Journal Entry 1 by aetm from Austin, Texas USA on Thursday, March 12, 2009

"On his only prior visit to Ireland, songwriter/comic Tony Hawks had seen a man hitchhiking with a refrigerator. For years, he was wont to tell the tale during late-night drinking matches, and after one particularly heavy-duty night of partying, he awoke to find a bet scrawled pillow-side: a friend wagered 100 pounds that Hawks wouldn't travel Ireland for a month with a refrigerator at his side.

Out of this stupid premise, a ridiculously amusing book was born. Quickly discovered by the Irish media, the thumbing Englishman finds that he and his box fridge are elevated to celebrity status, and there's no dearth of rides, places to stay or goofy people to meet, from kings to spoons players to locals who take his fridge surfing. As insightful about the strange inner workings of Hawk's mind as it is about charming peculiarities of Irishmen--it's doubtful that Hawks would have been similarly embraced by Germans, Italians, or the French--Round Ireland with a Fridge is an entirely silly, heart-warming tale told in a rollicking funny and refreshing style." [Amazon] 

Journal Entry 2 by aetm from Austin, Texas USA on Friday, March 13, 2009

I bought this pre-loved copy of the book from a charity store in Cork, thinking that it would be a perfect book to release somewhere for celebrating St. Patrick's day. But then I wanted to have a closer look to it, and it just ended up being hilariously funny, and before I finished it off there is a queue to read it after myself. Mike from work, who told me he met the fridge man in Cork, and then my other half, and then probably his brother should read it next, and then it should get back to Ireland somehow... traveling more or less like Tony Hawks and his fridge. Can't think of much better book for Bookcrossing purposes :)

I really enjoyed the book. I recognized maybe 30-40% of the places he's been to, most of them (apart of Dublin) being in Cork and Kerry (and Gort, and Limerick, and Galway, and Kinsale..). A silly book - must be definitely in my top 10 of the funniest writers from England I've run to. I think I may have to start planning something as silly as this fridge tour - so far the even closest comparable thing I've done in Ireland has been a bicycle tour from Cork to Baltimore (West Cork..) and then Cape Clear and back.
I wish this book would have been bookcrossing one since the beginning. It looks like it has seen many many readers already and probably has already traveled more than that fridge, so I had to try to make the covers a bit more sturdy, so that it can travel further... 

Journal Entry 3 by aetm at Ballincollig, Co. Cork Ireland on Monday, March 16, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (3/16/2009 UTC) at Ballincollig, Co. Cork Ireland

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

To a work colleague who met the Fridge Man in Cork...
- to save myself from making another release note (as the work colleague didn't write notes for this :p) next to Dorng :) Enjoy 

Journal Entry 4 by dorng from Austin, Texas USA on Saturday, September 05, 2009

On my list of to read books once it starts getting a bit colder. 

Journal Entry 5 by aetm at Triumph Cafe OBCZ -3808 Spicewood Springs Rd in Austin, Texas USA on Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (3/9/2010 UTC) at Triumph Cafe OBCZ -3808 Spicewood Springs Rd in Austin, Texas USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Journal Entry 6 by sarradee from Dallas, Texas USA on Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Picked up at the Austin meetup tonight. Plan to read next and bring back to next month's meetup. 

Journal Entry 7 by sarradee from Dallas, Texas USA on Wednesday, March 17, 2010

I loved this book. It made me want to go out and do something silly, like hike the Appalachian Trail carting along a toaster. Not that I ever will, but it was fun to contemplate.

The author really knows how to turn a phrase, and managed to keep me engaged and entertained throughout. I will be bringing this back to Triumph for the next meet-up because I think there are others who would really enjoy the read. 

Journal Entry 8 by sarradee at Triumph Cafe OBCZ -3808 Spicewood Springs Rd in Austin, Texas USA on Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (4/13/2010 UTC) at Triumph Cafe OBCZ -3808 Spicewood Springs Rd in Austin, Texas USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Bringing to the Austin Meetup tonight. 

Journal Entry 9 by candieb from Austin, Texas USA on Monday, May 24, 2010

Grabbed at the meetup 

Journal Entry 10 by candieb at Triumph Cafe OBCZ -3808 Spicewood Springs Rd in Austin, Texas USA on Thursday, November 18, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (11/18/2010 UTC) at Triumph Cafe OBCZ -3808 Spicewood Springs Rd in Austin, Texas USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

will leave on bookshelf 

Journal Entry 11 by aetm at Austin, Texas USA on Thursday, January 06, 2011

Didn't see it on the shelf in Triumph in December so it's apparently been read or has traveled since it was last journaled... I've got a few people in mind that should read this next, so I'll mail it forward shortly.  

Journal Entry 12 by aetm at Austin, Texas USA on Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Released 1 yr ago (2/2/2011 UTC) at Austin, Texas USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Finally made it to the post office - sending this to Dallas to someone who appreciates books about travel. (Let the book decide where it wants to travel next :)

Safe journey little book - I hope you'll make many new friends on your travels!

"Don't ever apologize to an author for buying something in paperback, or taking it out from a library (that's what they're there for. Use your library). Don't apologize to this author for buying books second hand, or getting them from bookcrossing or borrowing a friend's copy. What's important to me is that people read the books and enjoy them, and that, at some point in there, the book was bought by someone. And that people who like things, tell other people. The most important thing is that people read... "
— Neil Gaiman 

Journal Entry 13 by BethanieKay at Fort Worth, Texas USA on Tuesday, February 08, 2011

So cool, thanks for sending me this, Anna! This is definitely my kind of travel book :)  

Journal Entry 14 by BethanieKay at Fort Worth, Texas USA on Friday, February 11, 2011

This book was awesome-- it's soo the type of travelogue I love to read. The title alone is enough to make you want to read it (and the cover, as tattered as it may be), but the premise behind his quest really hooked me. I read this book in about 2 days, and can honestly say that there wasn't a boring part to be found. In fact, I found myself laughing out loud at some of the people and situations he encountered, or just the way he described them. He's definitely got a way with humor, which I'm sure lended to my enjoyment of the story :) Also throw in that Ireland is a beautiful and enchanting country (I recognized many of the locations from my visit to Ireland a few years ago), and that the Irish are an amusing and lovely culture -- and I was smitten with his story :) Overall, this book was definitely a thumbs up for a traveler such as as myself -- but I can see how many different people would enjoy reading this. It's just too funny and quirky NOT to love it :)

Thanks, Anna, for thinking of me! I'm going to pass this along to an Irish friend of mine who now lives in Los Angeles. I think she'll get a good laugh out of this. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get her on Bookcrossing, so I'll be sure to get the book back when she's done, so it can continue its journey in the BC world :)  

Journal Entry 15 by BethanieKay at Fort Worth, Texas USA on Friday, February 18, 2011

Ok, so before I let my Irish friend read this, I want some other BCers to read it :) My sister, Moody-Blue, is a traveler like myself, and her husband, RxBluff, is a hiker/adventurer. So, I'm guessing they'll both think this book is the cats meow ;) Sending it off to them in the morning.

(Kristal -- please send this back to me when you're done, so I can send it on to my friend Denise) 

Journal Entry 16 by BethanieKay at a fellow BookCrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA on Friday, February 18, 2011

Released 1 yr ago (2/18/2011 UTC) at a fellow BookCrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Book is on its way to my sister, who is somewhere in Kentucky at the moment.  

Journal Entry 17 by Moody-Blue at Paducah, Kentucky USA on Sunday, February 27, 2011

I'm all over it! 

Journal Entry 18 by Moody-Blue at Keystone, South Dakota USA on Thursday, May 26, 2011

It's funny how even pointless ideas do actually have a point... even it it's just to give people who read this book a good laugh. I really enjoyed this one and am passing it to my hubby. 

Journal Entry 19 by BethanieKay at Fort Worth, Texas USA on Wednesday, June 29, 2011

This book made its way back to me, and now I've loaned it to my friend Beril at work, who is married to an Irishman -- I think she'll like it :)