Thursday 9 July 2009

Out of the doldrums

Thanks to everyone who helped try to cheer me up yesterday. I am feeling a lot more jolly today - which is weird as I AM actually poorly today with pretty awful stomach pain.

And I think I have got out of the reading doldrums... I picked up Candida Lycett Green's Over the hills and far away, which turned out to be a really enjoyable read, which I shall blog about later. While browsing the Waterstones website, I read that a new Marina Lewycka has literally just been published, We are all made of glue. I loved her last books, and as I was feeling so jaded by all of the books available for me I decided I couldn't wait for it to hit the library, and bought myself a copy. I hope it might be here by the weekend.

I also bought a pair of shoes. Which I didn't need at all. I really needed some work summer shoes. But cheered me up. Hurrah for shoes and new books.

I had a lovely read of Waterstones Books Quarterly while my boyfriend was watching last night's edition of Le Tour. I'd not encountered this magazine before, but I'd highly recommend it. It's free in Waterstones stores if you have a Waterstones card (and you can get one of those for free). The articles are also available online. There was a fascinating article about Sarah Waters and The little stranger, lots of reviews (my want-to-read list expanded rapidly), and an interview which convinced me to want to read The American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld - I've read her other books, but this didn't initially appeal, but it definitely does now.

I also got excited thinking about the Persephone challenge which Paperback Reader and I are planning - we'll post about that in due course. And I also enjoyed looking at Jackie's parenting book-group suggestions and coming up with ideas for that and her next themed post.

Normal cardigan wearing service resumed I think...

5 comments:

  1. The Books Quarterly magazine looks like it would be fun to flip through. Can you purchase it at the store? Just wondering for when I'm next in London. It was a laugh watching people enthusiastically jump into the Persephone Reading Week that you and Claire are planning! Way to go.

    The shoes are pretty cute btw!

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  2. Yes, you can get it at the store. If you email me your address, then I'm happy to post it to you when I'm done (it might be a month or so...)

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  3. Oh, that would be really nice! And no worries, whenever you got around to it between now and Christmas would be fine:) I don't see your email address on your profile but if you send it to me through my profile then I'll send you my address back. Thanks verity!

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  4. I'm pleased to hear you are feeling a bit happier today.

    I have never looked at the Waterstones Books Quarterly before - I'll have to keep an eye out for a copy next time I'm in there.

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  5. I have just finished We Are All Made of Glue and it was a good comfort read - if you liked Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian I would definitely recommend it. Like her past books they are breezy and funny but with a bit of a hard edge underneath - perfect.

    And I loved the Waterstones Quarterly when I picked one up last year (January) when I visited London. I went to their website to see how I could get them sent to Australia but the price was prohibitively expensive so I will just have to settle for the online version.

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