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Godin Gets To The Point

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I've been a fan of Seth Godin's writings for quite some time, so I was delighted when my copy of The Big Red Fez arrived a couple of days ago.

In common with some of Godin's other books, The Big Red Fez is not a hefty volume with tiny print. It's just over 100 pages long, but every second page is a screenshot of a website or email, so it's actually a mere 50 pages in total. But a book shouldn't be valued based on its length, especially not in the case of Godin.

While some authors suffer from something akin to verbal diarrhoea, Godin excels in getting his point across clearly and succintly (the screenshots help illustrate what he's talking about).

So what is it all about?

It's about taking your website to the next level. Making it more useful and thus more profitable. No matter how good you may think your website is you can probably tweak it and improve it (I know this to be very true of any I operate!)
Most of what Godin talks about is simple and easy to put into operation - making the call to action more obvious for example, or rejigging error messages etc.,

Word of advice - if you run a website get a copy of this book!
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Muslim architecture in Medina Azahara: Salón Rico.

Image via Wikipedia

If you've spent any length of time in Spain you cannot escape the Moorish influence. While the more obvious traces can be found in Andalucia, with Granada's Alhambra, the influences on both culture and language run a lot deeper.

Jason Webster's book Andalus attempts to explore the legacy of the Moorish conquest of Spain and its legacy hundreds of years later when the relations between East and West are strained once again.

It makes for an interesting read, as the author explores not just Andalucia, but many of the other Spanish regions in search of answers to questions about Spain's past, present and possible future.

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Gentoo Penguin, Pygoscelis papua

Image via Wikipedia

Penguin are giving away books - the only catch being you have to write a review of the book you get within 6 weeks of receiving it.

More info on their special holiday reading site
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Heading West Again

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The Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul rises above O'Connell Street, Ennis.

Image via Wikipedia

I'll be leaving for Ennis shortly, as I have to go and collect a load of books that I'd left in my grandfather's house.

Of course I'm running an hour or two behind schedule, but it's a Saturday, so I should be forgiven!

I left a lot of Spanish and French books with my grandfather a few years ago, so I've really no idea what is actually there. I suspect there's plenty of Garcia Marquez and a few dictionaries, though I'm not 100% sure.

My task for next week will be getting my hands on more bookcases, as I've more or less filled all the ones I have and am currently living surrounded by boxes!

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Royal Welcome for Devil May Care

Image by Thomas Roche via Flickr

I'm not ashamed to say that I am a James Bond fan (why would I?), so I was very interested in seeing how the new Bond novel would turn out. A new novel? The concept of a new James Bond novel is probably a bit bizarre considering that Ian Fleming has been dead for quite some time, but this year, to mark the centenary of his birth, Penguin commissioned Sebastian Faulks to write a new novel.

Devil May Care is classic Bond. It may only have been published last week, but it feels like it was written over 30 years ago at the height of the cold War.

The story picks up after the last "original" Bond book with our hero recovering his strength. Next thing you know we're plunged headlong into yet another exciting adventure that takes us to the four corners of the globe.

There's plenty of action, but there's also plenty of proof that while Bond maybe tough he's still only human.

Is it as good as an Ian Fleming? Possibly.
Is it worth reading? Definitely

Grab a copy!
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I meant to mention this before the weekend,  but didn't get a chance.

The Irish Media Contacts Directory 2008 edition has just been released.

The directory is split into four main sections:
Print Broadcast Media Services Politics
It also includes an "experts" section which is useful if you are looking for an informed comment on something.

It would be really nice if they gave subscribers access to the data in CSV format, as that would be very useful for mailing lists etc.,

The directory retails at EUR90 and is available via the site
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More James Bond Goodies

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This year is turning out to be a bumper year for James Bond fans.

The Ian Fleming centenary has acted as a wonderful catalyst for the likes of Penguin, who are releasing a series of new covers, which are simply gorgeous.

Here's the one from Casino Royale:
casino-royale-penguin-book-cover.jpgIt maybe new, but it's got that wonderful 60s retro feel.

The full set of books will be available at the end of May, though they haven't announced if they will be making a box set available yet.

Of course there's also the new Bond film which is set to be released on October 31st.

Earlier this year Royal Mail released a set of stamps to commemorate the centenary, while the Imperial War Museum is holding a really nice exhibition.

Of course the main thing behind Bond was the books, so you could do worse than spend some time acquiring some of the first editions. While you can get some of the first editions for as little as 30 or 40 euro there are some going under the auction hammer next Friday for prices ranging from 500 euro to ten thousand euro. More information is available on the Bloomsbury Auctions' site (you can bid via eBay)


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james bond exhibition london imperial war museum
As I mentioned some time ago, this year mark's the centenary of Ian Fleming's birth.

While the Royal Mail have issued a gorgeous set of stamps to commemorate the man and his most famous creation - James Bond, the Imperial War Museum in London is marking the occasion with an exhibition.

The exhibition, For Your Eyes Only, is being held in the Imperial War Museum and is well worth the entrance fee. Not only does it chronicle the life and work of Fleming, but it also explores the literary and cinematic world of James Bond.

The exhibits include a very impressive selection of international editions of the books along with some of the props and costumes from the films, including an atomic bomb!

When I was a teenager my cousin took me around most of the museums in London, such as the Imperial War Museum. I may not have been as deeply affected by some of the themes as I am now, I was always impressed by their usage of multimedia. Over 20 years later the technology has advanced considerably and so have the displays.

The James Bond exhibition is a rich multimedia experience and allows you to explore many of the themes "a la carte". Unlike so many exhibitions that are simply flat and static, the use of multimedia enriches the overall experience and allows you to explore in your own way.

If you get a chance to drop in before next year (when it closes) I'd highly recommend it.
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Twenty Major In Print

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I probably missed the announcement that Twenty Major's book was out, but fortunately Will mentioned it on Jaiku...

I'm seriously tempted to grab a copy this week, but I'm also feeling guilty for not finishing the book I'm reading at the moment
The Order of the Phoenix Park
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Why Bother Reading Harry Potter...

when this tshirt sums it all up in a couple of lines?

Brilliant! Though a bit more verbose than the TShirt Hell one (which seems to be no longer on offer)

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