Last Friday morning as I was having my first hot drink of the day an article caught my ear - is there a more appropriate phrase? - and this was about the overall winner of the 30 years of the Oddest Book Title competition which is run by The Bookseller.
The winner is "Greek Rural Postmen and their cancellation numbers" by Derek Willan which has been voted the oddest title of them all in the last 3o years.
2nd was "People who don't know they're dead "- Gary Leon Hill
3rd -"How to avoid huge ships" - John Trimmer
The presenter interviewed a startled elderly 91 year old Derek Willan who needless to say was delighted with this unexpected accolade.
Here are a few past winners.
The Diagram Prize for Oddest Book Title of the Year:
Winners
1980: The Joy of Chickens
1984: The book of Marmalade
1988: Versailles: The View From Sweden
1992: How to Avoid Huge Ships
1994: Highlights in the History of Concrete
1995: Reusing Old Graves
1996: Greek Rural Postmen and Their Cancellation Numbers
1999: Weeds in a Changing World
2002: Living With Crazy Buttocks
2004: Bombproof Your Horse
2006: The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America
Comprehensive list at theBookseller.com
I'm off to Truro later today so a browse in the bookshop is a must perusing titles for their quirkiness!
Any offers?!
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
Monday, 1 September 2008
MONDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER - peace and tranquility
It turned out to be a beautiful evening a few days short of the end of August so we decided to spend a few hours in one of our favourite places. This at The Fal-Ruan estuary which are an expanse of tidal salt marsh and mudflats. We wandered along the single track road listening to the honking of Barnacle Geese who were coming down on the mudflats for the night. Barnacle Geese fly in a raggle taggle with no apparent formation where as Canada Geese fly in a tight and well formed V shape. We were delighted to see and hear both types of Geese which will forever remind me of the classic 1971 film "The Snow Goose." I had just got a new small digital camera and was keen to try it.
The Fal ruan estuary at high tide just as the light was beginning to fade.
A tiny fern growing on the stone work of the old
bridge.
Two sedate mute swans paddling against the tide coming up to the old wharf.
This cob and pen made their way up river with the background sound of the calls of Greenshank and Blacktailed Godwit. Just a chorus of natures spectacular music.
It was so quiet that we could hear the swans snorting as they paddled by. A quiet muffled sound which is only audible when there is perfect silence.
To anyone reading this from outside the UK - The reigning monarch (Queen
8.31 p.m. and almost dark. This was handheld I had forgotten to take a tripod and just couldn't peel myself away from this most wonderful place with nature at her most beautiful. To complete the evening a Barn owl flew over the marshes. We came home and couldn't bear to put the t.v. on so sat by the open window with hot drinks and the tawny owls began to hoot.
The Fal ruan estuary at high tide just as the light was beginning to fade.
A tiny fern growing on the stone work of the oldbridge.
Two sedate mute swans paddling against the tide coming up to the old wharf.
This cob and pen made their way up river with the background sound of the calls of Greenshank and Blacktailed Godwit. Just a chorus of natures spectacular music.
It was so quiet that we could hear the swans snorting as they paddled by. A quiet muffled sound which is only audible when there is perfect silence.To anyone reading this from outside the UK - The reigning monarch (Queen
Elizabeth II) owns all the swans in Britain.
8.31 p.m. and almost dark. This was handheld I had forgotten to take a tripod and just couldn't peel myself away from this most wonderful place with nature at her most beautiful. To complete the evening a Barn owl flew over the marshes. We came home and couldn't bear to put the t.v. on so sat by the open window with hot drinks and the tawny owls began to hoot.
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