Welcome
I hope you enjoy browsing this site and if you wish to comment on anything you find here either use the comment box at the bottom of each post or email me from the information links on the home page
Biography
I live with my wife Margaret in East Sussex, having managed to return to this area after many years up-country (well, Surrey actually). About a year ago I managed to get early retirement after a lengthy career in I.T. and am now able to devote myself to many of my interests including reading, walking and playing the mandolin. I retain a vestige of usefulness by running websites for a couple of local organisations.
Why do I write this book blog?
I have always been unable to live without books and for example, the thought of a train journey without a book to hand fills me with anxiety. Some years ago I realised that by reading so many books I was actually forgetting most of them within a few weeks (or even days) of finishing them, so I started to write reviews, firstly for Amazon and then for my own website. I am currently listed as Amazon reviewer no. 122.
When blogging technology became available I loved the scope it gave for producing a cohesive style and theme and also connecting to a wider circle of readers.
What do I most get out of it?
My latest venture is A Common Reader, which I feel is about as good as it gets in terms of what I can achieve in terms of presentation and content. I love updating the website and watching the use it gets via Google Analytics. I also enjoy the act of self-publishing, and get a great deal of satisfaction from narcisistically looking at my creation and the way it has built up.
PUBLISHING HISTORY
In April 2008, my previous book blog using Wordpress software hosted on my own domain, was hacked into to such a degree that it became unusable and could not be recovered. I decided to start again by signing up for a Typead hosted blog and transferred many of the old reviews onto this site. I have been adding to them at the rate of two or three a week ever since.
9 February 2009 - Adopted new theme and created author and title lists
11 February 2009 - More design improvements, sorting out of links etc
26 April 2009 - First anniversary. 160 posts and 112 book reviews in the first year
