Project 1B: Spot the difference (portrait 3)

Name James Burling
Subject My world in relation to a good book (or books)
Postcode 2340
Visit Time 5/12/2004 9:37 PM

I was pretty much born with a book, for want of a better phrase, ‘glued’ to my hand, so I spent most of my life, to say the very least, reading my way through it. And the book helped me understand my world a little better too: Dinotopia, by James Gurney, opened me up to a land unaffected by the passing of time, and undiscovered (or so it supposed); Gulliver’s Travels by Johnathan Swift did the very same (although I only read the first two adventures; I don’t know why I haven’t got the other two, or why they weren’t published at the time). Thomas the Tank Engine by The Reverend W Awdry (better known as the Railway Series) brought about my love of trains, and the interaction between the steam loco and its driver (it’s almost a fraternity between the two). And the enlightenment stories are completely endless. But back to the real stories. I have had a couple of interesting ’situations’ with books in my life; I’ll give three now. Do not worry; they are very short stories. One involved the first volume of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy (Inferno). In the hope of getting the book (I had purchased the other two that day), I ordered it through one bookshop. After doing so, I ran frantically back to my ‘home’ bookshop (I have my allegiences when it comes to things like bookshops) and told them. They set up the challenge of getting the very same book faster than the first. Unfortunately, the first bookshop won by getting it in in a week and a bit; the other is still waiting for it. The second involves a book that ran out of print before it arrived, after waiting for it for four (maybe five) months. We’re still in search of a copy of the Tagbook.
The third concerns the Holy Bible. I found it (again) after deciding to clean myself up in action, and ended up going to church as a result. (Yes, I am a Christian now; Anglican, to be precise.)

After change move on from praying for change to having the power to make change.

Project 1B: Spot the difference (portrait 2)

Name Sarah
Subject Where does one start…..
Postcode 2036
Visit Time 2/12/2004 4:05 PM

When you think about your favourite novel where do you really start? Is it the story you read as a seven year old that took you away to faraway wishing places? Or is it the inspirational To Kill a Mockingbird when you were 15? Or the more sophisticated Amis, McEwan? I was always read to by my parents as a child, then when I was six or seven my aunt gave me copies of Enid Blyton stories. This lead me to the Famous Five and Secret Seven, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon. I was 11 when my father gave me Murder on the Orient Express and Agatha has been a favourite of mine ever since. School opened up the world of Henry James, Jane Austen, Evelyn Waugh and Virginia Woolf. Then onto The Lord of the Rings trilogy and George Orwell. I love most books and while looking at the rest of the reviews realised that most of my favourites had already been listed. I hope to be able to pass this love to my three young children. But to give you my ultimate favourite – I just don’t think that is possible, every book is a favourite, every book is a treasure.

After change realise that you don’t need everything to get the most out of life. Choice is great, and we are lucky to have choice – however choosing the essentials is intelligent and responsible.

Project 1B: Spot the difference (portrait 1)

Name Jo Smith
Subject Eucalyptus
Postcode 3104
Visit Time 1/12/2004 8:31 PM

I hate eucalyptus trees. To see them in the landscape whilst driving thru the countryside they look like sprigs of parsley stuck into the landscape and we all know what parsley is (according to the shortest poem in history by Ogden Nash, ‘parsley/ is ghastly.’) Eucalyptus trees are messy, dirty, dangerous trees forever dropping their branches, bark and leaves. And yet… and yet, my favourite book is ‘Eucalyptus’ by Murray Bail. It is the classic fairy tale with all the trimmings. And yet.. I wish you’d asked for my top ten favourite books… or even my top five, or even top three books then I would only have had to justify ‘Eucalyptus’s’ place among the competition and not as an outstanding first pick because really, I do hate eucalyptus trees.

After change look beyond hating the trees and find use out of the products that come from eucalyptus.