“Could you list your top 20 books for the bookshops you’ll be visiting?”
I’m going to visit some great UK bookshops in June for the Independent Bookseller Week, and already Louise, the organizational genius behind The Schedule is preparing things.
Although since she let this idea slip through, you might be excused for wondering if she’s lost her grip on things. Since I agreed to it, you can be quite sure that I must have.
from: “Court, Louise”
to: Katarina Bivald <katarina@katarinabivald.se>
date: Wed, May 20, 2015 at 6:05 PM
subject: Re: Library reading group and advance copy
(…)
Do let me know what you think, and if you’re happy with this please do send on your top 20 books – I think a selection from a broad range (from children’s, to nonfiction, to classics, to chick lit) would work wonderfully.
Best wishes,
Louise
from: “Court, Louise”
to: Katarina Bivald <katarina@katarinabivald.se>
date: Tue, May 26, 2015 at 5:50 PM
subject: Re: Library reading group and advance copy
Hi Katarina
Just checking you’re on track for the 20 books recommendations, let me know if you need more time.
Best wishes,
Louise
from: Katarina Bivald <katarina@katarinabivald.se>
to: ”Court, Louise”
date: Tue, May 26, 2015 at 6:31 PM
subject: Re: Library reading group and advance copy
As Mr Darcy of the BBC-serie would say: I shall conquer this, I shall!
Yours,
Katarina
from: Katarina Bivald <katarina@katarinabivald.se>
to: ”Court, Louise”
date: Tue, May 26, 2015 at 6:51 PM
subject: Re: Library reading group and advance copy
Good God, I can’t believe I’m doing this. And I’m attaching it before I decide to ”go through it” to see if I’ve forgotten some book or other. I’ve tried for diversity, but I’m sure I haven’t succeeded. Young adults and fantasy are sadly missing (technically I think Before I Fell qualifies as young adult). Also no vampires and no children books.
Maybe it’s easier to stick to just one category? Books about books? Books for Friday nights and lazy Sundays etc..?
But I’m leaving it in your capable hands. Please change as you see fit.
I promise not to contact you too often with suggested changes. If I do, just ignore me.
I can do this. I am a moderately sane woman.
Yours,
Katarina
Ps. Really, though, twenty books… As you can see, they number 16 on the list, but that’s because there’s sometimes suggestions on more books by the same author.
There. I’m done. Promise.
from: Katarina Bivald <katarina@katarinabivald.se>
to: ”Court, Louise”
date: Tue, May 26, 2015 at 7:00 PM
subject: Possible changes
Or perhaps we shouldn’t include the classics? Jane Eyre, Persuasion…? Have people read them already, you think? Perhaps The Taste of Sorrow instead?
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Good God. As I wrote this blog post I realize the question was not 20 general recommendations from my book, but my TOP 20 list. Those aren’t my top 20! No one could possibly decide on a top 20!
But I will not email Louise any more tonight. I will wait until tomorrow and sleep on this. Perhaps we could interpret it as 20 general recommendations, in no particular order.
Why? Why would anyone who knows me ask me for this? Haven’t they read High Fidelity and therefor know that the only thing that will come of this is that I have to harass poor Louise with demands for changes?