BookJumper

It happened as I was dissertationing - I discovered that my supposed Complete Works of Oscar Wilde (Midpoint Press, 2001) is not so, as it only contains the short magazine-version of The Portrait of Mr W.H. as opposed to the longer book-version. Supposedly, this version became "standard" (Vyvyan Holland's word) in the 1950's, when Collins published it in their version of the Complete Works. Now, I don't particularly want to get the Collins, as I find their books to be rather ugly and cheaply produced. What I would like to know is if anyone can recommend a slightly nicer ACTUALLY Complete Works? I've tried having a snoop around on Amazon but it's hard to tell which edition contains what. Thanking you muchly in advance.

I've just noticed that recommendations from authors work even when second-hand, for me. A recent example: the collected works of Steven Brust have been put on my wishlist after Neil Gaiman and Tad Williams told me he was made out of awesome (Gaiman is one of my favourite authors and Williams is one of my mum's); I now have put Gene Wolfe's "The Knight" on my wishlist given that Steven Brust - whose works aren't even in my possession yet - tells me he is made out of awesome, too.

Read another sizeable chunk of "The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street"; another day or two and I should be able to concoct a nice joint review of that and "84 Charing Cross Road".

So, I decided (in view of the impending HitchCon of October 11) to buy the leather Ultimate Hitchhiker's with Wicked/Son of a Witch on the side - even though I risked not getting Hitchhiker's in time, a the shipping I can afford takes up to 15 days and I need the book in 13. Do you want to know what happened? The buy one get one half price offer has vanished - fine, only Hitchhiker's is really urgent. Better still, it turns out that B&N don't take British debit cards apart from Visas. So, I am meant to pay for the thing how?! I am doomed !

So, I've never actually been to a book signing, unless you count the single time when I was little and accompanied by mum. Too many people, too much standing up. But, I've decided I've had enough of being a hermit, and I plan to take myself down to meet as many interesting authors as I possibly can. The first one is Dacre Stoker, great-something-nephew of Bram and author of the official sequel to "Dracula" based on his ancestor's notes (excised out of the book from Bram's publisher), "Dracula the Undead". What I need to know as someone who's never been to a book signing is this: for such events, how many hours in advance does "arrive early to avoid disappointment" mean? The store is enormous & a tourist attraction if that makes any difference, which it probably does. Thanking you all in advance.

I would disagree that binding technology has evolved. As someone who routinely checks the binding condition of every possible buy because I refuse to take home a book whose cover will come off first time I read it, I can't tell you the amount of times I've left the store empty-handed. If anything, the quality of binding for paperbacks is diminishing visibly. That said, I don't mind long novels - when they have something to say, and say it well. Walter Moers' books average seven hundred pages of oversized paperback, and they are absolutely brilliant. If I look at my shelves however, I do notice a preference for middle-sized books (two to four hundred pages on average): they seem to be a compromise between the fluff that often fills the bigger books and the short-changing feeling one gets from the smaller ones. That said, I would not feel short-changed if people didn't insist on charging me

I'm all grumped. Today I went to Bookends, one-hundred-and-eight Charing Cross Road (formerly the 84 Charing Cross Road), found over twenty books I would have gladly taken home between three and five pounds each, but they were all two or more of the following: 1. grimy 2. bent 3. highlihgted (!!!) as remaindered. After two hours of browsing I emerged with nothing more than an enlarged wishlist. If Frank Doel knew what had happened to his shop, he'd die of shame.

I saw the posters for the American remake some time ago; I think it's appalling Hollywood film-makers are unable to see a good foreign film without remaking it. I wish they'd stop...

I agree. Precisely because my Russian is next to non-existent, the Italian/English translations being all I have to latch onto Dostoevskij, un-felicitous renderings that make no sense/lack emotion/what have you in my language(s) will jump out at me and significantly diminish my reading pleasure.

Indeed. I'm planning to be all social in the literary world now that I've got my freedom back, signings and whatnot, so I'm sure there will be occasion ! Possibly. But then, I wouldn't be able to make it wah! Why can't we all be ubiquitous?

I apologise in advance to fans of the series . I watched an episode of this - once, and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Excuse me, but: a mix-race Guinevere, in those days? Uther Pendragon is suddenly back in the land of the living? Arthur kills the gryphon? and give Merlin a beard, will you??? My biggest problem is, this doesn't seem to follow any written source whatsoever: it disregards Mallory (which would have been the obvious choice) as well as T.H. White (i.e. the version followed by Disney's The Sword in The Stone) completely, it's like they just took the names and invented a whole new story around those - one that doesn't even make historical sense.

The film was indeed quite good, even OH enjoyed it (he's not into vampires and usually prefers more action-y things), he called it "subtle" and it is, it's got an understatedness to it which makes the few intense scenes even more intense. Great acting from the two kids although if I were you, I'd try and see it subtitled - the dubbers aren't all that; Eli's English voice was all wrong, IMHO.

Awww it's a shame you guys can't make it, it would have been awesome to meet you in such a fabulous context you shall be missed. I am also unsure, and will be until I actually get my hands on the thing and read it - after all, I have made a point to bite my curiosity back and never read a "sequel" to Pride and Prejudice, because I don't want to see it mangled. This, however, is official, blessed by DNA's widow; also, Colfer himself seems to be unsure about him doing a sixth installment (see his diary entries on the subject), which shows a suitable amount of respect, IMHO, so I'm prepared to at least give him a chance. Cleverly, they've put his reading a few hours before his signing, so I guess that if I like the bits he reads I will buy the whole thing. I am, however, vexed to have discovered about this after having had to cancel my order for the prettiful leatherbound H2G2 because it had suddenly become "unavailable" and who knows when they would have delivered it! Now I'm going to meet the original Arthur Dent, and since I refuse to have him sign the cheapie new editions, I'm going to have to pay twice as much to get it secondhand .

One of the most hilarious books of all time, I defy you to read it and not go straight out and buy the four sequels (this is what I did, except when I discovered them as a young whippersnapper, DNA - Douglas Neil Adams - still hadn't written the last one)! But then, I would say that, clutching my tickets for Hitch(hiker's)Con(vention)09!

If you're an admirer of the late genius Douglas Adams, why not get your best dressing gown on and follow BookJumper to HitchCon09? Apart from meeting loads of froods who know exactly where their towel is, you will be able to purchase & get signed your copy of And Another Thing, the official sequel to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy written by Eoin Colfer of Artemis Fowl fame, participate in viewings of the original TV series, meet the original TV series' Arthur Dent, marvel at H2G2 being brought to life on the stage... what more could you amazingly together guys possibly want?? Note: if the above made little to no sense to you, chances are you haven't been exposed to the wonders of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, aka The Increasingly Inaccurately Named Trilogy of Five (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; The Restaurant at the End of the Universe; Life, The Universe and Everything; So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish; Mostly Harmless). If that is so, exactly what are you waiting for? Inside, you will find out many useful things, such as why it is easier to fly than land, why sperm whales are wretched creatures indeed, what God and zebra crossings have in common, what the worst poetry in the universe is... and most of all, what everyone's on about when they say that the answer is 42! Long story short (because, after all, it is 1.24am), it is a cult deserving of its status. It is as splendiferous as it is undescribable, so let me just say this: if you enjoy the wacky brit humour of Terry Pratchett/Neil Gaiman, Monty Python and Blackadder, these five books will regale you with hours of unadulterated amusement. Oh, and - please come to HitchCon with me??

I like you - you use words like "dichotomy". For that, I welcome you . Coffee and hobnob?

Hello and welcome! Make sure you enjoy the carefree joy of university - while it lasts ! Although I must say, if you chose your subject wisely, even the hard work can be oddly pleasurable...

Welcome, and don't worry - we're all bookholics here, we won't tell on you.

Hello welcome. Sit down, have a cuppa, a cookie and tell us all about you & your bookshelf.

Minted lamb chops and BBQ mini-ribs... nom nom nom!

Not really, Kylie. "Maskerade" was my first Witches book and I had no trouble understanding what was going on. I would second Kate's review, it's definitely one of the best Pratchetts I've read so far - Witches, City Watch & Phantom... what more could one want??

One of the most beloved books of my childhood - enjoy. Me, I visited another three bookshops today, and still failed to come out with my bag any heavier. I think I might be sickening for something... I did, however, make a start on Helene Hanff's "The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street", which I think I'm going to love nearly as much as "84 Charing Cross Road".

Ray Bradbury, "The Martian Chronicles". That is all.

Housecleaning the shelves - new books added!

ditto W Jasper!!! I usually try to avoid R&J's latest on the principle that they're never really my thing unless they've also been recommended by another source I trust, i.e. someone on here, a friend with similar tastes or my uberliterate mum.