Reading Matters

The 'Stoner' winners

I am back from the countryside and feeling absolutely knackered after such a long, but lovely, weekend in Hereford. The wedding was lots of fun and we even snuck in a super-quick trip to Hay-on-Wye on the drive home, so expect a couple of photographs on the blog at some point.

In the meantime, I have to choose the winners in my Stoner giveaway. Thanks to the 21 people who threw their names in the hat and for sharing all your latest reads with me — any wonder my TBR keeps growing and growing when I hear about so many fab books!

I used a random integer generator to choose the winners:

Here are your random numbers:

6	5	9	

Timestamp: 2013-06-17 10:03:26 UTC

Congratulations to Brenda, Isabella and Sharkell. I will be in touch soon to request your mailing addresses so that I can pop them in the post to you in the next week.

Book giveaway: win a copy of 'Stoner'

I'm off on a little jaunt to the countryside to attend a wedding, so in the meantime I thought you could keep yourselves amused by entering this little book giveaway.

For some reason I seem to have acquired three copies of John Williams' Stoner, recently republished by Vintage here in the UK, and given I already have a NYRB edition (purchased about five years ago and not yet read), I thought I'd offer these ones up to the interweb.

This is from the blurb:

"William Stoner enters the University of Missouri at nineteen to study agriculture. A seminar on English literature changes his life, and he never returns to work on his father's farm. Stoner becomes a teacher. He marries the wrong woman. His life is quiet, and after his death his colleagues remember him rarely.

"Yet with truthfulness, compassion and intense power, this novel uncovers a story of universal value. Stoner tells of the conflicts, defeats and victories of the human race that pass unrecorded by history, and reclaims the significance of an individual life. A reading experience like no other, itself a paean to the power of literature, it is a novel to be savoured."

If that sounds like your kind of thing and you'd like to throw your name in the hat to win one of three copies I'm giving away (they are brand new and never been read) leave a comment below telling me what you're reading at the moment. But hurry — entries close at 20.00 GMT Sunday, June 16, 2013.

I'll then choose the winner based on an online random number generator (or some such).

The competition is open to anyone, regardless of where you live, but you can only enter once. And do note, I cannot accept entries by email, Twitter or Facebook.

Good luck.

'The Uninvited' winners

Thanks to the 12 people who entered my competition to win one of two copies of Liz Jensen's The Uninvited.

I used a random integer generator to choose the winners:

Here are your random numbers:

4	3	

Timestamp: 2013-05-31 21:32:02 UTC

Congratulations to Teresa and Eleanor. I will be in touch soon to request your mailing addresses and will pass them on to the publisher, so that your books can be sent out.

Commiserations to those that missed out this time round. And many thanks to Bloomsbury for supplying the prizes.

Book giveaway: there are two copies of Liz Jensen's 'The Uninvited' up for grabs

It's turning into a bit of a Liz Jensen festival on the blog this week, but hopefully, having read my review of The Uninvited and seen Liz's own reading influences in her Triple Choice Tuesday selections, you'll be keen to try Liz's latest novel for yourself.

Thanks to the lovely people at Bloomsbury, I have two copies of the paperback to give away.

Leave a comment below before 10pm on Friday May 31 and I'll include you in the draw — but note the books can only be sent out to a UK or Ireland address. I'll then choose the winner based on an online random number generator (or some such).

Note, you can only enter once and entries by email, Twitter or Facebook are not eligible.

Announcing 'The Rosie Project' winners

Thanks to everyone who entered my competition to win a copy of Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project.

I used a list randomiser to choose the winners:

There were 10 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Cathy
2. Limner
3. Ifi
4. Clare
5. Mystica
6. Tanya
7. Philippa
8. Michael
9. Richard
10. Naomi

Timestamp: 2013-04-08 19:45:38 UTC

That means the first two in the list will be letting Don Tillman into their lives, so congratulations to Cathy and Limner — you're in for a fun time! I will be in touch soon to find out your mailing addresses and will pass them on to the publisher, so that your books can be sent out.

Commiserations to those who didn't win this time round, and many thanks to Michael Joseph for supplying the prizes.

UPDATE: It turns out that Limner is based in the USA, so her entry wasn't eligible. I've redrawn the remaining entries to choose another winner.

There were 8 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Philippa
2. Clare
3. Richard
4. Tanya
5. Naomi
6. Michael
7. Mystica
8. Ifi

Timestamp: 2013-04-08 20:47:07 UTC

Congratulations, Philippa!

Australian Literature Month 2013: Week 1 round-up & giveaway

So, it's the end of the first week of Australian Literature Month, and here's an ultra-quick round-up of what's happened so far.

The books read

I've been busy at work and then trying to get back into my cycling after a slight layoff, so my reading time has been slightly curtailed this week. I think I've already mentioned that I gave myself a head start with reading Australian fiction and have already made my way through a handful of novels (yet to be reviewed).

But over the Easter break I began Michelle de Krester's Questions of Travel, which is set in London, Sydney and Sri Lanka, and tells the diverse stories of two characters — an Australian woman and a Sri Lankan man — whose narratives eventually come together in a surprising way. But I have to be honest and say it took me a long time to get into the book (at least 150 pages) and by the time I got to the end I was left slightly flummoxed — I need to think about it a bit more before I commit my thoughts in a review.

And on Friday I started a completely different novel — Madeleine St John's The Women in Black — which I have to say was absolutely delightful. Such a deliciously warm and funny read. I so want to read more by this author now.

The books reviewed

During the week I reviewed two very different novels — Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project and Alex Miller's The Tivington Nott — which demonstrates the real diversity in Australian fiction.

And quite a few of you also took the plunge and reviewed a lovely array of Oz lit — visit the Australian Literature review page to see the full rundown. At the time of writing there were 16 reviews listed (including my two). Do remember that for every review posted, which includes my Australian Literary Fiction badge, I will donate 50 pence to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF), a charity which gives books to families in remote communities in Australia.

The giveaways

I hosted one giveaway... and will announce the two lucky winners of The Rosie Project tomorrow.

In the meantime, Allen & Unwin have offered up three lovely copies of Alex Miller's The Tivington Nott. Leave a comment below before 10pm on Tuesday April 9 and I'll include you in the draw — but note the books can only be sent out to a UK address.

I'll then choose the winner based on an online random number generator (or some such). Note, you can only enter once and entries by email, Twitter or Facebook are not eligible.

Thank you for all your support and do come back for more reviews, another giveaway and a lovely Triple Choice Tuesday guest. I hope you all have a wonderful Australian literature-filled week ahead!

Win a copy of 'The Rosie Project' — there are two up for grabs (UK only)

To celebrate Australian Literature Month here's your chance to win a copy of Graeme Simsion's Australian best-seller, The Rosie Project, which I reviewed on Monday.

Thanks to the publisher Michael Joseph, I have two brand new hardback copies to give away.

To enter, please leave a comment below telling me why you want to read it. But hurry — entries close at 10.00 GMT Saturday, April 6, 2013.

I'll then choose the winner based on an online random number generator (or some such).

Please note the competition is open to UK RESIDENTS ONLY (sorry) and that you can only enter once. Entries by email, Twitter or Facebook are not eligible.

Good luck.

Announcing the Kent Haruf trilogy winners

Thanks to the 19 people who entered my competition to win one of five sets of Kent Haruf's Holt trilogy. I enjoyed finding out everyone's latest literary "discoveries", which have provided me with a wealth of readerly inspiration.

I used a list randomiser to choose the winners:

There were 19 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Mari French
2. Diane Maier
3. Evastalker
4. Jacqui (@jacquiwine)
5. Kinga
6. Ali B
7. Victoria (Eve's Alexandria)
8. Ummlilia
9. Richard Latham
10. Naomi Frisby
11. Claire Thinking
12. Alison P
13. Wigs on the Green
14. Averill Buchanan
15. litlove
16. Miriam Thornton
17. Ifi
18. Richard Bryant
19. Philip Young

Timestamp: 2013-03-31 21:16:13 UTC

That means the first five in the list have won the books, so congratulations to Mari French, Diane Maier, Evastalker, Jacqui & Kinga. I will be in touch soon to find out your mailing addresses and will pass them on to the publisher, so that your books can be sent out.

Commiserations to those who didn't win this time round, and many thanks to Picador for supplying the prizes.

Win Kent Haruf's Holt trilogy — there are five sets up for grabs (UK only)

It's Easter, and instead of giving away lots of lovely chocolate eggs, I thought I'd give away lots of lovely books! Thanks to the generous people at Picador, I have five sets — yes, FIVE sets — of Kent Haruf's trilogy of novels (pictured above) set in Holt, Colorado up for grabs.

If you have seen my reviews of either Plainsong or Eventide, you will know how much I love them. I've yet to read Benediction but have heard lots of great things from those who have already taken the plunge.

Indeed, Kent Haruf has quickly become one of my favourite authors and my latest literary "discovery".

To be in with a chance of winning a copy, please leave a comment below telling me about your latest literary "discovery" — whether it be an author, a publisher or anything else bookish that's excited you. But hurry — entries close at 20.00 GMT Sunday, March 31, 2013.

I'll then choose the winner based on an online random number generator (or some such).

Please note the competition is open to UK RESIDENTS ONLY (sorry, postage to send these books abroad is too costly) and that you can only enter once. Entries by email, Twitter or Facebook are not eligible.

Good luck.

'Jellybird' winners

Thanks to the (very small) number of people who entered my competition to win one of five copies of Lezanne Clannahan's Jellybird.

I used a random integer generator to choose the winners:

Here are your random numbers:

1	2	5	6	3

Timestamp: 2013-03-24 21:14:23 UTC

Congratulations to Blair, JoV, June, Richard and Averill. I will be in touch soon to find out your mailing addresses and will pass them on to the publisher, so that your books can be sent out.

Many thanks to Orion Publishing for supplying the prizes.