Ein Koch für Mma Ramotswe

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/2983614

I received this through the post yesterday from another bookcrosser Bean-Sidhe. She offered it to me after a discussion about books set in Africa.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/forum/14/3596573

Can't wait to get started! I hope to pass this on to a fellow Germophile and bookcrosser.

Update: Have finished the book - really enjoyed it again. Am hopefully giving it to friend next week.

Kingston-upon-Thames

Meeting up with a friend on Tuesday night - going to hand over a stash of books, hoping to reel her in to Bookcrossing:
Update: Gitana100 joined up and has signed up her colleague

The Love of Stones http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4051136
Possession http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4072811
The Grenadillo Box http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4114973
Update: caught and released twice!
The Intelligencer http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4076464
The Quiet American http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4105663
Tulip Fever http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/3931463
Unnatural Murder: Poison in the Court of James I - The Overbury Murder
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4134581

Let's see if she joins up!

Restocking of TBR

Went ever so slightly crazy on thebookpeople.co.uk, buying up some of their fiction collections and a couple of randoms.

Have been reading a lot lately, partly due to the long commute (made even longer by the failing powerlines, children playing on the line ...) and the World Cup (which has been on the whole time at home, thus making me use my evenings doing more constructive things than watching the TV).

Nipped into Ipswich today to drop some books off and also replenish my shelves. Checked out the OBCZ at Caffe Nero first, where I picked up:
Oscar and Lucinda http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/3932403

and dropped off:
The Mulberry Empire http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4140440
Vita Brevis http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4148595 (caught)
The Mystery of the Blue Train http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4148600 (caught)
Whistling for Elephants http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4151827
It's what he would have wanted http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4162338 (caught)
Rebecca's Tale http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4162358 (caught)

Very restrained of me to leave 6 books and only pick up 1, but then I did a raid of the local charity shops!

Update: 4 of the 6 have been caught, not bad strike rate.

2006 Never Judge a Book By Its Cover

I decided to take part in this challenge on a bit of a whim.

So far I have released 4 books, with one catch.

http://www.karatsbkxing.com/

London Meetup

The venue was changed to the Counting House near Bank, in a private room. There was one familiar face - that of semioticghost - and a few familiar BC names. Despite trying to be restrained, I took 4 books away:

1) The quiet American http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4105663

2) Unnatural Murder: Poison in the Court of James I http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4134581

3)Pushkin's Button http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/2473743

4)The Fading Shrine http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4135709

I had taken three with me, 2 I had picked up in Ipswich:
Hawksmoor http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/3932386
Fool Moon http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4067863

and a 3rd donated to me by an office co-worker
The curious incident of the dog in the night-time ttp://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4135057

As in Ipswich, the BCers were v friendly and not at all clique-y, so it was easy to get stuck in to the chatting. I would recommend the food in the pub, go there just for a gander - the decor is very impressive. It was interesting to chat with BC vets, especially the conversation about how BC has influenced the way we read.

Ipswich Meetup

Just back from a pleasant trip to Ipswich. Grabbed a green frappe and headed upstairs to meet fellow members of the BC Cult (as my family call it!) and put some faces to names. Dropped off four books and came back with 3 (restrained for me!) :
"Dude, where's my country" http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4125248
"Fool Moon" http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4067863
"Hawksmoor" http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/3932386

Also accidentally fell into Oxfam on my way back to the station, grabbed some good ones, which I have had on my list for a while:
"A conspiracy of paper"
"the Borgia Bride",
"A hundred and one days" http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4126529
"The Girl who married a Lion."

Trip to Manchester

Found myself in Manchester for work and managed to meet up with a mate to hand over some books. Did try to go to the OBCZ at the Basement of Lever Street, unfortunately it was closed. Oh well, did find Oxfam books though and had time on the train to read more books: Colour and The Grenadillo Box. http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4114973

Waterstones: Books for 99p

Bargain! Have picked up a few to read:
Barbara Nadel's Belshazzar's Daughter (was on my wishlist)
Beaton's Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death (how could I resist a title like this!)
Steven Saylor's Roman Blood.

Hope they keep this up!