Nonsuch Book

the easter winners

It seems improbable in this day and age, but I have been without internet access for the better part of this week. Not being committed enough to the effort here to laboriously tap out a post or two on my phone, I will just have to muddle through this weekend to make things bloggishly right. But first things first. Before all the heads have been bitten off the chocolate bunnies, we must have the winners of the Easter contest.

• Swamplandia! by Karen Russell - Lu
• The Gathering by Anne Enright - Amy Rea
• Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons - Sarah
• The Taker and Other Stories by Rubem Fonseca - Richard (the only one to ask for it)
• How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley - Andi
• Ruby's Spoon by Anna Lawrence Pietroni  - Diane

Congratulations to the winners! Please email me your shipping address?

and then there were four

The Tournament of Books is down to the final four, and I am so disappointed because none of the four have engaged me, excited me. I have read from all the selections now, and the only one that motivates me to read it in its entirety is (admits begrudgingly) Goon Squad, and I am not sure that that will happen any time soon. And (crankiness continues) I don't even like the jacket designs. Just look up above. Yawn. I put together the thin panel mosaic because it at least omits portions of the covers. Sigh.

Who won our little quarterfinals competition? Well, a few of you had three correct so the children were called in to pick a winner. Brooks' admission of stupidity was a real laugh fest for the kids so he was permitted entry into this group. But the name from the random drawing was Emily who rules the day and picks any book from the tournament as a prize. Will she choose Lemon Cake? I can hardly wait to find out.

Still waiting to see what the Zombie round brings but hopeful still for new life for Skippy. A resurrection for both the book and my enthusiasm for the popular contemporary novel. I know that it has not sounded like it at times, but I have enjoyed the tournament this year as I always do for the conversation it inspires which, as I have said before, has been more thought provoking and amusing than much of the judged material. The hosts are excellent book pimps, finding the best in the material and allowing their reservations to arrive in posts usually only after their praise.

But it took only a week long fling with Conversation in the Cathedral by Mario Vargas Llosa to emphasize the flaccid blandness of a lot of current popular fiction. I do not need (or seldom want) to personally identify with a novel to love it. I want to travel outside myself, to be moved, excited, electrified, stunned by the revelations of a quiet but telling moment. I want to be pushed to think in ways I do not normally. Sometime to have the ingredients of my own thoughts prepared in a different way. Or to recognize something achingly familiar in new scenery. And I want to see craftsmanship and not formulaic or gimmicky construction. (Wow, that's not too demanding is it?) What are you looking for in your next great read?

tournament of books day 4: a visit from the goon squad v. skippy dies

Update: Goon Squad wins. I am crushed. Skippy better go Zombie. Five among us still stand undefeated - Amy Rea, Emily, Word Lily, motheretc, and Florinda.

Skippy better not die. Because I really like this book. Because "Murray captures the adolescent psyche better than anyone this side of J.D. Salinger." People often liken adolescent focused literature to Holden and company but are seldom correct. Phonies. But this book is exceptional. The prose runs fluid through young angst and skin eruptions and emerging sexuality, and loses none of its ease as it crosses to the adults in the book who we often recognize as not that different from their hormonally challenged young friends. I will have more to say later.

So quite a few of you have picked all three first rounds correctly. And many of the remaining participants in our little game have missed only one. But I would like to mention that if I had picked with a mind to what I actually preferred to read, I would be 0-3 right now. Some of you are becoming a little disheartened as to why this run of "herd mentality" picks is dominating a book competition that is rumored to run differently than the rest. And some are wondering where worth and popularity can meet comfortably. Let's wade through a few more match-ups before we get to that one though. For now, the conversation is sometimes better than the books discussed.

Seven of us picked the under dog this time around, a show of faith that the wild card Skippy will triumph. If Skippy and Nox both win, the contest will be redeemed in my eyes. And I will get a rooster tattoo.

tournament of books day 3: savages v. the finkler question

Update: The Finkler Question predictably wins. Baldwin had me almost ready to say I could pass on both books, but the commentary persuaded me that Savages might be worth my time. And provided insight into books as weaponry. And a vague slight to my 2666 love.

Today's Tournament of Books contest is an opportunity for me to calm down a little bit. I have to save up some vitriol for the possibilities that Skippy will be permitted to buy the farm or that Nox does not advance beyond the first round. And I have not read either of today's competing books.

Once again, the betting pool went overwhelmingly in one direction for blogger favorite and recipient of some Booker love, The Finkler Question. But four brave souls went for Savages and a chance to pick up a point on an unexpected winner - LifetimeReader, Vasilly, Teresa and Amy.

As for me, Rosecrans Baldwin is judging this one, I trust his opinion, so I am hoping to pick up one or two reading suggestions today no matter the end result.

a persephone winner

Thank you to all who stopped by to comment on the male authors of Persephone. There was quite a variety of responses, all very thoughtful. The intent was not to identify audience or indulge gender stereotype but to address a facet of Persephone's stated mission. "Persephone prints mainly neglected fiction and non-fiction by women, for women and about women." Tongue-in-cheek jesting aside, at what entry point does a male voice mesh with the distinctive tone of Persephone titles? It would seem from your responses at a spot loosely identified as domesticity.

So who won a new Persephone? Allie of A Literary Odyssey will be receiving the requested copy of Greenery Street by Denis Mackail. Email me your shipping address Allie?

Many thanks to Claire and Verity for hosting another wonderful Persephone event! I still have not managed to get that Mariana post up but I did love it just as Marie thought I might. But the weekend held too much to indulge all of the Persephone love for which I hoped. I will be reading posts for days! Many bookmarks to return to and many dangers to my Persephone wish list.

Photo from Saidos da Concha's photostream.

persephone reading weekend: the manly giveaway

While I continue reading the very enjoyable Mariana by Monica Dickens, I thought I might add a contest (and perhaps a conversation) to the weekend. Joking around with Richard and the Wolves via email this week about what titles the sole man among us might read for the Persephone intense weekend, it occurred to me to take a look and see how many Persephone titles are authored by men.

• Julian Grenfell by Nicholas Mosley
• Greenery Street by Denis Mackail
• The Wise Virgins by Leonard Woolf
• Good Food on the Aga by Ambrose Heath
• Operation Heartbreak by Duff Cooper
• They Can't Ration These by Vicomte de Maudoit
• The Hopkins Manuscript and The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sherriff
• Amours de Voyage by Arthur Hugh Clough

I have yet to read any of these titles, but am curious as to what you who have read them think about them. Do they sit comfortably alongside the other titles or do they seem out of sync? For a line of books published by, for, and about women, what distinguishes a male voice to merit inclusion among the other greys? Simplistic thinking on my part perhaps, but as I said, I am wondering. The Persephone sensibility is as distinctive and recognizable as their book design. It is also hard to define succinctly. A male voice further complicates the effort in my mind. Help me, seasoned Persephone readers?

As a reward for your assistance, please let me know which of these titles you would like to own most, and I will draw one winner out tomorrow night at the close of the weekend fun. Let me know why that particular title?

Please visit our wonderful hosts here and here for updates throughout the weekend.

it was quite the party: winner and more from mrs woolf's bash

The calendar may say that Virginia Woolf is 127 years old today, but many of you who commented here and emailed me today have confirmed that she is indeed timeless. Thank you all for your thoughtful, wonderful responses to today's party invitation. But... at the end of the day the prize settles on one lucky person - Sara from Libromancy. The rest of us will consider our contributions to be like flowers that Clarissa may have picked for the celebration.

What came across in emails and comments today is a great love and respect for Woolf's gift. It makes me wish we could have a great shared read of some of her works. Hmmmm... But for now, some very lovely people would like for you to know three things:

• Many of Woolf's works are available to download from iTunes for very reasonable prices - high quality sound (beware the free alternative) and unabridged for those of you who really want more Woolf but need to get beyond the uber-serious intimidation factor.
• An April 29, 1937 BBC interview with Woolf (Virginia Woolf Gives a Eulogy to Words) is available to download from the BBC website. 
• Don't miss the 2009 Woolf and the City Conference this June 4-7 at Fordham University in New York. Check out the site for details including a call for papers. If you have never had the opportunity to attend a literary conference before and are a Woolf devotee, please consider this if for no other reason than to hear the great speakers. 

  

Update, Monday 1/26: Browsing my referring addresses this morning, I came across a real find - Blogging Woolf, a site completely dedicated to the author. Warning: Allow yourself some time here. Awesome array of links and info.

and the winner is...

The winner of the super-fantastico ABC3D is Lena who offered the following comment upon entering the giveaway:

"Oooh! That sounds lovely! This book has been on my definite want list since I ran across it on Fred-Flare (I'm young, they have cute things, sue me!). :)"

Lena, please email me your mailing address so I can get this out to you.

Drawing certified by independent agency known as ten year old daughter. She has become quite skilled at this giveaway business.

holiday giveaway: the gift of quirky

I love Christmas. I idealize it in an unreserved, childlike way. But the reality of my life is my wonderful quirky family who has served up quite an array of holiday memories over the years. David Sedaris books are a perfect match for me, as I believe that his brand of edgy humor is a product of a closet embrace of an unobtainable ideal. 

“David Sedaris's beloved holiday collection is new again with six more pieces, including a never before published story. Along with such favorites as the diaries of a Macy's elf and the annals of two very competitive families, are Sedaris's tales of tardy trick-or-treaters ("Us and Them"); the difficulties of explaining the Easter Bunny to the French ("Jesus Shaves"); what to do when you've been locked out in a snowstorm ("Let It Snow"); the puzzling Christmas traditions of other nations ("Six to Eight Black Men"); what Halloween at the medical examiner's looks like ("The Monster Mash"); and a barnyard secret Santa scheme gone awry ("Cow and Turkey").” (From the publisher) 

So here is the deal. Comment here by December 1 with your own less-than-perfect family holiday memory for a chance to win a brand new copy of this hilarious holiday book. And don’t hold back. Give us your best. Your relatives probably will not be reading this anyway. They will be crafting a molded tuna aspic for the holiday table or off to the liquor store for the traditional case of bourbon. Winner from random drawing of all those entered. Will ship anywhere.

pay it forward

A few days back, I was one of the lucky three to get tapped in a blogger friend's "Pay It Forward" contest. Now today, the fabulous Ms. Mindless of Mindless Musings on My Average Life presented me with one fabuloso gift card for Barnes and Noble housed in a spiffy Kate Spade note card. Such taste, such style! As promised, it is now my turn to pay it forward.

Are you ready to Pay It Forward??? Here are the rules:

The exchange focuses on doing an act of kindness without expecting anything in return other than that the recipient will, in their turn, pass the kindness along and pay it forward.

This is how it works: I agree to send something fun, cute, & nice to the first three blog owners who post a comment on this entry. In turn, those three will post this information and pick three people they want to send something to and on goes the giving!

If you are interested in participating, be one of the first three blog owners to leave a comment! The little something you send can be something you made, bought, were given or found. Just a gift that will make the person smile and really brighten their day.

Again, if you'd like to join in be one of the first THREE people to leave me a comment with your email on this particular post. You have to PROMISE that you will then post about this on your blog, link to me, and then send something to the first three people who sign up to play along through your blog. I hope people like this idea. It's a small way to bring a smile to someone's face and little thank you to all who are faithful readers and wonderful web friends!!!