Book #59: Quentins... without an apostrophe!

Don't hang me! It's Quentins without an apostrophe! And although this little - but oh so important - grammatical symbol gets the better of me more than I would like to think, even I know that Quentins should have an apostrophe. The reason it doesn't is explained in the book, but I don't think it was explanation enough to justify it somehow!

But you know how when you see something you haven't noticed before, you all of a sudden see it everywhere?! Well, there's a shop in town that has just recently opened called "DavidsTea" - without the apostrophe! I've yet to step inside but before I ask for tea I'm going to ask for an apostrophe!

This blog entry wasn't meant to be a grammatical rant - instead, it's about Quentins, by Maeve Binchy. I was in need of a quick, easy read - to let the mind wander and to add another book to the 111 for the year. At the rate this year is disappearing on me, I'm going to be hard pushed to meet my target I think. Fortunately, I have a few holidays up my sleeve!

Needless to say, Quentins didn't disappoint. It's a lighthearted read about somewhat fluffy, warm characters. None of whom I can remember by name - apart from Quentin that is. But then that's the thing with Maeve Binchy's books - they never really seem to have a lasting effect. Great for a quick escape, but also great for bringing home the fact that a great read really is one that leaves a lasting impression.

That said, I knew what I was getting myself in for by turning through the pages of Quentins - which by the way is a cafe and of course central to the characters in the book. They all have a link to the place - both good and bad, and Binchy has cleverly intertwined them all together. However, I still think there are a few other Maeve Binchy books out there that are probably one up on this one.

Which brings me to my next query... at what stage do publishers simply publish any book by a top selling author. It seems that some authors out there all of a sudden lower their standards to get another publication to the bestsellers list? But perhaps that's a rant for another day...

I finally make Harry's acquaintance... book #58: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

It's taken a while but Harry and I have finally met... Harry Potter that is! He's been sitting on my bookshelf for years, I've been told to read him by friends - both old and young - and I finally got around to delving into the world of magic.


And magical it was. I can see why Harry, Ron and Hermione have become such loved characters - the world of Harry Potter, magic and Hogwarts is utterly enthralling. Even those Muggles, the Dursley's are hard to resist in their own right. 


While reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone I was transported to another world - a magical world of wizardy, hocus pocus spells, broomsticks and witches' hats - not to mention dragons, three-headed dogs and Quidditch!


But I think you have to be in the right mindset to really enjoy Harry Potter. I'd tried to pick him up on a number of occasions but we just hadn't clicked - however, I'm off camping at the beach on an island this weekend and I think I may just take Harry along with me. Book #2 here I come!


It has been wonderful to make your acquaintance Harry!

An extra challenge

Having decided that one challenge (of reading 111 books in the year 2011) isn't enough, I've signed up for another one. This is just a mini one to get me started, but it's quite apt I think! The challenge is to read something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue - and given that this mini challenge comes at the same time as my first wedding anniversary, I simply couldn't resist!

It's hosted by Lazy Girl Reads: http://lazygirlreads.blogspot.com
This challenge goes from Jan. 1st 2011- Apr. 1st 2011

• Rules: Choose 4 books according to the following guidelines:

1. Something old
2. Something new
3. Something borrowed
4. Something blue

• You don't have to pick the books ahead of time! Be creative! While the other categories are self explanatory, 'Something blue' can mean a book with a blue cover, a book with the word 'blue' in the title, a book that takes place at sea...anything you want!

So here are mine...

1. 

2.

3.

4. Four Wives, by Wendy Walker

Book #5: One Red Paperclip

(and January's Wild Cherry (Red) cover love challenge book)

Whenever I visit someone’s house I inevitably end up at their bookshelf, scouring the shelves to see what their bookshelf says about them. Do we have similar reading tastes? Is there anything I can borrow? Ideas for my next book purchase? And how many of their books have I already read!

When we visited friends in south London, sure enough, I was found standing next to their fireplace, perusing their bookshelf – and that’s when I noticed One Red Paperclip. It immediately caught my interest, so I filed it away as a book to add to my own bookshelf.

But, one week later I received an email from said friend, saying he’d like to buy us One Red Paperclip  and did we already have it on our bookshelf – meant to be or what?!

And that’s how One Red Paperclip ended up as book number five for my 2011 reading challenge. The story of Kyle MacDonald himself, who began by trading one red paperclip and worked his way up to eventually being able to trade a house – trading on the way a snowmobile, a date with Alice Cooper, a camping stove, and a fish pen – among other such items.

A quirky story, a great idea, but unfortunately a rather boring read. I’d recommend cheating this one and going to his blog instead: http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/

2011: The challenge

Got it! My challenge for the year 2011. Notice the word “challenge”, not “resolution”. I never had any success with resolutions so have decided they’re a thing of the past. A challenge is much more exciting, and more often than not, can be something that doesn’t allow for deprivation (as many a resolution can do). Although that said, my first New Year’s challenge in the year, 2009, was to go 365 days without chocolate. If that’s not deprivation, then I don’t know what is – although I did it! Then rewarded myself with three months of chocolate just before my wedding. Perhaps not the smartest of moves but I lived to tell the tale.

The next year, 2010, was my year of running. I was inspired to read an article about a man in Hamilton, New Zealand – my home time. Reported in the regional newspaper and my former place of work, the Waikato Times was a news story about a man who had spent 600 days running. A half hour run every day – including the day his daughter was born.

A half-hour run each day? Surely that’s manageable. Even in rain, hail or snow you can handle going out for half an hour. So January 1 2010 rolled around and off I ran, straight up to the top of Mt Victoria, overlooking the beautiful city of Wellington that is the capital of New Zealand. It was a slow start, but a rewarding one, and so the runs continued, more on flat terrain than uphill but runs nonetheless. Until the flu took hold 83 days later.

As I looked back on yet another year, wondering to both myself and anyone who would listen “Where has the year gone?” I began searching for my next challenge. And there it was. Since arriving in London almost four years ago, I’d started collecting books. My local charity store sold books for £1 – and given that it was just down the hill from Hampstead, the books were of high quality. I wasn’t ashamed to be reaping the rewards of the Hampstead housewives, that’s for sure!

Yet the rate at which I collected books was in stark contrast to the rate at which I read them, so what better challenge to give myself than a literary one. 2011 is my year of books.

Challenge: to read 111 books in the year 2011.


NB: I've since found out I'm not the only one!

http://lifeisshort-readfast.blogspot.com/2010/12/111-in-11-challenge.html