Following last year's killer event at the Hay Festival, I ordered Obelisk (from Amazon) but it arrived damaged, due to inadequate packaging, before Christmas, (returned without trust that a replacement might make it whole and undamaged, and seeking a refund, which was delivered). Thus, I finally managed to venture out on Monday, in these cold conditions, to seek a perfect copy. I went to London. Hatchard's, in a telephone call before Christmas, had 47 copies; but by the time I walked through their doors, all had been returned.
Luckily, further up on Piccadilly, Waterstone's had a decent copy. So I arrived home fixed.
And now, after the next and most recent crime novel, I will devour "Obelisk".
Last year in Hay, Rick Gekoski's reading of a small piece of Pearson's book was so enlightening and funny that I simply had to read the book.
Following my recent crimefic read, and others, if I get the media sorted, I'll let you know all about Obelisk.
That trip to London also allowed me to discover that my aged (vintage framed) specs are repairable. Cutler and Gross, you continue to be beautiful in my eyes, and in front of them ...
But now I'm home and reading. Bliss!
Oops. Forgot. Yes, I do hope to get the book signed when I go and see Uncle Vanya.
Posted by: crimeficreader | 06 February 2008 at 21:11
I became a Cutler & Gross convert in the early nineties. When Ralph Lauren tortoise shell frames were popular at about £200 (frames alone), C&G had their own at just under £100. The absolutely brilliant thing about C&G, however, is that they carry a line of classics and all are repairable!
They opened a vintage shop further up the lane a few years ago and the pair I needed to salvage was a treat from there. Therefore, I was dubious that they could be repaired. Now I am more than happy.
C&G change their ranges and I was disappointed on this occasion (and not tempted for once). It appears that the deep lense is now back in fashion. (Think back to the 80s...) As I have a prism in my lenses, I need to go for shallow ones, otherwise I'd look like I was wearing glass pebbles.
But years after leaving London I still go back to C&G. They will even mail your specs to you. Terrific service!
Posted by: crimeficreader | 06 February 2008 at 21:10
Good news, CrimeFic -- I sense the opportunity for an author signing coming up.....in the near future....
Good tip also about the glasses -- I have just about got to the limits of what Boots can offer (I have rapidly declined from 20-20 vision all my life to the worst "number" you can have and still see, over the past few years), so I keep your opticians' name up my sleeve....If I could not read I might as well die.
Posted by: Maxine Clarke | 06 February 2008 at 20:52
Specs! Must be the months for problems with them - glad yours are sorted!
A
xxx
Posted by: Anne Brooke | 06 February 2008 at 06:41