A Fix - of calm, quiet Booky Coffeeness

Scattered around the world are Happy Places.
My Happy Places.

Some, but not all, are bookshops.
My Favourite Bookshop, just FYI, is Waterstones on Piccadilly, but I am blessed to have a 2nd AND a 3rd favourite.

I wish I could say that one of them was an Indie but sadly, no.
If I had regular (read: any) access to an Independent Bookshop though, I have no doubt it would be a contender.

All this aside, yesterday, I got to spend time with #2.

Waterstones (coincidence?), Swansea.

A hidey-hole of calm, quiet and considered bookyness.  It doesn't feel like a place where the primary concern is the rather vulgar financial transaction of selling paper, with words on it.

Here, I sense their desire to share books & to share their treasure box of enjoyment for them.

When you walk in, you feel the diversity of riches, inviting you, welcoming you to immerse yourself.
Here, you will be entertained, educated, amused, informed & enriched.
All you have to do it take your time, and make the leap.

It helps that it is also, beautiful.  The Art Nouveau frontage, the grand sweeping staircase (of this former Carlton Cinema) as you enter is a thing of beaty and, irresistibily, it draws up UP.

UP is where the most delicious coffee is.

UP is where in spite of all muttered good intentions as you ascend those pretty twisty stairs, the first sighting of a homemade Lemon Cake or Victoria Sponge will leave you powerless to resist.
Anything you want, just give the cake.

It is up to you how you want to do this.
For myself, the Optimum Book-Shopping Experience goe thus.
First, we are talking about an ACTUAL physical thing. That's why I am here, and not buying books sitting on the loo, hoping the Wifi stretches this far, with a Kindle. (no disrespect Kindle, but I am sure alot of your transactions happen there.)

Browse the shelves.
Pick up books.
Feel them.
Smell them.
Examine cover.
Red the back
Open, check font, paper and spine.
(Note: A book may be rejected & replaces, at any point, during the above sequence).

There is one final test I carry out before I decide if it is a Yay or a Nay, but it is a secret.
Not secret because it is terribly clever and high-brow, secret 'cos you will think I am ridiculous if I told you.

Once selection(s) is (are) made ........ THEN coffee.

Never coffee first.

Peruse Selections in an increasing caffeinated, cake-fuelled high.
(Note: this part of The Process is academic.  You will be buying all of them.  We know this.)

Gaze out of that beautiful bay window, if you are lucky enough to have scored yourself a seat there.  Look past the anti-pigeon net, feel like an Elizabethan m'lady locked up in an evil Uncle's beautiful house watching the Cheerful & The Free below go about their lives. #princesscomplex?

IN fact, what I can see from my vantage point within this cocoon of dignified, latte-rich serenity are a series of mobile phone repair/unlocking shops, e-ci vendors, bookies (that is book-IES, places not generally know for their excellent espressos, or books) & H. Street Jewellers.

Withdraw back into this other world, just for a little while longer.

Finish your FlatWhite/Cappu/Whatever, it is time now, Sweetheart.
Time to re-enter the world of parking attendants, mega-super-uber stores & pasties shops.

For me, it will be a while till I can get myself back here.  Such trips are always bittersweet.

But, fortified by these few hours, I shall float along buoyed up by today's purchase until I can get me to another of my Happy Booky Happy Places.

Wherever in the world it may be.

I Floozy. You Floozy?

Show Yourself, Floozy!

Bibiliophile.

I like it.
Doesn't it sound posh?
It makes those of us living with this affliction feel a bit less judged.
It is an enabling word.  Such a pretty elegant looking word.  All those tall willowy 'b's and 'l's.

We aren't Hoarders.
Dilettante? How very dare you.
No. We are Bibliophiles, doncha know.

We are BIBILOPHILES!!! damn you! Show some respect.



In honesty............... I would have just called myself, a Book Floozy.

I'd like to meet others. Other Book Floozies.

"This Floozy seeks other Floozies"

But it isn't easy, for we are a secretive bunch.  We prefer to keep our Flooziness on the down-low.

What there are plenty of are the Other Ones.  The Bibiliogamous. (don't bother, I made it up)

They remain faithful to their book. They just read a book.  One book, at a time.

Imagine!
Just one book by the bed.
Weirdos.

Finish it.  To the last page.
Then, move on.
Weird.

Yeah, I'd say Book Floozy is a fair description of my habit.

Y'see, I like to have several on the go. Have done for years.
I don't like to pin myself down to just one book.
There are so many out there.
Fun books. Funny books. Clever books.
Just depends on my mood.

Now THIS is more like it!!

Who wants to commit solely to a "Light-hearted romp" or something with "poignant insight" when the current mood calls for a Gothic Epic?











SOMETIMES, I love a book so much I cannot bear it to end,
So I don't.
I don't finish it.
That way I stop it from being over.  I can keep it alive.

This One's Father, from whom I got the Biblio-gene, suggested something actually took my breath away (in shock) - he said (brace yourselves) "Read the end first."

whhh..........aaaaaaaaat?!?! I had to hold on to something, the walls felt like they were closing in.

But, he is not alone, someone else I know does this.  He reads the end first to find out whether it is going to be worth him spending the time to read the whole thing.

Lunacy.

And, in case you were wondering, I am currently dabbling/juggling with:

I floozy.

You floozy?

A Book Bore, needs the Zing. And Wifi

I like to think of myself as a groovy Tree-Hugger.

Leave the trees, say I.

The Lungs of Our  Big Blue Marble.

In July, I waxed a little bit lyrical on my love of Trees ( see Hug A What Now?).




So, "Yes!", I roar, "Leave the Trees alone!!!!"

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*****
******
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Unless, it is to make books ............ in which case ....... CHOP 'EM DOWN! CHOP 'EM ALL DOWN!!!!!
(not really)




And so you see my dilemma.
I love paper.

I love my newsPAPERS papery.

I love stationary shops. (This is worthy of a post of its own)

But most of all - most, of all, I love my books real.

Yes.
I do have a Kindle.
And Kindle and I have a respectful relationship.

We can see each other's worth.  I respect the Kindle hugely.  Kindle has a place.

Kindle, for me, is that person you KNOW would be a really good choice as a girl/boyfriend.

This is the RIGHT way

That person that ticks all the right boxes.

Oh, you know, things like:
a job,
mostly able to leave house in matching socks*,
holds knife and fork properly**,
likes animals.....
those sorts of things .............. annnnnnnnnd yettttttttttt................. something is not quite right.

* mind you, this has never been a deal-breaker
** this HAS




No *ZING!*

Gotta have the Zing or this thing is going nowhere.


Buying a book.  Selecting a book.
It's finding a new friend.
Opening a door to a new place, to new people, to new adventures or experiences.

The best thing ever.

The physical manifestation of a book is a joy that makes my heart sing.  Words. On Paper

(Too much?  I did think it was bit much but I have left it in anyway)

You don't get that with a Kindle, do you?

I enjoy the ritual of buying a book.

Personally, to maximise the thrill, I need all the senses to the 'zinged'.

The Feel of the book - the paper needs to be right. The Cover too. (btw, 'right' is subjective & indefinable.  I know when it is & I know, when it isn't) 
The Smell of the book - ain't nothing like it.
The Sound of the book - that creak of the spine as you open it. The crispness of the edges of untouched pages
The Look of the book - the font needs to be right (not too big, please, I am not 7).

You don't get that with a Kindle, do you?

The quality of production is important too.

This thing is going to be with me, for the duration, either:

by the bath,
on the dining table,
on the sofa or by the bed,
in my bag,
by the pool

I need the pages to stay where they are.  Pages falling out of a book are socks sliding down the back of your shoe, a scratchy label on your neck.  Irritating & distracting.

In Praise of The Kindle
There are two things for which I do respect Kindle.
Two reasons why I will never end it completely with Kindle.
Two reasons why, I suppose, one could say I continue to string Kindle along.

Kindle allows me the chance to have a book (several in fact) with me at all times, regardless of size and, when I hear of a book that I NEEEEEEEEED now, I can scratch that itch almost instantly.
Assuming the Wifi is working.

Holiday (Summer) 2013 - Ride that wave

(This is an old post. The Moment was had about 3 weeks ago.)

I think I may have just had a Moment of Perfect Bliss.

In a Swansea conservatory, with this book, is where it happened.

The book choice was inspired by Dad. Possibly the first book I recall him talking about it, I must ask him if it is coincidence that he shares a name with the author AND a nickname of one of the Men.

FINALLY I have got round to it & by pg.7, I am utterly in love.

Seagulls are squawking, in the distance and nearby, the garden birds are cheepy-cheepy, tweet-tweet, tweeting.

Bouncing off the windows, in an unconcerned, half-hearted manner is a woolly, chubby-bottomed bumble bee.  I don't think he really wants to leave.  Perhaps Bumblebee doesn't want to spoil The Moment either.

In the kitchen, Classic FM is on.  For dog, but I like too.  Maybe Bee does too.

Sky is the perfect combo of cornflower blue with fat happy fluffy cloud-sheep, just milling around.  They are in no hurry.

At my elbow is a cup of tea, Lady Grey, as you ask, (I have gone Full Pompous now, haven't I?  You would think so but, any minute now it is going to get worse) .......... in one of my birthday presents.  A Portmeirion (Botanic Garden) mug.

See?

For this Moment, all feels calm. All feels well, and I, for one, am more than happy to ride the crest of this wave of serenity, for as long I can Hang Ten.

And this book, oh, THIS BOOK.......

There go the seagulls again.  Damn, I love a seagull.

[This will be the last post from our time in the UK.  Holiday comes to an end tomorrow and we head back to The Pit, to regular life.]

Spontaneous Reading Moments (SRM)

You do what you gotta do & I have to grab my Reading Moments wherever I can.

Wow, how I relish the idea of an entire day(s) filled with nothing but the chance to sit & read.  BTW, just so's you know, this magical scenario will also have unlimited cups of tea and........ chips.  Deep-fried slices of potato.  Guilt-free, no judgement chips.

The above would make for a deliriously happy Roo.

However, until that particular level of Nirvana becomes available to me, I need to get my reading fix whenever opportunity presents.

Step 1 of Scratching the Booky Itch is: the book.

Gotta have a book.  With you. Clearly.

It's no good if your book lives solely by the bed/loo/wherever.


lunch

You never know when the chance will turn up.  The Moments pop out at you, unannounced. And, listen up soldier, YOU NEED TO BE READY.

There may be a Moment  waiting at the petrol pump. It may make itself known in a bank queue.  Perhaps you have arrived at a meeting early (see my post Greetings from The Future)?  Not to worry cos guess who is early too??

Yup, your little booky-friend.

Your wordy-pal may be in electronic form (yes, I have a Kindle) or 'analogue' (cover, front & back with paper & ink in between. The preferred option, for your information). 

Whatever.

Point is that one, or the other, is usually within reaching distance.  Always, in fact.  In my bag.
Have a look if you don't believe me. 
Can't leave home without one.
A Moment will turn up, GUARANTEED, if not.

And, there is NOTHING so torturous as the very worst unscratched itch, the *shudder* wasted Reading Moment.



By torchlight

And so, I shall share my SRMs - some will be tiresomely predictable (bedtime, waiting outside school etc) but I am hoping to record some more interesting ones as we go along.




Wednesday's school pick up


Where do you grab your SRMs?

If you hate a book, do you ......?

... a) keep going? Refuse to give up? After all, perhaps it will reveal itself as you travel through it. Yeah. Perhaps.

OR

... b) ditch it.  Move on. So many books out there, not going to waste my time. 

 

Don't you 'must-read' me

For me, a 'must-read' is an 'almost guaranteed never to'.

 

e.g. HAVE NEVER READ:

* 'Marley & Me' - not a chance.  Someone gave it to me. I hid it behind the bookcase. Even the cover makes me cry

* 'Life of Pi' - STOP TELLING ME THAT I'D LOVE IT, for Christ's sake!

* any of the '50 Shades' things - are you serious? Never. Ever. Ever.

* 'Atonement' (Ian McEwen) - sooooo loathed 'On Chezil Beach' this is now out of the question.  I can hear you, Literati. You & your shocked sharp intake of breath.

 

* 'Wolf Hall' (Hilary Mantel) - Booker, Smooker. Did consider it but, oh, she was such an arse about that whole Kate Middleton thing, I'm over it.

Examples of  Hyped Books that I have read:

* 'Gone Girl' - clever, page turn(y) yarn. Couldn't put it down. Sucked me in.  Irritating at times.  Frustrating that you simply can say virtually nothing about it to anyone who hasn't read it, but is likely to.

 

 

* ' Da Vinci Code' - frankly, easily one of the worst books I have ever read.  Actually put it on the doorstep the second it was over.  Couldn't bear to have it in the house any longer.
     This is one of the few times I kept going.  Should NOT have bothered.

 

* 'One Day' (David Nicholls) - such terrible, forehead-slappingly appalling drivel.

* the 1st 'Twilight' book - Heavens to Betsy, what WAS I thinking?! And I am pro-vampire!!

* The Cat in The Hat - don't ask. Long story.
       40*ahem* years later, I am prepared to admit I was wrong about him.



Found these beauties at a book sale. 
Tingly book-geeky goosebumps.
'The Children's Treasure House'
edited Arthur Mee, 1926-28
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/jul/21/booksforchildrenandteenagers.featuresreviews

 

I DO like a recommendation so, go on, please, name me a book.

 

Just don't tell me it is a 'must you-know-what' ...