booklish

breaking news: diane shipley and her books blog, booklish, have parted ways.

"whilst booklish will always remain on the internet, i have realised it is no longer the blog for me," said shipley from her home earlier today.

"it's taken me a while to admit the truth, but we both knew it had been coming for some time. once i got a job at trashionista, that became the place for me to talk about books. i didn't mean for it to happen but i found trashionista really understood me, and i no longer had the same enthusiasm for booklish. but i'll always remember our time together fondly and we remain great friends."

booklish declined to comment.

yep, i'm going to keep the blog 'live' for readers to drop by, but there'll be no more updating.

Posted by Highlights from two years of blogging. at Thursday, July 12, 2007 | Permalink | Comments

From my lovely stepmum Gem. (No, she's not feline- that's her beloved cat Blossom).

Spot the difference with my Dad's list! (What, no Bill Bryson?)

Thanks Gem!

Crime and Punishment- Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
The greatest detective murder thriller book of all time, I was captivated and transported through time to world so vastly different from mine. Magnificent.
Enduring Love- Ian McEwan.
It had been a long time since I had picked up a book that had me compelled to keep turning the pages to find out what happened next.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull a story- Richard Bach.
Everyone should read this book twice, once as themselves and once as a seagull. The gift this book gives to us is the ability to know that we are more than what we appear, and that life is truly for happiness and living in the NOW.
Stiff- Mary Roach.
Having always had a fascination of what happens to our bodies when we vacate them, this book gave me plenty of options of what to do with mine when I die. It is fascinating in a macabre kind of way. Expect strange looks if you read it on public transport.
The Cat who came in from the Cold- Deric Longden.
This is a wonderful book about the joys of having a cat take over your house and of course your life. I was ‘between’ cats at the time and made me miss feline company enormously. It is an easy book to read, very funny and light hearted, a true ‘feel good’ read.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance- Robert M Pirsig.
I don’t think I could possibly express what I received from this book, it will change the way you view your life. Deep and challenging.

I am now SANS booklists (not one!) so throw me a bone people... email your top 6 books to me (and don't be so picky, any'll do!)

Posted by Highlights from two years of blogging. at Tuesday, November 07, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

Aka: Dad's choice! Yep, my lovely Aussie-dwelling pater is sharing his top six today and very lovely it is too. Except- ever hear of any women writers, Dad? The photo on the left is a genuine snap of my Dad sunbathing (Dad? he looks more like a Mummy, ha ha ha!) and the cartoon on the right is an Yahoo avatar he made- amazingly true to life... love you, Dad! :) On with the list!

For Esme With Love and Squalor - JD Salinger
Just edging out 'Catcher[in the Rye]' these nine short stories show how JD is a master story teller who invented great characters. Also introduces Seymour, the brilliant and enigmatic Glass family guru.
Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The first 'heavy' and 'foreign' book I read and probably the most influential. Wonderful; when I'd finished I just read it again. All the suffering and ultimate enlightenment, a truly great book.
Hitler, My Part in his Downfall - Spike Milligan
A few others come very close, but for me, this account of Spike's army life, the first of a 'six book' trilogy, is the funniest book ever.
L'Assommoir - Emile Zola
Another from my foreign writers phase. From the Rougon-Maquart cycle which inludes a nearly selected 'Germinal', these 'realistic' novels appeal to my taste for things kitchen-sink drama-ish.
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist - Robert Tressell
A truly inspirational book and who could argue with Ricky Tomlinson's "best book ever"? Say what you like but this book is one reason why I could never vote Tory. [-Proud of you, Dad!]
Notes From a Small Island - Bill Bryson
This book came close to Spike's as the funniest ever for me. A very observant and witty American's way of making an entire nation laugh at ourselves.

Next time: My stepmum Gem shares her top 6... coming soon!

Posted by Highlights from two years of blogging. at Sunday, October 22, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

Just wanted to remind myself what this little logo looked like and had nowhere else to try it! We send it to all our lovely, special chosen people (our Trashionista interviewees).

Posted by Highlights from two years of blogging. at Sunday, October 15, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

More content! Including a very special married couple Booklish booklist double bill that's worth waiting for...

Posted by Highlights from two years of blogging. at Saturday, October 14, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

This seems like the kind of site I should quickly back away from, lest (yes I said 'lest', get over it) I never come up for air again. To paraphrase slightly what an eBay buyer said to My Friend Helen(TM):
IT IS COOL.

Thanks Alexandra (provider of so much booklish content!) for linking to a site that linked to this site.

Happy clicking, y'all! (Sorry! I just read Ya-yas In Bloom... thanks for the loan, Jas!)

Posted by Highlights from two years of blogging. at Sunday, September 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments

This week (month) we have Alexandra's Booklish booklist- thank you Alexandra! (Her site has also had a change of image, coincidentally).

So, I haven't read any of these! Anyone else?

Dangerous Parking - Stuart Browne
This book is truly wonderful, it's absolutely hilarious in places where you live through some of the main characters adventures. Including where he gets charged with 'dangerous parking' on a motorway. (I won't give away why!) The main character struggles with his health as he's damaged his liver through drinking and these moments of pain are beautifully expressed. The mix between showing someone's troubles with someone's best moments in their life make this an amazing read.
White Fang and The Call of The Wild - Jack London
Truly beautiful story about a wolf-dog who encounters kindness after years of mis-treatment.
To the Lighthouse - Virginia Woolf
Another classic. There's something very sombre and yet enthralling about this book.
Stephen King - The Dark Tower
A seven-book series about the adventures of Roland Deschain as he endeavours to find the Dark Tower, which he believes to be the nexus of all the worlds.... Fantastic creation that took Stephen King decades to complete.
The Solitaire Mystery - Jostein Gaarder
An adventure involving a magnifying glass, a secret book and a magic island! The pack of cards that are alive and running around the island are the best.
The Valkyries - Paulo Coelho
Most books from this author are great as the are different and make you think outside the box. This one is about a journey through the desert of which readers should make their own interpretation.

Wow, that was pretty eclectic! Do YOU have a Booklish booklist? Send it to me: dianewhatdoyoudoATgooglemailDOTcom (with the @ symbol and a dot instead of the words in letters- I know you know, but some people don't, 'k?)

Posted by Highlights from two years of blogging. at Monday, September 11, 2006 | Permalink | Comments