Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy Bookish Valentine

I learned very early that when you were infatuated with someone, you read the same books the other person read or you read the books that had shaped the other person or you committed an infidelity and read for yourself and it was the beginning of trouble.
From Harold Brodkey Reading: The Most Dangerous Game (1985) and found in a delightful book called The Book Addict's Treasury by Julie Rugg and Lynda Murphy which my friend Diane gave me as a belated Christmas present and which I am reading in bed.

17 comments:

enar arshad said...

happy valentine to you too. just to inform you that i have managed to get atonement- the last copy at the times pavillion yesterday. cant wait to start reading it. have a great day!

Samantha said...

Hello Sharon,
I've been trying to send you an email , but they just keep bouncing back to me. My editor has actually contacted you about the possibility of the editorial department joining your creative writing classes at the BC. I understand that a class should be happening some time this month. Would just like to know when, what time, and how much it would cost. Please advise. I can be contacted at samantha.yong@doctorjob.com.my

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Hi Sharon (writing here since my email to you has bounced back as well),

Am thinking of embarking on another Paul Auster book--any recommendations other than NY Trilogy (think it's out
of stock at MPH). I've got some vouchers to use. ;) Finished Oracle Night. Loved it. I think he's fantastic with endings, don't you? Not so great with middles though, they get
a bit draggy at times.

bibliobibuli said...

hi samantha. my streamyx account has been hit by a spammer but my yahoo account is still fine.

sharonbakar@yahoo.com

don't know when the next course will be - need to talk to the british council first before i can let you have dates. this month am quite busy with some teacher training stuff and a workshop for IKIM so it won't be immediately

bibliobibuli said...

enar - am so glad. looking forward to knowing how you get on with it.

janet - good job i have this blog hey?

chet is probably a better person to ask about auster than i am as she has read more. she should be happneing by these comments anytime ... now

Anonymous said...

How true! Thank you!

Chet said...

*And about an hour and a half after Sharon's comment, Chet pops up*

Actually, I have only read one Paul Auster book, and that's Oracle Night. The others are his non-fiction writings.

I was so tempted to buy the NY Trilogy available at Borders The Curve. I loved the feel of the cover and inside pages - so, so ... pulp fictionish! But I didn't. I can't afford to for now.

So, as for which Paul Auster book to read next, I have no idea. Sorry!

Kak Teh said...

happy valentine's day sharon. aaaah, that time has come when we spend valentine's day with a book in bed!

Greenbottle said...

a workshop for IKIM?

that sounds intersting. i wonder what you'll be talking about there. not on that silly woman ayan hisri ali i hope?!

there's an interesting travel writer tim mackintosh smith. He writes about muslim land and rather besotted with ibn batutta and had written a couple of travel books related to this and i'm currently reading 'The hall of a thousand columns Hindustan to Malabar with Ibn Batutta.'

Probably just the kind of books for ikim people...

Hsian said...

Janet

NY Trilogy is my personal fav but I also enjoyed The Music of Chance - maybe you can check that out :)

Hsian

Anonymous said...

Hi Chet, no worries. Hsian--thanks for your recommendation. I'll look out for it! I think I'll get NY Trilogy somehow, just too many rave reviews about it to ignore.

bibliobibuli said...

chet - my timing wasn't far out :-D

kak teh - yeah, sad isn't it?

greenbottle - it's a creative writing workshop. i'll be seeking to loosen up some serious creativity.

hsian - thanks.

janet - if you want to borrow first i have a few unread austers. new york trilogy is a must, though i much prefered "the brooklyn follies"

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the offer Sharon, it's just that I have some MPH vouchers to use so I thought I'd get one or two myself. ;) I also enjoyed The Brooklyn Follies immensely, although, like Oracle Night, I felt it got a bit draggy at some parts. Funny how his later books seem better? (this conclusion based on how famous I think his books are) I would've thought most writers would write their best books mid-career, although I suppose this really varies from writer to writer.

bibliobibuli said...

i have mph vouchers too!!! yummy yummy. got RM100 rebate and still have some given to me by a friend

Argus Lou said...

May I jump in on the Paul Auster discussion?

I've read seven or eight of his books and my heart broke reading 'Leviathan' (highly recommended) and 'Vertigo'.
'NY Trilogy' is a bit cold but intriguing. Also enjoyed 'Book of Illusion' (layered storytelling) and 'Music of Chance' (melancholic tone).

Anonymous said...

Had to restrain myself from buying more than two, so used my vouchers with NY Trilogy and The Book of Illusions at MPH Mid Valley. Didn't see Music of Chance but I think there was Timbuktu and something else I can't remember plus his autobiography.

Alice said...

Happy belated Valentines to you, Sharon!

Speaking of MPH vouchers, I'm thinking of redeeming them with my credit card points. Should be able to get around RM450!! Wheeee...