The Bookshop Tour

Oh I have a friend that is sooooooo going to be like this with me!

found on Pinterest here

All because I have been promising to read a book forever (ok so there is probably more than one friend and more than one unread book but I agree with Lemony Snicket!)

found on Pinterest here

But I got an amazing book for Christmas and really couldn't resist it! It's all my weird and lovely colleague's fault for she introduced me to Jen Campbell and the Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops books. They are books that had me ahhhing, nodding and out right laughing with every other quote, even though I have never worked in a bookshop most things translated to libraries. So when I got Jen's new book for Christmas, The Bookshop Book, it just kept winking at me until I picked it up and sneaked a peak. And another one. Then another, well you get the picture.

Sat there nice and cosy in front of the crackling log fire in Northumberland with plans to visit my favourite bookshop in the coming days guess which bookshop the opened onto?...Yes, my favourite bookshop Barter Books, Alnwick. It did raise a little chuckle. Then I did what every good bibliophile should do, I began at the beginning and continued to the end! This tour by page did not disappoint. It was full of little nuggets of wonder and brilliance. Full of rabbit holes for you to follow, books to add to the never ending To Read List and even a few blogs to check out.

But worse than that (at least for my other half) rekindled some dreams and tickled my wanderlust. I now have a list of bookshops circling the globe to visit and a new Pinterest board to gather my thoughts on for my dream bookshop.

I truly loved reading about all the wonderful bookshops all over the world; the ones I want to visit from Wigtown, Scotland to Storytellers Inc. Lancashire and across the pond to places like the Community Bookstore, Brooklyn New York. Jen even had me wanting to visit Paris, something I have never wanted to do before. But with the lure of Shakespeare and Co. who could not want to take a look in person; finger those spines, close your eyes to take a deeper breath of that vanillary book smell and pick one off the shelf to curl up with for a while.

More than all of the places I want to visit, which to be frank would need a gap year and a lottery win to fund, were all the places I wanted to share with friends. Cook and Book, dine on a meal selected from a cookbooks, at that point I said out loud to some rather quizzical looks, "Oh Sandra would love that." And so many book shops steeped in the history of the Beat authors I just kept thinking Connor would love this one and this one and this one and I could see him spending a night or two sleeping at Shakespeare and Co. writing and more. Yes there are bookshops mentioned with beds in where you can sleepover (new bucket list item I think!).There were so many more, too many to mention. I guess that is why I have been going around enthusing about this book so much. Trying to get people to add this to their to read list.

It has been a long time since a book has had me furiously scribbling notes so I don't forget which parts I loved. Even longer since I wanted to start straight back at the beginning as soon as I finished and a little longer still since I cringed when someone asked to borrow my copy, not because I'm precious I know the person will be careful (she's a librarian) but because I'm just not sure I will ever be done referring to it!

I don't even usually review books but I seem to have walked into doing just that! Seriously Jen, well played! But this book is a bit like the gravy of my roast dinner book list, and everyone knows you can't have a roast dinner without gravy.

Now, one of my most favourite parts of the author interviews was that most ended with them describing their dream bookshop so I thought I would do the same, here goes....

It would be warm and welcoming, light but cosy. There would be log fires, coffee and cakes. The cafe would do themed children's meals depending on the story time theme/author of the month theme. There would be comfy chairs and places to sit all over the place and a young adult area too. I'd have arts involved somewhere, somehow with a gallery space and a corner where people can drop in and work on their art or creative journals and if they use our resources there'd be an honesty box system. Oh and a story time chair, which if you know me you know I would probably never sit in as I prefer to sit on the floor with the kids, but it's a must.

So I've told you my perfect place, what about you. What's in your perfect bookshop?

Today's track, Youth Lagoon - Daydream, is a recommendation by the aforementioned Connor. Have a listen, and a daydream about bookshops for a while. Then when you're done if you fancy something completely different to here bob on over to his blog and have a read.

PS Happy New Year ;-) Better late than never!

The Book-hangover and How to Recognise One.

Readers of the world, if you have experienced one of these you will know what I am talking about. Some of you may have gone through this without being able to label the feelings, others may sit there and wonder what I am about to witter on about....to this later group you are heathens!!!

I am happy to report that I am not highly susceptible to book-hangovers. Much like I can drink copious amounts of tequila without suffering the morning after, I can read most books without many problems....or if I do suffer the symptoms are minimal. Every now and then though the hangover lasts a number of days but unlike an alcohol related hangover though the lasting effects of a book hangover may never fully dissipate!!

Original posted here along with A Fantasy Reader's take on the book-hangover

How to Recognise a Book-hangover (my lay-man's assessment)

They are usually experienced following the completion of a particularly good book or series of books. I should note here that the books in question to do not have to be considered literary greats, they don't even have to be anything you would admit to reading, however they do generally speak to you in some way shape or form. They grab your attention, your heart, or just get you thinking long after 'the end' has appeared.

Symptoms include but are not limited to:

• An inability to put the book down that you are reading. This is a warning sign! Take my advice; if you notice this kind of response to a book, make it last as long as possible. Delay the gratification because once it is over there is no going back!
• A desolate or hollow feeling deep in your core may follow completion of the book, like you have said good bye to a great friend and you may never see them again.
• You find yourself thinking of the book, the characters or the issues raised an inordinate amount of you time.
• Music, situations, buildings, cars.....you name it will all remind you of what is over!
• There may be changes to your appetite; comfort eating, loss of appetite...what ever your poison!
• There will most certainly be a constant yearning for more! Much more! Which may also be accompanied by a yearning to find the author, grab them and shake them until they agree to write another instalment! *Beware of Twitter and Facebook stalking the authors this may exacerbate symptoms*

Is there a cure you ask? 

None that I have found as yet! Other than getting hooked on another book and risking an equal or greater emotional response!

On the flip side the book-hangover is one of the greatest compliments that can be paid to an author!! I can only pray that I will elicit this kind of response from readers if I ever get published.

NB the book-hangover can also refer to the zombie feeling felt after having sat up all night reading.

So have you ever experienced a book-hangover? Would you admit which books keep you up at night?

Just a bit of what I have been listening to whilst suffering with the worst book-hangover I have ever experienced!!

Motivation: Day 14 Time to de-clutter

I have been inspired....it's happening a lot at the moment, blogging daily and keeping up with the blogs I love to read must be agreeing with me.

However, my inspiration today has manifested in a very strange way for me. a.eye over at Shouldn't Life Be More Than This? is currently packing up her life ready for a big move. I don't know why this has inspired me now, others of you have moved recently and this has had now affect on me, so why now?

To put this into perspective I am a hoarder. Seriously I can't let go of anything!! I have a loft full of tiny keepsakes and children's pictures (yes my girls are only 4 and 8, God knows what I will do as they get older). I attach memories to things and pictures, it is for this reason that I cannot throw away the first towel I ever bought for my babies, or the blanket that was mine as a baby and served both of my girls well. However, it also extends to almost every blanket that I bought for the girls when they were babies, amongst other things.

And this is the thinned down version!! Apparently I am as addicted to blankets as I am to books! To cut a long story short a.eye has inspired me to thin things down at least. It is about time this house was de-cluttered. Today I started on the books, bedding and blankets. Six bags of books later and huge pile of blankets and bedding to get rid of and it kind of feels good....ish. But I still feel like I am throwing a part of me away.

Are you a hoarder or a minimalist?

Great Days Out!

I have had such a great few days visiting places with the girls that I had to share it with everyone.

On Thursday we had a family trip to the National Rails Museum, York. They had a wizzarding event on for the half term holiday's including trips on the Hogwarts Express! There was lot to do, but also a lot of people there! Never the less the kids loved our little adventure, possibly the journey more than the museum but I guess that happens sometimes.

Today was a much more sedate, we went to The Lowry and I have to say that I had a great time. I wasn't convinced I would enjoy it as Lowry isn't one of my favourite artists, but hey there is a shopping outlet right next door so if things really went wrong!!!!! We arrived and got a pack of activities for the kids to do and went straight to the family area to start exploring. Once in the gallery I was amazed by the diverse nature of Lowry's work, there were some pieces that made me stop and stare and others that were a little freaky. It was so refreshing that they catered so well for families there was the art, craft and play area but mainly kids wandering round and talking about the art was encouraged. No tuts or exasperated expressions from staff or visitors in it's self made the trip so easy to enjoy.

After lunch we weren't ready to leave so took the short walk over the bridge to visit the Imperial War museum. Now this has to be near the top of my list of museum's I never wanted to visit. Again I was pleasantly surprised! Their Once Upon a Time exhibition was right up my street. It was also another museum that seemed to be just on the kids wavelength, they used books based on wartime events to make them think about key issues facing wartime kids. It was great to see my eldest especially pick up on the issues sparking lots of great conversations. Not to mention the craft activities that are always a winner!

All in all a great few days and the best of it all not one of these museums charge an entrance fee. It is wonderful that such great institutions open their doors to everyone, allowing even the poorest access to these invaluable educational experiences. However it is a shame that more don't take the opportunity to show their children more of the world and our cultural heritage and I do worry that in the current financial climate that free access to museums will be one thing that will fall by the wayside, I do however hope not!

Source of Lowry picture http://www.toms-travels.net/?p=8958

The big screen

Can books be successfully be portrayed on the big screen?

After this weekends experience I am not so sure. I have just finished reading One Day by David Nicholls,  which I would recommend. I laughed, I cried, I got attached to the characters and even threw it across the room at one point. Having loved the book so much and the film just becoming available on DVD I decided to watch it and, as with so many film adaptations, I was left disappointed and screaming at the screen! I don't know if it is just the style of the story or even because I had read the book but I found my self not connecting with the characters I had come to love so much.

There have been other book to film adaptations that have left me with a similar feeling, some not even keeping to key features of the book; High Fidelity springs to mind here! However some adaptations, like the Harry Potter series and the Twilight franchise manage to capture the essence of the books successfully, even though I still don't understand why Peeves the poltergeist didn't make the films!!

What do you think?? Should I just avoid watching the film versions of the books I read, or chance them and hope that they prolong my enjoyment?

How Sad!

I read an article today in the Guardian - the headline '4 million children in the UK do not own a book'. I know in the age of kindles and playstations etc... that headlines like this are not rare yet it never fails to raise a frown to my face. Our family life would not be complete without a nightly dose of the latest picture book or our favourite adventure! Now I know my husband thinks I should be attending the next meeting of bookaholics anonymous and the thought of Christmas coming with the inevitable splurge on books turns his wallet over in his pocket, but I can't help it! My philosophy is more bookshelves not less books, you can never have enough books, each one is a world in it's self. I only hope that my passion for books and reading; the adventure, the love, the passion, the moral reasoning...the list of things kids can get from reading a good book is endless!!! Maybe if we could instill this passion in more of the nations youth our parks, open spaces and private property would be a little safer! Cost cannot be the reason given all the potential to pick up a cheap book second hand. Some of the best books I have read have been second hand pick ups because they were a bargain. Not forgetting the wonderful Bookstart programme! I don't know what the answer is but surely we should not cast the printed word aside just yet, technological break through's need not take over the world, sometimes things can live side by side...can't they??