Winning times
The Booker Talk household has been in a state of suspended excitement for the last week. I hardly ever win things in competitions or prize drawers (I suppose the fact that I don’t actually enter many of them might have something to do with that). But on the same day just over a week ago I learned that I had won, not one but two prizes.
First to arrive was a copy of White Hunger which is a debut novel by a Finnish author called Aki Ollikainen. It’s set in 19th century Finland and follows a young woman’s journey from Finland to St Petersburg in an attempt to save her young children from starvation. This was a give away from theoxfordculturereview.com (a wonderful source of info if you have any plans to visit the city) and published by Peirene Press. The book won the title of Best Finnish Debut Novel 2012 and Finnish Book Bloggers’ Best Book 2012 and is now available in English. Have any of you read this?
Just a few days later came a mystery gift from the London Review of Books as a result of a reader survey I completed. I’m now the owner of a canvas tote bag (much nicer than plastic carrier bags and cheaper too since we have to pay for those in Wales); a few items from their cafe and a nicely bound compendium of articles published in the LRB.
Two successes. Do you think I could make it a third??
Now don’t get greedy 😉 Seriously though, what fun bookish winnings. I’ve not heard of White Hunger but it sounds like it has potential!
thats why I threw my hat into the ring for the giveaway Stefanie, I rarely do this because so often the books are not my kind of thing
Glad to hear that you won the White Hunger giveaway! Even though I’ve read the book, I put a pre-order on the translation because I’ve heard great things about the translator Emily Jeremiah and want to compare the book in different language versions.
that means it must be good if you want to read it again
I seriously wish I was in your place right now . Such a feast all those gifts are. Congrats 😀
oops sorry about that
I won two book giveaways this week, and was quite excited too!
we should raise a glass in celebration together. I feel a bit silly really coming all over like some excited child just because i won something I could easily have gone and bought.
Better play the lottery just in case. They say good things come in threes right? Or is that bad things? I always mix them up.
I always thought good luck and bad luck rotated. After three bad turns you are due some good. Three good things and you start watching over your shoulder.
All the same, unexpected surprises are always a treat.
I think I know my limit Geoff, the lottery would be big time…