General Chit-Chat Showing 101-150 of 1,288

[Paul]

Woo hoo!! Just finished my 100th book this year!

[ch]

Congratulations Paul!

[Elizabeth]

Well done!

[Kathy G.]

That's super Paul!

[Jen]

Well done Paul! That's awesome!

[Tamra]

One of the best books I have read this year is Because it was a giveaway book I was unsure how I would like it but after the first couple of books I could not put it down. Because I am retired I do read a lot but this book is a true find.

[Elizabeth]

Tamra - could you edit your post to include the book title please? There's just a blank blue box visible for app users! What was the book?

[Elizabeth]

For those of us who enjoyed The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Rachel Joyce has written another book. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-ebook...

I think I'll wait until it comes out in paperback, but it sounds intriguing.

[Bionic Jean]

Why do I find it so funny that in the "Classics" poll for August it looks like being a tie between "The Age of Innocence" and "Lolita"?

[Elizabeth]

That is funny!

[Jo]

Oh well spotted on the Rachel Joyce book. Ditto, will have to wait. Hardbacks are Hard Work. And I have so much to read in 2013, that it will be on the list for 2014.

Jean - you have a point! It is at least 20 years since I read Lolita. I'd probably be more shocked at this point in my life, I suspect. Hoping for Age of Innocence to pip it though, as I am so keen to read that.

[Elizabeth]

I've just come back from an evening out to see A Midsummer Night's Dream performed in the grounds of Shaftesbury Abbey. Lovely.

[Elizabeth]

Urghh! What a mess. The children have covered the floor with paper and crayons. They are crafting. Again. Keeps them amused but what a tip. Pirate eye patches today apparently :D

[Anne Marie]

Oh, I can't wait until my boys are old enough to craft! My oldest just turned 2 last week, so he's getting there, but it'll be some time before my 8-month-old and the one due in January are old enough to join in. In the meantime, I've been patiently waiting and accruing a list of things we can make together!

[Jen]

Crafting I can deal with... playdoh however...hate the stuff!

[Elizabeth]

I have hidden the playdoh and the plasticine :D.

[Linda]

My son is 15 now so our days of crafting are sadly over but I really Don't miss the papier mache days!

[Jo]

Craft!! I had several years of every piece of recyclable material being saved and hoarded by my son (now almost 9) for vast amounts of junk modelling!! Grrr. the mess - sellotape, glue, and slithers of cardboard, paper and plastic cartons everywhere. Thankfully, those days are past!

[Jo]

Oh yes, I hated playdoh with a passion. Fortunately, although we did have some, neither of my two were all that bothered. First possible opportunity, the whole lot went out.

[Jen]

Oohh! Does any one know anything about The Works going into liquidation? My local one has a huge sale on due to liquidation (and it's so poorly arranged it's impossible to find anything!)

I do like The Works, very sad to see it go if it's the entire company going.

[Ellie]

I've not heard anything about The Works. Does it say they are having a 'liquidation sale'? I think that sometimes means they are trying to run some of their stock down (and thereby increase cash), i.e. liquidating their assets.

[Jen]

Ohh I see! Yes I do think it said "liquidation sale" it all seemed a disorganised mess! Glad they're not closing!

[Bionic Jean]

I was stunned today to find that not one of my 3 local charity shops would accept books as donations. Are books becoming an "out-of-date technology" too now? What price civilisation?

[Shirley]

How strange, Jean! We have an Oxfam bookshop in Lancaster, so they will always accept them, I wonder why they have stopped accepting them?

[Gemma]

That is strange. One of the charity shops in my town gets so over run with books that every couple of months, they set up in an empt who and sell them off for 10p each. Which is great! They never turn them away though.

[Anna]

Seriously Jean?! That's crazy, surely not the case!!! I'm trying to think if I've taken books to a charity shop recently, don't think I have.

I think I've been taking all overflow to my books school for the book sales there (then buying more than I tried to reduce the load by - ooops!)

[Gemma]

That was meant to say, empty shop!! Predictive text!

[Jo]

Jean I am shocked. All our local charity shops have a bookshelf somewhere, they are fabulous. Plus we have an Oxfam dedicated bookshop too!

[Bionic Jean]

Yes - we'd taken a few bags in and when we were told that my husband and I just looked at each other in disbelief! The shops were branches of "Save the Children", and "Barnardos" (which started near here) plus a local Hospice charity.

We're going to try further afield. There's certainly a dedicated Oxfam bookshop further out in North Essex, and hopefully it'll be a while before this craziness spreads too far. Unless people in West Essex have just stopped reading altogether...

I'm all for Kindle and ebooks - but surely there's a place for both? Some of my best buys have been at charity shops and library sales.

[Ellie]

I volunteer for a charity, we don't have a shop but we take a pitch at events in the area to do Outreach work, and sell donated books at these. We get a regular supply, and have a pretty decent churn rate.

[Elizabeth]

I am shocked too Jean. I'm often in charity shops looking for books and buy loads for both myself and my children. They both know they can get more books for their pocket money in there than brand new. We always check the condition first and they are frequently as good as new. In fact I've bought some unread presumably unwanted gifts for bargain prices. I'd be lost if our charity shops stopped selling books.

[Paulfozz]

The charity shops here are glad to take books, though I have seen one that stopped taking hardbacks as they couldn't shift them. I take books to the various charity shops in Chelmsford fairly regularly and they have always been very glad to take them.

As I understand it even if they can't sell the books they eventually go to a pulper who pays for them, so the charity still gets an income.

[Jo]

Jean - if you are in or near West/North Essex, then try Saffron Walden Oxfam Bookshop perhaps, that is my local superbly stocked branch! I never come out empty handed.

[Gemma]

Does anyone have a Books For Free Shop near them?
https://healthyplanet.org/get-involve...

They're great. You can choose three books for a small optional donation. They'd take the books from you for sure.

[Paul]

What a brilliant idea Gemma. We have a place near me called Dorset Book Exchange that takes your books, and he gives you credit, which can be used to take 50% off the items on the shelf

[Elizabeth]

Gemma wrote: "Does anyone have a Books For Free Shop near them?
https://healthyplanet.org/get-involve...

They're great. You can choose three books for a small optional donati..."

I had a look at your link, and our nearest one would be in Yeovil. A bit of a trek but may take a look next time I'm shopping there.

[Bionic Jean]

Thanks for your help everyone! It does look as if we're going to have to be a bit more vocal about it if we want charity shops to continue to stock books though. Some of the ones we tried to give them were brand new (read once) Large Print hardbacks, but they never got round to looking at them. On the other hand, as Paul found, it may be paperbacks that stay the distance.

Paul and Jo - we do visit both Chelmsford and Saffron Walden on occasion but it's a bit of a trek. More likely to visit the Oxfam shop in Shaftesbury on our way to Abbotsbury when we're going for a break to Dorset actually. hahaha

And Elizabeth - were you really around to post that at 5.30am?! The joys of young children eh?

[Elizabeth]

Yes I really was awake at 5.30 :D. Most days. Earlier in the height of summer. My son is completely incapable of sleeping in daylight. 3.30am wake up call anyone?

[Nikki]

Paul, where is the Dorset Book Exchange?

[Paul]

West moors

[Nikki]

Thanks

[Gail]

Jean - have you tried to donate them to your library? Our county libraries do accept donations and I have given books that I had to buy as they did not have a copy in the county. I was told, however, that the copy would not necessarily stay in my local library but would go into general circulation.

[Bionic Jean]

Gail - thanks for that thought! I prefer to take them to a charity shop really, but there are also charities which accept them for when they have a stall at a Fair, or fund-raising at Animal Rescue places, Stately Homes, hospitals, all of which have had a few in their time. I usually come away with plenty too, as lots of you also find....

I haven't up to now donated to libraries, as quite a few of my books come from there in the first place!! Not the new ones of course though, so it's a thought.

[Bionic Jean]

Help! I promised to join a readalongorsummat for "Vanity Fair" in about September. Thought it was for BookVipers but am now wondering if it was for the deceased Perks RIP as I can't find any mention of it on the discussions here. Does it ring a bell with anybody please?

[Shirley]

Jean wrote: "Help! I promised to join a readalongorsummat for "Vanity Fair" in about September. Thought it was for BookVipers but am now wondering if it was for the deceased Perks RIP as I can't find any mentio..."

Jean, I've done some digging for you in Perks, it was with Laurel and Heather, I believe...

[Bionic Jean]

Thanks Shirley - that's really good of you! I'm also in "Victorians!" which I thought was a possibility too, but there was nothing there. All is now explained! :)

Hope you're enjoying Vipers - good to see you here too - and I'm all agog for tomorrow's unveiling of your new group!!

[Shirley]

Jean wrote: "Thanks Shirley - that's really good of you! I'm also in "Victorians!" which I thought was a possibility too, but there was nothing there. All is now explained! :)

Hope you're enjoying Vipers - go..."

You're welcome! Yes, this seems to be a really friendly group! Yes, so am I!!

[[deleted user]]

@Jean! Yes, it was with myself and Laurel. Will set up a friend here soon. You ready to start this week?

[Bionic Jean]

Hi Heather - great to see you here too! Yikes that's a bit soon for me as I've got 7 books on the go. Could we start in September and that'll give me a chance to finish a few? Or if you start earlier then I'll just join in when I can.

[[deleted user]]

I think I'll start soon as I want to read the September classics read with the group but I'm quite slow so I will still be going in September!