Journal Entry 1 by Rivercassini from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 31, 2007

From the back of the book:

To all appearances, Dr Cake is an ordinary man. After a period of study and practice in London, and several years travelling in Europe, he has chosen the life of a village doctor. He publishes regularly in medical journals and lives quietly and alone with his housekeeper. His extensive bookcase demonstrates a keen interest in poetry and drama, and indeed in everything he does, he shows himself a man of the widest sympathies. Locally he is known for his great kindness to his patients. When he dies, the local church is filled to overflowing with mourners.

But why then, on the brass plate so ostentatiously screwed onto his coffin lid, is there no name? The truth behind the bare facts of this man's life is at once extraordinary and elusive. A mystery story, a detective story and a love story, The Invention of Dr Cake is above all a story about poetry, about its creation and disappearance, its role in the world and reputation.

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Andrew Motion is a multiple award winning author, mostly for his poetry and biographies. He was made Poet Laureate in 1999. 

Journal Entry 2 by Rivercassini from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 31, 2007

I'm opening this book up as a book ray (i.e. I don't want it back at the end of its travels). If you would like to join, please send me a PM with your name and country of where you live. Please also say if are not prepared to post internationally - otherwise I will assume that you can.(I'll try to order the list so that postage costs are kept to a minimum).



Some brief "rules"
* Journal the book when you receive it.
* PM the next person on the list for their address when you receive it so as to try to avoid hold-ups later on.
* If you don't hear from the next participant within a few days, PM them again. If after a few more days you still haven't heard from them, PM me to let me know, and move on to the next person on the list.
* Read (and hopefully enjoy!) Don't feel pressurised to read it in a rush (and remember that life gets in the way sometimes for all of us!) but if you need to keep hold of the book for longer than say six weeks or a couple of months, please journal to let us know.
* Journal again when you've read it to let us know what you think of it!
* Surface/economy mail is fine, but please make a note in a journal entry so the person you're sending to has a rough idea of when to expect it.

Participants:

Meddyg (UK) (no preference)
Candy-is-Dandy (UK) (no preference)
RubyBlueLady (UK) (UK)
Cwoods (UK) (anywhere)
Microsquid (Ireland, anywhere)
Iojima (France) (No preference)

Last person on the list gets to choose what happens to the book next - but re-opening the ray always a good option!
 

Journal Entry 3 by Rivercassini at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, November 02, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (11/2/2007 UTC) at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Popped in the post this evening. 

Journal Entry 4 by meddyg on Friday, November 23, 2007

I've been away for a few days - found this on the mat on my return. Many thanks Rivercassini. 

Journal Entry 5 by meddyg on Sunday, December 23, 2007

Slightly strange book, but very well written. There is not much about medicine in there, but the contents will appeal to the literati amongst us.

To be passed on to Candy is Dandy 

Journal Entry 6 by meddyg on Sunday, January 27, 2008

An interesting concept as a book. It's a short and quick read, but can you guess who the mysterious Dr Cake really is?

I enjoyed it it takes the form of a philosophical discussion between Dr Cake and another doctor.



Finally posted to Candy is Dandy (but liquor is quicker) - Ogden Nash

Life has been a bit hectic of late

Grumble! 

Journal Entry 7 by candy-is-dandy from Braintree, Essex United Kingdom on Thursday, January 31, 2008

Thanks meddyg (and rivercassini). Arrived safely. 

Journal Entry 8 by candy-is-dandy from Braintree, Essex United Kingdom on Saturday, July 19, 2008

I'm afraid I struggled with this book. It took me 2 attempts to complete it. I probably wouldn't have perservered if it wasn't as short.

I got a bit fed-up with it not getting anywhere for some time. The writing was good and I liked the descriptions of the Essex countryside (near where I live actually) but I couldn't relate to the 2 main characters. It got better once it became clearer what it was all about but I had got impatient with it by then.

Thanks for sharing - I'm probably not poetically-minded enough to appreciate this.

Will shortly be sent off to rubybluelady (mailed 21/7) 

Journal Entry 9 by RubyBlueLady from Avebury, Wiltshire United Kingdom on Thursday, July 24, 2008

This came a couple of days ago, I apologise for not journaling it sooner.

It hasn't 'grabbed' me on yet, but I'll persevere. 

Journal Entry 10 by RubyBlueLady from Avebury, Wiltshire United Kingdom on Friday, July 25, 2008

Now that I've read the book, my opinion has gone up. Once I got the drift of the story I became interested, though I was never sure if what I was reading was a true account or not.

An intriguing read, glad I read it now.

Cwoods doesn't want to read the book, so I will send it to Microsquid. 

Journal Entry 11 by microsquid from Cobh, Co. Cork Ireland on Monday, September 29, 2008

This arrived last week and I raced through it at the weekend. It's a lovely little book with some interesting thoughts and beautiful descriptions. Like RubyblueLady it was hard to know whether you were reading lost documents or fiction, but I liked it for the ambiguity.
For those who enjoyed the book you might want to try the Hyperion cantos by Dan Simmons for another sideways view of the main character - because of that I'd guessed the identity once they mentioned the fountain and disease :S

I'll PM Iojima next.
 

Journal Entry 12 by Iojima from Nyons, Rhône-Alpes France on Thursday, October 16, 2008

Received yesterday and started. Thank you. 

Journal Entry 13 by Iojima from Nyons, Rhône-Alpes France on Thursday, October 23, 2008

I couldn't finish it, so I read all the comments, again. And then I cheated; I skipped to the end. Thank you, Rivercassini, for attempting to elevate my tastes. :-) 

Journal Entry 14 by Iojima from Nyons, Rhône-Alpes France on Monday, November 03, 2008

Returning to England to fellow BookMoocher. 

Journal Entry 15 by AnonymousFinder on Sunday, November 16, 2008

Book in very good condition. Received via bookmooch. I expect to pass it on via bookmooch or readitswapit.co.

CAUGHT IN MORPETH NORTHUMBERLAND GREAT BRITAIN