The Broke and Bookish Secret Santa Exchange

Guess what?? I've found another Secret Santa exchange. This one is organised by The Broke and the Bookish.

Here's what you need to do and know:
+ Get the full details here and send the moderators an e-mail before Nov 17.
+ Books sent can be new or used. You can add in other little fun goodies as well!
+ Send presents out before Dec 10.

Wait no more! If you wanna join in the fun of playing Secret Santa, go ahead and sign up! :)

Secret Santa 2012

I've been on the lookout for Secret Santa bookish gifts exchange for the past week and I'm so glad to finally stumble upon this event hosted by The Book Nympho and Goldilox and the Three Weres.

The concept is simple. Everyone gives and receives a book...all in the spirit of Christmas and the holiday season. :) I'm so excited!

I'll just run you through the basic rules:

+ It is open worldwide.

+ New books only.

+ Sign up before Nov 20.

+ Books must be shipped by Dec 10.

That's it! To sign up and for more details, visit The Book Nympho or Goldilox and the Three Weres.

Happy Birthday, Charles Dickens!

Today is Charles Dickens' 200th birthday. I only knew about it when I opened the Google homepage today and was smitten by the graphic design of the Google logo. I really like it!

I clicked on the logo and out came the search results which included lots of articles and blog posts on the writer whose full name was Charles John Huffam Dickens. He was born on Feb 7, 1812 and died at the age of 58 on June 9, 1870.

You can also watch a video of his life (it's more like a cute summary of his life) in the YouTube video below. I discovered the video via My English Scrapbook.

So now I'll compile books, movies, blogs, etc, that are related to Dickens.

Books:

Well, I'm sure you are familiar with his works such as Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Nicholas Nickleby, Bleak House and The Old Curiosity Shop.

Wow. And I've just discovered several graphic novels of Dickens' novels. Here is an example:
A Christmas Carol: The Graphic Novel adapted by Sean Michael Wilson

Movies:

Great Expectations (1946 film)

I watched this film on Nov 28 last year during the European Union Film Festival 2011 at Gurney Plaza in Penang, Malaysia. It starred John Mills and Jean Simmons. It was a rather old movie, in black and white, and I was not really familiar with the cast.

But I found myself engrossed in the movie and I liked Simmons who played young Estella. The young Pip did really well too. The movie was sort of humorous at certain parts though I thought that the ending rather abrupt. All that aside, I think the movie stayed close to the book. But I've only ever read the abridged version! (I know, I know. I have to read the entire novel one day.)

If you want to watch other movie versions of the Great Expectations novel, check out:
1. Great Expectations (1974 film) starring Michael York
2. Great Expectations (1998 film) starring Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow

For movies based on his other novel, Oliver Twist:
Oliver! (1968 film) starring Mark Lester and Ron Moody

and A Tale of Two Cities:
A Tale of Two Cities (1980 film) starring Chris Sarandon

Blogs:

I came across Reading Charles Dickens where the blow owner, Edward, is currently on a mission of sorts to read all the published works of Dickens or any publications about him, throughout year 2012.

Like what he wrote on his About page - 'For the next 365 days, I will eat, work, sleep and dream Charles Dickens.'

Reading Challenge:

I was wondering if there was a 2012 reading challenge with Charles Dickens as the theme when I found that Newly Impassioned Soul is hosting such a challenge. I think I'm going to sign up for it!

How about you?

Other fun stuff (on Etsy):

1. Charles Dickens necklace
2. Vintage English Charles Dickens style tin (pic left)
3. Charles Dickens Butterfly Antique Bronze Necklace
4. Oliver Twist Book Purse Handbag and Kindle E-reader cover
5. Great Expectations mini Moleskine journal

Don't you just love Etsy for all the random but really cool stuff that are sold there?? :)

Anyway, this is the end of this post dedicated solely to the very famous English author, Charles Dickens and his works of literature, also movie adaptations, which are still being read and enjoyed by millions of people worldwide.

I hope you enjoyed reading it!

Last minute sign up for holiday swap

I hope I'm not too late for the Book Blogger Holiday Swap this year. The closing date for signing up is Nov 14, 2010 which was yesterday. Has anyone else signed up for it? Cos I haven't seen any post on another book blogger's blog, probably why I completely forgot about it!

Anyways, hope I'm not too late and I can't wait to know who my Santee will be. :)

P.S. My Kindle 3 arrived on Thursday! Will blog about it after this. :D

Swap books and gifts for the holiday

I've decided to participate in the Book Blogger Holiday Swap this year. I have heard of it last year but didn't get the chance to join in the fun. Perhaps I heard about it a little too late. Not gonna make the same mistake again!

Don't know what it's about? Visit their FAQ page. The main idea is that you get the chance to be Secret Santa to another blogger from anywhere in the world. Also, somebody else will be YOUR Secret Santa. Therefore, you will not miss out on the fun of getting a Christmas gift.

Are you getting excited about the whole idea? Wait not anymore and sign up before tomorrow, Nov 12, 2009, which is the closing date!

Love Animals!

It's World Animal Day today (Oct 4). I wouldn't know anything about it if I didn't read the newspaper!

So how are you celebrating the day? Do you have a pet? I don't have one but I have a soft spot for animals. It saddens me when I hear of animal abuse or stray animals wandering out in the street with no fixed shelter from the rain. At least there's the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) who takes in strays and cares for them.

If you're wondering what today is all about, please read this:

World Animal Day - a special opportunity for anyone who loves animals

MISSION STATEMENT - WORLD ANIMAL DAY

1. To celebrate animal life in all its forms
   
2. To celebrate humankind’s relationship with the animal kingdom
   
3. To acknowledge the diverse roles that animals play in our lives – from being our companions, supporting and helping us, to bringing a sense of wonder into our lives
   
4. To acknowledge and be thankful for the way in which animals enrich our lives.

Roald Dahl Day

Today, the world celebrates one of the world's most well-known authors of children's books. It's none other than Roald Dahl's birthday today. Dahl was born on Sept 13, 1916 and wrote a number of books, which are still and will be appreciated by adults and children alike.

These are some of the popular children's books by Dahl. They are all old edition covers. I enjoy looking at first edition covers! It's like going back in history.






Anyway, here are some cool Roald Dahl facts which I found in Wikipedia:

• Roald was named after the polar explorer Roald Amundsen, a national hero in Norway.
  
  
• Dahl first attended The Cathedral School, Llandaff. At the age of eight, he and four of his friends were caned by the headmaster after putting a dead mouse in a jar of sweets at the local sweet shop, which was owned by a "mean and loathsome" old woman called Mrs Pratchett (wife of blacksmith David Pratchett).
  
  
• Dahl was very tall, reaching 6'6" (1.98m) in adult life, and he was good at sports, being made captain of the school fives and squash teams, and also playing for the football team.
  
  
• In November 1939, Dahl joined the Royal Air Force. After a 600-mile car journey from Dar-es-Salaam to Nairobi, he was accepted for flight training with 20 other men, and was one of only three who survived the war, as the other 17 died in combat.
  
  
• His first children's book was The Gremlins, about mischievous little creatures that were part of RAF folklore.
  
  
• He also had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, usually with a dark sense of humour and a surprise ending.

Have fun celebrating Roald Dahl Day!