It is Winter!

Winter has certainly set in where I live. The trees are bare and I am having to rug myself up with a scarf and beanie on my walk to work. I’m very lucky to be able to walk to work, and although I get to talk to neighbours as I walk through the park, saying hello to their dogs and kids, it does mean that I miss out on the wonderful reading time that public transport travellers manage (providing they get a seat that is!). Mostly my reading is done in bed, driving my husband mad as he buries his head under the pillow trying to block the light out. Not that he doesn’t read in bed too mind you. But his eyes become sleepy mostly before mine. He’s enjoying Sherlock Holmes at the moment, in between his model railway magazines. In fact he has quite a substantial library of magazines and books on trains which he’s collected over the last 20 years. But Australian trains only please! He uses them for reference to source pictures of model trains that he wants to build, often from scratch. It’s wonderful to see someone’s passion coming out in their library of books (not to mention the ever growing train layout in our attic).

Do you have a particular collection that stands out in your library or know of someone who does? Maybe it’s a collection of authors from a particular country. I know of one reader who collects any books by Somerset Maugham. And another who has a fascination for gardening books of all sorts. We’d love to hear about it if you have such a collection focusing on one area in your library or if you know of someone who does. We might even feature you in the magazine!

I’m sure you’ll find more books to add to your collections with this month’s issue as it’s a treasure trove of good reading. For those who like thrillers you’ll be interested to read our article on Australian David Rollins, who features on our front cover. For those who enjoy a more literary read then you’ll be turning to page 16 to read Alan Gold’s profile of Amitav Ghosh. Our extract from a new book from the CSIRO called Climate Change might have you running around the house switching off appliances and we focus on classics again this month with A Fortunate Life. I had just joined the book industry when this book was published in the early 1980s and it has been one of my favourites ever since. Travel writer Marc Llewellyn shares with us some of his adventures from his time spent on an Italian island with his wife and baby, plus their faithful dog which culminated in his new book Finding Nino. We have many well reviewed books this issue with Murray Bailey’s new book The Pages featuring at the top of the list.

This month I’m well into reading The Secret River which you voted for as my next book to read. Thank you so much to all the readers who voted. I’ll let you know how I go! Kate Grenville has a new book out later this year so those who enjoyed The Secret River will be looking forward to that.

I hope you enjoy this month’s issue and from it comes much good reading to tuck yourself up in bed with on a cold winters night.

Rowena

Dear Rowena,

It took me a while to realise I am indeed a collector. I seem to have ammassed many different editions of Orwell's 1984! All completely unconsciously. While living overseas I found myself buying more and more copies of the book, for myself, and to give to friends who I thought would enjoy reading it.
That particular book becomes more and more relevant each year. It has been interesting to see some of the chilling covers that have been used over the years by both UK and Australian publishers.
As a self-confessed book geek I am happy to say that these editions have pride of place on my bookshelf!
Cheers,
Alex

Dear Rowena,
I'm a bit of a Pride and Prejudice lover and so have a collection of books and DVD's on anything from Pride..
My DVD collection consists of The Kiera Knightly version, The Colin Firth BBC version, the Indian Bollywood version.

My Book collection consists of The Classic itself by Jane Austen, A sequel to Pride by Helen Halstead called 'A Private Performance', 'Mr Darcys Diary' by Amanda Grange, and recently a modern take on it 'Me and Mr Darcy' by Alexandra Potter.

I don't really go searching for them, they just seem to find me. And now it seems i have a collection.:-)
Regards
Marianne

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