Book: The House of Lords by John Wells

After watching some friends move out of a long term rental house, both Rosanne and I got the de-clutter bug again. My first attack was at the bookshelves in my office. We all have books that make it to our shelves, but never seem to make it off again, I ended up clearing nearly an entire shelf of un-wanted or un-needed books, which were dispatched to our school's flea market day and other charities around town.

One book caught my eye, though -- The House of Lords by John Wells. I purchased this book in a store on Kensington High Street during our only trip to London, back in 2000. It seemed an appropriate book to read while I was wandering the London Streets, walking by Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Whitehall. I read it quickly while on this mini-grand tour that eventually took us to Paris, Rome and, finally a re-meeting with the relatives in Sicily.

It has been so long since I first read the book, that I feel like I am reading to anew. The House of Lords has a fascinating history and fights for its very existence still today. Like all politics, the story is filled with quirky figures, deadly intrigue and amazing eccentricities. Just a day after re-discovering the book, I am almost halfway through it.

If you have any interest in Britian and its history, I highly recommend picking up a copy of The House of Lords by John Wells. You will most likely find it through a used bookseller on Amazon, as it has been out of print for some time.

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On hold at the library: Living: In Small Spaces

I came across mention of this book, Living in Small Spaces, on MoCoLoCo and immediately wanted to request it from the library. Unfortunately, they don't yet have a record in the system, so I will have to put it on my list of books to re-check in a month or so. I am always intrigued by "living small" ideas and this sounds like it should be a good look and read.

While looking at the book's entry at Amazon.com, I also came across this book, Living Large in Small Spaces, and another, The Very Small Home: Japanese Ideas for Living Well in Limited Space, which both sound similar and interesting.

Living: In Small Spaces

I'm intrigued by this title, due out later this month, for two reasons, 1) it's by Loft Publications, who've got a good track record and 2) for the book description in Amazon; "Is a large canvas really necessary to paint a masterpiece? The obvious answer would be that the size of the canvas and the brilliance of a work of art bear no relation. Does this also apply to interior design? Is a creative, elegant and cozy design possible in a 30-40m2 apartment? This book proves that it is... The final result is a philosophy of life based on the small, flexible and adaptable. Not only has the size of our apartments changed, but with it our lifestyle.". Urban nomads take note. Living small requires a surprisingly large number of pages, this paperback edition has 356 pages, all no doubt well illustrated, for $23.07 at Amazon.

(Via MoCoLoco.)

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What I'm Reading...

Not living without goals entirely, just not letting them dictate your life.

The latest book I am reading.


You can find more books in The WelchWrite Bookstore.

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What I'm Reading...

A man both pious and scandalous -- brother of famous author Harriet Beecher Stowe and son of one of the most prominant Calvinist preachers of the era, Beecher rose and then fell into the depths of a vicious sex scandal.

I am finding it a great source for this particular era of American history, one that I didn't know much about. I especially like that much of it takes place in Ohio, my home state.




The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More Can you really make money off the nichification of the marketplace? This book has become the darling of the Internet marketing set. I'll finally get a chance to see what all the hubbub is about.



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Screenwriting/Television Writing Book Recommendations

Today must be the day to update all online book lists.

I realized the my wife, Rosanne's book recommendations for screenwriting and television writing had never been put on her part of the site. So, you can now check it out using the link below.

Link: Screenwriting/Television Writing Recommended Books

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What I'm Reading....

Readymade is from the folks over at Readymade magazine, a great monthly available via subscription or on the newstand.



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