Journal Entry 1 by jubby from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, September 03, 2008

The fly cover reads:

Mary Lamb is confined by the restrictions of domesticity: her father is losing his mind, her mother watchful and hostile, and their maidservant, Tizzy, elderly and infirm. The great solace of her life is her brother Charles - but he feels equally constrained by the drudgery of his work at the East India Company, taking refuge in drink while spreading his wings as a writer. Sometimes, in the evenings, they study together. Mary reads what Charles reads.

So it is no surprise that Mary should fall for the bookseller's son, seventeen-year-old antiquarian William Ireland, from whom Charles has purchased a book. But this is no ordinary book - it once belonged to William Shakespeare himself. And William Ireland, with his green eyes and his red hair, is no ordinary young man...

The Lambs of London brilliantly creates an urban world of scholars and entrepreneurs, actors and theatre managers, a world in which a clever son will stop at nothing to impress his showman father, and on one knows quite what to believe. Can Mary Lamb - vulnerable, sheltered, idealistic - survive such an introduction to many frailties of human nature?

Ingenious and vividly alive, The Lambs of London is a poignant, gripping novel of betrayal and deceit, a masterly re-enactment of London life which keeps the reader guessing until the end. 

Journal Entry 2 by jubby from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, September 03, 2008

This book will be continuing Shnedwards' '1001 and books to read before you die' bookring:

Participant order:

cat207, Australia
taniazed, Australia
Fuzzywuzzy, New Zealand
Wandering-B, Hong Kong
Cross-patch, UK
stubee, UK
KT-J, UK
perfect-circle, UK
NICNIC2, UK
Rrrcaron, US
corry000, US
istop4books, US
eloisamos, Brazil
Jubby, Australia 

Journal Entry 3 by jubby at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Released 3 yrs ago (9/17/2008 UTC) at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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Posted to Cat207. 

Journal Entry 4 by cat207 from Gladstone, Queensland Australia on Thursday, September 18, 2008

Arrived in today's mail. Thank you jubby. I wasn't aware that this one had been substituted for shnedwards' ring. I'm sure we all appreciate it. I've got a couple ahead of this one, but I shouldn't be too long. Give me a nudge if you think I need it. X 

Journal Entry 5 by cat207 from Gladstone, Queensland Australia on Monday, September 22, 2008

Methinks they take life too seriously!

I have PMed taniazed but as I still haven't had a reply regarding 'Titus Groan' I don't hold out much hope. 

Journal Entry 6 by cat207 from Gladstone, Queensland Australia on Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Taniazed is uncontactable and Fuzzywuzzy has asked to be skipped, so it's off to Wandering-B in Hong Kong in today's mail. X 

Journal Entry 7 by wandering-B from Tai Po, New Territories Hong Kong on Thursday, October 02, 2008

Received in today's post. Thanks jubby for sending it out and to cat207 for sending it to me. Have two in front of it, but shouldn't be long. 

Journal Entry 8 by Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Monday, January 05, 2009

Has arrived here in wintery Leicestershire. Thank you jubby for coming to the rescue and Wandering-b for passing it on. 

Journal Entry 9 by Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, February 01, 2009

There were touches of brilliance in the descriptions of London of the period, but it was somewhat ephemeral and I am left wanting more. Thankyou, shnedwards for passing another classic around us all. I shall contact stubee for an address now. 

Journal Entry 10 by stubee from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Thanks cross-patch and jubby for this bookray, either myself or KT-J will get on to this as soon as we've finished our current reads.

09/02/2009: Started..... 

Journal Entry 11 by stubee from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Friday, February 13, 2009

A good novel from Peter Ackroyd of whom I haven't read before (as with most of the authors on the 1001 list), this is another historical fiction and it's interesting to me because it expands my knowledge somewhat. I hadn't realised that Mary Lamb and Charles Lamb were a writing team in 1800's and had written the children's book Tales from Shakespeare; a copy of which I am hopeful of finding. William Ireland is also a real life character of historical note but I won't go on as it could spoil the story for many readers (those who don't care can click on the hyperlink to find out more but I'd recomend that you read the novel first).

An enjoyable quick read and another 1001 Book YMRBYD down!

Thanks Jubby for sending this out I've now given it to KT-J to read.

Next Up: José Saramago – Death At Intervals 

Journal Entry 12 by KT-J from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Monday, February 16, 2009

Received, thanks Stubee. I'll get onto this once I've finished my current read. 

Journal Entry 13 by KT-J from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Friday, February 27, 2009

I quite enjoyed this book, it was a nice quick easy read although by the end I wasn't sure how much I liked any of the characters! I hadn't realised the characters were real people (albeit in a fictional tale) but it was interesting reading about them afterwards.

A good book and another one I can cross off the 1001 list! Thanks jubby for letting us join this bookring. I've got perfect-circle's address so will get this in the post shortly.

Edit 2/3/09: This was posted today. 

Journal Entry 14 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Thursday, March 05, 2009

Arrived safely yesterday, perfectly timed as I'd just finished a book. Thanks KT-J for sending it on. 

Journal Entry 15 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Saturday, March 07, 2009

Throughout this book, I couldn't help but wonder if it had any basis in fact (I don't read journal entries before reading the book), so thanks to stubee for providing those links. It was a quick read but I felt the ending jarred slightly with the tone of the rest of the book, it was definitely unexpected.

Will be posting to nicnic2 in a few days. Thank you, jubby, for continuing this ring. 

Journal Entry 16 by perfect-circle at Book Ring!, By Post -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (3/11/2009 UTC) at Book Ring!, By Post -- Controlled Releases

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Posted to NICNIC2 

Journal Entry 17 by NICNIC2 from St Andrews, Scotland United Kingdom on Sunday, March 22, 2009

Arrived safely, I'm really looking forward to this one :) I have a couple of ray books to read before this one but hopefully will get to it soon. 

Journal Entry 18 by NICNIC2 from St Andrews, Scotland United Kingdom on Friday, April 24, 2009

I was completely hooked on this from page 1, which suprised me because I knew it had something to do with Shakespeare and I'm not really big on his work. But this was a pretty good story. Each discovery was becoming more and more dubious and about 100 pages in I thought 'isn't William Ireland that guy who...', so the remainder of Ireland's part in the novel wasn't really a suprise. The suprise was Mary's reaction to her discovery. I'm not sure I understand why she did it.

I learned a bit about Shakespeare from this novel and have discovered that some of his sonnets are quite pretty :)

Another 1001 book done. Posting to Rrrcarron tomorrow. 

Journal Entry 19 by NICNIC2 at N/A in By mail, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (5/11/2009 UTC) at N/A in By mail, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

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Finally on its way again! 

Journal Entry 20 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, May 16, 2009

I received this book in the mail yesterday. Will get to it soon.
Ruth 

Journal Entry 21 by Rrrcaron from Lancaster, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, May 28, 2009

This book wasn't really my cup of tea, but I perservered and finished it. I kind of suspected who was the real creator of all those papers right from the start. Mary's story was sad though, wasn't expecting that. Sending on to next reader....
Ruth 

Journal Entry 22 by jubby from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Received in the post today.
Thank you. 

Journal Entry 23 by jubby at Elkington Park in Balmain, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, July 12, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (7/12/2009 UTC) at Elkington Park in Balmain, New South Wales Australia

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This book has been all around the world now, and as I've read it is time to begin a new adventure...

Releasing at the rotunda in Elkington Park - just in case it rains.