On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent me five gold rings.... Not something I really want as I really don't like gold jewellery. But when I was Googling to check that it really was five gold rings I discovered that the five gold rings are meant to symbolize the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament. Books and writing seems a bit more my thing but really I don't want anyone to send me any more versions of the Pentateuch. I have plenty of versions in English, Greek and Latin and I think I probably still have Genesis in Hebrew.
I am interested in this symbolism for the 12 Days of Christmas as I really knew nothing about it until five minutes ago. But what I would really like to blog about are Five Great Birthday Presents. I blogged the other day about the books I scored for Christmas but I have another stash relating to my big birthday this year.
Probably the very best present I got was my iTouch which I got as an early birthday present in time to take on my overseas trip in April/May. The iTouch was a gift from my parents and was definitely about books and writing and reading as I specifically got it so that I could load up ebooks and take them with me. It was a great success (and still is) and meant that I had some favourite authors on tap for the plane trip to say nothing of a range of other apps and my ability to access various email accounts at once. I love my iTouch and am very happy reading books on it as they are available in a range of formats and apps. What I am not happy about is the limited range available in Australia and of Australian publications. Some people find the iTouch too small but its smallness and lightness depict its very value to me and also why I can't quite bring myself to see the value to me of an iPad. It's bigger and heavier and... well maybe for films. I'll see.
So the iTouch was one fabulous reading device for my birthday and an early present, but once I had returned from my travels and was cajoled into late birthday celebrations, I got some books as well!! How lovely was that. All four were non-fiction and reflected people's knowledge of my long-term interests.
Penny and Mark gave me Peter Stothard's On the Spartacus road: a spectacular journey through ancient Italy. This is the story of Stothard's journey along the route that was taken by the gladiators (Spartacus et al.) who raged and waged war on the Roman Republic between 73 and 71 B.C. It is described as "a journalist's notebook, a classicist's celebration, a survivor's record of a near fatal cancer and the history of a unique and brutal war." Many buttons are pressed for me in that summary and I really look forward to reading it.
The other three books could be said to have the same theme: food, cooking and writing. Claudia Roden's Arabesque: a taste of Morocco, Turkey and Lebanon was given to me by my friends Margaret and TK who share my love of the Middle East and of its food. I have long loved Claudia Roden's writing about food and this was a title I didn't own. I look forward to relishing the writing and food contained in it. Marg and TK hosted my Canberra birthday celebration which is depicted above and was fabulous. I am sorry that unfortunately I was ill during it and didn't enjoy celebrating as much I normally do. But a great time was had nonetheless.
Mairin, Sebastian and Alex gave me Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris' Your place or mine? The authors of this were Masterchef judges and well-known in Melbourne for their restaurants, Fenix and The Press Club. The book is well presented and divided into the categories of Providore, Greengrocer, Butcher and Fishmonger. There are recipes from each - some standard favourites, some very special. I read this the day I received it!
Tessa Kiros' Venetian journal: foo, travel, dreams was given to me by Karyn. This book is a combination of recipes, photos of Venice and opportunities for reflection and comments and a companion volume to Kiros' Venezia. I know one is supposed to write experiences in the book but I am not sure that I will be able to sully it!
These Five Presents really are so much more to my taste than Five Gold Rings or the Pentateuch. Thanks to all who thoughtfully gave me gifts aligned to my pleasures!
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