28 December 2008

Sunday Salon #37 - 28 December 2008

Seasons Greetings fellow Sunday Saloners.
Hard to believe it is nearly the end of the year isn't it?

Here in South Australia it is Proclamation Day.
Back in 1836 the British colony of South Australia was proclaimed at Glenelg on a day when the mercury rose to over 100F under a bent gum tree that formed a natural arch. The Old Gum Tree is still there, but probably dead for at least 50 years, propped into place by concrete and sheltered with a canopy.




I hope you took my advice for the gift giving season and gave books for presents, and I hope you got some in return.
I got 5 books and a book voucher so I did well.

I've got something you can participate in if you are a crime fiction reader in the next few days. I am asking readers of my blog to pop in and leave a comment listing the best 10 crime fiction titles you've read in 2008. On about January 4/5 I will begin to collate the comments into a list. You don't have to read crime fiction only to participate, but I only want your crime fiction titles.

My posts this week:
  • Review: THE PRIVATE PATIENT, P.D. James
    At 88 years old P.D. James is still going strong. The first Adam Dalgliesh, in fact Jame's first published novel, for 3 years, but hopefully not her last.
  • Your Best Crime Fiction reads in 2008
    This is the activity that I referred to above. Do come in and leave your list in the comments.
  • Arguing over Books??
    A fellow blogger came across a wonderful cartoon, and an interesting article, about what causes squabbles in book groups. Have you ever had problems with groups that you belong(ed) to?
  • Seasons Greetings to all
  • Progress reports - various books
    In the lead up to Christmas I seemed to make very slow progress on the books I was reading, so I decided to write about how I was feeling about each.
    SEVEN ANCIENT WONDERS by Matthew Reilly, CORDUROY MANSIONS by Alexander McCall Smith, and THE PRIVATE PATIENT by P.D. James.
Breaking News
Currently reading:
  • now - THE FENG SHUI DETECTIVE, Nury Vittachi
  • sometime soon - THE 19TH WIFE, David Ebershoff
  • also listening to - CORDUROY MANSIONS, Alexander McCall Smith, ready for ch. 71
  • in the car - SEVEN ANCIENT WONDERS, Matthew Reilly
New Year's Resolutions:
As New Year's Eve approaches I am wondering what book or blog related resolutions I can make.
This blog itself is the result of a resolution at the beginning of this year when I decided to create this blog mainly to "publish" my book reviews.
I made some other blog-related resolutions too:
  • to write a review of every book that I read, whether I like it or not
  • to visit the blogs of others and comment as much as I can
More later about about whether I've actually managed to carry those out.
So what New Year's resolutions are you thinking about?

10 comments:

Maree Jones said...

I think writing a review of every book you read is a great idea. I want to commit to that too. It's more for myself, a record of what I've read and what I've enjoyed and my thoughts on each book. Sometimes I use my blog that way - a place to record stuff more than a place where I want people to come and comment, although comments are fun too! :) Happy new year!

Lourdes said...

My New Year's resolution is to read more of the books I already own, and then give most of those away. My basement is becoming overrun with paperbacks!

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

I want to try to post a little more at my blog in 2009. Twice a week, maybe, vs. 2008's one time a week.

I want to do more BookCrossing. I'd like to make it to giving away 5,000 books in 2009, and I'm only a hundred books away from that goal.

Kerrie said...

I find that writing my blog reviews does a lot to help me clarify my ideas about a book.
However I am conscious that I put a lot of time into my blog, or reading the blogs of others, and that is probably taking time away from my reading.

Eva said...

I have my bloggy and reading resolutions already written out, just waiting for the new year. :)

I think my BIG book resolution is not to acquire any new books, unless they're for a specific challenge.

Anonymous said...

I do review almost all the books I read except for romances, which I do not think need any reviews!

I give away my books to orphanages and old age homes.

I will check out your challenge. I might read crime fiction this year.

Last SS post of the year 2008

Kerrie said...

i try not to buy new books too Eva, but when I go into a book shop, they simply leap off the shelves into my arms!

Kerrie said...

Thanks for dropping in Gautami. Always good to see you.

Lisa said...

I have not yet thought out my resolutions/ goals, tho it *would* have been smart to put them in my Sunday Salon, huh? I didn't meet many of my goals for 2008, so we'll see what I do when I think it out this year.

Kerrie said...

I haven't got as far as making new resolutions Lisa, just mulling over a few ideas. A lot of people are talking about reducing the number of unread books hanging around their house. That might be a good idea in my case but I am not sure I have the courage to count them.

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