Livremo-nos

Chegou a época do Natal e, com ela, a pergunta «o que o oferecer a X, Y e Z?». A resposta é simples: LIVROS. Há-os para todos os gostos, idades e preços. E se o recipiente não gostou, troca-se! Dá-se um objecto bonito, que fica, que não choca com a decoração, e ajuda-se uma indústria importante que, apesar de estar cheia de malucos e incompetentes, também alimenta muito boa gente. Perfeito, não é?

Ah, mas e a crise e tal.

Alto. Se tem receio de entrar numa livraria, ele há feiras. Muitas feiras. Para começar, a Festa dos Livros da Gulbenkian. Para acabar, a da Gare do Oriente, com coisas óptimas da Bertrand, Círculo, Temas e Debates, Quetzal, etc. a 50% do preço original. (Sim, são sobretudo livros do universo Bertrand, mas não só.) Portanto, não há desculpas.

Vá, não se arme em moderno, a oferecer e-books. Saia de casa e vá num safari livresco, de lista em riste. Em três tempos terá sacos cheios de boas pechinchas. Boa caçada!

Boas Festas!

The British writer Richard Adams, appearing alongside Gore Vidal on That Was The Week That Was, called his work "meretricious."

"Pardon?" said Vidal.

"Meretricious."
"Meretricious to you," the American replied, "and a happy new year."

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world...

Cada um tem o que merece, diz-se. Nós, se calhar, merecemos isto. Esta citação, desta  pessoa, numa campanha destas organizada por esta associação, neste país.  Mas não deixa de ser triste.

Votos de um natal lúcido e de um 2012 possível.

Ofereça livros pelo Natal

Mas cuidado, a reacção pode ser esta:

Depois de conhecer o contexto* deste polémico vídeo, com mais de 30000 visualizações, tem graça.

*After opening a whole bunch of toys, my son 3 year old came across a present with books....keep in mind that this was kinda like his first "real" Christmas....and again he's was only three years old!....let me repeat. ONLY THREE YEARS OLD... And that he could just about understand and get the concept of the whole gift getting thing. I guess much to the blame of me, the media, and every commercial out there on TV he was more under the perception that you only get "toys" for christmas. To him Books are the fun time we spend reading (no less than three) every night before he goes to bed. Let me make something clear again. HE REALLY DOES LOVE BOOKS! But I'm guessing he was "overwhelmed" after opening way too many gifts (my fault I went overboard that year) and I think he felt "tricked upon" when he opened the books.....plus the fact that we were laughing at his reaction kinda egged him on to say the Poo statement..... He really is one of the sweetest kids I know and to see this reaction (if you know him yourself) IS cute.
I have deleted a lot of very undeserved negative comments that have been posted....I understand now that without a good understanding of the back history one could make a poor assumption of him....but now i hope you know that he was ONLY THREE YEARS OLD PEOPLE and that he only thought your supposed to get toys for christmas....partly because of how commercialized this holiday has become.....we have since taught him differently..............but just for kicks were gonna wrap books again for him and see what happens....