I have a Christmas book wish list a mile long -- I hope to post several as "received" later this weekend.

Alas, my family will not surprise me with books, nor buy them if I preent a wish list. They ALL think that I have plenty of books already. Tis a sad fate...but then they give me cash for Christmas and, well, I believe you know where I end up... book stores. IF a wish list would do me any good, it would include: Any Roddy Doyle I haven't read Workers in the Dawn by George Gissing Freakonomics by Stephen Levitt PAM Ugh... why can't I get paragraphs? I think I missed something somewhere. Help, please.

The 'Grumpy Old Women' book from the TV series. Very funny. Jane UK

The World Is Flat by Tom Friedman

PAM-the formatting went away-Martin is trying to get it back! Up until he is successful (of which result we have no doubt) you can use repeated ........to at least separate your thoughts for "understood paragraphing, etc. .................................................................................................................... I receive gift cards from bookshops, because "you have so many books we don't know what you need..." So I have a lovely time after Christmas and into the Spring deciding. I often buy books that I have all ready read and want to own for easy rereading...which my family also thinks is weird. But I am unrepentant! A pleasant experience repeated is still a pleasant experience!

I have been buying the books I want from EBay and can't wait til the new TV is connected (Comcast comes on Tuesday)to see how much room I have left on that wall for a new bookcase for all the books I have been lucky enough to "win" on EBay-the latest being Bleak House in readiness for the BBC TV series coming....One friend did give me a gift cert for Amazon but I plan to wait for some new books by my fav authors which I am hoping (!) will be coming out in the next few months..... Pat

I'm wishing for Teacher Man also. What I'm really hungry for is some new audio books. I asked for Lewis' The Four Loves.

I hope those who have wished for Teacher Man receive it. I finished it on the 23rd. Frank McCourt didn't disappoint me-it is must reading for present or former English teachers, especially.

My family really came through with books from my wish list this year. I received: "The Big House" by George Howe Colt, "The Planets" by Dava Sobel, "A Crack in the Edge of the World" by Simon Winchester, "Where God Was Born: A Journey by Land to the Roots of Religion" by Bruce Feiler, and "Anansi Boys" by Neil Gaiman. I also got a nice gift certificate from Amazon (bliss!). That should keep me busy for quite a while!

My non-reading dad stumbled upon some old books and picked up three he thought I'd enjoy. One happened to be "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," which I love! So now I have a red covered 1943 edition. The other two books were "Good Morning, Young Lady" (Kennelly) and "Uncle Rutherford's Attic." (Joanna H. Matthews)

Apparently, PAM, my family thinks as yours does - no books for me! I will have to add to my own collection by heading to B&N for my "Teacher Man." I'm glad to hear from many of you that it won't disappoint! My son got quite a nice variety of books, but not my type of stuff. He's got more of a scientific mind than his mother, so he's all excited for his two Stephen Hawking books, and someting about the mathematics of music and something to do with holographs (?) ... I'm really clueless, but he was loving them. Books4Joy, I'm envious of your wonderful gift! What a great dad! :-)

I didn't manage Sheri's haul but did receive Alan Bennett's 'Untold Story' (a weighty tome) and 'Not Married Not Bothered' by Carol Clewlow; recommended by Dido. Our US relatives sent 'Best Kitchen Quick Tips' by the editors of 'Cook's Illustrated'. Are they trying to tell us something? I gave the DD 'Small Island' by Andrea Levy. Maybe she will lend it to me so I can read it for the up-coming discussion.

A Feast For Crows by George R. R. Martin. I probably won't get it, but that's the book I want. :-) I've got it on hold at the library - I'm the 204th person in line. It may be a while.

Hooray, I'll get to read 'Teacher Man' after all! My bf received it from his mom and dad for Christmas.

cece, Thanks for the explanation re: formatting. It's interesting to recollect how I've tried to use paragraphs, spaces, lists, etc. to not only add organization to past postings but also (hopefully) clarify my thoughts to others. Now they are gone and we are left with naught but straight line after line.... a bit of a challenge now, isn't it? We shall adjust until Martin comes through for us as he always does. (three cheers for Martin.)--------------------- And, as expected, nary a book beneath the tree for me. Not a gift certificate, not a diary, not even a pen... nothing to do with books and writing. Oh, I got more than enough stuff, some practical stuff and some lovely things. I am grateful for all of the love and thought that went into each and every gift. My dear father has always claimed to know me better than most people and he pulled out his wallet and handed me $200. "This is money for you to spend on FUN stuff for YOU. Not the kids, not the house, whatever YOU want." Dear, kind, understanding Dad.~~~~~ PAM

Not a book in sight for me. Not a gift certificate. Not nothing to do with books. Sigh. Still, I do have an amazon gift cert and a B&N gift certificate left over from my birthday so all is not lost... Plus I got "Teacher Man" for my birthday and that's waiting in the wings for a good read...

Lemonhead----- You, Captain Backfire and I should all buy each other B&N gift cards for the holidays... at least we'll have one bookish gift awaiting us!~~~~~ PAM

I'm going to allow myself one long moan and then stop thinking about it. Had a horrid Christmas gift-wise. Why does no one make any effort whatsoever to get me something I actually want or could use? Despite my repeated requests to not get me gifts - make a donation to charity, buy my mom something instead, etc. etc., every year I am showered with useless junk that I have no use for and absolutely no place to store it either. The one bright spot is a poetry collection signed by Garrison Keillor (even though my name is spelled wrong, it's a very nice book). The low point is a huge electric waffle maker given to me by my (psuedo) boyfriend. Apparently he thinks I am in the habit of entertaining for breakfast, as the wretched thing makes 4 full size waffles at once. And folks, I live in a 700 sq. foot condo, there is no room for these white elephants! Okay, rant is over and I will go back to being thankful for my good health and overall good fortune and stop whining!

An electric waffle maker? Low, very low. Funny how you never forget these kind of gifts. If it makes you feel any better, when I was dating my husband and when we were both very young and foolish, he gave me an ORANGE ELECTRIC SHAVER for my legs for Christmas. How romantic. I forgave this serious misjudgment because he was 20, worked part-time in his father's electrical repair shop, was in university with little money and, above all, I loved him. I also suspect that his mom, who wasn't very welcoming in those days, suggested it. But I remember the feeling of total embarrassment telling my girlfriends what he bought me. Siobhan, if I were you, I'd make him waffles everytime he was there for breakfast, lunch or supper. Payback time. BTW, I stipulated "no books" for Christmas and instead bought people ones that I could read afterwards...

This Christmas I received four books that I didn't already have, probably a new record. (I need italics!) "Wicked" and "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" by Gregory Maguire, "The Widow of the South" by Robert Hicks, and "Best Dog Stories, A Classic Collection of Dog Literature". I didn't ask for any books but it is such a pleasure to open a present that contains them.

My (former) husband once gave me an electric floor polisher for Christmas and another time an electric razor, although I have to say it wasn't orange. --------- No books for me either, this year. I have given up asking; my daughter already knows what I like, and my non-reader gift givers can't select what I want even from a written list. One year I had written "new Ken Follett" and received A new Follett but not THE new Follett. Serves me right for not printing the title.

Maybe we are our own worst enemies. I know that my family doesn't buy me books because 1) I buy whatever I want rather frequently, 2) I talk about books with my book club friends, and here on RP, and elsewhere, so maybe they think I'm particular, 3) because I have so many books, they don't want to run the risk of duplicating, 4)or maybe I have so many books, surely I don't need more!...... Yes, PAM, if you and Lemonhead want to exchange, count me in. (How would one work out the logistics on that?) Perhaps we should go into a BN with $30 in our pockets, and make our purchases, and then report in on what we treated ourselves to! I have been in close proximity to a BN twice in the last week, but I've not gotten to go in!! Boo-hoo!

Jayne, YES, let's do the $30 idea...We could meet in Pittsburgh and have coffee and do our book shopping, but that's not too convenient for a Saturday afternoon. So I will spend my $30 "virtual" gift and share the titles I purchased if you will do the same - and Lemonhead of course, if she wants to take part. I think it should be an annual tradition... Every year after Christmas, pretend that $30 is from me and I shall do the same.~~~~~ PAM

My wife gave me a shaver this year ... and I'm not complaining. What's up with you ladies ??? :-) Also received the full Chronicles of Narnia, a biography of George Best, and The Broker by John Grisham, so can't complain. And it's already new Year here, so Happy Hogmanay from a Scotsman. Bill xoxox

I have yet to receive shaving equipment as a present although the first ever gift I got from the DH was a pair of gardening shears, followed by a wheel-barrow the next year. He excelled himself this time with a 'Digital Body Fat Scales'. Well, I ask you, what is a girl to do? I expect you are all familiar with these in the US where keeping fit and healthy is big business. . . . I must create a profile of my large wobbling bod by typing in my 'data'. Height, age, sex (before and after), favourite colour and so on. Within 4 seconds my body fat percentage will be displayed. Thank goodness it doesn't SPEAK my weight as did the old-fashioned machines situated at railway stations. "You weigh 17 stone 13 pounds and the wind is from the North East" Think of the shame.

Happy to say no shaving equipment & no waffle makers! Only one book but one I wanted: "The Pickwick Papers". However I did get the DVD of the BBC miniseries "North and South" based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell, which in usual BBC fashion is very very well done! Happy New Year to all of you! Look forward to sharing our reading experiences and OT stuff in 2006! And maybe we'll get formatting back and italics...

Alas, everyone got a copy of my Amazon wish list, which was overwhelmingly books, but what I received were the pieces of jewelry and the DVDs on the list. 6 year old nephew received a shaving set at a Christmas party. First time I've ever seen him walk in the door and announce he had to go take a shower. :-)

I got a very tall stack of books this year...about 90% of which I was happy with. Not bad. Includes a signed first edition of the latest Jasper Fforde (OK, I pointed my mother at it!), Dava Sobell's book about the planets and several others which I can't think of at the moment. New Paragraph. But the present which I am most pleased with is a laminator, which my wife bought me. I never knew I needed one, but now I've got one, I don't know how I managed without it. (Men do love getting new toys for Christmas!)

No books, but I did receive a Borders gift certificate and 50.00 to spend on "me" from my wonderful parents, which I am quite sure will go to books.

I've gotten such a laugh out of reading about the electric shavers that it makes up for the waffle maker! And we spent a lovely new year's together which has tempered my displeasure. (Quality time is the best present.) . . . The ex sent me some films, which I have enjoyed all out of proportion to the other gifts I received. March of the Penguins and the accompanying 'making of' documentary are at the top of the list. Good winter watching!

PAM, Yes! I'm in on this one! I don't know how soon I will get to Columbus (the nearest BN for me; about an hour away), but hopefully I can get there this weekend. Whenever it is, though, I will report to you on my "gifts" to myself. Or should I say your "virtual" gift to me? I don't know...it's very confusing. If anyone else wants to join in, please do! Take $30 (or the equivalent in whatever currency you use) to your favorite bookstore and make a purchase. Consider it a gift from your RP friends. The only catch is you need to report in to all of us on what you bought (or what your virtual friends bought for you).

PAM and Cap'n Backfire - I am in on the virtual gift giving... What a great idea 'cept won't be able to do it this weekend. Maybe next weekend?

I would love to be in on the virtual gifting. Even though I have the certificate I won't use it (an excuse to buy more books later?) I will report back to you all.....pam53

Liz, Jayne and Pam53, This will be so much FUN! We should start a thread on our virtual presents to each other. I won't be at the bookstore for a week or more either.----------------------- Everyone on RP, To repeat Jayne, we'd love to invite you to our virtual Christmas Party.---------- Let's say the party will start on January 10th. So we can start listing our titles on a separate thread on that day, does that work for everyone? Does someone else want to remember to start the thread? Or would you like me to try to remember to start it? ~~~~~PAM

I'm on for a virtual Christmas party and a real Christmas book from all of you. Is twenty quid close enough to $30? And do we have to bring a virtual bottle, or is the host going to supply the virtual beer? And what about the virtual food? Is it nibbles or a decent buffet? Or even a posh sit-down virtual meal?

Even though I did receive books for Christmas, any excuse for buying (receiving) more is a good thing so count me in. And for the virtual feast we should have all of the yummy, not-so-healthy foods that we can imagine.

I have an idea. For the feast, let's have a potluck dinner with each of us "bringing" a favorite local or family dish or two. We can share our gifts and share our favorite food. What do you think? ~~~~~PAM

I love the idea of a potluck with each of us bringing a favorite food... How fun!!!

Whoa!! I am amazed at the response! I get home from work and this virtual gift thing has taken off! Wonderful! And a virtual feast to go along with it? A fabulous idea. Pam, you go ahead and start the thread on the 10th. I'm already salivating at both the titles we'll all share, and the food we'll all bring! (Virtually speaking, of course!)............................My trip to BN will happen this weekend. Can't wait!..............Jayne/Cap'n B.

This sounds like fun! Count me in, I'll gladly make a trip to the bookstore between now and January 10th.

Oh, goody! Amazon just sent me a notice that a new Charles Todd book was released today. If Borders has it by the 10th, I'm in. Actually, I'm in whether they have it or not. Now, what shall I cook? Hmmm

I think I will be visiting the bookstore today-can't wait. I still haven't decided what to bring to the feast. Pam 53

I have just been lent as a 30 year loan my neighbours Christmas present from his Massachusetts S-in-L. It is The Encyclopedia of New England. A huge volume that could be used to underpin the foundations of our house. I weighed it on my new all-knowing full of electronic wizardry Xmas present scales and it claimed the book was 6ft 1 inch, whereas my old, trusty scales recorded 7½ pounds. This tome tells me more than I need to know about everything/body in NE even unto the 10th generation in teeny-tweeny print.

Vee, how funny!

Count me in on the virtual gift exchange and party. I'm off to the bookstore to make my choices.