After nearly 8 years of book blogging under a pen-name (C.B. James) over at Ready When You Are, C.B. I decided to migrate operations to WordPress and to operate under my real name. So this blog features my real name in the title.
I use this site to blog about books. I’ve been reviewing every book I read for a long time now; it’s a hard habit to break. But I may post other non-book related items here an there as well. (It’s always the non-book review posts that get the most comments, you know.)
Since this is the About Me page, a little bit about me is in order.
- I live in Vallejo, California, a smallish city in the San Francisco Bay Area most famed for its high crime rate. Those of us who live here like it for the wonderful weather, the cool post-industrial waterfront and the friendly people.
- I’m married to my husband of many years, but we were together over a decade before that.
- I’ve two dogs. They are both rescue pets. Just about everything in my house is second hand or antique if it was expensive.
- I read a wide range of books. I really do. Many people say that they are eclectic readers when they really mean that they read mostly mysteries and popular fiction and a classic once a year or so. While I do read a lot of detective fiction, I read all sorts of other books. I even read books I’ve found on the street.
- I like writing lists.
- I like reading lists.
- I am a compulsive reader. I’ve been known to read road signs out loud while riding in the car without realizing that I am reading road signs out loud. This can be very puzzling for the driver.
- I turned 52 this year.
- My little slogan, “If you read something, say something” comes from Bomb magazine.
May Contain Spoilers 
This really is lovely. I’ve lurked around the edges of several book blogs where you’ve commented, but I’ve always felt a little on the outside, not being a “book blogger” myself. With your new start, I don’t feel quite as much as if I’m jumping into the middle of something I know nothing about.
The blog looks lovely. Best wishes on that avatar thing. I’m all signed up and ready to follow along.
I have stolen your idea of dealing the cards with short stories. I just posted it up on my blog and give you full credit for the idea. Should be a fun exercise.
I must pass along full credit to Jay at Bibliophilopolis. It’s his idea.
Dear James, I’m leaving this note in the comments section as I don’t see an email contact for you.
I’m a little late on this, but after a long delay “Ivan and Misha” was finally released as a kindle ebook. Because it’s so long after publication (and I’ve no publicist) I was wondering if you might mention this on your blog as a way for me to reach new readers. I worked up a graphic announcement, which I’ll attach to this message in case there’s an appropriate way to present it on your blog or maybe twitter feed (I’m not on twitter, myself). I leave it, of course, up to your judgment. I am working on two new books although it all comes slowly as I’m seriously ill with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
I just reread your review and again found it one of the most thoughtful the book has received and thank you for it.
my best, michael
I just read your review of Lives of the Monster Dogs–one of my favorite boooks of all time. So much so that when I started the Yale Writers’ Conference in 2011 Kirsten Bakis was the first person I brought on. It had a big influence on my second novel, American Neolithic. Would you be interested in having a look? If so I’ll happily send it along.
You’re definitely a member of my tribe: bookaholics. Or should that be readaholics? We’re all over the globe – I’m in Cape Town. Read on, brother!
Hi: Could you tell whether Lehmann is the translator of the “Vintage Cocteau” edition you have pictured at the top of the page at your following URL? https://jamesreadsbooks.com/2016/08/03/les-enfants-terribles-by-jean-cocteau-translated-by-rosamond-lehmann/
I’ve heard hers is a far better translation of the book than others and I haven’t been able to learn, even from Vintage UK/Penguin, who is the translator of its edition.
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer on my behalf,
Adam
Alas, I no longer have the book. You can probably find the information on Amazon or Good Reads.