Turtle Island by Sergio Ghione

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Julie Goucher

Turtle Island: A Journey to the World's Most…
This was a fascinating account of an Italian doctor who travels as a companion to his friend, an academic who was travelling to what is described as the remotest inhabited place on earth to study the amazing sea turtles that arrive each year, with the sole purpose of laying their eggs.

Turtle Island or its formal name of Ascension Island is truly remote with a population of around 1,000 people who live on the island because they are involved with working for the RAF (Royal Air Force) or NASA. Some people are fisherman and others work providing a functional service to the island.
The island is described as quirky, because this island exudes Britishness despite being in the Atlantic. Ascension Island is recorded as being a British Dependency, along with Gibraltar, the Falklands and St Helena.
The book is not laid out in diary format, but written in a comfortable and easy to read style recording simply the events that happened (or not) and why over the course of the month Sergio spent on the Island.  By the time the author had completed his book in October 1999, the island was less sleepy with some limited tourism and legislation was going through Parliament that would change the dynamics of the residents of the island.

At the end of the book is a fantastic webography and bibliography and I spent several hours reading and looking at the various web pages mentioned.

 

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Sunday Salon – Book Stores & Survival

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Julie Goucher

During the week a fellow blogger – BookTalk wrote a post following a recent business trip to the UK from the US. In that post the author expressed the view that books in the UK were expensive.

I commented with a similar thought following a recent trip to Australia and gave the example of:

“I was in a bookstore in Geelong (Victoria). There had a hardback size paperback edition of the wonderful The End of your Life Book Club for AU$37, now that was about £28 – hugely expensive for a paperback even if it is hardback size. Because of weight issue for the flight home I only bought 2 books and one of those I had purchased whilst in the UK and collected when downunder, so I noted the book title down. Back home I nipped onto Amazon and bought the hardback edition of this book for £6.38″

That gave rise to further considerations and whilst I posted a follow up to that thread at BookTalk, which you can read HERE I thought it would be a great post for Sunday Salon.

When the UK supermarkets started to sell books, they did so at reduced prices and there was almost an out cry. The books, often best sellers were at reduced prices – a paperback chart topper retailing in Waterstones with a recommended price of say £7.99 – 10.99 was on sale in Tesco for £3.86. The prices have gone up in the supermarkets more recently, but are still cheaper.

That said there is little appeal of book buying along with toilet rolls and a loaf of bread compared with the wonders of browsing (and hopefully buying) in a bookstore. Even though there is less appeal I have done it, tempted by the latest book of a particular author as way of offsetting the whole grocery shopping chaos.

Have I mentioned I hate queues, crying children and people who are pushing trolleys with wonky wheels and then stop in front of me to reach something from a shelf. There is something about supermarkets that turn reasonable, sweet elderly ladies & occasionally gents into violent, trolley pushing individuals. I know I am Mrs Grumpy!

In order to survive, bookstores need to diversify slightly – book marks, notebooks, cards and bookish items and be competitive. Bookstores need to gain back their zip factor, the thing that makes someone want to go into a shop and mooch about. In that mooching they may discover a book they feel that they can not manage without. At under a fiver (£5) they might purchase and if the book does not deliver well, it was cheap enough. At the price of books that are over the £7 mark people think twice. I know this because I have done it, and the moment you start to question yourself the book heads back to the shelf, where it probably remains. 
In the past I have worked for a major retailer – not books but a chain well known on the High Street. I often had to attend meetings at one of the larger stores which was located 3 doors up from a Waterstones. I would often arrive in this town early to spend an hour browsing the shelves at Waterstones and then head off to the meeting. A favourite was a meeting on late shopping day when I could spend time browsing without fear of being late! I nearly always left with a carrier bag with at least one book. Whilst I no longer work for that company and rarely go to that town I make no attempt to seek out Waterstones for a special trip because they have lost their zip factor.
On line bookstores have come along and all of a sudden that market share has reduced. A few years ago I was given a Waterstones voucher. I managed to purchase 4 books with the money and added a couple of pounds to complete the purchase. I can’t remember if I paid for delivery. I do remember the wait for the books, of at least 3 weeks. There had been no indication that a wait was likely. Those same books had I been able to purchase from Amazon would have left me enough money to buy a 5th book and half a 6th! Included free delivery and would have been with me within a week. Waterstones, wakey wakey! 
If the major retailers can not cope with the competition, how do the independent booksellers? The independents have a significant advantage. They have no corporate image to maintain. No central head office with planning the store and the stock done from behind a desk. Independents have the ease to diversify and to do it tastefully and in doing so appeal to perhaps another type of purchaser who perhaps will become a devoted shopper.
The keys elements to get people through the door and buying are
  • Window appeal – bright, clean and a wow factor
  • Stock presented nicely
  • a friendly, cosy feel
  • Pricing
  • good service
  • staff going the extra mile
If booksellers can do those things then they have a chance of remaining in our towns providing a great service and shopping environment, if they can’t well the doors close and Amazon gets another slice of the market share.
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Weekend Cooking – Cheese & Beer by Janet Fletcher

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Julie Goucher

Cheese & Beer by Janet Fletcher
I had a real urge to eat a huge chuck of cheddar through this book.

It is a rather fascinating account of which beers to drink and whilst consuming various cheeses.

A huge focus on beers of the US, but there was mention to some European beers and ales. Lots of explaining and information on why some beers are heavier than others and then why particular cheeses work with those beers.

There was mention to the various regional and area beers of the US and those that had a basis on beers from other Countries for example the beers that had an Irish heritage.

I have to say that I love cheese and probably rather boring in my consumption of it. I like a very strong cheddar. In England we tend to classify them with 1 meaning very mild and 5 very strong. I usually by at least a 4, whilst hubby likes a mild cheese usually a 1 or 2. Every now and again I offer him and piece of cheese which he takes and then I watch the facial expressions as he realises he has been “had” again!

That said, I do eat various Italian cheese, Edam from The Netherlands and I always used to like Roule with strawberry. A lovely soft French cheese was perfect with Hovis biscuits. Sold in very few places, there was a cheese shop in my home town and Harrods amongst a few others. Sadly, the makers have stopped making it. I did email the company, but never received a response.

Turning to the beer aspect of the book. I am not a beer drinker really, although I do like a shandy on a hot summers day, but those are few and far between in the wet isles! Meanwhile, hubby is the occasional beer drinker, liking lagers, and ales.

Here is a picture of a tinned advertising feature. These are reproductions, well they were made in the late 1980s from 1930s originals. The picture is of Newcastle Brown Ale, which is always the ale that I put in the Christmas Puddings then hubby gets the left overs!

For me this book was a winner. It made me think and reflect on our eating and drinking habits. Shared conversation hubby as we chatted about the various beers and cheeses.  This is definitely a book that would be great on my cookbook shelf and there is potential for someone to write a similar book featuring the various beers and ales of the United Kingdom.

Overall the book was comprehensive, well written and researched.

Disclaimer – I was provided with a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

 

Taking part in Weekend Cooking hosted by BethFishReads
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Sepia Saturday 168

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Julie Goucher

Having a mooch around my Guildford collection postcards.

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This first picture is of St Catherine’s school in Bramley and taken around 1905.

This postcard is after the effects of the storm in August 1906

Now in my original notes I had a question mark around the location.

On reflection, I think this is showing the Rodborough Buildings in the background. This is dated around 1904.


Taking part in Sepia Saturday

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The Hall St Catherine’s School Bramley circa 1915

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Julie Goucher

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The In-Depth Genealogist – Digital Magazine – Issue 2 – OUT NOW!

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Julie Goucher
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The next issue of the free digital magazine is available NOW!

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Enjoy this digital edition of the magazine? then why not stop by The In-Depth Genealogist and read the

You can read my Introduction post HERE and you can follow the column by visiting The In-Depth Genealogist website and subscribing via email or via twitter and Facebook.
This is a great addition to the genealogy market and I am very proud to be a part of it.
Happy reading & researching!
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Thursday Thoughts – Google Reader

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Julie Goucher

Catherine over at Seeking Susan, Meeting Marie has started a weekly theme called Thursday Thoughts. I don’t guarantee to play along each week, but today has been particularly irritating, so I though that I would share my thoughts.

Despite the fact that I once had a job role where I had to actively encourage, coach and support change to a business following a merger which in reality was a bit of company eradication, but that is another story, I actually don’t particularly like change.

I know what I like and if it works then why change it? Of course some things are not controlled by me and therefore the news shared in the early hours of Thursday morning about Google Reader closing in July was not in my opinion good news. I went to bed pondering on my next step.

By the time I got up the news was well across the internet with suggestions of alternatives out there for me to play about with…..and I did, a few of them.

I use Google Reader and I read all my RSS feeds via my iPad using an application that I paid for – Feeddler Pro. I like my system and it works.

Well after July it won’t! Maybe this is a bit out of proportion, but that is my Thursday Thought.

Are others as irritated as me?
What are your plans for an alternative?

Please share your thoughts.

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Main Blog – Anglers Rest

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Julie Goucher

My main blog is hosted at Anglers Rest, please join me there.

I usually post daily and share a mix of genealogy and books along with whatever else takes my fancy!

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Carling,Gill & Carling Ltd circa 1937

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Julie Goucher

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Two Days to Go……

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Julie Goucher
Next issue March 15th
Click HERE to subscribe
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