Opshop Goodies

I went out to drop off some bags of goods to the local Vinnies when I found out they were having a half-price sale.

What a great thing to stumble upon!

So, I walked around, had a good look at things and found the book section was well-stocked. I found 'The Stone & The Flute' by Hans Bemmann, 'Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks' by John Curran and 'To The Nines' by Janet Evanovich.
Three great books on three totally different subjects; I can't wait to read them. But I don't know when that'll be. 

However, when I was at the coast, I didn't get to go to any opshops, because they were all closed over the New Year period. This was kind of boring because where I was staying, the township lived off second-hand things - nobody bought brand new furnishings; not unless you drive some distance to one of the bigger towns. So, it was a very quiet time over the few days I was at Brunswick Heads.

Anyway, when I came home, I was right into the cleaning out, donating and looking at my garden again. And it's making such a difference. I'll be going through my house again to make it better this year too... as well as my book collection... until my next post, happy reading!

Whatcha Reading This Month?

It's the first of the month and I'm just jumping here to see what you're all reading.  Me?  I've got my nose into 'Mozart: His Work and Character' by Alfred Einstein.  It's a first edition from 1946 and I'm totally enjoying the first chapter called 'Travel'.  This chapter completely covers the life of travel for the Mozart family from beginning to end.  I can't wait until I get through this part, but how Einstein tells it, Leopold Mozart loved his son, Wolfgang, more than his wife, his daughter, work or anything... even life itself.  However, Wolfgang became very much like his father in more ways than he even thought.  And the reasons why he never went back to Salzburg was because his father was always trying to push his son to be always working so hard, when there was a party to go to; something Wolfgang loved to do.

And this is just chapter one!  I've only read up to page 16, and it's a very interesting read so far.  

This book was written by Albert Einstein's cousin who wrote about musicians and how and why they became who they were and are to us today.  I found this book in 'The Book Barn' at Mullumbimby on the Far North Coast of New South Wales... and I'm so happy I have it as it's one of the rare books I own and now it's one I'm reading too.  

So, let us in on what you're reading?  Is it fun, educational or a horror book?  Until my next post, happy reading!

What's Inside Your Collection?

Have you ever done it?  You know?  Gone through your book collection and found out just what you have in it?  I have once in a while.  And you know, it's a big surprise to me just how many books I really do have that I don't get to read or books I picked up and wanted to read at one stage and don't want to anymore.
The shelves are stacked beautifully, all the spines are facing out.  I have books piled on top of the ones standing up properly, as well as books on the tops of the shelves where they lay down so they don't fall down.  And all of those look like mountains; where they are all leaning in on each other from the edges just so nothing falls down if I add one more book on by throwing it on top.  Or if it teeters a little, something in the way it's sitting will keep it from falling down.  Or - funnier still - at some point in the next few days or nights, I'll hear a thump, and a few seconds later, a crash and race in to find all my books from the mountain on the floor!  And this book avalanche was caused by that one book on top teetering a little when I should have found a good spot for it.  Lazy me!

But seriously, do you know what you have in your shelves?  And I don't mean a rough estimate... I mean, do you know exactly which authors you have right now?  I can honestly say that I don't.  I know a few of them, but not all of them.  And that's a good thing to know.  And here's a few of them just off-hand:

Stephen King
Paulo Coelho
Maeve Binchy
Umberto Eco
John Connolly
JRR Tolkien
Douglas Adams
Imogen Edwards-Jones
Sara Douglass
Helen Garner
Jim Morrison
Donald Stephenson
Colleen McCullough
Bill Cosby
Ray Bradbury
Mark Twaine
Alan Alda
Charles Dickens
Oscar Wilde
Hugh Lunn
John Irving
Estelle Pinney
Matthew Reilly
Peter Straub
Nigel Goodall
 

I have more than one book of the above authors in my shelves... and this is who I can see from where I'm sitting. So, do tell!  Who have you got in your collection?  Are you proud to have them?  Or are some authors a big, bad secret?  Like for me having a Dr. Seus book isn't my proudest moment.  But then, I guess everyone's got a few hiding in their past.  Until my next post, happy reading!          

The Home Festival Scores!

On Saturday, I was out all day at the Home Festival here in Brisbane to show my Altered Book and an artistic view of what my book collection meant to me.  Well, the day went off well!  The weather was perfect with blue skies, the sun out nice and bright and a gorgeous cool sea breeze to keep the whole day from keeping us from getting too hot.

The stalls were varied from organic foods to doing your own screen-printing to second-hand books (which I didn't seen until the end of the day).  But there was a jumble sale near our Pop-Up Museum which I had a look at with my niece, Riley, and I found myself a first edition of a poetry book by Helen Steiner Rice which was printed in 1968; and I paid only $2.00 for it!  What a lovely little book it is!  

And to add to my collection, one of my friends and artists - Doug Cartwright - found a 5-book set of gothic romance for me for $5.00.  He told me that when he saw it he knew it was very much me.  So, he bought it for me.  How cool is that?  I was so happy to see it as I've been eyeing it off at QBD and can't afford the $30 price tag attached to it; and now I've got it for so much less!

I found other things at the jumble sale - but they weren't books - to add to my other collections and they really made my day.  So, what have you found at jumble or garage or yard sales recently that you thought was a great find recently?  Was it found at a big festival - like mine was - or at a local market?  Do tell.  Until my next post, happy reading!

Keeping Track

As a collector of books, it's not unusual for me to keep collections of journals or diaries that other people wrote.  I have my Grandpa's journals kept in the desk he made; and they span from 1926 to around 1984.  He lead an amazing life and wrote every day.  

I find that there are fictional diaries of people I find fascinating that I collect as well.  For example, I found a couple of journals that were written around WWII by two different people who did totally different jobs, but socialised within the same circles.  The first one is 'Observations From The Bar: Aerobleu, Paris 1947 - 1950' by Leslie Anne Nash.  She is a bar tender of a bar in Paris in the middle of the Second World War and it's of her dealings with people, who came into the bar and how Paris looked at that time.  The second one of these was written by a man who frequented the bar - a pilot - who was in love with her and it's titled 'Aerobleu: Pilot's Journal, 1939 - 1959' by Max Morgan.  I love both these books and their format is totally different to any book I have ever owned in my life, so I have never parted with them.  Really, I should read them again; as they were great books.

I have 'The Diary of Anne Frank' as well; however, I've never finished it, but I have tried.  

And I also have my own journals.  They may be a little bland - of everyday things - but there are some high points where I go places, enjoy a great night out, go on holidays (and there I use a travel journal) but then, I journal for my private reasons.  I get the best ideas for writing.  I also have around 35 journals I've written in since I began journaling in 1997; and have had to store some away in containers!  Now, that's a lot of journals to keep!  My journals aren't all the same.  I buy them from a particular store and they cost around $25.00 each and have gorgeous colours and designs on them, are fully-lined and have plenty of space in them to write in the margins if needs be.  But there's a funny thing I do with my journals.  Seeing that while I keep the one I'm using on hand in the living room (as I sometimes write during a television show late at night before bed), I sometimes find the most fascinating things during shows and adverts are said and shown to me; and I must write them down!  So, in the back of all of my journals, I have to leave around 3 pages spare so I can write down book titles, people's names, websites, ideas and other things I find interesting from the television... and I title it 'To Google'.  I began doing this about two years ago and have about four journals filled up at the back with all kinds of things that have been scribbled down in note form.  The funny thing is that sometimes, I'll remember it's there and find it and use those notes while other times, I won't.

So, do you keep a journal? How long have you kept yours?  Is it for ideas, your personal private thoughts or other things as well?  Do you do what I do with mine and scribble ideas in the back?  If so, what kinds of ideas do you have in yours?  Until my next post, Happy Reading!

Getting Oranised!

Now, around mid-last year, I wrote an article here about how many books I had in my collection; and surprised myself when I found I was nearing the 1,000 mark.  Now I have over that number, and it's 2012, it's time to organise this office so that I can accommodate more books if need be.

Yesterday afternoon, I worked in here for two hours figuring out the best way to fit my books in, sort out books I didn't want anymore and throwing out some that weren't needed.  And I found that it was as matter of placing certain books in their own sections and making sure I had the space for others.

I have had my late-Grandparents' books sitting around in a corner of their own for a long time; and thought it was time to let them have the entire shelf.  And now, they have that shelf.  They are double parked but look good! 

My journals had to swap shelves with the photo albums as albums just didn't physically fit the bottom shelf of the saggy bookcase.  Now, they look good; and there's only two albums that need more space because they are massive and can't fit anywhere else but on a very tall bookcase near the door.

I had to re-organise the top of the saggy bookcase because I found the books that were there were organised badly; with the small books on the bottom an big ones teetering on the top.  With this bookcase leaning about two inches from the wall (through its own dynamics and no fault of my own), I really needed to fix how the books were organised on it.  So, I pulled them all down and did exactly what I hoped I wasn't going to do:  I bumped one and it fell down the back of the bookcase, getting stuck halfway down!  I had to unload the rest of the top of the bookcase, pull out the doorstop under the front right leg and rock it forward so the book slid down and over my way.  Once out, and I had the doorstop back under it, I stacked the larger books on the bottom and made my way to the top  with the smaller books up against the wall.  It looks a lot more stable and better now.

I've still got a long way to go on this collection this weekend; as I only got about a quarter way through re-organising them.  But I did make a difference in how it looks and how this home office feels.  And this place doesn't feel so cluttered and crowded anymore - and that's a great feeling.  

Have you ever had a problem with storing your books and found a solution without throwing any out?  If so, share your great solution with us.  Until my next post, happy reading.

Golden Oldies

I remember when my Grandparents were around - mainly on my Mum's side of the family - they had a couple of bookcases chock full of books in the side verandah of their old Queenslander home at Tarragindi here in Brisbane.  I loved delving into that side verandah because it was always full of dusty old books that nobody read anymore and things that nobody looked at or used anymore.

However, when both Grandma and Grandpa weren't around anymore, a lot the things I used to fiddle with and books I read and pored through were shared amongst the family.  These books were old, out-of-date and very unusual; and I wondered if anyone would have a use for them anymore.

However, as I matured, I found that these books found a place on my bookshelves and take pride of place there.  Once such book is 'Short History of the English People' by John Richard Green.  My Grandpa owned a 34th edition of this book which was printed in 1926, but it was first printed in 1874.  Then, it was reprinted many times, expanded upon and then had an epilogue added onto it before this edition was printed.  I have searched around for another book just like it; however my search has dug up another two volumes, but they are either out of print or in just as poor condition as the copy of my first volume.

Other books that I have dug up are all sitting in the bookcase next to my computer desk out of direct sunlight to keep the spines from fading and pages from turning yellow.  Yes, I inherited a fair few books from that old house and quite a few of them have funny names.  There's one looking at me right now titled 'Receipts for Everything: The Book You Want: How To Cure Everything. How To Do Everything'.  It's a book by a certain Dr Chase who published all his recipes for everyone to use.  According to this book, you can cure everything from Whooping Cough to Chronic Gout... oh boy!  But then, again, back in the old days, everything had to be cured and worked with by house hold and pantry items in the first place; this is how medicine began isn't it?

So, what old books have you inherited and have been unable to let go of?  Know have an idea of which ones it is for me, so share yours with the rest of us.  Until my next post, happy reading!

'Christian Slater Back From the Edge' by Nigel Goodall

Born into a stage and movie family, Christian Slater had acting in his blood from the very beginning of his life.  His parents met at an acting school in New York City and - after a quick courtship - married and had Christian in 1969.  His life growing up wasn't like most kids, as he was often in the wings of theatres and in dressing rooms watching his father get ready for performances.  His mother - Mary Jo Slater - became a casting agent and she helped him with his roles in some of his movies; however she didn't like most of his choices.  

This book is a very informative, detailed account of Christian Slater's life.  It's the good, the bad and the ugly sides of his personal and movie lives which nobody else had written; and I'm glad it was written by Nigel Goodall.  There's some great photos of Christian in the book and it's so easy to read you can get through over thirty pages in one sitting easily. 

However, this book is also out of print and can only be found in the UK in the hard cover format.  I had to order my copy through The American Bookstore here in Brisbane and wait for it to arrive three weeks later.  Otherwise, if you can get your hands on a copy of this book, it is well worth a read. 

On The Hunt

I love books as much as any avid reader out there; and I love to collect them as well (as a good majority of you know).  However, what I love to do is hunt down books I would love to read and own.  These aren't just any books, these are books that are out-of-print and are rare as hell to find.  These are the challenge, my whale, my reason for going into second-hand bookstores armed with my handkerchiefs and antihistamines and looking through the dusty shelves for hours on end on wet, humid days.

However, there have been times where I've rejoiced and found some wonderful books by pure chance.  Stumbling upon an out-of-print book by accident is fate; really it is.  Hunting for one for years is like having a carrot dangled in front of your face just out of reach and yet you still want it so very badly.

Out-of-print and not published in Australia.

For me, yesterday was one of those days where the hunt for one of my most-hunted books came to an end.  'Christian Slater: Back from the Edge' by Nigell Goodall was a book I've been looking for since it came out in 2005.  However, it never hit the bookstores here.  So, I had to order it in through The American Bookstore and I had to wait three weeks for it to come in from the UK.  I don't care why it didn't come out here, but now I've got it, I am not letting it out of my sight.

There's other books I have that are out of print; such as 'The Letters of JRR Tolkien' edited by Humphery Carpenter.  This was my first out of print and extremely rare book I found; and I was on holidays when I did find it at a bookstore in Wales jammed in a bookcase in a dark attic room where I was forced to use a torch (talk about really going Indiana Jones kinda hunting!).  I also nearly ended up with the bookcase landing on me because it was so old!  

I have had other books that are out-of-print just land in my lap.  And strangely enough, when I posted them off (without knowing they weren't in print anymore), I've stumbled upon another better copy of the same book.  'The Stone and the Flute' is such a book.  I had a copy of this book from an old boyfriend; and I gave it away as somebody on Bookcrossing wished for it (and being the kind of person I am, if I'm not into that book right now, I'll give it away).  So, when I found out it was out-of-print, I started hunting for it.  And when the Life Line Bookfest came around mid-year 2009, I found a better copy of it there... actually, I found about four copies there for next to nothing.  

So, what books have you hunted around your city, country - or even the world - for?  Have they cost you a lot of money once you've gotten your hands on them?  Or did you spend very little cash on them (and scored a great deal?)?  Until my next post, happy reading!

Book Score!

Last weekend, I was invited at the last minute to attend my niece's school fete.  I turned it down as I had a lot to do here at home and needed to catch up on a fair few things around here before my very busy week started out.  This was something I regretted when my folks called back that afternoon asking me about books.  Mum had found a hall there chock full of near-new books for next to nothing.  The organisers were handing out boxes people could fill for $10!  What was I missing out on! An absolute bargain, that's what!  Well, that was my fault, nobody else's.  However, Mum bought me some great books I haven't read.

The first I do have (somewhere around here) but this one is a first edition; and I love digging up these things.  It's 'Misery' by Stephen King.  Finding a first edition of his isn't easy these days - especially his old works; but Mum found this one; and isn't it great!  She bought it for about $1.00 or so.  

Then, there was 'Dream Thief' by Stephen Lawhead.  Now, this author is famous for his sci-fi fantasy works of the King Arthur series; not science fiction. However, he has written this genre before and so Mum bought me this works; something I haven't read of his.  Brilliant!  This edition is the UK edition; what a find!

Then, Mum mentioned 'Under My Skin' by Doris Lessing.  Now, I have wanted to read something about this wonderful writer for a long time; and now I have the first volume of her autobiography!  What a wonderful book!  I can't wait to get in and read it next year (as I have so many now I really do need to get my nose into a few of them).  

And last - but not least - is 'The Wayward Bus' by John Steinbeck.  I haven't heard of this work by this author, but when Mum read the blurb on the back, it sounded very interesting and made me want to read it.  So, she bought it for me.  What a great selection of books!  I'd like to thank my Mum for tracking down these books - however few they are - for me as they really do look like great reads and fantastic classics in their own rights.  I can't wait to read them.  What books have you found at markets or fetes that you've bought for a steal and made you wonder what they were doing there in the first place?  Have you bought up big, or did you just pick out a select few like my Mum did for me on Sunday? Until my next post, happy reading!

Illustrated Thrillers for Kids.

Now, I love to find new books for any age group of any genre.  However, when I received a phone call from my Mum on Saturday, she told me there were a collection at the Springwood Community Centre not far from her home called the 'Illustrated Classic Editions Thrillers'.   I asked what they looked liked.  Well, she said she'd get them and bring them to me.

That night, she brought them over to my house and showed them to me and I found they were large print and for kids.  I had the impression they were graphic novels.  However, they weren't.  There are six in all and all of them are written by the most classic writers around from the twentieth century and adapted for children between the ages of 9 and 12.  There are 'Tales of Mystery and Terror' by Edgar Allan Poe, 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson, 'The Invisible Man' by H.G. Wells, 'The Time Machine' by H.G. Wells and 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley.  All these books are in my shelves however these particular ones are adapted from the adult versions and put in to larger print for young minds to grasp quickly and have great illustrations.  Well worth looking for.