“Wear the old coat and buy the new book.”(Austin Phelps)

"Why do we read? We read to know we are not alone." C S Lewis
Isn't that so true in Bookcrossing?(grin)My BC birthday buddy is mallary www.bookcrossing.com/---/mallary


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I love books :) and love re-reading them too -so learning to give them away (rather than loan them out) is a very new thing for me.



When I first came to Finland my fear was that I'd read all the English books (fiction) in the library and then what would I do. It didn't happen - as they kept adding new volumes, and nowadays with amazon and a great circle of friends from whom I can borrow books - and to whom I lend too - has helped me retain (some of) my sanity.

I also love browsing second hand stores too on the look out for books in English and other 'bargains'. I read almost anything - though not a fan of sci-fi or fantasy books - but note that my BX bookshelf doesn't necessarily reflect who I am. I have a lot of PC books that aren't even registered! Because I am a Christian many of the new books I buy are theology based - and I tend to hang on to those, or lend to people who I know will return them- but I pick up paperbacks at airports, trips to the bookstore and almost always have a book -or two- on the go.

I've been a bookcrosser since summer 2006 - but only went to my first book crossing event in August 2007 - that re-inspired me to circulate some of the paperback fiction that keeps accumulating! And later in 2007 I started to go to secondhand stores (fleamarkets) to see what books I could pick up "for a song" (I usually set a limit of €2 unless it's something I really, really want!)

WISH LIST

I love getting books! I expect you do too - but postage is so expensive so let's be smart about this. If the cost of sending the book is going to be more than buying it (new or secondhand e.g. from amazon or equivalent) then let's re-think the whole thing :)

I am most appreciative of Christian literature particularly post-modern ideas/emergent church literature) and love CS Lewis and Tom Wright (among others). Brian McLaren makes me think though I don't always agree with him.

My "how to grade books" is taken from Potok Fan's profile (since she got me hooked on bookcrossing I think that's only fair!)

10: Excellent.This book has impacted me deeply, or has simply been a pure delight to read.
9: Great book - just a nitpick stands between it and a 10.
8: Good, solid book that I would recommend to others.
7: Good book, but ... it didn't grab me in a *big* way.
6: Decent, but not really my type of book.
5: I'm sure somebody else would like this, although I didn't.
4: Only OK. The line between taking it and leaving it is very thin.
3:Major problems. I don't recommend this.
2: Major problems. I recommend you DON'T read this.
1: Ugh! Stay away! It's hard to imagine *anyone* liking this book!!!