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London Orbital
by Iain Sinclair | Reference
Registered by davemurray101 of Maryville, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, April 12, 2008
Average 6 star rating by BookCrossing Members 

status (set by garibaldisghost): reserved


13 journalers for this copy...

Journal Entry 1 by davemurray101 from Maryville, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, April 12, 2008

9 out of 10

Best Iain Sinclair book I have read so far and justifiably part of the 1001 books to read before you die, and being one of the only nonfiction works in it.
Sinclair's book starts out as a walking tour around the M25 in London, the orbital motorway that most of London is ashamed of. Throughout his tour he highlights the interesting stories of the outer suburbs of London, and something he calls 'Psychogeography'. Overall London Orbital is a work of social history that wont send you to sleep.

INTL BOOKRAY - 1001 BOOKS YOU MUST READ BEFORE YOU DIE

1. RuthyToothy
2. Fushmush
3. cally-c
4. wanderingstar8
5. ekranda
6. afraberg
7. katrinat
8. Tubereader
9.ealasaidmae
10. Jubby
11. TQD
12. Cat207



 

Journal Entry 2 by davemurray101 at to the next participant in sent by mail, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, April 20, 2008

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Released 4 yrs ago (4/20/2008 UTC) at to the next participant in sent by mail, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases

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Sent to RuthyToothy by mail 

Journal Entry 3 by RuthyToothy on Wednesday, April 30, 2008

This book has not been rated.

Book arrived safely in Scotland yesterday :-) I've one BookRing book ahead of it, but should get to it within a couple of weeks :-) 

Journal Entry 4 by RuthyToothy on Saturday, July 26, 2008

7 out of 10

I'm not sure what I expected here - I think I was curious to see what the book was like, really! It was an enjoyable read, and I was particularly interested to realise just how many ruined asylums there are around London! I did find myself wishing there were some pictures to accompany the narration though, especially because Sinclair frequently mentions photos being taken, and I started to get frustrated wanting to see what he was talking about! I'll be mailing this on to Fushmush early this week, as I already have their address :-) 

Journal Entry 5 by RuthyToothy at A Bookcrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 29, 2008

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Released 3 yrs ago (7/30/2008 UTC) at A Bookcrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom

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Mailed 2nd class to Fushmush :-) 

Journal Entry 6 by fushmush from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, August 10, 2008

This book has not been rated.

Received safely. I have 1.5 bookrays ahead of it. Should get to it soon enough. 

Journal Entry 7 by fushmush from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, September 24, 2008

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Ok! I'm giving up... I started to read this and struggled. I put it down, meaning to pick it back up but never did. Now I'm just holding it up for no good reason. I hate to give up on a book but I'm just not at the right place right now to read this. (Funny, considering that is London!)

Maybe I will revisit it in the future. I'm disappointed as I was actually looking forward to it. I hate to let it beat me :( 

Journal Entry 8 by fushmush at Sent To The Next Bookcrosser, Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, October 01, 2008

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Released 3 yrs ago (10/1/2008 UTC) at Sent To The Next Bookcrosser, Bookray -- Controlled Releases

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Mailed to the Cally-C, next on the list. 

Journal Entry 9 by wingcally-cwing from Alfreton, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Thursday, October 02, 2008

This book has not been rated.

Arrived this morning. I have a 'queue' of rings/rays at the mo, but I'll get to this in turn. 

Journal Entry 10 by wingcally-cwing from Alfreton, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Thursday, November 06, 2008

5 out of 10

I have struggled with this one so much! I just couldn't get into the writing style & so I am admitting defeat half-way through!
I think I also would have benefited from photos and maps, being unfamiliar with the area probabaly didn't help!
I have PM'd wanderingstar8 & the book will be on its way as soon as poss.
Thanks davemurray101 for sharing & Fushmush for sending on to me. 

Journal Entry 11 by wingcally-cwing at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, November 12, 2008

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Released 3 yrs ago (11/12/2008 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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Posted to wanderingstar8. 

Journal Entry 12 by wanderingstar8 from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Friday, November 14, 2008

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Arrived today. I have one other bookring to read, but I'll get to this next. 

Journal Entry 13 by wanderingstar8 from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Sunday, December 28, 2008

This book has not been rated.

I wanted to like this - I really did. But unfortunately it's been added to my pile of unfinished Iain Sinclair books. I think there were two key problems for me.

One is, polemic generally makes me feel contrary, however much I am normally inclined to agree with the point of view, and so it happened here. I understand Sinclair's sympathy for everything which is airbrushed out of history - but after a few blistering paragraphs I want to argue the benefits of urban regeneration.

The second is, this book was such a mixture - digression, personal history, free association. Some of the observations and images are complete gems. But they are buried in the mass of the writing, some of which is almost an in-joke, some of which is irrelevant... I started dipping in, a few paragraphs at a time, to make sure I could savour the good bits, but I ended up feeling that there just weren't enough to make the effort worthwhile.

Sigh. 

Journal Entry 14 by wingekrandawing from Northampton, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, December 30, 2008

This book has not been rated.

Arrived today alongside 2 other bookrays - i promise to try and get round to reading this as soon as i can! Thanks for sharing.

*Update 27 March - Just starting this one. Sorry i've had it for so long i've had so much going on recently that i've just not been able to read much at all. I hope to read this soon and get it on its way to the next person on the list!

*Update 17 April - Ok still reading it but it's a bit heavy alongside the academic work i'm doing right now - kind of need a contrast to the text books and i think this might be the wrong time for me to be reading this one. Going to read on a little further and if it doesn't start flowing soon i will get the book moving again and send it on to the next person on the list. Sorry i've held it up for so long! 

Journal Entry 15 by wingekrandawing from Northampton, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 29, 2009

This book has not been rated.

After a struggle with reading this one and completing an outrageous amount of assignments all due in around the same time I finally have to admit defeat. It's just too heavy for me at this time...perhaps one day I shall try again!

I have been in touch with afraberg and hope to send the book off soon. Thank you very much for your patience and sharing the book with me.

3 May - Afraberg has asked to be skipped will now contact Katrinat.
 

Journal Entry 16 by wingekrandawing at to next participant, a ring/ray -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, May 06, 2009

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Released 3 yrs ago (5/5/2009 UTC) at to next participant, a ring/ray -- Controlled Releases

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posted off to the next person. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 17 by katrinat from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex United Kingdom on Thursday, May 07, 2009

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Arrived today, been wanting to read this for a while hope its good 

Journal Entry 18 by katrinat at BOOK RING, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Saturday, July 18, 2009

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Released 2 yrs ago (7/18/2009 UTC) at BOOK RING, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom

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Off to Tubereader - She will be picking it up towards the end of the month 

Journal Entry 19 by Tubereader from Bruxelles / Brussel, Bruxelles / Brussel Belgium on Tuesday, July 28, 2009

This book has not been rated.

The book arrived safely in London and I have taken it back with me to Luxembourg!

Thanks davemurray101 for sharing and katrinat for posting it to me.

As I have just finished reading the previous book on my TBR, I will start this one tonight. 

Journal Entry 20 by Tubereader from Bruxelles / Brussel, Bruxelles / Brussel Belgium on Saturday, August 22, 2009

This book has not been rated.

Quick note to let everybody know that I am still reading this book. It is taking me an awful lot of time to get through it but I do not want to admit defeat just yet! I've read a bit more than half of it by now! Pming ealasaidmae for their address now so I can post as soon as I am done. 

Journal Entry 21 by Tubereader from Bruxelles / Brussel, Bruxelles / Brussel Belgium on Saturday, August 22, 2009

This book has not been rated.

Quick note to let everybody know that I am still reading this book. It is taking me an awful lot of time to get through it but I do not want to admit defeat just yet! I've read a bit more than half of it by now! Pming ealasaidmae for their address now so I can post as soon as I am done. 

Journal Entry 22 by Tubereader from Bruxelles / Brussel, Bruxelles / Brussel Belgium on Sunday, August 30, 2009

5 out of 10

Having lived in London for 4 years, I was really curious to read this book. I must say I am a bit disappointed. I must have missed the point of it, as, after reading it for more than a month, I am still struggling to say what the book was about. I agree with some of the previous comments stating that pictures would have been helpful...

I already have ealasaidmae's address and will post it asap.

THanks davemurray101 for sharing, this means another 1001 book ticked-off the list! 

Journal Entry 23 by Tubereader at Luxembourg, Kanton Luxemburg Luxembourg on Tuesday, September 01, 2009

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Released 2 yrs ago (8/31/2009 UTC) at Luxembourg, Kanton Luxemburg Luxembourg

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The book was posted to ealasaidmae yesterday.

Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 24 by ealasaidmae from New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Friday, September 04, 2009

This book has not been rated.

This arrived today and having glanced through some of the previous JEs I am feeling intimidated. But I shall persevere. 

Journal Entry 25 by ealasaidmae from New Orleans, Louisiana USA on Friday, September 18, 2009

This book has not been rated.

Well, I tried. I've been struggling with this book for two weeks now and I'm just not making any progress. It's too choppy. I would enjoy Sinclair more if he would just write in sentences. There are times I feel he's being deliberately obtuse and that always annoys me. So - I'm giving up. I will PM Jubby and pass on the book. Thanks for letting me try, davemurray101. I had high hopes for this one and really wanted to enjoy it. 

Journal Entry 26 by ealasaidmae at St. Albans, West Virginia USA on Monday, September 21, 2009

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Released 2 yrs ago (9/21/2009 UTC) at St. Albans, West Virginia USA

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on its way to Jubby in Australia 

Journal Entry 27 by jubby from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, September 28, 2009

This book has not been rated.

Received in the post today - thank you. 

Journal Entry 28 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, November 05, 2009

This book has not been rated.

Jubby dropped this off this afternoon and got to see the usual post-school chaos of the TQD household. :) Thanks, jubby! I have some trepidation about this one, but shall give it a try, at least! 

Journal Entry 29 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, February 21, 2010

This book has not been rated.

Well, I've been giving this a try on-and-off for a few months now. But I think I might have to give up hope of actually finishing it. I'm finding it half fascinating, half frustrating. I like the writing style (reminiscent of the newspaper headlines he so admires), I like the idea, I like finding out these interesting things about a London I certainly know very little about.

But my deity, a bigger bunch of wankers I have never met.

I'm still tempted to continue with this one, but if it suddenly appears with a new reader, you'll know I regained my sanity and passed it on. (Because I'm only up to page 87 now, leaving about 464 pages to go. At this rate, I might be finished sometime in 2011...) 

Journal Entry 30 by tqd at Balmain, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, March 07, 2010

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Released 2 yrs ago (3/5/2010 UTC) at Balmain, New South Wales Australia

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I have officially given up on this one, and it's now winging its way to cat207. I hope she has better luck than me!

Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 31 by cat207 from Gladstone, Queensland Australia on Tuesday, March 09, 2010

This book has not been rated.

Arrived in today's mail. Thank you tqd - and Dave. I'm not going to be in a hurry with it as I still have four rings / rays ahead of it, including the massive 956 page "The Recognitions"! But as I'm last on the list it shouldn't be a problem, and if you'd like, tqd, I can send it back to you when I've finished with it. No need to reply, I'll check with you later. 

Journal Entry 32 by cat207 from Gladstone, Queensland Australia on Monday, May 10, 2010

This book has not been rated.

I got about half way through and I'm officially giving up. It all seems very much the same (read boring). With a little more familiarity with the area, and some photographs it could have been much more enjoyable.
 

Journal Entry 33 by cat207 at Lake Macquarie, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, July 10, 2010

This book has not been rated.

Handing back to Dave tomorrow as no new readers seem interested in continuing the bookray. 

Journal Entry 34 by davemurray101 at Newcastle, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, July 11, 2010

This book has not been rated.

Back to me after its long journey - thanks to Cat207 for handing it to me today over coffee. Thanks to everyone for participating. I'm off to London in two weeks, might use it to get some ideas for some off-beat places to see. 

Journal Entry 35 by davemurray101 at 4 a R.A.B.C .K, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, August 29, 2010

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Released 1 yr ago (8/29/2010 UTC) at 4 a R.A.B.C .K, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

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Posted to garibaldisghost on wednesday 

Journal Entry 36 by garibaldisghost at on Wednesday, September 01, 2010

This book has not been rated.

Recieved safely in the post, thanks.

Not sure if I'm I part of the ring/ray above? If so who should I be sending it off to next? 



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