books

I got a fun letter in the mail from a friend this week, asking me to participate in a bit of literary chain mail. Since I'm posting it here, that should indicate I'm interested.

The premise is pretty simple. I send a used paperback -- one that I liked -- to the person included on the back of the letter I was sent. (It's the person who invited the person who invited me.) I then send the letter out to six of my friends, and change the address on the back of the letters I send so that the books will be sent to the person who invited me.

...and that's it. It's one book, ping six friends, and you're done.

I only have a few days left to get my part in order, though. Interested? If so, leave me a comment or drop me an email. As soon as I've got six, I'll get started. I'm guessing between the librarians and the far-flung friends, I can probably dig up six people.

Two links, partly because they both interest me and partly because I need to test whether or not my changes have fixed the permissions problems I was seeing yesterday (HT to Geof for tipping me off) --

Sun acquires mySQL - cue standard O NOES from all involved geeks until we have some idea how this will actually shake out. I won't bother to pretend I know, but I'll be watching with avid interest ...

and

...an excerpt of Iain Banks' new novel is available on Orbit books -- and yes, it is a Culture novel. I've heard references that indicate his Culture novels are each intended to serve as a different perspective on the same civilization (from inside, from those they conquer, from those who run it, etc.). (Thanks, Patrick)

I lay on the bed this afternoon, drowsy with sunshine and tea and salacious novel, and trawled fingers through Edmund's orange fur. As my hand crept over and around, to reach the white fur on his belly, the purring changed from lazy to nearly explosive, as if to say, oh yes, pet me right there...