Goodreads Ireland discussion

Welcome to the group, Allan. It's lovely to meet you.

I have to say, the only author I've read from your lists is Steinbeck, but I'm a pretty a pretty big fan of his.

We're accepting nominations for our upcoming monthly read and quarterly Irish read. Maybe you'd like to join in, or just give a nomination for consideration?

Anyway, I look forward to chatting with you in the future.

Declan. :)

I've just read the review of HHhH and added it to my to-read list. It looks like the kind of novel I could really get stuck into.

Hi Allan

Welcome to the group. I'm a big Colin Bateman fan :-)

Kate

Allan wrote: "HHhH really is a super read. I'd had it on my to read list since it came out on hardback but wasn't sure, but when I saw the paperback reviews I invested in a copy and had it read in a couple of da..."

I've just added that, too.

Thanks, Allan.

Hi Allan - welcome to the group. Nice to see someone interested in Northern Irish fiction. It's not crime - so may not be up your street - but I wanted to point you in the direction of my novel, Dancing with Statues. It's part set in today's Northern Ireland and part set in Colombia and explores the parallels between the two. (So assuming you meant the continent of America it ticks both boxes in terms of geography!)
In particular it looks at them from the perspective of societies in transition with troubled histories and brighter futures. It's being marketed as a love story - which I thought might put male readers off - but actually several men have read it and loved it. As one male reviewer wrote "A love story? Maybe. A story I'd recommend? Definitely."
Any advice on the literary scene in Belfast would be most welcome. I'm in Bogotá so a bit out of touch with the scene at home.
Caroline

Dancing with Statues
Caroline Doherty de Novoa

HhHH was highly recommended by my favourite Book blogger but didn't work for me at all.

I just looked up what I said about it...

"I should have gone with my gut on this one and not the rave reviews. I knew factual history wasn't really my thing even if merging all the latest trickery from meta fiction and narrative non fiction, which I generally enjoy. It got a lot more exciting as it lead up to the main event but otherwise didn't do it for me."

Hi Allan!

That's so sad that there's only one independent book store in the city - I suppose that's the Amazon and Tesco effect. Yes, I think Nick Laird is a great writer in his own right - although I've often seen him referred to as Mr Zadie Smith.

Well there goes my theory that the only people who give out about ebooks are those that haven't actually tried it ebooks.

Re: HhHH yeah along with that and the much lauded Wolf Hall, I've totally learned my lesson, if something ain't your bag, it ain't your bag. No matter how many other people love it.

I used to love having shelves full of book, but recent circumstances caused me to sell quite a few to second-hand shops. Most of the money went towards new books, (perhaps a little ironically?). I still have around thirty books which I'll never sell: gifts and signed copies, but I just don't have the same attitude towards keeping books, any more.

I recently bought a much-maligned Kobo, which I actually really like. I've only had it for a few weeks but It's almost paid for itself in free classics. I will eventually fill my shelves with books, again, but I'll be quite fussy about what's allowed to stay there.

Allan wrote: "Hi folks!

I'm Allan, a teacher from Belfast. I have a pretty healthy appetite for American and Irish fiction, particularly Northern Irish, and love nothing better of an evening than to recline in..."

Is the one Independent bookstore you're referring to No Alibris? When I was last in Belfast in 2009, I bought books at the Queens University bookstore (is it Blackstone?) and Waterson's. I had to wait til I got to Dublin to get a couple of books they were out of in Belfast - Gerard Dawes' My Mother City and Ciaran Carson's Collected Poems. My most recent trip over I was only in Dublin and shopped at Hodges Figgis and of course as the luggage allowance has been reduced to a single bag to the US, paid for a second (and it wasn't cheap to do so).

I am sorry to hear the Queen's bookstore closed as they had a terrific selection. We have an exceptional independent bookstore here in Washington DC, Politics and Prose, which I mention here in Goodreads from time to time. They are going strong thanks to many things - the town, being located in an affluent neighborhood, having hundreds of readings a year and an exceptional staff. I saw John Boyne there this past Tuesday and he was terrific. His new book is The House of Special Purpose. I am glad to hear No Alibris is expanding and he is doing music! Colum McCann is one of my favorite writers and wonderful in person. I read Exchange Place but will have to look for the other one.
Yes, that is McHugh's in Belfast! We also had an awesome night at the John Hewitt Bar. I was there on a summer course at the Heaney Poetry Center at Queens.

Declan wrote: "I used to love having shelves full of book, but recent circumstances caused me to sell quite a few to second-hand shops. Most of the money went towards new books, (perhaps a little ironically?). I ..."

My sister imposed a one in one out policy on her book addict husband - every time he buys a new book he despairs over which one to get rid of. I keep telling her just buy him a kindle or kobo.

Allan wrote: "It is a pretty sad state of affairs, Caroline, that Belfast's only indie bookstore is No Alibis, as great a store as it is. Waterstones is grand and Easons has the basics, but I envy the choice big..."

I can't really complain about Amazon - they are the biggest distributor of my book. And the kindle has given me tonnes of extra packing space in my suitcase when going on holiday. I split my time between Bogotá and London and just adore wandering around the bookstores in London. Foyles is a favourite and the bar on the 5th floor of Waterstones is one of my favourite places to write during the day. There's only one English bookstore in Bogotá - it's actually really good but they can't stock everything.

Definitely. I took 11 books into town, today, in my pocket. It didn't even take up one whole percent of the memory.

Is Kindle the only e-book choice in Ireland, the UK and Europe? We have the choice to buy e-books through independent bookstores and they use the Kobo app or Kobo device. my link text"
I tend to buy Kindle versions from Amazon's deal of the day, and also will buy Nook books on sale. I read them all on my iPad mini. Yes I know the iPad mini is more expensive than the Kindle Fire or kindles, kobos etc. but I use if for so many other purposes such as Skyping, shooting video, email, when I am teaching etc.
I travel overseas one to three times a year. On my last trip I brought both physical books (old paperbacks I left behind when finished) and e-books. I am currently trying to read Life after Life as an e-book and finding it very hard to follow. It is the kind of book that jumps around and I'd like to be able to go back to check on details.

There are quite a few different choices. I bought the my Kobo because the it was dirt-cheap. It's the mini, and most people didn't like the 5 inch screen. I love it. It's fits in my trouser pocket, very easily.

It plays Kobo files, epub format and PDFs. I've been using Smashwords.com and Gutenburg.org. I've mostly been using to read classic sci-fi novels and shorts. Sometimes they're only available in text format on the website but I C&P them into a document and convert them to PDF. Then I use Adobe Digital editions to transfer them to my Kobo.

By the way, I should have my copy of Life After Lifer fairly soon. :)

Kobo's have been on special recently, though I don't recall the price - $39 or $59 - still pretty good. I see Eason's sells e-books but are there other outlets for ebooks in Ireland?

Most electronics stores will stock them. I bought mine in Argos which sells pretty much anything that isn't edible. There are plenty of stores in Dublin and I'm sure they're readily available in any decent sized town.

Allan wrote: "The Kobo sounds like a good job alright, Declan-much more compatible than the kindle by the sounds of it"

As far as I'm aware, Adobe DE is compatible with all ereaders. Definitely worth checking out.

Also, would you believe that I have never -not once- listened to an audio book?

Declan wrote: "Allan wrote: "The Kobo sounds like a good job alright, Declan-much more compatible than the kindle by the sounds of it"

As far as I'm aware, Adobe DE is compatible with all ereaders. Definitely wo..."

Such a good conversation going on here. :) I've enjoyed reading through it all. I'll have to check out audible.com. It sounds like it would be welcome company during work commutes. A long time ago I borrowed an audio book from the local library, and I liked the novel. I'm not sure why it hasn't occurred to me to do that more frequently. Habit, I guess?

I just read that Claire Messud will be reading from her new book in Boston in a couple of weeks. I'll put that on my calendar. I always find it so interesting to hear authors read--and talk--about their work and their writing process. A few years ago, Julian Barnes came to read and talk in Cambridge, MA. It was a Friday night and I did everything I could to get through rush hour traffic to see/hear him. I was late--of course!!--but the bits I heard were still fascinating.

Cathleen wrote: A few years ago, Julian Barnes came to read and talk in Cambridge, MA...

I would have loved to hear him speak. I read The Sense of an Ending as group read and was really impressed by it. I promised to read more of his work, but have somehow not gotten round to it.

I might get some ABs and stick them on my iPod. I really should give them a whirl.

Wow! That's great, Allan. I'll try Librivox for a start and see how I find that.

Allan wrote: "I've definitely nothing against Amazon, Caroline-there's no mission I'd have discovered as many authors or been as widely read as I am without them-I totally see the benefit for authors getting the..."

Allan - so I assume you haven't told your other half about my sister's one in one out policy! I've tried Audible for a few books - but you're right - I found it expensive - I didn't realise they had a subscription option that was cheaper.

Allan wrote: "I've definitely nothing against Amazon, Caroline-there's no mission I'd have discovered as many authors or been as widely read as I am without them-I totally see the benefit for authors getting the..."

I have looked at the John Hewitt Summer School in Armagh for a couple of years. They don't have any details yet on the schedule this year. But it's not likely I'll make it - looks fascinating though.

Great to have another Audiobook fan on board. I'm forever singing their praises here. I'd never get through a fraction of the books I do without audio. Almost all of my books are audio these days.

I keep meeting people at parties who can't believe how many books I get through (with 3 kids in tow) and want to know my secret. It's mostly BECAUSE I have so much tidying and stuff to do every night, which I find impossible to do without an audiobook on the go.

Though - it just doesn't seem to work for some people. My wife can't bear the slow pace. (it takes her months to get to the end of a book I've finished in no time though - hare and the tortoise)

"Particularly since Amazon took over Audible, the choice on offer has improved massively."
Really? I'm on Audible.com because they have a much broader range than audible.co.uk and there are a few other things that are better, but I'd still rather be... closer to home. There's the odd book that's only available on co.uk. I might switch back to co.uk and see if the selection has improved.

I'm sure there are plenty of good examples with Librovox, but I tried one and it was the most amateur recording I ever heard. Performance, sound quality, production... everything was awful. Maybe I was really unlucky but I couldn't get back to the pros quick enough.

I think it was this one http://librivox.org/ulysses-by-james-...

Part of my reluctance to quit reading for audio is that reading helps me nod off to sleep. I might try to incorporate some into my dog walking.

Declan wrote: "Part of my reluctance to quit reading for audio is that reading helps me nod off to sleep."

Me too. I've read myself to sleep every night for as long as I can remember. I don't make much progress with the bed time books these days though. I'm OUT after half a page some nights! No reason you can't do both though. I always have a Kindle-iPad book on the go for bedtime and an Audiobook all the other times.

An audiobook is just as good for getting me off to sleep as actual reading but it's a bit messy. You lose you place etc.

I might download on this evening and take my dog pn a long walk tonight. Maybe I'll take to it?

I'd love to be able to use Audible.com but my understanding was that using a UK based credit card...

I just added the billing address "1, fifth avenue
The bronx, NY 10001, United States" and voila :)

It just goes to show how ridiculous geographically restricted releases are when it comes to digital.

Yeah - I don't have a US based card.

It's a completely separate account. You start afresh with a new library.

The Web sites are quite different also. There seems to be better features on the .com and it seems to have a lot more attention paid to it.

Obviously it's all quite US biased when it comes to reviews, and recommended books etc, and that doesn't always pan out as well as a uk-based site. I And there are books that only get a UK release also. So that goes both ways.

Allan wrote: "wasn't on it isn't on .com either unfortunately."

That's a pity. Make sure your audible.co.uk is properly turned off. I thought I had stopped it but I overlooked something. I can't remember what exactly... I left auto-purchases on or something like that. Though I was able to return them.

And welcome to the US! Let's meet up in the Big Apple some night :)