Australian Writers

One of my favourite ABC TV programs when I manage to catch it is the First Tuesday Book Club.  I've been buying books in transit at airport newsagents and came across David Malouf's Ransom which I remembered from one of the shows.  It is Malouf's take on one of the key events in Homer's Iliad and I found it a fascinating and moving read.  I also loved Alex Miller's Lovesong set in Paris and Melbourne, another purchase at the airport. I've always found Australian writers to have a voice I feel I can relate to so much more for obvious reasons.  On a different tangent is Australian stylist Sibella Court's Etcetera which I purchased on a wander through Mary Ryan's last weekend and love for it's beautiful photographs of interesting tactile interiors... so many books, so little time!

Time for Reading

Last night I finished reading Paul Johnson's biography Churchill which I thoroughly enjoyed.  While a short read it really does capture the liveliness of the man and has made me want to learn more.  I picked up this book at Changi Airport having just finished Perfume, my travel companion through France. Helen gave me Tender is the Night as part of my Christmas present which I enjoyed but found rather sad.  Much in the same way as I felt having read The Great Gatsby I suppose.  But all have been well worth the ride.  I do feel a little sad to have parted with the characters I met in these books.  My old boss travelled a lot and almost always had a book with him.  He once said to me that books are a friend you take on your journey.  Now I look to find a new one.

Osa Johnson Tomes

If anyone has vintage copies of Osa Johnson's I Married Adventure and/or Four Years In Paradise and would like to off-load, please, please consider dropping me a line before tossing said books into the Lifeline books bin!  Will probably agree to paying a small fortune in exchange considering my lust-after factor for these tomes!  The cover designs are beautiful and I'm on the hunt.  I hear the writing is good too which is a bonus, not that I'm one to judge a book by it's cover but by golly it helps!  It's going to be a tough rummage through the dusty shelves at the back of second hand book stores though since they're out of print.  I stumbled across these images from I can't remember where on separate occasions and realised that what I loved most about the images was indeed the book. Too chic!

Books and Seashells

One of my favourite things to do on a lazy Sunday morning is to lounge in bed with lots of books and magazines.  I was looking forwards to reading my latest copy of Vogue Living and one of the new design books I recently bought up at the beach.  David Hicks was such a consummate designer, his interiors are as fresh today as they were during is reign as decorator du jour.

After spending time by the ocean I'm always so inspired by all things beachy.  Hence I felt a sudden urge to buy an enormous collection of seashells!  I placed them on a platter so I could contemplate them sitting there so beautifully.  I now have the shells in a giant glass candy jar but I'm afraid it doesn't quite feel the same as when I was contemplating them by the sea...sigh*

The Rainbow Beach Hotel next to where we were staying had a divine interior - all white metal pressed ceilings and white walls, palms and pineapple motifs, and bentwood chairs as far as you can see. Very stylish for an old Queensland pub in a sleepy little beachside town.

More Penguin Classics

The final four Penguin Classics I've been waiting for arrived last week.  Meanwhile, I've managed to read Madame Bovary and James is half way through Crime and Punishment.  On to Dorian Gray...

Penguin Classics

I recently picked up my paperback copy of Thackeray's Vanity Fair only to have the cover come clean off the body. Realising it was about time I donated my collection of Penguin Classics and replaced them with hardback versions for a bit more longevity, I came across this collection of Penguin Classics re-released in Coralie Bickford-Smith designed covers. I now have six of the ten and waiting for the last four to arrive. I'm looking forwards to re-visiting some of these over the summer holidays. Nevermind the four other books I have on the go!

The Diving-Bell & the Butterfly

For the past few months Helen and I have been fixated on our careers and our study but today it was time for some much needed us time.  We spent a good few hours reading while the sun lowered in the sky and a showery evening set in.  Helen had been recommending that I read the book 'The Diving-Bell & the Butterfly' by Jean-Dominique Bauby for a while and having now read it I can understand why.  Bauby's tale is a humbling reality check as to our mortality, a stark reminder of the fragility of our existence and of the preciousness of everyday life.  Undoubtedly worthwhile reading.

The Sartorialist

It is so difficult once you walk in to Folio Books to walk out without a purchase, especially if you happen to virtually live across from the store! If money was no object I would buy all the beautiful books in there. However, that being wishful thinking I was content enough to leave yesterday with a copy of Scott Schuman's recently published The Sartorialist based on his cult following blog of the same moniker. So many cool people, so many cool outfits!