Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts

01. People are so talented (these beautiful cakes by artist Leslie Vigil).

Show-off holiday post: Germany (Part One)

I have visited Germany many times and wanted to show my family some of what I love and find fascinating about the country.

In planning our itinerary, I chose some places I’d been before and some that were new to me. We started in Munich, drove south through the Bavarian Alps as far as Schloss Neuschwanstein, before heading north for Dinkelsbühl, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Nuremberg and Dresden. Here’s my top ten (in no particular order):

Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts

01. I was lucky to see a production of my very favourite Shakespearean play last week – Twelfth Night. Frank Woodley was a stellar Sir Andrew (and that’s a large Melbourne Gin Co. gin, tonic and grapefruit next to my program, so obviously it was an ace night).

Let’s talk (a top ten)

Last week, Katie of Bookish Tendencies wrote a post about attending her first author talk (Lauren Fox talking about Days of Awe, so I’m jealous, obvs). Katie asked fellow bloggers for a few pointers on being “…not such an awkward dork…” at book signing time (her words, not mine). I don’t have any tips but her post did make me think about author talks I’ve been to. And it’s many. Because I’m a bit of an author-event tart (I’ll blame the fact that I have lots of opportunities through events such as the Melbourne Writers Festival and regular author appearances at my local book shop, Readings).

So purely for my own records, I’ve put together a top ten list – five of the best author talks I’ve been to –

Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts

1. I spent last weekend looking at this view (Phillip Island, Victoria). With my mother’s group. And champagne. And Mint Slices. Sublime.

National Bookshop Day

It’s National Bookshop Day tomorrow (August 11, 2012).

Yes, I have a Kindle. Yes, I’ve been known to enjoy a Book Depository bargain but I do love a bookshop (and my credit card bill can attest to that). Bookshops can do one thing that Kindles and online shopping can’t do – offer you the chance to feel books, flick through the pages, read a paragraph here and there, be seduced by a pretty cover.

I’ll be making time to pop into my ‘locals’ tomorrow – Readings in Hawthorn and Tim’s Bookshop in Kew – it’s so lovely to visit book shops where the staff greet me with “Ohhh! Something has arrived that you’ll love!”

Who knows what I’ll come away with tomorrow!