Book reviews

16. February 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: Arts, Life & Style · Tags: , , , ,
websites

Just a few names.

I don’t like that.

Actually, I don’t like reviews in general. I like comments from customers, readers or spectators. But critics reviews can fool you sometimes. Especially for books. You read this wonderful ramble on how fantastic this book is, magnifically written, sensational: “the new [random famous author]” and so on. Then you buy the book and it’s about half as magnificent as you thought it should be.

Don’t you find it a bit disappointing?

You’d think: now why the heck is she talking about book reviews? Well, 10 minutes ago I thought that maybe I could add a short paragraph next to each of the books that I have in my virtual bookshelf here. The titles are so random, maybe you’d like to have some info on the book, especially the less known ones. But then I thought that it’s a bit too much writing. I’m not sure I have the time to review each book. Maybe I can just add some symbol, a score, like +++. I’ll think about it. For now, here’s the list of online/real bookshops I buy books or films from.

Amazon.co.uk – Probably no description needed.

Waterstones – Oh, I could spend days in their main shop in Piccadilly Street!

Alibris.co.uk – I found some interesting books here at reasonable prices.

Adlibris.com – This one is Scandinavian based. It sells books, audiobooks/mp3 and CDs.

Bokus.com – Best online Swedish bookshop I found so far. Similar to Adlibris, but generally better prices. It also sells books, audiobooks on CD or the files can be downloaded after purchase (mp3 and iPod versions available).

Grant and Cutler – Really nice bookshop in London. Great selection, great service, also sells online and ships worldwide.

Discshop.se – Huge selection of DVDs, comparable with Amazon but much better service. Amazing how fast their standard shipping is, considering that they send from Sweden.

A wordless Sunday

13. February 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Life & Style · Tags: , ,

Well, that is really strange. I have nothing to write this week. Except maybe that I’ve been busy with work and the organisation of my upcoming trips to Denmark and Sweden. I’m even working on a weekend.

Astounding, really.

Things I’ve learnt – Part I

11. February 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Life & Style · Tags: , , ,
  1. There is no such thing as a bad day. Days can be more or less entertaining, productive, funny, boring, relaxed, hectic, rainy and so on. Never bad per se.
  2. Nerd trick to know if your heater is on: stick/pin a paper to the wall right above the heater. If the paper moves, hot air is going up, so the heater is working.
  3. I cannot stick to the same handwriting for longer than 30 minutes.
  4. Hi, my name is Sara and I am a film freak. And book freak, music freak, languages freak and maps freak.
  5. I can last just about 1 week without coffee.
  6. The silliest the status message you post on Facebook, the more chances you have people will write a comment. Serious stuff is boring.

(to be continued)

Growing tower

04. February 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: Life & Style, Travels · Tags: , , ,
moleskines

Just about half the collection

I’ve been putting some order in my collection of Moleskine notebooks, diaries and so on. I use one as agenda (click here to know more about this moleskine hack) but I like the very small, light blue diary. It’s really super-pocket size. I also really like the National Gallery special edition notebook, the red one in the picture on the left. If you get tired of the black, plain ordinary pocket Moleskine, that’s the one for you.

But Moleskines are rarely ordinary. Not only hacks, but every notebook has its own taste and the level of customisation one can give to these notebooks is infinite.

For example, I have one ruled, large notebook that had become my recipes book. As I cook or whenever I am at a cookout, I take note at a small, ruled, reporter notebook. I scribble down notes, tips, tricks and such. Some recipes I don’t keep, but others will be written down in the “official” book later.

Another large notebook is ready for my upcoming travels to Scandinavia. I usually use a plain one, so that I can scribble down, draw or sketch down places, stick photos, bits of maps and so on.

So, what is your favourite notebook? If you have a favourite. How do you like to take notes? Just scribble down anything or follow your OCD* tendencies?

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*OCD: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or the “absolutely everything has to be kept in a certain order, at all times”.

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