Oh please! Just tell her to cut the faux naif, “ironic” crap like you told her to stop calling Crooked Timber “Twisty Sticks” – an executive decision on your part which saved N&C from itself.
My girlfriend works in Wimbledon just across the road from that Smiths, I’ll have to ask her to pick up the well thumbed copy with tobacco juice on it. You should be pleased that that Smiths had two copies. Usually it has no copies, well of books I’m after anyway. At least they have redeemed themselves somewhat.
Anonymous Reader, you are also an anonymous writer. With posts like those, I’m not surprised, I wouldn’t want to put my name to them either.
I have a feeling that Anonymous may be a little embarrassed, now it knows we know who it is. I doubt it will feel like making any more snotty comments, lest we share our knowledge of its identity.
Small world, eh Chris! Anyway, not to worry about Smiths: the one at Victoria has a whole big stack of the things.
PZ – one in Minnesota?! Already! That’s quick! And thanks! You’re our flavour of the month.
There are also a couple of blogs that dear Anonymous can keep itself busy writing…
And after all, I did give fair warning.
I have to add, it’s amusing to what an extent the stuff about embarrasment via Americanness is more true than jokey. When we toured the shops yesterday Jerry really did hide while I asked my brazen question. Poor guy – I make him feel all squirmy.
I got first sight of my newly published book today. Nice feeling, intit? Of course, it’s only an edited volume and the entire print run is almost certainly lower than the number of copies of DFN on show in London booksellers alone. But I empathise.
Score for Chelmsford, Essex is 3 copies in Waterstones, none in Ottakars; so I’ll never shop there again…oh no hang on, they’ve got a nice Costa Coffee on the first floor…well hardly ever then.
I’m still waiting for Amazon to send me my pre-ordered copy.
Thanks to everybody for their feedback. As Chris (Williams) indicates, for most people a first book is a big deal (if you come across Writing Magazine, take a look at the letters pages, you’ll see how desperate a lot of people are to be published). That’s what makes (not so) Anonymous Reader’s comments so mean-spirited.
The book is only in the biggest 200 W. H. Smith’s, so that would probably explain Worthing!
Yeah, the Cheam WH Smith’s doesn’t have it either, I’ve just discovered, but it is a very small Smith’s. It would be odd if it did (except for the fact that the author is local).
Hurrah and congrats, Chris Williams, I empathise right back.
Zabaglione. I wanted something slightly non-obvious. It’s a kind of custard made with marsala and egg yolks. Like custard but with a winy taste instead of a milky taste. It’s rilly good.
It’s called ‘Giving the past a future: preserving the heritage of UK’s criminal justice system’. Not quite too boring to type, but almost. The working title (‘Coppers! Stop burning your fucking archives’) would have probably generated more interest, but I bottled it. Ah well. A necessary book, but not one to set the world afire. Nor one that I can put in the RAE, alas.
And the basic idea very important. Good Enlightenment ‘project’ etc, hanging onto archives, keeping a historical record, all that. Well done! B&W salutes you!
Insofar as criminology is a subject area rather than a discipline, yes. I ‘am’ [cue a discussion on identity] a historian, but I work on crime and policing, and tend to hang around with criminologists some of the time.
Jerry, do any European countries still practice capital punishment? Will your upcoming book be a historical examination or will it concentrate mainly on current policies? Will it include chapters on U.S. policies? (I imagine so, since we Americans are sadly rather gung ho for it and would therefore make an excellent case study.)
There are countries in Europe which still have the option of capital punishment (e.g., Russia), but a condition of membership of the European Union is that it isn’t used, so it tends not to be (I think Belarus is currently the only exception!).
“Will your upcoming book be a historical examination or will it concentrate mainly on current policies?”
It’s not really going to be this kind of book. My brother was murdered a few years ago. In essence, the book is an argument against capital punishment from the perspective of somebody who has had close up experience of the murder of a loved one.
I will certainly be looking at the US situation. I want to talk to people on death-row, victims’ families, that kind of thing.
very small correction: you can’t join the Council of Europe if you have the death penalty in peacetime. It’s a distinction without a difference, since youcan’t join the EU without being in the CoE.
I know someone who’s done her doctorate on the history of the death penalty in FLorida – let me know if you want her contact details.
Hey, there’s one copy out here in the Minnesota wilderness, too!
Please stop, it’s getting embarassing.
What was it we were saying about irony the other day…
Oh please! Just tell her to cut the faux naif, “ironic” crap like you told her to stop calling Crooked Timber “Twisty Sticks” – an executive decision on your part which saved N&C from itself.
Anonymous Reader
1. You’re not anonymous to me (IP address – I get to see it);
2. I didn’t tell OB to stop calling CT “Twisty Sticks”;
3. I have no executive power; OB is the boss;
4. You need to get out less;
We need Ricky Gervais to write this Reader a better script.
Come on Anonymous! What’s your point ?Being rude is no use unless it’s amusing or enlightening somehow.
My girlfriend works in Wimbledon just across the road from that Smiths, I’ll have to ask her to pick up the well thumbed copy with tobacco juice on it. You should be pleased that that Smiths had two copies. Usually it has no copies, well of books I’m after anyway. At least they have redeemed themselves somewhat.
Anonymous Reader, you are also an anonymous writer. With posts like those, I’m not surprised, I wouldn’t want to put my name to them either.
Yeah,
Fork off, anonymous reader.
On behalf of the Luxembourg chapter of the OB fan club.
The President.
Thanks guys.
I have a feeling that Anonymous may be a little embarrassed, now it knows we know who it is. I doubt it will feel like making any more snotty comments, lest we share our knowledge of its identity.
Small world, eh Chris! Anyway, not to worry about Smiths: the one at Victoria has a whole big stack of the things.
PZ – one in Minnesota?! Already! That’s quick! And thanks! You’re our flavour of the month.
Hey, I for one happen to enjoy Ophelia’s sense of humor. If Anonymous Coward doesn’t like it, there are plenty of other blogs he/she can read.
There are also a couple of blogs that dear Anonymous can keep itself busy writing…
And after all, I did give fair warning.
I have to add, it’s amusing to what an extent the stuff about embarrasment via Americanness is more true than jokey. When we toured the shops yesterday Jerry really did hide while I asked my brazen question. Poor guy – I make him feel all squirmy.
I got first sight of my newly published book today. Nice feeling, intit? Of course, it’s only an edited volume and the entire print run is almost certainly lower than the number of copies of DFN on show in London booksellers alone. But I empathise.
Score for Chelmsford, Essex is 3 copies in Waterstones, none in Ottakars; so I’ll never shop there again…oh no hang on, they’ve got a nice Costa Coffee on the first floor…well hardly ever then.
I’m still waiting for Amazon to send me my pre-ordered copy.
Nothing in Worthing, West Sussex, WH Smith’s…
Thanks to everybody for their feedback. As Chris (Williams) indicates, for most people a first book is a big deal (if you come across Writing Magazine, take a look at the letters pages, you’ll see how desperate a lot of people are to be published). That’s what makes (not so) Anonymous Reader’s comments so mean-spirited.
The book is only in the biggest 200 W. H. Smith’s, so that would probably explain Worthing!
Jerry S: applaud your every word, but can anyone tell me what the hell zabaglione is anyway ?
“…for most people a first book is a big deal. That’s what makes (not so) Anonymous Reader’s comments so mean-spirited.”
Yes, I was going to ask him how many books he’d written. But then again I suppose he has “Primary Colors” to his belt.
ChrisW: What is your book called? (OB, JS, I promise to buy DFN first ;-).
Yeah, the Cheam WH Smith’s doesn’t have it either, I’ve just discovered, but it is a very small Smith’s. It would be odd if it did (except for the fact that the author is local).
Hurrah and congrats, Chris Williams, I empathise right back.
Zabaglione. I wanted something slightly non-obvious. It’s a kind of custard made with marsala and egg yolks. Like custard but with a winy taste instead of a milky taste. It’s rilly good.
P.S. Thanks to all the purchasers, waiters on Amazon, etc. You’re all pals!
Oooh. Now my curiosity is piqued. Who is this Anonymous reader/blogger?
Haven’t seen your book in stores here stateside or on Amazon US, so I just ordered it from Amazon UK.
It’s called ‘Giving the past a future: preserving the heritage of UK’s criminal justice system’. Not quite too boring to type, but almost. The working title (‘Coppers! Stop burning your fucking archives’) would have probably generated more interest, but I bottled it. Ah well. A necessary book, but not one to set the world afire. Nor one that I can put in the RAE, alas.
Nice cover though — it’s got _my_ _name_ on it.
Great working title. Shame you couldn’t keep it.
And the basic idea very important. Good Enlightenment ‘project’ etc, hanging onto archives, keeping a historical record, all that. Well done! B&W salutes you!
Cover with name on very very good.
Chris (Williams)
Are you a criminologist or something?
I’m thinking of writing a book on capital punishment (well, more than thinking really, I’m meeting with an editor to talk about it on Wednesday).
Insofar as criminology is a subject area rather than a discipline, yes. I ‘am’ [cue a discussion on identity] a historian, but I work on crime and policing, and tend to hang around with criminologists some of the time.
Jerry, do any European countries still practice capital punishment? Will your upcoming book be a historical examination or will it concentrate mainly on current policies? Will it include chapters on U.S. policies? (I imagine so, since we Americans are sadly rather gung ho for it and would therefore make an excellent case study.)
Karl
There are countries in Europe which still have the option of capital punishment (e.g., Russia), but a condition of membership of the European Union is that it isn’t used, so it tends not to be (I think Belarus is currently the only exception!).
“Will your upcoming book be a historical examination or will it concentrate mainly on current policies?”
It’s not really going to be this kind of book. My brother was murdered a few years ago. In essence, the book is an argument against capital punishment from the perspective of somebody who has had close up experience of the murder of a loved one.
I will certainly be looking at the US situation. I want to talk to people on death-row, victims’ families, that kind of thing.
Jerry S: I’m so sorry to hear about what happened to your brother. My deepest condolences.
Thanks Connie.
ditto, Jerry.
very small correction: you can’t join the Council of Europe if you have the death penalty in peacetime. It’s a distinction without a difference, since youcan’t join the EU without being in the CoE.
I know someone who’s done her doctorate on the history of the death penalty in FLorida – let me know if you want her contact details.
Thanks Chris.
I might well take you up on the contact details thing. But I’d better get a publisher for the book first!
Thanks to the other Chris W for the correction – I’d begun to wonder how I’d missed Belarus joining the EU!