Indexing Books Second Edition - Nancy C. Mulvany

Indexing Books, Second Edition (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)
Nancy C. Mulvany
University Of Chicago Press
Copyright: November 2005
978-0226552767

The amazon.com product description:

Since 1994, Nancy Mulvany's Indexing Books has been the gold standard for thousands of professional indexers, editors, and authors. This long-awaited second edition, expanded and completely updated, will be equally revered.

Like its predecessor, this edition of Indexing Books offers comprehensive, reliable treatment of indexing principles and practices relevant to authors and indexers alike. In addition to practical advice, the book presents a big-picture perspective on the nature and purpose of indexes and their role in published works. New to this edition are discussions of "information overload" and the role of the index, open-system versus closed-system indexing, electronic submission and display of indexes, and trends in software development, among other topics.
Mulvany is equally comfortable focusing on the nuts and bolts of indexing—how to determine what is indexable, how to decide the depth of an index, and how to work with publisher instructions—and broadly surveying important sources of indexing guidelines such as The Chicago Manual of Style, Sun Microsystems, Oxford University Press, NISO TR03, and ISO 999. Authors will appreciate Mulvany's in-depth consideration of the costs and benefits of preparing one's own index versus hiring a professional, while professional indexers will value Mulvany's insights into computer-aided indexing. Helpful appendixes include resources for indexers, a worksheet for general index specifications, and a bibliography of sources to consult for further information on a range of topics.

Indexing Books is both a practical guide and a manifesto about the vital role of the human-crafted index in the Information Age. As the standard indexing reference, it belongs on the shelves of everyone involved in writing and publishing nonfiction books.

This review is based on my first read-through of Nancy Mulvany's book. There are several sections where I will definitely benefit from multiple readings. That said, on with the review.

On seeing some pages on Indexing as a career option in other books, I started looking, thinking it sounds like an interesting job. Nancy Mulvany's book Indexing Books is one that I saw recommended on several of the various indexing societies websites, so decided to go for it to get some more information. I'm going to have to say that from my point of view, the recommendation was definitely worth it.

Indexing Books is written in such a way that I, a complete novice to the craft found it both understandable as an overview and an introduction to the various specifications needed and techniques involved with indexing. The author has even managed to make the book entertaining in places.

There are chapters on all sorts of aspects of indexing: the table of contents shows the following main headings (and two appendices: Index Specifications Worksheet and Resources For Indexers):

1. Introduction to Book Indexing
2. The Author and the Index
3. Getting Started
4. Structure of Entries
5. Arrangement of Entries
6. Special Concerns in Indexing
7. Names, Names, Names
8. Format and Layout of the Index
9. Editing the Index
10. Tools for Indexing

 Nancy Mulvany's work is certainly clear - although I feel like I definitely need to read it through now with a notepad and pencil at hand to work out some of the more arcane fine points to the craft, but I definitely have a greater appreciation for the indexes I've taken for granted to date.

Overall, a very readable and interesting, if specialized book. If you're interested in indexing, or may have to index your own book, I'd recommend reading Nancy Mulvany's Indexing Books for a solid start.

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Genre To Read?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week the question is what your favourite genre to read is. Fantasy? Historical Fiction? Romance? Science Fiction? Something else? It doesn't mean that that's all you read, but what do you know is almost guaranteed to be a read you'll enjoy?


My answer is:
Fantasy. I can't remember really when I wasn't reading fantasy books. Mostly because I can't remember when I hadn't read The Hobbit. I know I was maybe eleven when I wore out my first copy of The Fellowship of the Ring. I still remember when the pages fell out of the Council of Elrond chapter. For a long time though, I didn't venture beyond Tolkien when it came to fantasy.

Boy, oh boy has that ever changed. Now, probably half of my fiction books probably class as fantasy, and many of the books I'm looking forward to are fantasy novels by authors like Mercedes Lackey, Elizabeth Moon and Jo Graham.

I don't really know why I'm so attracted to fantasy novels though. They can be just as formulaic as any other genre, but they can also be downright original and creative in terms of world-building and societies. Maybe that's it, that they're not as constrained by real-world rules. And yet, they've got to be realistic as well.

My definition of fantasy has expanded in recent years too, to include Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romances as well as the traditional fantasy epic like The Deed of Paksenarrion. I just wish I could find more historical fantasy novels along the lines of The Mists of Avalon or Hand of Isis. My wish may have just come true however, as Jo Graham and Melissa Scott's latest collaboration is due out yesterday/today: Lost Things. I have to say the blurb for this one makes it look like a "must have" book for me.

Home From The Sea - Mercedes Lackey

Home From The Sea: An Elemental Masters Novel
Mercedes Lackey
Daw Hardcover
Copyright: June 5, 2012
978-0756407278

The amazon.com product description:

New in the extraordinary series hailed as “a true frolic into fantasy” (Fantasy Bookspot) by a “Master Magician.” (Midwest Book Review)

In Edwardian Britain, magic is real. And Masters of the Elements control Fire, Water, Air, and Earth...

Mari Prothero has lived all her life with her father, Daffyd, in a tiny fishing village on the coast of Wales. Though Daffyd takes his boat out on the sea regardless of weather, Mari has learned not to fear for his safety, for her father is a Water mage, and always comes home safely with a large catch. Mari knows that in her family, children are expected to marry at eighteen, to an appropriate stranger. However, Mari is a fledgling Water Master with a rebellious nature. She has no intention of agreeing to any arranged marriage. But Mari has yet to learn the truth of the magical heritage that must be protected by these very marriages. For the Protheros are descended from Selkies—magical beings who are able to change from seals to humans—and to continue her line, she must marry a full-blooded Selkie...

Honestly, Home From The Sea was as good as I'd expected or better. It certainly had some surprises in it too, including two of my favourite characters from Wizard of London. The whole cast of characters were intriguing and interesting, as was the setting and legend/tale used: Wales and the stories of the Selkies. Not to mention the twist that Mercedes Lackey adds to the story.

Mercedes Lackey is one of my favourite authors, and Home From The Sea certainly lived up to my expectations. I ended up finishing it the same day I got it, not something I do that often anymore. There just something about the way she writes these stories that makes it easy to sit and read, cover to cover. And then, to do it again sometime later as a re-read.

All too often, I was laughing at Nan, Sarah, Neville and Grey and their antics (mostly those of the birds), not to mention those of the various elementals, but there were some more serious moments to the story too, like the bargain that Mari's family had with the Selkie clan.

Overall, Home From The Sea is in the running to be my favourite book for the month of July. And, another neat note: in the list of Mercedes Lackey's books at the front, coming soon: Redoubt, the fourth book in the Collegium Chronicles series (Valdemar). I've seen a few reviews that said that Changes was the final book in the set, and it just didn't feel "finished" to me, so it's nice to see that there is more to Mags' story after all.

Snow White And The Huntsman - Lily Blake, Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock, Hossein Amini

Snow White and the Huntsman
Lily Blake, Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock, Hossein Amini
Poppy; 1 Pap/Pstr edition
Copyright Date: June 5, 2012
978-0316213271

The amazon.com product description:

A breathtaking new vision of a legendary tale. Snow White is the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen who is out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman who was dispatched to kill her.

It's a new vision of a legendary tale all right, but that's about all it is. I borrowed this book based on the cover, movie trailer and description, thinking it looked to be a good read. Not the case at all. There's a large font-size, so the book is really quite short (which was actually a blessing in disguise). Aside from that, I feel like the product blurb is false, and I couldn't recognize this as Snow White aside from character names - certainly the book is nothing like the Disney version I grew up with. I don't know how it compares with the older forms of the story though.

I think this might be a case of "which came first? the movie or the book?". If the book came first, it must have been intentionally written for the movie to be made, because that's what this felt like - a movie on paper. And, it felt very sketchy. None of the characters grabbed my interest at all - and I don't think it's because Snow White and the Huntsman is a teen book.

I'll be bluntly honest here. By the end of Snow White and the Huntsman, I felt as though I'd wasted my time reading it. At the beginning, it seemed like a book that could be really good, but it quickly went down hill.

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Book From June

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

Better late than never for two reasons this week: first, that I should have asked this question last week rather than asking about your favourite movie, and second, that I'm posting this so late today.  This week's question is: What was your favourite book from the month of June?

I'm going to have to say that my answer is Peter Ackroyd's book London Under. It was well written, intriguing and gave me a different view of that wonderful old city, while making me wish I was more familiar with it. That was my one gripe with this book: the lack of maps. Peter Ackroyd seems to assume that the reader is going to be familiar enough with London to recognize the districts and geographical features he mentions.

Despite that, this book was one that I found nearly impossible to put down until it was finished, and it left me wishing I could see some of the sites described, such as the Underground station that's been abandoned since the early nineteen hundreds but it still has the old posters on the walls.

What was your favourite book from June?

Saturday Snapshots - July 7

Saturday Snapshots is a fun little meme hosted each Saturday by Alyce of At Home With Books. It's become one of my favourites to participate in, although I have to admit that I'm not the most regular participant at times.

I got around to downloading a bunch of my photos to my computer this week again though, so I have some new material.

This is one of those things that you want to take photos of once you've gotten a macro lens.

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Movie?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm breaking from the mould a bit for this meme. I'm asking what your favourite movie is - because I was lucky enough to see mine on the TV the other day and it rekindled my love for the movie, and this post gave me the excuse to rave about it further.

My answer is:

The Last Samurai. I first saw it last year, or was it the year before now? with a friend, and then within the week I'd gone out and bought my own copy along with the soundtrack and watched it another three or four times. Since then, I hadn't seen it again until the other night. It's definitely got my favourite listing for the soundtrack. Hans Zimmer has done some wonderful composing for The Last Samurai. (side note: Hans Zimmer has also done my second favourite soundtrack as well: Gladiator)

There's something about this movie that intrigued me - to the point where I've been borrowing or buying a number of books on Japanese history and culture off and on. That's what's inspired my reading of books like James Clavell's Shogun, Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, and the non-fiction book Geisha, a Life by Mineko Iwasaki. Those aren't the only books on Japan that I've read either. I'm on the look-out for more books as well.

Either way, regardless of the way the movie intrigued me, in my mind it has maintained a good balance between all of the various elements, and if you watch your way through the commentaries, it's made clear just how much the makers tried to stay true to the period and to respect the culture - something I really appreciate in a historical movie, whether or not I know much about the period or not.

So, what's your favourite movie of all time?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? July 2 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted each week by Sheila of the blog Continuing Adventures Of A True Bookaholic. The idea is to post the books you've read in the past week, what you're reading now, and what you intend to read.

I'll admit that I'm not the most reliable participant for this meme, and it hasn't been helped in the past month by the reading slump I was in, but the past week seems to have broken that trend.

Last week I read:

The Collegium Chronicles One: Foundation by Mercedes Lackey.
Fiction, Fantasy, reread. The story of Mags, who was raised as a slave in a gem mine before he was Chosen. All of this is occurring in a time of great change for Valdemar - a lot of expansion and the shift to a Collegium model for training the Heralds and Healers.

The Collegium Chronicles Two: Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey.
Fiction, Fantasy, reread. The second volume of Mag's story. It picks up right where the first one left off (or within a couple of weeks of it, anyway).

The Collegium Chronicles Three: Changes by Mercedes Lackey.
Fiction, Fantasy, reread. The third volume of the series about Mags. This one's a bit confusing to me - not in terms of the story, but just that it looks as though it's the final book in the series. That fits, in terms of Lackey's usual trends, but not in other ways. First off, usually she follows the trainee right to the time they get their Whites or past that point. But, more importantly, the story just doesn't feel finished. I feel as though there are too many loose ends left dangling. Either way, this is a series that's best read one after the other. The books are quick reads but captivating.

London Under by Peter Ackroyd.
Non Fiction, History.A couple of people recommended this book to me and I finally got the chance to read it. A book that's not perfect, but I couldn't put it down nonetheless. London Under gives a very different view of London's history and culture, leaving me with a sense of intrigue and curiosity. All it needed to make the book perfect is a couple of good maps. I felt like Ackroyd wrote this one more for residents of London and those who are familiar with the city. Definitely a book I'll recommend as well.

I'm currently reading:

Hand of Isis by Jo Graham.
Fiction, Fantasy, History, reread. One of my favourite books. I've read it before several times now. The story of Cleopatra as told by her half-sister and slave, Charmian. It's an incredibly absorbing story, despite knowing how it ends. Actually, on reading this one this time, I found myself wanting to find a couple of really good history books about Alexandria. Any recommendations?
To be honest, despite loving this book, it's ended up a bit on the back-burner. I started it a couple of weeks ago and put it down for other reading. I do intend to get back to it though this week.

The English Ghost by Peter Ackroyd
Non Fiction, History. Another short book like London Under, but I'm not actually enjoying it too much.  The English Ghost is really just a listing of ghost sightings and accounts of the same - mostly from the seventeenth century and eighteenth century. The individual chapters are short, but there's not much connecting them together.

Out Of The Dark by David Weber.
Fiction, Science Fiction. Very different from the David Weber novels I'm used to reading (mostly the Honor Harrington series). So far, I'm quite enjoying the read too. This one's set in the very near future (maybe two or three years into the future), and makes abundant use of current geopolitical situations and conflicts.

I'm planning to read:

Lifting The Silence: A World War II Canadian Bomber Pilot Reunites With His Past by David Scott Smith and Sydney Percival Smith.
Non Fiction, History. I've heard that this one's really well written. I want to read it though, because a member of my family was a Pilot Officer in a Halifax Bomber. I'm curious to know more about what he would have experienced.

London Under - Peter Ackroyd

London Under
Peter Ackroyd
Nan A. Talese
Copyright: November 2011
978-0385531504

The amazon.com product description:

London Under is a wonderful, atmospheric, imagina­tive, oozing short study of everything that goes on under London, from original springs and streams and Roman amphitheaters to Victorian sewers, gang hideouts, and modern tube stations. The depths below are hot, warmer than the surface, and this book tunnels down through the geological layers, meeting the creatures, real and fictional, that dwell in darkness—rats and eels, mon­sters and ghosts. When the Underground’s Metropolitan Line was opened in 1864, the guards asked for permission to grow beards to protect themselves against the sulfurous fumes, and named their engines after tyrants—Czar, Kaiser, Mogul—and even Pluto, god of the underworld.

To go under London is to penetrate history, to enter a hid­den world. As Ackroyd puts it, “The vastness of the space, a second earth, elicits sensations of wonder and of terror. It partakes of myth and dream in equal measure.”

Ever thought that there was a world beneath the London we see today? Hidden, but just as alive and busy? No, I'm not describing another fantasy novel here, it's the world that Peter Ackroyd delves into in the book London Under.

For a fairly short book (240 pages), he covers a lot too. The book starts with the geology of London, some of the noted prehistoric finds and goes forward through time until the present. At the same time, he narrows in on specific aspects of London's underground history such as the various rivers and canals that have been covered over through the years.

Much of the book covers the medieval era to the present, although there are mentions of some of the prehistoric and Roman era discoveries that were made during the building of the sewers and the Underground (Tube) tunnels.

After the rivers, Ackroyd looks at the various sewer tunnels that were built during the middle ages to the eighteenth centuries and the effects they had on London, followed by the earliest versions of underground transport right up to the modern-day Underground system.

I'd be willing to bet that this book goes extremely well with Ackroyd's other book London: The Biography, which leads into my main complaint about London Under: the lack of maps. This book seems to be assuming that the reader is fairly familiar with London and it's geography. I for one am not, although I have visited a couple of times. Therefore, I found it rather hard to visualize the streets and intersections as Ackroyd mentions and follows them through the pages.

In spite of that, this is a book I have to recommend. It's fascinating, hard to put down and makes for a very different view of London and the history of that fine city. It also made me wish I could see some of the sights that the author mentions, such as the abandoned Underground stations where the posters are still on the walls, and have been since the early 1900's. The whole thing is written in a way that captures the imagination. I could see writers being inspired by reading London Under and setting up whole civilizations using what Peter Ackroyd set out.

That's something else that he focused on in this book. Peoples's views and stereotypes about the underground and tunnels as well as the people who used them and lived in them, as was the case for some people. It's interesting, the way it all ties into ideas about things like underground movements, religion, and class.

Overall, London Under is a book that definitely peaked my curiosity about London, it's history, present and future. I just wish there is a way I could see some of the things he described - most of it is closed off for various reasons, and of course, I live far too far away to get there. Definitely worth the read - and a fairly quick read too. Might be worth reading before the London Olympics to get a different view of the city.

Foundation: Collegium Chronicles One - Mercedes Lackey

The Collegium Chronicles: Foundation
Mercedes Lackey
DAW Books
Copyright: 2008
9780756405243

The amazon.com product description:

In this chronicle of the early history of Valdemar, a thirteen-year­old orphan named Magpie escapes a life of slavery in the gem mines when he is chosen by one of the magical companion horses of Valdemar to be trained as a herald. Thrust into the center of a legend in the making, Magpie discovers talents he never knew he had-and witnesses the founding of the great Heralds' Collegium.

I started re-reading this series the other day, Foundation, Intrigues and Changes so far (I'm onto the third book now) and what I'm finding is that the three books do really well when you read them back to back. It's more like one story in several volumes so far - rather different than her other story sets (Last Herald Mage, Heralds of Valdemar, Mage Wars etc.). This series the story picks up immediately after where it left off in the previous book. My last review for Foundation can be found here.

Mags is the typical character-type for a lot of the Valdemar books, reminding me of Skif and Talia, although even more so than they were. Even so, the story is interesting, though rather quick-reading. The time-period is about three generations after the time of Vanyel and Stefen, and it's a time of change, because the Heraldic Collegium - familiar to us from all of the later books, especially the Arrows trilogy, is being set up and formalized.

The main thing I found frustrating about reading Foundation is that the story built up very quickly at the end and then ended almost right after. It just didn't feel like anything was really resolved - instead being left until the next book in the series: Intrigues. Even so, I still enjoyed the read.

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Book Meme?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite book meme is. There are too many of them to count too: Library Loot, Booking Through Thursdays, "Waiting On" Wednesdays, Teaser Tuesdays, It's Monday! What Are You Reading? etc, etc.

What's your favourite, or do you have more than one? What draws you to a particular meme week after week? Memes about reading in general (Booking Through Thursdays)? or about a specific book each week ("Waiting On" Wednesday)?

My answer:
I seem to phase in and out of participating in the different book memes. I used to participate in most (all) of the memes I listed there, but not so much any more. Of them though, I'm going to have to say that my favourites are Library Loot and It's Monday! What Are You Reading?. Library Loot is the main one I participate in though these days, but I'm not all that regular a library user - hazard of working in a bookstore I think. It's Monday is one I want to participate in more often, but just don't seem to actually do.

Even with my track record, I'm always on the lookout for new book-related memes to read up on and try out.

What's your favourite?

Beyond Snapshots: How to Take That Fancy DSLR Camera Off "Auto" and Photograph Your Life like a Pro - Rachel Devine and Peta Mazey

Beyond Snapshots: How to Take That Fancy DSLR Camera Off "Auto" and Photograph Your Life like a Pro
Rachel Devine and Peta Mazey
Amphoto Books
Copyright: March 20, 2012
978-0817435806

The amazon.com product description:

Ready to Capture Your Story with Beautiful Photos?

Let professional photographers Rachel Devine and Peta Mazey show you how to use that fancy DSLR to photograph the story of your life, from falling in love and having a baby, to the everyday moments that are no less precious. You’ll learn:

   • Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
   • How to take portraits of your children, friends, pets—even yourself
   • How to capture light to make your photos more dramatic
   • How to make colors pop, eyes sparkle, and skin tones more realistic
   • How to capture the uniqueness and wonder of your family, friends, and world

After all, why trust your memories to regular snapshots when with just a little knowledge, you can create beautiful photographs?

Be inspired to see the beauty around you, every day.

I got this book through NetGalley, back when it first came out. And, I have to say, I'm contemplating buying a copy of my own now that my NetGalley access has run out for this one. Beyond Snapshots is exactly what the beginner needs. I could have used it three years ago, but better late than never.

Rachel Devine and Peta Mazey have collaborated on the perfect book for someone who's just gotten their first DSLR camera. I know that when I was going through the manual for mine (an Olympus E-410), I found myself thinking "so what does that actually mean for my photos" when it pointed out the different controls and how to adjust them. Aperture, ISO, etc. all of that is thoroughly and clearly explained in the first half of this book. There are even a whole ton of things I haven't played with yet - different metering modes etc that they discuss.

The second half of the book though is where my interest faded a bit. It seemed to be geared mostly towards family photos and portraits in terms of subject matter and the how-to's. I'm sure it's easy enough to transfer the knowledge and techniques to other subjects, but I just didn't find the ideas that inspiring.

On the other hand, the first half of the book was so useful that I think it's worth it anyway. ISO charts, discussions of lighting and how the time of day changes the lighting quality - my copy was an e-book, but I want that half of the book in print just for reference!

One aspect of their approach that I found to be interesting and useful is that they both took each of the photos - one with a Canon camera and the other with a Nikon and the instructions are given for each. Not the most useful for me personally - my camera is an Olympus, but I believe that those two brands are the most popular and common.

Overall, I have to say that I found Beyond Snapshots to be a very useful book - as I said, it's perfect for those who are just switching from a point-and-shoot to a DSLR camera - and even with the former, I'd bet you'll find some handy tips to improve your photo-taking. Keep in mind though, I'm just an enthusiastic amateur when it comes to my camera.

Mud, Sweat, And Tears - Bear Grylls

Mud, Sweat, And Tears
Bear Grylls
William Morrow Publishing
Copyright: May 2012
978-0062124197

The amazon.com product description:

Bear Grylls has always sought the ultimate in adventure. Growing up on a remote island off of Britain's windswept coast, he was taught by his father to sail and climb at an early age. Inevitably, it wasn't long before the young explorer was sneaking out to lead all-night climbing expeditions.

As a teenager at Eton College, Bear found his identity and purpose through both mountaineering and martial arts. These passions led him into the foothills of the mighty Himalayas and to a karate grandmaster's remote training camp in Japan, an experience that soon helped him earn a second-degree black belt. Returning home, he embarked upon the notoriously grueling selection course for the British Special Forces to join the elite Special Air Service unit 21 SAS—a journey that would push him to the very limits of physical and mental endurance.

Then, disaster. Bear broke his back in three places in a horrific free-fall parachuting accident in Africa. It was touch and go whether he would walk again, according to doctors. However, only eighteen months later, a twenty three-year-old Bear became one of the youngest climbers to scale Mount Everest, the world's highest summit. But these were just the beginning of his many extraordinary adventures. . . .

Known and admired by millions as the star of Man vs. Wild, Bear Grylls has survived where few would dare to go. Now, for the first time, Bear tells the story of his action-packed life. Gripping, moving, and wildly exhilarating, Mud, Sweat, and Tears is a must-read for adrenaline junkies and armchair explorers alike.

This is the first of Bear Gryll's books that I've not enjoyed absolutely. Parts were really good - the parts about his youth and his family especially, but also the section on his testing, training and time in the SAS, but most of the book was focused on Bear's Everest expedition. O.K., now you've got to be saying that I'm nuts. I'm complaining about most of the book being about such an unusual and life-changing event. Why?

Simply put: it felt like duplication. The book Facing Up, which came out a few years ago was entirely about Bear's Everest expedition, so it's like I'd already read about half of Mud, Sweat, And Tears.

For the rest of the book, as I said, parts were great, but I guess I was just expecting something different. I wanted to know more about Man Vs. Wild, the T.V. show, as well as some of Bear's other adventures - some of which were shown in the photographic inserts. But those were barely mentioned in the text.

Still, it was well-written and engaging. As I said, I enjoyed learning more about Bear's family - both as a kid and now his family and children. I guess Mud, Sweat, and Tears just had a set of expectations around it that it didn't meet for me. Not my favourite, but still, I'm glad I read it.

Kobo Vox Update - Android Marketplace (Google Play)

The biggest news involving the Kobo Vox in recent days is the latest system update. This one was big enough that Kobo sent out a mass e-mail a few days ago to announce it: access to Google Play, which also includes the Android Marketplace.

On turning on my Kobo Vox after the update was applied, I discovered that the GetJar marketplace icon which had originally come with the Kobo Vox was replaced by one called Play Store, which brought up the Google Play site. That's where the apps market is now.

At the same time, the Vox has added more Google integration to the system: the "Notifications" bar across the top now has a little e-mail icon, and on swiping it to see the notifications, it now states how many new e-mails I have. There are probably other integrations too, but that is the first one that came to my notice right off the bat.

A quick search discovers that my work-around for adding the Kindle app to the Kobo Vox is no longer needed. It's right there in the app-market at the top of the results list from a search for "Kindle for Android". I suspect the same thing is true for a lot of the work-arounds people have been using to date as well.

It may well be possible to read NetGalley titles easily on the Vox now. Aldiko Reader is easy to find and install, which is what NetGalley says to use with Android. I'd check it out but at the moment I have no titles requested.

I think this update is something that a lot of people have been waiting for. I know I have, if only so I don't have to say to people that the Vox doesn't have access to the Android Marketplace anymore.

Friday Favourites: Your Favourite Non-Reading Hobby?

Friday Favourites - a chance to rave about a favourite reading/book related topic each week.

Sometimes you just want a chance to rave about some favourite aspect of reading that doesn't really come up during regular blogging posts - that's what this is about. I'm willing to bet that at least some of those will come up one week or another.

This week I'm asking what your favourite non-reading hobby is. I'm sure that in terms of hobbies, reading takes the top slot :), but other hobbies are lots of fun too.

My answer:
I've tried a lot of hobbies, and they have tended to shift in terms of favourites and the amount of time I allot to them. In the past were hobbies like cross-stitch, drawing, calligraphy etc that are all year-round and engaging. All of which I still enjoy to an certain extent, but rarely do much of any more. Then there are the seasonal hobbies: gardening, snowshoeing, hiking etc. They're great, but you can only really do them at certain times of the year.

Right now, my priority (aside from reading) hobbies are those involved with yarn-craft. Mostly in this case, that refers to spinning and crochet, although I'd like to try dying some day, and I want to teach myself to knit. It just seems somehow that I have trouble figuring out the instructions for any particular stitch, and the motions don't feel as comfortable as crochet did immediately.

Of those two, I'm honestly not sure if spinning is more a favourite than crochet, or if it's the other way around. They're equally as portable - at least if I'm using the drop-spindle and not the actual wheel ;). I know one thing I love about them is the feeling of accomplishment I get from finishing something. And it doesn't tend to take forever to complete a project.

Spinning is, like photography, one of those hobbies I've stuck with. It has to have been five years or so now since I started using a drop-spindle and thane the wheel, and I'm still going strong. Other hobbies I've picked up for a while and then abandoned more or less completely, such as the time I did some soapstone carving. After a few months, it just got left.

That length of time in itself justifies spinning as being a favourite. Crochet is a more recent addition, but it's definitely got my interest. One of these days I'm intending to combine the two and actually do some crochet with some of the yarn I've spun. To date, I haven't had the confidence to try much crochet with my handspun. I've been sticking with the commercial stuff, at least partially because it's more predictable.

So, what's your favourite non-reading hobby?