chesilbeach

Hustle Series 2

Started No Way To Say Goodbye, and had a wander round the book shop but didn't buy any.

Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?

Fun With Dick and Jane

I think my maximum is about 2 hours. That was on a visit to a new independent bookstore I'd found out about, and they had some really interesting books I'd never seen anywhere else. @albie - the reason I don't buy books from the internet is usually because I find it a very clinical way of choosing a book - I have to already know the book I want to buy and in a few clicks all I will usually see is the cover before deciding to buy it. As a reader, I want to be able to see the book in its entirety, to feel the weight, look at the typeface, read the blurb, check the pages numbers and maybe even read a couple of paragraphs. I want to be excited at the prospect of reading an author I've never heard of, or finding a new book by a favourite author, or just being swayed by a beautiful cover, basically I love the serendipity of buying books in a shop. On an internet bookshop, it's very rare to find a book by chance, and even if I do find one, I would rarely buy it without having looked at it in a shop first. For me, internet book shopping is saved for expensive books that I can get at a cheaper price, or a book I know I want to read that isn't stocked in the shop and would need to be ordered in. My time is precious, but one of my favourite pastimes is browsing bookshops. The smell and feel of all those books, the atmosphere of calm and serenity, and that tingle of excitement of knowing I might just find the most wonderful book I'll ever read all add up to a heady experience that I wouldn't give up for the world.

I bought this last week, and I need a new book for tomorrow, so it might well have just made it into my bag ready for the morning

There might be a reason for that - I can't remember many people liking it!

Just popping in to say I'm going to be joining in with some of the books, but won't be taking the challenge (partly because I still haven't managed to watch the programme yet, and partly because I know I don't want to read some of the books and would never finish it anyway), so I'm more than happy to keep an eye on the thread to see what those of you taking the challenge decide to read, and join in the reading when it's a book I want to read.

I go out for one evening and come back and find I've missed out on all the fun! Just about to toddle off and watch the new trailer, although I did see the 10 second teaser earlier this morning, and heard Fearne Cotton raving about it on the radio this morning, so I'd had a bit of a Twilight fix, but I come back this evening and find you all in full flow! I can't believe we're going to have a wait to see it over here - peacefield will have seen it about 10 times before those of us in the rest of the world will get to see it (only kidding, peacefield, I know you won't rub it in )

I'm glad you liked The Vesuvius Club, Ruth - I loved all three in the series, so you've got another two great reads to come! I also adored Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day, one of the highlights of that years reading, so I hope you like that one too

Your Love Is King - Sade

Having a Marilyn Monroe day, so watched How To Marry a Millionaire this morning, and am now on to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

I immediately thought of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, but thinking about it further, I wondered if you minded children's books? The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Michelle Paver is set in (I'm not very good with historic periods) pre-historic times, about a boy who needs to use his survival skills on his journeys, and although he comes into contact with other humans and clans, there is a lot of it which follows his day to day life and how he uses his knowledge of nature to survive. I love them, and am eagerly waiting for next month when the last one (book 6) comes out in paperback. ETA: Just remembered The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney as well. It's one I keep meaning to get myself, but hasn't made it on to my book shelf yet.

Sebastian Faulks

Kings of the Wild Frontier - Adam & The Ants

Xbox Apples or Oranges?

Yes, I think so, when

Unfortunately two hoarders in a small house means no room for anything to take pride of place, and with thousands of books between us, the books go wherever there is space to put them. There are book shelves in every room in the house filled with books, books on top of bookshelves, books in boxes in the attic and books in piles on tables.

Read another couple of hundred pages of A Spot of Bother which I'm enjoying immensely, although I did squirm and wince at a couple of chapters!

I've just remembered another book title I love: People I Wanted To Be by Gina Oschner

Helen Dunmore

Paul Torday

Kathleen Tessaro

Cross My Heart - Eighth Wonder