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Saturday 4 February 2012

With the second hour upon us! - PRIZE GIVE AWAY!

Hopefully people have enjoyed the first hour and had fun reading their chosen books and made good progress without too many distractions! My book is slowly getting read and the more i read the more i get into it.

So, in order to keep you all going and to keep the nice community spirit going, i thought we would begin the first prize draw. This prize draw will run from now until 1pm. All you have to do to take part is post a comment between now and 1pm saying what your favourite book is and what you like about it.

All those who take part will be entered into a hat and the first name out will win a £10 amazon voucher. Nice and and simple. So if you are interested in winning a voucher then post your comment saying what your favourite book is and why.

Good luck with reading for the next few hours.

Equally if you want to post a comment about the book your reading or anything about the books, please feel free, it's as much your space as it is mine!

14 comments:

  1. Hi Dannie, my favourite book has to be the one you gave me called Superstition by David Ambrose. Dannie told me about this book as she found it interesting but confusing, I have to agree with her. It's a great book and i have since passed it on to others who are also equally perplexed by it.

    What i love about it, is that it's completely different to anything else i have read and your not really sure of what happens at the end or what happens to the lead characters. It's a sad and confusing ending therefore it's different to the norm. Each time i read it i hope to gage more information so i can fully understand it!

    It's about a group of people who take part in a psychological experiment and create/make up a ghost, but the more they make the ghost up, including making him a magician, the more he becomes real or having been real within society previously.

    As you can tell, I love this book. In fact if anyone else has read it and can shed more light on it, please tell me what you think!

    Look forward to hearing what others favourite books are.

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  2. Hi Dannie

    Well I'm up to Chapter 3 of Cider with Rosie. Chapter 2 was a bit wierd, taking of country superstitions...

    When you asked about a favourite book I wasn't sure but I think I'd have to say Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I studied it for A level, which allowed me to think about it's characters and themes in great depth.

    But my true love grew from my first compulsive reading about Pip's journey from child to man. The story is at times a very uncomfortable read, the main character becomes almost an anti-hero as he becomes a snob, fighting against where he came from.

    Most poignant to me is his rejection of Joe Gagery, his brother in law, a good, honest, true man and in my opinion the true hero of the novel. He shows such strength of character and unconditional love. How Pip treats him on a visit to London simply broke my heart.

    And yet Pip reminds me in some ways of myself, fooled by the trapping of youth and superficiality which are impossible to resist. So I cannot judge him too harshly, as I can relate to him.

    The ending is perfect, Pip learns harsh lessons and becomes a better man. Joe welcomes Pip back with open arms and ends up marrying Biddy who is the wife he truly deserves.

    A roller-coaster read, written by a genius.

    Sft x

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  3. Hi Dannie, really enjoying all the reading. I did write a really long post but have just lost it! Am currently reading 'December' which i think you'd enjoy. It's about a girl who refuses to speak, a loving mum and a wonderful girl too terrified to speak out. Definitely worth looking at.

    My favourite book has got to be Chicken soup for the soul. I have read it at least once a year for the past fifteen years and i still love it! The stories are so heart warming and they make me aware of the beauty of people and people's innate desire to help. Another is the tao of pooh by Benjamin Hoff all about pooh and taoism, random but good! Now back to the reading.

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  4. Sarah j that book superstition sounds good. Do u have a copy Dannie? If so could I borrow it?

    I find it hard to choose my favourite book because there are so many I like for different reasons. My favourite author is Ian McEwan who wrote atonement and enduring love amongst others but I think one of my all time favourite books is Human Traces by Sebastian Faulks who also wrote Birdsong.

    Human Traces is set towards the end of the 19th century when Einstein had just published origins of the species. it's set in a psychiatric retreat centre in the Swiss mountains. a type of place very rare in those days as people with mental illness were nomally just locked away in asylums. Thebook addresses issues of psychological illnesses and how they fit into evolution. It wonders about how mental illnesses continue to be a problem inspire of the theory of evolution wiping out negative genes therefore looking at what the benefits of mental illnesses could be.

    It's a book with lots of complex issues and I don't think I've explained it too well as there is so much more to it than what I said. It left a lasting effect on me and made me think a lot about how humans developed and how we continue to develop. I would even be as bold to say that it changed me to completely rethink my world view!

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  5. I'm a big fan of Julian Barnes and tend to read quite a few of his books, in fact i am currently reading one of his now. My favourite of his has to be Arthur and George. I enjoy the way Barnes writes, the way he is able to bring and irony and comedy to the story and even ropes in Arthur Conan Doyle. I enjoy the unique and complex situations that occur within the story and how George and Arthur develop over time.

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  6. Superstition is still my fave book Sarah and no i still don't really get the ending! I also gave a copy to my sister and she was equally confused but also really enjoyed it:-)

    Yes Alice i have a copy, your more than welcome to read it and then let me know what your take is on it. You could even suggest it to your book group, that way we'd hear what more people thought of it!

    Superstition is definitely my fave book and then next would be Patrick Swayze's autobiography! I loved that man and reading his book made me love him more. His determination and strength were such admirable qualities.

    Glad to see everyone has been enjoying their books and yes, i think it's quite hard to pic a fave book.

    Your book sounds very interesting Alice and great it's had such an impact on you.

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  7. Steven King is my favourite author.
    Of his books The Shining stands out.

    The detail he gives in writing can make the hairs on the back of my neck stand out when he describes the happenings
    in the hotel.

    I find that any movie I watch based on his books never comes
    anywhere near the pictures he is able to put into your mind by his very clever use of words.

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  8. I'm joinin you all a bit late, readin Room that I was given for my birthday last year, will let you know how it goes!

    My favourite book is Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. It's the story of a guy who ends up in a London Below, a sort of bizarre alternate London where there really are shepherds in Shepherds Bush, there's an angel called Islington and random pockets of history appear at random.

    As well as being a fantastic story it also has something to say about the way we treat the homeless and other people who "fall through the cracks in society". As soon as someone becomes a part of London Below they cease to exist in the real world - they can talk to someone and the minute that person is distracted they forget the London Below person exists. Not that it's preachy, for years I didn't even get the other level!

    Definitely goin to have to check out some of the other books mentioned, but in the meantime better get back to my book!

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  9. Hi Dannie, have been reading since 9.30 but only just remebered to come and log on here. I hope that's ok. Have set aside the whole day to read with you all. I think your doing a great job.

    My favourite book The Coastliners is about a small island that a young woman goes back to in order to look after her ill father. It's a wonderful story about escaping the things that you actually want to go back to and how the grass isn't always greener on the other side. It's a beautiful French book about small traditions, family values, island mentality and love for one another. Great book.

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    Replies
    1. Have this book on my shelf. Think I will be reading it soon! Sft x

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    2. It's a great book isn't it! I picked it up at the charity shop before going on holiday, thinking it would be a light read, but fell in love with it. I love the idea that the things we run away from are sometimes the things we end up wanting to go back to.

      Is that the name for the book, i have many books and couldn't find it on the shelf, so was guessing that was the name. I know i left the book somewhere!

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    3. I think so! Been meaning to read it. It's by Joanne Harris?

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    4. Yes, that's right! There aren't many books i like to read twice, but i enjoy the simplicity of that book, that i could easily read that again.

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  10. Sounds like some really good books:-) Lin, i absolutely love The Shining, in fact i was only talking about that book yesterday, or rather the film. Jack Nicholson is amazing. We were commenting though on how bizarre the whole plot is but how compelling it is and your right, the picture he is able to create in your mind is trully great. I think Stephen King is a great author and the Shining is the kind of book you don't want to put down!

    Glad to see you were able to tear yourself away from your book to take part in the blog!

    Haven't heard of Coastliners Christine, but sounds good, may have to look out for that one.

    SFT, we read some of Great Expectations at school, i was always intrigued as to what happened at the end. Perhaps i could add that book to my Life list!

    I am about to put all your names in the prize draw for the £10 amazon voucher. Will let you know the results shortly:-)

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