A few books have come into the house just lately – I have a habit of idly ordering books while I sit watching TV, or when I’m eating my lunch at work. It’s almost as if I do it without thinking – no, I actually do do it without thinking. As if my book buying habit weren’t bad enough, my good friend, and book enabler extraordinaire Liz from Adventures in reading, writing and working from home – passed on to me four books she had promised me, note how two of them are quite fat books!
Liz passed on two Edith Wharton novels Hudson River Bracketed and The Gods arrive, Chatterton Square by E H Young and High Table by Joanna Cannan – author of one my favourite Persephone books Princes in the Land. What you all don’t know is that poor Liz loaned me two other books over a year ago and they remain unread – though as one fits in with the 1951 club I might read it next.
Following on from my lovely read of Elizabeth Fair’s A Winter Away – a Furrowed Middle brow title from Dean Street Press, and Liz’s review of Seaview House – I found myself ordering two more titles, Seaview House was at the top of my list and I ordered Landscape in Sunlight. There are times when I unashamedly crave these kinds of books.
Many of you will know BuriedinPrint’s blog – and recently she has been blogging about Margaret Millar, particularly her short stories which are also published in one huge volume. The short stories sound fabulous, but I decided to try her novels of suspense – this large volume contain four separate novels, each sound absolutely gripping.
My last book review was of A Wreath for the Enemy by Pamela Frankau, and while reading that, and despite having two other Frankau titles unread on my shelf I ordered two more old volumes from an eBay seller. The Bridge, and I Find Four People. That latter title is an autobiography, and a quick flick through caused me some puzzlement. It seems from my cursory inspection that throughout the book Pamela Frankau writes in the third person, referring to herself as P. Frankau or Miss Frankau – I’m not sure what I think of that – though it does seem odd.
In other news – after my visit to the Hay Festival last May, I loved it so much that I immediately booked accommodation at a different hotel for this year. Suddenly it is almost here (joy!) and the tickets for events across the festival went on sale yesterday. As I have accommodation arranged for four days this year – I went mad and have booked eleven events. Colm Tóibín, Elizabeth Strout – something with Sheila Hancock on the panel (has anyone read her novel? – it seems to have mixed reviews) Charlotte Rampling, Paddy Ashdown – someone talking about rescuing books from Timbuktu – Lucy Worsely discussing Jane Austen – I can’t even remember everything I have booked. Lots to look forward to and I am sure you’ll hear all about it.
So what have you been buying lately? 🙂
What have I been buying lately? BOOKS!! Big surprise..LOL! Book buying is truly an unconcious habit with us. One minute I am reading a book and there are gazillions more unread stuff all over the house and the next minute I have bought several more! I need help 😀
Glad it’s not just me then. 😀
I’m too cheap to buy. I used to library and now I get the free ARCs. BTW: I like the look of your blog.
Thank you. Libraries are great , I should go to mine more than I do.
I simply have too many books to risk the library. Need to clear off 80% of what I have (never gonna happen) before I use the library!
Well yes absolutely, probably why I don’t go myself.
I never buy online and use the library a lot.And i managed to read all 6 Elizabeth Fair books in one week recently.All from the library.And all 3 by Ursula Orange are “in transit” to me as the library says.An Easter treat.
Fantastic! I need to have a look at the Ursula Orange titles.
I’ve brought nothing , but I have picked up books via Bookcrossing, netgalley and librarything over the last month so really Must Do Better. /sadface
That’s still books going into your house 😃
I hope you enjoy all your new books 🙂 I have been very good recently only buying one book, Freefall by Gordon and Williams which I haven’t wanted for a while, from my favourite charity book shop.
*I have wanted for a while!
Not familiar with Freefall but hope it lives up to your expectations. Charity book shops are wonderful.
What beautiful new arrivals Ali – lovely stuff! I have actually been so restrained that I can hardly believe it, but I have a visit to London coming up soon so that may go out the window. Apart from a few review book titles arriving I’ve actually only bought the few featured on my blog recently, and today I picked up a Clive James poetry book from the Oxfam. So books are tending to go out rather than in at the moment which is most unusual and surely can’t last…. 🙂
Goodness you have been good. 😉 I need to do the getting rid of books thing I have lots which were great but I won’t read again. I need to make more room for those I really want to keep (there are probably too many of those).
Those Elizabeth Fair books are pretty irresistible to me, too! Though I now have three and haven’t actually read any of them yet!
I think you probably have treats in store then.
Have you been to the BOOK BARN a second time Ali?
And “PRINCES IN THE LAND” is brilliant i agree and you drew my attention to it last year.I think i will re read it soon.
Yay so glad you liked it too.
Not yet – I daren’t I’m bad enough without going there. I have no room at all for more books, desperately need taller bookcases and very conscious that I will be spending 4 days in Hay with time to spare in-between events.
Hope yo enjoy yourself at Hay.I admire your choice of reading as it is normally classic literature.I often read less worthy novels.
Thank you, we all need lighter things from time to time, I know I do.
One day I will go to Hay. This year, I’m on GCSE revision support through half-term.
Oh goodness good luck with that – a stressful time for all involved. I’m sure you will love Hay if you get there.
Buying online is so easy isn’t it! I got into that habit over the last few years and have ended up with more books than I have space for so have been restraining myself this year. I bet you will come back from Hay with even more books Ali – there’s the Oxfam shop on the site itself and of course all those lovely shops in the town… not as many as there used to be since so many have moved their business online but still plenty to occupy a few hours
Yes I am sure I will buy some. I bought a few last year in the festival bookshop and the festival Oxfam shop. This year I should have more time to look around the town book shops.
I have book envy! I would love that Hudson River Bracketed as a green Virago.
I was almost going to the Hay festival myself this year. Hopefully another year.
Those Whartons do look good – long summer holiday reading perhaps. I had been wanting to go to Hay festival for years and then finally managed it last year for the first time, and found myself hooked.
Lovely copy of The Bridge 🙂 I was in my favourite charity bookshop yesterday and I thought it would be the first time I would walk out empty handed. Then I came across 3 green Viragos I didn’t have… I’m still trying to convince myself I could stick to a book buying ban to try and get the TBR under control!
Book buying bans only make me worse. I have to try moderation but an outright ban is not for me, I have tried it before.
For my birthday I was given a biography of Thomas Telford ( a hero of mine) and Ben Okri’s Famished Road (loved hearing him read his poems). I gave my son in law a biography of Clement Attlee and hope to borrow it in the future. In a charity shop I bought a biography of Maggie Smith.
At the Oxford Literary Festival I didn’t buy books as I couldn’t carry them but have a long wish list of books by authors I heard there.
Ah yes, hopefully knowing I have to carry them will prevent me buying too many books when I am in Hay.
“and book enabler extraordinaire” guilty as charged, ma’am. Says the woman who went to buy a dictionary and bought a dictionary, a book abut dictionaries and two pony books.
Ha ha 😆 I think I have bought two books since I wrote this post!
What wonderful events you have signed up to at Hay Ali, delectable! Toibín,! Strout! ..not to mention the others, but those angelic weavers of words stand out for me
Me too I’m really looking forward to it. 😊
Wow: had no idea that Hudson River Bracketed was such a doorstopper! It’s one of the Wharton novels that is missing from my VMC collection, but now I’m not so sorry as it’ll take me some time to work through her others and, meantime, this chunkster isn’t sitting there taunting me all the while! (Still, how lucky for you to have gotten these!) Am so glad that you were intrigued by the talk of Margaret Millar’s mysteries. I’ve been reading her novels, too, actually, and this collection is next on my list. It’s been a long time since I read so many books by one author in a single year, but she’s a little addictive.
Yes goodness knows when I will get round to Hudson River Bracketed. Really looking forward to reading Margaret Millar though again goodness knows when.