chesilbeach Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 That's the taller version of my jar, Kylie! I, too, threw away the cheap paper gingham cover. I don't envy you having to write out all those book titles again on your coloured paper … I handwrite so little now, I got an ache in my wrist doing mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 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. It's a really good book , so far, but this one will take a long time to read all of it - in chunks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Nice jar Kylie! Shame about the cheap paper, it looks like a really nice gingham cloth in the photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Some emotis removed. 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. Ah yes, I should have known you were referring to the fiction aspect of it. It's a very readable book indeed. Although it took me rather a long time to read the next book in the series (Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures). That's the taller version of my jar, Kylie! I, too, threw away the cheap paper gingham cover. I don't envy you having to write out all those book titles again on your coloured paper … I handwrite so little now, I got an ache in my wrist doing mine Wow, fancy that! I bought some coloured cardboard the other day, and I've since written out about half of the books. I have to rest my hand after every half a dozen or so titles; like you, I'm not used to writing! Of course I now have another problem: I've made the cards too big, and I can't fit them all in the jar. I have to decide whether I should cut them down in size or just buy another jar and have one for fiction and one for non-fiction. I also have some decorative bits and bobs to attach to the jar, but I'm wary of decorating it because everything always looks better in my mind than in reality. I'm contemplating just sending the jar to Poppyshake and asking her to make it look pretty for me. It's a really good book , so far, but this one will take a long time to read all of it - in chunks! Great to hear! It took me quite a few months to read The World without Us, so I'll expect the same from Countdown. Nice jar Kylie! Shame about the cheap paper, it looks like a really nice gingham cloth in the photo Yeah, I was disappointed too. I've always loved the look of jars covered in patterned cloth with a rubber band to keep it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 I finally finished reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. Excellent book, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I'd love to go to the upcoming book fair to try to find the sequels, but I've sworn off going to the book fairs this year. What makes it worse is that the book fair starts on my birthday, so it would have been an extra special trip! (It's usually on in late March or April—never as early as mid February!) I'm so torn, but I'm trying to be strong. I desperately need to actually reduce my TBR pile this year, and there's no way that will happen if I go to even one book fair. And my TBR pile would go well over 2000, and I've promised myself not to let it get to that point. *sigh* I've also finished redoing my book jar on the coloured cardboard (pic to come—I just need to finish redecorating it). I trimmed down each card so both my fiction and non-fiction selections now fit comfortably in the jar. Even though I made a selection from the jar a week or two ago, it was a non-fiction book, so I've just picked out another book (while crossing my fingers that it would be fiction!) to read alongside Guns, Germs and Steels. The book jar gave me...Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier! Awesome! I've been wanting to read this for so many years. And it's on so many of my lists, which is great. But now there's a bit of a problem. Frankie and I were going to read this together this year. What should I do, Frankie? Would you like me to choose another book to read for now, but keep Rebecca on the sidelines ready to go for when you're ready to read it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 The book jar gave me...Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier! Awesome! I've been wanting to read this for so many years. And it's on so many of my lists, which is great. But now there's a bit of a problem. Frankie and I were going to read this together this year. What should I do, Frankie? Would you like me to choose another book to read for now, but keep Rebecca on the sidelines ready to go for when you're ready to read it? Wow, what a lovely lovely jar you have, I'm sure you will love Rebecca.. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexi Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I only finished Rebecca two weeks or so ago - such a fantastic read. I'm sure you'll love it whenever you get to it - it was on a lot of my lists too p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Oh dear! Who would've thought your book jar was going to present this to you so early on It isn't too many days (well, weeks) since we discussed reading the book this year, together So you'd want to start it now? I'm in the middle of another novel, but I suppose if you continued reading Guns, Germs and Steels on the side I could soon catch up with you and give Rebecca a go? Sorry it took me so long to get to this. I had a slow morning, what with a late night last night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 No, no! I would never dream of asking you to start it now. I just wanted to know your thoughts. I could put it off for months even, if you want. I definitely don't want you to start it when you're not in the mood. It should be when you feel ready. I just thought you'd like to know that it was selected, and I'll be ready when you are. You should ease off the blini, woman, and then you won't have such slow mornings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Well I'm definitely keen on giving it a go, but maybe we could wait a week or two and sort of ... tempt me to get in the mood? Coax me, woman! :lol: But it's exciting that the title is out there now and who knows how quickly we'll be starting it! I'll try and switch on my Rebecca vibes Two blini, and this sort of morning, man that was a rough feast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Oh your book jar is a peach Kylie!! What a lovely gift to give you .. oh you'll both enjoy it I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 If / When you read Rebecca I hope you enjoy it, Kylie ! (and you too Frankie) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Hope you enjoy Rebecca - I read it a few years ago expecting to hate it, but thought it was fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Woohoo … Rebecca!!! I'm sure you'll both love it, and I can't wait to see what you make of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 It's one of my favourite books ever. If you co decide not to read it yet it'll be worth the wait, I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 Thanks for all of the encouraging comments re Rebecca. I'm sometimes wary of such hyped-up books, but I'm really expecting to love this one. So...I made it 5 weeks into the new year before buying books. I guess that's good, but I had hoped to hold out a bit longer. For some reason I started looking at the online site of a Sydney-based bookshop that sells remaindered books, and I found a few that I had to have, so I caught the train into Sydney today and picked up the little darlings to bring to their new home. John Banville Shroud (I have nearly everything Banville has written, but somehow this had escaped me) John Curran (ed.) Agatha Christie: Murder in the Making—More Stories and Secrets from Her Notebooks John Forster The Life of Charles Dickens (this is a large, lavishly illustrated hardback—retails for well over $100 on the Book Depository, but I got it for $40!) Jenny Hartley (ed.) The Selected Letters of Charles Dickens Sarah Kelly The Complete Mosaic Handbook (I'm a sucker for mosaic books) Claire Tomalin Jane Austen I also went to a bookshop that I know sells awesome book badges. I bought one from there last year, which says I'd Rather Be Reading, but I've since lost it (I'm sure it'll turn up one day) and I had wanted to attach it to my book jar along with one that the lovely Kay sent me for Christmas, which says I Love Books (with a heart instead of the word). Well, I couldn't find an exact replacement, so I bought four other badges instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I hope you enjoy your new books ! The badges look great too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Claire Tomalin Jane Austen … is in my jar. I wonder when it will come up for reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 Aren't you looking forward to it, Claire? I was expecting it to be a huge book but it's quite slim! Maybe I was confusing Claire Tomalin with Hermione Lee (now she writes big biographies!) I had such trouble finding it in the shop. I nearly asked for assistance but I was stubborn and kept searching. I finally found it partly obscured by some other biography of a boofy-looking football player. I made sure to move him to the side so Austen's biography would be more visible. The time spent looking for the book made me miss the comfortable, fast train home, so I had to catch a slower one instead. But it was all worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 I am, although I've already had it a couple of years Kay gave it to me for Christmas, when I was doing my Year with Jane Austen challenge, that's ended up being over three years now. I definitely want to read it, but I don't get on well with biographies, so I'm also part dreading it, but only because I want to love it, if that makes sense! I'm glad it's in the jar, as at least now I know I'll definitely get to it at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle not Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 That was quite a collection of new books that you purchased. I hope that you enjoy them one and all. Do you have many books on your TBR list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 So, after getting off to a really slow start with The Martian, I flew through most of the book in 48 hours. It was a riveting page turner indeed, and I couldn't put it down, despite having a big workload at the moment. I had a problem with the writing style throughout (in terms of Mark's silly asides, like 'yay!' and 'boo') but eventually I kind of got used to it and even smiled at some of his silly jokes. It's impressively technical. Sometimes it was a bit much and I just wanted him to get on with it, but at the same time the science was interesting, so I was happy to read the details (a bit contradictory, I know). Andy Weir is obviously a very clever chap. I don't know how plausible any of it is—I'm no scientist or engineer, obviously—but it certainly sounded impressive! Looking forward to seeing the movie. 8/10 (points lost for Mark's/Andy's annoying writing style). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Andy Weir is obviously a very clever chap. Did you check out his short stories on his website? http://www.galactanet.com/writing.html Just scroll down to "One Off's". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I loved the way he kept saying 'Yay!' and 'Boo!', it made me laugh Glad you enjoyed it otherwise though, it is a very good book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 I just didn't buy that such a smart man would use such informal language, especially knowing that his writing would be historically important in the future. Come to think of it, I don't think I ever see any men write like that anywhere, even on Facebook. Early in the book, I wondered if I'd be able to get past it, or whether I'd have to abandon it (and I never abandon books). It was that bad. Weir is lucky he had a damn good plot to keep me going. I've started reading Gathering Blue, the second book in The Giver quartet. Only read a couple of chapters so far, but it's off to an interesting and disturbing start. 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.