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The Best Gifts Are Books
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Posted by veer (My Page) on Mon, Dec 26, 11 at 6:51
| Several books to look forward to this Christmas.
From my S-in-Law The Etymologicon by Mark Forsyth. Described as a 'circular stroll though the hidden connections of the English language'. Apparently Forsyth writes a blog under the name 'inky fool' and his interest in words goes back to a christening present of the Oxford English Dictionary. Nothing like an early start.
My husband gave me The Necessary Aptitude a memoir of English popular entertainer Pam Ayres, who is possibly not know outside the Commonwealth, but is a witty and very down-to-earth country girl.
Also Mr Tibbits's Catholic School by Ysenda Maxtone Graham. Originally only a small print run from the Slightly Foxed press, but the 'word' got about and it is proving very popular, even the PM "Call me Dave" Cameron is reading it (I can hear Dido's teeth grinding in disgust). I will report back.
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Here is a link that might be useful: Pam Ayres . . . on husbands.
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| My BF gave me two wonderful books: "Apollo's Angels: a History of Ballet" by Jennifer Homans. As well, "Gardens of Historic Charleston" by James Cothran. This last one is a treasure: many colored photos not only of the gardens, but of the tropical trees and bushes and flowers that I see constantly in this city. I've been wondering what the names of each unknown are. Now, I have a reference book! |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| We have solved the what-do-you-want-for-Christmas puzzle. I make an Amazon wish list. My DH buys from it, though he as my blessing to make different selections if he prefers. It makes things easy for him, and I always love what he gets me. This time he shared it with other family members as well. I received two costume history books (A History of Underclothes and From the Neck Up), an art book (Decorative Designs of CFA Voysey) and a gardening book (Reimaging the California Lawn) that I have had my eye on. Not only that but The Reading Woman calendar and the BlueRay version of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I gave my DH books as well, some new mysteries, Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and Fleet Street Murders. My son was floundering for a gift for him and I suggested a book on the history of bicycle gears, The Dancing Chain. He loves it. We have a son-in-law who likes SF and enjoys my taste in that genre, so we sent him the three volumes of N.K. Jemison's Inheritance Trilogy. We had a wonderfully book-filled Christmas. And I am reading The Hunger Games, which I bought for myself. Merry Christmas to us all, and happy reading. Rosefolly |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| Books make great gifts, there is no doubt. I just received an Amazon gift certificate, hooray! I have an idea or two of what I would like to get. |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I didn't receive one book for Christmas. Or even one book-related thing. Nada. Zilch. Nowt. But when I think about it, it's not as though I don't have 500 books lying on the TBR shelves... :-) Plus - I did get some booky things for my birthday in early December... Perhaps this is the Universe telling me to look at my TBR pile...! :-) |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| This afternoon I started reading The Sense of an Ending from my gift bag of bookie goodies that my daughter gave me last week. I didn't get any other books for Christmas, though. |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| I had a thoroughly book-filled Christmas. Like Rosefolly, I keep an Amazon list, and that's what the family bought from this year. I received nine novels and a set of genealogy books I'd been wanting for years. I am a very happy camper :) |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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sheriz,
I also love genealogy, but have not read any related books, aside from histories of specific geographical locations. Do you have any recommendations? |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| My younger sister gave me Jane Austen: an Illustrated Treasury which I have just begun to explore. Another person gave me a gift card for Barnes & Noble and I am having fun trying to decide what to purchase...in fact... Rosefolly, you mentioned the Annotated Jane Austen books on another post; I am seriously considering using my gift card to pick those up! |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| I'm the oldest, I usually get nothing. I treat myself. I bought roses from Rosemania.com this Christmas. |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| Ladyrose65, Roses are good. So are books on roses. When you give yourself a treat, you know you got exactly what you hoped for. Rouan, I'd be interested in hearing which book you ended up getting with your gift card. Rosefolly |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| Rosefolly, I bought the Annotated Pride & Prejudice done by ? Shapard (I forget his first name...). The other one I spoke to you about is on my wish list. :) |
RE: The Best Gifts Are Books
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| Wigardener, the books I received for Christmas are from the New England Historical and Genealogical Society, the "Great Migration" books. These document nearly everyone (well, male heads of families, at least) who arrived in America from 1620 - 1633. As my DH's family has been here since then, they're going to be very helpful in sorting his side out. Another book I've found helpful for early immigrants is Meredith Colket's Founders of Early American Families, which offers much more abbreviated info but over a longer time span. If you have early New England settlers in your family tree, these are great. I've found lots of books available to be read online, too. In addition to books of vital records and histories of particular towns, I've also found a lot of family histories available just by Googling the family name along with the words 'full text'. It's amazing what's out there, most of it out of copyright. |
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