tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5593204739485930502024-03-22T00:18:26.323+11:00Feed Your Reading HabitBook Musings from a Master of Walking and Reading at the Same Time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-26251016736114379562013-06-21T18:26:00.000+10:002013-06-21T18:33:08.860+10:00Book Giveaway: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkw-XkfZTRZ2M-GS27_DIVThI7zif2Vy9-AnOiAJc6xVrI3DYeNyN_2YP71kucBPQP3mmVzn8_1ckh_rLsesxpcK5WzJiwFpIyzUQXh_aAfF2o05UXpflGmkyMqAQqNJhDb3Iix6f1OT-Y/s1600/Picture+045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkw-XkfZTRZ2M-GS27_DIVThI7zif2Vy9-AnOiAJc6xVrI3DYeNyN_2YP71kucBPQP3mmVzn8_1ckh_rLsesxpcK5WzJiwFpIyzUQXh_aAfF2o05UXpflGmkyMqAQqNJhDb3Iix6f1OT-Y/s200/Picture+045.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
I've been pretty quiet here on the blog lately but am launching back into posting with renewed enthusiasm and a revamped look. To celebrate I thought I'd start with a book giveaway. And so, I have a copy of <i>Life After Life </i>by Kate Atkinson to giveaway.<br />
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What if you had the chance to live your life again and again, until you finally got it right? This is the premise for Kate Atkinson's enjoyable novel that spans two world wars and the aftermath of both.</div>
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To enter the book giveaway just leave a comment here. And don't
forget to increase your chances by checking out how to gain bonus
entries!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Bonus Entries<br />
+1 Entry = Follow our Blog <br />
+1 Entry = Like Reading Habit on Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=105920516329&topic=15560&post=66751&ref=notif&notif_t=board_post_reply#%21/pages/Reading-Habit/117444168318763">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+1 Entry = Following us on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/Reading_Habit">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+1 Entry = Leave a comment on our other blog (<a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/?page=shop/blog" target="_blank">Click here to do so</a>) <br />
+2 Entries = Provide a Link to our Giveaway on Your Blog</div>
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NB: If you're eligible for bonus entries, make sure you let us know when you leave your comment!!<br />
<br />
<b>Entries are open until 5pm EST on Sunday 30th June 2013. The
competition is open to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA
and the UK. The winner of the competition will be announced on Tuesday 2nd July 2013. Good luck to everyone!!</b></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-22403211842422829032013-06-21T16:50:00.001+10:002013-06-21T16:52:57.471+10:00Starting Point: My 1001 Books Reading Challenge<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXs_ftZFkVoB6RAP0tvJ70OwFKzUAJbVYWKYI1QwLTMEhRWenVqPVJktMkoQKuAFRR1HUTiPqPsLGdu3mWOoSeBJX8XIGWhHvcvOb4q43FiJHnSb70diCRwduy84yM1sFHz8BrlqDBQnH5/s1600/SDC12710.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXs_ftZFkVoB6RAP0tvJ70OwFKzUAJbVYWKYI1QwLTMEhRWenVqPVJktMkoQKuAFRR1HUTiPqPsLGdu3mWOoSeBJX8XIGWhHvcvOb4q43FiJHnSb70diCRwduy84yM1sFHz8BrlqDBQnH5/s200/SDC12710.JPG" width="158" /></a><b>52 DOWN ..... 949 TO GO!! </b>Yes,
this is an ambitious challenge, but I'm one determined reader. I'll get
there ..... just not sure when. As of today, I have read the
following 52 books from the <i>1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die </i>list.
Books are listed in order of how they appear in the book (front to
back), not in order of when they were read. I've been incredibly
ruthless too!! If I can't remember reading a book, but think I have, I
have to read it again. For example, I'm pretty sure I read <i>Around the World in Eighty Days </i>as
a kid, but I can't remember it very well, so it doesn't count. Same
goes for books I think I may have read, but am unsure whether I just saw
the movie instead. Any words of encouragement to help me on my journey
are welcome!!<br />
<br />
Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen)<br />
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)<br />
Mansfield Park (Jane Austen)<br />
Emma (Jane Austen)<br />
Persuasion (Jane Austen)<br />
Northanger Abbey (Jane Austen)<br />
Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)<br />
Agnes Grey (Anne Bronte)<br />
Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)<br />
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (Anne Bronte)<br />
North and South (Elizabeth Gaskell)<br />
Great Expectations (Charles Dickens)<br />
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll)<br />
Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)<br />
Middlemarch (George Eliot)<br />
Far From the Madding Crowd (Thomas Hardy)<br />
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain)<br />
Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Thomas Hardy)<br />
The Turn of the Screw (Henry James)<br />
A Room with a View (E M Forster)<br />
The Great Gatsby (F Scott Fitzgerald) <br />
Cold Comfort Farm (Stella Gibbons)<br />
Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)<br />
Gone With the Wind (Margaret Mitchell)<br />
Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)<br />
Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier)<br />
The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) <br />
The Outsider (Albert Camus)<br />
Animal Farm (George Orwell)<br />
Nineteen Eighty-Four (George Orwell)<br />
The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway)<br />
The Lord of the Rings (J R R Tolkien)<br />
To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)<br />
The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)<br />
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (John Le Carre)<br />
In Cold Blood (Truman Capote)<br />
Chocky (John Wyndham)<br />
Portnoy's Complaint (Philip Roth)<br />
Slaughterhouse Five (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.)<br />
A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)<br />
Possession (A S Byatt)<br />
Wild Swans (Jung Chang)<br />
The Secret History (Donna Tartt)<br />
The Shipping News (E Annie Proulx)<br />
Enduring Love (Ian McEwan)<br />
The God of Small Things (Arundhati Roy)<br />
Veronika Decides to Die (Paulo Coelho)<br />
Disgrace (J M Coetzee)<br />
The Ground Beneath Her Feet (Salman Rushdie)<br />
Life of Pi (Yann Martel)<br />
Middlesex (Jeffrey Eugenides)<br />
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Mark Haddon)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-54535844912203361562013-01-14T11:05:00.003+11:002013-06-20T17:22:54.027+10:00Back to School Discount for Teachers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQWen7QEULigbUTKIwjNdDa4ir9pwrBlKbIH5qHyLLkBuBdYheGyZsHF3VY0N-sIe3PpbkLdZsoxmw2ahin0dMWyLj6Hp12UONs5w4LrZsEgZSNJwtIB4n4SQhAMtmeoV1Ty_zhmEea3J/s1600/EDUENG129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQWen7QEULigbUTKIwjNdDa4ir9pwrBlKbIH5qHyLLkBuBdYheGyZsHF3VY0N-sIe3PpbkLdZsoxmw2ahin0dMWyLj6Hp12UONs5w4LrZsEgZSNJwtIB4n4SQhAMtmeoV1Ty_zhmEea3J/s200/EDUENG129.jpg" width="152" /></a></div>
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With the first school term of the year looming,I’ve been talking with my teacher friends about their programs for 2013. Most of them are already pondering what new themes they can explore, or how they can jazz up some of their old ones. It occurred to me that most of the ‘Back to School’ advertising is all aimed at kids with little focus on the teacher, who often has to fork out money from their own pocket to acquire new resources. So here’s one for the teachers amongst us! We’re offering a 10% discount on all our teacher/education resources until the end of January 2013. To claim your discount, all you have to do is use the coupon code <b>TEACH2013</b> when completing your order. Please note that the 10% discount only applies to the book portion of the order, not the postage. To view our online teacher resource catalogue,
just click through to our website using this link – <a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/?page=shop/post&post_id=50" target="_blank">TEACHER RESOURCES</a>. And, I’ll
let you in on a little secret. You can use the coupon code for all of our
stock, not just the resources. Shhhhh!
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-45305983961901133152012-12-14T15:41:00.002+11:002013-06-21T18:18:14.724+10:00Xmas Giveaway - Fifty Bales of Hay - Rachael Treasure<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2yaWI1y0SKxixW4wNjorpoIxZ4Bp8GVYWNMGvXFeXgiF3hD_Wxjj9Kb2ucfK1CpKC3ZSr8HXUnY67dQ3oO4ebkIV4JZhA0tHq2qOJkyMnLxkgb2i_a5HRApTYU3ue-T_jK0O3fTWZOcM/s1600/Picture+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2yaWI1y0SKxixW4wNjorpoIxZ4Bp8GVYWNMGvXFeXgiF3hD_Wxjj9Kb2ucfK1CpKC3ZSr8HXUnY67dQ3oO4ebkIV4JZhA0tHq2qOJkyMnLxkgb2i_a5HRApTYU3ue-T_jK0O3fTWZOcM/s200/Picture+009.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
Courtesy of our friends at <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com.au/" target="_blank">Harper Collins</a>, we have a copy of <i>Fifty Bales of Hay </i>by Rachael Treasure to giveaway.<br />
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Come have a roll in the hay with Australia's leading rural fiction author, Rachael Treasure, in her romping, rollicking first-ever collection of Agricultural Erotica. Guaranteed to get your tractor revving, <i>Fifty Bales of Hay,</i> is an honest and imaginative exploration of everyday men and women getting down and dirty on the land.<br />
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To enter our book giveaway just leave a comment on one of our blogs (including this one). And don't
forget to increase your chances by checking out how to gain bonus
entries!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Bonus Entries<br />
+1 Entry = Follow our Blog <br />
+1 Entry = Liking the Reading Habit Page on Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=105920516329&topic=15560&post=66751&ref=notif&notif_t=board_post_reply#%21/pages/Reading-Habit/117444168318763">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+1 Entry = Following us on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/Reading_Habit">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+2 Entries = Provide a Link to our Giveaway on Your Blog</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
+2 Entries = Join the Reading Habit Community Network (<a href="http://readinghabit.ning.com/" target="_blank">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
NB: If you're eligible for bonus entries, make sure you let us know when you leave your comment!!<br />
<br />
<b>Entries are open until 5pm EST on Friday 21st December 2012. The
competition is open to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA
and the UK. The winner of the competition will be announced on Monday 24th December 2012. Good luck and Merry Xmas to everyone!!</b></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-78093112232506275522012-11-29T15:39:00.001+11:002012-11-29T15:40:09.535+11:00The Book Lover's Storage Box That Inspired An Epitaph<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-vwLwduYiOBEypNA5KmC_ByjL3lLcLHAekVFwMKscxNigs2mnLLzauexeXGbvDbyYvRc491RD_CUD40suqakU4dJSJ566fXB9admwTdtfGQy6qGRDGDWAWpZzR0-TX-mYtLCcoI3Nfw7/s1600/BookStorageBox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-vwLwduYiOBEypNA5KmC_ByjL3lLcLHAekVFwMKscxNigs2mnLLzauexeXGbvDbyYvRc491RD_CUD40suqakU4dJSJ566fXB9admwTdtfGQy6qGRDGDWAWpZzR0-TX-mYtLCcoI3Nfw7/s1600/BookStorageBox.jpg" /></a></div>
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About once a month I venture out of my office to restock the bookstore shelves. Most of my book buying travels take me directly into people's homes and quite often I find myself being offered more than just books to purchase. Vinyl records, DVDs, CDs and videos are the usual bonus offerings, most of which I refuse, but occasionally something more interesting pops up. Last week I was given the opportunity to purchase a home made storage box that featured the title and author of the maker's favourite books. Even though it was a bit knocked around this kind of one-off creation was right up my alley, so for just $5 AUD I couldn't refuse.</div>
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The book titles featured are <i>The Golden Bowl</i>, <i>Gone With the Wind, On the Road, The Lord of the Flies, Portnoy's Complaint, Native Son, Possession</i> and<i> A Clockwork Orange.</i> The top of the box is a painted illustration of some books and a lamp all resting on a table. When viewed from the side the lid of the box is actually a book laying down. The most endearing feature of this little treasure chest is also one of its' major flaws. Whoever painted the titles of the books didn't do a great proofreading job and instead of painting <i>Gone With the Wind </i>they mistakenly painted <i>Gone With Wind. </i>This could very well be the perfect epitaph for my husband's grave!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-64966512628104935772012-10-24T15:30:00.000+11:002013-06-20T17:22:06.956+10:00BOOK GIVEAWAY: Fifty Shades Trilogy (E L James)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdD-n5KIFZGlc1cKOu0U7mbDtV3R73Xkvm3wSu4YeSunTKaJQ6B7WjjwhBL4zCQRiVBO13zUEtvhPSndnWUGlCViTTmQ8TPaK3paY7bWLsnAOOz-AKr5WeQ88_FQYitsyRxdl6Cp8cmYj-/s1600/FiftyShades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdD-n5KIFZGlc1cKOu0U7mbDtV3R73Xkvm3wSu4YeSunTKaJQ6B7WjjwhBL4zCQRiVBO13zUEtvhPSndnWUGlCViTTmQ8TPaK3paY7bWLsnAOOz-AKr5WeQ88_FQYitsyRxdl6Cp8cmYj-/s1600/FiftyShades.jpg" /></a></div>
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This month we have the <i>Fifty Shades</i> trilogy of books to give away. The titles of the books are: <i>Fifty Shades of Grey; Fifty Shades Darker; </i>and <i>Fifty Shades Freed. </i>I won't bore you with an overview of the story line as I'm sure you're well aware of it! To enter our giveaway just leave a comment on our blog and don't
forget to increase your chances by checking out how to gain bonus
entries. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<b>Bonus Entries</b><br />
+1 Entry = Follow our Blog <br />
+1 Entry = Liking the Reading Habit Page on Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=105920516329&topic=15560&post=66751&ref=notif&notif_t=board_post_reply#%21/pages/Reading-Habit/117444168318763">Click here to do so</a>). <b>Tip: If you like our competition post on facebook as well, you'll get another entry!</b><br />
+1 Entry = Following us on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/Reading_Habit">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+2 Entries = Provide a Link to our Giveaway on Your Blog</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
+2 Entries = Join the Reading Habit Community Network (<a href="http://readinghabit.ning.com/" target="_blank">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
NB: If you're eligible for bonus entries, make sure you let us know when you leave your comment!!<br />
<br />
<b>Entries are open until 5pm EST on Friday 30th November 2012. The
competition is open to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA
and the UK. The winner of the competition will be announced on Monday 3rd December 2012. Please be aware that these are second hand copies of all three books. They are not brand new. Good luck to everyone!!</b></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-48442671156863333362012-10-19T18:02:00.000+11:002012-10-19T18:13:03.026+11:00What's the Difference Between An 'Inscribed Copy' and An 'Inscription'?<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the more common errors made by the book buying public is that they assume the word <b>inscription</b> implies the signature of the author is present. Book terminology can often be confusing, particularly if you don’t spend a lot of time in the field, so I thought I’d take a moment to clear this one up.</div>
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In book collecting terms, the word <b>inscription</b> is used to identify where a previous owner/giver has inscribed the book with something more substantial than just a name and date. This is usually in the form of a dedication. For example, <i>“Dearest John, May this book give you lots of belly laughs, Love Aunty Maude”. </i>An <b>inscription</b> is generally found on the endpaper, fly-leaf, half-title, or title page, but is not limited to these locations. Traditionally, book dealers only mentioned inscriptions if they were connected with the author (e.g. the author’s wife) or someone else deemed to be of significance. However, it has now become more common practice to mention an <b>inscription</b> regardless of its’ perceived importance. One could assume this is because a higher volume of books are now purchased online without being sighted by the vendor forcing book dealers to be more precise with their cataloguing. </div>
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So if you’re looking for a copy of a book that has been inscribed by the author, what terminology are you looking for? When a book dealer uses the term <b>inscribed copy</b> they are now referring to a copy of the book that has been inscribed specifically by the author. I could drill down into this further and complicate the matter by explaining the difference between an <b>inscribed copy</b> and a <b>presentation copy</b>, but I think I’ll leave that juicy little nugget for next time. It is important to note here that an <b>inscribed copy</b> is different to a <b>signed copy</b>. A <b>signed copy</b> merely bears the signature of the author, whereas an <b>inscribed copy</b> implies more wording, as illustrated in the previous paragraph.<br />
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I lean towards the purist side when it comes to book terminology, so I am sure there will be those who disagree with my definitions. Hence, as a caveat I would advise that when you are unsure of what a book dealer means when they use either of these terms that you clarify before purchasing so as to avoid any disappointment. Requesting a photograph is also a worthwhile exercise. Lastly, I’d also suggest holding onto your correspondence until the book arrives so you are sufficiently armed if a refund is required.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-72580543907577465942012-08-07T15:42:00.002+10:002013-06-20T17:22:06.959+10:00August Book Giveaway - A Discovery of Witches (by Deborah Harkness)<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZf_mFhAOC6LBUCujnoNEKRMn5ooxsi4O4vd3DGrvfkqkjnFE-MyImsSWULA5rmsX0ICbZO8nZsPXOMhMScDWwTQ5S1xju-7IFsTO2anOJJrozYBYBVTFctWuJqF4dJsGn1Yv7wiyS008/s1600/Picture+270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZf_mFhAOC6LBUCujnoNEKRMn5ooxsi4O4vd3DGrvfkqkjnFE-MyImsSWULA5rmsX0ICbZO8nZsPXOMhMScDWwTQ5S1xju-7IFsTO2anOJJrozYBYBVTFctWuJqF4dJsGn1Yv7wiyS008/s200/Picture+270.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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This month we have a copy of <i>A Discovery of Witches </i>by Deborah Harkness to give away. <i>A Discovery of Witches </i>begins when historian Diana Bishop finds an alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library. Though Diana is a witch of impeccable lineage, the violent death of her parents convinced her that human fear is more potent than any witchcraft. Now Diana has unwittingly exposed herself to a world she's kept at bay for years. </div>
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To enter our book giveaway just leave a comment on our blog. And don't
forget to increase your chances by checking out how to gain bonus
entries!! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<b>Bonus Entries</b><br />
+1 Entry = Follow our Blog <br />
+1 Entry = Liking the Reading Habit Page on Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=105920516329&topic=15560&post=66751&ref=notif&notif_t=board_post_reply#%21/pages/Reading-Habit/117444168318763">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+1 Entry = Following us on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/Reading_Habit">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+2 Entries = Provide a Link to our Giveaway on Your Blog</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
+2 Entries = Join the Reading Habit Community Network (<a href="http://readinghabit.ning.com/" target="_blank">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
NB: If you're eligible for bonus entries, make sure you let us know when you leave your comment!!<br />
<br />
<b>Entries are open until 5pm EST on Friday 31st August 2012. The
competition is open to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA
and the UK. The winner of the competition will be announced on Monday 3rd September 2012. Good luck to everyone!!</b></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-44425640779863726092012-06-08T17:11:00.005+10:002012-06-08T17:21:19.931+10:00What Types of Books Do You Like to Collect?<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span lang="EN-AU">In my line of work I am constantly amazed at
the weird and wonderful types of books people like to collect. You always come
across the bibliophiles who collect things like modern first editions. These
collectors are the norm. It’s the offbeat ones that always raise an eyebrow for
me. I’m intrigued to know why they collect what they collect, and how their
obsession started. Today, for instance, I had a customer call who wanted me to
compile a list of books we had available that had blue spines. Seems he was
collecting them to create some sort of arty wall feature slash bookcase. And,
only last week I fielded an enquiry from a lady who collected children’s books
that had butterflies on the cover. Turns out she collects them so that she can
cut out the illustrations for craft projects. Sacrilegious, I know! My
favourite of all time though is the guy who collected books with the last page
missing. I don’t mean the blank endpapers at the end of most books. I mean the
last text page! He collected them because he found it amusing to read a book
and not know the real ending. I never quite worked out why he didn't just rip out the last page of every book he came across. Each to their own, I guess! It got me to thinking what other crazy
book collecting habits are out there in the book-o-sphere.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">My own book collecting habits are of the more mundane
kind. When I was a teenager I collected the Trixie Belden detective books. I’m
still fuming that my mother consented to lend them to a friend and they were
never to be seen again. I then went through a funny phase of collecting any
books that had my name in the title. How very self indulgent of me? Again, I was just a teenager and in my
defence had recently fallen in love with the novel <i>Forever Amber</i>, so it seemed only
logical that I’d be just as smitten with every other book with ‘Amber’ in the
title. This theory was soon debunked after I read Elizabeth Lowell’s, <i>Amber
Beach</i> (apologies to all Elizabeth Lowell fans out there). <i>The Hare with Amber
Eyes</i> is the next title on my book club list and it’s got rave reviews, so there
may be life left in this particular book fetish yet. It won’t surprise you to
know that now-a-days I collect books written by people who run, or have run, second-hand
or antiquarian bookstores. You’d think this would be a fairly narrow sub-genre,
but actually there are quite a lot of books out there on the topic. It seems
nearly every second-hand bookstore owner puts pen to paper eventually. I also collect books
written by the great sporting coaches. I’m a netball coach myself and am always
looking to be inspired by the words of the masters. I collect them because the
good ones seem to be few and far between, and because I’m always inclined to
re-read them when I’m low on confidence. Last but not least, I collect any
books that deal with the history and current social plight of Aboriginal
Australians. For me, this last obsession is all about trying to fill the gap
that my white Australian education created. Sorry to end on such a serious
note!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">So fess up! What types of books do you like to
collect, and why? Or, dob in a friend! They’ll never know.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-85388210997541577792012-06-06T14:28:00.001+10:002013-06-20T17:22:06.966+10:00June Book Giveaway - The Secret Lives of Dresses (Erin McKean)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FVGk1usoNjuH1pbxE06GpgjQW1n2pXkPtsHppSDAfpa1eRPQg1Oh0HI1noxEreALUvtEyMPuHboZN8Q1yfKMDpEPDlXScm2HBWEa3JqzSo3NyY2KJwjjs5wurp93q1VAkO1nOZkNDem9/s1600/SecretDresses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FVGk1usoNjuH1pbxE06GpgjQW1n2pXkPtsHppSDAfpa1eRPQg1Oh0HI1noxEreALUvtEyMPuHboZN8Q1yfKMDpEPDlXScm2HBWEa3JqzSo3NyY2KJwjjs5wurp93q1VAkO1nOZkNDem9/s200/SecretDresses.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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This month we have a copy of <i>The Secret Life of Dresses </i>by Erin McKean to give away. <i>The Secret Life of Dresses</i><i> </i>is<i> "A captivating and enchanting novel about vintage frocks and new experiences for every girl who knows that the right dress can change your life". </i>The book is written by Erin McKean, the author of the blog <a href="http://www.dressaday.com/" target="_blank">www.dressaday.com</a>.</div>
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To enter our book giveaway just leave a comment on our blog. And don't
forget to increase your chances by checking out how to gain bonus
entries!! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Bonus Entries<br />
+1 Entry = Follow our Blog <br />
+1 Entry = Liking the Reading Habit Page on Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=105920516329&topic=15560&post=66751&ref=notif&notif_t=board_post_reply#%21/pages/Reading-Habit/117444168318763">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+1 Entry = Following us on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/Reading_Habit">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+2 Entries = Provide a Link to our Giveaway on Your Blog</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
+2 Entries = Join the Reading Habit Community Network (<a href="http://readinghabit.ning.com/" target="_blank">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
NB: If you're eligible for bonus entries, make sure you let us know when you leave your comment!!<br />
<br />
<b>Entries are open until 5pm EST on Saturday 30th June 2012. The
competition is open to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA
and the UK. The winner of the competition will be announced on Tuesday 3rd July 2012. Good luck to everyone!!</b></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-82311863119092793482012-05-09T16:08:00.000+10:002013-06-20T17:22:06.963+10:00May Book Giveaway - Balthazar (Claudia Gray)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBbCR2s9OTSCURlQBLlx9EYg997WEEwizh1_K1qSuo2FUE-IlSWjnB6Jk6UOX3qfoqse1I5Ers7JNs3gs2Cx8452pzNTyP93nM1zS0CIyanuF_i2_gi-u0m0LHTksLKf8S7_PTLuOu9QX/s1600/Balthazar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBbCR2s9OTSCURlQBLlx9EYg997WEEwizh1_K1qSuo2FUE-IlSWjnB6Jk6UOX3qfoqse1I5Ers7JNs3gs2Cx8452pzNTyP93nM1zS0CIyanuF_i2_gi-u0m0LHTksLKf8S7_PTLuOu9QX/s200/Balthazar.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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Courtesy of our friends at <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com.au/" target="_blank">Harper Collins</a>, this month we have a copy of <i>Balthazar </i>by Claudia Gray to giveaway.<br />
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<i>Balthazar </i>is the sixth book in the New York Times bestselling Evernight series. For hundreds of years, the vampire Balthazar has been alone, without allies, without love. When he agrees to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, he has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye and Balthazar stand together to fight Redgrave, growing closer - first unwillingly, then undeniably. Balthazar realises his world could finally be changed by her....<br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
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To enter our book giveaway just leave a comment on our blog. And don't
forget to increase your chances by checking out how to gain bonus
entries!! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Bonus Entries<br />
+1 Entry = Follow our Blog <br />
+1 Entry = Liking the Reading Habit Page on Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=105920516329&topic=15560&post=66751&ref=notif&notif_t=board_post_reply#%21/pages/Reading-Habit/117444168318763">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+1 Entry = Following us on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/Reading_Habit">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+2 Entries = Provide a Link to our Giveaway on Your Blog</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
+2 Entries = Join the Reading Habit Community Network (<a href="http://readinghabit.ning.com/" target="_blank">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
NB: If you're eligible for bonus entries, make sure you let us know when you leave your comment!!<br />
<br />
<b>Entries are open until 5pm EST on Thursday 31st May 2012. The
competition is open to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA
and the UK. The winner of the competition will be announced on Friday 1st June 2012. Good luck to everyone!!</b></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-91641324293924452682012-02-10T14:44:00.000+11:002012-02-10T14:44:00.791+11:00Notes in the Margin: Good or Bad?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QrfRUU_WaSoBgO8H0Wg9gc8WoXilL3X2aXfIsB2BFXNnLjmHIMtAazTd5l9rUTi9rSVC3k9-oD-Hzp7d_xOWtllDpnv6A3vPwkIrahHf6cBX2QG8Nb5J5q6PMoVUxD5gSg7DtzxCIjgP/s1600/Morrie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QrfRUU_WaSoBgO8H0Wg9gc8WoXilL3X2aXfIsB2BFXNnLjmHIMtAazTd5l9rUTi9rSVC3k9-oD-Hzp7d_xOWtllDpnv6A3vPwkIrahHf6cBX2QG8Nb5J5q6PMoVUxD5gSg7DtzxCIjgP/s200/Morrie.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I’ve had a copy of Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom sitting on my shelf to read for some time. This particular copy of the book was originally in my <a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/" target="_blank">second hand bookstore</a> inventory, but I removed it because firstly I wanted to read it, and secondly because in my view it was close to unsellable. Almost every page had notes in the margins, pink highlighted passages or underlined quotes. You can see what I mean in the image to your left. Most book sellers view this as book vandalism bordering on the sacrilegious, but I’ve always found myself hanging around the fringes in this debate. On the one hand, I agree that good clean second hand copies of books make for easy selling and easy reading. On the other hand, I sometimes find things like inscriptions from previous owners on the inside front page of a book endearing. These kind of markings show that a book has been loved, enjoyed and devoured, and give the book a sense of character beyond its’ content. <br /><br />So what about my copy of Tuesdays with Morrie? Did the notes in the margins enhance or detract from my reading experience? The book on its own is brilliant. So brilliant, that I can’t resist giving it a massive plug. It should be on everyone’s must read list and that’s that! The book itself took me on a journey, but the notes in the margin told another story and I found myself simultaneously getting to know Morrie and Mitch, as well as the anonymous jotter. It was like solving a mystery where each scribble gave me further insight into the person behind it. Whilst I will never know the true name or nature of the anonymous jotter, I have formed a picture in my head. In my head, the mystery person is a “she” and she was at the time studying to be a nurse. I imagine that she wanted to work in palliative care and that she was fascinated by the transition of a patient from illness into death. She is compassionate, caring, empathetic and intuitive. She is spiritual and is looking for direction and guidance in her life. She wants to be more present and the book seemed to be providing her with the tools to accomplish that. <br /><br />It’s safe to say that I could be severely off base here and that my psychoanalysis is more the result of a rampant imagination than actual perception, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is how it made me feel about my reading experience. The book alone took me on a spiritual journey, but the notes in the margin made me feel like a good friend was travelling with me, and we all know how much better a holiday is when you have someone to enjoy it with. <br /><br />What about you? Have you had any similar reading experiences? And, what are your thoughts on notes in the margin. I imagine the general reading public is divided on the issue, but nonetheless I’d like to hear what you think, or what your preferences are. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-51174785146051949662012-02-03T12:43:00.001+11:002013-06-20T17:22:06.948+10:00WIN A $100* GIFT VOUCHER FOR READING HABIT ONLINE SECOND HAND BOOK STORE!!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-AU">During the
month of February, to celebrate the <a href="http://www.love2read.org.au/" target="_blank">National Year of Reading</a> in Australia,
Reading Habit is offering you the chance to win a $100* gift voucher to use in
our online bookstore. There are three simple ways to enter the giveaway.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
1. Make a purchase of any size in our
online second hand bookstore (<a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/">http://www.readinghabit.com.au</a>)
anytime during the month of February 2012 and you'll automatically go into the draw.<br />
<br />
2. Join our new online book social
networking site – Reading Habit Community (<a href="http://readinghabit.ning.com/">http://readinghabit.ning.com</a>) – anytime
during the month of February 2012 and you'll automatically go into the draw. It’s free, quick and easy, and will put you
in touch with lots of other book lovers.<br />
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3. Do both of the above and you’ll
receive two entries. </div>
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<span lang="EN-AU"><span style="font-weight: bold;">*TERMS &
CONDITIONS: </span>The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Thursday 1<sup>st</sup> March on our website (<a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/">http://www.readinghabit.com.au</a>)
and on the Reading Habit Community site (<a href="http://readinghabit.ning.com/">http://readinghabit.ning.com</a>).
The competition is open to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United
Kingdom, and the USA. The $100 gift voucher will be issued in Australian
Dollars and cannot be used to cover postage costs incurred with book purchases.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-2630868585668675222012-01-17T15:41:00.001+11:002013-06-20T17:13:33.946+10:00Have You Ever Read a Book That Changed Your Life?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0azEYAtM8-zhGGmGoYoPUsY0Bna3H7KXLez49ZZ83kIlG-szq6CUNc4RnsMfTSovn2Y_zwD_OxV5WmJ7cePu4RGkMVpX2kw7wdvyRDQ44GAp3-sYE0s1-hWsq6gKVc7sy11SQc41NyS9E/s1600/Picture+029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0azEYAtM8-zhGGmGoYoPUsY0Bna3H7KXLez49ZZ83kIlG-szq6CUNc4RnsMfTSovn2Y_zwD_OxV5WmJ7cePu4RGkMVpX2kw7wdvyRDQ44GAp3-sYE0s1-hWsq6gKVc7sy11SQc41NyS9E/s200/Picture+029.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
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Once in a while a book comes along that has a profound influence on you. So much so that the experience of reading it actually compels you to make changes in your life. Personally, this has only ever happened to me a handful of times, but just last week I finished a book that left me feeling empowered and ready to tackle some of my own demons. I'm talking about a little pocket classic titled <i>Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within </i>by Natalie Goldberg. This delightful nugget of wisdom was originally published in 1986 and at the time created a mini revolution in the way people approached the art of writing. I purchased the book from a paranormal romance author on one of my fortnightly book buying jaunts for my <a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/" target="_blank">second hand bookstore</a>. It immediately went into my satchel and I've been carrying it around with me, reading a chapter here and there, for the last month. Last week I finished it, and after years of arguing back and forth within my own mind about whether to attempt to write, and usually losing, I finally put pen to paper in and honest and real way.</div>
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<i>Writing Down the Bones</i> is not a manual on how to write. It's something much more. It's about being honest enough to free the writer hidden within yourself. It's also about leaving yourself enough room to explore the craft fully and breathe your own life into it without censorship. It talks of the physicality of writing and the importance of total immersion. It teaches you to embrace your failures as much as your successes, and to that end it's not just teaching you about writing but also about how to approach life in general. </div>
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I could go on and on about the things I've learned from this book, but there is one quote in particular that resonated the most - <i>"I used to think freedom meant doing whatever you want. It means knowing who you are, what you are supposed to be doing on this earth, and then simply doing it" ( pp71). </i>This is a truth that I've only recently come to grips with myself. Reading it in print elicited a physical reaction, as it helped me to not only understand what I was good at, but to accept these things as gifts, and to embrace them fully rather than fighting them. I can now say with conviction and contentment that I'm a leader, a teacher, and a writer, and those are the things I want to pursue in my life. </div>
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To say that this book alone got me to this point would be naive. The reality is that this book found me at the right time and helped push me over the edge of a cliff that I was already leaning over. It may not have the same impact on you. However, it is my belief that writers of all sorts will find some, if not many, gems of wisdom in this book. Its' short, punchy chapters also lends itself to re-reading. I can easily picture myself picking it up every now and then in years to come when I'm struggling for inspiration. </div>
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If you've read this book I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. I'd also love to hear what books have impacted on you so much that they've made you take steps to change your life, no matter how big or small.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-30666072546348725882012-01-13T13:28:00.000+11:002013-06-21T16:52:28.063+10:00The National Year of Reading and My 2012 Reading Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdpUGXqBqgSWpYDXKaEdeg33d8wOXO-MeCd2yh_PpzFoxo5ON2JxDLjwaINf0l-wPhhjil_NHMsNCCcuTXRMWu0o8hsOpbH4CaOgk8lKzLOGCyVXmT1qKQXZ6cDZHLS9iuIo76vBGS2hI/s1600/readingchallenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdpUGXqBqgSWpYDXKaEdeg33d8wOXO-MeCd2yh_PpzFoxo5ON2JxDLjwaINf0l-wPhhjil_NHMsNCCcuTXRMWu0o8hsOpbH4CaOgk8lKzLOGCyVXmT1qKQXZ6cDZHLS9iuIo76vBGS2hI/s1600/readingchallenge.jpg" /></a></div>
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If you're not already aware 2012 is <i>The National Year of Reading</i> in Australia. Many of my customers and friends have been asking me just what this campaign is all about and I've had to admit to being ignorant of exactly what the initiative is trying to achieve. Now, having done some research, I thought what better way to answer your questions than to blog about it. </div>
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Basically, <i>The National Year of Reading </i>is all about helping people to discover the magic of books, or if you've already got a solid relationship with the written word, it's about finding new inspiration in the books you choose to read. The slogan of the campaign is "Love 2 Read" and the focus is all about Australians becoming a nation of readers. Statistics on literacy and fluency within the Australian population are not flattering and in response to these findings the initiative has identified three goals to help change the reading culture of our country. The goals are listed below and have been copied directly from <a href="http://www.love2read.org.au/" target="_blank">The National Year of Reading website</a>.</div>
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<li><i>For all Australians to understand the benefits of reading as a life skill and a catalyst for well-being;
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<li><i>To promote a reading culture in every home; and
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<li><i>To establish an aspirational goal for families, of parents and caregivers sharing books with their children every day.
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There are events happening all over the country in support of the campaign. If you'd like more information on these events, or the campaign itself, I suggest you click through to <a href="http://www.love2read.org.au/" target="_blank">The National Year of Reading website</a>. </div>
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Personally, I've decided to do my little bit to support the campaign by setting myself a reading challenge for 2012. As a book seller you would think I read a lot and I do read quite a bit, but not as much as I would like to. The truth is that I'm sometimes so busy with selling books that the time available to read them is just not there. So this year I'm aiming for more of a balance. Last night I set myself up an account on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">Good Reads</a> which is an international social networking site for book lovers. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">Good Reads</a> have a reading challenge widget, so I used it to set myself the goal of reading 100 books in 2012. That's about two per week and I'm already right on track. You'll notice the widget on the right side of my blog showing you this information. I'm pretty confident I can reach the target and depending on how I'm going might even raise the bar half way through the year. This is something anyone can do, so if you're looking for something to do to support <i>The National Year of Reading</i>, or if you'd just like to set yourself a reading goal for 2012, why don't you join me on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">Good Reads</a> and set-up an account. You can view my profile by using this link - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/readinghabit">http://www.goodreads.com/readinghabit</a>.</div>
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If you're doing something else to support <i>The National Year of Reading </i>in Australia, I'd love to hear about it, so make sure you leave a comment here. As a business, <a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/" target="_blank">Reading Habit Online Second Hand Bookstore</a> will be supporting the campaign by striking up a relationship with the <a href="http://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/" target="_blank"><i>Indigenous Literacy Foundation</i></a>, but more on that later.</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-55069388837693763912012-01-11T15:39:00.002+11:002012-01-11T15:39:40.639+11:00What Books Did You Get for Christmas?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZq7ZfrRgzigyfMrxCOrvZbp_7PUzAQhgSiXkZXmcGwJARHP6lg-V9a6kRAPl313KDRftY3FpuLNJhHhlLtVkIXogfQNYBsR7Yhl4yvyh4ZhDsYoKfe6GhJu8N9ZP6aJ3mya-xjS9_bHi/s1600/Picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZq7ZfrRgzigyfMrxCOrvZbp_7PUzAQhgSiXkZXmcGwJARHP6lg-V9a6kRAPl313KDRftY3FpuLNJhHhlLtVkIXogfQNYBsR7Yhl4yvyh4ZhDsYoKfe6GhJu8N9ZP6aJ3mya-xjS9_bHi/s200/Picture.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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With Christmas and New Year now fading into memory I thought it time to brag about what books I got for Christmas. It's one of my favourite things to post about on the blog and I hope you'll share what you received with me as well. I admit to doing pretty well in the book department this year, receiving five amazing books as gifts, some of which I've already polished off.</div>
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Let's start with Christopher Paolini's <i>Inheritance</i>. I received this book from my sister as an early Christmas gift and had devoured it within 7 days. It's a massive book, but I was eager to read the last instalment in the Inheritance saga so applied myself with more gusto than usual. I definitely enjoyed it and was pleased that the author went with the bittersweet ending rather than the crowd pleaser. As a whole, the series was a good read, but not one I think I'd ever find myself re-reading. It's definitely more suited to the young adult reader and like most books of its' kind tends to get too bogged down in the details for my liking. I'm no longer surprised by how the thickness of each consecutive instalment in a fantasy series increases exponentially, but I am finding the practice more and more tedious. Maybe I'm just becoming too picky in my old age!!</div>
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My sister also gave me a copy of <i>King Brown Country: The Betrayal of Papunya</i>. I read this straight after <i>Inheritance</i> and had it completed within 3 days. <i>King Brown Country </i>is, in my opinion, a must read for all Australians. Written by journalist Russell Skelton, it documents the fate of Papunya, an Aboriginal settlement right in the heart of Australia. For those unfamiliar with the settlement, it's the birthplace of the 70s Aboriginal art movement as well as well-known Aboriginal musicians such as the Warumpi Band. By focusing on the rise and fall of this tiny settlement, Skelton shines a light on the plight of Aboriginal people in general. It's a tragic tale of injustice, incompetence, betrayal, abuse, misery, and the consistent failure of Government over decades. Parts of this book really left their mark on me, and though most are content to stick their head in the sand when it comes to indigenous issues, I'm certainly not one of them. The book had a profound impact on me and when I couple it with my experience of reading <i>Tall Man</i> by Chloe Hooper last year, it has given me the impetus to make myself more aware of the Aboriginal cause in general.</div>
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After finishing <i>King Brown Country</i> I moved onto another Christmas gift, <i>The Omnivore's Dilemna </i>(by Michael Pollan). I've wanted this book for ages after hearing parts of it read aloud on ABC Radio National and was excited when I received it from my mum. <i>The Omnivore's Dilemna</i> is a non-fiction book that looks at the food we eat in what is now a predominantly fast food world. I've only just started it so I can't give you a review yet, but I promise one in the near future. The other two books I received that now sit awaiting my indulgence are <i>Among the Islands</i> by Tim Flannery and <i>1Q84</i> by Haruki Murakami. The Murakami book in particular is quite daunting....it's enormous!!</div>
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Now it's your turn to brag. I'd love to hear what booky treasures you found under the Christmas tree, so comment away.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-51019069151987721432012-01-10T12:52:00.003+11:002013-06-20T17:22:06.947+10:00January Book Giveaway - The Name of the Star (Maureen Johnson)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijJXPjBlc84Nq3Prin0bP0ZNJftVnMKPT0OS66M_Ui5y0xn1NJ69dFei0ax-o_TNI0Lhl7E9skqVqr7GLLMtKnMB53TzhyphenhyphenfxpZh9MOOmZPh0rAjrlFu0fj5XhwSRs8tOw6eH1jh8MkTvE/s1600/star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijJXPjBlc84Nq3Prin0bP0ZNJftVnMKPT0OS66M_Ui5y0xn1NJ69dFei0ax-o_TNI0Lhl7E9skqVqr7GLLMtKnMB53TzhyphenhyphenfxpZh9MOOmZPh0rAjrlFu0fj5XhwSRs8tOw6eH1jh8MkTvE/s200/star.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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Courtesy of our friends at <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com.au/" target="_blank">Harper Collins</a>, this month we have a copy of <i>The Name of the Star (A Shades of London Novel) </i>by Maureen Johnson to giveaway.<br />
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Sixteen-year-old American girl Rory
has just arrived at boarding school in London when a Jack the Ripper
copycat-killer begins terrorising the city. All the hallmarks of his infamous
murders are frighteningly present, but there are few clues to the killer's
identity.
“Rippermania” grabs hold of modern-day London, and the police are stumped with
few leads and no witnesses. Except one. In an unknown city with few friends to
turn to, Rory makes a chilling discovery…could the copycat murderer really be Jack the Ripper back from the grave?<br />
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To enter our book giveaway just leave a comment on our blog. And don't
forget to increase your chances by checking out how to gain bonus
entries!! </div>
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</div>
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<br />
Bonus Entries<br />
+1 Entry = Follow our Blog <br />
+1 Entry = Liking the Reading Habit Page on Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=105920516329&topic=15560&post=66751&ref=notif&notif_t=board_post_reply#%21/pages/Reading-Habit/117444168318763">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+1 Entry = Following us on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/Reading_Habit">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+2 Entries = Provide a Link to our Giveaway on Your Blog</div>
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+2 Entries = Join the Reading Habit Community Network (<a href="http://readinghabit.ning.com/" target="_blank">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
NB: If you're eligible for bonus entries, make sure you let us know when you leave your comment!!<br />
<br />
<b>Entries are open until 5pm EST on Tuesday 31st January 2012. The
competition is open to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA
and the UK. The winner of the competition will be announced on Wednesday 1st February 2012. Good luck to everyone!!</b></div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-27714077631129023492011-12-23T16:06:00.001+11:002011-12-23T16:06:11.271+11:00Merry Christmas. May You Receive and Give Lots of Books!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-OdmV7cNBa6RykaJq63_YtiuGNAq8tgd8-_foUmAUs8e1sOI0X9OAA9EEbzgD6wPWz8iZbQ9LhMPPF794XEhaEISudSH6sjbWxX7I1yctMLG-ndYqD7dCa21ZWZIQwkBd6NFHShTW4ep/s1600/MM900288938.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-OdmV7cNBa6RykaJq63_YtiuGNAq8tgd8-_foUmAUs8e1sOI0X9OAA9EEbzgD6wPWz8iZbQ9LhMPPF794XEhaEISudSH6sjbWxX7I1yctMLG-ndYqD7dCa21ZWZIQwkBd6NFHShTW4ep/s1600/MM900288938.GIF" /></a></div>
Just a quick post to wish all Feed Your Reading Habit blog followers and readers the very best festive season for 2011. I've really enjoyed being more proactive with the blog this year and hope to keep up the good form in 2012. I'm really excited to see what bookish treasures are under the Christmas tree for me this year. No doubt my first blog post of 2012 will focus on just that. I hope that you receive lots of great booky gifts yourself, but if not I hope that you find some time to relax and curl up with a good book just a little more than usual. Best wishes, Amber!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-49171182983416385282011-12-02T15:43:00.001+11:002013-06-20T17:22:06.943+10:00December Book Giveaway - Enthralled (Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4CsoBj2xMQDAmlWsmwVlMaMy5rvMaOcq90QrYoaCpJYWGEV9sxJJsT6OPxhzfp8JoGmvFYCZzUl98u6G8xsMgOedLcB-2lqhDP3qNL6_30_BusTnQ8SuCsY51q59OFTfwKqoockz2tHy/s1600/Enthralled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4CsoBj2xMQDAmlWsmwVlMaMy5rvMaOcq90QrYoaCpJYWGEV9sxJJsT6OPxhzfp8JoGmvFYCZzUl98u6G8xsMgOedLcB-2lqhDP3qNL6_30_BusTnQ8SuCsY51q59OFTfwKqoockz2tHy/s200/Enthralled.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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Courtesy of our friends at <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com.au/" target="_blank">Harper Collins</a>, this month we have a copy of <em>Enthralled </em>edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong to giveaway.<br />
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<em>Enthralled</em> is a collection of fourteen original teen paranormal short stories from some of today's bestselling YA talent, united with the common theme of road trips, and edited by bestselling authors Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong. Whether they're writing about vampires, faeries, angels, or other magical beings, each author explores the strength and resilience of the human heart. Authors featured include Rachel Caine, Claudia Gray, Ally Cordie, Kami Garcia, and Margaret Stohl.<i> </i></div>
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To enter our book giveaway just leave a comment on our blog. And don't forget to increase your chances by checking out how to gain bonus entries!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Bonus Entries<br />
+1 Entry = Follow our Blog <br />
+1 Entry = Liking the Reading Habit Page on Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=105920516329&topic=15560&post=66751&ref=notif&notif_t=board_post_reply#%21/pages/Reading-Habit/117444168318763">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+1 Entry = Following us on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/Reading_Habit">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
+2 Entries = Provide a Link to our Giveaway on Your Blog</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
+2 Entries = Join the Reading Habit Community Network (<a href="http://readinghabit.ning.com/" target="_blank">Click here to do so</a>)<br />
NB: If you're eligible for bonus entries, make sure you let us know when you leave your comment!!<br />
<br />
<b>Entries are open until 5pm EST on Saturday 31st December 2011. The competition is open to residents of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA and the UK. The winner of the competition will be announced on Monday 9th January 2012. Good luck to everyone!!</b> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-9933659596356991352011-12-01T15:02:00.001+11:002011-12-01T15:06:34.129+11:00Reading Habit's Top Five: Reasons to Buy Second Hand Books as Christmas Gifts<m:smallfrac m:val="off">
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Even though the climate change
debate has changed our shopping habits somewhat, the mere thought of buying
second hand goods as Christmas gifts is still a little on the nose to most. As
a second hand book dealer I’ve never really understood this. There are so many
advantages to buying used goods, books in particular, that it just seems
ridiculous to always buy new. Pride has a lot to do with it I think. We equate
new with value and with personal status, so we buy new. We don’t want to be
seen giving a ‘scabby’ present. Never mind that buying new requires new
resources, that buying new is money in the pocket of a multinational rather
than a human being, that buying new requires only a flippant flick through the
latest sales brochure rather than any real thought. Now, I’m not saying don’t
buy new. All I’m suggesting is that in some cases buying second hand makes more
sense than buying new. So, in an effort to reduce the stigma attached to
purchasing used books as Christmas gifts, and to be honest used goods in
general, I’ve come up with five reasons to buy second hand this Christmas.<b> </b></div>
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<b>#1 Save Money - More Bang
for Your Buck</b></div>
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When is it more important to be
price conscious than at Christmas when you’re already digging deep into your
pockets for food, holidays, festive season parties, and activities to keep the
kids entertained. <b>Buying a second hand
book as a gift rather than buying new means saving money.</b> A new book will
set you back anywhere between $15 and $40, whereas a good quality second hand
novel can be purchased for between $5 and $20. Or, seen in a different light, buying
second hand books means you can get more for your money. Rather than buying
your loved one the latest John Grisham in hardcover for $35, wouldn’t it make
more sense to buy three of his titles for the same price? I know which I’d
prefer if I was the receiver.</div>
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<b>NB: A good used book dealer should be offering books in ‘good’, very
good’ and ‘as new’ condition, so don’t make the mistake of assuming that second
hand equals poor quality. It’s not uncommon to be able to purchase a pre-loved
book that looks like it has barely been read.</b></div>
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<b>#2 Conserve Resources – Get An Environmental Gold Star</b></div>
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Not only does buying second hand
books’ keep them from going into landfill, but it requires the use of no new
resources. Consider this. In total, approximately 15 million copies of Ken
Follett’s <i>Pillars of the Earth</i> have
been sold since it was first published in 1989, and on average about 100,000
new copies are produced each year. That’s a lot of copies of one book and you
can imagine how many of them have either gone to landfill, or are sitting in a
second hand bookstore just waiting to be purchased. Do you really need to
purchase the 15,000,001th new copy of this book? Wouldn’t it be better for
Mother Earth if you purchased a used copy? <b>The
choice is yours, but if you want to earn yourself an environmental gold star,
second hand is the option. It’s the fun kind of recycling!</b></div>
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<b>#3 Find that Hidden Treasure – And Earn Brownie Points at the Same Time</b></div>
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Without much thought and with
very little effort, almost anyone can buy a copy of Bryce Courtenay’s latest
Christmas instalment as a gift. However, if you’re looking for something less
generic, something that requires thoughtfulness beyond a brief browse through
the Target Christmas catalogue, a second hand book might just be the answer. Let’s
say your dad is a real Bryce Courtenay fan. Why not find him a signed first
edition copy of <i>The Power of One</i>? It’ll
certainly get more ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ than the brand new book. Remember that extra
effort in the search will gain you extra brownie points in the giving. How great
would it be if you found that elusive title that completed your mother’s Agatha
Christie Crime Collection? You’d be in the good books with your mum for at least
a month I’d say! <b>When you’re goal is to
make the receiver go a little misty-eyed, think second hand, rare, antiquarian
books and I reckon you’ll be on a winner. </b>There’s also a benefit to the
buyer with this one - it’s called the thrill of the find and it’s the ultimate
warm fuzzy feeling.</div>
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<b>#4 Support Local People – Build a Relationship with Your Book Dealer</b></div>
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Used book sellers are just like
your local butcher, grocer or hardware store. Their very survival is based on the
support and custom of local people. Buying the latest Nora Roberts from Big W
does little for your local community. Sure, the staff might get a little of the
profit in their pay packet, but let’s face it, the majority goes straight into the
coffers of the company itself. <b>Buying
from your local antiquarian book dealer is an investment in your community,
because money in their pockets will inevitably circulate right back through.</b>
Money arguments aside, you’ll also get customer service. Remember that! It’s
old-fashioned I know, but I’m a sentimental kind of girl. If you’re really
lucky you might even strike up a Helene Hanff <i>84 Charing Cross Road</i> style relationship with your second hand book
dealer. Wouldn’t that be nice?</div>
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<b>#5 Buck the System - Be a Trailblazer Not a Follower</b></div>
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Just because it’s not the norm,
doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Be a pioneer, buck the trend, set an example for
others. Hell, why not have a complete second hand Christmas with no new gifts
at all, just pre-loved all the way. This may seem like a fairly flimsy reason
to buy used books (stemming from a desire to reach the number five), and you
could be partially right, but I prefer to see it as something bigger than that.
Buying second hand is all about ethical consumption. It’s about being socially
conscious. We could all do with some role models where these moral arguments
are concerned, so why not put your hand up and be one.</div>
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To close, I want to acknowledge
that there are arguments against buying second hand as well. The most obvious
is that buying second hand takes money away from the publishers and the authors
themselves. You could argue that buying new ensures that there is a future for
writing and it’s a valid argument that as a true bibliophile I’m not immune to,
particular when considering the specific case of the Australian literary scene.
In my defence, I’m only trying here to balance the argument a little for second
hand goods as they are generally un-championed. Poor diddums!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-69803486029807802502011-11-30T15:42:00.001+11:002011-11-30T16:48:27.871+11:00Xmas Special - 20% off All Stock - Reading Habit Bookstore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ayst58Z_2Xx9ci8-MeQ7qR02Y_wgy4aXbu1Oy47NnP3TSMkvLhfqo_R-dj7D5dFBkKxbzeS-HocKTPulpoi65KU7YSNsaqcCfkoUXueZv8QQDdZWKUlWy7IouszPsgOoz1Es5jVlyvRV/s1600/SaleItems.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ayst58Z_2Xx9ci8-MeQ7qR02Y_wgy4aXbu1Oy47NnP3TSMkvLhfqo_R-dj7D5dFBkKxbzeS-HocKTPulpoi65KU7YSNsaqcCfkoUXueZv8QQDdZWKUlWy7IouszPsgOoz1Es5jVlyvRV/s200/SaleItems.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Second hand books are a great option for Xmas gifts. You certainly get more bang for your buck! To celebrate the beginning of the Xmas season, we are offering 20% off all stock on our <a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/" target="_blank">Reading Habit Online Second Hand Bookstore</a>. Terms and conditions do apply. Please see the bottom of this post for the details. To claim your discount just enter the coupon code XMAS2011 in the coupon section when checking out. To start browsing now click through to the <a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/" target="_blank">Reading Habit</a> website.<b> </b></div>
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<b>Terms and Conditions: Please note that a minimum spend of $30 AUD is required to use the discount coupon. Discount does not apply to the postage portion of an order. Offer ends Monday 19th December 2011, 11.59pm EDST.</b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-51619929052219720172011-11-15T14:44:00.001+11:002011-11-15T14:58:57.630+11:00Head to Head: Harry Potter Series vs The Chronicles of Narnia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMnBoJn4_NXXN2aYlqomdNJeJ0zPMABSvVyvrKLweyjEBYXnqAu78jYTlIUWIt2xiYzkP86-9Jtr4Mr-q6hSXdOnfKiUGiEK3nZnB-I_qOxD_hAyFisfZtxLaJ0bUnCgji9prdSreK2JX/s1600/headtohead.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMnBoJn4_NXXN2aYlqomdNJeJ0zPMABSvVyvrKLweyjEBYXnqAu78jYTlIUWIt2xiYzkP86-9Jtr4Mr-q6hSXdOnfKiUGiEK3nZnB-I_qOxD_hAyFisfZtxLaJ0bUnCgji9prdSreK2JX/s200/headtohead.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Today I thought I'd introduce a new series of blog posts that will force you to choose between some of your favourite authors and books. Ardent book lovers, like myself, always enjoy a good discussion and they're generally pretty opinionated, so this new series is designed to fuel the passionate debater in all of us. The series will be titled "Head to Head" and first up I'm asking you to decide between two of the most well loved classic young adult fantasy series ever written - the Harry Potter series and The Chronicles of Narnia - books only, not the movies. To participate, just leave a comment with your vote and a brief reasoning behind your choice. I'll be posting my vote shortly, so make sure you follow the comment thread. This round of "Head to Head" will wrap up at the end of November, so make sure you cast your vote before then. I'll announce the results in early December. It's just a bit of harmless fun, but we hope it gets the blood boiling. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-15451281949146875112011-11-11T11:07:00.001+11:002011-11-11T11:18:29.004+11:00Rememberance Day Special Offer: 10% Off All Reading Habit Stock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgmSlzj4YLrSg_X5YL3Yrq1FO5X-8bB-hf4lP-rJPZ0OZlLGgH7Il8SRkJ6iPjrkEC8A5A5CPupJ7VCbtHnRyKuoJP6sHId5SbcTx2NdeZbzJcKK_68bru2we7hkidVVXgRDC9VT7EZDc6/s1600/WAR28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgmSlzj4YLrSg_X5YL3Yrq1FO5X-8bB-hf4lP-rJPZ0OZlLGgH7Il8SRkJ6iPjrkEC8A5A5CPupJ7VCbtHnRyKuoJP6sHId5SbcTx2NdeZbzJcKK_68bru2we7hkidVVXgRDC9VT7EZDc6/s200/WAR28.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In honour of Rememberance Day 2011, our Reading Habit Online Second Hand Bookstore is offering a 10% discount on all of our stock. What better way to remember the sacrifices of our brave soldiers than to purchase a book from our <a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/?page=shop/browse&category_id=2&CLSN_3410=13209692173410fca94baad0dca7f41a" target="_blank">Military/War catalogue</a>. To collect your discount just enter the coupon code - REMDAY11 - when going through the check out process on our website - <a href="http://www.readinghabit.com.au/" target="_blank">Reading Habit Online Second Hand Bookstore</a>. We hope you find something to interest you. Lest we forget.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Conditions: This offer ends at midnight on 11th November 2011 and is open to international customers as well as Australian residents. Please be aware that the 10% discount applies only to the book portion of orders, not the postage component.</b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-31545920251637254542011-11-10T13:20:00.001+11:002012-01-17T10:56:19.226+11:00Reading Habit's Top Ten: Influences on the Value of a Second Hand Book<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm63BJgSbolLxSs-RNK45N9nB1ArV5nZGAPrq56iefhFNJmhYxfxN2ItBFFY14n7P2ut2ztyECwdUd6bab5VU_HVLWidDU2e998OdflcoANZVWy-dLDN1hJ6CoRpZNGgCz7CvGS-L-jGoj/s1600/oldbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm63BJgSbolLxSs-RNK45N9nB1ArV5nZGAPrq56iefhFNJmhYxfxN2ItBFFY14n7P2ut2ztyECwdUd6bab5VU_HVLWidDU2e998OdflcoANZVWy-dLDN1hJ6CoRpZNGgCz7CvGS-L-jGoj/s200/oldbook.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">As a second hand
bookstore operator I often get asked to value a book. In most cases, the book
in question isn’t worth much more than $10 or $20 and I watch as a wave of
disappointment creeps across the customers face. This disappointment generally
stems from the common misconception that if a book is old it must be worth
something. There are two glaring problems with this assumption. The first is
the customers’ perception of what defines old. In book collecting terms, a book
is not old if it was printed in the 1950s, yet most customers perceive it to be
old and therefore valuable. In collecting terms a book must have been around more
than 100 years to even begin to be considered old and preferably more like 200
years. The second problem with this perception is that people equate age with
value. This is a complete falsehood. Whilst age can contribute to the value of
a book, the most important indicator of a book’s value is its rarity. And even
this statement needs further elaboration because the truth is that second hand
book selling is just like every other global marketplace. It’s controlled by
the forces of supply and demand. So whilst a book might be scarce and the only
one of its kind in the world, if nobody wants to read it then scarcity means
nothing. The book is worth nothing. For a book to be considered rare it must be
more than scarce. It must be scarce relative to the demand for it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">All that
considered, let’s look at what different characteristics can make a book rare
and thus influence its value. I have listed what I consider to be the top ten
influences on value below, in no particular order.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Book/Dust
Jacket Condition</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">In real estate its location, location,
location. In the second hand book trade its condition, condition, condition. The
closer a book is to its original state the more value it will carry. This
refers just as much to the dust jacket as it does to the book itself. A book in
very good condition is worth little if its’ dust jacket is missing. It’s also
important to understand that a very, very old book is worth little if it’s
falling apart. The second hand book industry has developed its’ own grading
terminology to help describe the condition of a book. This information is
usually presented in the form of VG/VG, Fine/Good, VG/--, etc. The first part
refers to the condition of the book, whilst the second refers to the dust
jacket condition. If a "/--" is present, it usually means that the
dust jacket is not present. The terminology used is as follows. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU">New</span></b><span lang="EN-AU"> - Unread,
in print, perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU">As New</span></b><span lang="EN-AU"> – The
book is in the same condition it was published. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU">Fine </span></b><span lang="EN-AU">– Close
to the condition of ‘As New’, but without being crisp and has no defects. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU">Very Good </span></b><span lang="EN-AU">-
The book shows some signs of wear, but has no tears or defects noted.<br />
<b>Good </b>- The average used worn book that has all pages intact and defects
are noted. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU">Fair</span></b><span lang="EN-AU"> – A worn
book that has all pages intact but may lack endpapers, half-title etc. Binding
or jacket may also be worn and defects are noted. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU">Poor</span></b><span lang="EN-AU"> -
Describes a book that is sufficiently worn to the point that its only merit is
as a reading copy. This copy may be soiled, scuffed, stained or spotted and may
have loose joints, hinges, pages, etc. Defects should still be noted. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">NB:</span></b><span lang="EN-AU"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Despite this industry
standard terminology there will always be discrepancies between people and
their perception of the condition of a book. Where possible you should see the
book for yourself and when buying over the internet we suggest you ask to see
photos. </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Signature</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Generally speaking, if a book has been
signed by the author or the illustrator then this will add some value to your
book, but don’t get too excited. If no-one has ever heard of the author or
no-one wants to read the book then a signature can mean absolutely nothing. Further
to this, contemporary authors are known for their book junkets when their
latest novel is released. This means they sign many copies of their books at
public events in an effort to promote sales. This makes their signature fairly
common and adds little to the market value of the book. Also be careful of the printed signature
because this is not the same as a penned signature. A printed signature is one
that is printed in every copy of the book using the same process as printing
the text. A penned signature is added to the book personally by the author
after publication. A printed signature is worth nothing, whereas a penned
signature can add value. I will also make note here of inscriptions by authors.
An inscription generally has more wording than just a signature and can add a
little more value. Where inscriptions can really affect the value of a book is
when they have been presented to an important associate, friend or family member. These inscribed book copies are often referred to as as presentation or association copies and they can often demand a high price.</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">NB:
Signatures can be a tricky thing to authenticate, particularly if the authors
signature is a squiggle and resembles nothing like their name. Do your homework
and try and authenticate the signature. There are websites, like <a href="http://www.tomfolio.com/Autographs/AGList.asp" target="_blank">TomFolio</a>, that
archive scans of author’s signatures just for this purpose, so take the time to
check them out. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">First
Edition</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">The term ‘edition’ as taken directly from The
ABC for Book Collectors<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>(Carter,
1997, p84)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>refers to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“…all copies of a book printed at any time
or times from one setting-up of type without substantial change.”</i> Usually,
information about editions is included on the copyright page of the book. In
cases where this information is not provided you will need to do further
research to determine whether a book is a first edition or not. First editions
are one of the most collectable types of book and therefore their market value in
fine condition can be at a premium. Though, as with all items on this list,
just because a book is a first edition doesn’t make it valuable, as there has
to be demand for it at the same time. I will also note here the importance of
limited editions. This term is used for editions where there is a limitation statement.
A limitation statement usually gives the total number of copies and then
assigns an individual number to each specific copy (e.g. No 53 of 1000).
Limited editions can in some cases derive a high value. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">First
Book</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">A first edition of an author’s first book
will generally be worth more than their subsequent books. The underlying
reasoning here is that in most cases the print run of an author’s first book is
generally quite small in comparison to the print runs of their later works. The
perfect example of this is J.K. Rowling. The first instalment of her Harry
Potter series only had a print run of 500, whereas the last in her series had a
print run of around 12 million. Needless to say first edition copies of Harry
Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone are valued in the tens of thousands, whereas
a first edition Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows carries little value
unless signed by Rowling herself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Association
with Previous Owner</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">The association of a book with a previous
owner can add value to a book where that person is either famous or important,
or if that particular book held special significance. Here’s an example. Let’s
say you found a book inscribed to a friend by Hemingway’s wife. This would add
value to that copy of the book. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">NB:
There are pirates in every trade and the book dealing trade is no different.
Forged signatures and other distinctive markings like bookplates and ownership
stampings are more common than you think. So make sure that any association
with a previous owner has been authenticated. A quality book dealer should be
able to provide you with the correct documentation.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Age</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">As I’ve already touched upon, a<span style="color: black;">ge by itself is not enough to make a book valuable. The
importance of the text, the condition of the book, and demand for it will
determine the value of an old book. However, certain age categories of books
are more sought after. As a general rule, most books printed before 1501 are
rare and there is normally value attached. If we are being specific to certain
countries, it’s also fair to say that English books printed before 1641 are
prized, and books printed in America before 1801 are also highly collectible.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Materials
Used</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">In the era of mass market paperbacks and
e-books, book binding is fast becoming a dying art. So much so that many people
will never set eyes on a finely crafted book. Leather bound books, bamboo
folded books, limp vellum, wooden boards - you name it and there’s probably
been a book made out it. There are even books that have been bound in human
skin! Techniques used include Coptic binding, Ethiopian binding, long-stitch
book binding, Bradel binding, secret Belgian binding, Japanese stab binding –
the list goes on. Suffice to say, books that have been published using some of
the older and more traditional styles and materials of book binding can often command
a high premium.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Importance
of the Text</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="color: black;">People value books
either because of their contents or because of their physical characteristics.
First editions of important literary or historical works and initial reports of
scientific discoveries or inventions are prime examples of books that are
important because of their contents. Illustrated books that give a new
interpretation of a text or are the work of an esteemed artist are also valued.
Books that were suppressed or censored can be considered both important and
scarce, since few copies may have survived. Physical characteristics, such as a
special binding, an early use of a new printing process, or an autograph,
inscription, or marginal annotations of a famous person, may also contribute to
a book's importance and its market price.</span><span lang="EN-AU"></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Combinations</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">By themselves, the influences I have
listed so far add a certain amount of value to a book, but found in combination
these characteristics can add a whole lot more. Let’s consider. A first edition
of a popular author in good condition might be worth OK money, but a signed
first edition of a popular author in <u>good</u> condition will be worth more
money. And, a signed first edition of a popular author in <u>fine</u> condition
will be worth even more money. You see where I’m going with this. Essentially,
the more characteristics listed here that you can find in combination with the
one book, the rarer it becomes, and more value is placed upon it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Sentimentality</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">It might seem like a cop out to finish off
with this one, but it’s actually really quite important. So far, this list
refers only to the collecting value of a book. It makes no attempt to address
any sentimental value that one might have attached to a particular book. The
most valuable books I have in my collection are not signed, nor are they first
editions. They are made up of the books that my parents read to me in
childhood, were given to me by special friends, or include the characters I
admire or fell in love with. It may sound a bit cheesy, but sentimentality does
add value to a book and the memories we attach to books can often make them
seem priceless.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-559320473948593050.post-55487571535232088982011-11-04T16:19:00.000+11:002011-11-04T16:19:23.476+11:00Reading Habit's Top 10: Fictional Male Literary Characters<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU"></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZKb99tDp5o14TjqZLJqGXv59OLS49h6aiyciVeJkW5-B7uuoAJQ7duR5Bj-PGcFOj3RClp6KwKTlKgDPnUvrAULqQjDEKfRWlKFFggkBShvq0Nd1svRZvvdI2S3pbTdtlhejgcFVLg6j/s1600/clark+gable.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTZKb99tDp5o14TjqZLJqGXv59OLS49h6aiyciVeJkW5-B7uuoAJQ7duR5Bj-PGcFOj3RClp6KwKTlKgDPnUvrAULqQjDEKfRWlKFFggkBShvq0Nd1svRZvvdI2S3pbTdtlhejgcFVLg6j/s200/clark+gable.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Just as certain
books leave an indelible mark on our lives, so do particular literary
characters, and in some cases these characters leave more of an impression than
the book itself. Heroes, villains, mischievous scallawags, action men, and
romantic protagonists, are just some of the traditional male fictional
character profiles that endear us and enrich our reading experience. Putting a
list together of my own top ten male fictional characters was difficult. At
first, my list looked like that of a lovelorn romantic, but after some further
thought and rationalisation, I’m really happy with the final result. Though the
dashing heart throb is well represented, so are the evil villains, the father
figures, the lost boys, and the heroes. In no particular order, I’ll get
started.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Owen
Meany (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Prayer for Owen Meany </i>by
John Irving)</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">A Prayer for Owen Meany </span></i><span lang="EN-AU">by
John Irving is one of my favourite books of all time. The fact that I fell in
love with little Owen Meany probably has a lot to do with it. Owen Meany is anything
but your typical teenage boy. He’s puny, undersized and has a weird pale
luminescent skin. Whilst other boys his age, including his best friend John,
are struggling to find themselves, Owen is sure of his destiny in life and
intends to follow it. He has a powerful religious faith and believes himself to
be god’s instrument. What I remember most about Owen Meany is his weird high pitched
nasal voice, which John Irving represents in capitals whenever Owen speaks. His
voice may only be words on paper, but to this day I swear I can hear Owen Meany
in my head. Owens’ unwavering faith is what I admire most about him as a
character. I envy his belief, bravery and conviction. Owen Meany is a unique
character, dwarf-like in size, but big in heart.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Captain
Frederick Wentworth (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Persuasion </i>by
Jane Austen)</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">When we first
meet Captain Wentworth he is a man slighted by love several years earlier who
is now determined to settle down and find a wife. However, he soon finds that
despite his best efforts to suppress his former love for Anne Elliott, it is
slowly rekindled. Wentworth is a gentleman wrapped up in a sailor’s uniform. He
is distinguished and his person demands respect. Not surprisingly, he is the
target of many a young woman, but in the end it is the steady character of Anne
that once again wins his heart. I love Wentworth because he represents the
constancy of love and the beauty of second chances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wentworth’s letter to Anne at the end of the
novel always brings a tear to my eye. It’s a love letter that effuses such passion
for, and devotion to, Anne that you can’t help but wish the letter was written
for you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Kevin
Khatchadourian (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We Need to Talk About
Kevin</i> by Lionel Shriver)</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Let’s get one
thing straight. When I declare that Kevin is in my top ten fictional characters
of all time it’s not because I love him, it’s because I hate the very idea of
him. So why put him in my list? We don’t have to love a character for them to
impact upon us, and Kevin certainly made an impression on me. The mere thought
of him frightens me. Unlike the imagined monsters of horror novels, Kevin is
the human manifestation of evil incarnate, and thus is infinitely scarier. In
truth, it is not the character of Kevin himself that has stayed with me, but
what he represents. Kevin’s existence gives weight to the theory that evil is
born, not bred, and that’s not a very comforting thought. I don’t want to spoil
the ending of the book for anyone who hasn’t read it, but I do want to say that
the last scenes are some of the most chilling I have read. For me, Kevin is one
of the most confronting villains in literature. He could be any young troubled boy
and he is society’s worst nightmare – a cold blooded killer. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Gilbert Blythe (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Anne
of Green Gables by L M Montgomery)</i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">I apologise
sincerely to my husband, but Gilbert Blythe was my first love. He was charming,
gallant, intelligent, handsome, and the desire of all the teenage girls on
Prince Edward Island. He was perfect husband material - steady, kind and
constant. Back when I still believed that boys who teased you actually really
liked you, Gilbert gave me hope that the popular guy in school would one day
turn around and realise that you were the love of his life. It’s completely
ridiculous, believe me I know, but I was only 13. Having said all of that, I
think the real reason I admired Gilbert so much was because despite her carrot
top, fiery temper and ability to find herself in scrapes, Gilbert loved Anne. I
loved Anne, therefore I loved Gilbert. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Samwise Gamgee (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Lord of the Rings </i>trilogy by J R R Tolkien)</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">While everyone usual
pats whinging Frodo Baggins on the back for destroying the ring, I prefer to give
Samwise Gamgee a big hug. In my eyes, Samwise is the chief hero of J R R
Tolkiens masterpiece. Frodo is the chosen one, he bears the weight of the ring
for most of the journey, and he does eventually destroy the cursed thing, but
it’s Samwise that gives Frodo the strength to do it. Tolkien once wrote that he
modelled Samwise on the English soldiers he knew in 1914, and you can
definitely see the resemblance. Samwise is courageous. He is willing to die for
the cause and above all protect Frodo from harm, displaying the kind of brave
loyalty that all covet, but few have the strength to follow through with. Samwise
represents the most important qualities in a best friend. For me, Samwise is
the good mate that we’d all choose to have by our sides in a spot of bother.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-AU">Atticus Finch (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To
Kill a Mockingbird </i>by Harper Lee) </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-AU">Atticus Finch is
one of the most admirable characters in literary history. He is a man of high
morals who walks the path of reason in a society gone crazy with hatred. As a
father figure, he tries his best to set a good example for his two children and
instils in them the importance of living without racial hatred or prejudice. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Atticus is all about strong character, dignity
and goodness. His most famous line in the novel, spoken to Scout, probably sums
his personality up best – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You never
really understand a person until you consider things from his point of
view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” </i>Some may argue
that if there is any fault to be found with Atticus Finch it’s that he is
almost too perfect and is not a realistic portrayal of the average father. This
may be true, but I look at it differently. I see Atticus as the shining example
of what we all should aspire to be.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Mr
Fitzwilliam Darcy (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pride and Prejudice
</i>by Jane Austen)</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Do I even need
to explain? Fitzwilliam Darcy, of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pride
and Prejudice </i>fame, might be a too obvious choice, but I couldn’t seriously
compile a list without him in it. I tried very hard not to put two Jane Austen
heroes into the same list, but to quote Darcy himself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“In vain I have struggled. It will not do.” </i>Yes he’s hot, in a 19<sup>th</sup>
century kind of way, but what I love most about Darcy is his recognition of his
flaws and his determination to become a better man. This comment probably
reflects the nature of all women to want to change a man, but it’s definitely
what hooked me. Darcy’s passion for Elizabeth despite his pride and internal
struggles endears him to the reader and I, for one, came away just as in love
with him as Elizabeth herself. Darcy in all his manifestations, on screen and
off, and even as a vampire, has certainly endured the greatest test of all –
time. His popularity is booming and as a leading heroic protagonist he is only
rivalled today by a bespectacled youth who I think you’ll find next on the
list.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Harry
Potter (of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Harry Potter </i>novels<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>by J K Rowling)</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">In my
estimation, there is something extra special about Harry Potter. He is one of
only a handful of fictional literary characters that have managed to capture
the hearts of both children and adults alike. For this reason, I have a real
soft spot for the boy wizard. Harry is a reluctant hero who has expectation
thrust upon him, but bears it with a courage and determination beyond his
years. Many dismiss the importance of Potter in a literary sense, because he’s
just a kid who does magic in some young adult novels, but that’s the beauty of
Harry and fantasy in general. Harry is consumable for children and teenagers. He
is warm, emotional, tough, forgiving, brave, and honest. In terms of role
models for the youth of today, he outshines most. There is one last thing that
makes Harry Potter stand out for me and it has nothing to do with the character
himself, but rather the revolution he caused. Quite simply, Harry Potter
charmed a world of young boys and girls into actually becoming readers, and as
a bookseller I will always thank him for that.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">The
Man (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Road </i>by Cormac McCarthy)</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Picking a
character that doesn’t have a name may seem a little curious, but his anonymity
is the main reason I included him in this list. The man in Cormac McCarthy’s
post-apocalyptic novel is a father, but because we don’t know his name McCarthy
enables us to see him as everyone’s father – yours and mine. The man is the
ultimate protector of his son and embodies the notion that parents would do
anything to keep their children from harm, including forsaking their own moral
code. He is a man of action, not words, who in a bleak world where death seems inevitable
represents the fierceness of a father’s love. At one stage, the man thinks the
best thing he can do is kill his son and put him out of his misery, but his
love is so intense that he knows he can’t bring himself to do it. What I find
most touching about the man is that throughout the whole novel he knows he is
destined to leave the world very soon, but he’s determined not only that his
son will survive, but that his son still understands the importance of hope and
belief. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-AU">Rhett
Butler (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gone With the Wind </i>by
Margaret Mitchell)</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">Swoon. Rhett Butler
is the classic anti-hero, the bad boy of the American civil war, the very
definition of a dashing scoundrel, and the only man to put Katie Scarlett
O’Hara in her place. This is all true, but what I love about Rhett Butler the
most is the soft underbelly he shows in his devotion to his children, his
kindness to Mammy, and his all-consuming passion for a woman that is seemingly
unrequited. I like the action hero Rhett Butler as he rescues Scarlett from the
Yankees, but I simply adore the broken man who is eaten away by love and who
eventually finds the strength to let it go. Now, I love Scarlett dearly, but
she was a twit to pine away for boring Ashley Wilkes when she could have had
Rhett Butler. What was the girl thinking? In a love story that for once doesn’t
have a happy ending, Rhett eventually sets Scarlett straight just like we all
wanted him to, and as a result scores the best line in the novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“My dear, I don’t give a damn.”</i> Clark Gable
added the ‘frankly’ for the movie, and I admit that for me it’s hard to
separate the on paper Rhett Butler from Clark Gable’s on screen version. I will
never forget Gable standing at the bottom of that sweeping staircase, elbow
resting on the banister, with eyes glinting dangerously at Scarlett under a
furrowed brow. Swoon again.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">People always
want to know who just missed out, so I apologise to Alexander Portnoy (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Portnoy’s Complaint </i>by Philip Roth) who
made me roll on the floor laughing out loud, Peter Pan (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peter Pan </i>by J M Barrie) who embodies the human desire to hold onto
youth, Mr John Thorntorn (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">North and
South</i> by Elizabeth Gaskell) who made me swoon just as much as Rhett Butler,
Mr Edward Rochester (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jane Eyre </i>by
Charlotte Bronte) whose disfigured person I’d fight Jane for, Hannibal Lector
(of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Silence of the Lambs </i>by
Thomas Harris) who would give Kevin a run for his money, and Huck Finn (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn </i>by
Mark Twain) whose grand adventure down the Mississippi brightened my otherwise
dull high school reading experience. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-AU">I’d love to know
what you think of the list. Who do you think is missing and who do you think
shouldn’t be there? Lists are designed to divide, so comment away!!</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07811715507475139339noreply@blogger.com6