The Jane Austen Book Club

I know, I know... it wasn't my favourite either, but perhaps I couldn't visualize it, so why not watch the film. Here's the trailer,

Book Quiz

Found this interesting book quiz that determines what book is for you after you answer some simple questions. Click here.

Bookshops and Libraries in 360º - Spectacular

Follow these links for a new visual experience:

• Anagram Bookstore in Prague
• Harwich Old Books
• Somogyi Library
• University of Technology-Delft, Netherlands
• Library of the Morrin Center-Quebec, Canada
• Aseq Esoteric Library-Rome

Shakespeare and Co.-Paris; Ateneo-Buenos Aires

Two more beautiful bookstores in the world. Shakespeare and Co. (Paris) which specializes in English literature and appeared in the film Julie & Julia and The Ateneo (Buenos Aires) which is located in a theatre. More pictures at this link: Most Interesting Bookstores of the World.

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS: "Lamb to the Slaughter" (1958)

Watch one of the best and most memorable episodes of Hitchcock's TV series Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmpY9cpe6g8

It's an impressive adaptation of Roald Dahl's "Lamb to the Slaughter" (read the tale first!) and the actress that plays Mary Maloney does a great job (can you recognise her? It's the matriarch in Dallas!!)

Enjoy!

Why Reading Matters (2009)

A BBC documentary in which science writer Rita Carter tells the story of how modern neuroscience has revealed that reading, something most of us take for granted, unlocks remarkable powers. Carter explains how the classic novel Wuthering Heights allows us to step into other minds and understand the world from different points of view, and she wonders whether the new digital revolution could threaten the values of classic reading.

... and the END PRODUCT!

Did it look like we were just drinking tea, eating cake and having a good time? Oh well, don't be misled by appearances...

ASBO Fairy Cakes

Dear book clubbers... we are pleased to introduce our group in Ribeira. These photos were taken last Tuesday (November 2nd) during our discussion of The ASBO Fairy Tales.

THE BEST BOOKS OF 2010: The Top Ten

Amazon's Omnivoracious announced their Top 10 Books of 2010. Did you read any of the top 10? Would you recommend it/them? Looking forward to your comments!!

TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED

Are you ready to enter Dahl's universe? He is a master at introducing readers to a new sense of what lurks beneath the ordinary.

Here's the beginning of another episode, in this case The Way Up to Heaven. Enjoy!

All her life, Mrs Foster had had an almost pathological fear of missing a train, a plane, a boat, or even a theatre curtain...

Poe's "The Raven" (1845) and The Simpsons' 1st Halloween Special (1990)

Let me suggest you a poem tonight:

E. A. Poe's "The Raven" (1845)

To give your reading a humorous touch, see PART 3 of The Simpsons' Halloween Special 1 (season 2, episode 3 Treehouse of Horror I). Go to:

http://www.watchonlinesimpsons.com/

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! ;-)

Edgar Allan Poe
The Raven
[First published in 1845]

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door

-Only this, and nothing more.

'Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore

-For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore

-Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door

-Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;

-This it is, and nothing more,

'Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door;

-Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'

Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.

`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;

Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore

-Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;

-'Tis the wind and nothing more!

'Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door

-Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door

-Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.

Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore

-Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door

-Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

With such name as `Nevermore.'

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered

-Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before

-On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'

Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster

Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore

-Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore

Of "Never-nevermore."'

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore

-What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore

Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,

But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,

She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.

`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee

Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!

'Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!

-Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted

-On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore

-Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!

By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore

-Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore

-Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting

-`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!T

ake thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Interview with Paul Auster on NPR.

Follow this link to hear Paul Auster speaking about his Brooklyn Follies on NPR (National Public Radio).

For those who love reading in bed

'Reading in Bed' by Diana Hendry
THE GUARDIAN, Saturday 7 March 2009

Best bonus of the solitary life,
late hours, the stack beside the bed as good
as a new lover any night. But now
there's all the courtesies to do, of bed
-side lights and sex and sleep and who's the first
to shut up shop. Tonight it's me. Your thrill
-er, Scorcher, clearly is. I snuggle in,
conscious that you're close but miles away
(in Florida, to be precise). I lie
and listen as the turn of pages slows
down time. The hush-hush sound your thumb's rub makes
is like the lap of waves that lulls me off,
tucked up in self while you, on night watch, learn
whodunnit, why and when and worlds roll by.

FAVE PLACES TO READ

What are your favourite places to read?

Personally, I am not able to read in libraries (even if I love them) because I get easily distracted.

But I absolutely LOVE reading outdoors: by the sea (it' a luxury), in the garden, in the woods, or in a nice lookout point (in Ribeira the Frog's lookout point is nice... if the wind doesn't blow your book away).

I also HATE waiting, so taking a book with me helps time go by faster (at the bank, while on a plane/train, or even waiting for the traffic lights to turn green).

What about reading outloud or telling stories? Love it! And kids are the best audience, you can read every reaction on their faces. Unique feeling.

Come on!! What are YOUR favourite places to read?

ART & READING - Sculpture

What about sculptures related to reading and books?

Take a look at this one in Ocean County Library (NJ?). They also have a reading garden!

What do you say about this one? It's part of the the Ganesh (Vinayaka) sculptures in black granite ranging in size from 5 ft 6 inches to 9 ft and weighing between 2 and 5 tonnes,exhibited at Victoria’s Way, Roundwood, Country Wicklow, Ireland. Victoria’s Way is the largest and the most magnificent sculpture park. They were designed by DV Murugan and carved by one of India’s remarkable sculptors T Bhaskar in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India.

And another one in Coe College (Cedar Rapids).

For those who love books...

International Seminar MODERNISM AND POSTMODERNISM IN THE ENGLISH SHORT STORY

You are all invited to an international seminar on English literature that will be held October 27-30 at the Facultade de Filoloxía (USC).

Modernism and Postmodernism in the English Short Story is conceived as a meeting forum with reputed researchers, both from Spain and the United Kingdom, to discuss the conceptual distinction between “Modernism” and “Postmodernism” in the framework of the English short story and, by extension, in short fiction written in English (the authors to be discussed include well-known writers like Edgar Allan Poe, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, Angela Carter, Salman Rushdie, etc.)

Lectures, round tables and workshops will be entirely in English, so this may be a good opportunity to improve your skills!

Registration is online and free of charge. You may be granted a certificate of attendance (30 hours). To sign up for the seminar go to:

http://www.usc.es/congresos/mpshstory/Inscricion.htm

Even if you don’t sign up, you’re still welcome to attend any session you may find interesting. For more information, please visit the seminar website:

http://www.usc.es/congresos/mpshstory/index.htm

Cheers!

Lelo & Irmão in Porto

Beautiful bookstore which inspired J.K. Rowling in her Harry Potter Series (she was a teacher in Porto) and where scenes of the film were shot. It's considered to be one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. Click on the picture to see it bigger. A must-see.

Art and Reading

Woman with a Book - Picasso

The Reader - Renoir

NEW ZEALAND BOOK COUNCIL - Going West

Amazing! Books coming to life

NATIONAL POETRY DAY: A Poem 4 U

With National Poetry Day coming up on October 7th, I'm presenting you with a poem. Enjoy it!

In general, doing it

Lowers your blood pressure and reduces stress.

Doing it while standing strengthens your spine.

Doing it lying on your belly stimulates blood circulation.

Doing it lying on your back is more pleasurable.

Doing it alone is beautiful, but selfish.

Doing it in groups can be fun.

In the bathroom helps your digestion.

In the car, it can be dangerous.

Doing it frequently

Helps develop your imagination.

Doing it in pairs enriches the knowledge.

On your knees is really painful.

Anyway, on the table or on the desk,

Before lunch or after lunch,

On the bed or the hammock,

Naked or dressed,

With music or in utter silence,

Between the sheets or in the bathroom…

Doing it, is ALWAYS an act of LOVE.

Age, race or religion are irrelevant,

As are sex or social status.

Reading is always a pleasure