tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62183194869303501312012-01-20T17:44:05.870-08:00Dr Kelp (aka Grant) is a reader from way back (remember Janet and John). On this blog he shares his conventional, and not so conventional views. The subjects covered will be eclectic and a free form rave about life and its vagaries but will focus on books, poetry and the reading experience...drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-11659895684571599592012-01-20T17:44:00.000-08:002012-01-20T17:44:05.908-08:002012-01-20T17:44:05.908-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> &nbsp;This book really gripped me and was a very good reflection on the artistic lifestyle as compared to life in high flying corporate life. The end has a twist that is realistic and I would recommend it. My early thoughts on this book including the authors name are in recent posts about I Love the Library.<br /> <br /> DK<br /> <a href="http://drkelp.co.uk/"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-1165989568457159959?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/P2QOfGbJfivMhWNmyZRTOU5P32E/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/P2QOfGbJfivMhWNmyZRTOU5P32E/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/P2QOfGbJfivMhWNmyZRTOU5P32E/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/P2QOfGbJfivMhWNmyZRTOU5P32E/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/s-3DCmtiqtc" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2012/01/dear-money.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-65306746418784165932012-01-20T15:20:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:20:24.886-08:002012-01-20T15:20:24.886-08:00Regular readers of this blog know that I spent three years, until October 2011, living in the UK. At the time we shifted there from New Zealand I had to leave my beloved home library behind and was only allowed, by she who must be obeyed, to take 100 of my favourite books with me. The idea was that I would buy no books and use the public library. So what happened? You guessed it, I ended up with nearly 500 new books.<br /> <br /> I now have all my old books and new books reunited and it is just like a party or conference where you meet old friends. I forgot some of the gems I had and it has been a real pleasure opening the boxes and seeing books I had forgotten about.<br /> <br /> I have been buying books since a chance meeting with hundreds of back editions of the Readers Digest when I was 10 years old. My books track my life as a teenager, student, young married man, father, uncle, friend, book club attender, library lover and shows my slow maturity!!<br /> <br /> My best buy in the UK, by the way, was a first edition of Virginia Woolf's book, Flush. I discovered this in a seconhand bookshop in Alnwick (Barter Books).<br /> <br /> Well I must go and get back to the reading.<br /> <br /> Adios<br /> <br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-6530674641878416593?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sRpIA4xjefAffrZTYqcFOSU6Kcg/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sRpIA4xjefAffrZTYqcFOSU6Kcg/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sRpIA4xjefAffrZTYqcFOSU6Kcg/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sRpIA4xjefAffrZTYqcFOSU6Kcg/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/IdWz-nCoe_8" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2012/01/reunited-with-old-friends-my-books.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-24990862760149618942012-01-14T15:37:00.000-08:002012-01-14T15:38:13.812-08:002012-01-14T15:38:13.812-08:00The great thing about reading is that you can travel in your head (imagination department). In the last 24 hours I have read myself to New York (twice in fact once NY 1764 and the second NY 2004!), China, Maine and London - I am exhausted. Which makes me think that we also travel in time, every book is a time capsule. <br /> <br /> I just love reading.<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-2499086276014961894?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/m5sI8_MqeEiq2LSiUookIg1VEIo/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/m5sI8_MqeEiq2LSiUookIg1VEIo/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/m5sI8_MqeEiq2LSiUookIg1VEIo/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/m5sI8_MqeEiq2LSiUookIg1VEIo/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/w8WSSongI_8" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2012/01/traveling-in-my-head.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-80366563694875539402012-01-11T02:45:00.000-08:002012-01-11T03:01:43.249-08:002012-01-11T03:01:43.249-08:00<div class="iblogger-post">I recently found an excellent course on iTunes from La Trobe University in Melbourne Australia. it is on post colonial children's literature and it is fascinating.<br/><br/>The lecturer is very entertaining but brings the salient points across in a very clear way.<br/><br/>The themes of colonialism, post colonialism, the Aboriginal and European voice and who owns the story is gripping listening.<br/><br/>Not a book but about books. The story of Little Black Sambo in colonial times and it's form in post colonial times is provocative and challenging.</div><div class="iblogger-footer"><p>[Posted with <a href="http://illuminex.com/iBlogger/index.html">iBlogger</a> from my iPhone]</p></div> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-8036656369487553940?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jDDZW7ee82dzcpv36YnspT6S13M/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jDDZW7ee82dzcpv36YnspT6S13M/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jDDZW7ee82dzcpv36YnspT6S13M/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jDDZW7ee82dzcpv36YnspT6S13M/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/1_xQZyjmQ80" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2012/01/post-colonial-children-literature.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-32015380496007590852012-01-07T15:50:00.000-08:002012-01-07T15:50:34.456-08:002012-01-07T15:50:34.456-08:00In my blog yesterday I mentioned about the two books I got out at the last moment. I got a start on both of them yesterday and will give my impressions below.<br /> <br /> <b>Book One</b><br /> <br /> <i>The English Class by Ouyang Yu</i><br /> <br /> The story follows the journey of a young Chinese man from being a truck driver, learning English by himself and then ending up at university studying English. This is a tale of two cultures and the aspirations of a young man who wants to escape China. It is well written and the storyline moves forward briskly. The characters are rounded and I am hooked already.<br /> <br /> <b>Book Two</b><br /> <br /> <i>Dear Money by Martha McPhee</i><br /> <br /> This story follows the adventure of a 38 year old novelist who becomes a Wall Street trader on a dare. It is a poignant look at the<br /> interrelationships between art and business, between the avocation of literature and the pursuit of wealth. This will appeal to those who want a glimpse into the corporate life through the eyes of an artist. Not as compelling as <i>The English Class </i> but a good read nonetheless.<br /> <br /> I love books...<br /> <br /> Grant aka drkelp<br /> Books completed 2012 = 0<br /> <br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-3201538049600759085?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0u-tu7W0ZHAmnQJ4YYx7NbiticM/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0u-tu7W0ZHAmnQJ4YYx7NbiticM/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0u-tu7W0ZHAmnQJ4YYx7NbiticM/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0u-tu7W0ZHAmnQJ4YYx7NbiticM/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/9loj55i1pbY" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-love-library-sequel.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-19526954253882269272012-01-06T21:43:00.000-08:002012-01-06T21:43:38.623-08:002012-01-06T21:43:38.623-08:00It is a wet Saturday here so I took my two daughters to the library. We are all readers and the library is our favourite place (apart from the Internet). As we have only recently returned to New Zealand from the UK we had to supply proof of address to the library. Until we provided it we could only take out one book each!! Well we took the info in today and now we can take out 20 books each. Yippee.<br /> <br /> The downside is that we got to the library 10 minutes before closing so I only had time to get two books.<br /> <br /> <b>Book One</b><br /> <i>The English Class by Ouyang Yu</i><br /> <br /> <b>Book Two</b><br /> <i>Dear Money by Martha McPhee</i><br /> <br /> They both look great, leave a comment if you have read either of them.<br /> <br /> Well I'm off to have a relaxing read.<br /> <br /> Keep well<br /> <br /> Grant aka drkelp<br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-1952695425388226927?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Aui8o0zxq_OxgR7Op-jBrJq95rk/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Aui8o0zxq_OxgR7Op-jBrJq95rk/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Aui8o0zxq_OxgR7Op-jBrJq95rk/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Aui8o0zxq_OxgR7Op-jBrJq95rk/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/lajV-pISEjM" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-love-library.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-32074671749368800262012-01-01T02:02:00.000-08:002012-01-01T02:02:42.185-08:002012-01-01T02:02:42.185-08:00Last year was not a great year of reading for me. Only read 37 books which is a new low for me. Still the books I did read were excellent and I sucked the goodness out of them. My goal for this year is 100 books which I hope to achieve plus some.<br /> <br /> I am still wading through Proust but I have a lot of biography and letters to read in 2012 including the letters of the Mitford sisters, Nigel Nicholson and Philip Larkin.<br /> <br /> Wish me luck :)<br /> <br /> Grant<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-3207467174936880026?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gwrLXAne9MbNr8R86F_5paPMLnc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gwrLXAne9MbNr8R86F_5paPMLnc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gwrLXAne9MbNr8R86F_5paPMLnc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gwrLXAne9MbNr8R86F_5paPMLnc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/49sOFlXibiE" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2012/01/happy-reading.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-50293350410671905792011-06-03T11:55:00.000-07:002011-06-03T11:55:46.297-07:002011-06-03T11:55:46.297-07:00I loved this autobiography by the inimitable Stephen Fry: author, comedian, bon vivant and actor. This book gives a very good insight into what makes Fry tick. Great stuff on every page, with lots of laughs.<br /> <br /> Highly Recommended<br /> <br /> DK<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-5029335041067190579?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/xC9xwRR1iAVlVF8T2KPvj6BTSy0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/xC9xwRR1iAVlVF8T2KPvj6BTSy0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/xC9xwRR1iAVlVF8T2KPvj6BTSy0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/xC9xwRR1iAVlVF8T2KPvj6BTSy0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/rxUDb4jbbvs" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2011/06/fry-chronicles-great-read.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-20752778216263176822011-05-30T07:57:00.000-07:002011-05-30T07:57:52.151-07:002011-05-30T07:57:52.151-07:00If you enjoy reading the fiction and non fiction of Virginia Woolf then I would love to hear from you at the Viriginia Woolf Discussion Group at Yahoo.<br /> <br /> You can subscribe at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/virginiawoolfclub/<br /> <br /> We are a mixed group of literature lovers and academics, common readers who share an interest in Woolf's work.<br /> <br /> Hoping to see you there.<br /> <br /> Grant<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-2075277821626317682?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/aVdMYqZSivN34C9ZkaonPgiTrkA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/aVdMYqZSivN34C9ZkaonPgiTrkA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/aVdMYqZSivN34C9ZkaonPgiTrkA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/aVdMYqZSivN34C9ZkaonPgiTrkA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/7dkHVS3yKPI" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2011/05/looking-for-those-interested-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-73829603142581170272011-05-28T08:49:00.000-07:002011-05-28T08:49:05.207-07:002011-05-28T08:49:05.207-07:00I am now onto Volume Two of Proust's In Search of Lost Time. I really enjoyed Volume 1 and Volume 2 has started well. I am behind schedule but still progressing, I will succeed but it might not be by years end as originally planned. As I progress through Volume 4 of Virginia Woolf's Diaries I am finding more references to Proust. I can see why she was fascinated and I think they are kindred writing spirits.<br /> <br /> Have a great day<br /> <br /> DK<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-7382960314258117027?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/76ooWQxAHYhJngvsG8r6ZGfB318/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/76ooWQxAHYhJngvsG8r6ZGfB318/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/76ooWQxAHYhJngvsG8r6ZGfB318/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/76ooWQxAHYhJngvsG8r6ZGfB318/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/wRiTcnXT4Hk" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-am-still-prousting.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-20619502596547949672011-03-24T03:34:00.000-07:002012-01-14T15:38:42.421-08:002012-01-14T15:38:42.421-08:00“Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity.” <br /> G. K. Chesterton quotes (English born Gabonese Critic, Essayist, Novelist and Poet, 1874-1936)<br /> <br /> I have to concede with GKC on this one. I need fiction to live. Reading fiction exercises the imagination and allows me to go where I have not been before. I also like the luxury of literature. Literature is my hobby and I get great pleasure from it. Though ploughing through the Diaries of Virginia Woolf and Reading Proust's masterpiece can sometimes be a slog!<br /> <br /> Keep Reading<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nhX1tlwk4eI/TwmCFwPboAI/AAAAAAAAAE8/Ki0WO6RiJnc/s640/blogger-image-1243344189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nhX1tlwk4eI/TwmCFwPboAI/AAAAAAAAAE8/Ki0WO6RiJnc/s640/blogger-image-1243344189.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-2061950259654794967?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7kGu325wlICtAitEjfyvfsEYj1Y/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7kGu325wlICtAitEjfyvfsEYj1Y/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7kGu325wlICtAitEjfyvfsEYj1Y/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7kGu325wlICtAitEjfyvfsEYj1Y/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/K9TeZFLYr4Y" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2011/03/g-k-chesterton-on-fiction.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-38791703136691601602011-03-23T10:06:00.000-07:002011-03-23T10:06:11.937-07:002011-03-23T10:06:11.937-07:00"No one is useless in this world," retorted the Secretary, "who lightens the burden of it for any one else." ~ Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens<br /> <br /> We can all do something to lighten the burden for another so none of us is useless. When I read this quote I felt strangely uplifted.<br /> <br /> Keep well<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-3879170313669160160?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/OjHCSQABYpUl7ON-9Wz3ySVVt_4/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/OjHCSQABYpUl7ON-9Wz3ySVVt_4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/OjHCSQABYpUl7ON-9Wz3ySVVt_4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/OjHCSQABYpUl7ON-9Wz3ySVVt_4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/v8IG2Uu2YcE" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2011/03/great-quote-from-charles-dickens.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-20322965944800436332011-01-31T02:55:00.000-08:002011-01-31T02:56:54.014-08:002011-01-31T02:56:54.014-08:00I an still steaming ahead through Volume 1. The narrator has just spied Madame Guermantes and decided she is disappointing compared to the stained glass window depiction of her ancestor. The Ideal versus the Real.<br/><br/>Tonight I will add another excerpt from the book as a taster. <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-2032296594480043633?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/00lkMlyxAJEwKJNc81euaIwjvXM/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/00lkMlyxAJEwKJNc81euaIwjvXM/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/00lkMlyxAJEwKJNc81euaIwjvXM/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/00lkMlyxAJEwKJNc81euaIwjvXM/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/76XxsxETFR4" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2011/01/proust-journey-3.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-39260360316780231042011-01-13T01:14:00.000-08:002011-01-13T01:14:57.010-08:002011-01-13T01:14:57.010-08:00I have got to page 143 of the first volume!!<br /> <br /> Quote today is about fine things:<br /> <br /> "The truth was that she could never permit herself to buy anything from which no intellectual profit was to be derived, above all the profit which fine things afford us by teaching us to seek our pleasures elsewhere than in the barren satisfaction of worldly wealth."<br /> <br /> This quote realtes to the purchase of a set of classical books for the narrator.<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-3926036031678023104?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7ATtJf5wZKoZ4H0oyVfN_Geea9o/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7ATtJf5wZKoZ4H0oyVfN_Geea9o/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7ATtJf5wZKoZ4H0oyVfN_Geea9o/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7ATtJf5wZKoZ4H0oyVfN_Geea9o/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/tqwLivqYihs" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2011/01/proust-journey-2.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-32332662548257606462011-01-06T07:31:00.000-08:002011-01-06T07:40:16.085-08:002011-01-06T07:40:16.085-08:00I had a very interesting discussion today about eBooks, Kindle devices, iPads and physical books. I am sure that these kind of discussions are going on all over the world. The end result was that we all agreed that reading was life-changing and enjoyable no matter what the delivery mechanism was. I love eBooks when travelling, which I do as part of my profession, as they weigh nothing and are very portable. I remember once when I went to Bangkok on business and had 20 physical books with me, that the Customs official asked me whether I was thinking of starting a library in Thailand. That was before the advent of the eBook where I literally do have a library on my iPhone.<br/><br/><div class="iblogger-footer"><br clear="all"/><p style="text-align:right;font-size:10px;">[Posted with <a href="http://illuminex.com/iBlogger/index.html">iBlogger</a> from my iPhone]</p><br/></div> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-3233266254825760646?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7QB3n6eOEZqom0iFjZsBM2XLtyg/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7QB3n6eOEZqom0iFjZsBM2XLtyg/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7QB3n6eOEZqom0iFjZsBM2XLtyg/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/7QB3n6eOEZqom0iFjZsBM2XLtyg/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/wiT_yjEgc9U" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2011/01/books-are-joy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-714667071726281872011-01-04T12:18:00.000-08:002011-01-04T12:18:52.659-08:002011-01-04T12:18:52.659-08:00But then, even in the most insignificant details of our daily life, none of us can be said to constitute a material whole, which is identical for everyone and need only be turned up like a page in an account-book or the record of a will; our social personality is a creation of the thoughts of other people" (Vol 1, p23)<br /> <br /> In this age of social networking Proust's words here seem prescient. None of us has a single persona especially not to others. This is as true of each of us as it is for Swann, Proust's protagonist here.<br /> <br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-71466707172628187?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hecoecOAwmsSVk4vWUMasYv5OYw/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hecoecOAwmsSVk4vWUMasYv5OYw/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hecoecOAwmsSVk4vWUMasYv5OYw/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hecoecOAwmsSVk4vWUMasYv5OYw/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/4vsvzl-e730" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2011/01/proust-comment-1.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-35916618537406393512011-01-04T11:57:00.000-08:002011-01-04T11:57:46.018-08:002011-01-04T11:57:46.018-08:00The New Year Challenge is upon me, and you my reader are here to cheer me on. In 2011 my aim is to read through the 6 volumes of In Search Of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. many better people have stumbled at such a task but I am going to give it a try.<br /> <br /> I am going to use this blog to keep track of my progress and any observations along the way.<br /> <br /> Wish me luck<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://drkelp.co.uk/"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-3591661853740639351?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/OMWDM7f5iQwM8ATg6Yh4YKQymA8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/OMWDM7f5iQwM8ATg6Yh4YKQymA8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/OMWDM7f5iQwM8ATg6Yh4YKQymA8/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/OMWDM7f5iQwM8ATg6Yh4YKQymA8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/3JTZTnJdYmM" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2011/01/2011-romp-through-proust-has-begun.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-24724633241652535122010-12-30T17:08:00.000-08:002010-12-30T17:14:55.173-08:002010-12-30T17:14:55.173-08:00Scarborough is a Yorkshire town in the NE of England. not a place that people think of much. I have been there once and liked it. Imagine my surprise when I started reading two books this week and they both have Scarborough connections. <br/><br/>The books are Jacob's Room by Virginia Woolf and The Life of Pi.<br/><br/>I love these quirky things that arise from reading. next time I go to Scarborough it will be a different place to me because of it's literary associations.<div class="iblogger-footer"><br clear="all"/><p style="text-align:right;font-size:10px;">[Posted with <a href="http://illuminex.com/iBlogger/index.html">iBlogger</a> from my iPhone]</p><br/></div> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-2472463324165253512?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gnb9QYIW94GBj8Ijjbn4pR5FDiY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gnb9QYIW94GBj8Ijjbn4pR5FDiY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gnb9QYIW94GBj8Ijjbn4pR5FDiY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gnb9QYIW94GBj8Ijjbn4pR5FDiY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/911nyY4cP3o" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2010/12/coincidence-in-scarborough.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-64960640337836348912010-12-20T05:46:00.000-08:002010-12-20T05:46:51.000-08:002010-12-20T05:46:51.000-08:00I loved this quote on the BBC about the origins of English or "Englishes".<br /> <br /> “We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.” — James Nicoll<br /> <br /> Isn't that the truth.<br /> <br /> DK<p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-6496064033783634891?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/q6f7A8GJSR-p4NUVhyypGruYksw/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/q6f7A8GJSR-p4NUVhyypGruYksw/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/q6f7A8GJSR-p4NUVhyypGruYksw/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/q6f7A8GJSR-p4NUVhyypGruYksw/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/9z8Esx7HKGM" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2010/12/origin-of-english.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-85667771579829400552010-11-19T05:11:00.000-08:002010-11-19T05:11:59.396-08:002010-11-19T05:11:59.396-08:00I was listening to the Yale University literature podcast recently and came across a new author, well new to me anyway. Her name is Penelope Lively. The book of hers discussed and that I really enjoyed was Moon Tiger. <br /> <br /> As Anne Tyler says, Leaves its traces in the air long after you've put it away. A brief synopsis is as follows: Claudia Hampton, a beautiful, famous writer, lies dying in hospital. But, as the nurses tend to her with quiet condescension, she is plotting her greatest work...<br /> <br /> A Five star DK Recommendation<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://bit.ly/drkelp"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><p><br /> <a href="http://astore.amazon.co.uk/tmp04-21"><b>The MBSPoet's Book Store</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-8566777157982940055?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4mlgBi8IckjC3x4J3zuMGB16JgU/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4mlgBi8IckjC3x4J3zuMGB16JgU/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4mlgBi8IckjC3x4J3zuMGB16JgU/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4mlgBi8IckjC3x4J3zuMGB16JgU/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/yhecSn4O62A" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com1http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-find.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-81420776300649509272010-10-22T03:41:00.000-07:002010-10-22T03:41:04.302-07:002010-10-22T03:41:04.302-07:00Are you a Proust fan? If you are then this book, Paintings in Proust, A Visual Companion to 'In Search of Lost Time' will be very informative. In Proust's book In Search of Lost Time there are a lot of references to various paintings. The book Paintings in Proust has photo's of the paintings intercalated with the relevant quotes in the book. Worth reading and a fantastic reference book.<br /> <br /> DK<p><a href="http://bit.ly/drkelp"><b>DK's Top Traffic Exchanges</b></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-8142077630064950927?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/pBqJqk9EPkUIrGc-PnNpe8V9s2w/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/pBqJqk9EPkUIrGc-PnNpe8V9s2w/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/pBqJqk9EPkUIrGc-PnNpe8V9s2w/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/pBqJqk9EPkUIrGc-PnNpe8V9s2w/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/VYOiFD1tIOQ" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2010/10/book-review-paintings-in-proust.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-88389588423056006312010-06-09T01:38:00.000-07:002010-06-09T01:38:00.234-07:002010-06-09T01:38:00.234-07:00Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function. - Unknown [via IQuote for iPhone]<div class="iblogger-footer"><br clear="all"/><p style="text-align:right;font-size:10px;">[Posted with <a href="http://illuminex.com/iBlogger/index.html">iBlogger</a> from my iPhone]</p><br/></div> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-8838958842305600631?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Dnzf0OeazS7NVtObyypqITzIN4c/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Dnzf0OeazS7NVtObyypqITzIN4c/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Dnzf0OeazS7NVtObyypqITzIN4c/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Dnzf0OeazS7NVtObyypqITzIN4c/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/YVfTMuAzgA4" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com1http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2010/06/cats.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-13198509249226114182010-06-08T05:53:00.000-07:002010-06-08T05:53:00.187-07:002010-06-08T05:53:00.187-07:00Often we have a misguided sense that we are very important, me included. The quote below gives us some perspective.<br/><br/> It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others. - John Andrew Holmes [via IQuote for iPhone]<br/><div class="iblogger-footer"><br clear="all"/><p style="text-align:right;font-size:10px;">[Posted with <a href="http://illuminex.com/iBlogger/index.html">iBlogger</a> from my iPhone]</p><br/></div> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-1319850924922611418?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/1NIrZmulZBoDWj6MGX1vN0Mc4K0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/1NIrZmulZBoDWj6MGX1vN0Mc4K0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/1NIrZmulZBoDWj6MGX1vN0Mc4K0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/1NIrZmulZBoDWj6MGX1vN0Mc4K0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/4ZQ7FADt3pc" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2010/06/you-are-insignificant.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-53057387739281329892010-06-06T15:29:00.000-07:002010-06-06T15:29:00.693-07:002010-06-06T15:29:00.693-07:00Even with the best of maps and instruments, we can never fully chart our journeys. - Gail Pool [via IQuote for iPhone]<br/><br/>That doesn't mean we shouldn't try. That is why we have blogs<br/> <div class="iblogger-footer"><br clear="all"/><p style="text-align:right;font-size:10px;">[Posted with <a href="http://illuminex.com/iBlogger/index.html">iBlogger</a> from my iPhone]</p><br/></div> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-5305738773928132989?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sRnVa2pzZzM9paxd6w5oltRVMmE/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sRnVa2pzZzM9paxd6w5oltRVMmE/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sRnVa2pzZzM9paxd6w5oltRVMmE/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/sRnVa2pzZzM9paxd6w5oltRVMmE/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/3Tulb9svo1E" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2010/06/today-quote-june-6.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218319486930350131.post-46549990530844429132010-04-05T12:08:00.000-07:002010-04-05T12:11:33.235-07:002010-04-05T12:11:33.235-07:00I have just found a booklovers tool for the iPhone. It is an application called Freeaudiobooks. You pay a very small amount but get access to over 2700 audiobooks. I have been downloading like crazy!! It is great to listen to a book when you are travelling and motion makes reading hard.<br/><br/><br/>Ciao<br/><br/>DK<br/><div class="iblogger-footer"><br clear="all"/><p style="text-align:right;font-size:10px;">[Posted with <a href="http://illuminex.com/iBlogger/index.html">iBlogger</a> from my iPhone]</p><br/></div> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6218319486930350131-4654999053084442913?l=drkelp.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/nxINx7z19IFLdUMFYH-wBRHJ2g0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/nxINx7z19IFLdUMFYH-wBRHJ2g0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/nxINx7z19IFLdUMFYH-wBRHJ2g0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/nxINx7z19IFLdUMFYH-wBRHJ2g0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/DrKelpsBookBlog/~4/PVf3yUq-VWw" height="1" width="1"/>drkelphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05442119985694486571noreply@blogger.com0http://drkelp.blogspot.com/2010/04/audio-book-paradise-for-iphone.html