A Top Gear Christmas by Top Gear

A quick rundown… It’s the Big Book of Top Gear with a distinctly Christmas theme.

Strengths: It’s Top Gear. It’s funny.

Weaknesses: Hard to get excited by Christmas when it’s February and hot.

Why I read it: 1. The comic was in the Top Gear Live programme. 2. I always enjoy these Top Gear books, they’re funny.

Pages: 128

Published: 2011

Publisher: BBC Books

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

If you liked this, try: The Big Book of Top Gear

 

The Top Gear ‘big books’ are always funny for both young and old TG fans (the annuals, in my opinion, are much better suited to youngsters, but more about that at a later date). I eagerly await each year’s ‘big book’ but disappointingly I couldn’t find one for 2011. Lo and behold, in the Top Gear Live programme there was a comic, with the tantalising phrase, ‘if you want to know more, get A Top Gear Christmas‘. Like the good little lemming I am, I immediately jumped online to buy it. Unfortunately, my parcel spent Christmas in transit and I received it in time for New Year.

What’s it like reading a Christmas book just after Christmas? Before I can answer that, I need to state that it’s rather difficult reading about cold, snow, fires and scarves when it’s 40°C outside and you’re sweltering in shorts. So in fact, the Christmas theme didn’t really seem to bother me quite as much as it could have. The Christmas carols (rejigged to relate to Top Gear) were a bit flat for me, but younger readers may delight in changing the words! The index was very witty and funny (one of the few indexes I have ever read from top to bottom), as was the characterisation of the three presenters, which could be categorised as:

• Jeremy: tall, loud and likes blowing things up
• James: slow and talks about boring things
• Richard: only eats certain foods, likes fashion

Whether that’s true or not is another thing! But it’s wittily done and would be a good book to read on Christmas afternoon or on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It’s not quite as funny as the previous books, but I think that’s because the Christmas theme limits the topics somewhat.

Mailbox Monday 26/12/11 – The Christmas Haul

Hope you all had a good Christmas and a relaxing Boxing Day. I’ll be hitting the shops tomorrow, but I spent most of today reading. Currently reading The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides – nearly halfway through as you can see by the bookmark:

It took me some time what to pick to read, as I was lucky enough to receive quite a few books:

Jamie’s Great Britain and Australian Women’s Weekly Wok Simple

Top, L-R: Untold Story by Monica Ali, The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman, Original Sin by Tasmina Perry, Jay McInerney Omnibus

Bottom, L-R: Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson, I Came to Say Goodbye by Caroline Overington, The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg, The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux

I also received my LibraryThing Secret Santa at 7pm on Christmas Eve –thank you Australia Post for delivering so late!

I received three books: Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah, Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher and The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.

What did you get in your Christmas stocking? Any good books? Don’t forget to check out the other mailboxes at Let Them Read Books.

Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays!

Just a quick note to say I hope you’re having an enjoyable Christmas Day or restful day no matter what you’re celebrating. Take care of yourselves and your family and have a great time!

Not your average Christmas tree, but this tree is known as the West Australian Christmas Tree – when it starts flowering, you know Christmas is coming.

(Source: Michael Ward, ABC Online)

Gingerbread House

This is my first attempt at building a gingerbread house. After an anxious time fitting the pieces together, going to the shop to buy more eggs and icing sugar for the royal icing and then finally putting the roof on, it was done. Still standing a week later. Not bad is it? My recipe is from New Idea magazine, find the recipe, pattern and suggestions for decorations here. Some pics are a little blurry, as I was so excited to see it standing!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Persephone Secret Santa deliveries!

My Persephone Secret Santa has been very busy already! I have received not one, not two but three deliveries in the last three days! What a lovely thing to return to after being out of the office!

Clue #1: A postcard from Kansas. Did you know early settlers in Kansas used limestone for posts (‘postrocks’) due to a lack of trees? Kansas looks lovely, full of open spaces.

Clue #2: A first class international envelope (that sounds so sophisticated, better than air mail) with cool stamps…

…and a Persephone themed card. Better early than late Santa!

Which book could it be from? Is this a hint?

And finally, a parcel all the way from London:

I didn’t open it Santa. I really wanted to (and my colleague begged me to!) but it’s now on my desk, waiting to be put under the Christmas tree (it’s not up yet).

Thank you Secret Santa! You are doing a fantastic job and I love all your clues!

LibraryThing Secret Santa

I know I’m a bit late with this one, but I just wanted to share my LibraryThing Secret Santa present from the lovely kismoody with you! Despite horrific weather conditions, the present landed on my doorstep just after New Year, so a present on its own was extra special!

I was lucky enough to receive two books, including my first Persephone!

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day looks fantastic. I’ll share what the end papers look like when I’ve read the book.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt looks like it will satisfy my need for a Southern USA book after enjoying The Help and Gone With the Wind (one of my favourite books). Isn’t the cover gorgeous?

Thank you kismoody for such thoughtful choices! My best Secret Santa present ever!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day- it’s still early here, but below are some pics of the day so far…

these weren’t for Christmas, but they lasted well into Christmas week! So pretty!

the galah family were ready for breakfast…

this is the baby galah- he can feed himself now…

Merry Christmas from my cockatiel (who woke up at 6am and repeated his English nonstop for about 15 mins)

and from my budgie (still early, so they’re both in their ‘houses’)

and the book loot. Thank you family! (Especially as both Ken Follett books are signed!)

Off to clean the floor now (before it gets too hot- 38C forecast and humid, yuck. I only like humid if it means I’m in Singapore) and before the rellies descend on the food.

Have a lovely day and enjoy!

 Any ideas which book I should start with? (Except for Mad Men because I haven’t finished watching Series 3 yet).

2010 Virtual Advent Tour: Yummy goodies

Christmas in Australia at our place is all about cold food – salads, cold meats and cold desserts. Think potato salad, ham straight out of the fridge and fruit salad for dessert. I think this is mainly because my mum grew up in inland Australia, where a Christmas Day in the late thirties to early forties (that’s Celsius)  wasn’t that uncommon. (In fact, we’re predicted for 38C Christmas Day – about 100F). I’ve never had a hot Christmas meal ever. I can only remember one Christmas where it rained.

It makes sense then that the current number one Christmas treat in the household is kept in the fridge. I give to you my mother’s recipe for Christmas Pudding Truffles which have several benefits:

- They are incredibly easy to make

- You can buy all of the ingredients in a quick supermarket trip

- They look like you worked very, very hard

- Everyone loves them!

These in various forms always make it to work and Christmas parties and everyone raves about them! They are very more-ish.

Christmas Pudding Truffles

Ingredients (note all in Australian metric)

500g light fruitcake, coarsely chopped

100g dark chocolate melts, melted

60ml brandy (can also use orange juice or rum)

2 tablespoons apricot jam (any flavour will do)

150g white chocolate melts, melted

Red and green glace cherries, finely chopped to decorate

Method 

Place the cake in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl.

Stir in the chocolate, brandy and jam. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Line 2 baking trays with non-stick paper. Stir the mixture.

Roll small balls of the mixture and place onto trays. Place in fridge for about 1 hour.

Drizzle a little white chocolate over each pudding to look like custard. Decorate with red and green cherries to look like holly (you can also use red and green icing like we did below).

Enjoy and merry Christmas!