Friday, April 03, 2009

Not Delivered By Stalks, But By Telegram & Dove(greyreader)... And Through BAFAB Week Through Me Too!

One thing I have loved about blogging about books is all your feedback, comments and thoughts. I don't get paid to do these reviews or anything of the like I just LOVE books. So imagine my suprise when on my birthday last week I got a lovely email from Telegram Books who "publish the best in new and classic international writing, from debut novelists to established literary heavyweights. Telegram has brought cutting-edge and authoritative voices from the UK, Spain, North Africa, Korea, Hungary, France, China, the Middle East and beyond" . I admit I hadnt heard of them as a publisher (sorry) but as soon as I started reading their catalogue I recognised their books. Whats more was that they were wondering if I would like to have some review copies of my choice that if I loved I could pop on here. Well what do you think I said? They arrived this morning!

I chose The Cleaner and My Driver by Maggie Gee because I had heard her interviewed on Open Book on Radio 4 which is one of my Sunday morning pleasures, I would kill for Mariella's job. I also liked the idea of novels written by characters who know their employers every little secret which these books, as they are a series, seem to do. Memoirs of a Midget by Walter De La Mare was another book that I instantly thought I would love "Miss M., a pretty and diminutive young woman with a passion for shells, fossils, flints, butterflies and stuffed animals, struggles to deal with her isolation from the rest of society due to her extraordinarily small size. When her father dies, she must make her own way in a world that treats her as an entertaining curiosity, a momentary diversion from the game of making ones way up the social ladder. An elegiac, misanthropic, sometimes perverse study of isolation, de la Mare's prize-winning classic seduces by its gentle charm and elegant prose." So a big thank you to the lovely people at Telegram, very, very kind.


Now there of course has to be a negative in the week and bar the fact I seem to be blogging very late in the day this week which will stop, or the fact that I havent picked up The Cellist of Sarajevo yet as I started a Patricia Cornwell I picked up in a charity shop - don't you hate it when you have saved the start of a book for a long tube/bus/train/plane journey get to the station/airport/stop and realise you've forotten it then you thankfully seea charity shop on the corner! No it is none of those... the big negative of the week is the fact that the flying rodents of London have been using my wonderful, grown with real love, Winter Pansies as a runway/landing pad!


Now there could have been quite a sulk (like when no one comments on my blog hahaha) and some distress at this, well ok there still was a bit but it was softened when I then got another email entitled 'Belated Birthday Present' from the lovely Dovegreyreader! She had seen this post and had a spare copy of The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie and has posted it as a birthday treat, I cant wait for that bundle to arrive I have heard wonderful things from people I trust book recommendation wise, the reviewers were very anti this book when it was long listed for the Man Booker. This was such a kind thing of her to do and I was amazed that she was even reading my blog as I am very fond of hers, so another thank you!

Thats something I love about Book Blogging and Book Bloggers, no not the free books, the relationships and friendships I am slowly but surely building. So in honour of all that I am joining in with all the Buy A Friend A Book Week high jinx and will be giving a copy of one of my highly rated reads... am just deciding which one. so lets say like Juxtabook its a surprise, but a very nice one! Here is my question though to qualify... and its a toughy... "If you were stuck on a desert island and you only had one book to read that you havent read yet, which would it be?" So if you fancy it let me know on here and the Non-Reader will pick out the winner Wednesday!

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear about your pansies.It's really annoying when things like that happen.

I agree - the book blogging community is the friendliest one I know. Dovegreyreader sounds like a really lovely lady.

It is great when publishers send you books. I hadn't heard of Telegram books either, but they look like my sort of books, so I signed up to their mailing list.

Savidge Reads said...

Hoorah hooray, I am feeling so happy clappy about book blogs I think that it is time I joined in with all the BAFAB hi jinx so do come back and put yourself in for that!

claire said...

Belated happy birthday! What a wonderful bunch of books you received.

I would love to enter your giveaway! I'm sure whatever book you have in mind will be a great read, I love your taste in books. I'm participating with BAFAB on my blog as well. :D

Savidge Reads said...

Hey Claire thanks for your comment have actually added the question now to qualify whihc would help lol.

Unknown said...

It's great that you're joining in with BAFABW! I'd love to win a surprise book.

In answer to your question - I think I'd take War and Peace with me - it's so long that it would keep me occupied for a good few months!

claire said...

Ok, I'm back. :D
To answer your question, I would love to bring Proust's In Search of Lost Time. I'll be reading it soon, but haven't started just yet so it still counts. And I would have to find an edition that contains all 6 volumes!
Happy BAFAB week!

Teresa said...

Hooray for birthday books! (And The Enchantress of Florence is a very good book--not at the top of my list for last year but still very good.)

Now, let's see, what unread book would I want on a desert island? That's though because what if it turns out to be awful? Then I'm stuck with that book! I like Claire's idea of takin something nice and long. I'm going to go with Les Miserables. From seeing the musical, I know the story is good, and I have always wanted to read the book.

Sandy Nawrot said...

Damn the flying rodents! I never imagine blogging to be so interactive and rewarding, socially. Everyone is supportive and kind. And I know that whatever you decide to give away, it will be wonderful. You have amazing taste. Please consider me entered into your giveaway!

Anonymous said...

Much like Claire I'd bring Proust. I'm starting a Proust read-along and from everything I've heard of his writing, I really think he could keep me sane on a book-less deserted island.

Feel free to go over to my blog, I'm hosting a giveaway as well :) And congrats on being asked to review

Stacy said...

You would be crazy to say anything but yes to Telegram. How awesome is that and looks like you picked some good ones.

I wanted to play along with the desert island question but don't enter me in the contest...shipping across the Atlantic is too costly. I would have to pick The Red and the Black because someone a long time ago told me it was the one book I had to read and I still haven't read it...plus it is on the longish side.

Sorry about the pansies. We have had some beautiful orange ones come up within the past couple weeks and I think I would cry if they were smooshed.

Savidge Reads said...

Thanks for all your answers so far! Psmith sending them across the atlantic isnt a problem so go for it! Sandy you have to answer the question lol.

Lizzy Siddal said...

Don't enter me for the BAFAB giveaway - I really have enough to be getting on with including The Luminous Life of Lily Aphrodite, which I tucked into the virtual shopping basket after your recommendation!

I wanted to congratulate you on your Telegram book choices. Maggie Gee is a fabulous writer!

Savidge Reads said...

Oh thats a good sign with your recommendation of Maggie Gee! I hope you enjoy The Life of Lilly Aphrodite as I think its one of my years highlights no question!

Renata said...

I am waffling between a book that I love and could read over and over again, or one that I think I _should_ read but keep avoiding because I think it is too hard. Perhaps the second choice. Roy Strong Coronation. If nothing else it could serve as ballast on the voyage.

Pansies - I wish. It is snowing again in Toronto. Feh!

Sarie said...

Ooh, I'd love to enter your draw so if I was stranded on a desert island, I think the chunkiest book on my TBR pile is The Crimson Petal and the White, so I'd take that to read.