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Well I have been a bit quiet recently, on here and on social media. When I am badly fatigued I find the effort and admin of blogging and social media a bit overwhelming. I’m still feeling worn out – especially after a busy day yesterday, going to a disability meet up group,which involved Liz helping, negotiating my new powerchair in the pouring rain, getting in and out of taxis etc. I am trying to claw my way back and fully intend to start catching up with other people’s blogs later today and over the weekend. I am hoping to get a book review or two written by the end of the month. There are a few books I’ve read that I could write about.
I wanted to share the new books that have come into the house. After doing well for months – not acquiring many at all, honest! There has been a mini book explosion. There are a further three books I will need to buy for book group reads too – but I’ll get those on Kindle another day.
It was my birthday the other day, and I was given some fantastic books.
Barbara Comyns – A Savage Innocence (2024) by Avril Horner was bought for me by Liz, I knew it was coming and couldn’t wait. The long awaited biography of one of the most unique women writers of the twentieth century. I started reading it on Monday afternoon, and I’m enjoying it so much.
Things Are Against Us (2021) by Lucy Ellman is a collection of essays that Karen from Kaggsy’s bookish ramblings sent me.
The Dark Flood Rises (2016) by Margaret Drabble, a later Drabble novel that Jacqui from Jacquiwine’s Journal sent me. I am looking forward to exploring some later novels by Drabble, more of that later.
The Parasite Person (1982) by Celia Fremin – another book generously sent to me by Jacqui. I have previously enjoyed four Celia Fremlin novels and I’m looking forward to this one.
The Third Persephone Book of Short stories (2024) – bought by my mum. I loved the first two collections, they each contain such a wonderful collection of twentieth century writers. I have quite a big Persephone tbr but this might have to leap frog the others.
Another friend gave me a national book token, which is accepted by bookshop.org and once I have logged in, I rarely stick to just the value of whatever voucher I have to spend. Buying books is just too much fun, and too easy on the internet.
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I bought The Realms of (1975) by Margaret Drabble on Ebay at the end of last month. I am hoping to get it read this month, but May is already running away from me.
Life Among the Savages (1953) by Shirley Jackson is her memoir of family life. It looks simply delightful.
A Day in the Life of a Smiling Woman (2011) by Margaret Drabble – a collection of short stories. The stories date from the 1960s through to the 2000s. I am eager to explore Drabble’s shorter fiction now.
The Radiant Way (1987) by Margaret Drabble – another one for my Margaret Drabble reading. I have read this before but retain no memory of it, and as it is the first of a trilogy I decided I would have to reread it at some point.
Prophet Song (2023) by Paul Lynch – last year’s booker winner, it was one of the shortlisted books that I was most interested in reading at the time.
Brideshead Revisited (1945) by Evelyn Waugh – of course I have read it before and it was one of the books I was determined to reread this year. I first read it so long ago, I remember very little about it.
The Go-Between (1953) by L P Hartley was another of those books I really wanted to reread this year. Again it has been many years since I first read it, and I only retain a vague memory of it.
I clearly need to read faster – because I just want to get to all these right now!
There are four Margaret Drabble books among my new acquisitions – and it’s made me think about what Drabble books I read next. So far I have been reading chronologically – just missing out The Needle’s Eye as I read it some years ago. My next chronological read is The Realms of Gold – after which I now have five or six Drabble books, which don’t follow on chronologically from there. So, I have decided to just read those I have for now – which will allow me to explore some of Drabble’s later books and her short stories.
Hopefully I will be back with a book review soon, in the meantime tell me what books have you been buying/acquiring recently?
Everyone deserves a splurge for their birthday plus some great presents, too! Hope you had a lovely day, Ali.
Thank you, birthday splurges are fun.
Life Among the Savages is the perfect title fir a family memoir!
Oh yes, I agree, a perfect title.
I’m sorry to hear that you are still not feeling great Ali, but I hope you had a lovely birthday x
Thank you it was fairly quiet but nice.
A book explosion, a birthday and a blog post! 💥🎂👩💻 I’m not surprised to see all the Drabble’s in your pile, she seems to have been a favourite for you so far this year. Nice to have that choice, I’m comforted by a new piles of books. I hope yours brings you days of pleasure and escape.
Thank you, I am contemplating the new pile with anticipation, I just wish I could read faster.
Lovely to read about your new book pile (I’m a little green!). I hope you feel better soon; sorry to read you have been struggling.
I covet your lovely book piles Ali, they look amazing! So many happy reading hours await.
You’ve inspired me with Drabble and even though the library has her I couldn’t resist some of her novels from the charity bookshop, as they were those dreadful kitschy old 1970s/1980s Penguins, when they went through that phase of a fondness for soft focus photography 🤣 I’ll get some read this year to join in with your Drabble year!
I get tempted by those soft focus photography covers in charity bookshops too!!😃
I’m relieved I’m not the only one 😂
I’m delighted to hear you’ve been buying up old Margaret Drabble novels. Those 70s/80s covers are so of the times, very recognisable.
Thank you. Things are frequently difficult, I just have to manage it.
Some lovely incomings Ali, and I think books are always wonderful therapy when real life is being a bit of a pain. I’m trying to be restrained but I’ve had a few in this week – review copies and a bit of clickety click. The piles don’t get any smaller…
It’s so hard to resist the ease of online book buying. The piles never do get smaller.
I really like the sound of the Avril Horner book. I might have to acquire that for my 10 books of summer which I haven’t even thought about yet. Brideshead is a wonderful story but I always want it to end differently and it never does. Strange that! Feel better soon.
I finished that biography last night, it was excellent. I’m looking forward to reminding myself of Brideshead. I can’t remember much about it.
I mostly remember Anthony Andrews being Sebastian Flyte with his teddy bear. It really was another country.
The Go-Between & Brideshead are definitely on my list of Rereadables. I read Go-Between when I was a teenager, so I have reread that, but only read Brideshead in the last few years.
Your tweets keep nudging me to get stuck in to my Drabble collection but only read The Ice Age so far.
Currently reading Room Temperature by Nicholson Baker and Everybody by Olivia Laing (amongst others!)
I’m glad to inspire you to read Margaret Drabble, I haven’t read The Ice Age.
What lovely birthday presents and acquisitions, Ali, and I’m glad you like the look of The Parasite Person and The Dark Flood Rises. (I thought I would be safe with those two!) Brideshead and The Go-Between would be lovely re-reads for the summer, the perfect time of year!
Yes, I did think The Go Between and Brideshead might be good for the summer. Thanks again for your brilliant gift choices.
Lovely acquisitions and I’m glad the Comyns bio is going down well so far! I keep thinking I’ve been restrained this month so far but I haven’t really. Latest one is Tracy King’s “Learning to Think” – a memoir about working her way out of poverty but appreciating her early life on a Birmingham estate, as I went to an event for it this week!
I finished the biography last night, I absolutely loved it. It’s hard to be restrained with books though.
I’d love to reread Brideshead one day soon too.
I really can’t remember much about Brideshead.
What a lovely collection of goodies. I’m so keen on that Comyns bio and even more so hearing just how much you’ve been enjoying it. (I do need to read more of her fiction first, though, as I’ve been hoarding them and wouldn’t want to spoil any plot points through the bio). Tough choice about the Drabbles. I’ve never read her short story collection either: go figure! Take care and be well and keep finding pleasure and comfort wherever you can!
Thank you. The Comyns biography was excellent. I am currently reading The Realms Of Gold which is good too. I am looking forward to exploring her short stories.