New Year, New Books

The New Year post has brought me a copy of Jean Aitchison's The Articulate Mammal, an introduction to psycholinguistics that is at once highly readable and knowledgeable. It's one of those fascinating books that makes you turn to your spouse as you sit up reading in bed and say 'Well, I never knew that.....', it's full of insights and supplies an excellent overview of the development of the discipline.
A friend of mine has lent me her copy of Harry Thompson's novel This Thing of Darkness, which she rated as her absolutely best read of 2009. It was longlisted for the 2005 Booker prize and sadly the author died only a year later. I've read several reviews of it and they are all equally laudatory, and having started it over the Christmas holidays, it's starting to grow on me. I was initially put off by the '40 years before the mast' detail, which seemed reminiscent of a Patrick O'Brien tale, all poopdecks and marlin spikes, but the quality of the writing is undeniable. I shall persist with it. Boswell's Life of Johnson, although excellent, can tend towards same-iness if read in too large a chunk.
The AHRC funding has happily allowed me to order a couple of books for my studies: George Steiner's After Babel, and another Wallace Chafe book, the Meaning and Structure of Language, both of which I am hoping will provide additional grist for the linguistic doctoral mill. My mother, who has become very interested in the subject of the Crusades, will additionally receive Amin Maalouf's The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, in the interests of maintaining a balanced, scholarly approach.
Hopefully, the severe wintery weather will not delay their delivery by too much

The End of the Line

The death-throes of the York branch of the doomed 'Borders' continue. Just as a corpse is stripped by scavengers, the dwindling book-stock is getting shunted ever-closer to the front of the shop, leaving denuded shelves at the now-cavernous/cadaverous rear. Lurid posters and cards proclaim the escalating percentage of discount that can be expected and, sadly and ironically, the shop has never been busier. A game of 'spot-the-book' (see previous post), undertaken from the gallery of the in-store Starbucks is now no longer possible: the bookshelves below are now quite empty. Talking to the staff of that cafe (some of whom have been working there for ages) it would appear that they too are living on borrowed time. When Borders closes its doors for the final time (imminently, it would appear), they will all probably be without jobs, as the neighbouring branches of 'Bucks each have a full complement of staff, particularly as they have been doing some seasonal recruiting. I know a lot of people dislike the globalising and monopolising aspects of Starbucks, but to be quite honest, I much prefer going in one of their branches than a poky little independent cafe that sells indifferently brewed coffee and often less-than-fresh muffins. I know that wherever I find a Starbucks, I can get a decent cup of coffee.
Yes - I get all that about large chains squeezing out the independent trader, but in reality people like to go where the food and coffee is of a consistent quality (and if it isn't, make a fuss and you will get a free replacement and a voucher) and you can sit for hours chatting with friends or working on your laptop without feeling like you've outstayed your welcome. Although nearly all the people of the York Borders In-Store Starbucks are unknown to me by name, their faces and foibles have become familiar over the years. They feel like a community - one that is soon going to disperse. And that feels rather sad.
Where will we all go now for our rest and respite?
And yes, I have taken advantage of the liquidation discount - an Oxford World Classics copy of Boswell's 'Life of Johnson', a droll and mighty tome (as befits its subject) that I probably would not have otherwise purchased, and am currently enjoying as my bedtime reading matter.