Being Emily
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
18 journalers for this copy...
Welcome to The Lost Book!The Lost Book is a collaborative adventure in storytelling. It’s taking place online and anyone can join in. At its heart is an animated web series: the adventures of 21st century investigative journalist, and BookCrosser, Aileen Adler. Episode 2, the first of five episodes to be written by the public, was launched on Friday 06 March 2009. It sees intrepid Scottish journalist Aileen and her dog Watson travelling to Iowa City in search of a stolen book and a secret society of bibliophiles - watch the story so far.
Where the story goes next remains in your hands. You can suggest plot developments by visiting www.thelostbook.net now. Each month between now and July the storylines will be pulled together into the next episode, animated and published online.
There are loads of ways you can get involved and it won’t cost you anything. You can help us to write the story for the web series. You can join our special guest writer Jasper Fforde to reconstruct a stolen book in our weekly microstory competition. You can enter our soundtrack competition by creating your own music for the web series. You can produce your own animation. During March 2009, you can even enter our cupcake competition and have your cupcake featured in the animation!
And, you can read this book, tell us what you thought of it, give it away, and follow its journey.
The Lost Book is a partner project to the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust’s 2009 reading campaign, The Lost World Read 2009, which is using free books, online resources and events to get people reading The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle. The Lost World Read is the largest collaborative reading project ever seen in the UK. We're extending the reading campaign, thanks to the generosity of project sponsors Canongate, by giving away other free books throughout The Lost Book.
Being Emily is the coming of age story of Fiona, one of four O'Connell children. The language, Fiona's native Glaswegian Scots, brings the characters vividly to life.
So join in, wherever you are, and have fun!
This book is going to travel around the world as a bookray. PM at any time, with your shipping preferences, to join. Shipping info: standard-sized paperback, 220g.
Bookray
kinedi, UK (EU)
lucy-lemon, UK (UK)
katrinat, UK (EU)
karen07814, UK (Int)
soffitta1, Portugal (EU)
Hayes13 Italy (Int)
Elddau1 Australia (Aus)
wombles Australia (Int)
peggypostcard Australia (Aus preferred, Int if necessary)
tokorua Australia (Int)
Dancesports Australia (not specified - Int assumed)
daniellechonody, USA (Int)
Rrrcaron US, (US preferred, Int if needed)
dutch-book, Netherlands (not specified - Int assumed)
Bookray complete!
Bookray
kinedi, UK (EU)
lucy-lemon, UK (UK)
katrinat, UK (EU)
karen07814, UK (Int)
soffitta1, Portugal (EU)
Hayes13 Italy (Int)
Elddau1 Australia (Aus)
wombles Australia (Int)
peggypostcard Australia (Aus preferred, Int if necessary)
tokorua Australia (Int)
Dancesports Australia (not specified - Int assumed)
daniellechonody, USA (Int)
Rrrcaron US, (US preferred, Int if needed)
dutch-book, Netherlands (not specified - Int assumed)
Bookray complete!
Journal Entry 4 by TheLostBook at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (4/21/2009 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Passed to Kinedi to start the ray. Happy reading, everyone!
Passed to Kinedi to start the ray. Happy reading, everyone!
Handdelivered by Nell-Lu and also been treated to a wee dram at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society - what a lovely start ! Thanks very much again.Looking forward to reading this one very soon.
I really did enjoy this second novel by Anne Donovon - I soo love the Weegie speak :o) The story has a very gentle sense of humour as Fiona's story about growing up is certainly not your average one and at times it is quite sad and tragic. The characters were all quite believable and I'd say quite Glaswegian too and the only one I couldn't warm to was Amrik who somehow didn't feel ''real''
All in all it was a lovely book to read and once again very Glaswegian which I like very much (even though
I prefer to live in Edinburgh). Thanks for letting me start this bookring off and as soon as I have lucy-lemon's address it'll be ready to travel down south.
All in all it was a lovely book to read and once again very Glaswegian which I like very much (even though
I prefer to live in Edinburgh). Thanks for letting me start this bookring off and as soon as I have lucy-lemon's address it'll be ready to travel down south.
Released 14 yrs ago (5/5/2009 UTC) at
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On it's way to Lucy-Lemon now. Happy reading
On it's way to Lucy-Lemon now. Happy reading
Arrived today, and I'm really looking forward to reading it. Will try and pass it on asap.
Wow, I LOVED this book! I thought it was absolutely ace, and I loved the use of dialect. Thank you so much for sharing :-D
I've PMed katrinat for her address and hopefully the book will be on its way asap.
I've PMed katrinat for her address and hopefully the book will be on its way asap.
Released 14 yrs ago (5/26/2009 UTC) at
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Sending to katrinat to continue the ring
Sending to katrinat to continue the ring
Arrived today, thanks for seding
I loved the feel of this book, her fragility and strength lying intwined side-by-side.
Sorry I kept it so long. Asking for next address and will post on asap. Thanks for sharing
Sorry I kept it so long. Asking for next address and will post on asap. Thanks for sharing
Journal Entry 13 by katrinat at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Saturday, July 18, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (7/18/2009 UTC) at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Enjoy. Thanks Cannongate for another great read
Enjoy. Thanks Cannongate for another great read
As usual this author covers some hard hitting subjects in what appears to be quite a gentle way. Maybe it's because I cannot read in a Glaswegian accent?Again enjoyed the book, a very quick read now travelling as soon as I get the next address
Thanks for posting this to me.
Finished this just before going away, so will fill this in soon.
I really enjoyed this book, Emily is a special wee girl, with tough family issues. She is trying to find herself and what she wants, but it takes time.
Read as part of Librarything's 999 Challenge - Canongate Books Category
See here for my 999 Challenge list
Finished this just before going away, so will fill this in soon.
I really enjoyed this book, Emily is a special wee girl, with tough family issues. She is trying to find herself and what she wants, but it takes time.
Read as part of Librarything's 999 Challenge - Canongate Books Category
See here for my 999 Challenge list
arrived this morning.... Help!!... serves me right for being greedy!!
Sorry I'm holding things up... I'm about half way through and just loving it. What a wonderful book. Will post a review when I'm done.
I've heard from Elddau1 to let her know that I'm "behind schedule"...
Should send it off by end of September.
EDIT: liked it too much and finished it in the middle of the night!
I've heard from Elddau1 to let her know that I'm "behind schedule"...
Should send it off by end of September.
EDIT: liked it too much and finished it in the middle of the night!
Released 14 yrs ago (9/22/2009 UTC) at Bungendore, New South Wales Australia
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Off it goes to Australia!! Review to follow... have to sit down and write it!!
Off it goes to Australia!! Review to follow... have to sit down and write it!!
Here it is at last:
I'm not sure I fully understand the title of the book. Fiona, the main character, is obsessed with Emily Brontë, but I don’t know enough about Emily Brontë to understand what the connection is other than that. Were there parallels between their two lives? It seemed like a throwaway title. Having said that, I'll also say that I had a hard time reviewing this book, although I don't know why. Perhaps because the book is so complex and can be read on so many different levels? I'm not sure where to start except to say that I really loved it.
We meet Fiona, our heroine, when she is in high school. We experience her life, her friends, her not quite falling in love. The scene then jumps to her time in Art school. She is older here and describes her family (her flitty twin sisters, her vagabond older brother, her desperate father) with brutality. Finally we see her as a young woman starting her life and her career and her family.
The book might be Fiona's diary; I didn't always understand what was happening right away, because her thoughts jump around and the information with it -- when and why her mother dies, for example. But Donovan portrays the life of a teenage girl growing up in the poorer neighborhoods of Glasgow so well and I was completely pulled into Fiona's life.
It’s a little more that YA and would be perfect for an older teen audience, and adults too, of course.
I'm not sure I fully understand the title of the book. Fiona, the main character, is obsessed with Emily Brontë, but I don’t know enough about Emily Brontë to understand what the connection is other than that. Were there parallels between their two lives? It seemed like a throwaway title. Having said that, I'll also say that I had a hard time reviewing this book, although I don't know why. Perhaps because the book is so complex and can be read on so many different levels? I'm not sure where to start except to say that I really loved it.
We meet Fiona, our heroine, when she is in high school. We experience her life, her friends, her not quite falling in love. The scene then jumps to her time in Art school. She is older here and describes her family (her flitty twin sisters, her vagabond older brother, her desperate father) with brutality. Finally we see her as a young woman starting her life and her career and her family.
The book might be Fiona's diary; I didn't always understand what was happening right away, because her thoughts jump around and the information with it -- when and why her mother dies, for example. But Donovan portrays the life of a teenage girl growing up in the poorer neighborhoods of Glasgow so well and I was completely pulled into Fiona's life.
It’s a little more that YA and would be perfect for an older teen audience, and adults too, of course.
Received yesterday with thanks from Hayes13 in Italy.
I couldn;t help myself and I had to have a sneak read while I was standing in the kitchen with the packaging still in my other hand! ha! Two chapters later... it looks good and I'm looking forward to it.
I'm not quite ready to read it yet but I'm pages away from finishing my current book.
Thanks to Canongate Books and The Lost Book.
I couldn;t help myself and I had to have a sneak read while I was standing in the kitchen with the packaging still in my other hand! ha! Two chapters later... it looks good and I'm looking forward to it.
I'm not quite ready to read it yet but I'm pages away from finishing my current book.
Thanks to Canongate Books and The Lost Book.
paperback, 275 pages
This was an easy to read and surprisingly well written book. It was different to what I expected from the blurb. The book actually told more of Fiona’s life as a young adult.
I read it in 3 days - unusual for me. I wanted to know what Fiona would do and how she would get on. I could relate well to her family situation and I found Fiona had courage and strength.
I don’t know about the ending though. I think another outcome would actually have been truer to Fiona’s character. But I loved this book and missed being in Glasgow when I was done. I started reading another Scotland-based book after it but found it didn't have near the same colour!
;-)
I had a little play around TheLostBook site when it first started - such a wonderful idea!
Many thanks for letting me join in.
Edited to add: I struggled initially with the dialect until something clicked. I think I was reading it slightly out of focus, a little like you have to to see those Magic Eye /3D? pictures.
This was an easy to read and surprisingly well written book. It was different to what I expected from the blurb. The book actually told more of Fiona’s life as a young adult.
I read it in 3 days - unusual for me. I wanted to know what Fiona would do and how she would get on. I could relate well to her family situation and I found Fiona had courage and strength.
I don’t know about the ending though. I think another outcome would actually have been truer to Fiona’s character. But I loved this book and missed being in Glasgow when I was done. I started reading another Scotland-based book after it but found it didn't have near the same colour!
;-)
I had a little play around TheLostBook site when it first started - such a wonderful idea!
Many thanks for letting me join in.
Edited to add: I struggled initially with the dialect until something clicked. I think I was reading it slightly out of focus, a little like you have to to see those Magic Eye /3D? pictures.
Released 14 yrs ago (10/16/2009 UTC) at
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On it's way to wombles in Queensland.
cheerio from south of the border ;-)
On it's way to wombles in Queensland.
cheerio from south of the border ;-)
Received today, looks interesting.
Thanks for the postcard Elddau1!
Thanks for the postcard Elddau1!
This book didn't get me in straight away like it did Elddau1, but about half way through it stopped being something I was just trying to get through so I could send it on and became something I read nonstop.
The dialect bugged me for a while, and I had to look up a few words. I loved Trainspottings dialect but this just took longer to get the hang of.
The dialect bugged me for a while, and I had to look up a few words. I loved Trainspottings dialect but this just took longer to get the hang of.
This book is safe and sound in Sydney - thanks for sending it on Wombles. I will get around to reading it shortly, I'm looking forward to it.
Journal Entry 26 by peggypostcard at Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, December 3, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (12/3/2009 UTC) at Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia
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At times this book got a little too tragic for me, but overall I really enjoyed it. I used to live and work in the Glasgow area so the language and references to particular places and events sparked some nice memories.
The book is now in the mail.
At times this book got a little too tragic for me, but overall I really enjoyed it. I used to live and work in the Glasgow area so the language and references to particular places and events sparked some nice memories.
The book is now in the mail.
sorry it took so long to register, i will read it quickly and send onto dancesports.
Journal Entry 28 by Monki-ies at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Released 14 yrs ago (1/12/2010 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
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i enjoyed this lovely little story.
i enjoyed this lovely little story.
Book has arrived I'll try and squeeze it in toward the top of my tbr, just 3 asian VBBs in front.
Journal Entry 30 by Dancesports from Petcheys Bay, Tasmania Australia on Saturday, February 27, 2010
I have similar views to wombles - it took me a hile to get into it but then about half way thorugh I couldn't put it down.
Arrived this week while I was away - will be the next book I read!
A very different book that I really enjoyed. Emily was a complex character who's struggles finally won through in the end. Don't you love a happy ending! Thanks for sharing and I'll send on this weekend.
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Mailed to next reader on the bookring today
Mailed to next reader on the bookring today
Received this book today. I have one to read beforehand, but will get to this one soon!
Ruth
Ruth
I liked this one even better than Buddah Da. Fiona was a strong girl who managed to keep her life together after so many trials. I was glad things ended up the way they did with her and Jas. Now I want a sequel to see how thinghs turn out with the baby, lol. Sending on to next reader....
Ruth
Ruth
There it is. On MTBR for now.
I'm really sorry for not finishing this book in time. I'm very busy nowadays, and sometimes it just feels as if my head is overflowing. Anyway, I read this book as a public-transportbook and it suited perfectly. Good story, love the accent! I definitely need to read Wuthering Heights once, the book keeps appearing in my life.
Journal Entry 38 by 
Hendrickje
at Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, December 25, 2010
Hendrickje at Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, December 25, 2010
Yesterday when I took this book home with me from a meet-up with dutch-book, I had no idea this was a book which had travelled across the globe. Isn't that wonderful? It still looks very well, you careful BC-ers, thank you!
Do I understand correctly it is written in Glaswegian? Interesting. I hope I can understand it, but as I have read a lot of Robert Burns and I have travelled extensively around Scotland, I am confident it may work out.
Do I understand correctly it is written in Glaswegian? Interesting. I hope I can understand it, but as I have read a lot of Robert Burns and I have travelled extensively around Scotland, I am confident it may work out.
In the beginning the accent was a bit of a puzzle, but I quickly got the hang of it. A really wonderful book, even though I saw the the way in which the story would turn out coming from a mile's distance (I think I now am translating a Dutch saying;-) But still I was kept in suspense up till the very ending.
Dutch-book, I have recently registered another copy of Wuthering Heights, which you can have if you still want it! and I'll look for a suitable way of releasing this much travelled book.
Dutch-book, I have recently registered another copy of Wuthering Heights, which you can have if you still want it! and I'll look for a suitable way of releasing this much travelled book.
Journal Entry 40 by Hendrickje at -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Bremen Germany on Saturday, February 19, 2011
Hendrickje at -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Bremen Germany on Saturday, February 19, 2011
Released 13 yrs ago (2/19/2011 UTC) at -- Per Post geschickt/ Persönlich weitergegeben --, Bremen Germany
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I could not possibly leave this book somewhere with the chance that no JE about it would ever reach any of us again. So today I sent 'Emily' on its way to Germany, to ariella1985, who has it on her wishlist!
Thanks to Hendrickje for sending the book to me! It arrived yesterday, and I'm going to read it very soon :)
Journal Entry 42 by ariella1985 at Campground Austurvegur 26 in Grindavik, Suðurnes Iceland on Saturday, August 20, 2011
Released 12 yrs ago (8/17/2011 UTC) at Campground Austurvegur 26 in Grindavik, Suðurnes Iceland
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Released in the bathroom facilities on the campground of Grindavík.
