What to do when you can't go to the library or the bookshop

The other day my older sister (also a bookworm) said I could use the lockdown to go through my book shelves and read the books I hadn't read yet.

"Surely there are books that you haven't read?" she asked

"No I've read them all," I replied.

I thought about what she said and went through my book shelves today and hey presto she was right (I won't tell her that though). I do have a number of books I either haven't read yet or I've started them and decided I wasn't in the mood to read said book at that particular time.

As of 11.59pm last night (25/03/2020) New Zealand went into lockdown for at least four weeks. Pretty much everything is closed and police are now wandering the streets ensuring people obey the lockdown rules. We are only allowed to go to the supermarket or pharmacy and vet, if you have an animal, or seek medical services if needed. You are allowed to take a short walk but that's it! Stay home! If we do we will save lives!

It got me thinking about what I can do when I can't go to my local library or bookshops and I thought I'd share a few tips here.

1. Look up your local library website. Even just reading all the content on the website could fill in a few hours but then there's all the Ebooks and Eaudiobooks available to download once you've downloaded the appropriate apps. Once you've downloaded the app and found a book you want to read or listen to, you can do so by entering the details generally on the back of your library card. If you don't know what to do, look up the contact emails for your local library on the website, and send an email asking for help. There will be someone there to answer your email!

2. Join the world's largest community of book lovers - Goodreads. Now I can spend hours on that website if only I had the time. Oh that's right I do. You can look for all the new releases coming up, you can join communities of people that like the same sorts of books as you or communities with your Facebook friends who may have different reading interests that could inspire you. You can create virtual bookshelves of your "Want to Read" books, "Read" books and "Currently Reading" books. You can take part in reading challenges and follow authors of your favourite books. I could go on and on.

3. If you're on Instagram follow some of the gazillions of virtual bookclubs. Reese's Book Club and Oprah's Book Club are two that I follow and love. 

4. Type in #bookstagram in the search area of Instagram and you will find over 40 million posts by Bookish people.

5. Join some reading groups on Facebook like "I Love Reading" or "I'm Not Obsessed, I Just To Love the Read" or "We Love Reading Books".

6. Find a book club on Facebook. I belong to one called Paper + Ink - An Unofficial Book Club which I just love.

7. Write a list of all the books you want to read after doing the above.

8. Write a review of your favourite book, take a photo of it and share it on Facebook and Instagram. Your recommendation may encourage others to read the book. 

9. And lastly tidy your own book shelves - you never know you may find some books that you haven't actually read yet!  

Happy reading folks!

How To Be A Family

When I read the synopsis of this book it got me straight away. So what did an American journalist really think of my country and also the country which was the birthplace of my parents?

In 2016 Dan Kois, his wife and two daughters took a year out to find out what life is like in other parts of the world and if there was anything he could glean from the way people parent in other countries. They spent the first quarter of the year in New Zealand (my home), three months in the Netherlands (my parents' birthplace), and then the same amount of time in Costa Rica and Kansas - a a much quieter America to what he's used to.

The family lived mostly in long term Air BnB and the two girls went to school - well at least in NZ, the Netherlands and Kansas. I really enjoyed reading Kois' take on the New Zealand way of life. They lived in our capital city Wellington and appeared to make friends very easily and learnt some of the Maori culture before moving on to Delft in the Netherlands where things were not as easy in the friendship or the English speaking stakes but lots of biking made up for it. Costa Rica was where their girls took their holidays enjoying the sun, sand and sea and many mosquitos before arriving in Hays, Kansas where they soon felt part of its small community.

  

While I enjoyed this book I came away with the impression that just maybe the grass is not always greener on the other side, that parenting is hard but rewarding work and that our preconceived ideas of what a place is like may just be turned on their head.

I recommend this book for any family wanting to travel together, to anyone wanting to learn about the four places mentioned and any parent who may want to see how their job is done in other countries.

Footnote - the ornament pictured with the book was a gift from my husband's uncle and aunt who recently visited New Zealand from the Netherlands.