Blog | Nose in a book

Local bookshops: Foyles

August 15, 2011 3 Comments

As bookshop chains go, Foyles retains the respect of booklovers by being a darn good bookshop. The Foyles in Bristol’s Quakers Friars was the first in the chain outside of London but I’m sure it won’t be the last.

I first came across Foyles when I was a magazine intern in London and I discovered this incredible series of talks run by Foyles. They have an author event almost every night. The only other bookshop I’ve known to equal it is Topping & Co in Bath.

The new Bristol Foyles store feels spacious and yet full of books. There is a fair selection of related paraphernalia – notebooks, diaries, games, postcards – but these are so well chosen, not to mention well designed, that I’ll forgive them using up floorspace that could have gone to books.

This is not the place to go to get the latest celebrity autobiography or 3 for 2 chicklit. The “top ten” and “staff picks” bookcases showcase mostly literary fiction, including a few titles I’d never heard of. There is a surprisingly large cookery section, including a display of the new Penguin Great Food series. In fact, there was a certain emphasis on this current trend for beautiful books, which I am all in favour of. I picked up a few pretty tidbits for forthcoming birthdays in addition to some books for me.

I’d still like to see more independent bookshops out there but I do think Foyles is a welcome addition to Bristol.

Foyles, 6 Quakers Friars, Cabot Circus, Bristol, BS1 3BU

The winners: UK & EU Summer Hop

August 9, 2011 3 Comments

Random.org has done its thing and the winners of my UK & EU Summer Hop giveaway are…

Rupture by Simon Lelic goes to The Girl.

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters goes to LizC.

Congrats to you both. I’ll drop you an e-mail to sort posting. Shout if you don’t get the e-mail by the end of the week.

Thanks again to Donna and Jessica of Book Passion for Life and Jodie of Books for Company for organising this blog hop. And thank you to everyone who entered. Sorry you couldn’t all win!

The UK & EU Summer Hop starts now!

August 1, 2011August 9, 2011 29 Comments

** This competition is now closed. Winners are announced here. **

It’s giveaway time again! As part of the UK & EU Summer Hop, organised by Donna and Jessica of Book Passion for Life and Jodie of Books for Company, I am giving away these two books:

So, if you fancy winning a copy of Rupture by Simon Lelic (which I reviewed here) or The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (which I reviewed here) then all you have to do is leave a comment saying which book you’d prefer, if you have a preference.

This competition is open to UK and EU residents only and it’s open until midnight on 8 August, so that’s a whole week to check out all the other great giveaways taking place in this blog hop (listed below)! I will randomly select two winners next week.

Comfort reading

July 26, 2011July 26, 2011 4 Comments

One of my strongest sensory memories is the smell/taste of buttered crumpets, which takes me back to being very young (primary school) and sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen eating a snack while listening to an audiobook on cassette. My favourite audiobook was The Secret Garden and, even now, certain words (“wuthering” and “daffydowndilly” come to mind) can only be said in the voices I remember from that tape, with their Yorkshire lilt.

I don’t own a cassette player anymore, but I do still have that cassette because I couldn’t bear to throw it away. Thankfully I have the actual book too, for times when I really need comfort in my reading. (Like now – can you tell I’m feeling a bit lupusy? Yes, it’s a word.)

Another giveaway? It’s the UK & EU Summer Hop

July 20, 2011 1 Comment

In less than two weeks I will once again be taking part in a blog hop giveaway, this time organised by Donna and Jessica of Book Passion for Life and Jodie of Books for Company.

As the name suggests, this one is open to UK and EU residents only. I’ll be giving away two books and will reveal all when the hop starts on 1 August. Be sure to come back and enter!

Please return this book

July 19, 2011

Local bookshops: Bloom & Curll

July 10, 2011

Bloom & Curll is so close to being the perfect bookshop for me that I feel I should apologise for not being a regular customer. It has a quirky, arty feel and look but is still most definitely all about the books.

They are piled everywhere, almost higgledy piggledy yet meticulously organised. Old and new sit side by side, with some classic Penguin editions serving as both booklover lures and eyecatching art. Section labels epitomise the style of the shop – they are either handmade paper cutouts in classily chosen colour and pattern combinations, or bright childlike magnetic letters. The book selection leans towards the literary end of fiction, with some specialised areas for philosophical, theological and sociological works. The shop is small enough not to overwhelm me with choice, while still stocking more books that I want than I can afford.

I love the location of Bloom & Curll, nestled among the indie stylings of Colston Street, Christmas Steps and nearby Upper Maudlin Street, but I worry that that also works against it – on my every visit I have been the only customer. However, the shop window promises chess classes and apparently this Thursday they’re hosting a book launch, which looks worth checking out. Hopefully such events will keep attracting new customers through their doors.

Bloom & Curll, 74 Colston Street, Bristol

Carnival

July 3, 2011

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop: the winners!

June 30, 2011July 9, 2011 3 Comments

And the winners are…drumroll please!

Thanks to random.org, Col of Col Reads won Our Spoons Came From Woolworths and Tanya won Naked Lunch. Congratulations! I have e-mailed you both, please badger me if you don’t receive the e-mail!

Thank you to everyone who entered, I was surprised by how much of a response this got. I’m sorry I can’t give you all a little prize. However, I do plan to do another giveaway soon, so keep an eye out for it!

If anyone is completely confused and doesn’t know what all this is about, this was a blog hop giveaway with a literary flavour run by Judith of Leeswammes. Thank you so much Judith. Entries are now closed.

Out of this world: science fiction, but not as you know it

June 28, 2011 3 Comments

“Out of this world” is a free exhibition running at the British Library from 20 May to 25 September 2011. It’s an exploration and celebration of science fiction, centred around the library’s collection of first editions and other valuable copies of great books.

It’s a much bigger and frankly better exhibition than I expected. Like a typical museum show, there are themed cases containing numbered exhibits and a knowledgeable description of each exhibit. There’s also video, audio, interactive stuff and some random memorabilia, plus a series of related workshops. And it has its own mini-website, of course: www.bl.uk/sciencefiction.

It has clearly been designed by a team of people who love and respect science fiction and tease out not only the usual obvious questions that SF can deal with, but also some more obscure or difficult ones, such as “What is reality?” and “What does it mean to be human?”

Mostly I just geeked out on the beautiful old books and manuscripts (which tended to be on loan from authors or other museums) but I also added many many books to my wishlist. Highly recommended to anyone who can get to London.