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running on 2011 blog. I've had his on my wish list for a while, thanks for the review I mght have to see if I can pick a copy of this up over the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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