BookCrossing: Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train Through China

I was at Metrotown mall with Biscotti, finishing up some Christmas shopping loose ends, and had some books to release. Releasing books at malls during the month of December is fun. There are lots of people, so surreptitiously leaving a book or ten goes unnoticed, and it's likely a shopper will pick up the book before a mall staffer scoops it in an attempt to keep the mall tidy. Plus it's a nice pick-me-up for shoppers feeling stressed during what should be a joyous time. I'm not just imagining that, that's what I've read in the catches for books I've released in malls at Christmas time. This leads me to Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train Through China. I released it on December 22, 2010, and the catch came the very next day:

Picked up today. Saving the book to read on plane to Malaysia Jan.22.

Of note: I had flown to Malaysia almost exactly a year earlier.

the opportunity to be hurt by other people

Luke is afraid of getting hurt, but he also knows that if too much time passes you miss out on the opportunity to be hurt by other people. To a younger Luke this sounded like luck; to an older Luke this sounds like a quiet tragedy.

-- Player One: What Is to Become of Us by Douglas Coupland

equally on the brink

Luke still believes that we are all, at every moment of our lives, equally on the brink of all sins, except that now, in a world without faith, sin has no ramifications; it's just something humans do.

-- Player One: What Is to Become of Us by Douglas Coupland

Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Fun, fresh, new. I had never read a graphic novel before starting Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (unless Archie comics are included in the genre, then I read a shipload of graphic novels while in elementary school) and if the six books in the Pilgrim series are any indication, then I have definitely been missing out. The writing was clever, the plot enjoyable, the drawings entertaining, and I just loved taking in the whole experience.

For the longest time, I would take the dogs out for a walk while either listening to music or doing nothing but walking and looking around. Then, last summer while reading Pilgrim, I realized how much time I had, ummm, wasted - for lack of a better word - when I could've been both walking the dogs and reading. It's not so good to combine the two these days, my hands get awfully cold, but during the summer it's fantastic. Do some reading while walking the trails, then find a rock by the river and sit and read while the dogs do their thing.

SmellyBelly and I watched the Scott Pilgrim movie a few weeks ago, and I was impressed by how well the movie captured the feel and energy of the books. The movie's presentation was superb. Even though SmellyBelly hadn't read the books, I so thought that she'd be into the movie, but, alas, she wasn't.

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life on BookCrossing. There are links from that link to the other five books in the series.

BookCrossing: Fireside (The Lakeshore Chronicles)

SmellyBelly and I were at Metrotown in Burnaby, B.C., on December 17, 2010, to pose with Santa for some pictures. The lineup was wicked long and we quickly determined that we did not have time to wait for our turn because we had to be at Granville Island very soon after for SmellyBelly's birthday dinner. Therefore, the only positive outcome of going out of our way to that mall was my releasing of Fireside (The Lakeshore Chronicles) and its subsequent same-day catch:

Interesting

just forcing him

Scott Pilgrim: "So where's Mobile? I can't believe you've been secretly dating him since volume three..."

Wallace Wells: "He has a migraine. I can't believe you're drinking beer! Is this the transformative power of love, or what?"

Ramona Flowers: "Nah, I'm just forcing him. How is it, baby?"

Scott Pilgrim: "It's yucky."

-- Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together (Vol. 4) by Bryan Lee O'Malley

An article about books

I have an article to share with you. I came across it a long time ago, and today, while working on cleaning up (see: deleting) some of my browser's bookmarks, I realized, hey, why not post this on my book blog? Annnnd, here we are.

"Home Libraries Provide Huge Educational Advantage" by Tom Jacobs.

Actually, more like noon

Scott Pilgrim: "I'm really not in the mood, okay?! Whoever you are, it's late and it's too hot! And.. And I have a job! Come ON! I had a hard day at work! Fight me in the morning! Actually, more like noon. Wait, I have to work again...

-- Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together (Vol. 4) by Bryan Lee O'Malley

BookCrossing: The Business

I released The Business on the bench outside Marble Slab Creamery in Coquitlam, B.C., on August 3, 2010. It was found that same day, according to the journal entry catch that hit my inbox on November 15, 2010. Here's the entire journal entry:

found august 3

It was an interesting book. Not my normal read but I enjoyed it.

Left it in the Vancover International Airport Nov 15

Good luck on your travels

BookCrossing: The Prodigal Daughter

On October 7, 2010, I took a fantastic day trip to Whistler, B.C., with SmellyBelly and das kids. The weather was wonderful and we all had a swell time. I released some books in the village as we strolled around, a book or two at Lost Lake, and a few more books at viewpoints along the Sea-to-Sky Highway as we returned home. One book I released in the village was The Prodigal Daughter, which received the following journal entry on October 18, 2010:

Good book however not very realistic. I will be dropping this book off in Toronto Ontario for the next person to move it along on it's travels.

something... you... insult...

Julie Powers: "That's what they'll be saying about you on Sunday."

Scott Pilgrim: "At least I.. wait.. something... you... insult..."

Ramona Flowers: "Scott, that was not a good comeback."

Stephen Stills: "That was actually not bad for Scott."

-- Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (Vol. 2) by Bryan Lee O'Malley

BookCrossing: Windmills of the Gods

We often find ourselves heading south to the States on September 11. We don't plan it - it just happens. So it goes that I released Windmills of the Gods at Seattle Premium Outlets on September 11, 2010. The journal entry came in just over a month later; made by a new member from Merritt, B.C.:

My son and husband were waiting for me outside a store at the tulalip outlet mall when they found the book.

Biscotti's BookCrossing Catches

Biscotti goes by SmellyBelly on BookCrossing.
Here's a list of catches from her wild releases.
Click a title to view that book's journey on BookCrossing.
(days in wild) journey summary [catch date: dd.mm.yyyy]

Challenge of the Clans (340) released in a knight's arms at the PNE in Vancouver, B.C., then found in Port Alberni, B.C.; "I found this book at the bank at a book table exchange. I put money in a donation cup. Money well spent. It will be hard to do but I plan on returning it to the bank with a note of my own in hopes that someone will pick it up there and read it, enjoying it as much as I do. Besides books are meant to be read, not collect dust. A room without books is a room without a soul." [07.08.2008] (See the blog post here.)

The Corsican Gambit (2) released in Stanley Park in Vancouver, B.C.; "Caught it in Stanley Park while playing with nieces during recent visit to this mahvelous city! Released at home in Saint John (first book to be released in Saint John from bookcrossing.com)." [18.04.2004]

Dare to Kiss a Cowboy (37) released somewhere in Vancouver, B.C. (the release notes have gone missing!); "i looked at the cover and it made me not want to read it" [04.11.2007]

The Great Gatsby (5) released inside a Georgia Straight newspaper box in Vancouver, B.C.; "Found book!!! In 24hour box on corner of Hemlock and Broadway! Plan to read it and will be back for another entry once finished!" [07.02.2011]

The Highest Tide (1162) released via craigslist in Vancouver, B.C.; "Love this book! My friend Karen gave it to me last summer - and I'm enjoying it now as my late Summer read. She studied Marine Biology, as did I: and passed it onto me as a kindred marine loving spirit. I work at the Aquarium, and am loving the gorgeous analogies that Miles makes about the weird and wonderful animals he collects and discovers in his Bay. Great easy, lovely read. Not ready to part with it just yet!" [03.10.2010] (See the blog post here.)

The Winds of War (2) released inside a Westender newspaper box in Vancouver, B.C.; "Just found it, Read the first chapter. liked it, going to continue. Thanks" [27.10.2007]

The Wrath of God (9) released inside a Westender newspaper box in Vancouver, B.C., and caught by a new member; "Caught it in the Westender box at 14th and Main. I had heard about the book crossing before but this is the first book I caught, and it was a nice way to start the day. I read it on the plane immediately after finishing Snow by Pamuk and it was nice to launch straight into a page-turner after the weight of that one. I'll probably bring it with me to Spain next weekend and leave it in Barcelona while I'm visiting." [13.10.2007]

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Stats:
Wild releases = 64
Wild releases caught = 7
Percentage = 10.9375

BookCrossing: The Highest Tide

My beautiful wife got a catch recently. She released The Highest Tide on July 30, 2007, and a journal entry arrived in her inbox on October 3, 2010. I'll save you the math and tell you that the book was in the wild for 1,162 days. Well done, SmellyBelly! Less than two weeks earlier I had received a catch for Social Things which had been in the wild for 1,108 days. She beat me, dammit! But that's okay, because just one week after her record-setting catch was when I received a journal entry for In the Green Star's Glow, which clocked in at 1,163 days - I beat her by a day!

Anyway, this post was supposed to be about my babe and her obliteration of her previous release-to-catch length of 340 days (but my competitive side took over). From less than a year to over three years! Congrats, Biscotti! And the catcher's journal entry is great - here it is:

Love this book! My friend Karen gave it to me last summer - and I'm enjoying it now as my late Summer read. She studied Marine Biology, as did I: and passed it onto me as a kindred marine loving spirit. I work at the Aquarium, and am loving the gorgeous analogies that Miles makes about the weird and wonderful animals he collects and discovers in his Bay. Great easy, lovely read. Not ready to part with it just yet!