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Flush: A Biography by Virginia Woolf

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Friends: avaland, Cariola, fannyprice, kiwidoc

Interesting libraries: Irisheyz77, kiwidoc, margad, Phlox72, polutropos, wandering_star, whymaggiemay

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Nickelini's reviews

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Member: Nickelini

Library203 books — see library

Reviews10 reviews — see reviews

Cloudstag cloud, author cloud

Tags20th century (75), 1001 (51), 21st century (44), Non-fiction (35), University (31), British literature (29), Canadian literature (23), England (22), Literature (21), Book club (20) — see all tags

Groups1001 Books to read before you die, 18th-19th Century Britain, 888 Challenge, Atwoodians, Awful Lit., Book Clubs, Books Compared, Canadian Bookworms, Clarissa's Cottage, Girlybooks — show all groups

Favorite authorsJane Austen, Mark Frutkin, Katherine Mansfield, Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Jane Urquhart, Virginia Woolf (Shared favorites)

Favorite bookstoresMosaic Books, Munro's Books

About me I find reading lists really fun, even though I usually don't follow them. I'm currently reading books from these lists:

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
The Best of Canadian Literature
The Best of Sri Lankan Literature
Giller Prize Winners
Booker Prize Winners
All the Unread Books in My Closet
Read Around the World Challenge

About my library Here are the countries from my Read Around the World Challenge. In 2008 I will be focusing on British and Canadian literature, so this map probably won't change very much over the next little while.

create your own visited country map

I track my reading in two places at LibraryThing:

1. Everything I read goes to the 50 Book Challenge (I'll move to the 75 Book Challenge if I read more)
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=29181

2. I'm also playing the 888 Challenge, which is just a different way of tracking my reading (although not everything I read shows up here). It's a good way to keep my reading plans on track and keep myself well-rounded, book wise.
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=26979

3. I'm participating in the group literature read of Middlemarch. Here is my progress:

-----------------------------

Also on43Things, Lists of Bests

Membership LibraryThing Early Reviewers

LocationVancouver

Account typepublic, lifetime

URLs http://www.librarything.com/profile/Nickelini (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/Nickelini (library)

Member sinceMar 5, 2007

Comments from other LibraryThing-ers

(Leave a comment.)

Hi Joyce,

Just to let you know that I have changed my user name to kiwidoc (formerly karenwardill). Just so you know who is following you around.

Cheers,

Karen

posted by kiwidoc at 9:34 pm (EST) on May 8, 2008

Thanks for the support, Nickelini. I'm frankly surprised I haven't been flamed. I sometimes feel like I am becoming the master of the (hopefully polite & well-written) smack-down. Why don't people understand that the whole point of the Awful lit board is to talk about books you don't like?

posted by fannyprice at 8:25 pm (EST) on Apr 22, 2008

Hi Nickelini,

Thanks for the kind words, and I definitely recommend [Infidel], especially for Ali's remarks on the immigrant problem in Holland. I found her comments thought provoking. I'm currently reading [Foreskin's Lament] and [Honor Lost], but have barely scratched the surface of them, so way too soon to tell what I'll think of them.

I find it hard to recommend books to others because everyone's tastes are so individual. However, if you want recommendations from me, give me an idea of what you like to read (or are interested in reading) and I'd be happy to tell you what I found interesting and well written.

Maggie

posted by whymaggiemay at 8:51 pm (EST) on Apr 21, 2008

Yes, there are some purists on LT. It did start as just a cataloging site, of course. And I do understand where they are coming from. But it's grown way beyond that now. Besides, who would police such a thing (secret book ninjas?). Best, Lois

posted by avaland at 2:56 pm (EST) on Apr 21, 2008

I don't mind at all. =) Besides I think that I borrowed the idea from someone else's profile at some point myself. I find its a nice way to keep track...and with the link to the challenge pages, it makes it easier to jump right to my thread when it comes time to add a book. Its amazing how quickly you can drop to the lower pages! So many readers challenging themselves. Its great. =)

I'm going to have to make a ticker for Middlemarch myself at some point.

posted by Irisheyz77 at 7:32 am (EST) on Apr 21, 2008

Thanks Joyce,

I know the Ambleside book store, and browse in there alot - I feel right at home in a bookstore and sometimes worry I will get locked in if late in the day!!!

not move around the store. It needed a real good clean out when he died a couple of years ago. It is fairly good, but lacks some variety and still needs a good clean-up. It was a true fire hazard before.

Good book hunting!!!

Cheers, Karen

posted by kiwidoc at 3:47 pm (EST) on Apr 20, 2008

Hi Joyce,

Sounds like you had a good day book-shopping - I was in Brown's today (stopped on the way to work which made me late!). Got a good copy of Claire Keegan's short stories - 'Antarctica'.

I used to visit Kidsbooks almost weekly when my kids were little - it is a superb store. I harangued the store owner on 4th so much, I think she opened the Edgemount Village one just to get me off her back. However, since they are older (16 and 14) I don't go there much any more. They both read off my 'adult shelf' now they are teens.

Can you believe it was snowing this evening? I drove home from Burnaby in the slush, wondering how I could be thinking it was time to break out the gardening gear!

A few of us have been reading Fifth Business 'together' - so what seems like a coincidence is not really. I am not one for group reads, but this one seemed worthwhile!

Cheers and happy reading,

Karen

posted by kiwidoc at 2:07 am (EST) on Apr 19, 2008

I have exhaustively tried to locate good bookstores in Vancouver - there are two reasonable second-hand ones downtown - Macleans is one ( I have my bike stolen from in front of MacLeans when I first came to Canada in the 1980s so I know the owner quite well. There is another one two blocks away which has a good selection also. I have been to the foreign book store a few times when my kids were in French Immersion.

I buy books from 32 Books more to support the business than anything else. It is really too small for a good browse.

Presently reading Fifth Business by Robertson Davies, and surprised to discover him. So far it is really very good.

So I see you are Italian - if only by marriage. I would live in Italy in a heart beat - it is such a beautiful country!!

Cheers,

Karen

posted by kiwidoc at 12:25 pm (EST) on Apr 15, 2008

Hi, Nickelini. I see you added my library to your list of interesting ones, and I hopped over to browse yours. I also saw the note about The Winter's Tale, which I am about to start teaching next week. Not sure how my students will like it, but I always end with one of the romances, and I change it every time I teach Shakespeare.

posted by Cariola at 6:18 pm (EST) on Apr 14, 2008

Hi Nickelini,
I noted that you said that you were a 'map freak' on one of the reading globally threads. Are you familiar with Google Earth. I only ask on LT because I am accompanying my reading by putting placemarks on google earth maps so that I can physically see where my reads are taking place. I have not mentioned this in the Reading Globally group, but thought you may be interested in it as an idea.
Cheers,
Andy

posted by depressaholic at 12:14 pm (EST) on Apr 14, 2008

Well, after such flattering comments, I must ask you to be a friend. It is nice to know someone locally, too.

Vancouver disappoints me wrt to bookstores.

I am always amazed when I travel, how wonderful some bookstores can be. I love Munro's in Victoria and there are lots of second hand stores in Sidney. Browns is a co-op bookstore - and they recently added a women in print section (by the woman who used to own Hagar Books in Kerrisdale). So I managed to snaffle a few good titles there including a Patricia Grace (NZ writer) and a few other overseas authors that are usually hard to find. It is hit and miss.I mostly use the internet now.

Well done with your studies. I work fairly close to SFU!

Cheers,

Karen

posted by kiwidoc at 11:16 am (EST) on Apr 9, 2008

Well - thank you very much, Nickelini, for your kind comments.

I don't know exactly how many of the books in my library are read, most of the initially posted ones, less of the more recently added. More than less.

I find it helpful to know what is in my library, even if unread, as it avoids me buying duplicates. I really love browsing book-stores, especially second-hand ones. Brown's bookstore on Hastings near Boundary is my latest haunt, and it happens to be on my way to work!!

The trouble with my LT obsession, it that it fuels the fire of more book acquisitions. I sometimes feel I just have to read/acquire a book after glowing recommendations from a respected fellow LTer!!!!

Cheers.

Karen

poste

posted by kiwidoc at 6:11 pm (EST) on Apr 7, 2008

Hello Nickelini,

Thanks for the note.

Yes I live in Greater Vancouver also - on the North Shore. Rather a compulsive bookie - my rather out of control library attests to this.

I started to realize that I could get a lot of 'reading' done if I listened to audios in the car commuting to Burnaby. Started on some novels last year and this year worked through an excellent English audio on Shakespeare plays. The four I listened to were the ones available at the library - I haven't seen any others yet in this excellent format. Very well done with seamless explanations between speeches. I actually really enjoyed them - although I am a keen participant at the Bard on the Beach every year.

I really enjoyed Twelfth Night - perhaps my favourite of the four so far (although R & J is also a big favourite).

Nice to meet you. I have noticed your comments around LT which are always very well thought out.

Karen

posted by kiwidoc at 12:16 am (EST) on Apr 7, 2008

A few months ago, you mentioned on my 888 challenge thread that you were reading The Winter's Tale for school. What did you think of it? I just started it, and I admit, I'm a bit confused. I've requested the audio book from the library to see if that will help (it usually does with Shakespeare), but I was wondering what your take on it was.

posted by shootingstarr7 at 11:21 pm (EST) on Apr 2, 2008

You should go vote. There are no rules about having to be there for any length of time. You are part of the group and so should have a say in what gets read next. =) And don't just vote for Middlemarch because its currently in the lead. Vote for the book that you most want to read...for who knows what might happen between now and Friday! =)

posted by Irisheyz77 at 12:09 pm (EST) on Apr 2, 2008

Don't just lurk...join in and vote. =)

posted by Irisheyz77 at 7:28 am (EST) on Apr 2, 2008

Yeah, I don't look quite that haggard, even in the morning. It's a tapir, actually- I chose it from among LT's offerings when I created the account. One of these days I may get around to putting a personalized picture up, but then again- I kind of like the tapir.

posted by Kplatypus at 3:10 am (EST) on Mar 12, 2008

Hey Nickelini,

I've just finished The Waves, and I loved it. It was amazingly poetic, but I was also really surprised about how relevant it seemed - all about the decisions people make about the way they construct their lives and their self-image.

Do let me know what you think of your annotated version. I stopped reading the footnotes in mine after the first few, because I thought they were pretty banal and sort of undermined the poetry of the book. And I'm quite glad that I just let it soak in slowly and thought about what parts made sense to me, rather than overlaying it with the analysis. But I'm also sure that there is a lot more in the book that I just didn't see, so next time it would be nice to have the extra information too.

I think your plan for how to read it is just right - there are so many lines in the book which express things so perfectly that you want to copy them out and share them with people and follow the line of thought...

posted by wandering_star at 6:45 am (EST) on Dec 23, 2007

Glad you're finally getting around to The Bloody Chamber - looking forward to hearing what you think of it!

posted by margad at 6:50 pm (EST) on Dec 19, 2007

Hi there, I saw your post on the 1001 books group. What were the nine different dystopian novel you read in your class?

-- media1001

posted by media1001 at 11:56 am (EST) on Dec 16, 2007

Hi, I've noticed your insightful comments on the 1001 list, and I've also noticed that you are reading "the best of Sri Lankan Literature", is there a list somewhere? Sounds fascinating and I think I'd like to take the plunge, tks, Emily

posted by aemilys at 4:47 pm (EST) on Dec 14, 2007

I'm flattered to be on your "interesting libraries" list. I notice we both have Angela Carter's book of short stories, The Bloody Chamber. What do you think of her stories? It seems as though LTers have this book at a higher rate than readers in the general population, which I think is interesting. I believe it didn't sell very well, but I find her writing quite thrilling.

posted by margad at 2:32 pm (EST) on Dec 2, 2007

Grouchy, eh? Silly and boring maybe, but I based my 50 Book Challenge on reading only those books on my shelves that I owned but hadn't read because I found myself increasingly choosing an easy read. It's working well. Right now I'm slogging through Mann's and, though at times it feels like the literary equivalent of a carb-free diet, I'm enjoying it (particularly after I added Sneaky Read Rule One: Non-challenge books can be read alongside Challenge books but only if a certain number of Challenge book pages are read first. while this slows things down, it means I keep going). As to your question re PNG, I was born up there, leaving when I was 2. My dad worked in telecommunications and his work took us back there when I was a teenager. I met my future husband there and we returned after we were married for a couple of years. It's a fascinating place but I haven't returned since the late 1970s. Currently I'm researching some legal implications re Australia's colonial governance of PNG. Hard going, I'm floundering, no, I'm in quick sand and going down fast. What was your brother doing there?

posted by Bookful at 2:04 am (EST) on Dec 2, 2007

You certainly posed an interesting question in Books Compared about the difference between Kafkaesque and Orwellian. I'm enjoying the discussion!

posted by margad at 5:32 pm (EST) on Nov 28, 2007

Welcome to Books Compared. I'm looking forward to your dystopic fiction comparisons!

posted by margad at 6:31 pm (EST) on Oct 20, 2007

Enjoy it! (the book and the holiday) - I'd be interested to hear what you think, too.

posted by wandering_star at 12:57 pm (EST) on Oct 4, 2007

Nickelini - you may already have this on your reading list, but I would highly recommend Shyam Selvadurai's Funny Boy if you are looking for books about Sri Lanka. It's a series of linked episodes in the life of a Tamil boy growing up in Sri Lanka, and an excellent overview of the island's recent history and ethnic tensions.

posted by wandering_star at 6:52 pm (EST) on Oct 1, 2007

I saw on one of the Reading Globally threads you appealed for NZ lit. I was there earlier this year and 'discovered' a fantastic Maori writer called Patricia Grace. She is pretty big in NZ but fairly non-existant on Librarything. I read two of her books (Baby No-Eyes and Potiki). Both excellent, but would recommend the latter before the former.

posted by depressaholic at 10:11 am (EST) on Sep 4, 2007

Apparently I'm supposed to leave a note here that says that my list is a list of books that I've read, and not a list of what I own. Personally, I think people who care about such things should take it up with their therapists and leave it off of LibraryThing.

For the record, this is a list of books that I've read that I'm most interested in discussing with other people. For example, I've also read The Da Vinci Code and the first four Harry Potter books, but they are not in my library because I think the world has seen enough conversations about those books.

Really, I'm not such a grouchy person as this message implies. I just think this issue is silly and boring.

posted by Nickelini at 9:04 pm (EST) on Jul 26, 2007

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