Oh, Happy Day!

I was feeling sorry for myself because I stayed up way too late and had to work an OT shift today. Then I logged into my Google Reader and discovered that I won the book pictured above from a contest on Stacey Ballis's blog. (http://thepolymathchronicles.blogspot.com/)

Combine that with a couple of new stitchy magazines, a quiet office, Girl Scout Cookies, a vat of iced coffee, and a deli sandwich delivered by one of my favorite officers (I actually do like a lot of them, despite my bitching, and not just because they do things like this) and this has turned into a fairly decent day!

Hope you're having a lovely weekend...

Wicked Wager- Anya Wylde

This was a hoot! Emma has snared the one of the most eligible rakes in England, only her uncle the Duke isn't so sure he approves of the match. He orders Emma to come to his country estate and think things over. Richard, Em's betrothed, decides to come along disguised as a gardener, and if she can't persuade the Duke to let them marry, plans to compromise so that he HAS to allow the marriage. Things get tricky when the Duke (who is sharper than they think) decides to invite the prospective bridegroom to the estate and Richard enlists a friend to pose as him. The friend keeps forgetting who he is supposed to be in love with and winds up falling for Emma's cousin, who is conflicted about everything at this point. Add in an impromptu house party, blackmail, and a murder, and you have quite the entertaining read! I'm looking forward to Anya's next book, which I believe is due out later this year...




Note: I recieved a free e-copy of this book from the author for my honest review.

Happy Haul-idays, year 2!

The good folks at Chronicle Books have revived the contest for another year! This year has a twist- not only can one of you & I win $500 worth of books, they'll donate the same to the charity of the winner's choice! How awesome is that? I'd have to donate to First Books (http://www.firstbook.org/) just because I believe that EVERYONE should have books that wants them.

So, without further ado, here's my wishlist:

Cake Simple: Recipes for Bundt-Style Cakes from Classic Dark Chocolate to Luscious Lemon Basil  $19.95

 $15.95

It’s Lonely in the Modern World: The Essential Guide to Form, Function, and Ennui from the Creators of Unhappy Hipsters  $19.95

 $19.99

 

 $16.95

 

 $16.95

Music Listography: Your Life in (Play) Lists $16.95

 

World of Geekcraft: Step-by-Step Instructions for 25 Super-Cool Craft Projects $19.95

 

Catalog: The Illustrated History of Mail Order Shopping Princeton Architectural Press $35.00  

 $24.95

 $22.95

 Rude Hand Gestures of the World: A Guide to Offending without Words $12.95

 When Do They Serve the Wine?: The Folly, Flexibility, and Fun of Being a Woman $19.95

 $14.95

 $19.95

And I'll take the rest on a gift certificate, Chuck. (Does anyone get that, or am I just old?)

Be sure to leave a comment, and include your email address so you can be contacted if I/we win!

 

 

 

Milking the Rhino: Dangerously Funny Lists by Chris Rush

This was an odd little title that I picked up as a kindle freebie. While it was somewhat amusing (I love lists of all sorts- probably my OCD kicking in), I think I'm glad I didn't actually pay anything for it.

Airmail- Naomi Bulger

From Goodreads:
Reclusive old Mr. G.L. Solomon's favorite things are single malt whiskey, Steve McQueen movies, and gingersnap cookies. He hates processed cheese, washing detergent commercials, and the way the teacup rattles in the saucer when he picks it up. Solomon has become accustomed to his lonely routine in Sydney, Australia-until the day he begins sporadically receiving letters in his mailbox from a complete stranger.


On the other side of the world, Anouk is a mentally delicate young woman living in New York who insists she is being stalked by a fat woman in a pink tracksuit. When Anouk declares to Solomon that she is writing "from the Other Side," the old man breaks away from his daily grind of watching soap operas and reading Fishing World and travels to New York to find her. As he is drawn into Anouk's surreal world of stalkers and storytelling, marbles and cats, purgatory and Plato, Solomon has but one goal-to unravel the mystery before it is too late.




My take:
It's a short little book. I read it twice, hoping to pick up what I thought I had clearly missed on the first read. After the second read, I came to the conclusion that I either am too dumb to follow the author's disjointed narrative and odd metahporical imagery or the book just didn't make any sense. I'm choosing to believe the latter.




After I posted the above review on Goodreads, I received a very nice note from the author thanking me for reading her book and for giving my honest opinion, even though she was sorry I didn't like it. I tried reading it one more time and still couldn't quite get it, but I am looking forward to seeing what Ms Bulger writes next. She DOES show promise as an author, and hopefully I'll do better with her next book!

Ooops, I theoretically spent too much

As some of you have seen from my first post, I had a LOT of fun with the Chronicle Books webiste. I hated to cull my list, but since I was close to twice the giveaway limit, it had to be done. Here, totally out of order, are the items i had to cut. Hopefully I'll win the lottery and be able to collect the them someday!

41. You Give Love a Bad Name- Timeless Poems of Tainted Love, from the Pop Hits of the '70s and '80s


Quirk Books

Edited by Danny Cassidy

5-1/4 x 7 in; 96 pp ;

Hardcover

Published in September, 2003

ISBN 1931686130

ISBN13 9781931686136

$14.95



42. I Can't Fight This Feeling- Timeless Poems for Lovers, from the Pop Hits of the '70s and '80s

Quirk Books

Foreword by Fred Schneider

5-1/4 x 7 in; 96 pp ;

Hardcover

Published in September, 2002

ISBN 1931686114

ISBN13 9781931686112

$14.95



40. Meet Mr. Product- The Art of the Advertising Character

By Warren Dotz and Masud Husain

5-1/8 x 6-11/16 in; 272 pp ; 500 color images

Paperback

Published in February, 2003

ISBN 0811835898

ISBN13 9780811835893

$16.95



32. More Things Like This

By the Editors of McSweeney

Introduction by Michael Kimmelman

Foreword by Dave Eggers

8-3/4 x 8 in; 224 pp ; 289 full-color and b/w images throughout

Hardcover

Published in September, 2009

ISBN 9780811867160

ISBN10 0811867161

$35.00



29. Madhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian Cooking

By Madhur Jaffrey

Photographs by Noel Barnhurst

8-3/4 x 8 in; 156 pp ; 32 color photographs

Paperback

Published in June, 2007

ISBN 0811859010

ISBN13 9780811859011

$19.95



28.Plenty-Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi

By Yotam Ottolenghi

Photographs by Jonathan Lovekin

8 x 11 in; 288 pp ; 140 color photographs, 15 2-color illustrations

Hardcover

ISBN 9781452101248

ISBN10 1452101248

$35.00



26.Crème Brûlée

By Lou Seibert Pappas

Photographs by Alison Miksch

7 x 8 in; 96 pp ; 24 color photographs

Hardcover

Published in January, 2009

ISBN 9780811866828

ISBN10 0811866823

$14.95



19. Field Guide to Tools- How to Identify and Use Virtually Every Tool at the Hardware Store

Quirk Books

By John Kelsey

4-1/2 x 5-7/8 in; 384 pp ;

Paperback

Published in September, 2004

ISBN 1931686793

ISBN13 9781931686792

$15.95



39. Lost- Lost and Found Pet Posters from Around the World

By Ian Phillips

5 x 6.75 in; 208 pp ; 90 black and white photographs

Hardcover

Published in April, 2002

ISBN 1568983379

ISBN13 9781568983370

$14.95



38. Wanderlust

By Troy M. Litten

4-1/2 x 5-7/8 in; 208 pp ; over 400 color photographs

Paperback

Published in March, 2004

ISBN 0811842444

ISBN13 9780811842440

$14.95



15. I Was Here-A Travel Journal for the Curious Minded

By Kate Pocrass

4-1/2 x 8-1/2 in; 128 pp ; 4-color illustrations throughout, elastic band, pocket

Paperback

ISBN 9780811877701

ISBN10 0811877701

$16.95



8. You Are Here-Personal Geographies and Other Maps of the Imagination

Princeton Architectural Press

Edited by Katharine Harmon

7 x 10 in; 192 pp ; 50 color and 50 B/W

Paperback

Published in October, 2003

ISBN 1568984308

ISBN13 9781568984308

$24.95



25.Savory Baking- Warm and Inspiring Recipes for Crisp, Crumbly, Flaky Pastries

By Mary Cech

Photographs by Noel Barnhurst

8 x 8-3/4 in; 168 pp ; 24 color images/photographs

Paperback

Published in August, 2009

ISBN 9780811859066

ISBN10 0811859061

$24.95



34. The Smart Traveler's Passport- 399 Tips from Seasoned Travelers

Quirk Books

By Erik Torkells and the Readers of Budget Travel Magazine

4-1/2 x 5-7/8 in; 224 pp ;

Paperback

Published in February, 2007

ISBN 1594741778

ISBN13 9781594741777

$14.95



33. Pictorial Webster's- A Visual Dictionary of Curiosities

By John M. Carrera

5-3/4 x 7-1/4 in; 512 pp ; 1,500 b/w images

Hardcover

Published in July, 2009

ISBN 9780811867184

ISBN10 0811867188

$35.00



37. City Walks: London- 50 Adventures on Foot

By Christina Henry de Tessan

4-1/16 x 5-5/8 x 1-1/4 in; box with lid, 50 cards, tri-fold intro card, 50 color maps

ISBN 9780811874106

ISBN10 0811874109

$14.95

Happy Haulidays! **updated 11/22/10 and MUCH longer**

Chronicle Books is generously giving away $500 worth of books to a lucky blogger. Not only that, but they are going to give an equal amount to ONE commenter on that blog post! What better way to kick off my new blog? For those who don't know me, I LOVE books, especially free ones, so I headed over to their website to see what I would choose. My list looks like this:

1. IDEO Eyes Open: London-A Field Guide for the Curious

By Fred Dust and IDEO

6 x 6 in; 160 pp ; 300 color photographs, concealed Wire-O binding
Paperback
Published in February, 2008
ISBN 0811861732
ISBN13 9780811861731

$22.95 

2. Window Seat: Europe-Reading the Landscape from the Air

By Gregory Dicum

5-1/2 x 8 in; 176 pp ; 67 color aerial photographs and 18 line drawings, 4-page gatefold map
Paperback
Published in August, 2006
ISBN 0811851516
ISBN13 9780811851510

$14.95

3. The Kittens of Boxville

By Ryosuke Handa,Yoneo Morita, and Tracy Sunrize Johnson

7-1/2 x 10 in; 72 pp ; 100 color photographs
Paperback
Published in April, 2009
ISBN 9780811866880
ISBN10 0811866882

$14.95 

4.Curious Cats

By Mitsuaki Iwago

7-1/8 x 6-5/8 in; 96 pp ; 100 color photographs
Hardcover
Published in April, 2010
ISBN 9780811870047
ISBN10 0811870049

$16.95 

5. Tea & Crumpets-Recipes and Rituals from Tearooms & Cafés
By Margaret M. Johnson
Photographs by Leigh Beisch and Margaret M. Johnson

7 x 8 in; 168 pp ; 50 color photographs
Hardcover
Published in April, 2009
ISBN 9780811862141
ISBN10 0811862143

$19.95 

6. Deep Dark Chocolate-Decadent Recipes for the Serious Chocolate Lover
By Sara Perry
Photographs by France Ruffenach

6 x 8 in; 196 pp ; 40 color photographs
Paperback
Published in August, 2008
ISBN 9780811860895
ISBN10 0811860892

$18.95

7. Brittles, Barks & Bonbons-Delicious Recipes for Quick and Easy Candy
By Charity Ferreira
Photographs by Karen Steffans

7 x 8 in; 96 pp ; 26 color photographs
Hardcover
Published in August, 2008
ISBN 9780811855358
ISBN10 081185535X

$16.95 

9. Friend or Faux-A Guide to Fussy Vegans, Crazy Cat Ladies, Creepy Clingers, Undercover Sluts, and Other Girls Who Will Quietly Destroy Your Life
Quirk Books
By Heather Wagner

5 x 7 in; 128 pp ;
Hardcover
Published in March, 2009
ISBN 9781594743207
ISBN10 1594743207

$14.95 

10. Subversive Cross Stitch-33 Designs for Your Surly Side
By Julie Jackson

7 x 7 in; 96 pp ; color images throughout
Hardcover
Published in March, 2006
ISBN 0811853470
ISBN13 9780811853477

$14.95 

11. Large Ruled Moleskine Volant Notebook/ Purple-Set of 2

5 x 8 in; 96 pp ;
Softcover
Published in June, 2010
ISBN 9788862933384
ISBN10 886293338X

$12.00 

12. Moleskine Passions Recipe Journal

5 x 8-1/4 in; 240 pp ;
Hardcover
Published in March, 2010
ISBN 9788862933155
ISBN10 8862933150

$19.95 

13. Witch's Brew: Good Spells for Peace of Mind

By Witch Bree

5 x 3-5/8 x 1-1/4 in; 96 pp ; Illustrations Throughout
Hardcover
Published in April, 2001
ISBN 0811828484
ISBN13 9780811828482

$12.95 

14. My Future Listography-All I Hope To Do In Lists

By Lisa Nola
Illustrations by Nathaniel Russell
7 x 9-1/2 in; 160 pp ; ribbon page marker, 4-color illustrations throughout, lay-flat binding
Paperback
ISBN 9780811878364
ISBN10 0811878368
$16.95
 

 

16. Books Are My Bag Tote Bag

Illustrated by Jason Munn

14-3/4 x 16-3/4 in; polypropylene tote bag, 8-1/2 x 8 folded, snap closure, 2-color silkscreen illustrations
Published in August, 2008
ISBN 9780811865197
ISBN10 0811865193

$1.99

Mind you, that's just a start. I can easily do more damage, but it's getting late and I need to toddle off to bed. What's that? Yeah, I know the last item isn't actually a book, but I'd need something to carry all my new toys in now, wouldn't I?

11/22/10 
So, I've had a little more time to play on the Chronicle website, and here are some additional choices:

17. Two Cats and the Woman They Own or Lessons I Learned from My Cats

By Patti Davis
Illustrations by Ward Schumaker
5 x 7 in; 96 pp ; 26 color illustrations
Hardcover
Published in March, 2006
ISBN 0811851664
ISBN13 9780811851664

$5.18

18. Let's Bring Back- An Encyclopedia of Forgotten-Yet-Delightful, Chic, Useful, Curious, and Otherwise Commendable Things from Times Gone By

By Lesley M. M. Blume
Illustrations by Grady McFerrin
5 x 8 in; 256 pp ; illustrations throughout, satin ribbon marker
Hardcover
Published in September, 2010
ISBN 9780811874137
ISBN10 0811874133

$19.95

20. Field Guide to Meat- How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Meat, Poultry, and Game Cut
Quirk Books
By Aliza Green

4-1/2 x 5-7/8 in; 400 pp ;
Paperback
Published in February, 2005
ISBN 1594740178
ISBN13 9781594740176

$15.95 

21. Field Guide to Produce: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Fruit and Vegetable at the Market
By Aliza Green

4-1/2 x 5-7/8 in; 384 pp ;
Paperback
Published in March, 2004
ISBN 1931686807
ISBN13 9781931686808

$15.95 

22. The Meaning of Flowers- Myth, Language and Lore
By Gretchen Scoble and Ann Field

6 x 8 in; 108 pp ; Over 50 color images
Hardcover
Published in April, 1998
ISBN 0811819310
ISBN13 9780811819312

$16.95 

23. The Meaning of Herbs- Myth, Language & Lore
By Gretchen Scoble and Ann Field

6 x 8 in; 108 pp ; 50 color images
Hardcover
Published in March, 2001
ISBN 0811830314
ISBN13 9780811830317

$16.95 

24. 52 Ways to Pamper Yourself

By Lynn Gordon
Illustrated by Karen Johnson

2-3/8 x 3.5 in; 52 pp ; Full color illustrations
Published in February, 2001
ISBN 0811827283
ISBN13 9780811827287

$6.95 

27.Luscious Creamy Desserts

By Lori Longbotham
Photographs by France Ruffenach

7 x 8 in; 156 pp ; 25 color photographs
Hardcover
Published in January, 2008
ISBN 0811855627
ISBN13 9780811855624

$19.95 

30. Dim Sum- A Pocket Guide
By Kit Shan Li

3-1/2 x 5 in; 80 pp ; color and B/W images throughout
Paperback
Published in February, 2004
ISBN 0811841782
ISBN13 9780811841788

$7.95 

31. Marilyn Merlot and the Naked Grape- Odd Wines from Around the World
Quirk Books
By Peter F. May

5-1/4 x 6-1/4 in; 256 pp ;
Paperback
Published in April, 2006
ISBN 1594740992
ISBN13 9781594740992

$16.95 

35. Around the World-The Grand Tour in Photo Albums
Princeton Architectural Press
By Barbara Levine and Kirsten Jensen

12 x 9 in; 208 pp ; 200 color images
Hardcover
Published in September, 2007
ISBN 1568987080
ISBN13 9781568987088

$55.00 

36. Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan

By Matt Alt and Hiroko Yoda

4-1/2 x 5-7/8 in; 240 pp ; 225 color images
Paperback
Published in August, 2007
ISBN 0811856747
ISBN13 9780811856744

$14.95 

  

43. Catalog- The Illustrated History of Mail Order Shopping

Princeton Architectural Press
By Robin Cherry

7 x 9 in; 272 pp ; 375 color and 125 b/w
Hardcover
Published in October, 2008
ISBN 9781568987392
ISBN10 1568987390

$35.00 

44. Holidays on Display

Princeton Architectural Press
By William L. Bird, Jr.

7-4/5 x 8-3/4 in; 160 pp ; 150 color and 75 black and white images
Paperback
Published in August, 2007
ISBN 1568986955
ISBN13 9781568986951

$24.95 

45. Moleskine City Notebook London

3-1/2 x 5-1/2 in; 228 pp ;
Hardcover
Published in January, 2008
ISBN 888370617X
ISBN13 9788883706172

$17.95

46. Extra Small Ruled Moleskine Volant Notebook/ Purple Set of 2

2 x 4 in; 56 pp ;
Softcover
Published in June, 2010
ISBN 9788862933308
ISBN10 8862933304
$5.95

I'll have to sit down again with the calculator- I may have managed to go over the $500 limit and it's going to be a booger to trim the list after I had so much fun generating it, but que sera, sera. Sorry none of the pictures have come through. I'll work on that later!

11/23/10

Wow. I sat down and added everything up and it totalled $823.37!!! So I had to sit down and make some VERY hard descisions about what to cut. Then I wound up $5.98 UNDER, so I added the last item on. My new total is $499.97, which is pretty damn good. I didn't go back and renumber things as I am lazy. The cut items will appear as another blog post so that I can remember what they are and possibly order them someday after I win the lottery. I mean, it's a given that I'll win the contest, so the rest of this list is a gimme, right? LOL
Seriously though, good luck to all the bloggers/commenters involved and MANY, MANY thanks to Chronicle for this awesome giveaway!