Our August book was Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and while this book is about crazy drug trips and most scandalous city in the world, we enjoyed having our discussion at a gorgeous café called Santucci’s where we all had delicious breakfasts and decided that breakfast was the best way meal to enjoy book club over!
Book club is still going really strong and one of the titles we’ve loved was All That I Am by Anna Funder. For this book club meeting, we had breakfast at Maddy’s, though this breakfast did include cookies!
Last year, I wrote my Honours thesis on book covers, looking specifically at the Harry Potter covers. It gave me an excuse to fill my 100-page thesis with beautiful pictures of covers. I have a few favourites, which I might post up here one day but for now, these are the editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone that I own. I do have US editions of 4, 5, and 6, but not of the first.
On the far left, you have the hardcover Bloomsbury edition that my mum gave me after my first three books in paperback started to fall apart. Second on the left is one of the Celebratory editions. These were always released as paperbacks so as to coincide and celebrate the release of each movie. Hence, why there are no movie tie-in covers. These covers used the original cover art but framed the illustration with a solid colour border and foil stars. The edition on the centre is the book that started it all. You can see the torn corners and tattered cover. This is the book that started the love affair with Harry Potter that started in 1999 (when I was 9) when my teacher recommended I read the book, which I had been given earlier in the year at my birthday party. By the time I went to bed that night after Mum had come home from that fateful parent-teacher meeting, I had read three chapters and I was in love. The fourth book is the original French paperback. This is a very special edition because it contains my signatures from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 movie premiere. I have both Weasley twins, Narcissa Malfoy, Lupin and young Lily and Snape’s signatures. Not only do I love this edition for those signatures, but I also love it for the French translations of certain Rowling words (for example, Hufflepuff is Poufsouffle in French). The very last book, on the right, is my latest purchase and is the newest cover of first book of the lot. Linocut artist Clare Melinsky designed these covers. Her linocuts strip the story down to one crucial object or event for each novel, while also using vivid colours.
I want to keep collecting different versions of the books, especially when I visit countries, so will keep my eye out in op shops and second hand book shops.
The month of June was full of shorter days but filled with Birthday things! I collected books, bought a Polaroid and camera phone lenses, made the best red velvet cupcakes, was given minion cupcakes, explored my beautiful city, and woke up to frosty windows.
I used to keep a diary and had about 5 between the ages of 10-19 but now, my daily photos under #365manda are my visual diary and I love looking for the little highlights in my day and capturing them. If you shared any of my June memories with me, thank you for being apart of my favourite month!
I’ve joined something new this past month but something that has been around quite a while – the famous Book Club. Set up by my friend Laura from Uni, it gives us a place to still intellectually engage with a book but without the homework. That makes us sound very smart but we wanted an excuse to catch up, meet new people, eat tasty food and read a good book or two. Our first book was The Great Gatsby since it is on everyone’s tongue these days. I read the book back in high school but it was such a joy to read it again, and again, not have to do homework on it. I loved reading about the green lights, the oranges, the yellow cars and the puppies once more. I’d forgotten how easy a read the book was. I have yet to see the movie but I can’t wait!
Amanda is an amazing photographer. Her ability to capture an individual or couple and bring life to their photos is really special. I had some professional shots done by her and she made me look and feel confident and authentic. Couldn't recommend her more!
