The 2017 Guardian Holiday Book Swap

I figured we needed a specific thread for this, given the length of last year's version!

I received my books in the mail yesterday from DG, who has impeccable taste -- as we all know!

Madame Zero by Sarah Hall, and Elmet by Fiona Mozley. It was lucky they arrived so quickly, because both books were on my list to get and Elmet, especially, I was thinking of going ahead and ordering because I thought, nah, no one would pick that out for me. So yay and happy Christmas to me! Thanks, DG!

Those are both on my list so please report back, SBL.

I thought there was a LOT that sounded like you, SBL! It was tough to narrow it down. I did forget to send you a copy of Rock Crystal, though, which I've tried to make a habit of. La la la. You'll have to go to the library!

Such prettily wrapped books, I considered leaving them be for ten seconds before tearing into them. All hits:

Smile by Roddy Doyle
The Fall Guy by James Lasdun
Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss
The Long Drop by Denise Mina

Plus greens, a pine cone and quartzite from SP's side of the mountain.

I'm feeling supremely coddled, Thank you, SP!

And IIIIIIIII got another volume from YOU, I think! Bystanders, which looks mean and awesome. I have a March trip to Big Bend/Marfa/Guadalupe Mtns all by myself, so I might save it for camping nights. Thanks!

>4 Kat.Warren: Hooray! I tried to choose diverting things, with just enough murder. Those were literally the only holly berries I could find that the birds hadn’t snapped up.

Yea, D.G.

Sp, I love those bits and pieces ... a tactile connection.

Um, I got no email about this - Im obviously way out of the loop this year, not sure what happened. I hope the person who I got was able to get some books from someone else.

cindy, check your email and messages asap!!!!

OK, I got another gift from our lovely Swap Director, Lauren! You rock, thank you! I'm really wishing I had some extra time off for snuggling in the bed and reading for a few days!

Along with The Long Drop by Denise Mina and Women & Power by Mary Beard, I also received Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood! Lauren, you made really excellent choices for me! Thank you, thank you!

(Lynn, I had your books delivered to me, but I haven't received them yet! So much for that 2 day shipping. But I'll get them to you, hopefully, soon after Christmas.)

Those were the ones that screamed JULIE! to me.

No worries, Julie. And Miriam, yours should arrive on the 27th- I have the tracking number so let me know if they don’t.

Luann, we finally connected! I will be sending you some books as soon as I can. Thanks for your patience!

No worries Cindy. I emailed Lisa to tell her her books will be late because I broke both my wrists. So it makes holding books a little hard anyway. Happy holidays I look forward to seeing what you select for me.

Yikes, LuAnn. And double ouch.

>14 LuRits: To which I replied, "Good lord, woman, NO WORRIES THERE." It will be nice to have something show up after the holidays, honestly.

>14 LuRits: oh my goodness! Im so sorry to hear that, I can't imagine....Sending you some quick healing vibes. Im amazed you able to type! Care to share what happened? I did just send your s out but I can find some audio books if that will help

I just fell while trimming the Christmas tree. Too cliché to even claim. No I can hold books just fine I’m reading one right now and voice software really helps me with the typing aspect of all this. Looking forward to seeing what you sent happy holidays to everyone

Hey Lisa, now they are saying your packages should arrive today so be on the lookout.

I'm really enjoying seeing what everyone has chosen for everyone else. I hope I got it right too. With this group, are usually figure if I want it they want it too

Oh goody! I have absolute faith in your selection abilities, Lu.

Nancy, FedEx said you'd probably get yours on Tuesday or Wednesday. I was all stoked to shop my local indie but they were SOLD OUT of everything I wanted to get you—for all my good intentions, I'm so accustomed to the Internet of plenty I forget that brick-and-mortar places actually have to stock shelves. So I ended up ordering and packing it all myself, in order to get everything I wanted in there.

That's my story, and I'm sticking with it.

Cindy, the package arrived yesterday and your choices were perfect! Roddy Doyle's Smile and the new Bernard McLaverty. Both were on my wish list. Thank you very much I can't wait to dig in!

And thank you, LuAnn, for my fabulous pile of books, which arrived yesterday! Elmet and Go, Went, Gone were on my Serious Want List; What Language Do I Dream In? wasn't even on my radar, but it's a perfect book for me—good picking! I'm really looking forward to every one of these! A merry, happy to all and lots of good reading.

I am OVER THE MOON about my gifts from Lisa! Beautifully and whimsically wrapped, and included was a card with a real handwritten letter in it! I received a lovely blank journal with a beautiful octopus on the cover; Days Without End by Sebastian Barry (already starting reading it); Winter by Ali Smith (I always get her confused with Monica Ali. Does anyone know if I should read Autumn first?); Women and Power by Mary Beard; and I'm Supposed to Protect You from All This by Nadja Spiegelman. Lisa, thank you, thank you, thank you. So much fun!!

Oh im so glad! He's a fav of mine as well and when I saw his name had to get it for you. And I had read Grace Notes so hope that the new one works for you!

Happy Reading!

>20 lisapeet: I had the same experince at my locals; they expect them to arrive in Jan.....

>23 Nancy_Sirvent: I'm so glad you like the books, Nancy! I had fun putting that all together. I also get Ali Smith and Monica Ali mixed up... but wait, the book I sent was Winter? I ordered Autumn, and now I can't remember which one it was that I wrapped up to send you (though I don't even think Winter's out yet, unless they're shipping them early). Let me know, though, and I can send you my copy of Autumn after I've read it.

This was a fun swap. Thank you, Lauren, for all the matchmaking! You did good.

Yes, thanks Lauren.

Btw, I wrote Miriam to make sure she got her books on the 27th per the tracking slip and she did. She said the box was delivered in -30 degree (Celsius) weather.

I told her that the tracking receipt was funny because it said “delivered to LADY”. In my head I read that in a Jerry Lewis voice.

Again, thanks Lauren for arranging this every year.

Lisa, Whoops. You did send Autumn. But wasn't Winter an earlier book?

Ah, OK—that would have been weird. Autumn is the first in the series, with Winter out this January. I guess she's doing all four seasons?

Hear Vivaldi, be Vivaldi.

@cindydavid4 Your books are in the mail to you. Finally!

“delivered to LADY”

Well, I certainly laughed

Me too!

I am waiting for 'Lady's' report and then just Lynn, Cindy, and SP. This was a super fun swap this year with some extra players. Happy reading everyone.

It ain't over yet, she threatened.

Lynn, I did receive everything for you, but I've been hiding from the weather and fighting a cold/sinus infection (seriously, I HATE cold weather, and you people who live up north are CRAZY), so no chance to get to the shipping place/post office. I plan on getting everything together tonight and shipping tomorrow. :)

It's so fun to see what everyone got! You're all so good at picking for each other.

<31 Oh goody! Maybe in time for my birthday as well! :)

No worries Julie.

"It ain't over yet, she threatened."

Is this a reference to Appointment in Arezzo: A Friendship with Muriel Spark, which arrived yesterday? Because I also ordered a copy but got a shipping notification for my order yesterday as well, so I am unsure if there's some mix-up on their end or if this first one is from you. If I get a duplicate, I'll give it to Lauren! And thank you if it's from you -- I already read the whole thing and it's perfect.

Oops. Yes, the Spark bio was part of your Guardian xmas. We have to stop mis-meeting like this.

It's really good! Katharine Weber knew her too; I think there was some overlap with her and this part of Spark's life. I'll ask!

Niki! I loved your choices - not sure which one you thought was too academic for me (suspecting the map one) but I often aim for unusual titles and subjects; if it ends up being too dry, oh well, but often I discover a gem or two), Anyway, both hit certain buttons for me. I know nothing about Alexander Gardener, subject in The Tartan Turban but I love travel and history and this looks like just the thing to jump into. The other Dislocating the Orient will go along with my readings on Gertrude Bell, Freya Stark and other women impacted the map making of that era. So it looks like I've got some fine reading ahead of me, so thanks! (loved your comments on the card btw!)

Wow, that took a long time to get to you, Cindy. So sorry! Yeah, I love that map book but it isn't what I'd call "light reading." I was hoping to two books would compliment each other, at least a little bit.

Did someone say give a book to Lauren? Yes, please!!

Lauren, did you not have a secret book santa?

No, I did. I was just responding to something DG said.

As soon as my dupe arrives, it's yours!

oh ok, get it now :)

I got my presents from Julie today. I got The Good Daughter by Karen Slaughter and The Red Parts by Maggie Nelson and BEST OF ALL, included in the box was what at first looks like a boxed set of short stories but was actually a Green & Blacks Assortment of Dark and Milk Chocolate bars. Thank you so much, Julie!

Finally, yeah! I feel like the selections aren't very exciting, but I hope you enjoy them! :)

I think we've heard from everyone except for Miriam and SP. With a few small glitches, it looks like another swell round of swaps. Thanks to everyone for playing. Happy reading, my lovelies.

Well, Miriam hit it way out of the park for me: Claire Tomalin’s A Life of My Own, which arrived yesterday.

Woot! woot! There's another coming some time soon. That one is iffier, so I'm glad you're pleased with the Tomlin.

And as "the lady" who received a package from Lynn, I want to note that she did a spectacular job of choosing books for me. I received (all at once, I might add) Elmet by Fiona Mozley, all about love by bell hooks, and The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich.

Lauren, I was a laggard (at SP's expense) but I really do appreciate you organizing this each year. It's' so much fun picking out the books for my giftee and then receiving the books from my gifter.

No worries, Mir, and its a treat to see you here.

Nice to be back.

No worries on this end, Miriam!

Good to see you, lady! I won’t call you that forever, promise.

Miriam! Ma’am Darling. All the heart eyes emojis in the world cannot express how excited I am about this. Thank you x 1,000,000.