National Novel Writing Month - November 2011

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National Novel Writing Month

Booker prize populism may well backfire

An article in "the Guardian"  Booker prize populism may well backfire

I've been looking at the list in Wikipedia of winners and short-listed titles since the prize started in 1969
List of winners and shortlisted authors of the Booker Prize for Fiction

I've read several of the books on the list, but don't remember consciously deciding to read any of the books because they were on the list.

Andrew Osmond - The Grimsby-born man who launched Private Eye 50 years ago

A piece of Grimsby history I didn't know about.


http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/Grimsby-born-man-launched-Private-Eye-50-years/story-13529470-detail/story.html

Kindle

I have been reading the description of the latest Amazon Kindle.  This version is wi-fi only, so I couldn't plug in my 3g modem.  I was hoping to find a simple description, but this left me scratching my head.  Some examples of which wi-fi networks work with the kindle wouldn't go amiss.  I have a sub. to BT Openzone but will have to do some research to find out if it is compatible. 

Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n (in b or g compatibility mode) standard with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication; does not connect to WPA and WPA2 secured networks using 802.1X authentication methods; does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks.

There is a usb socket

USB 2.0 (micro-B connector)

But would the other end of the cable be of a size that would fit my laptop.  And could load the Kindle by linking the Kindle to my laptop?

Storage

Up to 1,400 books or 2GB internal (approximately 1.25GB available for user content).

1400 books sounds a lot, but "up to" 1400 books, and how big is the "average" book used in this calculations.  I downloaded halfof a small book to my laptop yesterday, and that was over 8 MB

Methinks there is still some way to go before the Kindle type product is perfected.  But I want to publish more of my books in Kindle format, and need to use a Kindle to perfect my books!

kindle

Virtual monkeys write Shakespeare

Virtual monkeys write Shakespeare

Why virtual monkeys?  Real monkeys have poor keyboard skills!

Arthur Conan Doyle's first novel - "The Narrative of John Smith"

Read about Arthur Conan Doyle's first novel, first published in September 2011

Arthur Conan Doyle's first novel hits shops

Reading group: Don't Look Now by Daphne du Maurier

Reading group: Don't Look Now by Daphne du Maurier

I must re-read "Don't Look Now".  In 1974 I was a stagiare (trainee) with the EEC.  We went on a trip to Italy, and in Venice stayed in an old house on Giudecca called Casa Frollo.  A large old house, with uneven floors and a charming courtyard.  The house had been in the film of  "Don't Look Now".

Dag Hammarskjold: Markings

This piece on BBC News -  Dag Hammarskjold: Was his death a crash or a conspiracy? reminds me that I must re-read Dag Hammarskjold's book "Markings".  When I was a student this was one of my favourite books, and it's some time since I read it. 

Huntingdon is Amazon’s reading capital of UK

http://www.huntspost.co.uk/news/latest-news/huntingdon_is_amazon_s_reading_capital_of_uk_1_1012180

Now there is an Oxfam bookshop in Huntingdon perhaps we will buy fewer books from Amazon!

The story of how we got our alphabets

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14544388

Print on Demand

Most of my books have been published using Lulu.

Looking at the AbeBooks website, I see that one of the search options is now "Not Print on Demand".  The world of publishing is changing rapidly.  As a reader, I suppose I should support the option of filtering out of the search results "print on demand" books.  You could say that books that are "professionally" published have been through a sort of audition and the reader can be more certain of a degree of quality in content and production.  But if electronic publishing really takes off, it may be that "professional" publishersof the printed book will face such a small demand for printed books that they to will print on demand.

Something else I must explore - I have read in the past of machines that print books of your choice whilst you wait.  But do they exist? 

Charles Dickens

Dickens Journals Online

David Perdue's Charles Dickens Page

There is another Charles Dickens, Charles Dickens's son.  Charles Dickens junior (Charles Culliford Boz Dickens (1837-1896)).  Wikpedia - Charles Dickens, Jr.  Dickens's Dictionary of London and Dickens's Dictionary of the Thames are old favourites of mine.

Dickens Journals Online

An interesting article in the Observer on 7 August 2011 drew my attention to this project to transcribe Dickens' journal All the Year Round.
Charles Dickens bicentenary: Call for online editors to save forgotten journal

The Dickens Journals Online website is currently offline after an electrical storm.

The Dickens Journals Online Facebook page

As the title of the Observer article suggests, the project (run by the University of Buckingham) is looking for transcribers.

Doubts over authenticity of 'ancient Christian' books

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14251461

The Man Booker Prize Long List 2011

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14294898

The list

Julian Barnes - The Sense of an Ending

Sebastian Barry - On Canaan's Side

Carol Birch - Jamrach's Menagerie

Patrick deWitt - The Sisters Brothers

Esi Edugyan - Half Blood Blues

Yvvette Edwards - A Cupboard Full of Coats

Alan Hollinghurst - The Stranger's Child

Stephen Kelman - Pigeon English

Patrick McGuinness - The Last Hundred Days

AD Miller - Snowdrops

Alison Pick - Far to Go

Jane Rogers - The Testament of Jessie Lamb

DJ Taylor - Derby Day

Authors2You

Looking for something new to read?

Look at the Authors2You website
http://authors2you.co.uk/index.html

Enjoy your reading!

Booksellers object to Greek ministry's online plan

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_11/07/2011_397939

British Library launch classic book reading app

I must investigate this, but as far as I am aware I don't have anything that I couldput an "app" on to!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13683880

Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson is children's laureate

Until reading this I had not relaised that there was a new children's laureate every two years.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13665633

Book & Magazine Collector

Book Lovers' Enchiridion

I started this blog after reading about the demise of both the Bookdealer and The Book & Magazine Collector, both of which I have read for many years - the former since I first became aware of it, and the latter since the first issue.

The world of books is changing.  Paper or digital.  They both have their primary uses. 

I love browsing in bookshops, and the enjoyment of finding a book that is just what I would like to read and didn't know existed.  Reading for pleasure, or research, I find paper preferable to digital.

On holiday, when I try to travel light (a joke, I stash books into any spare space in my bags!) I take the odd download on my laptop  - but don't read them.  Now I can get internet access in Greece - I could in theory download anything - but don't.  Where for me digital wins is in searching.  When I am looking for specific information, digital wins.

But times change, technology develops.  I read recently that the Kindle includes 3G access and email - I must explore what is on offer.