Bloggers on the Blog ...Mac-Adventures (with Books)

Bloggers on the blog



This weekly feature showcases some of the best of the book blogging community. 

These are the unsung heroes who are constantly on the look out for new and exciting books 

and who give so generously of their time ,energy and expertise.



I am delighted to welcome


Susan 

from

 the excellent blog


Mac-Adventures with Books

Susan welcome to Jaffareadstoo

and thanks for taking part in our

10 questions in 10 minutes....

What makes you want to blog about books?

You know that glazed look that people take on when you are telling them something they are not interested in?  Book are like that for some people, so I thought if I blogged about them, only people who were interested need bother!

What type of book makes you happy?

Very often it’s a children’s book, even though I have no children.  I started my working life for W H Smith, and at 18 I was running a children’s book department.  I guess it never got out of my blood.

Which book have you recommended the most?

That’s hard!  To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee is one that if it turns up on a list of books someone has not yet read, I always say it’s a must-read;  but the one I have spouted the most about is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – Rebecca Skloot;  which although a bit wordy was one that I want everyone to read because of the subject.  In a nutshell it’s a non-fiction about the cells that are used in laboratories to “grow” cultures.  Those cells are referred to as HE-LA, and there’s the clue to a fascinating story because if you have ever had a biopsy, it’s HE-LA cells that were used.

Which is the best book you received as a gift?

Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame – which my sister gave me for my eighth birthday.  It was quite hard to read (lots of big words and flowing sentences) but I loved it, and have read it several times since with pleasure.  I think that was the beginning of my total enjoyment of reading.

Which book has sent a shiver down your spine?  

The Angel Maker – Stephan Brijs.  Not a conventional thriller nor horror story – but one that stays in the memory because of the subject matter.

How many books do you have, as yet unread, on your book shelves?

230

Tell me about a book you’ve read more than three times?

Little White Horse – Elizabeth Goudge.  Carnagie Medal winner in 1946.  For me, the most wonderful children’s book with children, heroes and villains; and a bedroom for the heroine that I wanted for my own – dark blue ceiling painted with gold stars!  I still have my original copy.

What’s your idea of book heaven or book hell?

Book Hell – Badly written books of any kind whatever the genre or subject matter.  Books with grammatical and printing errors, because I have to stop and have a little rant in my head about each and every one!   Books where the writer hasn’t taken enough care with the story because I have found a glaring error that doesn’t match up with what I have previously read.

Book Heaven – Any book that I can sink right into and cannot not stop reading, nor want to.

Where is your favourite reading place?

Winter – corner of the sofa with the woodburner glowing away

Summer – anywhere where I can feel the sun (the summerhouse is nice!)

What has been your favourite book of the year...so far ?

Surprise – it’s a children’s book.  The Runaways (formerly published as Linnets and Valerians) by Elizabeth Goudge.  I always remembered that she had written only three children’s books, and when I found this, republished, I was three quarters of the way through before I suddenly realised how it ended, so must have read it many years ago.  Although old fashioned (set in the reign of Queen Victoria), I found it absolutely charming, with a great story – good and evil, heroes and villains, a dog, a monkey and bees; magic (just a little) and children who do naughty things and have great adventures.  It’s Brilliant!

My thanks to Susan for giving so generously of her time

Jaffa and I love reading your blog.

Long may it continue.

~***~