Before Christmas I was nominated by Graham Page to post, over 10 days, the covers of 10 Books I’ve Loved, no explanation necessary – just the covers.
This is being spread over the five working days of each of two weeks. I don’t usually tag people on memes, and tagging someone every day (as requested) seems too big an imposition, so to compromise I’m nominating these five people to produce their own list: Alden O’Brien, Keeley Schell, Ivan Hutnik, John Monaghan, Ashley Herum. Of course anyone else is welcome to sing along!
Day 8 : Gabriel Chevallier; Clochemerle
Later in the year I hope to follow on with other similar themes. I already have Books I Hated / Can’t Read and Books I Found Influential / Formative lined up. There may be others.
Before Christmas I was nominated by Graham Page to post, over 10 days, the covers of 10 Books I’ve Loved, no explanation necessary – just the covers.
This is being spread over the five working days of each of two weeks. I don’t usually tag people on memes, and tagging someone every day (as requested) seems too big an imposition, so to compromise I’m nominating these five people to produce their own list: Alden O’Brien, Keeley Schell, Ivan Hutnik, John Monaghan, Ashley Herum. Of course anyone else is welcome to sing along!
Day 7 : Latham & Matthews; Diary of Samuel Pepys
Later in the year I hope to follow on with other similar themes. I already have Books I Hated / Can’t Read and Books I Found Influential / Formative lined up. There may be others.
Before Christmas I was nominated by Graham Page to post, over 10 days, the covers of 10 Books I’ve Loved, no explanation necessary – just the covers.
This is being spread over the five working days of each of two weeks. I don’t usually tag people on memes, and tagging someone every day (as requested) seems too big an imposition, so to compromise I’m nominating these five people to produce their own list: Alden O’Brien, Keeley Schell, Ivan Hutnik, John Monaghan, Ashley Herum. Of course anyone else is welcome to sing along!
Day 6 : John Betjeman; High and Low
Later in the year I hope to follow on with other similar themes. I already have Books I Hated / Can’t Read and Books I Found Influential / Formative lined up. There may be others.
Before Christmas I was nominated by Graham Page to post, over 10 days, the covers of 10 Books I’ve Loved, no explanation necessary – just the covers.
This is being spread over the five working days of each of two weeks. I don’t usually tag people on memes, and tagging someone every day (as requested) seems too big an imposition, so to compromise I’m nominating these five people to produce their own list: Alden O’Brien, Keeley Schell, Ivan Hutnik, John Monaghan, Ashley Herum. Of course anyone else is welcome to sing along!
Day 5 : Terry Pratchett; Thief of Time
Later in the year I hope to follow on with other similar themes. I already have Books I Hated / Can’t Read and Books I Found Influential / Formative lined up. There may be others.
Before Christmas I was nominated by Graham Page to post, over 10 days, the covers of 10 Books I’ve Loved, no explanation necessary – just the covers.
This is being spread over the five working days of each of two weeks. I don’t usually tag people on memes, and tagging someone every day (as requested) seems too big an imposition, so to compromise I’m nominating these five people to produce their own list: Alden O’Brien, Keeley Schell, Ivan Hutnik, John Monaghan, Ashley Herum. Of course anyone else is welcome to sing along!
Day 4 : Evelyn Waugh; Black Mischief
Later in the year I hope to follow on with other similar themes. I already have Books I Hated / Can’t Read and Books I Found Influential / Formative lined up. There may be others.
Before Christmas I was nominated by Graham Page to post, over 10 days, the covers of 10 Books I’ve Loved, no explanation necessary – just the covers.
This is being spread over the five working days of each of two weeks. I don’t usually tag people on memes, and tagging someone every day (as requested) seems too big an imposition, so to compromise I’m nominating these five people to produce their own list: Alden O’Brien, Keeley Schell, Ivan Hutnik, John Monaghan, Ashley Herum. Of course anyone else is welcome to sing along!
Day 3 : Mervyn Peake; Titus Groan
Later in the year I hope to follow on with other similar themes. I already have Books I Hated / Can’t Read and Books I Found Influential / Formative lined up. There may be others.
Before Christmas I was nominated by Graham Page to post, over 10 days, the covers of 10 Books I’ve Loved, no explanation necessary – just the covers.
This is being spread over the five working days of each of two weeks. I don’t usually tag people on memes, and tagging someone every day (as requested) seems too big an imposition, so to compromise I’m nominating these five people to produce their own list: Alden O’Brien, Keeley Schell, Ivan Hutnik, John Monaghan, Ashley Herum. Of course anyone else is welcome to sing along!
Day 2 : Martin Gardner; The Annotated Alice
Later in the year I hope to follow on with other similar themes. I already have Books I Hated / Can’t Read and Books I Found Influential / Formative lined up. There may be others.
Before Christmas I was nominated by Graham Page to post, over 10 days, the covers of 10 Books I’ve Loved, no explanation necessary – just the covers.
This is being spread over the five working days of each of two weeks. I don’t usually tag people on memes, and tagging someone every day (as requested) seems too big an imposition, so to compromise I’m nominating these five people to produce their own list: Alden O’Brien, Keeley Schell, Ivan Hutnik, John Monaghan, Ashley Herum. Of course anyone else is welcome to sing along!
Day 1 : Anthony Powell; The Military Philosophers
Later in the year I hope to follow on with other similar themes. I already have Books I Hated / Can’t Read and Books I Found Influential / Formative lined up. There may be others.
Age you get mistaken for: 21 + a bit (a large bit!)
What famous persons share your birthday: Harry Gordon Selfridge (1858; founder of Selfridge’s department store in London), Mick McManus (1920; British wrestler), Arthur Scargill (1938; British miners leader), Ben Crenshaw (1952; US golfer), Bryan Robson (1957; England footballer), Brian Moore (1962; England rugby player)
Who died on your birthday: Hans Sloane (1753; collector who provided the foundation collections of the British Museum, British Library and Natural History Museum, London), Thomas Hardy (1928; author), Barbara Pym (1980; author)
List one notable event that took place on your birthday: In 1922, the first use of insulin to treat diabetes in a human patient
Tell us about a holiday that falls on your birthday:Kagami biraki is a Japanese traditional ceremony which literally translates to “Opening the Mirror” (from an abstinence) or, also, “Breaking of the Mochi” (a sort of rice cake). It traditionally falls on 11 January. It refers to the opening of a Kagami mochi, or to the opening of a cask of sake at a party or ceremony.
Do you like your name? Not especially, but I’m so used to it I can’t think of anything which would be better
Three things you like about yourself: knee replacements, piercing, grey hair
Three things you dislike about yourself: depression, diabetes, deafness
What is it like to wake up every morning and pretend you’re not dying? Difficult; it’s often known as depression
What is your superpower? Stupidity
If you had three wishes, what would you wish for? (1) Brexit is cancelled, (2) a magic carpet, (3) three more wishes
Do you wear anything special on your birthday? Nothing
When did you last have a birthday party? Probably when I was about 7
What birthday present would you especially like this year? Not to be overweight and have diabetes
Do you do anything special on your birthday? No not usually; I’ve never made anything much of my birthday, it isn’t in my culture
Three random facts: (1) spiders have 8 legs, (2) carp have teeth in their throat not their mouth, (3) while children of identical twins are legally first cousins, genetically they are actually half siblings
I’m not tagging people but permission is granted to anyone who wants to copy this and join in. The only rule is that you add a question to the list.
This year our Ten Things series is focusing on each month in turn. The Ten Things may include facts about the month, momentous events that happened, personal things, and any other idiocy I feel like – just because I can. So here are …
Ten Things about January
Surprise, surprise! … It’s New Year
Then there’s Twelfth Night
And my birthday
And Epiphany
The month was originally dedicated to Roman god Janus
Birthstone: Garnet
January corresponds to the Anglo-Saxon Wolf Month
Burns’ Night, when the Scots celebrate their national poet by eating haggis and drinking whisky, is on 25th
First recorded lottery was held in England in 1569
31st is allegedly sacred to the Valkyries and the Norns
Eccentric looks at life through the thoughts of a retired working thinker
If you had three wishes, what would you wish for? (1) Brexit is cancelled, (2) a magic carpet, (3) three more wishes