Stuck-in-a-Book's Weekend Miscellany

Happy weekend, all. Next week I will, honest, promise, definitely be putting up my review of Miss Hargreaves, and a giveaway to go along with it - so watch this space. I'm trying to re-read it first... not much time at the moment.

1) The link - is a rather fun, bookish competition from The Big Green Bookshop. I saw about this at Chasing Bawa's blog - basically tell this bookshop (in email, post, 'phone or person) your five favourite books (in no order). You have until November 22nd to do so - after that somebody clever with a spreadsheet will compile a Top 50. And one lucky person, randomly selected, will win 20 books of their choice from that 50. What's not to like? Click here for all their info, or here for their blog, or just email enquiries@biggreenbookshop.com.
My top five? Well the first three are always there, in some order or other, but after that I improvise based on my feelings for that day.

1. Miss Hargreaves - Frank Baker
2. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
3. Diary of a Provincial Lady - EM Delafield
4. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
5. Family Roundabout - Richmal Crompton

And whilst I'm at it, I found this name-the-book-from-the-photo competition in their archives... it's hilarious, and groan-inducing. Go and have a try, you'll love it. I got none of 'em.

2) The book is in fact books. At the Kisses on a Postcard launch the other day, Alexandra Pringle was saying how jealous she felt of those who hadn't read Barbara Trapido before, because of all the bookish pleasures ahead of them... at which point I raised my hand and confessed my sins of omission. And so the lovely people of Bloomsbury have sent me their new editions of her novels... any Barbara Trapido fans out there, and if so, where should I start? So far I'm hearing 'start at the beginning' with Brother of the More Famous Jack, a fantastic title.

3) And for the blog post this week, I really enjoyed Rachel's (aka Book Snob) tales of recent buying. The first line will make you realise what an affinity Rachel is:

I went out on my lunch break today to Brompton Road, ostensibly to buy a dress for a wedding I am going to on Saturday, but somehow I returned back to my office with no dress and a bag full of books.

Now it's true that I've never set out to buy a dress, but most of my errands turn into impromptu book buying trips. You can read more about it here, and find out what she bought. (Rachel, if you'd like me to post you the sketch as a souvenir of sorts, just email me your address!)