Journal Entry 1 by jaynereader from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, January 12, 2005

'A perfect book for anyone who is passionate about books'

A series of essays about the author's, and her family's, passion for books, and words in general.

International bookring going to:

ziggythecat UK
chelseagirl UK
scaree UK
MaisyMay UK
luvtink81 US
MollyGrue US
opheliadrowned US
tuff517 US
sqdancer Canada
hey-miki UK
winterson UK
MaureenHB UK
jaynereader UK

This is how it works:
When you have read the book, PM the next person on the list for their address.
Please journal the book as soon as you receive it (so we all know where it currently is) and again once you've read it (so we know what you thought of it).




 

Journal Entry 2 by ziggythecat from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 20, 2005

Thanks Jaynereader this arrived safely today. I love that parcels now seem to always arrive at tea-time, as this did. A lovely end to the day. 

Journal Entry 3 by ziggythecat from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 15, 2005

I really enjoyed reading this little book/set of essays really. I'd been a bit concerned I'd come away feeling like an ignoramus but, although the writer is obviously much 'better read' than I am, it didn't have that effect. The book is funny, erceptive and, sorry folks, makes you want to go out & rummage in good bookshops and allow yourself even more time to read!
I particularly enjoyed the chapter about the different types of readers - those who keep books pristeen cf those who read them in the bath, fold over corners, get crumbs in them etc. I definitely fall into the second category (although I do try & look after bookring books honest!)It was reassuring to lnow that Anne Fadiman considered this more than acceptable behaviour, lol.
Thanks Jaynereader for sharing this delightful book. 

Journal Entry 4 by chelseagirl from Faringdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, February 24, 2005

This arrived safely today. I'd forgotten all about it so it was a lovely surprise!! I'm nearly finished on my current read and as this looks like a quickie I'll probably read it next. Thanks! 

Journal Entry 5 by chelseagirl from Faringdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Monday, February 28, 2005

I'm afraid I was a little bit disappointed by Ex Libris. It started off well, and i could really identify with the essays on different ways of treating books, spotting the typos and marrying two people's libraries, and I loved the chapter on inscriptions; it made me want to rush out and peruse the local second-hand book shop for interesting quotes. But then the essays seemed to get really technical - it started with the one on poetry, which i didn't understand at all, and from then on I just felt it was all a little over my head and dry and dull. A shame, as I'd really enjoyed the earlier essays in the book.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this, it's not something I'd have come across without bookcrossing.

I'll post this off to scaree asap. 

Journal Entry 6 by scaree from Eastbourne, East Sussex United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Sorry, I'm not sure I know how long I've had this, I found it in my handbag still in it's bubble bag!

sorry - and poor book. 

Journal Entry 7 by scaree from Eastbourne, East Sussex United Kingdom on Monday, June 13, 2005

I tried really really hard to like this book.

I really wanted to like this book.

Sadly, after a great start, (I could really identify with marrying two libraries together - although I suspect we had more books!) it flagged quite quickly.

I wanted to like this person who referred to her unique family as Fadiman and reminded me so much of myself, but found I couldn't. Worse still, I cannot quite identify the real reason I found the book such a difficult volume to read.

It has short chapters, each a complete story in itself, the style a little impersonal in places, but still quite readable and the subject matter is very dear to my heart so I wish I had loved this book.

It was worth dipping through the book as I tried to find something I would really like, there it was on page 65 - Inset a carrot! If you read little else in this book, you surely *must* read that.

Have pm'd Maisy may for it's next stage.
 

Journal Entry 8 by luvtink81 from Wichita, Kansas USA on Friday, July 22, 2005

Received in the mail yesterday and started reading it this morning! :) 

Journal Entry 9 by luvtink81 from Wichita, Kansas USA on Monday, August 15, 2005

I'm sorry, I forgot to journal this earlier. I really enjoyed this book. It was a really quick, light read. I mailed it to the next person in line last Thursday. 

Journal Entry 10 by MollyGrue from Tacoma, Washington USA on Thursday, August 18, 2005

I do have a ring ahead of this one, but I expect to get to it soon. :) Thanks! 

Journal Entry 11 by MollyGrue from Tacoma, Washington USA on Saturday, August 20, 2005

I really liked this! I didn't think it was going to be so short! Some interesting meditations on collecting books, language, and literature.

Reserved for the next reader. 

Journal Entry 12 by MollyGrue at in the mail in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, September 04, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (9/4/2005 UTC) at in the mail in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to opheliadrowned. Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 13 by tuff517 from Elk Grove Village, Illinois USA on Saturday, September 10, 2005

Received this Thursday, will start ASAP. 

Journal Entry 14 by tuff517 from Elk Grove Village, Illinois USA on Saturday, September 24, 2005

This was such a great book, I can't even describe it. Almost every essay in here made me gasp with recognition or think, "Me too!". It reminded me of my grandmother's library with her old, smelly, lovely books. I hope one day my books smell, too. Passing along to sqdancer. I enjoyed this book so much I'm going to buy one for my PC.

Thank you!! 

Journal Entry 15 by sqdancer on Friday, October 14, 2005

I've been looking forward to this book. I have a few rings ahead of it, but I will get to it soon.

 

Journal Entry 16 by sqdancer on Monday, November 07, 2005

For some reason, I also thought this book would be longer. I really enjoyed it, and, like tuff517, I am going to have to get a copy for my PC.

Thanks, jaynereader, for sharing.

Will be sent out this afternoon via Air Mail.


Apologies to hey-miki, it has already snowed here and I have no autumn leaves to send :(
Look for the postcard with autumn leaves on it - it's the best I could do this time.



Addendum: ACK!! found in back of the car!!! Was actually sent out Tues, Nov 22 via Air Mail. Most sincere apologies for the delay.

 

Journal Entry 17 by hey-miki from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Hooray, it's here! I've been wanting to read this book for years. (Since it came out, in fact)
I've already read the first essay and it's completely charming. I'm going to savour every page!

Thanks sqdancer for the pretty postcard! Next time I'll ask for a snowflake instead ;) 

Journal Entry 18 by hey-miki from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 02, 2006

This is such a charming book. I couldn't help but read it twice! Each chapter is a delightful nugget of bibliophilia (which I’m going to list here lest I forget):

Marrying Libraries - describes the challenges of the author merging her library with her husband's
The Joy of Sesquipedalians - about collecting obscure words (and specifically: monophysite, mephitic, calineries, diapason, grimoire, adapertile, retromingent, perllan, cupellation, adytum, sepoy, subadar, paludal, apozemical, camorra, ithyphallic, alcalde, aspergill, agathodemon, kakodemon, goetic, and opopanax!)
My Odd Shelf - "On this shelf rests a small, mysterious corpus of volumes whose subject matter is completely unrelated to the rest of the library, yet which, upon closer inspection, reveals a good deal about its owner."
Scorn Not the Sonnet – describing the author's attempts at composing poetry
Never Do That to a Book - about the ways we physically treat our books
True Womanhood - on the author's responses to a book of "instruction for women" that once belonged to her great-grandmother
Words on a Flyleaf - on writing inscriptions
You Are There - about the practice of reading books in the places the describe (I once took "A History of the World in 10 1/2 chapters" to the Louvre to read about one of its paintings)
The His'er Problem – and avoidance of gender bias in writing
Insert a Carrot – on compulsive proofreading (- an addiction Fadiman admits to so endearingly. Move over Lynne Truss!)
Eternal Ink – about the author’s favourite pen
The Literary Glutton – on food in literature
Nothing New Under the Sun – a witty footnoted piece on plagiarism
The Catalogical Imperative – examining the appeal of mail-order catalogues
My Ancestral Castles – regarding the influence of Fadiman’s parents’ books (- “their selves were on their shelves”)
Sharing the Mayhem – about public and private readings
The PM’s Empire of books – concerning a little known 1890 book: “On Books and the Housing of Them” by Gladstone
Secondhand Prose – about the delights of secondhand bookshops

Thank you jaynereader for sharing this wonderful book. And I’m so sorry for holding up the bookring (you can tell I’m reluctant to part with it…!).
I’ll be hunting out my own copy now (I’m hoping it’ll turn up a few years from now – a hidden jewel in a forgotten corner of a musty little secondhand bookshop…)

Posting to MaureenHB
 

Journal Entry 19 by MaureenHB from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, May 07, 2006

Received yesterday thank you. Looking forward to reading this. 

Journal Entry 20 by MaureenHB from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, June 03, 2006

I really enjoyed this book, and found myself laughing out loud at some parts. Much of it has stuck in my mind ..ie, the maid who left a note on a book that had been left upside down with its pages splayed open, saying that the owner should not treat books in such a way! I keep thinking of that when my husband does this to his books ( I am not so naughty of course!) Thank you very much for sharing, PMing for address shortly. MaureenHB 

Journal Entry 21 by jaynereader from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 06, 2006

And it's back! Thanks everyone for your comments and for keeping the ring going. I can't wait to read it again now!