Hi! Did you get to the book sale, and if so, did you get anything good? I tried to keep an eye out for Virago Modern Classics, but didn't see any. However there were stacks of boxes that never got unpacked and who knows what treasures they contained?

I ended up with a good stack of books - 5 large gardening books, 4 mysteries, some SF/fantasy (some I had but was able to get better copies), and some other odds and ends. Mostly free as volunteers get credit for time worked to apply to book purchases.

I helped pack up on Sunday night - most of the boxes that didn't get unpacked have been put in storage for next year, along with the leftover mysteries and SF and a few other things, but some areas just went in the recycle (like the computer books, most of which were too old already and won't be made more useful by a year in storage, and the "self help" books, which sold really badly).

I'm compiling ideas for next year to pass on to the organizers (with, of course my permission to ignore what I say - they won't hurt my feelings). It was interesting to see what sold and what didn't, and frustrating to have so little space to get everything out on tables. If you have suggestions, let me know and I'll add them to the list.

posted by tardis at 12:44 pm (EST) on May 1, 2008

Hi! I will get your book in the mail by Monday, if not before.

The painting on my profile page is by John William Waterhouse, one of the pre-Raphaelite painters. He did a lot of portraits for Shakespearean characters; this one is Ophelia.

posted by Cariola at 5:27 pm (EST) on Apr 16, 2008

Hi sqdancer! If you're still interested, we've got out group read of Godel, Escher, Bach finally up and rolling. The first discussion thread is here. I hope you'll join us!

Cheers,
Dani

posted by philosojerk at 8:46 am (EST) on Apr 1, 2008

I just added the Edmonton Journal Raise A Reader Book sale to LT Local (as a fair/festival). Have you been in previous years? Great event. Billions of books. Of course, most of them are junk health and pop fiction, but there are some gems. Best part - I volunteer and volunteers get first pick :)

posted by tardis at 12:03 pm (EST) on Mar 22, 2008

I saw the duplicate for EPL was gone. Thanks! I hope they actually pay attention and add events to their locations. I may add a few more bookstores myself at lunchtime but I'm away all weekend so won't get anything else in until next week so you'll probably beat me again :)

Definitely too bad about Laurie Greenwood closing. I guess she's going to stay in the book trade, but doing more promotion type work - author readings and stuff. There was something in the Journal and on RadioActive.

Alhambra is a good used bookstore - they have the usual range, including lots of Canadiana. My sister collects books about the North and she got a few items there. I mostly buy SF, mysteries, and gardening books, and have purchased all three there in the past. Not a great selection of kids' books, but then most don't.

There's a newish used bookstore across from where Athabasca Books used to be that is quite good, too. I discovered it a couple of weeks ago.

I wonder if Tim and co would mind if we added locations for thrift stores? Some of them have quite large book sections. I won't add them yet, but will think on it a while and maybe consult.

posted by tardis at 1:29 pm (EST) on Mar 6, 2008

Good job on adding venues for Edmonton & area to LibraryThingLocal! I notice one of the librarians from EPL didn't bother to check and added a duplicate for EPL's main branch. Left him a message but I don't think there's a way of combining or deleting entries yet.

Did you know Laurie Greenwood is closing her shop?

posted by tardis at 11:43 am (EST) on Mar 4, 2008

Thanks for being so encouraging. I'm a complete fraud on Thucydides, as I've never read the whole of the Peloponnesian War in English or Greek. I've been very much a cherry-picker. The translation I have used is Rex Warner's in the Penguin Classics series. However, on LibraryThing I've seen the Landmark Thucydides praised - especially for its maps. Good maps are definitely important for understanding. In fact, you've inspired me, and I'm going to order a copy through Amazon. There is another modern translation by Donald Kagan. Mary Renault brilliantly uses Thucydides' description of the setting off of the Athenian expedition to Sicily in The Last of the Wine. I wonder if you might be interested in another Greek expedition: Xenophon's Anabasis translated by Robin Waterfield as The Expedition of Cyrus. It's not high-brow but great fun. Waterfield's book on this is Xenophon's retreat and is a good read.

posted by ginnyday at 6:03 am (EST) on Dec 31, 2007

Thank you very much for solving my editing profile problem. Durrh! I've posted a message on the group, in case anyone else is as stupid as me. I've also added some(too much)information about my profile picture. I read about the quarries when learning Greek 40 years ago, so it was a real thrill actually to visit them.

posted by ginnyday at 6:37 am (EST) on Dec 29, 2007

Hi!
Thanks for replying to my question about the Readercon. Love your library BTW. It's a bit far away from me also, I'm in Key West.
All the best,
krisa

posted by krisa at 11:09 pm (EST) on Jun 29, 2007

Yes,we have an advanced reader copy-my sweetie is Connie's webmaster. The stories have been published previously,but a lot of the have not been collected-they appeared in magazines or obscure anthologies first. I think it's well worth getting-I mean there were stories my sweetie doesn't have and he's a fanatic collector of her work. Basically,I do think it's worth the money-her whole career is really well represented.

posted by leennnadine at 8:15 pm (EST) on May 9, 2007

Have you taken a lokk at The Winds of Marble Arch yet?

posted by leennnadine at 3:48 am (EST) on May 9, 2007

Thanks for joining the bioethics group! I look forward to your contributions =)

posted by theolojen at 12:19 am (EST) on Mar 13, 2007

Actually, a stop in Calgary is planned. It may not pan out, but steps are being taken.

Glad to have a complete stranger interested in my novel. Now, if I can interest everyone else in Canada to purchase a copy, I might be able to retire.

posted by ShelfMonkey at 2:41 pm (EST) on Dec 14, 2006

Dear sqdancer:
How did you get a copy of my novel Shelf Monkey? It hasn't even been released yet. Or are you my first pre-order?

posted by ShelfMonkey at 4:46 pm (EST) on Dec 13, 2006

Hi, thanks for joining the Used Books group!

posted by Hermgirl at 5:29 am (EST) on Nov 6, 2006

Glad to see you too!

posted by cmbohn at 12:14 am (EST) on Sep 8, 2006