Journal Entry 1 by Bookcloud from Bournemouth, Dorset United Kingdom on Friday, September 07, 2007

A hilarious story which had me laughing out loud, and its not often I do that with a book. 

Journal Entry 2 by Bookcloud at Bashley Caravan Park in Bashley, Hampshire United Kingdom on Saturday, September 15, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (9/15/2007 UTC) at Bashley Caravan Park in Bashley, Hampshire United Kingdom

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Handed to sis, Madmadge. 

Journal Entry 3 by madmadge from Christchurch, Dorset United Kingdom on Sunday, November 25, 2007

Thanks for the book sis. See you later.


George Hall doesn't understand the modern obsession with talking about everything. 'The secret of contentment, George felt, lay in ignoring many things completely.' Some things in life, however, cannot be ignored. At fifty-seven, George is settling down to a comfortable retirement, building a shed in his garden, reading historical novels, listening to a bit of light jazz. Then Katie, his tempestuous daughter, announces that she is getting remarried, to Ray. Her family is not pleased - as her brother Jamie observes, Ray has 'strangler's hands'. Katie can't decide if she loves Ray, or loves the wonderful way he has with her son Jacob, and her mother Jean is a bit put out by all the planning and arguing the wedding has occasioned, which get in the way of her quite fulfilling late-life affair with one of her husband's former colleagues. And the tidy and pleasant life Jamie has created crumbles when he fails to invite his lover, Tony, to the dreaded nuptials. Unnoticed in the uproar, George discovers a sinister lesion on his hip, and quietly begins to lose his mind. The way these damaged people fall apart - and come together - as a family is the true subject of Mark Haddon's disturbing yet very funny portrait of a dignified man trying to go insane politely.

 

Journal Entry 4 by madmadge from Christchurch, Dorset United Kingdom on Monday, June 22, 2009

I think a more apt title for this book would be "MORE Than a Spot of Bother"! Many of the scenes portrayed in it had me cringing in my seat and I could have shaken George on a couple of occasions but it made me realise that there are probably quite a few families out there who go through similar situations. I wouldn't call it a funny book but it was extremely amusing in places. Not my normal type of read but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I am making it into a ring.

Thanks sis for passing it on to me. x x 

Journal Entry 5 by madmadge from Christchurch, Dorset United Kingdom on Monday, July 06, 2009

Here's the reading order:

1. Tsjara- NL
2. Laui- NL
3. AgdaAgulina- Czech Republic
4. misterpip- Czech Republic
5. Aberpeter- USA
6. rhythmbiscuit- USA
7. Sunfi- USA
8. darkpunkangel- Canada
9. hyper7- South Africa
10. mrbaggins1- South Africa
11. Tamichan- Japan
12. jonniboi- UK

RULES:
Please journal the book as soon as it arrives and when you post it off to the next reader. Try to read it within four weeks if possible and don't forget to add your comments on the book. Hope you all enjoy it. 

Journal Entry 6 by madmadge at Mudeford, Dorset United Kingdom on Friday, July 10, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (7/10/2009 UTC) at Mudeford, Dorset United Kingdom

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Posting off at Mudeford Post Office to tsjara today - sorry for the delay but you know how life gets in the way sometimes!

I hope you all enjoy the book. 

Journal Entry 7 by Tsjara from Assendelft, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, July 16, 2009

Arrived here safely today with a lovely card. Thank you Madmadge for organizing this ring and sending it!
Looks like a fun read and I look forward to reading it, but I have still one and a half ring before this one (strange how they always seem to arrive in flocks or something). 

Journal Entry 8 by Tsjara from Assendelft, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Friday, August 14, 2009

I finished reading the book in a couple of days, which was faster than I had expected since it looked quite big (about 500 pages). The story reads easily and it was also really funny sometimes. Though it was strange and a bit disturbing to see how George was slowly going mad, but the people around him didn't really seem to notice..

Sorry for holding on to the book so long.
I have PMed Laui and will probably sent the book out on monday. 

Journal Entry 9 by Tsjara at Heiloo, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Monday, August 17, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (8/17/2009 UTC) at Heiloo, Noord-Holland Netherlands

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Now on its way to Laui (sent it as a package because it was too fat to fit through the mailbox).

Happy Bookcrossing! 

Journal Entry 10 by Laui from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Wednesday, August 19, 2009

It's here. Thanks for including me, madmadge. & thanks for sending it, Tsjara!

I have 1,5 books before this one, but I'm quite sure I'll finish it within a month. Please nudge/poke me if you think it's taking too long.

I'll keep you all posted! 

Journal Entry 11 by Laui from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Wednesday, September 09, 2009

This one had me laughing so hard I could barely breathe. The last bit is certainly the best, it's both sugar sweet and fairy tale like, as the best comedy I've ever read. Apart from the many laughs I've had, I think George's mental illness is described very well. Highly recommended, everyone should read it! I don't remember ever laughing this much and this loud while reading a book, I usually reserve these kind of fits for television...

Now contacting the next reader and trying to find out if I can avoid having to mail it as a parcel (costs twice as much). Thanks very much for including me, I would not have wanted to miss this for the world! Thanks Tsjara for sending it to me. 

Journal Entry 12 by Laui at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, September 28, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (9/27/2009 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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I finally dropped it off to travel to the next reader. Have fun!
Sorry for the delay in sending. 

Journal Entry 13 by AgdaAgulina from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Monday, October 12, 2009

Readers AgdaAgulina and misterpip happily report receipt of A Spot of Bother!

Thanks a lot for sending, Laui. 

Journal Entry 14 by AgdaAgulina from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Monday, November 09, 2009

I wonder how can a book so thick be read so fast... It was really hard to put this book away, almost as hard as not falling in love with all of the characters simultaneously. That was for me a big joy of the book, that there were no good or evil characters, but such a mess of tragicomical events. A wonderful book, a mad wedding, where I still sometimes imagine being. And I miss the company of George already.

Thanks a lot for sharing such a great book. And next, misterpip... 

Journal Entry 15 by misterpip on Monday, December 28, 2009

This was a quick ride- can't put it down. Haddon does a brilliant job at making a bunch of normal people like you and me fantastically interesting and hilarious (as I suppose we might also really be, if we could look in from outside). This is one of those books in which you wonder if it's really happening as you're reading it, because it's so realistic, but at the same time so absurd that you can't imagine any series of events really happening like that. Truth is stranger than fiction??

A thoroughly entertaining read, a different fish than ...the dog in the night... but equally as rewarding. Enjoy!! 

Journal Entry 16 by misterpip at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, December 28, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (12/21/2009 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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On its way to the next reader. Happy Holidays! 

Journal Entry 17 by Aberpeter from Kirkland, Washington USA on Sunday, January 10, 2010

the book arrived a couple of days ago. I will start reading this book within the week. 

Journal Entry 18 by Aberpeter from Kirkland, Washington USA on Saturday, January 23, 2010

Mark Haddon takes us on a trip inside the head of George, a 61 year old newly retired man who is slowly going mad. His panic attacks come on without warning and sometimes this leads to a laugh-out-loud moment and other times it makes you want to cringe. Even though it's George who is going mad, everyone else in the family has problems of their own, which only seems to add to George's own insanity. Overall it is an enjoyable read with no big surprises. 

Journal Entry 19 by Aberpeter at -- Mail or by hand-ring, RABCK, meetings, Washington USA on Thursday, February 04, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (2/4/2010 UTC) at -- Mail or by hand-ring, RABCK, meetings, Washington USA

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on its way to rhythm biscuit 

Journal Entry 20 by rhythmbiscuit from Thornton, Colorado USA on Tuesday, February 09, 2010

I'm eager to read this novel, since I enjoyed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. I have two books to finish first, but I will read this book soon. Thank you so much for sharing! 

Journal Entry 21 by sunfi from Alexandria, Virginia USA on Sunday, April 11, 2010

This arrived in the mail yesterday, I have a number of other rings ahead of this one but I'll get to it as soon as I can. I keep my profile updated on weekly basis so you can see how close this one is to the top. Thanks for sending this to me and including me in the ring. 

Journal Entry 22 by sunfi from Alexandria, Virginia USA on Thursday, May 06, 2010

I couldn't get into the story and I didn't find the characters to be very sympathetic. Since I wasn't able to get into this one, so I figured I would pass it onto the next reader. 

Journal Entry 23 by sunfi at -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, Ohio USA on Saturday, May 08, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (5/8/2010 UTC) at -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, Ohio USA

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Shipped out today to darkpunkangel in Canada, it should arrive in the next few weeks. 

Journal Entry 24 by darkpunkangel at Montréal, Québec Canada on Thursday, June 10, 2010

The book has arrived safe and sound. Thanks sunfi for passing this on and madmadge for starting for this bookray. Will get to it as soon as possible. 

Journal Entry 25 by darkpunkangel at Montréal, Québec Canada on Friday, August 13, 2010

Really got into this book and totally enjoyed, especially the ending.

Will PM the next in line and will send it off as soon as I get their address. 

Journal Entry 26 by darkpunkangel at sent by mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (11/2/2010 UTC) at sent by mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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Sorry for holding on to it so long but sent to jonniboi yesterday after the last 3 either asked to be skipped or didn't respond. Thanks madmadge for setting this up. 

Journal Entry 27 by Jonniboi at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Thursday, November 11, 2010

Just received this through the post, cannot wait to get around top reading this, but all my rings/rays have come all at once and so it may take me a while to get around to this book, but I shall keep you lot updated!

My I ask, and will someone PM me to tell me if this is a ring or a ray, as I've been trying to find out and can't tell, I need to know as I'm last in the list, so need to know if I need to send it back. I will appreciate it if someone told me soon. 

Journal Entry 28 by Jonniboi at Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Monday, December 27, 2010

I'm sorry, I couldn't get into this book, I tried but just couldn't get into it, I hope sometime in the future, I may be able to, but not at this moment! I don't know whether this is a bookring or a ray, if it's a bookring I shall ask for the address of the person who started it, if not, I'll put it somewhere so that I can return to reading this later.