Has anyone read this? On Goodreads, reviews are mixed. It’s a “love it or hate it” book!

This might be more of an adult place, but I actually wish it had been around when my kids were younger:

https://www.timeout.com/singapore/news/we-found-singapores-tiniest-bookstore-nestled-in-chinatown-complex-market-specialising-in-vintage-picture-books-111725

Have been here several times, worth a visit!

So I actually love rereading, because I’ve missed so many things, and I’m often surprised by new information each time.

Btw to update: I just finished Ken Liu’s All that We See or Seem! I think his interpretation of how tech might evolve and impact humanity is very credible, given his education/professional experience. But I think I prefer writing that draws me in emotionally!

My next book: I’m going to finally try to finish Apeirogon, which is about the friendship between an Israeli and a Palestinian father. It’s actually really beautifully written and narrated (I have the audiobook), but somehow I never made time for it!

I find myself revisiting old books rather than new ones in recent years.

When I was young, I was criticised by a number of adults (aunts, teachers, parents) for rereading books - I really don’t understand why! I can’t see anything inherently bad about rereading books, especially if they aren’t 100% of the reading diet. I was such a voracious reader as a kid that I always ran out of books to read very quickly; if I wasn’t able to get to a physical library, I just reread what I had on hand (including the newspaper, any magazines I could lay my hands on, even labels on bottles…). I love to reread books just for their familiarity, or sometimes because I recall that something in a particular book resonates with something in my present. As a student, when my mind was exhausted from studying, I would revert to childhood favourites for ease of reading and familiarity - I reread the Narnia series countless times during my university years! I do make a point to read some new books as well, just for a good mix. Maybe I’m just odd…

Would prefer gravitating to short stories nowadays like Gaiman’s Fragile Things. I also Iike revisiting Tina Brown’s Vanity Fair Diaries (1982-1983) as I feel like I can read any entry and just root around from that point.

Classic ghost stories will always appeal to me especially those from MR James or EF Benson. Project Gutenberg has titles where the copyright has lapsed I think (not much schooled in IP there). I used to listen alot on Librivox, but these are from volunteer narrators so you have to find one whose accent and diction you can live with!

Recently I found Enid Blyton’s “Book of Brownies” on PDF and finished it in one sitting or less than an hour!

My kids’ Garfield compilations from over 20 years ago… Do they qualify as book reading?

Right now just slowly riffling through Bryony Gordon’s “No Such Thing As Normal”. Some mental wellbeing book where the author speaks to you like a comforting friend. Although I guess some parts I’ve zoned through as she’s in the UK and makes references to the NHS

I like audio as long as my hands are busy with something - some craft etc. If not, I fall asleep! Mostly, I still read rather than listen.

I remember BBC had these radio shows where they would act out Agatha Christie stories, and I used to love those! When you re-read crime and mystery stories, how does already knowing the ending impact the way that you enjoy the story?

I wouldn’t say I’m a big mystery fan, but Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is one of my faves, and I would reread that! More because I also see it as a commentary on long-term relationships and how toxic they can get.

Btw do you like audiobooks, and do you consider that to be reading too?

I don’t know whether ebooks are considered analog? I use an ereader for convenience and, to me, it is just a more a compact form of a physical book, and I prefer it to reading on a tablet or phone with all their distractions. When I lived overseas, borrowing from NLB was my main source of English books ever since I got my first ereader in 2011! As I got older, being able to adjust font size and screen lighting was a great boon - I now find that older editions of print books defeat me as the font was too small. I’ve also got used to the luxury of “going to the library” any time of the day or night, without setting foot outdoors, and not having to worry about overdues.

That said, my 4-yr-old Kobo just died on me yesterday! Half the screen went black, so I’ve just ordered a new one. In the meanwhile, I’m going to read on Libby on my phone.