Famous last lines
You may have participated in our recent competition of name a book from its first line. Now we are doing the same with some very famous last lines. We will list a few here with answers given at the end (so no peeking). If you enjoy this sort of challenge, then also go to our Facebook page and try the daily closing line there - a bit more difficult than the ones here because they will all be from New Zealand literature. However, try these ones meanwhile:
"It is a far far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."
"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."
And the quote which is on our Facebook page is "The Gun is in my hand and the rounds are ready for loading and I wish I had the guts to do it."
Answers:
Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities
Scott Fitzgerald Great Gatsby
George Orwell Animal Farm
Budding writers
We have an essay by Lorrie Moore titled How to Become a Writer.
She starts off like this, "First, try to be something, anything, else."
That's good advice but the best advice probably comes from Charles Bukowski
if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.
if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.
don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.
when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.
there is no other way.
and there never was
New Auckland shop opens today!
The new Auckland Hard to Find Books opened today in its beautiful new premises at 2-8 St Benedict's Street, Eden Terrace. Allegedly there were hoardes lined up waiting to get in at opening time. Make sure to pop in for a look if you are in Auckland.
Creepy crawlies
Shop assistant says, "Sorry, sir, we don't sell wasps."
The man says, "Well, you've got loads in the window."
Silly joke but it neatly brings us onto the subject of insects, entomology, zoology, wasps, ants, butterflies, moths, bees, wetas or whatever your particular area of interest is.
Today's pictures are from a three-volume set of Episodes of Insect Life, published in 1849 by Reeve, Benham & Reeve, by Acheta Domestica. There are some superb illustrations as you can see.
We do have a huge range of entomology books, from general interest to the very specialised professional field, from cheap and cheerful to really expensive, from textbooks to picture books, from academic tomes to introductory courses. Whatever you're after, we've probably got something of interest. Browse through our catalogue and see what you can find.
Fifty Years Adrift
Fifty Years Adrift by Derek Taylor and George Harrison (Editor)
This is a limited numbered edition which is signed by the author and also by the editor George Harrison. It comes in a dark brown heavy card slipcase. It is a small quarto with dark brown cloth boards and polished dark brown leather corners & spine. On the spine, there is gilt lettering in a red title panel between five raised bands. An attractive gilt & red ship motif sits in the middle of the front board. All the page edges are gilt.
It is very expensive but would be a great present for the music lover in your life. There is plenty of coverage of Derek Taylor's contact with elite musician such as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Roy Orbison. The layout of the book is intriguing. It is a beautiful edition. Has to be seen to be believed.
Music makes the world go round
"Let me be clear about this: I don't have a drug problem, I have a police problem."
Keith Richards
"We don't comment on whales and the rainforest. You need a rock star for that? Some idiot who couldn't tune a guitar six month ago is now an environmental expert?"
Gene Simmons, KISS
Gods of Rock by Rob Fitzpatrick and Mark Roland is packed with legends, lore, myths, facts, escapades and quotations from the world of popular music from AC/DC to ZZ Top. If you run a pub quiz or just like trivia, this is the book for you: bands with mad names, longest prog songs, most overrated albums, songs used in political campaigns, religious rockers, least & most sexy rock stars, and much more.
We have a huge range of books on all kinds of music. Whatever your area, we probably have something to interest you. Come in and have a look or browse through our online catalogue. You get over 100 books to browse with the key words 'country & western' and over 1000 with the key word 'music'.
Joseph Conrad
Secondly, although he was actually from Poland and Polish was his first language, he became a UK citizen and wrote really beautiful prose in English, his second language. There are not many who could do that.
But thirdly, and definitely my favourite, he apparently didn't like to read reviews of his work. What he did was measure the review with a ruler and the longer the review, the happier he was with it. Seems like a very sensible strategy to me.
Regent Book Sale
Everyone knows it is time for the 24-hour Regent book sale. It is now under way in Dunedin. Our boss flew down from Auckland yesterday to be ready for today's opening.
He needed to be picked up from Momona Airport and so, as you can see in the accompanying photo, a loyal employee of Hard to Find Books Dunedin headed out to collect him.
