november ended nicely with the prize ceremony for the momaya press short story competition, which richard and i went into london for on thursday night. it was held at the london review bookshop, not far from the british museum. i had to go up and talk about the inspiration for my story, hangers, that they have published in their 2006 anthology.
past places
- remember
these are memories from places in my past
read...
sadie jones: the outcast: a novel
what is it with me picking really dark books at the moment? isn't there anything out there that is happy? (***)andrew bavidson: the gargoyle
dark, dark and more dark. i should have figured this out from the blackened book spine. good, thought provoking. not sure i would recommend it. (**)stephenie meyer: breaking dawn
didn't go to the usa as planned so had to buy this in hardback. (****)rohinton mistry: a fine balance
my friend kelly warned me this was sad. without that warning i'm not sure i could have taken it, but knowing this, i really loved this book. mistry has an amazing ability to help you see why it's important to try to view things from another person's perspective. (*****)stephenie meyer: eclipse
yep still enjoying these. (****)stephenie meyer: new moon
once i got started, i had to finish the saga...i saw someone say this made them wish they were 13 again and i have to agree. it's very well done. (****)kate furnivall: the russian concubine
while i got a little confused between the characters for the first half of this book, and i wished i had a little more political context, i enjoyed this. set in pre-revolutionary china, this looks at a russian girl who falls in love with a chinese communist. (***)stephenie meyer: twilight (the twilight saga, book 1)
i had four people recommend this over a two day period so when i saw it in the airport bookstore i picked it up. having liked buffy, i really enjoyed it and have now bought book 2. (****)jane harris: the observations
despite a relatively distracting voice, bessy--the protagonist in this story--grows on you and i enjoyed this story despite its flaws. (***)sara gruen: water for elephants: a novel
four or five friends recommended this book before i wrote off to amazon to order it. i can understand why it has a viral following. it's great--good writing, gripping story, solid characters. well worth reading and my favourite new book of 2008. (*****)
listen...
come on get higher
matt nathanson: some mad hope
i picked this up during my recent trip to seattle and madeline and i both really like it, particularly come on get higher.this is the life
amy macdonald: this is the life
amy is one of our current favourites and we went to see her in concert last week in london. her scottish brogue really comes out live.the book i write (spoon)
various artists: stranger than fiction
we bought this after watching the movie on dvd, and subsequently have ordered a number of albums by artists who contributed tracks.i believe in love
indigo girls: despite our differences
i picked this up in the us when we were there and it's standard (in other words = excellent) indigo girls album.closer and closer apart
mary chapin carpenter: the calling
once we were supposed to go to a concert where mary chapin carpenter was opening for shawn colvin but we got the time wrong and arrived for the encores and a glass of wine. anyway this is a good album.how to save a life
the fray: how to save a life
what a good album.who needs love?
razorlight: razorlight
i love love love this whole album.gotta have you
the weepies: say i am you
i love this album, which i bought last week in seattle. folky and cool.without you
kubb: mother
saw kubb performing on jonathan ross and since then bought the album. we're really enjoying it.- the farmer in the dell
sesame street: kids favorite songs
ok, i'm only being honest! we got this as a gift from my team at work and we listen to it when changing nappies.
Photo Albums
b-b-b-books
it is an amazing thing watching a child develop.
madeline is turning eleven months old next week, and i feel that she is doing so many new things every day it's hard to even notice them all, let alone capture them. she has only recently "found her feet," or to be accurate i should say "found her knees" and is really getting around the house and going where she likes. her favourite place to go is to her bookshelf, where she says "b-b-b" (should i generously interpret this as her first word?), takes some books off the shelf, and brings them to me to read to her.
she is currently selecting:
mr brown can moo, can you? by dr seuss
the tickle book by ian whybrow and axel scheffler
the wheels on the bus by paul o. zelinsky
she has good taste, and i enjoy reading these books, but when i know all the words by heart, and "boom, boom, boom, mr brown is a wonder" is going through my mind as i try to go to sleep at night i know i've been through them a few too many times! i have been sneakily trying to move some other good books closer to the front of the shelf, but it doesn't work: each time she goes for her "b-b-b," she brings back at least one of these three.