Frankie reads 2012

[frankie]

Sounds like you had a lovely last day, I also just can't believe how fast time has passed! I hope you get to temp there too

 

Yep, time went by so fast, it was scary! But I also felt like I'd been working there for years, I grew so accustomed to the work and the people... in a good way, I mean

 

Now, something completely different: when I was a kid (well, a teenager) I used to listen to this radio theater programme, it was about two men working at a British ministry. I loved the show, I thought it was funny and I used to drink tea while I was listening to it, playing solitaire (with real cards, not on the computer). It's been ten years since I've last listened to the show, and when I was working at the library I noticed they had a big collection of the episodes, a lot more than we used to have back in my home-home town. So I borrowed a few CDs, and these are episodes I've never listened to before.

 

And by golly. I can't believe I never realised this back in the day. Even when the characters had English names and it all took place in London. Now I've discovered it: this series is an English original, it was translated into Finnish and made into a Finnish radio programme. I can't believe I never realised that! So my question is, have any of you ever listened to The Men from the Ministry?

[frankie]

I just googled Edward Taylor and was surprised to discover this bit of info as well: "The Men from the Ministry ran for 144 episodes and versions were also produced in South Africa, Sweden and Finland, Taylor continuing to write additional episodes for the Finnish version right up to 2008."

 

Awww, good ole Taylor

[poppyshake]

What a lovely last day at the library frankie and how nice that you've got a memento to remember it by .. though I'm sure you won't forget it anyway. You have got plenty of attitude and heart your co-worker is 100% correct.

Do people care about brands of cookies there? A cookie is a cookie right? .. as long as you can munch on them and they're good that's all that matters (and really, who has ever met an inedible cookie .. you'd have to be terribly unlucky ) Alan loves custard creams but he will eat anyones .. doesn't matter if they're as 'cheap as chips' .. they all meet the same fate. I'm sure no-one gave it a second thought .. you worry too much

Aww your friends at the library will miss you and Snoopy will too. Hope the new friendship continues to flourish. I'm mad though that the stupid agency wouldn't let you apply for that internship

 

PS: I don't often listen to the radio but I do love a bit of The Men From the Ministry every now and then. It's often on BBC Radio 4 extra .. along with all sorts of other comedies and also dramas and book readings (I listened to Alan Bennett reading Alice in Wonderland earlier .. it was brilliant). I do love to think of you drinking tea while listening to it, I do that but then I'm permanently attached to a teapot anyway

[frankie]

Do people care about brands of cookies there? A cookie is a cookie right? .. as long as you can munch on them and they're good that's all that matters (and really, who has ever met an inedible cookie .. you'd have to be terribly unlucky ) Alan loves custard creams but he will eat anyones .. doesn't matter if they're as 'cheap as chips' .. they all meet the same fate. I'm sure no-one gave it a second thought .. you worry too much

 

I believe the reason they asked me about the brand is that they liked the cookies so much that they wanted to go and buy them after work. At least this is what a couple of them said to me. Which is a good thing! I don't normally even eat cookies myself, I'm more into salty things, but if I want something chocolatey I'll go for those cookies. They are great for PMS

 

Aww your friends at the library will miss you and Snoopy will too. Hope the new friendship continues to flourish. I'm mad though that the stupid agency wouldn't let you apply for that internship

 

I got an e-mail from L (said friend) yesterday, we are discussing different places to go and eat something someday. I think we've landed on this particular coffee place where they have the best cakes in Joensuu I hope they have something with cheese!

 

I've had more time to reflect and think about the future, and I think in the long run it might've been a good thing that the agency didn't allow me to apply for the internship now. This way I'll finish my studies for sure, because that's what I need to do before I can go and apply for another position at the library. Then I'll be free and care-free!

 

I was really crushed on Monday but I've come to think it's not really a final goodbye, it's a bye bye for now. I will go back some day. L said in her e-mail that they'd already been missing me there

 

Which reminds me, I think I should receive my work experience documents and an evaluation of my performance in the mail today.

 

PS: I don't often listen to the radio but I do love a bit of The Men From the Ministry every now and then. It's often on BBC Radio 4 extra .. along with all sorts of other comedies and also dramas and book readings (I listened to Alan Bennett reading Alice in Wonderland earlier .. it was brilliant). I do love to think of you drinking tea while listening to it, I do that but then I'm permanently attached to a teapot anyway

 

I'd love to catch an original TMftM some day! What was very odd yesterday when I was listening to a few episodes was that Spice Girls was mentioned! What the heck!!

[frankie]

Oh dear... I had planned on going to a few grocerystores today in order to get some ingredients for a pizza, I haven't made pizza in ages and I felt like it was about time. I went to the first shop, got what I wanted (read: returned empty bottles for recycling and got my cappuccino powder mix) and then headed off to the other grocerystore where I was to get all the stuff. There's a charityshop right next to that supermarket, and because it's not very close to me, I thought I might as well visit it because I was in the neighborhood.

 

And I bought books And I was really hungry by that time so I decided I didn't want to waste time in looking for all the different ingredients so I just went to the supermarket and got something quick to eat I'll have to postpone my pizza...

 

I got these, all secondhand books and ~1e (all in English except for the French title):

 

The Bachman Books: Four Early Novels by Stephen King (including Rage, The Long Walk (my two favorite Bachmans!), and Roadwork and The Running Man)

Walden and Other Writings by Thoreau

Dangerous Liaisons by Choderlos de Laclos

The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld

The Snowman by Jo Nesbø

Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson

 

I've wanted to get a copy of Walden and Dangerous Liaisons for such a long time! And I was really astounded to find an original copy of Mother Tongue, I couldn't believe it was there!

 

Great spontaneous outing

[frankie]

The Bryson book should be interesting... I was going through the index and found stuff like Paul Hogan, faggots in gravy (what the hell??), unpronounceable names, spotted dick (wth?)... should make for interesting reading!

 

Wohoo, Finnish is also mentioned

[Kylie]

Very nice haul.

 

ETA: Yay, Paul Hogan! I know a spotted dick is a type of bird. I know two meanings of faggots, but neither makes sense when combined with gravy!

 

ETA2: Didn't I once read you (or maybe type to you) a part of my Mother Tongue book about Finland? Or was that another book? I'm pretty sure it was MT.

[Kylie]

I am way too late in commenting on all your pics and library experiences, sorry. I loved reading it all though!

 

The Northern Lights bookmark was very cool, and it's great that people found their own bookmarks on display! I had been wondering if that might happen.

 

I love the look of your library. It's so modern and clean and neat. I love how the books are all lined up on the shelves. I know you must have had a hand in that! While I'm sure the library looked lovely before you started, I bet it started looking even more wonderful after you started working there.

 

I used to have a Snoopy that looked exactly like the one in that pic. Mine had a dress on though (yeah, I always wondered why Snoopy would wear a dress - there was no female version of Snoopy that I can recall, and I don't remember him being a cross-dresser). I think he lost (or was stripped of) his dress at some point. Come to think of it, I don't know what happened to Snoopy...hey, maybe that's my Snoopy!

 

I'm so happy for you having found what you want to do in life. It won't be long until you're back working there permanently!

[frankie]

ETA: Yay, Paul Hogan! I know a spotted dick is a type of bird.

 

Okay... Interesting!

 

I know two meanings of faggots, but neither makes sense when combined with gravy!

 

That's what I was thinking

 

ETA2: Didn't I once read you (or maybe type to you) a part of my Mother Tongue book about Finland? Or was that another book? I'm pretty sure it was MT.

 

You may have, but unfortunately I don't remember Was it anything interesting?

[chaliepud]

In the UK a Spotted Dick is a pudding!! Very yummy, might have to make one this weekend now!

[frankie]

I've read through the Finnish stuff in the book and there was nothing out of the ordinary. Bryson says that Finns and Estonians can freely understand each other, which is a load of crap. The Estonians used to understand Finnish because they had a lot of TV shows in Finnish in their TV. We do have some words in common and we can understand some very basic things, perhaps, but I know I couldn't understand Estonian.

 

Edit: However, I think Estonian is quite easy for a Finn to learn and vice versa. I love it when someone speaks Finnish with an Estonian accent, it's really beautiful

 

Chaliepud, that's funny about the pudding I never would've known Send me some, will you?

[poppyshake]

Yes spotted dick is a yummy pudding .. though stodgy. Sort of like a dumpling with currants in .. you have to have it with custard ... it's the law I love faggots in gravy ... but it does sound all sorts of wrong Faggots, in this case, are a bit like meatballs only made with offal and odds and ends of meat. My Mum always made them for me as recovery food (as in she heated them up and served them with mash or something) As I recall it the company that made them was called 'Brains' and I always used to think they were made of them it didn't put me off though .. they're delish (had them in Hay on Wye actually at a pub .. their own homemade faggots and they were out of this world .. anyone who goes to Hay should eat the faggots at 'The Three Tuns' .. actually you can't it's not on their menu at the mo .. maybe it's seasonal. I'm not going back until the faggots reappear (my bank manager is very pleased about this .. he probably told them to take it off )

 

All of our episodes of Men From the Ministry are vintage so none date past 1977 .. consequently I'm pretty sure they don't mention The Spice Girls

 

Haha .. you see I used to think that everything Bill wrote was 100% accurate but found out that there are websites devoted to his inaccuracies .. I now take it all with a pinch of salt. Like, he told me that at least one of the Great Lakes was officially 'dead' .. Erie or it might have been Superior .. but I can't find anything which backs it up .. they are polluted I know but I don't think they're 'dead'. Actually I think they may have been thought dead at one point but have found not to be now .. but Bill is still telling me they are and I told lots of other people. Hope you haven't told anyone that the British put faggots in gravy Sari

 

I think Snoopy may have had a sister Kylie .. it could be you had her .. she must have been well confused by you calling her Snoopy all the time

[frankie]

I love the look of your library. It's so modern and clean and neat. I love how the books are all lined up on the shelves.

 

I'm very happy to hear you love our library, I love it, too! It was built in 1992, so it's now 30 years old, and the Joensuu library (meaning all the different places that have worked as our library in the past) is 150 years old this year, so it's a pretty big year for our library

 

I know you must have had a hand in that! While I'm sure the library looked lovely before you started, I bet it started looking even more wonderful after you started working there.

 

Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of time to do organizing of the shelving, the people who worked at the adult section did that and I was to either work at the children's section or behind the book return machine. I did get to take care of the crime and detective novels, sci-fi/fantasy and the foreign language fiction, though. I personally took it upon myself to go over to the foreign language fiction section to straighten out the shelves whenever I had any free time, because unfortunately those are the lowest priorities and the staff doesn't always have time to go over them. Sometimes the shelves are a complete mess, and it was quite embarrassing to see the state of them while I was still working at the library! The English and the Russian section were the worst (probably because those sections have the most readers out of foreign languages, and therefore most patrons who pull books out and put them back in disarray).

 

I used to have a Snoopy that looked exactly like the one in that pic. Mine had a dress on though (yeah, I always wondered why Snoopy would wear a dress - there was no female version of Snoopy that I can recall, and I don't remember him being a cross-dresser). I think he lost (or was stripped of) his dress at some point. Come to think of it, I don't know what happened to Snoopy...hey, maybe that's my Snoopy! ´

 

Maybe you'd bought the dress for him? Maybe you were interested in crossdressing yourself, but never dared to try it yourself?

 

Is not your Snoopy, is our Snoopy! And he's not Snoopy in the first place, his name is Ressu! He's been at the children's section for years and years.

 

I'm so happy for you having found what you want to do in life. It won't be long until you're back working there permanently!

 

Thanks Kylie, that's what I keep telling myself. And it's weird, because I actually now think (and I don't mean to sound arrogant or cocky) that my place is at the library, and I will get a permanent job there someday, I will just have to keep at it. It's like my other home.

 

Yes spotted dick is a yummy pudding .. though stodgy. Sort of like a dumpling with currants in .. you have to have it with custard ... it's the law. I love faggots in gravy ... but it does sound all sorts of wrong

 

Faggots and dicks, you lot are so curious I have to try spotted dick when I come and visit England

 

Faggots, in this case, are a bit like meatballs only made with offal and odds and ends of meat. My Mum always made them for me as recovery food (as in she heated them up and served them with mash or something)

 

Sounds absolutely delicious! I can feel my mouth gathering saliva...

 

anyone who goes to Hay should eat the faggots at 'The Three Tuns' .. actually you can't it's not on their menu at the mo .. maybe it's seasonal. I'm not going back until the faggots reappear (my bank manager is very pleased about this .. he probably told them to take it off )

 

Bloody hell! Well, when I come over and we go to visit Hay on Wye, we'll demand faggots on our plates! If it's not on the menu, we'll start chanting 'Faggots, faggots, faggots...!'

 

All of our episodes of Men From the Ministry are vintage so none date past 1977 .. consequently I'm pretty sure they don't mention The Spice Girls

 

It's very curious that Edward Taylor kept on making episodes for us Finns up to 2008, why would he not write them for Brits?!

 

but Bill is still telling me they are and I told lots of other people. Hope you haven't told anyone that the British put faggots in gravy Sari

 

Not yet! But if Bryson keeps up with his half truths I just might have to circulate some info on the British oddities...

[frankie]

I went to the library today, I had to return some books and some CDs and I knew L would be working this Saturday so I thought it was also a great opportunity to meet her and catch up on stuff.

 

Have I told you guys how much I love my library? It's all the more precious now that I have friends working there. First I went over to see the free book exchange trolley, I put some books there. Then I went and returned my books and then I was off to the children's section. Fortunately my 'library guru', my favorite librarian A was working today, too, so I got to chat with her for a bit, too. She'd recommended me a Finnish young adults series from the fifties, one that I've never read before but which I've heard about, so now I could ask her which book was the first in the series. There was a copy in the shelves so I borrowed it.

 

I also talked to her about how I haven't yet received my work documents and such, and I said I'm not really in a hurry with them but I'd like to know how I did. A said I did fine and have nothing to worry about. Then I told her in confidence that I know there's one librarian there who doesn't like me. I won't go into detail about it on here, but I'll just say that the librarian has misunderstood my words a couple of times and when I've tried to explain to her what I've really meant, she doesn't seem to want to hear me out. Also, when she got it in her head that I was no good, she's been eager to point out errors in the shelving system, out loud, as if she'd like to make it known that she's 'watching me closely', eventhough I happen to know that those errors weren't made by me but some other person. But I'm not one to go and say 'it wasn't me, it was this and that person'. I'll rather have her think I'm useless.

 

Anyhow, from what I told A about this librarian, she said she knew who I was talking about and that I shouldn't worry about that person. Apparently she's always been like that and she just speaks out without thinking sometimes. It's in her nature. And that it's nothing personal, she's been like that towards other people, too, and she's been actually told off for it by other members in the staff.

 

It felt so good to hear that, and to know that it wasn't something I did and that I wasn't singled out. I mean, when I've thought about this before I've come to the conclusion that she just doesn't know me and that I am a good worker and should not take it to heart, whatever she says to me, and that even if I don't get along with her, I should have a professional and respectful attitude towards her. I don't have to like her. But now it's so much easier to do that and keep that in mind when I know that it's not about me, but her own character.

 

It was so much fun talking with A. I miss working with her! She also knows that I'm friends with L and she told me I should look for her, too. Before that I went to the desk because I had a few books to donate to the library's collection. I didn't know they took donations (or rather, that people made them) until I started working at the library, and I had a few books that nobody on here was interested in for a book swap, and I felt they were 'too good' to just be put in the free book trolley downstairs. So I'd decided to give them to the library. It was weird, I had to fill out a form saying I'm not bothered what happens to the books and that I'm not going to come back and demand them back

 

I also had a copy of Marilyn Manson's autobio and I had to take it straight to the music section where they have music bios and such. I went to the desk and asked them if they could use the copy and the librarian's eyes lit up when she saw the book She said that they already had a Finnish copy but they didn't have an English one, and they could sure use it! It felt great to contribute

 

Then I went to find L, and I saw her shelving books to the English section and organizing the bookshelves. Wohoo, my favorite section! I went over and we talked (naughty naughty, I kept her away from work for at least 10 minutes!) etc. It was nice to see her. She told me she and A had been missing me, and A had been annoyed that I wasn't able to apply for the internship, when she knew how motivated I was. Oh how I wish I could go back this instant and start working there!

 

I also got to see T, who's almost 10 years younger than me and the type of person I thought I would have nothing in common with, but with whom I've gotten along splendidly. She loves dogs as do I, and she has a great sense of humour, and I've had a few moments with her, cleaning CDs at the backroom, when I was laughing so hard I teared up! She's also the person with whom I talk girl talk, and oggle at guys She told me two new people are going to start work at the library next week, the other one is a male for sure, and the other person is undecided (meaning, we only know their lastname and therefore cannot be sure if it's going to be a female or male). T told me the days when they would start work, and so if I want to go and oggle at the new people I know when to go to the library.

 

Oh, that's very silly, but it doesn't hurt to be a bit silly, especially at such an old age.

[frankie]

Oh man, I almost forgot!

 

After my visit to the library I decided it was about time I visited one of the charityshops in town. The one where I go to the least, because eventhough they have a huge selection, it's a crappy selection. However, the last time I went I found some really great titles, Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami for instance. In English, too!

 

So I walked there but bloody hell, the place was closed, it's not open on Saturdays! Oh well, luckily there's a self service flea market across the road, and eventhough I don't like the place (it's always too crammed, too messy, and all the books sold there are either jammed somewhere in the back of the 'booths' and in constant disarray, or ridiculously overpriced, or usually both), I thought there was no harm in a quick look, because I was in the neighborhood.

 

And boooo-yah! I found a copy of Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami in pristine condition (need I add that it was in English, too), and it was for 50cnt only!! Bloody hell. The best part was that the edition matched all my other editions, it's the smaller paperback one, and now I can replace my old tall edition with it. Wohoo!

 

And did I already tell you, it was only 50cnt? What a bargain. It was so funny to have found a copy of it because I'd been thinking about the Sputnik Sweetheart copy I'd bought at the place across the road all day long. Also, it was kinda funny because the book's just been removed from the new 2012 edition of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die, and earlier today I was protesting about it in the appropriate thread. So buying the book felt a bit like, 'in your face, stupid 2012 edition!'

 

Sucked in

[Brian.]

Sounds like a great find. Like you I prefer all my books from an author or series to be all the same edition. In a few series I have 1 book which is either a hardback or a different edition and it always annoys me when I look at my shelves.

[frankie]

Sounds like a great find. Like you I prefer all my books from an author or series to be all the same edition. In a few series I have 1 book which is either a hardback or a different edition and it always annoys me when I look at my shelves.

 

Agreed 100%! I really dislike looking at my collection of the Dexter novels, because there are five novels I own and I've managed to acquire five different types of editions: 1 Finnish hardback, 1 English hardback, 1 English paperback (small size), 1 English paperback (big size) and 1 English paperback (small size, but different edition) So annoying! I've already given away the Finnish copy, and I tend to acquire small English paperbacks (in one single edition) of all the books published. Which means I can't buy the future titles as soon as they are published, which annoys me to no end. Bleh!!!

[vodkafan]

Nice to read that you have all those friends at the library Frankie. Haha you would hate my bookshelves. Just as an example my three books in the Lyonesse series, not only are they different editions, they are two different sizes!!

[frankie]

Nice to read that you have all those friends at the library Frankie. Haha you would hate my bookshelves. Just as an example my three books in the Lyonesse series, not only are they different editions, they are two different sizes!!

 

I would cringe and do a bit of cursing at your big ass bookcase

[frankie]

Today I went to revisit the flea market I wanted to go to last Saturday but which was closed that day. Sometimes, most of the times, I don't know why I bother, because it's always a frickin' mess over there. By first glance you think there are different sections, such as YA/children's books, fiction, religious, foreign, etc. But when you take a closer look you can find every which kinda titles every which way. Piles of magazines are placed in front of rows of books. Some books are upside down, some back to front. I wanted to scream bloody murder in there! But the last time I went there I scored some pretty amazing books, and I thought maybe I'd be lucky today, too. Wasn't gonna happen. It was disgusting. I mean, there were photocopied stacks of paper put together to 'form' a golfing guideline book. The foreign titles section was particularly bad. There were stacks of everything imaginable thing but foreign titles.

 

I did buy a few books:

 

- The Insulted and Humiliated by Fedor Dostojevski (in English)

- The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall (recommended to me by a fellow intern at the library)

- Huojuva talo by Maria Jotuni (a Finnish classic)

- Päiväkirjat 1955-1988 by Helvi Hämäläinen (the diaries of a Finnish author, it seemed interesting eventhough I've never read anything by her)

 

I was a bit miffed at the counter, though, because as always, the books didn't have price tags on them, and the last time they'd told me all books were 20cnt/book. This time the worker took a look at the books and produced figures from her imagination Well, it all came down to 3,40e, so not really that bad.

 

I took a detour when I was walking home, I walked next to the cemetery and was minding my own business. So it took my by surprise when I noticed I was all of a sudden right next to a squirrel. Those creatures are usually pretty timid and run away when faced with people, but this cute lilla bugger wasn't fazed at all. It was a pretty big one, too. When I stopped dead in my tracks and started admiring the squirrel, he paused to think for a second and probably figured I didn't have any treats for him, so he jumped up on the fence and off he went to the other side, to the cemetery where I'm pretty sure he must live. What a darling!

 

I've heard from a friend that she went to the cemetery once just to feed the squirrels there, and that they were pretty tame and always up for snacks I think I should go and investigate the matter some day. I wonder what kinds of treats I could take along....

[Karsa Orlong]

This is what the squirrels do when you're not there

 

 

[poppyshake]

I took a detour when I was walking home, I walked next to the cemetery and was minding my own business. So it took my by surprise when I noticed I was all of a sudden right next to a squirrel. Those creatures are usually pretty timid and run away when faced with people, but this cute lilla bugger wasn't fazed at all. It was a pretty big one, too. When I stopped dead in my tracks and started admiring the squirrel, he paused to think for a second and probably figured I didn't have any treats for him, so he jumped up on the fence and off he went to the other side, to the cemetery where I'm pretty sure he must live. What a darling!

These are always 'zip-a-dee-do-dah' moments .. I love it when it happens. I always come over all Mary Poppinsish and think that I can start talking to them and they'll understand me .. they always put me right on this a few secs later

 

I love it that you get 'miffed' .. I'm always miffed .. or on the way to being miffed. There is so much to be miffed about out there Thank goodness for the squirrels .. and cake/cheese (and they have rather successfully put those two together .. it was always going to be a winner).

 

Yeah .. in your face 2012 edition .. and 2008 for that matter .. you're miffing me off

[Brian.]

Today I went to revisit the flea market I wanted to go to last Saturday but which was closed that day. Sometimes, most of the times, I don't know why I bother, because it's always a frickin' mess over there. By first glance you think there are different sections, such as YA/children's books, fiction, religious, foreign, etc. But when you take a closer look you can find every which kinda titles every which way. Piles of magazines are placed in front of rows of books. Some books are upside down, some back to front. I wanted to scream bloody murder in there! But the last time I went there I scored some pretty amazing books, and I thought maybe I'd be lucky today, too. Wasn't gonna happen. It was disgusting. I mean, there were photocopied stacks of paper put together to 'form' a golfing guideline book. The foreign titles section was particularly bad. There were stacks of everything imaginable thing but foreign titles.

 

 

That would be so annoying. Its very frustrating when you try to decipher the sorting system that has been used when books are laid out at a market. Not having the prices in the books would annoy me as well. I am lucky, the charity book shop I use most charges £1 for every book except very old and vintage books which are in a separate section.

[frankie]

I was rearranging, organizing and dusting the bookcases in my livingroom yesterday, and today my bedroom bookcase is getting the same treatment. I'm picking up book one by one, and leafing them through a bit, just so they'd get a breath of fresh air.

 

I picked up Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet. This is a novel Kylie bought for herself when I was living with her, and she told me about it and it seemed so intriguing that when I got back home I had to get my own copy

 

Anyhow, I think I told Kylie that I found the surname of the author adorable/funny. In Finnish, 'tammet' means 'oak trees' (plural).

 

Moving on: As I was leafing through the book, I noticed a Finnish word on one of the pages 'Mänty'! This is what Daniel writes:

 

"I continued to dream that one day I would speak a language thas was my own, that I would not be teased or reprimanded for using and that would express something of what it felt to be me. After leaving school I found I had the time to begin seriously to pursue such an idea. I wrote words down as they occurred to me and experimented with different methods of pronunciation and sentence building. I called my language 'Mänti' (pronounced 'man-tee') from the Finnish word mänty meaning pine tree. Pines are native to most of the Northern hemisphere and are particularly numerous across parts of Scandinavia and the Baltic region. Many of the words used in Mänti are of Scandinavian and Baltic origin. There is another reason for the choice of name: pine trees often grow together in large numbers and symbolise friendhip and community."

 

Awww! I should bump this book up on my TBR pile. And not only because Finland/Finnish was mentioned: as I'm leafing through the pages, there are a lot of other interesting references to a lot of different things.

[chesilbeach]

 

The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall (recommended to me by a fellow intern at the library)

 

 

I thought this book was original and fascinating when I read it. I'd heard about it on a radio programme and borrowed it in hardback from the library as soon as it became available, but after I'd finished it, I saw a few ambivalent reviews about it afterwards. I'd never read anything like it, but it was before I really started to fully stretch my literary wings, and I'm not sure if I'd feel the same way about it now, but the story definitely still sticks with me even now.