Recently bought (acquired) books! Showing 701-750 of 2,634

[Trelawn]

I just randomly came across the book yesterday but I'm glad I did now. If I enjoy this one I'll keep an eye out for her other titles.

[[deleted user]]

My MKs fell apart and went for recycling :(

[Trelawn]

Aah that's sad Theresa.

[Barbara]

Theresa wrote: "My MKs fell apart and went for recycling :("

Some books are printed on poor quality paper. When I had my copy of The Spinning Heart signed by Donal Ryan, he pointed out it was a first edition but printed on cheap paper that was already starting to discolor. Sigh.

[Susan]

I am going to say that I hate you all. The Molly Keane sounded so delicious that I looked it up and it seemed like a book I would really like. Good Behavior was on the short list for the Booker. Copies were a little expensive on Amazon so I was quite the good girl and ordered it from the library. It's really something I needed- another book on my TBR pile. Thanks everybody especially Trelawn. :)

[Trelawn]

You are entirely welcome Susan :-)

[Trelawn]

Actually the first copy i picked up yesterday was a hardback with a dustcover for €14.99 and I was tempted but then I found a nice paperback copy for €3.99 :-)

[Kevin]

I forgot to say my big haul of 15 books arrived during the week, but besides barely starting the barrytown trilogy I haven't touched them. Picked up The Effect of Her and Unspoken too. I feel like I should read the rest of Gerard Stembridge since he grew up 20 minutes from me! Oh if only I had more hours in the day...

[Trelawn]

I have The Effect of Her but have been waiting to pick up Unspoken. I should really bring a list with me to Chapters :-)

[Seraphina]

What were the 15 Kevin?

[Barbara]

Kevin wrote: "I forgot to say my big haul of 15 books arrived during the week, but besides barely starting the barrytown trilogy I haven't touched them. Picked up The Effect of Her and Unspoken too. I feel like ..."

Kevin - you'll just have to give up sleeping:)

[Kevin]

I think I'll have to start drinking a double espresso in the evening, Barbara. :)

Seraphina, I got,
At Swim, Two Boys
The Barrytown Trilogy: The Commitments / The Snapper / The Van
The Bell Jar
The Orphan Master's Son
True Grit Bear Grylls
The Complete Novels Flann O'Brien
The Name of the Wind
The Wise Man's Fear
The Son
The Fault in Our Stars(I'm soft deep down I swear)
Eleanor Knotts' Introduction to Early Irish Syllabic Poetry
Jamie's 15 Minute Meals (Student life :P)
The Complete Poems Emily Dickinson
Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney
and one Irish novel
Gearrscealta an Phiarsaigh

[[deleted user]]

That's a brilliant haul, Kevin, although I'm not sure what the last one is about.... Earlier this year I also bought the O'Brien's complete works. You're creating quite a library for yourself at an impressive speed too.

[Kevin]

The last one is by Pádraig Pearse who was one of the leaders in the 1916 Easter rising. It's a collection of his short stories. I'm not sure if it's any good, but I like to read in Irish every once in a while.

[Seraphina]

That's an impressive haul. Happy reading ;)

[Allan]

Some great titles, Kevin-you're building up quite the collection, as Theresa says-it's just a shame that you don't have a lovely cosy library like mine to put them all in! ;)

BTW, the other two Stembridge are very different from the two that you have. I loved Counting Down, but I'd put According to Luke well down any TBR pile. If he grew up 20mins from you, then you'll definitely relate to the setting of Unspoken in particular. Happy reading!

[Kevin]

*$@!£% you and your library, Allan!

Joking of course. :)
I read a few reviews on According the Luke, including your own, and a lot of people agree it is the weakest of his novels. I will have to read it eventually, but like you said, it's on a long list.
I might have to downside to a single bed in my room for a bigger bookcase, but I'm afraid at 6'7" I'm sleeping diagonally on my double bed as it is. I'll have to take Barbara's advice and give up sleeping so I can lose the bed and make more room for books. :)

[[deleted user]]

Kevin wrote: "The last one is by Pádraig Pearse who was one of the leaders in the 1916 Easter rising. It's a collection of his short stories. I'm not sure if it's any good, but I like to read in Irish every once..."

Having finished my 6 week MOOC on 'Ireland 1912-1922'' I now know a little about Pádraig Pearse :)

[Allan]

A big cheesy grin direct from my lovely comfy recliner direct to you, Kevin! :-D !!

[Susan]

I'm sticking my tongue out to you, Allan. I could have a library if my 32 year old son would leave home. I keep suggesting it less subtly every day. He says he "needs" to take care of me. Ha.

[Kevin]

So I was claiming tax back and with the 20 minutes of hard waiting on the phone that came with it, I convinced myself that I deserve more books. Plus I'm not out this weekend so it all evens out. :)
The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language
Outlander
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban

[Thomas, Moderator]

Kevin wrote: "So I was claiming tax back and with the 20 minutes of hard waiting on the phone that came with it, I convinced myself that I deserve more books. Plus I'm not out this weekend so it all evens out. :..."

I read I am Malala and enjoyed it

[Sara]

I finally broke down and got Belfast Noirom Amazon rather than wait. While I was at it I also decided to order I Hear the Sirens in the Street.

[Susan]

I'm reading the McKinty now and it's even better than the first one. I have 30 pages to go and I love it.

[Allan]

Another couple of books to add to the pile, Sara! I really enjoyed Belfast Noir, especially for its evocative portrayal of the city, so many familiar settings to me featuring, and possibly making up for a couple of the stories that weren't quite as strong-I'll be interested to hear what you and Susan think of the book without this familiarity that I had.

Re the McKinty, while I thoroughly enjoyed the second instalment in the trilogy, I thought that he was a little lazy with the ending. Again I'll be interested in both your thoughts! I'm actually listening to Falling Glass by McKinty at present, and have to say that I engaged with the Duffy trilogy a lot more than I am with this one.

So, having been off work unwell for the last couple of days, despite having not been in the form to read that much (shocker!), I've managed to add a couple of books to my own collection. I know I've already posted about buying Odd Man Out the other day, but after finishing Belfast Noir, I decided to purchase both Manhattan Noir and Manhattan Noir 2: The Classics. Then today, while reading about books set in Belfast, I came across a blog post where the poster was reading NI based fiction, and mentioned two books that I hadn't come across before-naturally, as both Shadows on Our Skin and This Human Season. Louise Dean were a penny plus postage each on Amazon, like the Noir books also were, it was only natural that I buy them.

The sooner I get back to full fitness the better for my tbr pile...

[Seraphina]

Its a burden we all bear cphe :)

[[deleted user]]

Over the last few days I've been reading poetry. I'm recovering from a minor operation on my thumb and had a virus so I've had the attention span of a gnat. In an anthology somewhere between Angelou and Zephaniah I rediscovered Dylan Thomas so had to buy the complete play of Under Milk Wood, The Definitive Edition. It is set in the fictional village of Llareggub, and if you're unfamiliar with the text you may care to spell that backwards ;) I used to have a recording of it featuring Richard Burton in spine tingling form with that wonderful musicality in his Welsh voice and I can hear it again as I read. Sublime. :)

This is the second ebook that I've had to request Goodreads to add to their catalogue. I clearly have an odd taste in ereading. :)

[Barbara]

Theresa - that Richard Burton recording sounds great! Two of our GRI members under the weather...
Allan - I am currently reading Shadows on Our Skin-just started it last night. I've read Louise Dean's book This Human Season a couple of years ago. Recently I saw it on my shelves and thought I'd reread it.

[[deleted user]]

Allan's poorly, but who's number three? My virus is taking its time. Then I'm down for 2 weeks with my thumb. No washing up, no peeling vegetables, no ironing. Tragic ;)

[[deleted user]]

Barbara, Virago was such a revolution wasn't it? For those unfamiliar with its history, below is a link to the publishers website on its history page. They list the remarkable books by women that they've published, and it is a remarkable list. Virago also reissue books by women that are long out of print in their paperbacks with that instantly recognisable green spine. The final book they mention is a free ebook from most ebook suppliers which celebrates their 40 years in printing with contributions from their outstanding women authors. Thanks for reminding me about them, Barbara. I'm now on their mailing list :)

http://www.virago.co.uk/the-history-o...

[[deleted user]]

Emma wrote: "As long as your still able to lift a book Theresa. That's all that matters."


Oh yes, Emma I can manage that :)

Sara's better I think :)

[Allan]

Aside from having been left with a cough that sounds like I smoke 100 a day, I'm more or less back to normal now-I'll be back at work on Monday anyway. Theresa, hope your virus clears up soon, and that your thumb heals enough to allow you to get back to those household chores that you obviously love so much!

[Kevin]

Here's a free electronic copy of an pretty interesting book called, "More Facts about the Irish". An informative read for those interested.

http://www.gaelport.com/uploads/docum...

[[deleted user]]

Thanks, Kevin. It's a substantial document alright and looks fascinating.

[Kevin]

It might be a bit heavy in places but some sections are interesting.

[Trelawn]

I recently ordered the third and fourth installment of the Scotland Street series; Love Over Scotland and The World According to Bertie. I've been ordering them from a seller on Abe called The Tartan Frog. I've got lovely hardback editions in great condition for 62c + postage.

[[deleted user]]

Trelawn wrote: "I recently ordered the third and fourth installment of the Scotland Street series; Love Over Scotland and The World According to Bertie. I've been ordering them from a seller on Abe called The Tart..."

Trelawn, it turns out that despite it's name The Tartan Frog is in Yorkshire in a village about an hour from here. As far as I can tell though it's mail order only so doesn't have a shop. Happy reading with your new additions.

[Barbara]

Theresa wrote: "Trelawn wrote: "I recently ordered the third and fourth installment of the Scotland Street series; Love Over Scotland and The World According to Bertie. I've been ordering them from a seller on Abe..."

It could be a displaced Scot, trying to balance out the large numbers of Brits who have moved to Scotland:)
I got a lot of my books by Irish women writers in Virago editions. A fabulous press.
I ordered a volume of poetry by Siobhan Campbell Cross-Talk. She's the favorite poet of a friend who specializes in Irish lit so I am giving her a try. I am also waiting for Swallowing The Sun by David Park.

[Trelawn]

I didn't know that Theresa but I am very happy with their service. I haven't been able to get second hand copies of the series in Chapters so I'm happy to have found The Tartan Frog.

[Allan]

So, despite my tbr pile continuing to grow rapidly, after reading a fair chunk of Stakeknife this evening, I decided to purchase two of journalist Peter Taylor's books about the conflict in NI-Provos: The IRA & Sinn Fein and Loyalists. They're pretty old books now, but having recently watched a Taylor documentary where he revisited some of the footage he used in the series which aconpanied both books on their release, I think that they'll be interesting to dip into.

Now I'm really going to have to stop buying books-9 since last Sunday is a little ridiculous!

[Allan]

That was the one-'Who Won the War?'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04jy8hf

[Barbara]

Allan wrote: "So, despite my tbr pile continuing to grow rapidly, after reading a fair chunk of Stakeknife this evening, I decided to purchase two of journalist Peter Taylor's books about the confl..."

I found a copy of Stakeknife for $1 on ABE with $3 shipping so bought it! It was much more expensive on Amazon.
Allan - being sick has given you too much time to buy books. Though this is slightly off topic, I hope your book group's discussion of Eureka Street wasn't this week.

[Kevin]

I picked up Marie Fleming's bio An Act of Love for my mother not so long ago and I think I will give it a go myself soon.
My mother never reads and neither do my brothers and sisters, so I don't know where I got it but nevertheless I felt this is a book my mother would enjoy. She read it in the space of three days which shocked me. She was a remarkable woman as most Irish people are familiar with her Right to Die campaign for assisted suicide. What my mother loved though was the story of her troubled youth, a young woman with a child out a wedlock, an abusive mother, and no real future, never mind becoming a solicitor.
Definitely not my typical book but strangle looking forward to it.

[Barbara]

Kevin - that is a great story about the power of a relevant read and how it can engage even people not in the habit of reading.

[Allan]

Barbara, the group meeting was postponed until 6th November due to a few members being unable to attend. I had planned to go down anyway, given that I had suggested the book, but was pleased enough to get the email. The organiser seems to have been enjoying the title anyway, which was good to see, although how could you not?!

[Barbara]

Allan wrote: "Barbara, the group meeting was postponed until 6th November due to a few members being unable to attend. I had planned to go down anyway, given that I had suggested the book, but was pleased enough..."

It would have been a shame to miss so glad it was postponed. When Sara and I recommended Eureka Street for our book club, it was rejected because it was published before 2000. When the group started about 8 years ago, we did include books from the 90's. Happily, there are so many contemporary Irish writers publishing now, we have a lot of choices.

[Barbara]

Allan wrote: "So, despite my tbr pile continuing to grow rapidly, after reading a fair chunk of Stakeknife this evening, I decided to purchase two of journalist Peter Taylor's books about the confl..."

I'm not familiar with Peter Taylor and unfortunately the BBC blocks the BBC player to those outside of the UK and Ireland.

[Paul]

Maeve Binchy wouldn't be my thing anyway but I'm sure quite a few here have read her.

[Paul]

Its easy enough to set up a vurtual network to get around it.

[Paul]

Handy. I'll have to look that up. Whats the plugin called