Random books from clamato's library
People On Privilege Hill by Jane Gardam
Mr. Mortimer Gets the Jitters (A Norman Conquest mystery) by Berkeley Gray
ELIZABETH COSTELLO by J. M. COETZEE
HARDY BOYS HUNTING FOR HIDDEN GOLD by Franklin W. Dixon
Footprints Under the Window (Hardy Boys, Book 12) by Franklin W. Dixon
Burridge Unbound by Alan Cumyn
Herbs: A Garden Project Workbook (Garden Project Workbooks) by George Carter
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Friends: alphaorder, avisannschild, B.Kienapple, bucketyell, elliepotten, Matsar, starfishian, theoldman, wbarker
Interesting libraries: Aishah.Faerie, alaskabookworm, aliastori, alphaorder, amanaceerdh, Anna-Marie, B.Kienapple, bhowell, BookBully, bookjones, booksexlibris, Booksloth, bpompon, bucketyell, cabegley, carmarie, casaloma, Cecilturtle, chazzard, clabo, corkery, Coyote99, dewasus1, Donna828, dortheabooks, dovegreyreader, elliepotten, EmilyStJMandel, faceinbook, fig2, Fougasse, Fougasse, glitterboy1, gwendolyndawson, indygo88, ireland57, izzybee, jdthloue, jeniwren, jenn_the_eskimo, jlrobinson99, jmjchria, John, Kailana, kiwidoc, kjhill45, labiblica, LanaE, LiquidSquid, loosha, lyncos, macphear, Matsar, mcna217, mlake, NewsieQ, NewsieQ, Nickelini, nsande, obsessedbybooks, openset, pasher, pdebolt, perthreader, pinkcypress, postcardprincess, posthumose, rakerman, rakerman, redmond, refashionista, RhodaRamonaBeans, RidgewayGirl, RidgewayGirl, saratoga99, saroshig, Scratch, Severn, shannahc, silvercowrie, SomeGuyInVirginia, srw, StaffPicks, starfishian, teelgee, tgamble54, toddje, travelinlibrarian, usin, varxint, whitreidtan, ymkahn
LibraryThing authors: Colum McCann (ColumMcCann), David Ebershoff (Debershoff), Emily St. John Mandel (EmilyStJMandel), Jill Ciment (JillCiment), Marisa de los Santos (Marisa1), Mary Novik (MaryNovik), Sandra Gulland (SandraGulland), Sarah Addison Allen (SarahAddisonAllen), Tatiana de Rosnay (TatianaDerosnay), Alan Furst (afurst), Ann Douglas (anndouglas), Adriana Trigiani (bigcherryholler), Jo Walton (bluejo), Catherine Clark (clarkbar), Dan Chaon (danchaon), David Liss (davidliss), David Mitchell (davidmitchell), Antoine Wilson (dontoine), Joe Hill (joehill), Lisa See (lisasee), L. J. Sellers (ljsellers), Matthew Pearl (matthewpearl), Michelle Richmond (michrichmond), Sarah Smith (sarahwriter), Hillary Jordan (scribblegirl), Stefan Block (stefanmerrillblock), Susan Wiggs (susanmwiggs)
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Member: clamato
CollectionsYour library (1,842), Currently reading (3), To read (215), Favorites (1), Advanced Reading Copy (1), Have read (1), All collections (1,843)
Reviews75 reviews
TagsFiction (1,113), Memoir (107), Biography (96), Mystery (93), Kids (84), History (81), Humour (77), Decor (58), Fiction - Stories (54), Gardening (41) — see all tags
Cloudstag cloud, author cloud
Groups50 Book Challenge, Canada, Canadian Bookworms, Canadian Fiction/Non-Fiction Reading Challenge, Canadian LibraryThingers trade!, Cats, books, life is good., Early Reviewers, MyPeopleConnection Book Clubs, What Are You Reading Now?
Favorite authorsNick Bantock, Tess Gerritsen, Mary Jane Maffini, Rick Mofina, Lisa Scottoline (Shared favorites)
Favorite bookstoresBook Bazaar, Britton's Glebe, By The Book - Greenboro District Library, Chapters - Gloucester, Collected Works Bookstore and Coffeebar, Prime Crime, The Book Stop, The Book Stop, The RA Centre
Favorite librariesCarleton University Library, Morriset Library, University of Ottawa, Ottawa Public Library - Alta Vista Branch, Ottawa Public Library - Blackburn Hamlet Branch, Ottawa Public Library - Greenboro District Library, Ottawa Public Library - North Gloucester Branch, Ottawa Public Library - Orléans Branch, Ottawa Public Library - Rockcliffe Park Branch, Ottawa Public Library - St-Laurent Branch, Ottawa Public Library - Sunnyside Branch, Ottawa Public Library - Vanier Branch
Other favoritesUsed Book Sale at Rockcliffe Park Public Library, Rockcliffe Park Public School BOOKFAIR !, Saint Brigid's Centre for the Arts and Humanities, National Arts Centre, Bells Corners Legion, St. Laurent Shopping Centre, Tudor Hall, Canadian Museum of Civilization
About me"Book collecting is a full-time occupation, and one wouldn't get far if one took time off for frivolities like reading."
- A.N.L. Munby
I collect old bookmarks and have hundreds and hundreds of them. Some of the best have been found while working at book sales. So many friends know I collect them, have contributed and I'm now trying to figure out a way to preserve them. One I found recently was from a bookstore called "Arnold's Books" in Traverse City, Michigan & had the following Wilbur D. Nexbit poem:
Who hath a book
Hath friends at hand,
And gold and gear
At his command,
And rich estates,
If he but look,
Are held by him
Who hath a book.
Who hath a book
Hath but to read
And he may be
A king, indeed.
His kingdom is
His inglenook-
All this is his
Who hath a book.
Finally we are having some real summer weather. It's been a very rainy for most of it. Now I have to give jugs of water to my planters.
I have been reading like crazy and dropped into a rival book group this week to discuss The Thirteenth Tale which was an interesting read. It was good to talk about it with others but I think we barely scraped the surface of it. I have been trying to read my ER books but because 13th Tale was going to be discussed it was an opportunity to see what other groups in the library system do and also discuss a book that mine wouldn't want me to choose due to it's size! I know they don't want to read anything over 300 pages which is fairly limiting! I just started "The Story of Forgetting". 
About my libraryClosing in on 1800 books but still have a little room left on the shelves so... As always, the fiction is separate from the non-fiction, the hardcover fiction from trade & the books about books are grouped together. Other than that, I just don't have the room to group by genre but would like to do that one day. I had a dream once, long ago about a library that I thought my maternal grandfather had. I never met him, but had heard often about how much he loved to read. I received and read some of his books as a teenager and it made me feel connected to him in spirit. I have never forgotten that library and it's a dream to recreate that room. For now however, I will keep building my collection for that day.
WHAT I AM CURRENTLY READING: (Still) "Eva Cassidy" - Her story by those who knew her (huge fan), my first e-book (slowly): "Heroic Measures" by Jill Ciment, and "Turtle Valley" by Gail Anderson-Dargatz.
Membership
LibraryThing Early Reviewers/Member Giveaway
Real nameClamato Tomato
LocationOttawa, Ontario CANADA
Account typepublic, lifetime
Connection NewsConnection News
URLs
http://www.librarything.com/profile/clamato (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/clamato (library)
Common KnowledgeSeries (208), Awards (432), Characters (3801), Places (862)
Member sinceApr 6, 2007
Currently readingTurtle Valley by Gail Anderson-Dargatz
Eva Cassidy: Songbird: By Those Who Knew Her: Songbird - By Those Who Knew Her Authorised by Hugh and Barbara Cassidy by Rob Burley
Heroic Measures: A Novel by Jill Ciment
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posted by srw at 10:31 pm (EST) on Oct 26, 2009
to behold, to love. To look up at the blue summer sky;
to see the sun sink slowly beyond the line of the horizon;
to watch the worlds come twinkling into view, first one
by one, and the myriads that no man can count, and lo!
the universe is white with them; and you and I are here.
- Marco Morrow
posted by theoldman at 8:33 am (EST) on Oct 8, 2009
posted by srw at 8:32 pm (EST) on Sep 15, 2009
posted by starfishian at 12:21 pm (EST) on Sep 12, 2009
Did you know that Catherine Gildiner has a new book coming out called After the Falls? It covers her teenage years. She's doing some promotional readings in Toronto so you may see her again in Ottawa.
posted by srw at 5:15 pm (EST) on Sep 9, 2009
I'm a librarian in Toronto. As you can see from my library I read a lot of Canadian lit. I don't actually own all the books - I just post them as I read them.
posted by srw at 11:42 pm (EST) on Sep 6, 2009
I really liked F451 and am wondering why I never read it before. Maybe the thought of burning books scared me off? The sacrilege! I am trying to read more classics this time around and since I loved 1984 and Brave New World, I figured this was a logically choose.
I won an advance but I haven't received it yet. I wondered what would happen if you had to review something that was just horrible. I suppose an author should expect a bad review or two -- maybe you can sugar coat the truth a little? Constructive criticism and all that....
I am just about to start Follett's World Without End so that should take a few days I would think. It looks like it should be a good sequel so fingers crossed!
posted by bucketyell at 11:01 pm (EST) on Aug 31, 2009
I'll definitely keep LT posted on when the next book's due! It'll be sometime in spring 2010, but the month hasn't been confirmed yet. And thanks for your comment re: Last Night in Montreal -- it's wonderful to hear that people have enjoyed it.
Best,
Emily
posted by EmilyStJMandel at 9:47 pm (EST) on Aug 21, 2009
posted by RidgewayGirl at 5:55 pm (EST) on Aug 19, 2009
posted by SomeGuyInVirginia at 7:44 pm (EST) on Aug 17, 2009
Enjoy the weekend!
posted by chazzard at 2:09 pm (EST) on Aug 15, 2009
What kind of books does your group usually read? If it's a womens' group, I'd say Carol Goodman is a good bet. Her books are more on the lit side, but with a mystery of sorts to figure out. The Seduction of water had a lot of symbols are fairy tales, etc. in it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I remember being flummoxed by the fact that George Eliot was a woman; that made me want to read her badly. I think it's probably difficult for us "liberated" women to truly understand the kind of pressure she must have felt to take a man's name in order to write. Silas Marner is a work of absolute perfection (in my opinion!)
Glad you like the Powell's site. The store is an entire city block, 4 stories; used, new and rare books (you need a map to navigate the store). I work at one of the satellite stores. Plus the entire website operation is gigantic. It's a fabulous, beautiful thing...
Fig
posted by fig2 at 7:56 pm (EST) on Aug 9, 2009
The BEST independent bookstore in the world is Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon! It's also the largest (so I've heard). I know I'm a little prejudiced, but I loved it for 30 years BEFORE I started working there, so I think my opinion is valid. ;)
Thanks for the interesting library designation; I'm honored!
I see you've added The Drowning Tree by Carol Goodman. I loved The Seduction of Water, also by her.
Fig
posted by fig2 at 10:51 pm (EST) on Aug 8, 2009
Awww..your orange kitty is lovely...so fluffy and creamy. :) Our one is a naughty little brat..I think that's why we love him!
posted by Severn at 3:38 am (EST) on Jul 31, 2009
my pic is from a Royalty-Free web site..but i love the color blue
what..THE HARDY BOYS..i wish i still had my brother's originals...damn.
J
posted by jdthloue at 8:09 pm (EST) on Jul 30, 2009
Good luck on your new book group. I've always wanted to attend a book meeting or discussion, but can't seem to find locations or anything near me.
posted by Aishah.Faerie at 3:23 pm (EST) on Jul 29, 2009
Jude
oh, some of the most interesting bookmarks i own are the ones i have "found"..in Library books...and in the used books i get from Book Mooch..or Better world Books....i even have a couple old Leather jobs that are lovely and very funky...
posted by jdthloue at 11:23 pm (EST) on Jul 28, 2009
posted by elliepotten at 5:43 am (EST) on Jul 26, 2009
posted by bucketyell at 3:40 pm (EST) on Jul 25, 2009
posted by toddje at 10:33 am (EST) on Jul 23, 2009
I think I'll be heading to the local used book shop today too - I have 2 books to swap becuase they're too heavy to mail (thank you very much, Canada Post).
S.
posted by starfishian at 11:32 am (EST) on Jul 19, 2009
posted by 50ftmikopolis at 3:57 pm (EST) on Jun 30, 2009
posted by B.Kienapple at 6:06 pm (EST) on Jun 7, 2009
Always nice to meet another booklover...especially one in my own city!
Cheers...John
posted by John at 12:39 pm (EST) on Jun 1, 2009
posted by dewasus1 at 6:01 pm (EST) on May 27, 2009
Another local mystery writer is Alex Brett. Do you know her as well? She has written a couple of mysteries which have been well reviewed. I do know her since she is a co-parent of one of my son's former classmates and lives locally (Westboro).
In response to your question, I do not know any other LTers (except online buddies). I have recommended LibraryThing for use for a couple of small divisional libraries in my organization, but have not followed through to see if they chose to go ahead with it.
Congratulations on your volunteer work in the libraries. I know they can always use help to try to make a shrinking dollar stretch a bit further.
posted by dewasus1 at 5:57 pm (EST) on May 27, 2009
Cheers....John
posted by John at 12:53 pm (EST) on May 20, 2009
posted by dewasus1 at 4:26 pm (EST) on May 19, 2009
pleased to have you think my library 'interesting', so thankyou for that. I see we do share quite a few books and I have just read through your reviews and flagged several that I have on my tbr pile_The Sad Truth of Happiness,Shopgirl,History of Love and The Piano Tuner. Good to see you enjoyed them all so much.
I am presently surrounded by far too many books that I havent read and joining Bookmooch has been detrimental and I need to start reading rather than aquiring of new books. And maybe retirement would be conducive to making a dent in the pile but that is not likely for many years yet unfortunately.
Jen
posted by jeniwren at 6:49 pm (EST) on May 18, 2009
posted by B.Kienapple at 7:53 pm (EST) on May 16, 2009
posted by misskandi at 6:31 am (EST) on Apr 29, 2009
posted by misskandi at 11:43 pm (EST) on Apr 24, 2009
Tori
posted by aliastori at 10:45 pm (EST) on Apr 15, 2009
Sorry I haven't written in a while.
Stores closed last week and now I am finishing cleaning up. We'll catch up after that, ok?
Hope Spring has come your way. Not here yet, which isn't helping.
What have you read lately that you have loved?
n
posted by alphaorder at 6:19 am (EST) on Apr 6, 2009
Still Alice is a really moving book. Tears streaming, nose running sort of stuff!
posted by jlrobinson99 at 7:25 pm (EST) on Apr 1, 2009
posted by BagABones at 10:04 pm (EST) on Mar 26, 2009
posted by indygo88 at 7:38 pm (EST) on Mar 22, 2009
paul
posted by paultremblay at 11:20 pm (EST) on Mar 21, 2009
Thanks! I also listened to and really enjoyed The History of Love. I have The Historian but have not yet listened to it. I read (and loved) The Glass Castle several years ago (not as an audiobook), but I listened to Amitav Ghosh's The Hungry Tide last year, which was also very good.
The tree, believe it or not, was at Disney World. It's a baobob tree, and I'd always wanted to see one in person.
Chris
posted by cabegley at 7:50 am (EST) on Mar 5, 2009
Harry W. Schwartz's is closing :>(( I do not live close to any book stores but Schwartz's was the closest and shopped there often. I received their newletter about the closing and was devestated. I worked in two small bookstores before they both eventually closed their doors. The community looses so much when the small stores disappear. I work in a used book store now. It is doing very well during these tough times. I have my fingers crossed that it will continue to do so.
Things are pretty bad. I grew up as a preacher's kid and we didn't have a lot. I think those who remember what it was like to "tighten their belts" will have it a bit easier than those who have come to think many things I view as luxuries are necessities. I don't think this will be easy for anyone really.
Spring will certainly be a mood lifter. I often wonder why I stay in Wisconsin. It is nearly as cold as where you are....my brother lives in Texas (weird State....but....warm) and he often sends the weather forcast my way. Just to be annoying I guess.
I belong to three face2face groups. The one I enjoy the most is having it's tenth birthday this year. I have found that reading and discussing books is such a profound way of getting to know other people.
Jeannie
posted by faceinbook at 4:22 pm (EST) on Mar 4, 2009
Take care,
Sandra
posted by posthumose at 9:07 pm (EST) on Mar 1, 2009
Thanks for adding me to your list. :)
Oh, the bookstores in Vancouver... I've spent a few days in the one at 41st and Dunbar as well! I'm not sure if I have a favourite one at the moment. I used to live in the West End and there was a grungy one on Granville by the bridge that I loved, but it's moved up to Granville and Broadway and spruced itself up a bit and it just doesn't have the same feel. Still, it's a great place to stock up on all those really old New Canadian Library editions. I do buy a lot of new as well, but mainly in the bargain section of Chapters and at Book Warehouse... I'm still on a student budget really, trying to get those loans paid off so there's not a lot left over at the moment. *Sigh* Actually, my favourite trick now is to stock up at the book sales. The VPL sale in the fall and the Times Colonist (in Victoria) sale in the spring. I get tons of books that way, and hey, I'm helping charity!
I know what you mean about the overfull bookshelves. There are books in every room and I still don't have enough space! The worst thing is going to be when I move back east again (eventually). The biggest expense will be shipping box after box after box of books. :)
I'm a big fan of Douglas Coupland as well, although I've fallen behind lately. There are 3 or 4 I haven't read yet, including JPod and Eleanor Rigby. Have you ever read Wayne Johnston? "The Colony of Unrequited Dreams" is probably my favourite book, although it's really hard to narrow it down to just one, of course!
Hope the weather warms up for you - I won't tell you the temp here in Vancouver!
Krista
posted by kjhill45 at 11:59 am (EST) on Mar 1, 2009
Thanks for tagging my library :>) You have me beat as far as the amount of books but not by too much. I started giving some of my books away. YIKES :>0 This is so hard to do but I simply do not have room for any more. I know that the fact that I have no more space will not keep me off of Amazon, or limit my use of "the one click" option.
I see you added "White Tiger" recently.........Have you read it yet ? I would be interested in hearing if you liked it....had the book on my wish list.....off my wish list.....back on my wish list and currently it is off the wish list. (I spend way too much time on Amazon !)
Thanks again, it feels like a compliment :>)
Jeannie Brandt-Lietzau
posted by faceinbook at 10:58 am (EST) on Feb 28, 2009
Not sure what type of books your group enjoys or the age but I just finished "The Ten Year Nap" by Meg Wolitzer. It's coming out in pbck next week. Definitely rife with discussion material about the role of women in the workplace and at home; are women "wasting" good educations if they decide to stay at home indefinitely after kids are older; how women relate to each other in and out of the workplace, etc.
And I'm a huge fan of a memoir called "The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit" by Lucette Lagnado. (Think that's the correct spelling.) Typically I detest memoirs - I find them extremely self-indulgent - but this one is magical. Also a great one for discussion. One of my brothers, a professor at Drury College in Missouri, used it in a freshman class of his.
Thanks to all the negative news on the economy I've been on a mystery kick. Keeps me from checking on our retirement statements! Best, BB
posted by BookBully at 1:24 pm (EST) on Feb 26, 2009
Hope you're in the middle of a terrific book! Best, Book Bully (Ellison)
posted by BookBully at 7:30 pm (EST) on Feb 25, 2009
Minus 29 sounds quite unreal. We are having a week of around 28 degrees C. after a horror period of 40 plus - up to 46.9C here on the 7th Feb which, combined with ferocious northerly winds and very dry conditions produced nightmare wildfires around the state of Victoria, many deaths, horrendous. Fires still going. I yearn for rain! We all do.
Hope you are keeping warm. Cheers, Picola.
posted by Picola43 at 11:59 pm (EST) on Feb 17, 2009
I have read "History of Love" and it's one of my favorite novels of the decade.
Best,
Paul
posted by paultremblay at 6:47 pm (EST) on Feb 16, 2009
Just read your message about Ian Ferguson's "Village of the Small Houses: A Memoir of Sorts". I hope your bookclub's discussion was lively. We publish a leaflet called Book Club Selections to recommend titles for book clubs here at the West Vancouver Memorial Library. I will consider including "Small Houses."
posted by StaffPicks at 10:08 pm (EST) on Feb 5, 2009
Thanks for writing, and I hope that Mark Genevich does your father some justice. I'm a complete novice to the disease (I did research), though I did suffer from sleep apnea in the 90s, and experienced some of the fatigue symptoms of narcolepsy.
Is your father's case anywhere online? I'd love to read about it.
Anyway, I really hope you like the book.
Best,
Paul
posted by paultremblay at 6:32 pm (EST) on Jan 26, 2009
posted by Picola43 at 5:18 pm (EST) on Jan 17, 2009
Gwen Dawson
Literary License
posted by gwendolyndawson at 2:00 pm (EST) on Jan 17, 2009
I recently finished History of Love and noticed your review that it was discussed in your book group. so did your book group think that Brouno was real or made up? I liked the book a lot but was unsure if the ending meant that he finally found someone that knew him before he died or were we to think that they would continue to be able to get to know each other. thanks, Mike
posted by novelcommentary at 1:23 pm (EST) on Jan 5, 2009
We haven't chatted in a while. I hope you like Mudbound. I did. Let me know.
Hope all else is well.
Happy New Year,
Nancy / alphaorder
posted by alphaorder at 9:18 pm (EST) on Dec 30, 2008
posted by avisannschild at 5:29 pm (EST) on May 28, 2008
The McGill book fair is in October, usually on the Wednesday and Thursday before the last weekend in the month (so presumably the 22nd and 23rd this year). It's well worth it! As for not going to more sales, I guess I just don't know about them, because if I did, I would go to more! (I do go to a couple of other small ones occasionally, but the pickings are not as good.)
Glad you joined the Women of Mystery group! Of course Lisa Scottoline's books count! Feel free to post.
Good luck with your accounting course!
posted by avisannschild at 11:07 am (EST) on Apr 15, 2008
Did you get an ER book this month? I'm still waiting for my March book, but I'm also excited about my April book now! (I got The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton.) I love LT!
By the way, I don't know if you're a mystery fan, but I started a new group called Women of Mystery: http://www.librarything.com/groups/women...
posted by avisannschild at 12:59 pm (EST) on Apr 11, 2008
Haven't talked in a while! Glad you loved The Story of Forgetting too. It was an unexpected find.
How was your book sale this year?
Best,
Nancy / alphaorder
posted by alphaorder at 7:35 am (EST) on Apr 8, 2008
posted by avisannschild at 3:44 pm (EST) on Apr 7, 2008
Did I miss the storm of the century or what?! I heard that Ottawa got 52 cm of snow, is that true? We were so lucky that we left when we did, between two storms... Anyway, had a great time on the West Coast and the weather was great (mostly sunny all the time, with green grass and flowers & trees in bloom...). Why do we live here again?
Yeah, I added the first few bookstores to Library Local for Montreal before I left and by the time I got back the map was full! Amazing.
I also snagged another ER books (YAY!), but haven't received it yet. Did you get one for March?
Hope your book sale goes well!
:)
Avis
posted by avisannschild at 10:38 am (EST) on Apr 1, 2008
I hope you're feeling better! Yeah, the only good thing about being sick is that you get to do lots of reading, as long as you feel up to it.
Mostly I do translate stuff in the tourism and education fields. Weird combo, but it works for me.
I'm off to BC in a couple of days for two and a half weeks, visiting friends in Vancouver and my sister on Saltspring. I can't wait. Although I expect I'll suffer from LT withdrawal. I'm on this site entirely too often (when I should be working instead!).
Take care,
Avis
posted by avisannschild at 1:07 am (EST) on Mar 4, 2008
Hope you are doing well.
Happy New Year,
alphaorder
posted by alphaorder at 7:39 am (EST) on Jan 5, 2008