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Recently bought (acquired) books!
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Barbara
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Aug 10, 2015 10:54PM
Luggage restrictions be &$!#%# ! I also mailed 6 packages from Shetland . Among them were 5 books - one that weighed nearly 4 pounds but not available anywhere online. Another is impossible to get except in stores that might have copies. There's always a reason....
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Sri Lanka is AMAZING, love it!! Barbara you'll just have to being Allan back with you and he can put all your purchases in his suitcase. Men don't need much when travelling
Seraphina, Barbara will need a cargo plane rather than a suitcase for her purchases-I doubt whether there will be enough characters in a single post to list them all! :)
Allan wrote: "Seraphina, Barbara will need a cargo plane rather than a suitcase for her purchases-I doubt whether there will be enough characters in a single post to list them all! :)"And who's to blame? Allan remembered which books were on my TBR list and was on his hands and knees pulling things out of bottom shelves. Like being in a toy store.
I was only trying to be a good host, Barbara... :)
Seraphina wrote: "Sri Lanka is AMAZING, love it!! Barbara you'll just have to being Allan back with you and he can put all your purchases in his suitcase. Men don't need much when travelling"That is fantastic. It sounds like the trip of a lifetime.
Barbara wrote: "Allan wrote: "Seraphina, Barbara will need a cargo plane rather than a suitcase for her purchases-I doubt whether there will be enough characters in a single post to list them all! :)"And who's t..."
I'd love to have seen that. Allan, did you not buy any books for yourself?
Cathleen wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Allan wrote: "Seraphina, Barbara will need a cargo plane rather than a suitcase for her purchases-I doubt whether there will be enough characters in a single post to list them all! ..."Cathleen, I was very much the facilitator to Barbara's escapades in the bookstore yesterday, but I did manage to prise three of the store's titles from her grasp and bought them myself.
I bought:
The Gamal by Ciaran Collins
The Trigger Men by Martin Dillon
Porno by Irvine Welsh, the last and only one of the Trainspotting trilogy that I have yet to read.
Cathleen wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Allan wrote: "Seraphina, Barbara will need a cargo plane rather than a suitcase for her purchases-I doubt whether there will be enough characters in a single post to list them all! ..."I should also add that Barbara kindly gave me a personalised signed copy of George Mitchell's memoir, The Negotiator: A Memoir, as well as a copy of Basil Blackshaw, Painter by Brian Ferran, both of which will be excellent additions to my NI collection.
I've managed to get a adavnced proof of John Boynes new book The Boy at the Top of the Mountain . I tgink it will be out in October so it will be interesting to get an early look at it. Sounds like a follow on of sorts to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, so it will be a big release.
I just love the image of Barbara and Allan book shopping together. I am laughing as I read the entries. I see how long Allan's book buying ban lasted under Barbara's influence. It sounds like your are having a trip of a lifetime. I am so envious.Seraphina, I expect some great posts from you. I bet Sri Lanka is wonderful.
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Sara wrote: "I think the real question that should be asked is what would happen if Barbara, Allan, and I were in a bookstore together? I think the bookstore would be due for a major restocking after."It would look like the shelves of a shop the day of the post-Christmas sales. :)
My sister just arrived today for a visit. She lives in Texas, so she thinks 85 degree F weather is "cool" and refreshing. Anyway, she brought me a bag of gifts including Go Set a Watchman, The Girl on the Train, and The Boston Girl. Tomorrow--probably not surprising--she'd like to visit a few book shops.
Cathleen, I am glad your sister came to you this year. It may be 85 but what is your humidity? Our weather has been unseasonably cool between 76-85. Thank goodness since we have had over 18 major fires going. One of them near us was the size of San Francisco and Boston combined. I've read two of those books and liked them both. I am interested in your opinion of Go Set a Watchman.
Susan wrote: "I just love the image of Barbara and Allan book shopping together. I am laughing as I read the entries. I see how long Allan's book buying ban lasted under Barbara's influence. It sounds like your ..."I have been doing very well over the last few weeks with the BBB, so a minor deviation can surely be excused.... ;)
Trust me, I think a deviation is always excused. We are bookaholics. AS vices go, it's not a bad one.
Susan wrote: "I just love the image of Barbara and Allan book shopping together. I am laughing as I read the entries. I see how long Allan's book buying ban lasted under Barbara's influence. It sounds like your ..."I did post a pic of us at the bookstore counter on Instagram:) I'll see if I can figure out how to post it here.
Allan wrote: "Susan wrote: "I just love the image of Barbara and Allan book shopping together. I am laughing as I read the entries. I see how long Allan's book buying ban lasted under Barbara's influence. It sou..."Allan- you neglected, I think, to mention your Tesco purchase. However, you are excused. One book at Tesco compared to my 11 (I think).
Anyway, everyone should be aware that I gave you a dispensation to buy books £3 and less. I will increase that to books that cost less than £4. That will include most of your used Amazon purchases, almost everything in the used bookshop, and Tesco specials:)
Everyone should be aware that BBB are usually established for 2 reasons:
1) to give your budget a break
2) to get control over unread book clutter.
I bought Station Eleven after Emma and Kevin recommended it so highly.Also ordered Red Rising for a book group read for next month.
Barbara wrote: "Allan wrote: "Susan wrote: "I just love the image of Barbara and Allan book shopping together. I am laughing as I read the entries. I see how long Allan's book buying ban lasted under Barbara's inf..."Barbara, I would never dream of buying a book and not declaring it - I posted about the Follett novel in post 2256! :)
Seeing that I have permission to break any BBB for books under £3, this morning I ordered Apple Of My Eye, having seen Trelawn's review - it sounds right up my street! I should also possibly declare that I preordered Bill Clegg's debut novel, Did You Ever Have a Family, which is on the Booker Long List but not released until the end of the month. Having enjoyed his memoirs, the critical acclaim centred around this one will probably put it to the top of my tbr pile when it arrives.
Apple of My Eye is a quick read Allan but puts you slap bang in the middle of the tourist hotspots of 1970s New York. Hanff is a great tour guide, fun and full of quirky facts.
I just received the new Stuart Neville book to review and if it's another Belfast under siege novel, I am going to ask Allan to move. My nerves can't take it. :)
Allan wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Allan wrote: "Susan wrote: "I just love the image of Barbara and Allan book shopping together. I am laughing as I read the entries. I see how long Allan's book buying ban lasted und..."Oops!
I have to post my book acquisitions tonight. I've been busy sorting out my yarn purchases but can move onto books now.
Here's the promised list. I should mention that I also have 5 more books on the way from Shetland. I am putting the place I acquired each book at the head of each list.Shetland
Fair Isle Knitting Patterns: Reproducing the Known Work of Robert Williamson
Gifts from friends
Inside Man: Loyalists of Long Kesh - The Untold Story
Everybody Matters. Mary Robinson
Knitting Vintage: 30 Knitting Projects Inspired by Period Fashions
Foster by Claire Keegan
Hodges Figgis
Women of the Irish Revolution by Liz Gilis
All Over Ireland: New Irish Short Stories Deirdre Madden (Ed.)
The Lives of Women by Christine Dwyer Hickey
Eggshells by Catriona Lally
Arimathea by Frank McGuinness
The Thrill of it All by Joseph O'Connor
The Black Snow by Paul Lynch
Poetry Ireland Review, April 2015
The Irish Review, Nos. 49-50, Winter-Spring 2014/2015
Belfast Tesco
H is for Hawk
Thursday's Child by Nicci French
Prayer for the Dead by James Oswald
Runaway by Peter May
The Girl Next Door by Ruth Rendell
Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey
The Children Act by Ian McEwan
No Other Darkness by Sarah Hilary
Now for the books I picked up here yesterday:Washington's U Street: A Biography - this is a new book and my book club read in 2 weeks.
Library used book store
American Wife (50 cents)
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See (50 cents)
The Country Girls Trilogy by Edna O'Brien (50 cents)
The Master by Colm Toibin (50 cents) - for a class
The Hanging Shed by Gordon Ferris ($1.50)
Company of Liars for 25 cents!
Fiona wrote: "How did the rest of your travels go Barbara?"Scotland and especially Shetland were great. I had an amazing time in Shetland. After I flew back to Dublin I went to Belfast for 3 days and got a promised drive up the Antrim Coast - absolutely gorgeous. I spent 3 hours at the Linen Hall Library, a real treasure. Also got to see the Mourne Mountains. Northern Ireland is a compact place but there's so much to see.
The Peter May sounds very intriguing. I am so envious of your Shetland visit. Is it like the Ann Cleves series?
Susan wrote: "The Peter May sounds very intriguing. I am so envious of your Shetland visit. Is it like the Ann Cleves series?"Well I am not aware of any murders although there are now hundreds of gas and oil workers living on big ships in at least two harbors. I'd say that would be great fodder for another book. Shetland is stunning. It's not overrun with visitors as it is hard to get to - either a 13 hour ferry ride that can be quite rough or a harrowing plane trip on a 44 seater that costs $400-500 from anywhere in Scotland or England.
Barbara, do you realise that you haven't posted details about your second hand purchases? I'd love for everyone to see the treasure trove that the wee shop can be if you know what you are looking for!
Allan wrote: "Barbara, do you realise that you haven't posted details about your second hand purchases? I'd love for everyone to see the treasure trove that the wee shop can be if you know what you are looking for!"You're right! I overlooked those. I thought my list was a bit short. I'll have to get to that later as I have a baseball game to get to.
Barbara wrote: "Susan wrote: "The Peter May sounds very intriguing. I am so envious of your Shetland visit. Is it like the Ann Cleves series?"Well I am not aware of any murders although there are now hundreds of..."
Barbara, I knew it was remote, but I had no idea it was that far away. I imagined the ferry ride was more like the Maine-Nova Scotia ferry. Where were the other people from who were in your knitting workshop? Were they from all over?
Wow, I did not know it was that far. How did you get there? Did your knitting group stay together in a place or how did that work? What Island were you on? I have to live vicariously through you.
Allan wrote: "Barbara, do you realise that you haven't posted details about your second hand purchases? I'd love for everyone to see the treasure trove that the wee shop can be if you know what you are looking for!"The baseball game was huge fun. Despite the heat, there was a cooling breexe, and we were seated in the shade. Baltimore beat Oakland 18-2.
My Belfast used book haul included:
Ripley Bogle by Robert McLiam Wilson £2
The Second Prison by Ronan Bennett £2
Art in Ulster: Vol 1 by John Hewitt £4.50
Sophisticated Boom Boom by John Kelly £2
Proxopera by Benedict Kiely £2
The Temptation Of Eileen Hughes by Brian Moore £2
Up Spake the Cabin Boy by Robert Harbinson £2
The Song of Erne by Robert Harbinson £3
The Road to the Shore by Michael McLaverty £2
Truth in the Night by Michael McLaverty £2
In Quiet Places : The Uncollected Stories, Letters and Critical Prose of Michael McLaverty £3
One by One in the Darkness by Deirdre Madden £2
The Arrival of Fergal Flynn by Brian Kennedy £2
Poets from the North of Ireland by Frank Ormsby £3
£33.50 for 14 books!
Shetland is about 300 miles from Scotland.http://www.distancefromto.net/between...
There were four of the 13 participants on my ferry. Four missed the ferry because they were bumped from their confirmed Flybe flight from Paris to Aberdeen. We were asked to take the ferry because flights are often cancelled due to fog in the summer.
The group totally occupied a remote small hotel :
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Revi...
We were on Shetland which is what locals call the main island. There are limited visitors to Shetland because it is expensive to get there. Flights from Scotland and various cities in England are around $500. The ferry cost me $250 round trip with a shared cabin each way. I don't think I could do it otherwise.
Our group included 2 English women, and 3 French, one of whom lives is Guinea, Africa (her husband is in the French foreign service). The other 8 were Americans from Maine,Massachusetts, 2 from California, NYC, Maryland (me), Chicago and one more. We were fairly compatible though one was a total narcissist and couldn't stop talking about herself and the woman from NY was a bit obnoxious (I got into it with her briefly one night, big surprise). the group leaders were an American author and designer and a Shetland native, recently moved back from Western Mass (she used to frequent The Book Mill) and now lives in Edinburgh. The hotel was owned by a Belgium chef and we had amazing dinners and very good breakfasts.
Thank you, Barbara. I never got the impression it was so far away. I looked at your hotel on Trip Advisor and it looked perfect for a group like yours. It's funny that you found the woman from NY obnoxious. I have noticed in my travels that NY people can be a bit patronizing. My mother avoided them like the plague. How were the Californians? What did you do in your knitting classes? So sorry to ask so many questions but I am just fascinated by your trip.
Susan wrote: "Thank you, Barbara. I never got the impression it was so far away. I looked at your hotel on Trip Advisor and it looked perfect for a group like yours. It's funny that you found the woman from NY o..."The woman from NY wasn't actually a native New Yorker but Japanese by birth. But she spoke almost accentless English and seemed to have adopted the agressive ways of city dwellers. She was very patronizing to me which is why I went off on her and said " Well not EVERYONE lives in New York". The Californians were both lovely. One woman from LA was very gracious and elegant. She had family from Orkney and was researching her family, and had learned a lot already. The other woman was from Northern California - 4 hours from San Francisco, and the opposite of pushy. We had talks about Shetland lace knitting, and fair isle and a fair isle workshop. We visited an organic sheep farmer (when I went through US Customs I said I hadn't visited any farms because I had no idea what would happen if I said yes), a weaver, and a woman who makes teddy bears from old fair isle sweaters http://burrabears.co.uk/
We made silver fair isle patterned buttons with this man:
http://www.redhouss.co.uk/
We also had a spinning lesson and a hand dying workshop. We went on two hikes - one was almost 2 and a half hours to Esnaness Lighthouse and Mavis Grind
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esha_Ne...
We had another hike of about an hour and a boat trip out to Ness
http://www.shetland.org/plan/areas/br...
Susan wrote: "Thank you, Barbara. I never got the impression it was so far away. I looked at your hotel on Trip Advisor and it looked perfect for a group like yours. It's funny that you found the woman from NY o..."I love reading about Barbara's trip, too, Susan--so you're not alone :)
Susan wrote: "Cathleen, I am glad your sister came to you this year. It may be 85 but what is your humidity? Our weather has been unseasonably cool between 76-85. Thank goodness since we have had over 18 major f..."I missed this note earlier, Susan. Our humidity is pretty high right now. Another 90 degree plus day today. I'll read Go Set a Watchman pretty soon. I have to read the Maitland book and I have a couple library books due back soon. Then the Lee book. I found it so interesting that without she and I ever talking about that book, my sister bought it for me. She must have intuited we had been talking about it here.
Barbara wrote: "Allan wrote: "Barbara, do you realise that you haven't posted details about your second hand purchases? I'd love for everyone to see the treasure trove that the wee shop can be if you know what you..."What finds, Barbara. That is a treasure trove.
Three new audiobooks:Baltimore Blues - a daily deal last week. I got The Silkworm and The Marco Effect on the current 2 books for one credit deal. Now out of credits til September.
Barbara, is there much in the 2 for 1 deal? I'm out of credits on Audible US, so missed the sale...
Allan wrote: "Barbara, is there much in the 2 for 1 deal? I'm out of credits on Audible US, so missed the sale..."It seems most of the selections are mystery/thrillers so I'd say you probably wouldn't be too tempted. Of the books I got, Silkworm got some good reviews from GRI members and the other is a Danish police procedural series that I like.
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Working at home is dangerous. I bought the following books:From Kennys:
Here's Me Here: Further Reflections of a Lapsed Protestant by Glenn Patterson ($12.70)
Tanglewoodby Dermot Bolger ($13.19)
What Becomes of Us by Henrietta McKervey
($15.33)
Kenny's Choice: 101 Irish Books You Must Read ($5.13)
Those We Left Behind by Stuart Neville ($15.28)
On the Islands Trust website I found Foula: The Time of My Life - a large book of photos of one of the Shetland Islands. I found it for only £10 plus shipping and on other sites the cheapest price was £25.
I won't say anything about the yarn I bought :)
My name's Barbara, and I'm a bookaholic...!
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