World waits for Harry Potter's last adventure
Harry Potter will been winging his way overseas like never before after the final instalment of the boy wizard's tale notched up record orders from abroad.
With less than a month to go before Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hits bookstores, publisher Bloomsbury said today that export orders were already 17% ahead of total export sales for the previous book.
Bloomsbury, whose fortunes have been transformed over the past 10 years by JK Rowling's creation, will be following up the seventh and final book's July 21 launch with boxed set editions of the complete series on October 1. The paperback edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is due in 2008.
Amazon said earlier this month that it has already racked up more than 1m pre-orders of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Chief executive Jeff Bezos admitted to shareholders that the web retailer would not make any profit on the bestseller, which is being widely discounted. Barnes & Noble, the US bookseller, said in April that it expects to take over 1m pre-orders, more than doubling its previous record.
Harry Potter has enjoyed huge success overseas and is published in 65 languages, while the films based on JK Rowling's books have pulled in substantial box office takings.
Bloomsbury's export orders come from more than 60 countries and are all for the English language version.
From Guardian Unlimited
Thursday 28 June 2007
Monday 25 June 2007
My love for bestseller books
I always make sure that I spend money on things that I would not feel guilty about later. This means that I’m not the type of person who goes on shopping sprees at the mall and buy things that I'll never actually wear. I can proudly say that I don't live a lavish life with material possessions that I have no need for.
However, books seem to be my weakness because I spend a lot of my money on them. You can often see me spending most of my time in a bookstore. I feel like I’m in heaven when I walk into Borders or Barnes and Noble and see the bestseller books aisle. A person can never have too many books or read too much in my opinion.
I’m very capable of recommending a particular author to my friends and family because I've read so many bestseller books. In fact, many of my coworkers know that they don't need to go out and purchase the bestseller books they're dying to read. After all, they can simply wait for a few weeks and then they can borrow my books.
About five years ago, I joined the Literary Guild book club and have long since fulfilled my required obligation. I love the fact that I can get most of the bestseller books for half the cost by joining the club. I can read a book in a weekend if it is worth reading.
Through the years, I have learned that bestseller books are not always the best books on the market. I've been won over by new authors or little known authors after I read so many of their books. I've passed those books onto coworkers who have also have never heard of the authors. Many of them agree that these less known books are much better than the some of the bestseller books that are on the market.
I think that some well-known authors' books go straight to the bestseller shelves simply because of the prominence of the author. It’s not fair but I guess that’s just the way the market seems to work. Now, I’m not condemning the bestseller books that are on the market because I’m just criticizing the system.
By: Morgan Hamilton
Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Bestseller Books. Visit our site for more helpful information about Bestseller Books and other similar topics.
However, books seem to be my weakness because I spend a lot of my money on them. You can often see me spending most of my time in a bookstore. I feel like I’m in heaven when I walk into Borders or Barnes and Noble and see the bestseller books aisle. A person can never have too many books or read too much in my opinion.
I’m very capable of recommending a particular author to my friends and family because I've read so many bestseller books. In fact, many of my coworkers know that they don't need to go out and purchase the bestseller books they're dying to read. After all, they can simply wait for a few weeks and then they can borrow my books.
About five years ago, I joined the Literary Guild book club and have long since fulfilled my required obligation. I love the fact that I can get most of the bestseller books for half the cost by joining the club. I can read a book in a weekend if it is worth reading.
Through the years, I have learned that bestseller books are not always the best books on the market. I've been won over by new authors or little known authors after I read so many of their books. I've passed those books onto coworkers who have also have never heard of the authors. Many of them agree that these less known books are much better than the some of the bestseller books that are on the market.
I think that some well-known authors' books go straight to the bestseller shelves simply because of the prominence of the author. It’s not fair but I guess that’s just the way the market seems to work. Now, I’m not condemning the bestseller books that are on the market because I’m just criticizing the system.
By: Morgan Hamilton
Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Bestseller Books. Visit our site for more helpful information about Bestseller Books and other similar topics.
Saturday 23 June 2007
Wedding speeches in books.
If anybody is thinking of getting married, or being a part of a wedding as a best man, father of the bride, no doubt at some time in the proceedings it will come around to speeches.
Now if you are anything like me speeches do not come readily to mind, what to put in them, when to make them, how to make them. Well one of the best resources for help is obviously a book if only to give you some ideas, so I would recommend a couple of websites if only to let you know you are not alone in this predicament.
Wedding speeches
Wedding toasts
Now if you are anything like me speeches do not come readily to mind, what to put in them, when to make them, how to make them. Well one of the best resources for help is obviously a book if only to give you some ideas, so I would recommend a couple of websites if only to let you know you are not alone in this predicament.
Wedding speeches
Wedding toasts
Speed Reading Books
Are you Reading as Many Books as You'd Like?
Do you read as much as you'd like, or as many as you'd like of the books you're interested in? Have you ever ploughed through a book purely because you felt you should finish it, rather than because you were enjoying it? Try this short exercise - it will profoundly affect the way you look at your reading choices.
• How many books do you read on average a month?
• Multiply that figure by 12
• How many years of life would you like to think you have left?
• Multiply the number of years by the number of books you can read in a year
• That figure is the likely number of books you'll read in the rest of your life, unless you learn to read faster.
How do you feel about that? And faced with that knowledge, are you happy with the selections you're currently making?
The time spent on today's reading prevents you reading something else. Life is one of choice - make sure your choices take you in the direction you wish to go. The readers in a community are the leaders of the community.
My biggest recommendation to increase your reading rate is to attend a rapid reading course (sometimes called speed reading). You'll probably have access to some in your community (along with the list of reading resources we're building on this site), but the single most important element is the on-going practice.
If you want to try a few techniques on your own here are a few key pointers, but please don't consider this the definitive instruction on how to speed-read. It's only to whet your appetite. You really need to attend a course to be pushed to significantly higher levels of competency, because only an external person can push you past the comfort zone of your eyes, your brain, and your current beliefs about your abilities.
Some rapid-reading keys
1. Read with purpose. Don't read things you won't remember, and don't waste time reading things that won't further you in any way. If you're going to China, or have a keen interest in the area, an article about Chinese travel will be of relevance. However, many people read mindlessly, ploughing through whatever's under their nose - just because it's there!
2. Review the way you'll use this particular information, before you start. Start with the end in mind.
3. Have an expectation of success. See yourself reading at great speed. Fill your mind with a positive expectation of great deeds. Feel and imagine the power of the rapid flow of information into your mind. And hear the rapid flow of words just pouring into your brain.
4. Affirmations. What is your language and conversation about your reading ability? Do an audit on your words. If you find yourself saying, 'I'm hopeless, slow, or can't do it' - guess what - you'll be right. Instead, use positive present tense statements such as 'I love reading', 'I'm a really fast reader', 'Reading at speed is very easy for me', and you'll be amazed at how quickly it comes true.
5. Sit upright and hold the book at a comfortable position
6. Have good overhead light, fresh air, plenty of water, and a comfortable temperature
7. Read from the back of your head (your visual cortex) through your eyes, not from your eyes. You'll have a broader vision
8. Preview and review the book by flicking quickly through contents, index, information at the front and back.
9. Use a visual guide, usually your finger, or sometimes two fingers, depending on the size of the column of print. This is where the training by an instructor is really useful (they won't let you get away with bad habits, and they push you beyond your comfort level). Most of us as little children started to read by using our finger to guide our eyes, as we sounded and said the words. Then we graduated to silent reading. The teacher told us to take our finger away but we continued to 'say' the words, inside our head. Speech is many times slower than sight, and yet many people roll into adulthood still silently speaking the words they read. No wonder they struggle. Their brain is bored, the information is therefore hard to retain, and they find themselves labouring over the work. One of the key elements of rapid reading is to use our finger at a very fast rate, running it down the page. We don't need to read every word in order to comprehend and retain the information. All we need is chunks of text, and the sense is gathered at lightening speed.
10. Speed training. Go as fast as your hand can turn the pages, and don't worry that there seems to be virtually no comprehension at this stage. The key is to stretch the eye's capacity to absorb, and to stretch your mind's belief that it can be done. Two hands are needed. With one hand run your index finger down the page as fast as you can. At first you'll notice an occasional word or phrase will jump out at you, but not much else. That's fine - comprehension is not the objective at this stage. With the other hand, turn the pages as fast as you can go.
11. Set yourself a daily target - it might be to race through a thick book that you're interested to read. It might be to practice for a specified amount of time.
12. Practice, practice, practice. Magazines and newspapers are great to practice on. The columns are thin, which helps you go even faster.
13. Comprehension. You may think you're not absorbing much, but try this test. Select a book you want to read. Each time you pick it up to read in your old style, first do the rapid run described above. You'll notice when you come to read in your slow way that in fact you already know, and can remember having seen, most of the key concepts. We call this a conscious convincer. Your subconscious needs reassurance that nothing is being lost, and that you have absorbed the information you need.
14. Coupled with the rapid 'preview', if you do wish to read slower, do it with a highlighter in your hand. Your retention of the material will be greatly enhanced, for you will have visited the information several times.
You may still wish to read at a slower speed for enjoyment, or because you need to really absorb every word of an author for study purposes, but if every day you practice this technique, suddenly you'll find you really are reading and absorbing at a much faster rate.
------------------------
Unlike most time management gurus, New Zealander Robyn Pearce used to be bad at time! She's made all the mistakes in the book and now brings hope to time-strugglers world-wide through speeches, licensed training programs and best-seller books.
Do you read as much as you'd like, or as many as you'd like of the books you're interested in? Have you ever ploughed through a book purely because you felt you should finish it, rather than because you were enjoying it? Try this short exercise - it will profoundly affect the way you look at your reading choices.
• How many books do you read on average a month?
• Multiply that figure by 12
• How many years of life would you like to think you have left?
• Multiply the number of years by the number of books you can read in a year
• That figure is the likely number of books you'll read in the rest of your life, unless you learn to read faster.
How do you feel about that? And faced with that knowledge, are you happy with the selections you're currently making?
The time spent on today's reading prevents you reading something else. Life is one of choice - make sure your choices take you in the direction you wish to go. The readers in a community are the leaders of the community.
My biggest recommendation to increase your reading rate is to attend a rapid reading course (sometimes called speed reading). You'll probably have access to some in your community (along with the list of reading resources we're building on this site), but the single most important element is the on-going practice.
If you want to try a few techniques on your own here are a few key pointers, but please don't consider this the definitive instruction on how to speed-read. It's only to whet your appetite. You really need to attend a course to be pushed to significantly higher levels of competency, because only an external person can push you past the comfort zone of your eyes, your brain, and your current beliefs about your abilities.
Some rapid-reading keys
1. Read with purpose. Don't read things you won't remember, and don't waste time reading things that won't further you in any way. If you're going to China, or have a keen interest in the area, an article about Chinese travel will be of relevance. However, many people read mindlessly, ploughing through whatever's under their nose - just because it's there!
2. Review the way you'll use this particular information, before you start. Start with the end in mind.
3. Have an expectation of success. See yourself reading at great speed. Fill your mind with a positive expectation of great deeds. Feel and imagine the power of the rapid flow of information into your mind. And hear the rapid flow of words just pouring into your brain.
4. Affirmations. What is your language and conversation about your reading ability? Do an audit on your words. If you find yourself saying, 'I'm hopeless, slow, or can't do it' - guess what - you'll be right. Instead, use positive present tense statements such as 'I love reading', 'I'm a really fast reader', 'Reading at speed is very easy for me', and you'll be amazed at how quickly it comes true.
5. Sit upright and hold the book at a comfortable position
6. Have good overhead light, fresh air, plenty of water, and a comfortable temperature
7. Read from the back of your head (your visual cortex) through your eyes, not from your eyes. You'll have a broader vision
8. Preview and review the book by flicking quickly through contents, index, information at the front and back.
9. Use a visual guide, usually your finger, or sometimes two fingers, depending on the size of the column of print. This is where the training by an instructor is really useful (they won't let you get away with bad habits, and they push you beyond your comfort level). Most of us as little children started to read by using our finger to guide our eyes, as we sounded and said the words. Then we graduated to silent reading. The teacher told us to take our finger away but we continued to 'say' the words, inside our head. Speech is many times slower than sight, and yet many people roll into adulthood still silently speaking the words they read. No wonder they struggle. Their brain is bored, the information is therefore hard to retain, and they find themselves labouring over the work. One of the key elements of rapid reading is to use our finger at a very fast rate, running it down the page. We don't need to read every word in order to comprehend and retain the information. All we need is chunks of text, and the sense is gathered at lightening speed.
10. Speed training. Go as fast as your hand can turn the pages, and don't worry that there seems to be virtually no comprehension at this stage. The key is to stretch the eye's capacity to absorb, and to stretch your mind's belief that it can be done. Two hands are needed. With one hand run your index finger down the page as fast as you can. At first you'll notice an occasional word or phrase will jump out at you, but not much else. That's fine - comprehension is not the objective at this stage. With the other hand, turn the pages as fast as you can go.
11. Set yourself a daily target - it might be to race through a thick book that you're interested to read. It might be to practice for a specified amount of time.
12. Practice, practice, practice. Magazines and newspapers are great to practice on. The columns are thin, which helps you go even faster.
13. Comprehension. You may think you're not absorbing much, but try this test. Select a book you want to read. Each time you pick it up to read in your old style, first do the rapid run described above. You'll notice when you come to read in your slow way that in fact you already know, and can remember having seen, most of the key concepts. We call this a conscious convincer. Your subconscious needs reassurance that nothing is being lost, and that you have absorbed the information you need.
14. Coupled with the rapid 'preview', if you do wish to read slower, do it with a highlighter in your hand. Your retention of the material will be greatly enhanced, for you will have visited the information several times.
You may still wish to read at a slower speed for enjoyment, or because you need to really absorb every word of an author for study purposes, but if every day you practice this technique, suddenly you'll find you really are reading and absorbing at a much faster rate.
------------------------
Unlike most time management gurus, New Zealander Robyn Pearce used to be bad at time! She's made all the mistakes in the book and now brings hope to time-strugglers world-wide through speeches, licensed training programs and best-seller books.
Thursday 21 June 2007
Books for schools
This article was taken from the Edinburgh Evening News on 21st June 2007:
A COLLECTION of books worth £1000 are to be delivered to youngsters at an Edinburgh primary school.
The gift to Davidson's Mains Primary School, in Corbiehill Road, is part of a grant of 3000 children's books worth £20,000 to schools and libraries in Scotland by the Scottish Book Trust, the national agency for readers and writers.
Organisations, including primary schools, secondary schools and library groups, were invited to put their name in a hat and 20 winners were drawn at random.
Each of the winners will receive a collection of approximately 150 books that have been selected according to age-group or the ability of the readers, from a selection of picture books, audio books, fiction, poetry and non-fiction.
Jasmine Fassl, children's programmer at Scottish Book Trust, said: "We were delighted by the response which suggests books are in high demand and hope with this donation we are helping to provide a wider choice of reading materials that will encourage children to experience a range of authors, illustrators and topics."
A COLLECTION of books worth £1000 are to be delivered to youngsters at an Edinburgh primary school.
The gift to Davidson's Mains Primary School, in Corbiehill Road, is part of a grant of 3000 children's books worth £20,000 to schools and libraries in Scotland by the Scottish Book Trust, the national agency for readers and writers.
Organisations, including primary schools, secondary schools and library groups, were invited to put their name in a hat and 20 winners were drawn at random.
Each of the winners will receive a collection of approximately 150 books that have been selected according to age-group or the ability of the readers, from a selection of picture books, audio books, fiction, poetry and non-fiction.
Jasmine Fassl, children's programmer at Scottish Book Trust, said: "We were delighted by the response which suggests books are in high demand and hope with this donation we are helping to provide a wider choice of reading materials that will encourage children to experience a range of authors, illustrators and topics."
Monday 18 June 2007
Childrens Books
The New York Times had a recent article about two new books that adapt the classic Beowulf tale. One is just called Beowulf, and it is adapted as well as illustrated by Gareth Hinds. Candlewick is the publisher, and the age range is 9-12.
The second book is called Beowulf: A Hero’s Tale Retold, both adapted and illustrated by James Rumford. The work is published by Houghton Mifflin.
Many feel that these new illustrated adaptations are one of the many ways to familiarize kids with the bold, heroic tale. And certainly following the success of The Lord of the Rings, publishers feel there is no reason kids would not be enchanted.
Either of these 2 books would make for great gifts.
The original version of Beowulf is a 3,000 line epic poem and one of the very first texts produced in Old English. Although the author of the work is unknown, it is believed to have been written sometime in the later part of the Early Middle Ages.
from M&C News
The second book is called Beowulf: A Hero’s Tale Retold, both adapted and illustrated by James Rumford. The work is published by Houghton Mifflin.
Many feel that these new illustrated adaptations are one of the many ways to familiarize kids with the bold, heroic tale. And certainly following the success of The Lord of the Rings, publishers feel there is no reason kids would not be enchanted.
Either of these 2 books would make for great gifts.
The original version of Beowulf is a 3,000 line epic poem and one of the very first texts produced in Old English. Although the author of the work is unknown, it is believed to have been written sometime in the later part of the Early Middle Ages.
from M&C News
Sunday 17 June 2007
Language Books
Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world. If you look for keyword searches in any search engine for any product, there will be searches related to that product, asking for information in spanish, or for example in the case of books or audio books, a spanish version of it.
As it was said, audio books are not the exception. There are hundreds of people looking for "spanish audio books" or "audio book in spanish" in most of the search engines and directories.
Fortunately, there are some audio book stores that are starting to have spanish audio books as one of their categories. There are some classic titles such as Papa Rico, Papa Pobre o La Ola Latina that can be found on almost all audio book stores.
In addition, there are other important categories in which people looking for spanish audio books can be interested. These are language learning audio books, as an audio book is an excellent tool to learn a foreign language, because you can also learn the correct pronunciation of words.
The most common spanish audio books in these categories at this moment are english courses for spanish speakers, but without any doubt in the near future, a spanish speaker will be able to learn any language.
So people looking for a spanish audio book should visit the different audio book stores where they will find a good number of titles to choose from, and that number will grow in the next months and years.
Article Source: ArticleHub
As it was said, audio books are not the exception. There are hundreds of people looking for "spanish audio books" or "audio book in spanish" in most of the search engines and directories.
Fortunately, there are some audio book stores that are starting to have spanish audio books as one of their categories. There are some classic titles such as Papa Rico, Papa Pobre o La Ola Latina that can be found on almost all audio book stores.
In addition, there are other important categories in which people looking for spanish audio books can be interested. These are language learning audio books, as an audio book is an excellent tool to learn a foreign language, because you can also learn the correct pronunciation of words.
The most common spanish audio books in these categories at this moment are english courses for spanish speakers, but without any doubt in the near future, a spanish speaker will be able to learn any language.
So people looking for a spanish audio book should visit the different audio book stores where they will find a good number of titles to choose from, and that number will grow in the next months and years.
Article Source: ArticleHub
Friday 15 June 2007
Diaries
For several years I have kept a diary, which is basically a book with dates of the year, and each day or so you fill in your daily jottings. I like to use a diary because apart from having a chance of writing anything down I also use it at a later date to remind me what I did in the past. This is mainly due to me having a very bad memory so is invaluable.
Wednesday 13 June 2007
Reference Books
I find that the more useful of books to me are the ones which actually educate, more often than not diy books. If I get stuck on a job I am doing around the house sometimes looking through the diy book will give the answer.
Reference books are a valid source of information for most tasks as someone has obviously researched the topic to an in depth degree.
Reference books are a valid source of information for most tasks as someone has obviously researched the topic to an in depth degree.
Saturday 9 June 2007
Books and Google
As part of the Google Books Library Project, Google has hooked up with the University of Minnesota and 11 other US universities to digitise up to 10 million bound book volumes. The Google Books Library project is part of the larger Google Books Search project. Google aims to create an online catalogue of books along with details of how to buy or borrow them. Google will digitise significant portions of many of the books in the 12 universities' libraries. Collectively the universities make up the US CIC (Committee on Institutional Cooperation). The universities will provide Google with specialised content to be digitised. For books that are not under copyright - generally books published prior to 1923 - or where the publisher has given permission, the entire book is made available online under the Google Books Library program. For the rest, Google offers excerpts from the books. Google will fund the digitisation of up to 10 million volumes in the CIC collections; each of the CIC organizations will cover the costs of preparing the books for digitisation. The University of Minnesota estimated the value of the partnership - in which Google will cover the costs of digitising 1 million volumes at its library - at up to $60 million. "The University of Minnesota is making history today," said University of Minnesota Provost Thomas Sullivan in a statement. "For our students and researchers, speedy access to printed volumes will change the face and pace of scholarly research. Digitising these collections is also a public good and supports the land-grant mission of the University of Minnesota." Wendy Pradt Lougee, librarian at the University of Minnesota and member of the six-person team that negotiated the six-year agreement with Google, said that the company's capacity for digitizing the books will far exceed the capability of any of the CIC universities individually. In addition, she described the project as one of the largest cooperative projects of its kind in higher education. from Pc Advisor
Wednesday 6 June 2007
James Herbert - The Secret of Crickley Hall
I have already stated previously in this blog that I am a fan of the writings of James Herbert, a horror story writer, much better than Stephen King, so I will make a comment on The Secret of Crickley Hall, which I have recently finished reading.
It is mostly set in Devon, and centres around a family who have moved there to come to terms with the dissapearance a year ago of the young son. They move into Crickley Hall and it soon becomes clear that all is not how it should be with the house. I would say this is a very good book, but not if you are easily scared.
Saturday 2 June 2007
What is an Atlas, and is it any use to me?
Atlas, in geography, collection of maps or charts. It usually includes data on various features of a country, e.g., its topography, natural resources, climate, and population, as well as its agriculture and main industries. In astronomy, a star atlas is a collection of maps or photographs covering much or all of the celestial sphere and showing the locations of stars and other objects. Although the first known atlas was compiled by the Greek geographer Ptolemy in the 2d cent. A.D., its modern form was introduced in 1570 with the publication of Theatrum orbis terrarum by the Flemish geographer Abraham Ortelius. In 1595 his close friend Gerardus Mercator published Atlas sive cosmographicae. Its frontispiece was a figure of the titan Atlas holding a globe on his shoulders. The name Atlas subsequently came to be applied to volumes of maps and information in this format. (taken from Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia)
Friday 1 June 2007
Free Books
If money is really tight, and you just need some books to read, can I suggest Public Domain Books which are free to download. They can be found at such places as http://www.pdbooksonline.com/ or http://www.authorama.com/ to name just a few places.
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