Introductions

[Mark]

Farrah wrote: "I’m bookcase hoverer too :) It’s really interesting to see what types of books people read and how it ties into their personalities."

Yet another advantage of pBooks over eBooks.

[Lady Clementina]

LindaH wrote: "Hi, I’m Linda. I’m American (half Norwegian though) and an avid reader. I was a children’s book editor living in NY for 30 years.

Things I have in common with all of you in this thread:

I want to..."
Welcome Linda, nice to see you here :)

[Haaze]

LindaH wrote: "Hi, I’m Linda. I’m American (half Norwegian though) and an avid reader. I was a children’s book editor living in NY for 30 years.

Things I have in common with all of you in this thread:

I want to..."

So you speak and read Norwegian? :)

[Susan]

Even worse if they don't have a bookcase! Linda, I also shy away from movie versions of books. I am never sure why I can happily read all of Proust but can't sit through an entire film, but there are enough movie buffs here already, so it's fine.

[Brina]

Hello all. My name is Brina. Susan and Judy invited me here from their detective group. I am a full bred American so my reading of U.K. Literature is severely lacking. Looking forward to being here.

[Lady Clementina]

LindaH wrote: "Hi, I’m Linda. I’m American (half Norwegian though) and an avid reader. I was a children’s book editor living in NY for 30 years.

Things I have in common with all of you in this thread:

I want to..."
Linda, good to see you're a Wodehouse fan too- I love his books.

[CQM]

I find myself looking at bookcases in the background in photographs in magazines and suchlike and trying to identify books. I think maybe I need help...

[Daniel]

CQM wrote: "I find myself looking at bookcases in the background in photographs in magazines and suchlike and trying to identify books. I think maybe I need help..." Have you tried an Opticians?

[Lady Clementina]

CQM wrote: "I find myself looking at bookcases in the background in photographs in magazines and suchlike and trying to identify books. I think maybe I need help..."

You're not the only one- I do that all the time, and try to see if I can spot a new (to me) author or two :)

[Susan]

We now have 50 members! I think that's a bit of a milestone :)

[Nigeyb]

Susan wrote: "We now have 50 members! I think that's a bit of a milestone :)"

Agreed. Drinks are on the house over at The Midnight Bell between 4 and 6 pm. See you there!

[Susan]

Sadly not, as I have to go out tonight... Have one on me, Nigeyb :)

[Hugh]

Thanks to Susan for inviting me. I live in Nottingham and read a lot of modern literary fiction. Not sure how active I will be here as I have a lot of other reading commitments...

[Haaze]

Susan wrote: "We now have 50 members! I think that's a bit of a milestone :)"

[Susan]

Welcome to the group, Hugh. Feel free to lurk, or comment about the many subjects other than books!

Haaze - thanks :)

[CQM]

Lady Clementina wrote: "CQM wrote: "I find myself looking at bookcases in the background in photographs in magazines and suchlike and trying to identify books. I think maybe I need help..."

You're not the only one- I do ..."

Glad it's not just me. I was beginning to think I'd revealed too much.

[Judy]

Welcome Brina and Hugh, glad you both joined - and thanks for the champagne, Haaze!

[Ivan]

CQM wrote: "I find myself looking at bookcases in the background in photographs in magazines and suchlike and trying to identify books. I think maybe I need help..."

I do this all the time. Wherever I find a bookcase - I'm checking out those titles.

[Judy]

When I visit National Trust properties and other stately homes I love peering at some of the strange old titles in their bookcases, and often mean to look them up on the internet when I get home... but I usually forget all the titles and never get round to it!

[Haaze]

Judy wrote: "When I visit National Trust properties and other stately homes I love peering at some of the strange old titles in their bookcases, and often mean to look them up on the internet when I get home......"

*Hic*

You need to bring a phone/camera and take a few shots of the enticing shelves. It helps with the titles.. ; -)

[Haaze]

Ivan wrote: "I do this all the time. Wherever I find a bookcase - I'm checking out those titles. ."

I suspect that we act very similar if close to a bookshelf!! Ha ha!

[Ivan]

Judy wrote: "When I visit National Trust properties and other stately homes I love peering at some of the strange old titles in their bookcases, and often mean to look them up on the internet when I get home......"

Judy - this is how I am when I enter a BIG bookstore - new or used. There are a thousand books I'm looking for and as soon I cross the threshold my mind goes blank (I'm taking a list to Chamblin's Bookmine in Jacksonville on Monday).

[Jill]

A friend of mine supplies old books to people who want to fill their bookshelves, so public places are not to be taken too seriously. He has supplied to a lot of hotels, as well as private people.

(For some reason GR didn't like the word bookcases)

[Ivan]

Jill wrote: "A friend of mine supplies old books to people who want to fill their bookcases, so public places are not to be taken too seriously. He has supplied to a lot of hotels, as well as private people."
Well, I never. Frauds and phonies. However, I'll still look at those volumes and since they seemingly mean nothing to 'those' people they won't mind if I pinch something I fancy.

Those are like the folks who fill their shelves with knick knacks from the junk shop and never realize they have a Ming vase.

[Jill]

Ivan wrote: "Jill wrote: "A friend of mine supplies old books to people who want to fill their bookcases, so public places are not to be taken too seriously. He has supplied to a lot of hotels, as well as priva..."

They may be annoyed that you have spoilt their décor though!

[Tania]

It gets worse. There is a business near me called The Dummy Book Co, I think they make them out of resin, to put on the bookcases.

[Haaze]

Hmm, there are always the IKEA bookcases in the display rooms, but at times there are actually some Swedish gems stuck in them (and lots of duplicates). Funny to be looking at books in a furniture store.

[Bronwyn]

CQM wrote: "I find myself looking at bookcases in the background in photographs in magazines and suchlike and trying to identify books. I think maybe I need help..."

Is this not normal...? :)


I loved when I worked at a historic house, the shelves had all the family's books. In the boys' room there was even some Waugh. It was great.

[Haaze]

What is a historic house - a museum type of house?

[Bronwyn]

Haaze wrote: "What is a historic house - a museum type of house?"

Yes, exactly. :) The one I worked at was Edsel Ford's home, left how it was when the family lived there. (fordhouse.org) I really loved it; I did an internship there when I was in school, too.

[Ivan]

Décor? Books are not bric-a-brac. Besides, I'd surprised if they even know I'd pinched something - or it'd be like "hey, the blue one is gone." No, no sympathy for the great unread.

[LindaH]

Thanks for all the responses. To Haaze’s question, Alas, I wish I spoke Norwegian so I could read the untranslated books by Norwegian authors, and for that matter, at least French, German and Spanish. I am always frustrated when I read about a great book and it hasn’t been translated into English. And to Ivan, thanks for saying you “gravitate to bookshelves in other houses”. Not only do we have that in common, but many here do too.

It feels good to be in such excellent company!

[Marcus]

Hello everyone,

I'm Marcus, from Brasília, Brazil. I read must nonfiction (humanities in general) and want to improve my fiction readings. Look forward to it in this new group.

[Judy]

Welcome, Marcus, nice to see you over here. :)

[Susan]

Hi Marcus, welcome to the group :)

[Judy]

Just a reminder, please post all self-promotion posts in the relevant section, and not in the general threads. Any self-promotion posts in other sections will be moved, as stated in the group welcome message. Thanks everyone!

[Adrian]

Hi everyone
My name is Adrian, I'd just like to say many thanks to Susan for inviting me to join. I recognise a few members from other groups I am a member of, so its nice to see familiar "faces".
I now live in Ironbridge (World Heritage Site) in the Midlands of England, having been born and raised in London and lived for some years in Southern France.
Bookwise, I enjoy detective novels (Christie, P D James, Colin Dexter) as well as some of the classics and yes, SF. An eclectic mix.
I look forward to joining in with some of the reads in this group.
Thank you again for the invite
Adrian

[Susan]

Hi Adrian, welcome to the group :)

[Adrian]

Thanks Susan :)

[Pip]

Adrian wrote: "Hi everyone
My name is Adrian, I'd just like to say many thanks to Susan for inviting me to join. I recognise a few members from other groups I am a member of, so its nice to see familiar "faces".
..."

Hi Adrian! You've just brought back fond-ish memories of studying O Level history - Abraham Darby and his new-fangled methods of iron-smelting, haha! Which part of the South of France did you live in? I'm in the North of Spain - the Basque side - so maybe we used to be neighbours! Nice to meet you, either way :-)

[Judy]

Welcome to the group, Adrian.

[Adrian]

Judy wrote "Welcome to the group"

Thanks Judy

Pip wrote " Which part of the South of France did you live in? I'm in the North of Spain - the Basque side - so maybe we used to be neighbours!

Hi Pip, I used to live in Aquitaine just north of Pau. So not that far away from the wonderful Basque country. Lucky you !!

[Brina]

Hi, Adrian. I hope we can do some more Christie buddy reads over here. And hi Marcus.

[Jane]

Thank you for the invitation, Susan.

I'm Jane, I live in Cornwall and I read quite widely, but the recent past is where I'm happiest.

I've been reading a lot from my Virago Modern Classics collection lately.

I've just started reading Dorothy Dunnett, and I'm smitten.

Favourites include Elizabeth von Arnim, Anita Brookner, Angela Carter, Agatha Christie, Barbara Comyns, Rumer Godden, Margaret Kennedy, Oriel Malet, Daphne du Maurier, Kate O'Brien, Margery Sharp, Elizabeth Taylor, William Trevor, Sylvia Townsend Warner, Patricia Wentworth, Rebecca West, Edith Wharton ….

[Haaze]

Welcome Jane!
Nice avatar! I see that you enjoy Zola as well. Hmm, I'm very curious about Dunnett's works - a cult classic? There are some very devoted fans of her books!

[Susan]

Hi Jane - welcome to the group :)

[Julie]

Hello Everyone. I'm Julie and I hail from the beautiful Lake District in the NW of England. I very rarely comment but be assured I do read everyone's messages!

[Susan]

Hi Julie, welcome to the group. We are very friendly, so please do comment - we'd love to hear your thoughts :)

[Judy]

Welcome, Jane and Julie! Jane, I also love reading Virago classics and those are some great authors. I want to read more by Rumer Godden.

[Lady Clementina]

Hello Jane and Julie. I enjoy Von Arnim and Du Maurier too