Some of you may remember back in February when I created a list of 10 largely forgotten novels that would be good reads for the Cardigan Mafia. I was so enthusiastic about those books that I even gave away a spare copy of As For Me and My House by Sinclair Ross. Since this book is rightly a giant in Canadian literature, the giveaway wasn’t open to Canadians who don’t have to walk far to find a copy. I was so hoping to expand the audience for this neglected gem that one of the other qualifiers for the giveaway was that entrants had to read and review the book within three months of receiving it.
So, happy day, Claire of Paperback Reader won the copy and it was duly posted to the UK.
But then Claire appears to have gotten stimulating, full-time employment that, while great for her, is bad for those of us who would like to hear more from her. Yes, that is right, I will just come out and say it: Claire, your job is interfereing with your blogging. Where are your priorities? I think your employers, in addition to paying you, should compensate the blogging world for our loss.
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| Worn out from work, Claire despairs the tyranny of blogging.* |
So, here is my thought…I know you UK bloggers don’t all live in the same little village (although I would love to visit that village if you did), but perhaps you could lend the aforementioned book to Verity who was also very interested at the time of the giveaway. Not to mention the fact that her voracious appetite for books is truly mindboggling.
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| Verity voraciously reads while waiting for her train on the Oxford Underground.** |
Or if Verity is unwilling or unable to take the book off your hands temporariliy maybe you could lend it to Simon T who also showed an interest. But then again his TBR pile has no doubt left his floor joists sagging dangerously, so any blogger you know who might be interested in reading the book would work.
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| Simon’s TBR pile.*** |
And I won’t even suggest that the person you pass it off to should blog about it. They can just read it. If they find it half as good as I do, then the spirit will move them to do the right thing.
What is the reason for this slightly insane public pleading? I just re-read As For Me and My House for the first time in about fifteen years and it is everything I remember and more.
So Claire, what do you say? My review of my re-read follows…
* Not really Claire.
** Not really Verity (and Oxford doesn’t have an Underground).
***Not really Simon’s TBR pile. His is much bigger.
hogglestock 
Funny post. Especially the crack about Simon T.'s TBR pile. :) You should visit Canada (not far from DC, right? Few hours by train?) and buy a few of the thrift store copies that are floating around and distribute them as needed!
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Yes, I lol'd at the comment about Simon T's TBR pile. And, I'm with you Thomas – if we could get all those UK bloggers in one village, it would be top of my list to visit. Typing as another “winner who hasn't read her winning book yet,” be encouraged that I'm planning on reading the Lost Traveller over Christmas. (It's just taken me 10 months to get to it [hanging head in shame]).
Happy weekend!
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Ahem. Duly noted and appropriately shamed. I am seeing both Simon and Verity soon and will share.
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Oh drat! I was book scrounging in second-hand shops in Toronto last weekend and would have been happy to look for a copy of this to help out a friend. Not to fear, there will be a next time…oh yes.
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i just wet myself a bit!!
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Love it! Will try to write about it on my blog – am sure I would be a much worthier recipient!
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Right you caught my interest on this one. I also live in the village of England but will check if they have it on amazon!
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heehee :) Just, things have got a bit out of control here, so I'm actually quite glad I didn't make any promises about reading books I'd won…
And I am actually seeing Rachel and Claire together before the end of the month! And I see Verity every week at work…
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Ruthiella: The fastest train from DC to Toronto is 15 hours and 32 minutes. We really could use some high speed rail in this country.
Susan: Maybe we could repatriate them all to Hay-on-Wye for a few weeks a year so that we could all go visit them at once.
Claire: No shame intended, glad you are busy in your real life.
Darlene: They must be a dime a dozen in Canada.
Rachel: It was the bit about Simon's TBR wasn't it?
Verity: Well I hope you like it if you get your hands on it.
Willa: It is certainly worth a shote.
Simon: Maybe the books can make the rounds among all of you. Those who haven't read will begin to feel left out…
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Your entry interested me and it turns out the book is available in the local library.
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This post really tickled me… it's like a blogging soap opera.
I personally think it might be a little scary if all of us English bloggers lived in the same village. We need to keep the blogging diaspora going as scattered as possible to ensure the continued conversion to reading excellent books.
I nearly wet myself too… at Booksnob's comment!!
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