Kylie Posted September 15, 2014 Author Share Posted September 15, 2014 Oooh, lucky yous for being able to watch two tapings on one go! And I Envy you very much for it. Get it? Envy? =D Haw haw! Good on N for getting you two front row seats. But hey, why is it always the other person having to fight for good seats, when you just take it easy, missy Hehe. I just have good friends, I guess. And I would feel guilty about rushing ahead of the oldies to get the good seats! Poor Jason, always reading the 'wrong' books =D And he's such a good gentleman, never ridiculing them and getting back at them. You know, the next time I come to Australia, I will introduce myself, and then all bets are off Yeah, he's such a sweetie! I'll believe it when I see it! Oh dear, forget what I said about him having learned the regime for next time. He ain't going! I've never heard that expression, what does crumpet mean? But I think I get what you're trying to say. How did he like the show, by the way? He liked the show, but I caught him nodding off at one point! I was horrified that someone would notice (it was when we were sitting in the first row) so I nudged him awake. Yeah, he ain't going again! I've invited Mum to come to the November taping with me, because she's been wanting to go for a while. Of course you need to go! And maybe you'll be really good this year. Maybe if you left the trolley at home, you would have to limit the books you could buy at a time, thus limiting the all-around number of books you can take home with you. Oh who am I kidding, you'll probably take my trolley, too I told Mum I was going to be good this year and she just laughed and laughed at me. I can't leave my trolley at home! That's crazy talk! I would end up having to steal somebody else's or asking a really nice, good-looking guy to follow me around and hold my books. *wink* I'm definitely taking your trolley with me! I had to share it with N last year, but this year it's ALL MINE! I hope you have a great time. I can't believe it's been 4 years! I wish I was going with you. It was so amazing! I wish you were coming with me too. But at least I won't have competition for all the best books! I hope you like this one, it's supposed to be good. I really want to read it, too =) I noticed you and Poppyshake discussing the cover of The Luminaries on another thread recently. I got the cover you like - the blue one. When I bought it, it was World Book Day so I thought I'd splurge and buy a full-price copy to support my local bookshop. Hehe I got a copy of this only a few months ago, myself! Enjoy! It's so weird, but Cider with Rosie is a book that I've just never been remotely interested in. I knew absolutely nothing about it and I guess the title/author's name never inspired me to want to find out about it. I didn't even know it was a classic - I thought it was written much more recently. Then one day I finally got sick of hearing the name and not knowing anything about it, so I looked it up and realised it would be just my cup of tea! I've been so ignorant! So I only had the book on my wish list for about a week before I next went to the bookstore. I had already chosen a few books while browsing, but at the last moment I remembered the newest addition to my wishlist and went searching for it and found the exact copy I wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 15, 2014 Author Share Posted September 15, 2014 Ooooh, heavy reading! I also have a copy of this but it's in Nurmes, and I'm kind of regretting taking it there Have you read any of The Decameron yet? Oh my goodness, it is astoundingly raunchy!! It's awesome! I went to a wedding with N a few weeks ago and I was a bit bored, so I jokingly mentioned that I wish I had brought a book to read. To my surprise, he offered to lend me a small book he had in his car. It turned out to be a mini version of The Decameron, with just 10 out of the 100 stories. (I think he had actually bought it at the book fair.) He chose a story for me to read and then went off to socialise. (I love that he didn't frown at me and look at me like I was crazy for wanting to read at a wedding!) Anyway, I read this one story and was totally gobsmacked at how naughty it was! Then N told me about another story he had read, and it was possibly even naughtier! I'll try to briefly explain about the first story without being too graphic. Basically, a young pious virgin goes to a priest and asks how she can help god. He explains that she must help him repeatedly 'put the devil back in hell'. She enjoys helping him so much that she wears him out and goes out to help many other men put the devil back in hell. It's surprisingly not a heavy read - it's just a very long book of short stories. I highly recommend reading a couple the next time you visit your folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Wow, I didn't know they were short stories, and I also didn't know they were naughty! I hope you have lots of fun at the book fair, Kylie ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Have you read any of The Decameron yet? Oh my goodness, it is astoundingly raunchy!! It's awesome! I went to a wedding with N a few weeks ago and I was a bit bored, so I jokingly mentioned that I wish I had brought a book to read. To my surprise, he offered to lend me a small book he had in his car. It turned out to be a mini version of The Decameron, with just 10 out of the 100 stories. (I think he had actually bought it at the book fair.) He chose a story for me to read and then went off to socialise. (I love that he didn't frown at me and look at me like I was crazy for wanting to read at a wedding!) Anyway, I read this one story and was totally gobsmacked at how naughty it was! Then N told me about another story he had read, and it was possibly even naughtier! I'll try to briefly explain about the first story without being too graphic. Basically, a young pious virgin goes to a priest and asks how she can help god. He explains that she must help him repeatedly 'put the devil back in hell'. She enjoys helping him so much that she wears him out and goes out to help many other men put the devil back in hell. It's surprisingly not a heavy read - it's just a very long book of short stories. I highly recommend reading a couple the next time you visit your folks! Bet you had a smile on your face when you went back to the wedding I am somehow more attracted to this book now than I was before Great story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 15, 2014 Author Share Posted September 15, 2014 Wow, I didn't know they were short stories, and I also didn't know they were naughty! I hope you have lots of fun at the book fair, Kylie ! Thanks Athena. I'm sooo excited about the bookfair (I'm sure you understand!) It happens twice a year, but I make myself go only once. Every other time I spend the weekend sitting at home all miserable-like while I imagine everyone else buying *my* books. I nearly tried to talk myself out of going this month as well (partly because I can barely afford to go, and partly because I'm trying to be good by not buying many books this year!) but I just couldn't pass it up a second time. I'm so glad I didn't talk myself out of it. Besides the bookfair itself, I just really love the city it's held in (Canberra, the capital city of Australia). There are various 'must-do' things on my list every time I go there, like a favourite restaurant and favourite bookshops (in case I don't buy enough at the bookfair!) and last time I discovered a market that sells the most delicious muffins, so I've added that to my list as well. Canberra has a reputation among most Aussies as being the most boring place in Australia, but I couldn't disagree more. I would love to live there permanently (but probably couldn't afford to - it's quite expensive with all the diplomats and politicians that live there). There are heaps of great museums and it is surrounded by bush. There's also a beautiful tulip festival on at this time of year, although I might give it a miss this year and just focus on the books. Sorry for rabbiting on. I'm just excited. Also, I found out about an even bigger book fair that's held in another state in January each year. My mum promised she would take me if I lost 10 kilos (bribery!), but I haven't lost any weight yet. Hmm. She's a bit of a softy though, so I'm hoping she will take me anyway! Bet you had a smile on your face when you went back to the wedding I am somehow more attracted to this book now than I was before Great story. Hehe. I was sitting at the table chuckling to myself and doing lots of this: . I was probably blushing too. Luckily no one was paying any attention to me. I'm sure I'd heard of The Decameron before, but I probably thought it had a boring-sounding title, so why look into it any further? Ha. I also need to rid myself of the idea that people were somehow more innocent than us hundreds and hundreds of years ago. I would love to know what sort of reception the book had when it was published. I'm surprised it wasn't burned (along with the author!) I should point out that not all of the stories are naughty, but they all seem to be equally interesting. Here's a bit more about the book (taken from Wikipedia): The book is structured as a frame story containing 100 tales told by a group of seven young women and three young men sheltering in a secluded villa just outside Florence to escape the Black Death, which was afflicting the city. Boccaccio probably conceived the Decameron after the epidemic of 1348, and completed it by 1353. The various tales of love in The Decameron range from the erotic to the tragic. Tales of wit, practical jokes, and life lessons contribute to the mosaic. In addition to its literary value and widespread influence (for example on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales), it provides a document of life at the time. Written in thevernacular of the Florentine language, it is considered a masterpiece of classical early Italian prose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 It's great you're excited! It sounds like a fun trip . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 (edited) Oh oh which state has the bigger book fair!? Not Victoria by chance is it? Edited September 15, 2014 by Devi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 16, 2014 Author Share Posted September 16, 2014 Afraid not. It's in Brisbane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 I'm back from the book fair. I'm very pleased with my haul. I managed to find some books I've wanted for ages. I also found some lovely new editions of books I already own. Here's the list: Fiction JG Ballard The Complete Short Stories Volume 2 Max Brooks World War Z Michael Chabon The Final Solution Agatha Christie Black Coffee Agatha Christie Dumb Witness Agatha Christie Hickory Dickory Dock Agatha Christie The Listerdale Mystery Agatha Christie The Murder at the Vicarage Arthur C Clarke Rendevous with Rama (SF Masterworks) Roald Dahl Rhyme Stew Sophie Divry The Library of Unrequited Love Umberto Eco The Name of the Rose John Fowles The French Lieutenant’s Woman Robert Galbraith The Cuckoo’s Calling Nikolai Gogol Dead Souls Kerry Greenwood Phryne Fisher #4: Death at Victoria Dock Kerry Greenwood Phryne Fisher #7: Ruddy Gore Kerry Greenwood Phryne Fisher #8: Urn Burial Kerry Greenwood Phryne Fisher #12: Murder in Montparnasse Mark Haddon The Red House Elizabeth Harrower The Watch Tower Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter Lian Hearn Tales of the Otori #2: Grass for His Pillow Robert A Heinlein The Door into Summer Robin Hobb Farseer Trilogy #1: Assassin’s Apprentice Robin Hobb Farseer Trilogy #2: Royal Assassin Robin Hobb Farseer Trilogy #3: Assassin’s Quest Guy Gavriel Kay The Lions of Al-Rassan Jack Kerouac Orpheus Emerged Charlie Lovett The Bookman’s Tale Lois Lowry Anastasia #6: Anastasia Has the Answers Gregory Maguire Confessions of An Ugly Stepsister Gregory Maguire Mirror Mirror David Mitchell The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet Patrick Ness The Crane Wife Bernard Malamud The Natural Carson McCullers The Member of the Wedding Larry Niven Neutron Star Matthew Pearl The Last Dickens Terry Pratchett The Last Hero Terry Pratchett Nation David Remnick Wonderful Town: New York Stories from ‘The New Yorker’ Phillip Roth Sabbath’s Theater Rainbow Rowell Eleanor & Park Kim Scott That Deadman Dance Alexander Solzhenitsyn One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich Art Spiegelman The Complete Maus ML Stedman The Light between Oceans Wallace Stegner Crossing to Safety Jules Verne Around the World in Eighty Days Barbara Vine The Chimney Sweeper’s Boy HG Wells Tono-Bungay Elie Wiesel Twilight Emile Zola Therese Raquin Non-Fiction Martin Amis Visiting Mrs Nabokov Dan Ariely Predictably Irrational Margaret Atwood Negotiating with the Dead Geoffrey Blainey Sea of Dangers Richard Branson Losing My Virginity Jerry Brotton A History of the World in Twelve Maps Bill Bryson Bryson’s Dictionary for Writers and Editors August Burroughs Dry Richard Dawkins An Appetite for Wonder Richard Dawkins Unweaving the Rainbow Alain de Botton The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work Alain de Botton The Architecture of Happiness Peter FitzSimons Batavia Miles Franklin My Brilliant Career & My Career Goes Bung Robert Gerrish Flying Solo AC Grayling Ideas That Matter Russ Harris The Happiness Trap Miles Harvey The Island of Lost Maps Joseph Heller No Laughing Matter Christopher Hitchens The Quotable Hitchens CS Lewis The Screwtape Letters Stephen Pinker The Stuff of Thought Russell Bertrand An Inquiry into Meaning and Truth Russell Bertrand Essays in Skepticism John Sutherland Curiosities of Literature (I have to check, but I think I already have this book ) Elizabeth Wurtzel More, Now, Again Now to find space for all the books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Wow, what an amazing haul Kylie Am very jealous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Yes, agree with Alexi, amazing and jealous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Kylie, what a wonderful haul! I see quite a few titles that I'd like to have or that I own. I hope you enjoy all your new books ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share Posted October 15, 2014 Wow, what an amazing haul Kylie Am very jealous. Yes, agree with Alexi, amazing and jealous! Kylie, what a wonderful haul! I see quite a few titles that I'd like to have or that I own. I hope you enjoy all your new books ! Thanks gals. I've since shelved some of the books, but I have plenty more to do. Mum had a spare bookcase that she didn't want anymore, so she gave it to me. Luckily it's an IKEA Billy bookcase in both the size and colour that I wanted! And Mum even had two spare shelves for it! (I add two extra shelves to every full size Billy to maximise storage space.) I've set it up in my bedroom (all of my other bookcases are in my library and lounge room, with one small bookcase in my dining/study area). Once I finally get them all shelved, I plan on taking photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I've since shelved some of the books, but I have plenty more to do. Mum had a spare bookcase that she didn't want anymore, so she gave it to me. Luckily it's an IKEA Billy bookcase in both the size and colour that I wanted! And Mum even had two spare shelves for it! (I add two extra shelves to every full size Billy to maximise storage space.) I've set it up in my bedroom (all of my other bookcases are in my library and lounge room, with one small bookcase in my dining/study area). Once I finally get them all shelved, I plan on taking photos. Have fun with the shelving! I wish I had bought some extra shelves for my Billy book cases when they were still available, but when I tried they were all sold out in the colours I liked, and now Ikea here is completely stopping with the Billy book cases . I only have extra shelves in my newest book cases (I can't remember the brand but they're from Ikea too), because my boyfriend had them leftover after making his, otherwise they wouldn't have had many shelves at all. So I'm very grateful to him . I would love to see some photos when it's all done , please . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 Have fun with the shelving! I wish I had bought some extra shelves for my Billy book cases when they were still available, but when I tried they were all sold out in the colours I liked, and now Ikea here is completely stopping with the Billy book cases . I only have extra shelves in my newest book cases (I can't remember the brand but they're from Ikea too), because my boyfriend had them leftover after making his, otherwise they wouldn't have had many shelves at all. So I'm very grateful to him . I would love to see some photos when it's all done , please . Sorry I didn't reply to this shocking news straight away. I can't believe Ikea is stopping the Billy bookcases there! That's terrible! I thought they were such a big-selling item that they would always be sold. I hope it doesn't happen worldwide. I'd be devastated if I couldn't buy Billys anymore. I couldn't have mis-matched bookcases! Tonight my local bookstore had a 20% off sale. I think they do this every year in the lead-up to Christmas, but I've never found out about it in time before. I only found out this time because I happened to go in with my partner the other day so we could get a textbook for him, and we were given an invitation at the checkout. The sale was outside of regular shop hours, so all of the surrounding shops were closed and the centre was mostly dark. But when I got inside the shop...wow! I've never seen so many people there before—not even close. The shop was packed (although it's only a small shop), with dozens of people waiting to purchase books and dozens more browsing. I LOVE seeing lots of happy people buying books. The bookstore is part of a chain, so the prices are always more expensive than online, even when you take 20% off, but I like to pay a bit extra sometimes so I can support local businesses. Even though the shop is part of a chain, it's still owned by locals (in this case, a husband and wife), and the staff there have also been consistently friendly and helpful, so I really like to support this particular store when I can. I bought a book for my Mum for Christmas (Lee Child's second latest book) and two books for myself: Terry Pratchett Raising Steam Gabrielle Zevin The Collected Works of AJ Fikry The staff had set up a table outside with refreshments (champagne, soft drink and nibblies), and there were door prizes drawn every hour. It was 40 degrees in my town today, and I guess the air conditioner was struggling because I was really hot in the shop. I felt so much better after having a cup of soft drink on the way out. While I was drinking, a staff member told me that if I filled in a card to tell the shop about the good and bad points of the night, I could take home a FREE book from a nearby trolley. The trolley was filled with books from publishers that the bookshop can't sell, like advanced reader copies etc. I filled in the card but there were 4 or 5 women standing around the trolley for ages while they dug through the books, and I couldn't get close enough to look for myself. So I was looking over one woman's shoulder and she picked up a big hardback—it was Michel Faber's recently published The Book of Strange New Things! Because there was no dust jacket, the cover was all in white, with the writing just indented a bit, so it was a good thing I was being so nosy or I wouldn't have noticed what it was. I could see that the inside cover said 'Uncorrected bound proof'. I telepathically started telling the woman to 'PUT THE BOOK DOWN!' Luckily she did (I could tell she hadn't even heard of Faber, so I would have been annoyed if she had taken it), and then I leaned around her and picked it up. So now I'm the proud new owner of Faber's latest book! For free! I hadn't even heard of any of the other books in the trolley (that I could see), so I think I was really, really lucky to find a well-known, recently published book. Then I went around the corner to my favourite chocolate shop and had a big chocolate sundae and fruit juice (because the fruit cancels out the chocolate, right? ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I love the sound of your book trip ! Ooh, and a big yes to photos of bookshelves. Then I went around the corner to my favourite chocolate shop and had a big chocolate sundae and fruit juice (because the fruit cancels out the chocolate, right? ) Yep. Also, eating food hovering over the sink rather than sitting down means you save calories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Wow, fantastic book haul in September. Are those later Phryne Fisher books as good as the first 3 ones ( which I`ve read ) ? I was excited to see that they`re going to make a 3rd season of the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Your shopping in the local book shop sounds really nice ! I hope you enjoy your books . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted November 24, 2014 Author Share Posted November 24, 2014 Removed some emoticons. I love the sound of your book trip ! Ooh, and a big yes to photos of bookshelves. Yep. Also, eating food hovering over the sink rather than sitting down means you save calories. Will do. I haven't been venturing into my library much lately because it has been stinking hot here and I don't have air conditioning upstairs, where my library is, so I've still got a bit of work to do to tidy up the shelves before I can take pics. Ooh, I didn't know that about the calories. Thanks! Wow, fantastic book haul in September. Are those later Phryne Fisher books as good as the first 3 ones ( which I`ve read ) ? I was excited to see that they`re going to make a 3rd season of the show. Thanks. I've actually only read the first one, so you would know better than me! From what I've heard others say, they're all similarly good. I'm really pleased about the new series too. It's an excellent show! Your shopping in the local book shop sounds really nice ! I hope you enjoy your books. Thanks Athena. It was a fun night. I received a book in the mail on Saturday (very unusual to receive mail on the weekend—maybe they're preparing for the Christmas rush already). Anyway, the Book Depository recently had some daily bargains, and I bought a book called City of Endless Night by Milo M Hastings. I'd never heard of it before but apparently it's a dystopian novel, so that was enough for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I hope you enjoy your new book, Kylie ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Ooh, I didn't know that about the calories. Thanks! Glad to help. Also, if you want a cake-free diet, you can eat pies instead. Thanks. I've actually only read the first one, so you would know better than me! From what I've heard others say, they're all similarly good. I'm really pleased about the new series too. It's an excellent show! Well, I`ve read the first 3 and liked `em ; good to know that they`ve all got a good reputation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 Glad to help. Also, if you want a cake-free diet, you can eat pies instead. You're so clever. And your advice makes so much sense to me. I'm coming to you for all of my dietary advice from now on! I was just updating my post on page 1 that shows the number of books I've bought this year. So far I've bought 131 books, which is the smallest number of books I've bought since I started keeping track in 2007! It's fewer than half of the 281 books I bought last year, and just over one-fifth of the 543 books I bought in 2011! I finally feel like I'm getting my book-buying under control. And if I hadn't gone to the book fair in September, it would be less than half that number. I'm so proud of myself. Next year I'm going to try resisting both book fairs. If I can do that, I just may be able to read more books than I buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I was just updating my post on page 1 that shows the number of books I've bought this year. So far I've bought 131 books, which is the smallest number of books I've bought since I started keeping track in 2007! It's fewer than half of the 281 books I bought last year, and just over one-fifth of the 543 books I bought in 2011! I finally feel like I'm getting my book-buying under control. And if I hadn't gone to the book fair in September, it would be less than half that number. I'm so proud of myself. Next year I'm going to try resisting both book fairs. If I can do that, I just may be able to read more books than I buy. Well done !! I'm so proud of you . Maybe, if you resist going to the book fairs you'll be able to buy even less. I'm going to tackle the issue myself seriously next year (I have to). I don't know if I'll do as good as you, but you're a good example to live up to . Good luck for next year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I'm impressed - both with the number of books you've been buying, but even more with the reduction! I have to admit this is something I've completely failed to tackle in spite of several efforts. I've started the last few years keeping track of my book buying, only to give up after a few months. But we're both looking towards retirement, and need to cut back to save a bit more, so things have got to give. Constant book buying has to be one of those things, so in 2015......! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Well done Kylie - that's a very significant reduction in book buying! I'm happy(ish) with my book buying this year, as I've read more than I've bought, so TBR will definitely be lower at the end of the year than it was at the start, and even then, it wasn't too high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.