Jolabokaflod 2021!
A couple of years ago, I did my compulsory pre-Christmas post on the subject of Jolabokaflod, the Icelandic custom of spending Christmas Eve reading new books. Here is a link to it.
https://suebursztynski.blogspot.com/2018/12/compulsory-pre-christmas-post-happy.html
It’s such a nice custom! You get a catalogue of all the new releases for that year, in time to do your Christmas shopping. You give - and receive - new books, and settle down on Christmas Eve to read your new goodies, maybe with Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band playing Christmas themed songs, as I did the other year. What could be more perfect?
Thinking about it, it’s a great way to support the local publishing industry, though perhaps it might be a bit impractical in a country of around 26 million people - Australia - to be sending out a publisher catalogue to every household. Still, a nice idea.
I’m afraid my Jolabokaflod read this year isn’t Australian, and last time I read Miranda Kaufman’s Black Tudors, a wonderful book, but not Australian. Next time, though… perhaps Peter FitzSimon’s next Australian history book? I do love reading history books.
Here is this year’s choice. I did visit my local SF bookshop, Minotaur, which has recently reopened in another venue after the last lockdown, and am looking forward to reading some Marvel Comics, but I’m cracking this one open tonight.
For those who celebrate it, a happy Yuletide, with plenty of books!