I realized I haven’t posted anything about the books I’ve received as a gift during the Holidays. Here they are:
I’ve only recently received my gifts from the Book Bloggers Holiday Swap, but it was worth the wait. Over one of our weekly lunches, Joanna from “It’s all about me” (my Secret Santa) gave me:
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. We discussed this book the first time we met face-to-face, and it eventually became part of her top-10 of 2010. I also know she got the recommendation from Nymeth, which also listed it as one of the best of year. So you see, not only it has the potential to be an amazing book, but it’s also a symbol of the book blogging community at its best 🙂
and
Jane’s Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World, which has been doing the rounds at some of the blogs I read. So once again Joanna: right on target!
Anna Karenina and Ken Follet’s latest, Fall of Giants, was given to me by a Portuguese friend I met because she’s also a big Jane Austen fan and I was (still am) the only registered Portuguese over at The Republic of Pemberley. So she decided to email me to say hi, and we’ve kep close contact ever since.
The Tales of Beetle the Bard was my best friend’s gift – thanks Inês! – and it will have to do until J.K. Rowling decides to write more books (any news if she’s started anything, apart from the Harry Potter Encyclopedia?).
So you see, not a lot of them, but all exactly what the Doctor ordered.
Have you read any of these? What did you think?
7 comments
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January 14, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Claire (The Captive Reader)
What nice gifts! Jane’s Fame is very interesting and good fun but I haven’t read any of the other titles. Enjoy!
January 14, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Melissa
You got some great books! I read Anna Karenina recently and really enjoyed it. I did the same swap and never received a package, so your post gives me hope that maybe I might still get one.
January 14, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Joanna
Hope you enjoy them all! By the way, I liked Tales of Beetle the Bard much, much more than I thought I would, it’s a great little book!
January 15, 2011 at 2:31 pm
(Diane)BibliophileBytheSea
Fall of Giants was excellent; enjoy your new gifts.
January 15, 2011 at 7:43 pm
nymeth
yay! I hope you’ll enjoy Frankie every bit as much as Joanna and I did 😀
January 16, 2011 at 1:01 am
Wallace
What a cool secret santa idea! I loved Pillars of the Earth by Follett… want to read Fall of Giants. Looking forward to seeing what you think of it.
January 18, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Alex
@Claire: Your was one of the reviews have brought it to my attention! Thanks for that 🙂
@Melissa: Anna Karenina look so… intimidating! Let the organizers know about the package, it’s such a shame if you don’t get one!
@Joanna: It’ll do wonder for my monthly average of books! LOL!
@nymeth: I’ve read it! It was an all-nighter over the weekend! Sooo glad you guys recommended it!
@Wallance: Follett seems to be THE things lately with the TV adaptation, doesn’t he? Still have World Without End of the TBR and don’t know which to start first!