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“Let us read, and let us dance;
these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.”

Tuesday 24 November 2009

Slowly but surely, Shardlake will take over the world...

I made this: BookElf at 5:03 pm 1 comments
Last summer I attended a lovely, small, friendly festival with my very good friend Rhi, who shares my fetish for historical romance and chocolate flavoured stout and is therefore an excellent companion whilst journeying into the wilds of deepest Skipton...and also a good judge of if I will like a book or not!
Nursing our post-Friday hangovers in the blue sparkly Tea stall, our eyes were immediately drawn to the tiny little bookshelf next to the display of brownies (cake, tea, books and a hangover, what more could a girl ask for in the sunshine?). I was chuffed to bits to have access to a shelf (I fancy shelving systems, it comes with the librarian-thing!) and immediately set to cataloguing them in my mind, when I was interrupted by the noise of Rhi jumping up and down very loudly whilst screaming THEY'VE GOT THE FIRST SHARKDLAKE BOOK!


This was my introduction into the twisted, gritty world of the Tudor lawyer/commissioner/detective, Matthew Shardlake. It turns out that Rhi had read the third Shardlake book (Sovereign), from the series of (so far) four, on the recommendation of a friend , and had loved it, but had not thought to read the others. The discovery in the tea stall that day of the first in the series by C J Samson, Dissolution, re-ignited the fire the will be familiar with anyone who has ever read a book form a series and immediately had to read the rest, now, this second, nothing else possibly matters...all you Twihards put you're hands up...and down again...and bow your heads in shame...that's better, know you're place you philistines, it's badly written vaguely misogynistic tripe and you know it. Ahem, sorry, must stops these rantings.

So ANYWAY, Rhi lent me the third book in the series as soon as we returned home (because, of course, after reading the blurb of the first one I had to discover these novels immediately, Tudor politics? Murder? Authentic period voice and easily identifiable characters from history? Yes please!) and I was just as hooked as she was. Then set in me what I will call Shardlake Fever, I could not wait to borrow the books! I needed to posses them, they needed to by mine! And, what was that you said? Amazon has three of them for £14.99? I because of my amazing job I don't pay postage (being a librarian has its uses sometimes...) I don't care if its a week till payday, bring out the credit card, they must be mine.


I spent literally the next week reading them, when I wasn't reading them, I was googling them, texting Rhi repeatedly about how much I loved them, and trying to get OTHER people to read them, purely so I could find more people to text! I haven't felt like this since The Earth's Children was still good, I swear down!

Finally, through the medium of our lovely book club, I forced two of my precious books onto the girls. And today I received confirmation that Shardlake Fever is real, and is catching...N has bought the set! Whoop whoop its the sound of C J Samson's profile going up up up!

I cannot recommend these books highly enough, but you will loose hours of your life to them, and will be very upset in an almost clucking like way when you run out of them. The timeline so far runs from just after the death of Anne Bolyn (or Nan Bullen as the plebs like to call her) to the Ascension of Catherine Parr to the throne so its that little bit of Tudor history that hasn't been bled dry yet, and it is about the common people, and the politics behind the throne, rather than the throne itself, sop the characters are fresh, and funny. Its also got BBC costume drama written all over it so, grab yourself another debt, lets all end this recession sooner, if only for the Beeb to lift its costume drama ban and get this thing on our screens!


Read them! Love them! And join me in wishing next April upon us sooner so that we can read the next one!

Happy reading book lovers...and apologise as also for the over use of the word immediatly! Exopansion of vocabulary coming soon I promise!

BookElf

Tuesday 3 November 2009

Our first meeting

I made this: Unknown at 2:23 am 0 comments
Meeting the First.

Book Club the First - BOOKELF - 01-11-2009
Agreed on: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (AvidReader)
Discussed: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Three of us.
One spicy seed cake.
A ton of coffee.
And books...in bags, on tables, in laps... books piled up all around us!
It was heavenly!

We agreed that our first official book that we would read as a group was the Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova.

We set a date for our next meeting and swopped a few books, suggested a few potential future books, and ate the spicy seed cake. Three very positive responses, one person who...shockingly...doesn't like cake! We gasped, our determined chef resolved to try again, and cakes have now become incorportaed into our book club routine.

Could this get any better?

Well, turns out that we had all read Memoirs of a Geshia by Arthur Golden, so we were actually able to rate a book, our first meeting in!

BOOKELF = 4/5 stars
BOOKN00B = 4/5 stars
AVIDREADER = 3/5 stars
  • We agreed that the female characters were beautifully realised, and the setting and 'world' created seemed realistic and poetic simultaneously.
  • However, the male characters were much more one dimensional, and seems to serve purely to develop the plot further.
  • After all the agonies suffered by our heroine, was the happy ending feasible? While it certainly served to tie up the story neatly, and provide some much needed stability for the primary characters, it seemed to be hastily drawn together. There were other incidentals - the prince charming being many years older, and she being satisfied with her status as a mistress.
  • Nonetheless, a very enjoyable read, and a wonderful introduction to an otherwise unknown culture and time.
  • And we *ALL* preferred the book to the film. Like soooo much!

Original LBC

Meeting 08 - A Chat
Meeting 05 - Firman - Sam Savage

Monday 2 November 2009

My Wife - R.L. Stevenson

I made this: Unknown at 6:44 pm 0 comments
My Wife 
 
Trusty, dusky, vivid, true, 
With eyes of gold and bramble-dew, 
Steel-true and blade-straight, 
The great artificer 
Made my mate. 

Honour, anger, valour, fire; 
A love that life could never tire, 
Death quench or evil stir, 
The mighty master 
Gave to her. 

Teacher, tender, comrade, wife, 
A fellow-farer true through life, 
Heart-whole and soul-free 
The august father 
Gave to me.
 

Sunday 1 November 2009

Table of Contents - Completed Challeges

I made this: Unknown at 11:36 pm 0 comments

Another #WSwanLBC member has decided to set herself the Man Booker Shortlist 2012 Challenge; reading every book that could potentially win the prize this year. 

Say hi to @WoodsieGirl on twitter or visit her awesome blogs HERE and HERE

Shortlist 06 - Umbrella - Will Self
Shortlist 05 - Bring up the Bodies - Hilary Mantel - WINNER
Shortlist 04 - The Lighthouse - Alison Moore
Shortlist 03 - Swimming Home - Deborah Levy
Shortlist 02 - Narcopolis - Jeet Thayil
Shortlist 01 - The Garden of Evening Mists - Tan Twan Eng

LBC can't thank WG enough for this!


* * * * * 
Cooksonathon 

Book 05 - Fenwick Houses
Book 04 - The Black Candle
Book 03 - Hannah Massey
Book 02 - The Blind Years
Book 01 - The Girl
The Challenge 

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Blood-A-Thon Reviews
Book 01 - 2001 Dead Until Dark
Book 02 - 2002 Living Dead in Dallas
Book 03 - 2003 Club Dead
Book 04 - 2004 Dead to the World
Book 05 - 2005 Dead As A Doornail
Book 06 - 2006 Definately Dead
Book 07 - 2007 All Together Dead 
Book 08 - 2008 From Dead To Worse
Book 09 - 2009 Dead and Gone
Book 10 - 2010 Dead in the Family
Book 11 - 2011 Dead Reckoning

* * * * * 
  Blog-Along-The-Fountainhead

Blog-Along-The-Fountainhead - Part 08 
Blog-Along-The-Fountainhead - Part 07
Blog-Along-The-Fountainhead - Part 06
Blog-Along-The-Fountainhead - Part 05
Blog-Along-The-Fountainhead - Part 04
Blog-Along-The-Fountainhead - Part 03
Blog-Along-The-Fountainhead - Part 02
Blog-Along-The-Fountainhead - Part 01

* * * * * 
  Steelathon

Book 11 - A Good Woman
Book 10 - Lightning
Book 09 - Vanished
Book 08 - Fine Things
Book 07 - Five Days in Paris
Book 06 - No Greater Love
Book 05 - The Klone and I
Book 04 - Star
Book 03 - Heartbeat
Book 02 - Leap of Faith
Book 01 - Daddy

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Table of Contents - Ongoing Challenges

I made this: Unknown at 11:13 pm 0 comments

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Once Upon A Reading Challenge

2012 - Book 02 - The Iron King - Julie Kagawa 
2012 - Book 01 - A Feast of Crows - A Song Of Fire And Ice

2011 - Book 02 - The Borribles
2011 - Book 01 - The Looking Glass Wars

2010 - Book 03 - Reading the Greats
2010 - Book 02 - The Land of Ice and Fire
2010 - Book 01 - Percheron it!

* * * * * 
Mount TBR

Book 11 - Iris and Ruby
Book 10 - In Her Shoes
Book 09 - Virgin Widow
Book 06 and 07 and 08 - The Regeneration Trilogy
Book 05 - The Other Side of the Story
Book 04 - Frenchmen's Creek
Book 03 - Sidetracked 
Book 02 - Forbidden Fruit
Book 01 - The Shadow of the Moon by MM Kaye

 
* * * * *
Canongate

Book 10 - The Good Man Jesus... - Philip Pullman - WSwanLBC
Book 09 - Weight - Jeanette Winterson - WSwanLBC
Book 08 - The Fire Gospel - Michel Faber

* * * * *
Man Booker

Book 8 - Bring up the Bodies - Hilary Mantel - 2012 - GUEST
Book 7 - Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes
Book 6 - The Sea, The Sea - Iris Murdoch - 1978 - MedusaLBC
Book 5 - The Life of Pi - Yann Martel - 2002
Book 5 - The Life of Pi - Yann Martel - MedusaLBC
Book 3 - Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel - 2009 - Part 1

Table of Contents - Interviews

I made this: Unknown at 10:59 pm 0 comments
Interviews 
Actors and Theatre types


Alex Chisholm Interview - Inner workings
Alex Chisholm Interview - Refugee Boy

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* * * * *
Authors 

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* * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
Chris Nickson - Podcast 02
Chris Nickson - Podcast 01
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Table of Contents - Chris Nickson

I made this: Unknown at 10:42 pm 1 comments
* * * * *
Chris Nickson's Corner

As Chris has been such a great friend to LBC; we've decided to set aside a little space just for him!
Here you'll find all our reviews, interviews, exclusives and more!

Book Launch! Come the Fear is officially launched!
Find details HERE

Reviews
Richard Nottingham - Book 1 - The Broken Token
Richard Nottingham - Book 2 - Cold Cruel Winter
Richard Nottingham - Book 3 - The Constant Lovers
Richard Nottingham - Book 4 - Come The Fear

Exclusive Short Stories

Christmas Short Story - Family 
Christmas Short Story - Annabelle Atkinson and Mr. Grimshaw

Richard Nottingham 03 - Sanctuary - LIMITED TIME ONLY
Richard Nottingham 02 - December
Richard Nottingham 01 - Home


Podcast Interviews
02 - Chris Nickson - Interview about Come the Fear book launch!
Mobile Link - Chris Nickson 2
01 - Chris Nickson - Interview about Richard Nottingham
Mobile Link - Chris Nickson

Contact Details
Follow Chris on Twitter - @ChrisNickson2
Visit Chris' website - HERE
Best Book of 2001 - Library Journal Award

Miscellaneous
Leeds Playlist - Coming Soon!
Sweet Tooth - Mary Nottingham's Lemon Meringue Pie


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Table of Contents - Occasions

I made this: Unknown at 9:51 pm 0 comments
Happy International Literacy Day

* * * * * 
International Geek Day

* * * * *
Solstice
* * * * *
Halloween
No Sanctuary - Seamus Heaney - Halloween

* * * * *
Guy Fawkes
Remember Remember - 3 Guy Fawkes ditties - Guy Fawkes

* * * * *
Armistice Day
Remembrance Day
  • For the Fallen - Robert Laurence Binyon
  • In Fladers Fields - John McCrae
* * * * *
Christmas
A Christmas Carol - free versions
Christmas Challenge - Stave Five
Christmas Challenge - Stave Four
Christmas Challenge - Stave Three
Christmas Challenge - Stave Two
Christmas Challenge - Stave One

 * * * * *
St Stephens Day
 * * * * *
New Year
Reading Resolutions
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Table of Contents - The Book Clubs

I made this: Unknown at 9:47 pm 0 comments
2014 - Leeds Book Club
44 - Jan - ARCADIA - ??

43 - Nov - WHITE SWAN ?
42 - Oct - MEDUSA ?
41 - Sep - ARCADIA ?
40 - Aug - WHITE SWAN ?
39 - Jul - MEDUSA ?
38 - Jun - ARCADIA ?
37 - May - WHITE SWAN ?
36 - Apr - MEDUSA - The Stench of Honolulu - Jack Handey
35 - Mar - ARCADIA - A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
34 - Feb - WHITE SWAN - The Perks of being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
33 - Jan - MEDUSA - The Human - Matt Haig

* * * * *
Arcadia LBC
32 - Nov - Heading out to Wonderful - Robert Goolrich
31 - Oct - The Magicians - Lev Grossman
30 - Sep - Any Human Heart - William Boyd
29 - Aug - Love and War in the Apennines - Eric Newby
28 - Jul - The Red House - Mark Haddon
27 - Jun - Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
26 - May - Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
25 - Apr - To say nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis
24 - Mar - Night Waking - Sarah Moss
23 - Feb - Three Men on a Boat - Jerome K Jerome 
22 - Jan - The Summer Book - Tove Jansson

21 - Nov - Hard Times - Charles Dickens
20 - Oct - The New York Trilogy - Paul Auster - GUEST - @CultureLEEDS
19 - Sep - The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins - GUEST - @CultureLEEDS
18 - Aug - The Princess Bride - William Goldman
16 - Jun - Cry the Beloved Country - Alan Paton
15 - May - 1984 - George Orwell - GUEST - @CultureLEEDS
14 - Apr - BloodChild and Other Stories - Octavia Butler
13 - Mar - The Year of the Hare - Arto Paasilinna
12 - Feb - Heat Wave - Richard Castle
10 - Nov - Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
* * * * * 
Giraffe LBC

10 - FEB - Divergent - Veronica Roth
09 - JAN - Children of Men - P.D. James GUEST

08 - OCT - High Rise - J.G. Ballard GUEST
07 - JUL - The Miracle Inspector - Helen Smith GUEST 
06 - APR - Logan's Run - Book and Film GUEST
05 - FEB - Watchmen - Comic and Film

04 - NOV - Brave New World - Aldous Huxley - GUEST
03 - OCT - The Iron Heel - Jack London - GUEST
02 - AUG - The Running Man - Stephen King
01 - JUL - Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury GUEST
* * * * * 
LBC Outlaws
08 - Jan - ?

07 - Nov - 1974 - David Peace
06 - Oct - Stone's Fall - Iain Pears
05 - Sep - Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane
04 - Aug - Artists in crime - Ngaio Marsh
03 - Jul - The Moving Toyshop - Edmund Crispin
02 - Jun - The Glass Key - Dashiell Hammet
01 - May - The Hound of the Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle
* * * * * 
LBC Puffins
JAN - Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll - GUEST

NOV - Wee Free Men - Terry Prachett - GUEST
OCT - Black Beauty - Anna Sewell GUEST
SEP - The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson-Burnett GUEST
AUG - Coraline - Neil Gaiman GUEST
JUL - Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh - Robert C O'Brien GUEST
JUN - The Sheep Pig - Dick King-Smith GUEST
FEB - Matilda - Roald Dahl GUEST
* * * * * 
LBC3reads

07 - Jan - The Wapshot Chronicle - John Cheever

06 - Oct - Their eyes were watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
05 - Jul - Mason and Dixon - Thomas Pynchon
04 - Apr - O Pioneer - Willa Catha
03 - Jan - The City and the Pillar - Gore Vidal

02 - Sep - The Paris Wife - Paula McLain
01 - May - The Hound of the Baskervilles - Arthur Conan Doyle

* * * * * 
Medusa LBC and Mini-Medusa
23 - Feb - Poppy Shakespeare - Clare Allen

22 - Nov - The Tenderness of Wolves - Stef Penney
21 - Oct - And the mountains echoed - Khalid Hosseini
20 - Sep - Pilgrim - Timothy Findley 
19 - Aug - Westwood - Stella Gibbons 
18 - Jul - Battle Royale - Koushun Takami
17 - Jun - The 100 yr old man who climbed... - Jonas Jonasson
16 - May - The Winter Ghosts - Kate Mosse
15 - Apr - John dies at the end - David Wong
14 - Mar - Started early, took my dog - Kate Atkinson
13 - Feb - The Black House - Peter May
12 - Jan - The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald - GUEST 

11 - Nov - Empire of the Sun - JG Ballard
10 - Oct - Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell (not *that* one)GUEST
09 - Sep - Before I go to sleep - S.J. Watson
08 - Aug - 9 Lives - Clive Rusher GUEST
07 - Jul - Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes
06 - Jun - A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving - GUEST
05 - May - The Life of Pi - Yann Martel
04 - Apr - Diary of a Nobody - George Grossmith 
03 - Mar - We need to talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver
01 - Jan - Ragnarok - AS Byatt
An exciting new project! - Medusa LeedsBookClub

* * * * * 
WSwan LBC
22 - Nov - The garden of evening mists - Tan Twan Eng
21 - Oct - Regeneration - Pat Barker
20 - Sep - Consider Phlebas - Iain M Banks
19 - Aug - Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
18 - Jul - The Fictional Man - Al Ewing
17 - Jun - The Fire Gospel - Michael Faber
16 - May - The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
15 - Apr - The Waterproof Bible - Andrew Kaufman GUEST
14 - Mar - The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak GUEST
13 - Feb - Weight - Jeanette Winterson GUEST
12 - Jan - The Revolutionary Road - Richard Yates GUEST

11 - Nov - Lighthouse Keeping - Jeanette Winterson
10 - Oct - Winter's Bone Daniel Woodrell
09 - Sep - The Wind Up Bird Chronicles - Haruki Murakami GUEST
08 - Aug - The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ - Philip Pullman
07 - Jul - American Gods - Neil Gaiman
06 - Jun - The Travelling Hornplayer - Barbara Trapido
05 - May - Atomised - Michel HouellebecqGUEST

Im just full of good ideas...WSwanLBC 

* * * * * 
WTFBC

04 - TBC - ???
03 - TBC - The Joss Whedon Companion - Buffy
02 - Jul - Killer Angels - Michael Shaara
01 - May - Much Ado About Nothing - William Shakespeare

* * * * * 
Leeds Guardian
 
* * * * * 
Original LBC
Meeting 08 - A Chat
Meeting 05 - Firman - Sam Savage

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