Women Reading (Nov. 9)


Women Reading (weekly)
*Every Wednesday*
Founder: Sasha Soren (Random Magic)
Here's what's news!
Edition: Nov. 9, 2011

Art and Quotes

Reading Aloud (1883), Julius LeBlanc Stewart
'We are so overwhelmed with quantities of books, that we hardly realize anymore that a book can be valuable, valuable like a jewel, or a lovely picture, into which you can look deeper and deeper and get a more profound experience every time.'
- D. H. Lawrence, in his last book, Apocalypse

Discussions and Book Chats


Bookie Brunch question: Do you like the smell of books?
Related topics to consider: Do you have any other odd book-related obsessions? For example - must have matching covers in your series books, must be the first to open the book or crease the cover, or can't stand creased covers or pages, or, you have both paperback and hardcover versions of a series, the cover art has to match, etc.

What's not to love about the smell of books? Old and musty-smelling books just add so much more to the story between those pages. I had the good fortune of growing up in a very bookish family, so I've always been accustomed to having old, dusty books to read.

As for other bookish obsessions, I'm pretty okay. But there is one thing that I absolutely, well and truly hate and that is creased pages, especially when they're creased to act as a bookmark. Use an actual bookmark! Seriously! I just find that so irritating. Maybe I do have a few book obsessions, after all... - Phanee (host), funny wool (@funnywool)

Shown above: Phanee illustrates her point with the image of a helpful bookmark

I love the smell of books, especially old ones - the yellowed paper and the musty smell. (Sigh.) Heck, even new, crisp paperbacks smell brilliant and inviting. The apartment complex I live in has a library of its own; the librarian has been lighting the same incense ever since he opened his library. So ALL his books smell of that particular incense - which I love. - Kiwi, Assortments (@Chumbwa)

*****Join this discussion*****

Events and Parties


Nov. 10-17: Visit: Escape from the everyday with a week-long trip to yesteryear, at this fun Prohibition-era party. Organized by @RandomMagicTour and featuring lots of great bloggers, Guys and Molls is a fabulous jaunt into the days of 1930s mobsters. Includes event goodies.


Nov. 14-19: Visit or Reply to RSVP: All lovers of Jane Austen or the Regency era are invited to attend this year's Pemberley Ball (shown above) held every November and hosted by vvb32reads (@vvb32reads).

More information on Pemberley Ball is available below:
Pre-event reading from Pride and Prejudice: Listen
Last season: The Party Scouts | Gallery of Gowns | Dance Card
RSVP: Reply to RSVP for this year's ball

Memes and Features
(Incl. reading challenges)


Through December 31, 2011: Vintage Mystery reading challenge, hosted by My Reader's Block. The goal is to read between four and 16 vintage mystery titles. The books must have been published between 1900 and 1950. Visit or Sign up

Videos and Vloggers



Shown above: Live the Language - London. From a charming set of four short films about the language of a particular city. This one is for London, and displays words for various items a traveler might experience. The series of short films are an advertisement for a language learning school called Education First (EF), but they're cute and quirky on their own. We'll include one of each of the films in each edition of Women Reading. Previously covered: Barcelona.




Shown above: Here's a cute little stop-motion video from Chronicle Books (@ChronicleBooks).
They're also having a giveaway of up to USD 500 in titles from their shop, so feel free to check that out under the Goodies and Giveaways section in this post.




Shown above: Stevie at SableCaught shares some of her individual bookish quirks. This vlog is part of Bookie Brunch for Nov. 6, hosted by @funnywool. Join this discussion




Shown above: Jodie of Books for Company (@BooksforCompany) shares some of the titles she's acquired recently.

Book Adaptations and Media Marvels
(Incl. movies, music, games, tech, publishing news, other.)


Shown above: An ingenious and dapper detective, Hercule Poirot. Character created by mystery fiction writer Agatha Christie.

Well, here's an interesting spin on the concept of 'try before you buy' that might be welcome news for folks who enjoy British programming and costume drama.

Acorn Media, which owns the rights to detective series Agatha Christie's Poirot, in addition to several other titles, is making full episodes of various shows available for a limited time, with an onscreen option to buy episodes in DVD format or have them available in streaming format as part of an Acorn TV subscription. Details: Register to watch free episodes, with option to upgrade to subscription.

Watch: 'The Veiled Lady' - Available through Dec. 11, 2011



Just for fun: For people who love the sound of rain and find it soothing - now you can enjoy the sound of rain, anytime you like. A cute site called RainyMood features nothing but the sound of a gentle storm, and images of raindrops falling against your screen, as if it were a window. Check it out

Goodies and Giveaways


WIN: Enter: Through December 15, 2011: Win a delicious book and DVD set of a creepy classic, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, as part of Bookie Brunch - Halloween edition. Interior artwork shown below. Browse details



WIN this book at Bookie Brunch, offer open through December 15, 2011.
About: When publisher Thomas Cadell declined an unsolicited manuscript offered to him by a Hampshire clergyman in 1797, he made one of the biggest mistakes in publishing history, for the manuscript was an early version of Pride and Prejudice, and the clergyman's daughter was destined to become one of the most recognizable names in literature... (More)


WIN: Enter: Through December 3, 2011: Titles of your choice up to value of USD 20 from The Book Depository. Offered by Librarian Mouse (@Sontrei).


WIN: Enter: Through December 2, 2011: Win up to USD 500 of quirky Chronicle Books titles - plus a matching big box of the same titles you've selected, for one other person. There are a few rules, but they're all simple. (Details)

WIN: Enter: Through November 28, 2011: Lucy of Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf (@MoonlightGleams) is celebrating her one-year blogoversary and offers three winners a Book Depository certificate up to USD 10 each.

WIN: Enter - Thru Nov. 21: Win this charming miniature of a late-20th-century perfume that wears like an older, more glamorous classic. Launched by design house Givenchy (founded by Hubert de Givenchy), Amarige is classified as a sharp, oriental, floral fragrance. Created by master perfumer Dominique Ropion. This timeless fragrances is a brunch gift, part of the Bookie Brunch discussion about favorite classic novels at This Miss Loves to Read (@MissIrenne)


WIN: Enter: Through November 13, 2011: Cute prize bundle of Jane Austen-related stationery, books and a tote bag.

Grapevine, Last-Minute News and Misc.


Seen around: Jodie at Books for Company (@BooksforCompany) also runs a cute site listing UK and international book giveaways. Here are some of her recent listings: Jane Austen title, book and DVD set, others.


Seen around: Librarian Mouse (@Sontrei): Blogger-provided bio: Books are my passion, but I have no particular favorite genre. I like classics, fantasy, romance, dystopian, thrillers, historical fiction, comics and manga, science fiction, zombies, adult books and maybe, just maybe - horror. Visit

Book Nooks

Source: Desire to Inspire

Upcoming


Dec. 1-31, 2011: Snowed In: Visit or Participate: What Book is That? (@whatbookemily) will be hosting an indie author event (shown above) in December. Event description provided by blogger: Every day in December, a different indie book will be reviewed. Each review will have a giveaway attached for e-books, print books or gift certificates. Stop by every day for a new chance to win!

Participate in Women Reading
(Weekly, every Wednesday - or every Sunday, for weekend edition)
Notes
Header image: Reading Aloud (1883), Julius LeBlanc Stewart
Additional excerpt from D. H. Lawrence's Apocalypse: Browse
Image source(s): Reading Aloud, Rain on leaf

Talk to Us
Are you planning something cool for your blog, or have you heard about something great that we might've missed this week? Tell us about it!: @RandomMagicTour