I am offering this as an Australian bookring.
It would be nice if everyone could include a bookmark or postcard for the person ahead of them on the ring - keep the one that is sent to you and include a different one for the next reader. Have fun!

Ring still open…
26 08 05
Current reader []
In transit --->

1. Scism / Adelaide
2. Ravenbear / Brisbane
3. jawin / Brisbane
4. fushmush / Sydney --->
5. krissy / Western Australia
6. OzDane / Victoria
7. tqd / NSW
8. Back to me ---> fuji / Sydney

I received this in the mail today. It may have been waiting at the post office for a few days, but I wasn't able to get there until this morning. This is now going to the top of the TBR pile, and will be my relaxing read for the pre-Christmas week.

I've only just flipped it open so far, and it's already got me smiling - and all I've read is the copyright details! I'm expecting this book to be pleasantly cheeky!

I'm currently about half-way through this book, and thought I'd give those of you that are interested an update on how I'm finding it. To be brutally honest, the novelty has worn off. I initially found its very different style enticing, with the preface and ‘rules and suggestions for enjoyment of this book' totally wacky, in a very pleasant way. And Eggers' writing is certainly wonderful. But now that I'm in Part VI of XI, I'm finding that his rambling is starting to frustrate me. I find myself thinking "So where are you going with all this?". I think if I was reading this book 'on my own' I would have given up by now, but being part of a BookRing, I feel compelled to plough on. Hopefully it will pay off, and I will move past this feeling of disinterest!

Well, I’ve *finally* finished this eccentric book! Towards the end, I kept thinking that reading it reminded me of meeting someone new at a party – the type of guy that is really quirky and interesting for the first five minutes, but becomes excruciating when you’re still stuck with him two hours later. I loved the book at first, then my enthusiasm waned, and now I feel I’ve reached a middle ground.

There were so many parts of this book that I loved, so many brilliant examples of the power of language, and some really touching moments, where I definitely felt connected with the author and his experiences. But those precious snippets seemed to be separated by gulfs of self-indulgent babbling, that I got really tired of. I found myself skimming some of those parts (which I something usually avoid doing at all costs – I feel that it somehow disrespects the author’s intentions to only read the bits that *I* consider relevant).

Strangely, I think I enjoyed the prologue to the book (made up of Rules and Suggestions for Enjoyment of This Book, Preface, Acknowledgements and Incomplete Guide to Symbols and Metaphors), the Mistakes We knew We Were Making (a novella type thing at the back of the book) and even the copyright pages (one at each end) more than the main part of the book. Somehow those sections seemed more honest and original to me, and I found myself laughing out loud at times while reading them. I’m glad I read Mistakes We Knew We Were Making at the very end, because it left me with a smile on my face.

My favourite quote from the book:
“Oh please. What would a brain do if not these sorts of exercises? I have no idea how people function without near-constant internal chaos. I’d lose my mind.” p214

Sent on the next leg of it's journey today - posted to Ravenbear.

Received this from Scism - and after reading the comments I am wondering how I will find it. I might give it to Jawin tonight at a meetup, then get it back from her to read when she has finished and thereafter send on to FuShMuSh... Mt TBR has grown enormously of late.

Ihave been making...'sending this on to the next person in the ring' journal entries all day today. With university semester having started again two weeks ago, and still with another course that I am doing as well I have decided that I can only afford one novel on the bedside table at a time right now, and I am sending on all of the novels I have in my possession awaiting tbr. So this will go on to Jawin asap...maybe I could try for it again at the end of its travels?

Picked this up from Ravenbear at a meet up a couple of days ago. I'll try and start it next weekend.

I think Scism put it very well.

Dave had a number of bad breaks, but his overwrought, overwritten navel-gazing is mind numbing. This is effectively an elaborate weblog which suffers from the need for a good, thorough editing. After reading some of his nonsense, I reached the point where I didn't even care about the tragic events in his life, but wanted to give him a good shake. I persevered because after all the hype I thought it must improve. To be fair, he gave a heads up at the beginning - he said the book was good for the first few chapters but went downhill after that. Believe him.

At the end, I just wanted to hit him round the head with the book for wasting my time with his juvenile and self indulgent blathering. I wonder if my frsustration is a reflection of the age gap?

ooops, I forgot I was on this ray! Oh well, add it to the pile... I'm slowly making my way through my large pile of TBR rays.

Forgot I had this one... thanks for OzDane for the reminder PM. I don't really have time to read it (and after reading the reviews, I'm not sure I want to).

No word from Krissy, so I'm sending it to OzDane.