Journal Entry 1 by ds3233 from Sun City, Arizona USA on Saturday, April 09, 2005

A collection of fourteen months of his essays from the Believer magazine. A monthly account of what he bought and what he read (not always the same). I loved his portrayal of the editors of the magazine. First they were 12, then 99, then 84 - always wore long white robes and were somewhat mystical. Very funny. 

Journal Entry 2 by ds3233 at RABCK in RABCK, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Monday, April 25, 2005

Released 7 yrs ago (4/26/2005 UTC) at RABCK in RABCK, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent to labmomnm in New Mexico as part of the virtual non-fiction book box. 

Journal Entry 3 by labmomnm from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Monday, May 02, 2005

Arrived in the mail as part of PokPok's Virtual Bookbox 2005 World Tour - thanks, ds3233!

14 October 2005 - I Loved this book! However, I refuse to give it 10 stars, on the basis that it was too short (Hornby dings a book for being too short, so I'm only following the Great One's lead). I don't even know what my favorite snippet would be....I changed my mind every few pages. Maybe when he tells the story of watching a woman read one of his books while on holiday, or Gorky's probable response to Chekhov telling him what Tolstoy thought of his writing, or talks about buying more books than he actually plans to read, or......You get the idea. I'm going to race out this weekend and buy myself a copy to keep, and maybe a few to spread around (the book is also a fundraiser, so I am doing a good deed by buying several new copies. Is that the best justification ever, or what?!).

This copy is going to travel as a bookray:

KarinAlyssa (Canada) prefers North America shipping
jamesmum (CA) will ship anywhere
KarenZero (NY) prefers US shipping; we've given her a difficult shipping assignment :-)
twinkpuddin (NY) prefers US shipping, willing to ship OS
TheBowieFollies (NY) prefers US shipping
buffra (WV) will ship anywhere, bless her heart!
xallroyx (US) prefers US shipping
tbeckross (W,DC) will ship anywhere (another heart to bless!)
AnOtterChaos (PA) will ship anywhere
kizmiaz (Portugal) prefers European shipping <------
anna1000 (Switzerland) will ship anywhere (yay!)
dakingsize (Austria) prefers shipping w/in Europe
Qantaqa (Germany) prefers shipping w/in Europe
angel1509 (GB) will ship anywhere


 

Journal Entry 4 by KarinAlyssa on Friday, November 04, 2005

Received today with a cute picture. Thanks labmomnm for organizing that ray. I am leaving Ottawa for Montreal, so I'll start it on the train.

Update
I had forgotten to journal it afterwards, but I will do now. It's been a while since I read that collections of essays, but I like it a lot. This is one of the best rings/rays I read this year. I love to read about other books and other readers, because we all have different reading habits like in "Ex Libris" by Anna Fadiman, I could compare my own habits with the author's. I even added some books to my wishlist after reading some chapters. 

Journal Entry 5 by jamesmum from Richmond, British Columbia Canada on Monday, December 05, 2005

Caught it! I've received three bookrings in the past three days, but will get to this one promptly. I will also PM KarenZero to see if she wants me to send this to her before or after Christmas. Thanks - can't wait to read this one!

12/25/05: Update. I am enjoying this book so much! KarenZero has asked that I send this to her after the holidays, so I get to savour it for a bit longer. Lucky me!

1/11/05: Done! This was such a lovely book to read. Although it is a slender volume, don't be tempted to read it all in one go - each chapter was originally a monthly journal column, and I think you'll enjoy it more if you pause between chapters every now and then. The lines that made me laugh out loud:

On what we buy vs what we actually read: "When I'm arguing with St. Peter at the Pearly Gates, I'm going to tell him to ignore the Books Read column, and focus on the Books Bought instead. "This is REALLY who I am," I'll tell him. "I'm actually much more of a Genome guy than an Arsene Wenger guy. And if you let me in, I'm going to prove it, honest"."

On how to organize a home library: "I personally find that for domestic purposes, the Trivial Pursuit System works better tha the Dewey."

Off to KarenZero tomorrow....

January 14, 2006: Shipped. Delivery confirmation number 9102 8052 1390 7261 3156 58.

January 20, 2006: Delivered.


 

Journal Entry 6 by KarenZero from Brooklyn, New York USA on Monday, January 23, 2006

Book arrived safely! Will read ASAP! 

Journal Entry 7 by KarenZero from Brooklyn, New York USA on Thursday, February 16, 2006

I really liked this book! I particularly liked his quotation about people who buy more books than they can read, although going back through the book I couldn't find it again (so if anyone comes across it, please post it for us!). Like Hornby (and most of us I imagine) I buy more books than I can possibly read (although I aspire to read them all!). I've added some of the books Hornby mentioned to my wishlist to check out.

Thanks so much for sharing the book! I've passed it along to twinkpuddin. 

Journal Entry 8 by twinkpuddin from Venice, California USA on Friday, February 17, 2006

Can't wait to start this one 

Journal Entry 9 by twinkpuddin from Venice, California USA on Saturday, March 04, 2006

Finished this up! I love Hornby's writing style. Humorous guy. I was definitely inspired to check out some books he mentioned.

I think the quote KarenZero's referring to (although I feel like maybe there was another one?) is:

"...when he says that 'the truly cultured are capable of owning thousands of unread books without losing their composure or their desire for more.'

That's me! And you, probably! That's us! 'Thousands of unread books'! 'Truly cultured'!"

I look forward to reading more Hornby. Thanks labmomnm for sharing and to KarenZero for passing along! I have TheBowieFollies' address and intend to mail out on Monday. 

Journal Entry 10 by twinkpuddin from Venice, California USA on Monday, March 06, 2006

In the mail today - enjoy! 

Journal Entry 11 by TheBowieFollies from Brooklyn, New York USA on Friday, March 10, 2006

Very chuffed to see this book in the post! I have been anticipating this, Nick Hornby - my absolute favourite obsessive-compulsive. CHeers labmonm for letting me be a part of this and twink puddin, who lives in walking distance of me for sending! will be back soon for deconstruction 

Journal Entry 12 by TheBowieFollies from Brooklyn, New York USA on Monday, March 13, 2006

Ah to deconstruct the deconstructionist at his best..Hornby and his veritable mount TBR..As it happens, I have read quite a few of his aforementioned..I never realised how adroit the man is regarding cultural criticism and I will even say that his technique recalled camille paglia before her breakdown! Monsieur Hornby is rarely repetitive, and he is never afraid to be naked...
Speaking of which I wonder what he thinks of Mike Leigh..This should be consumed by any card carrying erudite. He is rarer than a faberge egg in a Chicester china closet, bless his kecks!
from one brit to another, hats off..
Cheers lab lady, this was a gem!
Will PM buffra the vampire slayer as she is next.. 

Journal Entry 13 by TheBowieFollies from Brooklyn, New York USA on Friday, March 17, 2006

this book was posted on thursday morning to almost heaven west virginia! You will love this book do, dear buffra...oh and Happy St Paddys erin go braless- well she was a modern lass afterall...

Merry Reads
:) 

Journal Entry 14 by buffra from Columbus, Ohio USA on Monday, March 20, 2006

Thanks! I got it! 

Journal Entry 15 by buffra from Columbus, Ohio USA on Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Oh, my. The worst book ever. A book that tells me about MORE books that I should read. And makes them sound SO worth reading! Shame on Nick Hornby for this. Shame on him. Shame on YOU for making it a ring that I felt the need to participate in!
;)

Hornby’s accounts of his reading habits, how the books seem to relate to one another and to real life and how real life can interfere with the business of reading all ring true. He is entertaining, a bit self-conscious, and witty. I enjoyed the book and now have a list of others, including:

The Fortress of Solitude – Jonathan Lethem; George and Sam: Autism in the Family – Charlotte Moore; Clockers – Richard Price; How Mumbo-Jumbo conquered the World – Francis Wheen; Not Even Wrong – Paul Collins; Hangover Square – Patrick Hamilton; True Notebooks – Mark Salzman; Random Family – Adrian Nicole LeBlanc; Tony Hoagland (poet); Bobby Fischer Goes to War – David Edmonds and John Eidinow; How to Breathe Underwater; Moneyball; Father and Son – Edmund Gosse; On and Off the Field – Ed Smith.

Oh, and the band Marah.
***

Off into the post it goes. Thanks a lot! *grumble*like Mt TBR needs to be any bigger*grumble* 

Journal Entry 16 by xallroyx from Huntington Beach, California USA on Saturday, June 03, 2006

very excited to finally received this bookray! I have one I'm finishing and this will be next! Thanks so much for sharing! 

Journal Entry 17 by xallroyx from Huntington Beach, California USA on Wednesday, June 07, 2006

This was a very quick read! Very nice since I have soooo many TBR! And now I have some more to add to my wishlist as well! It was nice seeing what Hornby has to say about other authors since I enjoy his books. I have the next person's addy and will get i the mail by this weekend! 

Journal Entry 18 by xallroyx from Huntington Beach, California USA on Tuesday, June 13, 2006

mailed out to tbeckross!!! 

Journal Entry 19 by tbeckross from Washington, District of Columbia USA on Friday, June 16, 2006

Received today, will get started as soon as I can. I love Nick Hornby and have been looking forward to this one. 

Journal Entry 20 by tbeckross from Washington, District of Columbia USA on Wednesday, July 19, 2006

I really enjoyed this... I'm a big Nick Hornby fan, and while I still prefer his novels, I sped through this little volume and thought it was a lot of fun. I agree with what someone else said about taking a break between chapters, I began doing that around halfway through and it made all the difference. It also helped my book wishlist grow!

Sending to AnOtterChaos tommorrow. 

Journal Entry 21 by AnOtterChaos from West Lawn, Pennsylvania USA on Monday, July 24, 2006

Going to spot number 2 on the TBR (behind an overdue library book ;) 

Journal Entry 22 by AnOtterChaos from West Lawn, Pennsylvania USA on Sunday, August 13, 2006

Fun book; At first I believed Mr. Hornby was a bit of a pretentious name dropper but then realized it was all tongue firmly in cheek. I believe Mr. Hornby & I have somewhat differing tastes in books (he doesn't like "Eats Shoots & Leaves" !!) but many things to enjoy, and a few to add to the TBR, including perhaps some of his own! Ready to move on! 

Journal Entry 23 by kizmiaz from Belém , Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Just got it, well get to it soon. 

Journal Entry 24 by kizmiaz from Belém , Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Monday, October 09, 2006