Goodreads

Sunday, April 29, 2012



No, this is not a post on good reads (although watch for those in the future!). Instead, this is a warm invitation to join Olive on goodreads.com! Haven't heard of it? Gosh, it's only one of Olive's favorite ways for keeping track of what she's read, what she wants to read, and what she thinks she has to read. Pop over and see the books Olive has rated 5 out of 5 or, oh dear, given only one star and see if you agree. I'm username "olivewrites." Add me as a friend, and let me see your good reads.


Literary Heroes

Sunday, April 22, 2012



If you had seen Olive's Facebook page this week, you would have noticed that she was madly engaged in one pursuit: entering the Chapters Indigo "My Fictional Hero" contest. Fifty "literary heroes" were nominated the first week of the contest -- characters who inspired readers for one reason or another -- with the characters slowly being whittled down week by week. Olive was sorry to see Bertie Wooster fall back, but she is still cheering on a fighting Anne Shirley.

Aside from her fevered wish to win the fifty books that Chapters Indigo is offering as a prize (where they will go she doesn't know), Olive was intrigued by this idea of a literary hero. Who would you vote for? Someone like Bilbo Baggins who forged on through Middle Earth despite his diminutive size? Maybe you admire the moral strength of Atticus Finch? Or perhaps the quiet resilience and loyalty of Jane Eyre? (Olive voted for all three, in fact.)

Let's have our own vote, shall we? Tell me who your literary hero is, and why!

Welcome!

Thursday, April 19, 2012



With much warmth, welcome to Olive Reads! As the title implies, this is a blog devoted to the glorious art of reading!

If you've found your way here from Olive's other blog, Olive Writes, thank you for wandering over. (Don't worry, there will still be as much writing as reading.) If you are newcomer to the Olive universe, don't hesitate at the door; step over the threshold. The tea is always on, the scones are warm and, here especially, the conversation bubbles over with reading delight.

And this is indeed about conversation! Reading can be rather solitary (those blessedly so at times), but that doesn't mean we can't emerge from the pages from time to time for a chat over our old favourites, our new finds, and the simple wonder of a perfect sentence.

So read on, my fellow wanders on the written world! Olive cannot wait for you to join her.

Secondary Sources Requried

Monday, March 26, 2012




Olive has always considered this a bad habit: she often prefers reading about a book to reading the book itself.

With the discovery of podcasts (rather late, I know), this has now morphed into a preference for listening to knowledgeable, articulate folk talk about books, even authors discussing their own works. There was first British Booker-winning author Penelope Lively on Moon Tiger via BBC's World Book Club. Absolutely absorbing and hosted with admirable restraint and poise by Harriet Gilbert, you needn't have read the book in order to enjoy this hour long-conversation. Olive is always impressed by the depth of the questions BBC World Service listeners send in, and by the thoughtful answers the authors provide, discussions which often delve into their craft, how they work as authors. Perhaps one day I shall have the courage to call in myself. Until then, why not join Olive, and pop an episode onto your iPod? The rhythm is just perfect for an hour-long walk.

Do you have any favorite podcasts, websites, book, et cetera, on books? Any irresistible reviews that leave you itching to read?