Have taken on what must be one of the nicest jobs in the world - buying books for the British Council library. At the moment the work involves surfing the net, reading reviews, thinking about what books I'd like to buy. The sort of thing I do all the time, but this time I'm actually being paid to do it!
The perameters I've been given are that the writers must be British, or have won a major British award, or be resident in the UK and writing on British themes. And I've started with the fiction since this is by far the biggest secion in the library. (Not to mention the one closest to my heart!)
My "work" has been made so much easier by The Book Award Annals website which lists all the winners of major awards with pictures of the book covers and synopses.
If you love lists of books or are stumped as to what to read next, you will find this one of the best resources on the net.
Now I'm okay with the literary fiction, this being "my thing", but would love to hear from any aficionados out there who would like to recommend books in other genres, such as sci-fi, fantasy, humour, murder-mystery, "chick-lit". Remember there has to be a strong British connection and the novels should preferably be "contemporary".
I just hope that this job doesn't lead me into greater book-buying danger as far as my home-library is concerned. I might get so envious of BC having great books on its shelf that I don't have my own copy of. (And I hate to borrow books! I need to have them!) I can see it happening and anything I earn from this job being wiped out to support my habit. *Sigh*
26 comments:
That is such a cool job! Do you need an assistant to help you read those books?
For 'chik- Bridget Jones - The Edge of Reason
Sorry - forgot the word "lit" - should be "chick-lit"
boo_licious - Sure, why not! (BTW your blog makes me feel very hungry ... Please write about my favourite dish which is Kuay Teoh with Petai at C18th-20th cafe in Taman Tun and I'll let you read all the books you want)
Aneeta - Yes, Bridget Jones has to be there for sure. I love that it's such a clever Jane Austen parody.
Aneeta, come on. You can't lump Bridget Jones series into chick lit at all. And BTW, every book of Bridget Jones series is already sitting in the Brit C shelves - along with Olivia Joules! Loved every one of those books.
how about the following. I've been waiting ages for them to buy them!!!
garth nix's abhorsen series - they only have sabriel. in fact the rest of his books.
simon singh's books - they only have the code book.
adrian mole & WMD - to complete the series.
more gaiman!!!
Leon, Aneeta - So Bridget Jones stays on the shelves ...
Simon - thanks for your suggestions, very helpful. Which book of Singh's were you thinking of? And what is WMD?
WMD = Weapons of Mass Destruction
Kuay Teow with Petai. That sounds interesting, must try that.
I love Bridget Jones, I even have a signed copy by Helen Fielding.
You should also add the Alexander McCall Smith's vooks to BC's shelves.
boo_licious - Yalah, i know WMD is Weapons of mass destruction but you mentioned it in the same breath as Adrian mole, so I thought it was a new book by Sue Townsend! Actually the whole WMD thing was so farcical, she may as well have written the plot!
for simon singh (no relation to me), you should get 'Fermat's last theroem', 'cracking the code book' and 'the big bang'
"Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction" is the last book in the series by Sue Townsend. She's completely blind now.
I don't know if British council still has the policy of having books by british authors or not, but if not, i may suggest some kafka, palahniuk, Gabriel Garcia
Marquez, et al.
say, when are you next the british council? i work nearby, i'd really love to meet you!!!!
Simon - I'm in BC Fri morning for a meeting. You can call me. (O12-3834977). Hadn't heard of Townsend's latest book. Singh I will bear in mind. Can only have foreign authors who've won a major British lit prize ... anyway, let's see what we can do.
i will! :)
Unless you changed your h/p # recently, that should be a six and not a two.
Oh yes, chet, how blur of me! 016 is right! I'm a digi person.
If you're going to do British books, you can't forget Paddington. If I had my way, I'd bring back most of Enid Blyton's stuff. And Paddington.
Please take care of this bear. Thank you.
Hey, I thought of Enid Blyton, too! She was what got me reading all those years ago. But now, she might be considered politically incorrect. Still, her George was one of the first female characters I came across (at that tender age).
Ah yes, Paddington. Happy memories.
And I also grew up on a diet of Enid Blyton. Picked up one of her Malory Towers books the other day (research you understand!) and found myself enjoying it all over again.
actually a friend of mine used to go to BC during the bkt aman day. after it moved to ampang, he was shocked to see the library shrunk to almost 10% the size. He quit BC immediately.
i understand that bc is moving towards e-learning and online library thing, but i hope they shouldn't neglect the trad print books.
Simon - Well this is an attempt to revitalise the library, and whilst it will never be as big as in the Bukit Aman days, it should be wonderfully well stocked. And well worth being a member of.
The e-library is pretty amazing. I can waste many happy hours there and must write abouut it soon!
Yes it's all about money these days. E-books are nice, but you can't read them in bed, or while waiting for a bus or whatever. I once checked out Sir Thomas Mallory's "Morte d'Arthur".. talk about optimism heh. :P
Y'know what else I'd put in ? those old "westerns" that were written in Britain. They were very fanciful descriptions of the new American colonies. People had names like "Dusty Fog" and were always fighting the natives. Very stereotyped but very fun.. I mean think of an English cowboy, and you sort of get the idea how fun it was. And of course the Adrian Mole series. And the Secret Diary of Anne Frank (who was dutch maybe but didn't it win some sort of British award ?). And then there are the classics. What happened to them ? people like Lewis Carroll and J. M. Barrie -- they were British weren't they ? oh yeah and the whole "Chronicles of Narnia" series. Those too. I don't think you can get a whole lot more British than that. And what about Sophie Kinsella ? and James Herriot ?
Sure you can take ebooks to bed with you. In a handheld PDA! Less heavy, too. Plus as many ebooks as your PDA has the storage for. I just upgraded mine to a 1GB storage card.
Geez Chet.. how can you read anything on a screen the size of a postage stamp ? :) anyway since I'm spamming the comments I might as well add Roald Dahl.
hi sharon, i managed only to get o BC late friday morning, but the receptionist says she does'nt know a sharon. i tried to call you a few times, but you were probably busy.
Maybe next time huh? :}
anonymous (do you have a name or is that your real name?) - if a PDA screan is the size of a postage stamp, then it's the largest postage stamp I've ever seen.
The largest postage stamp anyone's ever seen is _still_ a postage stamp. How many legible words can you fit on that screen anyway ?
PS. And yes, my name really IS anonymous.
PPS. Sorry I seem to be spamming your comments, Sharon, but some people are just argumentative :)
anonymous &Chet - Oy! Enough! I have seen Chet's PDA (she was flaunting it tonight) and all i know is that I want one desperately so i can carry zillions of books around with me. I'd take it to bed with me jsut for something to cuddle up to. (Sad life.) Whether I could read the screen or not is immaterial becasue i always fall asleep as soon as I start to read in bed.
The only problem with a PDA as far as I can see is that you can't spill food on it.
How large is a postage stamp is like asking "How long is a piece of string?" Anyway, here's your answer:
Measuring a whopping 10 feet by 16 feet,the WORLD'S LARGEST POSTAGE STAMP went on display May 23, 1995 in Portland, Oregon.
Now Chet, stop gloating and realise that not everyone is a techie!!!
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