News just in: Amazon buys The Book Depository
My heart is breaking a little. It was just all so perfect. Cheap books and free shipping. Every book lover’s dream come true. And perhaps I’m being premature to think that it won’t continue but my (breaking) heart tells me that Amazon’s intentions are not good; that this behemoth will take over and destroy what makes The Book Depository the The Book Depository.
And TBD’s assertion that it will remain independent doesn’t make me feel any better about the situation.
Review: A Widow’s Story by Joyce Carol Oates
In A Widow’s Story A Memoir Joyce Carol Oates writes about the sudden death of her husband and the year following.
This is a raw and compellingly honest account of death and grief. Oates glosses over nothing. I could not put this book down. It grabbed me from the first page and held me to the end.
She describes her growing dependency on painkillers and sleeping pills. Her thoughts of suicide. Her hatred of the flowers and gifts that arrived at her door every day. … Continue Reading
What’s old is new again
SENDAK’S NEW BOOK
Maurice Sendak’s new picture book, BUMBLE-ARDY is due for release on September 6. It’s about a little pig called Bumble who has never had a birthday party. As he turns nine he throws a party for himself and invites his friends.
(There’s more information in the Harper Collins’ press release.)
RECONNECTING WITH CHILDREN’S BOOKS
In Goodnight Stars, Goodnight Air: Reconnecting with Children’s Books as a Parent Kevin Hartnett looks at … Continue Reading
Loving e-books? Not so much
Have you bought an e-book recently? And are you enjoying reading on your e-book reader?
I have a Kindle but as I’ve confessed previously on this blog I hardly use it. My husband wonders why I bought it. I’m kind of wondering myself.
An e-book reader is good in theory but in practice there’s just no fun in it.
My Kindle is fine for reading business documents and educational materials, and journals maybe. But for me the sensory experience of reading from an e-book reader is a joyless one. Pressing a button to turn a page is cold and mechanical.
GWAPIRC, Franzen, Eugenides … and a garage door
MY FELLOW GWAPIRC MEMBERS
How is War and Peace treating you? Are you finding it a hard slog or racing through it? Or somewhere in between?
I’m loving it so far. I’m finding the battle scenes a little confusing at times and need to reread to work out who’s doing what but I’m getting the hang of it.
JONATHAN FRANZEN
If you read only one article this week make it Liking Is For Cowards. Go for What Hurts by Jonathan Franzen.
… Continue Reading
Immersed in War and Peace
GWAPIRC has begun!
I made a good start on the train commute to work this morning. Bypassed the introduction (Does anyone read introductions?) – straight to the good stuff. It’s good to be back in Tolstoy’s world.
No one describes characters like Tolstoy:
‘Le charmant Hippolyte was surprising by his extraordinary resemblance to his beautiful sister, … Continue Reading
Book buying spree
I confess that I’ve finally taken advantage of Borders’ misfortune. Only a few days left of the administrator’s sale and they’re taking 90% off. I don’t have the emotional strength to resist 90% off.
I’ve been wanting to try a Manga novel for a while so at a low-risk investment of $5 a pop I bought Free Runners and Vampire Doll. I only realised when I got them home that what I thought was the front cover is in fact the back cover, hence why it had the blurb on it. So I’ll be reading backwards which should be an interesting experience.
… Continue Reading
What I’m reading
