Apparently, the Worlds Biggest Book will be on display at the National Library of Scotland to celebrate.
Although the content looks fabulous, can I confess to being slight disappointed by the ‘bigness’ of the book? I was hoping for something insanely huge, at least a few feet thick, and perhaps the size of a bed…this just seems to be a collection of photographs bound together 😦
It doesn’t even show up as a Guinness World Record, so who decided it had that title?
*mutter, mutter*
The book “Love and Consequences” has been recalled by the publisher, as although it was thought to be a biography, it turns out to actually be a complete fabrication, apparently based on the authors work in a gang outreach programme. It’s the second book in a short time to be shown to actually be fiction, having initially been sold as non-fiction.
It seems a bit strange to me that these authors felt that their story would be better accepted if it was claimed to be the truth, rather than if it was fiction. I mean, a four year old girl travelling across Europe during WWII in the company of a pack of wolves isn’t exactly a standard life story – surely it’s more believable as fiction, than as truth anyway? A terrible childhood, difficult fostering, drug running for gangs, murder…again, (thankfully) not a normal story, but surely better as a fictional tale than as trying to claim it as true? Is that all publishers want from authors now – shocking, true-life stories, with a competition to see which can be the most gruesome / shocking?
And why did it need recalled? Will it never see the light of day again? Or will it be reprinted, with a new author blurb and jacket, and use the publicity from this recall of a previously-unknown book to flood the shops? The Belgian book won’t suffer – as it’s already been made into a film, the publicity caused by the book being revealed as fiction will probably have helped it, especially outside the country. After all, can you name any other Belgian films?!?
Anyway, since it’s caused such a fuss, I’ve decided to see if I can get a hold of a copy of “Love and Consequences” As it’s still for sale on Amazon, I’ve bought a copy. The chances of it actually getting to me before the recall information filters through are pretty slim, but I thought it would be fun to try!
Where do you fit?
Your Results
Based on your answers to the questionnaire, you most closely resemble survey respondents within the Omnivores typology group. This does not mean that you necessarily fit every group characteristic.
Omnivores make up 8% of the American public.
Basic Description
Members of this group use their extensive suite of technology tools to do an enormous range of things online, on the go, and with their cell phones. Omnivores are highly engaged with video online and digital content. Between blogging, maintaining their Web pages, remixing digital content, or posting their creations to their websites, they are creative participants in cyberspace.Defining Characteristics
You might see them watching video on an iPod. They might talk about their video games or their participation in virtual worlds the way their parents talked about their favorite TV episode a generation ago. Much of this chatter will take place via instant messages, texting on a cell phone, or on personal blogs. Omnivores are particularly active in dealing with video content. Most have video or digital cameras, and most have tried watching TV on a non-television device, such as a laptop or a cell phone.Omnivores embrace all this connectivity, feeling confident in how they manage information and their many devices. This puts information technology at the center of how they express themselves, do their jobs, and connect to their friends.
Who They Are
They are young, ethnically diverse, and mostly male (70%). The median age is 28; just more than half of them are under age 30, versus one in five in the general population. Over half are white (64%) and 11% are black (compared to 12% in the general population). English-speaking Hispanics make up 18% of this group. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many (42% versus the 13% average) of Omnivores are students.
In short, I’m the least technical I can be while still keeping up with life. Apparently, blogging, using forums / message boards, being able to edit photos a little bit, and owning what are now pretty standard devices such as a mobile and anMP3 player make me a techno geek!
In response to my pitiful plea about RSS feeds from OPSI, Scott pointed out that they could be found here: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/whatsnew.htm
So, I signed myself up for the ‘All Legislation’ feed, assuming it’d come in in the same format as on the Daily List, eg:
47
The Advice and Assistance (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2008. – 2p.: 30 cm. – Enabling power: Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986, s. 12 (3). – Issued: 26.02.2008. Made: 20.02.2008. Laid before the Scottish Parliament: 21.02.2008. Coming into force: 07.04.2008. Effect: S.I. 1996/2447 amended. Territorial extent and classification: S. General. – £3.00 – 9780110815145. Order here
Instead, they come in like this:
The Advice and Assistance (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2008: Web Version
These Regulations amend the Advice and Assistance (Scotland) Regulations 1996 to provide that a solicitor’s right to prior payment of fees and outlays out of any property recovered or preserved for a client in respect of advice and assistance shall not apply to the first £5,009 (increased from £4,821) recovered or preserved by virtue of certain family proceedings.
It’s a direct link to the legislation, which is good (if it works – at the moment it’s varying between taking me to a blank Bloglines page, or opening a duplicate of the Bloglines page I’m on, I know not why). And it’s nice that it’s giving the text of the Explanatory Note (not something usually included in a Daily List listing). But what’s not so good is that it’s stripped out all of the essential information I need to use – the legislation it’s been made under, its into force date, it’s effect…
Basically what’s being sent out then, is the title and Explanatory Note part of new legislation.
So, I’ve removed that subscription, and I’m back to trawling the Daily List, daily.
Acht well, it was a nice dream!
Dumpling in a Hanky 