"That's typical of you," she said. "Not a serious thought in your head, ever." (The Swell Season)

Wie geht's?

A few weeks ago I was browsing the shelves at the Little Red Book Shop in Hastings when a title leapt out at me: The Swell Season.

That's the title of a folk/rock band I like, made up of Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. You'll remember them from the wonderful movie Once.

Turns out they got their name from this novel by Czech writer Josef Skvorecky.

Cool.

I've been using some passages from the novel on The Purdzilla Show blog - it's quite lyrical in places.

The setting is 1940's occupied Czechoslovakia and the basic plot centres around teenager Danny's failed amorous attempts with the girls in his village. Just when he thinks he's making progress, unforeseen circumstances always intervene.

Here's another bit for you, as he tries to get together with Marie after she's broken up with her boyfriend:

It was wonderful talking like this with Marie. An autumn fog was rolling off the river and a leaf dropped from a chestnut tree and landed on her shoulder. She brushed it off.

"It's autumn already." she said. "That's sad"

"What's sad about autumn?" I asked.

"Everything," she said.

Oh dear! He's doomed!

Love and peace - Wozza

What I say is, a town isn't a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore it knows it's not fooling a soul (Neil Gaiman)

Next few weeks (reading) matter from Little Red Book Shop and Whitcoulls

Wie geht's?

Bookshops. I'm a big fan. From long ago and far away, I've always loved bookshops. And libraries.

I can very distinctly remember visiting the Onehunga library when I was a wee nipper.

But especially really good bookshops (which means my local PaperPlus and Whitcoulls in Hawke's Bay no longer qualify). With that said, pleasingly, I picked up Patti Smith's Year Of The Monkey from the Palmerston North version of Whitcoulls.

And I especially love second hand bookshops, like my latest squeeze - the Little Red Book Shop in Hastings.

The lucky dip aspect appeals to me greatly. I can waltz in with nothing in mind and waltz out with a book or three very easily. As I did today.

I do miss trawling around The Piggery in Whangarei, but LRBS does me nicely, thank you very much.

Love and peace - Wozza