Stuck in a Book

Happy 200th post!

There are some discrepancies between my Blogger homepage and the actual Stuck-in-a-Book webpage, due to draft entries I think, so my own mini-celebration was a few days ago. Now you can all enter in the fun – 200 posts!

I usually steer clear of ‘widgets’ (funny little applications and things one can add to a blog) but spotted one on several blogs which I couldn’t resist – the Feedjit thingy down on the left. It has a map of the world and dots over it where recent visitors have come from. Unsurprisingly, half of my recent visitors are from the UK, but these are all the countries which have had a look in recently:

UK, USA, Japan, Canada, France, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Portugal, Brazil, Bulgaria, Italy, Cyprus, Belgium, Norway, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Finland, Germany, Poland, India

If you have a blog, I recommend popping this in. It’s incredibly easy to insert, doesn’t seem to slow the page down much, and I’m learning! My geographical knowledge wouldn’t impress a five-year-old – as I once famously declared, while sick with Geography homework and the importance attached to it: “Geography isn’t the world, you know!” So I’m discovering just where Bulgaria is, and that Puerto Rico is a nation and not just something in Westside Story. For the brighter amongst you, perhaps you can learn about the nations’ flags…

BBC i-player really is a wonder. I don’t know if it’s available to people outside of the UK, but it is rather ironic that the only channels which benefit from my television licence payment are also the only channels I can watch without having a television.

I have just caught up on Episode 2 of Lark Rise To Candleford. Now, throughout my book buying career there have been two books which have followed me around everywhere. Put down the ‘phone, I’m not a shilling short of a pound, let me explain. In nigh on every bookshop or charity shop I go, these books are there. Such is their ubiquity that I have stubbornly refused to either purchase or read the books. Just a natural perverseness (perversion seems such a horrible word) and being-difficult-ness. Those two books are South Riding by Winifred Holtby, and Lark Rise To Candleford by Flora Thompson. I had no idea either had anything of a following, and so was surprised to see the latter on the BBC schedules.

Perhaps they’re grabbing anything in sight? As has been noted by a lot of people, including Elaine quite recently, the BBC are doing bucketloads of costume drama, and casting the same half dozen people in all of ’em. If you include the other channels, we’ve recently had Cranford, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Oliver Twist, Old Curiosity Shop, Ballet Shoes and probably a few more I can’t remember. I love a costume drama, but perhaps too much of a good thing? Well, perhaps not. If it’s done well, there’s always room for more – so long as television producers realise a few bonnets and “thee”s thrown hither and thither don’t amount to character, writing or plot. Sometimes they make the mistake of believing a period setting will excuse deficiencies in every other part of a production – though usually the vague glimmers of a novel, beneath an adaptation, are enough to save a series. Novel writers just seem much better at all aspects of writing than scriptwriters. Which makes me wonder – why do we so rarely get period productions which aren’t adaptations? I can’t think of any.

Having not read Lark Rise to Candleford I can’t judge on how faithful the BBC’s version has been thus far, though I would wager not very, since Flora Thompson was writing autobiographically and the events have been pretty far-fetched. I’m firmly in the camp that an adaptation should be as close as possible to the original, and certainly not add or change things, but perhaps exaggeration and extension is the order of the day. Like most BBC costume dramas, it is the combination of background novel and foreground cast which make desirable watching – for Lark Rise To Candleford step forward Julia Sawalha, Linda Bassett, Liz Smith and Dawn French. I wonder if the lovely Julia, whom I first encountered as Lydia Bennett, has ever acted without a bonnet…
Anyway, it’s been enjoyable watching, but not ground-breaking – but has pointed me in the direction of the book. Will I succumb the next time I come across it? Maybe. But I certainly shan’t buy a TV tie-in edition.

Anyone else been watching this? Or have you had a surfeit of costume drama?

Well, that didn’t last long…
I realised that I was getting a tiny bit sated by modern fiction, not review books per se, and have been plying a lovely publisher or two for reprint fiction or literary crit/letters etc. Wonderful how a night’s sleep can make one remember how wonderful receiving review books is!

This wonderful picture came from seasonalsoundings.blogspot.com – go and have a look!
Lynne has been sharing the secrets of her success, as it were, talking about how she reads and reviews – and, along with a few other things, it’s got me thinking.

The first time I was offered a review book I was beyond excited – thank you very much lovely Ellie at Hesperus Press, and if you ever want to send some more..! – and I still get a little joyous at the sight of a review request in my inbox. I’m not inundated with them, so every one is still a nice surprise, and I have only turned down one so far, because it was an area of non-fiction which I didn’t feel qualified or interested enough in to read.

That’s the thing, you see – unlike Lynne, I haven’t got to the point where reading every book sent, cover-to-cover would be impossible, and so I can maintain my strict reading of everything that is sent. Perhaps it is the dizzy naivety of a 22 year old who believe that an eternity of reading lies ahead of him, or something like that, but I can’t start a book and leave it unfinished. Yes, yes, I know that liberation of putting aside reads which don’t satisfy, and it is a trait I almost admire, but I feel I have made something of a contract with the author. Let’s ignore Reception Theory for the moment (and forever, if that’s ok) I just think to myself “Hmm, well, if I’d spent months writing this book, the least I’d expect would be for the reader to spend a few days on it.” Which isn’t espeically rational, but is fixed in my head nonetheless.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a chore to read the books I’m sent – far from it. Some have become firm favourites. But I can’t cope with many more! I was recently asked to have my name put down as a blog reviewer in an article which would be circulated to vast numbers of writers, and, with regrets, I had to decline (well, first I excitedly accepted, but then my sensible hat came out of the wardrobe and was dusted thoroughly). I never thought I’d turn down piles of free books, but I’d feel obliged to read them – and I don’t have the time to read many more than I do, especially with a potential Masters looming. I’ll still accept everything sent to me, trust me, I just won’t court attention for hundreds… and writers can be content in the knowledge that I will read nigh on everything sent to me, though sometimes it may take a while…

My other issue – almost everything I’m sent has been written in the last year or two, unsurprisingly. And I want variety! Hence the picture – I’m embroiled in some wonderful re-reads… However wonderful a novel is, a modern writer can’t write it in 1840. So what I’d really love is more reprint publishers to send me things… can anyone recommend a reprint publisher who might be pleased with some publicity? Or perhaps I should get back in touch with my first firm friends, Hesperus Press…

There’s been something of a change in the Blogger-post-writing malarkey, which probably doesn’t make any difference for reading the blog, but is rather exciting and confusing. If anything goes wrong – not just in the blog, but in the world – let’s pretend it’s the new format’s fault. I love blaming technology for things – think of all that it (probably) perpetrates without us noticing, it’s only fair to redress the balance.

You’ll be impressed to note that I’m doing Booking Through Thursday on a Thursday, if only just. I had intended to write a review of Mary Cavanagh’s The Crowded Bed, but you’ll have to wait for tomorrow now. Suffice to say, it’ll be quite positive.

And that brings me neatly to this week’s BTT:

How much do reviews (good and bad) affect your choice of reading? If you see a bad review of a book you wanted to read, do you still read it? If you see a good review of a book you’re sure you won’t like, do you change your mind and give the book a try?

I’m going to take it as read that we’re talking about Blog Reviews, since I don’t read any others. Without wishing to open the can of worms that is the blogger vs. literary critic debate, on a personal level I get very little from newspaper reviews. More specifically, The Times, since it is the only newspaper I have occasional access to, being the one my family reads. (I don’t read the newspaper myself – takes up too much other reading time, and the experience is inherently transitory, I reckon.) The reviews printed in The Times are always too long, too unconnected with the book, and too highbrow for me. They muse around topics vaguely in the same area as the book, present their own opinion as though it were fact, and end up telling me almost nothing about whether or not I’d want to read the book – unless, of course, they just give the end away. And as for the books they review… worthy biographies are not my staple. Plus, quite naturally, they review only recently published books.

The blog acts as an opposite to almost all these points. I’m not arguing that they are more intellectually qualified etc. etc., but rather they serve the purpose I have in mind. Will I like this book? Will I value reading it? There are certain bloggers I trust as having similar opinions to me – Elaine, Karen, Lisa, Danielle and Margaret are all likely to influence whether or not I buy a book. To be honest, though, if a book immediately doesn’t appeal, even the most glowing appeal will leave me cold. If a close e-friend adores it, but it still doesn’t appeal, I’ll probably dither and buy it if ever seen in a charity shop, and read it four years later. I might read around thirty blog book reviews a week, most of them positive (because we tend not to comment if we’ve not enjoyed a book) and I can’t read the lot.

Oh, and blogging has the immense advantage that reviews talk about books from the last three hundred years, not the last three weeks. Anything could come up.

So what does a blog review do in terms of convincing me to read a book?
catapaults ones I already own up the tbr pileconvinces me to buy ones which sort of appeal alreadyputs books in my mind… if I hear about them another two or three times, I’m done for…

This book arrived this morning…

In the middle of all other sorts of books, so shall have all sorts of new comments in a flurry at some point. To link to yesterday, one is a re-read, one is a new read by an ‘old’ author, and one is a new read by a ‘new’ author! And, what is more, I’m enjoying the lot of ’em.

Getting late, so quick post today.

Something I forgot to add in my little meme about 2007’s reads – old and new authors. I mentioned that six of the books were re-reads, but haven’t brought up the issue of whether authors are first-time-reads or not.

So I had a look at last year. 53 of them were books by authors I hadn’t read before. Hmm. Quite a few of those were for review but, still, quite interesting. And does leave over 30 which were by familiar authors.

Both have advantages – a familiar author is a known entity. They can surprise, sure, but you more or less know what you’re getting. Perhaps they exceed expectation – like Vita Sackville-West’s All Passion Spent – or perhaps they disappoint a little – like Frank Baker’s Before I Go Hence. The fact remains that an expectation of some variety or other is there, and you can’t help comparing. On the other hand, a new author (new to you, that is) has untold possibility… or lack thereof.

A very short post today, I’m afraid, but something to get you thinking – which do you look forward to more? An author you know you’ll like, or a new author you might well love? Anticipation or safety??

I’m doing this week’s Booking Through Thursday rather late. Well, you could probably work that out from the day… Never mind, eh, let’s just pretend I spent the past few days pondering the question.

How did you come across your favorite author(s)? Recommended by a friend? Stumbled across at a bookstore? A book given to you as a gift?Was it love at first sight? Or did the love affair evolve over a long acquaintance?
Well, as Margaret points out, this question involves the very tricky decision as to favourite authors. Since I shan’t be compiling a proper list today, I’ll just mention the ones which are undoutedly favourites, and any others which come into my head.

-Miss Hargreaves by Frank Baker – this is the one I yammer on and on about! See the 50 Books… Well, this was loaned to me by my piano teacher, after a chance conversation.

-The Diary of a Provincial Lady by EM Delafield – Though this is quite well known in the world of middlebrow interwar fiction, and still in print, I came at it in rather a roundabout way. Bought 1940’s Modern Humour because it had a sketch by AA Milne in it – read the others, and read two by EM Delafield. Those exact two should be available through a link on the excellent EMD website www.starcourse.org/emd but that address isn’t currently working on my computer… Anyway, loved these sketches (actually from As Others Hear Us) and sought out other EMD things from our local library – step forward Provincial Lady.

-the non-Pooh works of AA Milne – saw a Winnie-the-Pooh cartoon early in 2001, and re-read the books. Then sought out Christopher Milne’s The Enchanted Places, then AA Milne’s Year In, Year Out, then his autobiog, then everything else…

–Persephone Books – found a Richmal Crompton novel in a local bookshop and, having loved William, thought I’d give it a go. Loved it, and read many. Later saw a newish looking copy of Family Roundabout at the library, which led me to Persephone…

-Sometimes I just pick up a book more or less at random, and love it. Examples include The L-Shaped Room by Lynne Reid Banks; The Love Child by Edith Oliver…

-Most books I read are through some sort of connection. A LOT are recommends from dovegreybooks Yahoo Group (responsible for my penury). Some are recommended by parents or friends – though I haven’t had a recommendation from Mum for a while. If you’re reading this, Our Vicar’s Wife, recommend me something!

And for 2) – yes, they were all favourites after the first read! I’m afraid I rarely re-read, and certainly not something I didn’t enjoy much the first time.

Before I go, Nancy asked about the film Amazing Grace – I’ll quote The Carbon Copy’s blog from March 07, when he saw it: “I went to see Amazing Grace last night, the new film based on the life of William Wilberforce (and there’s no real excuse if you don’t know who he is) and I was pretty impressed; not sure how close to the truth it was, but I enjoyed it – and was moved by it. Nice to see a strong(ish) Christian message coming through, and the idea that Wilberforce needed the love of a good woman before he could help abolish slavery is one that I like, even if it’s almost certainly untrue. A worthwhile film.”