This morning I woke up, stretched, wiped the sleep out of my eyes and as I looked to my left was greeted by a bedside table covered with books. It suddenly gave me some inspiration for a new random feature for the blog, but as (if you are like me) you are a fan of a bit of book porn I took a picture of the mass of fictional worlds I am in or have ahead of me, apologies it’s a little grainy it was early…
I was looking at them and realised in a weird way this almost like a snapshot of the inner workings of my bookish mind. You have three books I am reading (yes I have taken up multi reading, more on this unusual turn of events soon) currently; ‘Bereft’ by Chris Womersley, ‘You’ll Be Sorry When I Am Dead’ by Marieke Hardy and ‘The Beautiful Indifference’ by Sarah Hall – these naturally need to be close to hand as I am a dreadful sleeper at the mo and so they are the perfect company in the middle of the night.
The rest of the books are those on my periphery reading vision. I won’t explain all the reasons for all iof them now in fear of boring you (the Agatha Christie, Truman Capote and Dan Rhodes have all just been pulled out mount BR as I have been graving some friendly fiction faces, Elizabeth Jolley as an Australian Literature Month possible read) but I will give you a slight over view to explain what I mean. Sophie Hannah’s ‘Kind of Cruel’ proof has just arrived so it’s time to finally read ‘Lasting Damage’ as I like to read in order. The same with the proof of Matt Haig’s new YA novel ‘To Be A Cat’ which one of the events guys at Waterstones sent me after I discussed YA the other day, so I pulled out ‘The Radleys’ –which I wish I had the hardcover of, so much darker. ‘Disputed Land’ by Tim Pears was on hand for a mention on this weeks recording of the Readers which has been postponed and Elizabeth Haynes and ‘Into The Darkest Corner’ has been lingering since the last recording of the Readers when we discussed the TV Book Club vs. Richard and Judy.
This might not interest you at all but I thought I would test the waters because it could become a future feature instead of my incoming book posts which I have decided to dump. I thought it might give people a small book porn fix whilst also showing you all the books new, old and in-between on my reading horizon, a bit like being even more in my reading head. What do you think?
Also I want to do something with the title ‘The Great British Book Off’ before someone else pinches it (this could already have happened 0f course) as this also popped into my head this morning, but I am stuck on what it could be. Might need more mulling though, what do you say?
Savidge Reads 
This is a great idea for a feature. It gives us more of a sense of what you’re reading or have to hand and it allows for you to talk about the books in more bitesize chunks. I look forward to more!
Oh there will be more believe me!
Great idea! Looks like my bedside table!
Oh how it makes me feel better that it’s not just me!
Love it,welcome to the overloaded night stand.
Hahaha I quite like that as a title.
I love a bit of book porn so, glad that you’ll still be showing us bookish pics!
I always worry the term book porn will get me an explicit rating or something!
Waking up to the sight of a stack of books beside you is indeed a delightful & warm welcome into the day. Would love to watch more of such bookish posts! 🙂
I used to have loads and loads of shelves of books in my eyeliner when I lived in London, it became a little much though. I would feel them peering at me demanding to be read. A table full is just right.
I like it! The picture is an idea by itself but a short summary added is a good bonus. I think as you’ve put dibs on the phrase by mentioning it, there’s time to come up with a feature for it.
Ha I love the term dibs. I am now working on what on earth it could be!
Love the books on the nightstand picture. Book porn indeed. “The Great British Book Off” sounds like a competition? Is that your plan?
Not a competition I don’t think. I’m not sure what instead though. I’ll keep mulling it over.
mine is many times ‘worse’ – but I LOVE it, and recommend Elizabeth Jolley enormously. A unique writer.
I might find a quiet spot for Elizabeth this weekend.
The Great British Book Off – what a great title. How about a reading challenge for your followers – one new British title, one old, selected by you, with a vote at the end of the period as to which book they preferred???? Or two books by the same author…… You could hold it every month or every two months….
Oooh now that’s an idea. Or maybe an online British book reading group. Reading classics and modern classics. Though might spoil my reading by whim plans.
Yep, do love a bit of book porn so I’m all for this feature. If only I owned a camera or one of them clever phones and I’d post up my book-covered bedside table too…
These clever phones are little gems. I’m responding to you on mine now! It’s hidden under a desk 😉
The Great British Book Off, the UK’s answer to the US Tournament of Books? It could be a similar ‘best book of the year format’ or more random than that. A regular feature where two books/authors battle it out, each with a champion: a Anthony Trollope vs. Charles Dickens smackdown; or a bout between Rachel West and Daphne de Maurier? 😉
Btw, I like the look of your bedside table – so neat and bookish! Mine is a horrendous mess of books, various toiletries, perfumes, bits of random jewellery and a lone sock with a dusty lamp presiding over it all.
Love the idea of a smack down between Trollope and Dickens!
As long as I didn’t have to was either of those. I have decided I’m not fussed if I don’t. I’m so bored of hearing about Dickens already this year!
Oooh that’s an interesting idea. I would need to go and find out more about the Tournament or Books as I saw it last year but didn’t really ‘get’ it!
I think that hearing about your actual planned reading pile is nicer than big piles of incoming, although I don’t really mind those either. I like Victoria’s Book-off idea…
I like the book off idea too… Something’s forming. I’d want audience participation though.
I think this bedside table thing will be a better post than those incoming ones too. It’s more just what’s on my horizon not what I’m being sent I might not read.
Meant to add – new Tim Haig! – I’d love to get my hands on that (if his new one is cat-based, you should try ‘The last family in England’ which is through the eyes of a family dog – brilliant. The Radleys too was fab.
That’s Matt Haig.
I have no interest at all in a photograph of your book pile (unless of course it is a rewarding photograph in its own right) and I also wonder (again) why you ask us? You have a really excellent and successful site with a wide range of enthusiastic readers – trust to your judgement or toss a coin if you have no strong opinion either way.
Keep up the interesting posts! DP 😉
I asK DP because I am interested in people’s thoughts lol. I will most likely ignore it all and do what I want but it’s just interesting to hear feedback or chat to other people in the same position. Like I enjoy book recommendations blog ones can be good too!
I love pictures of books so I’m a vote for more book porn. Books look (and feel) different in the UK from the US – a book that looks like total crap here can look very intriguing in the British version – so I appreciate the visual.
Isn’t it weird how we can be jealous of covers and formats of each others book on each side of the ocean. I like the fact some US books are floppy and have uneven edges!
Looking forward to hearing what you think of Bereft as have it sitting on my shelf!
It seems to be a book everyone’s been getting and one which went up for almost every award in Australia. I’m enjoying it a lot, but taking it slowly.
Always love pictures of books – and can’t wait to hear what you will do with the Great British Book Off. 🙂
Ha I can’t wait to have come up with a project that suits it.
It’s so hard for me to read more than one book at a time. One book always suffers. I can’t imagine reading that many books at once and keeping all of them straight. I’ve just starting reading one book, and then listening to another book in the car….
I’m only reading four very different books. Not all the ones in the picture that would be a nightmare.
Pics of books always appreaciated. Also – newest Sophie Hannah! Very jealous.
I’m so excited about the new Sophie Hannah, need to read Lastinh Damage first.
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