I don’t know why it’s taken me so many years to get to Astley Book Farm. I first heard of it years ago, I think perhaps from this blog post that Hayley wrote in 2010. At the time, I didn’t have a car – and without a car, it wouldn’t be very easy to get to this bookshop. While it’s close to Nuneaton, it’s pretty isolated in transport terms – unsurprising, given that it’s a converted farm. I got a car in 2014, but somehow it didn’t happen – until last weekend!
Astley Book Farm is every bit as wonderful as you all told me it would be. Room after room after room, warren-like, with a wide variety of reasonably priced books. And an amazing cafe. And a snug at the end. And a barn of 50p books. It was all wonderfulllll. I can tell I’ll be back there often. But these are the books I bought while I was there…
The Poor Man by Stella Benson
I’ve been doing surprisingly well with Benson books on recent bookshop trips, and was delighted that the streak is continuing.
Encounter by Milan Kundera
Slowness by Milan Kundera
Yes, I have lots of books by Kundera that I haven’t read, but not these. Until now! Encounter is essays and Slowness is a novel. Yay Kundera!
Willa Cather by Hermione Lee
A Woman of Passion by Julia Briggs
Early Stages by John Gielgud
The Gift by H.D.
What is Remembered by Alice B. Toklas
I’m grouping all of these in a lazy way because I bought them all to stock up my biography/autobiography shelf. The Toklas is after reading Two Lives (which turns out to have kicked off quite a chain reaction), while A Woman of Passion is a biography of E. Nesbit. I started in the biography section, which partly explains why there are so many…
Family Matters by Anthony Rolls
Sergeant Cluff Stands Firm by Gil North
There turn out to be so many British Library Crime Classics I don’t know anything about, and I am grabbing all of ’em.
Mrs Carteret Receives by L.P. Hartley
I might not have bought this if I’d realised it was short stories, as for some reason Hartley doesn’t seem like an author I’d enjoy as much in brief bursts. But it’s mine now, so I’ll find out eventually!
A Wild Swan by Michael Cunningham
Whereas I did know this was short stories, and I’m more than ready to try out Cunningham at that!
Old Filth by Jane Gardam
I’ve only read one Gardam novel (God on the Rocks), but this is the one every talks about as being brilliant – so, since it was 50p, I thought it was worth a shot.
I’m pretty pleased with the haul I came away with! There are definitely a lot of modern paperbacks alongside the more unusual finds, but there’s plenty for everyone – and I’m looking forward to my next trip, if only because of the amount of cake options in the cafe that I’ve still got to sample.
Wish this was closer to me and didn’t involve the horrendous M5 north. I shall just have to drool from afar about the delights in this place
Worth the drive! It’s only 1.5 hours from me, which is a bit dangerously close…
All good stuff, Simon – what a lovely place it sounds and I’m very impressed with your restraint!
You’d be very impressed by my friend Paul, who bought… nothing!
Wonderful haul. I am envious of your trip, I have only been to Astley book farm once, and came home laden! I have Seargent Cluff stands Firm tbr too. Very interested in what the Hartley stories are like, it’s ages since I read him, and I think I have a couple of his novels tbr. Lovely collection of biographies too. I daren’t go anywhere near that wonderful place.
Ha, yes, it is definitely dangerous! I read Hartley’s The Boat last year and loved it, so keen to read more.
Sounds amazing. Sergeant Cluff is a really good find – I thought it was exceptionally good. And I loved the Julia Briggs biography. Happy reading!
Thanks Harriet! Happy with my spoils :)
Yes, I’m afraid this is a little close to me too! It is possible to find some brilliant books, including some Angela Thirkell (or at least it was…) and browsing through the fiction generally is a good way to lose a few hours. Northernvicar went walking for a couple of hours while I was happily occupied, and was thoroughly restored by cake after his exertions. The staff are lovely as well, so I can make it around most of the shop with Esme wheelchair!
It was a real joy! And I need to try ALL those cakes…
I would love to visit the book farm and would have to work to limit my purchases. No more than 20 books? 50? Old Filth is on my top 25 favorite books list.
I didn’t really put anything back on the shelf, so I promise no self control was involved ;)
Lovely trip and great buys. We do have to do a meet-up next time. Last time, I got so sucked into biography and travel, I managed to miss most of fiction!!!
So easily done!
Do read Doris Langley Moore’s Nesbit biography as well as Julia Briggs’ – same source material but written at different times, so rather different stories are told. It’s a fascinating comparison.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I love that place. I’ve not been for ages (far to long) and miss it.
Well, I would definitely go again, if we ever want a doves meet up there…
What a haul!!! And I *love* the idea of a book farm!! Might be a bit of a hike for me, though, car or no car ;)
Haha – set off now!
I am so glad you liked the Book Farm – and that you acquired lots of books! Happy reading!
I will definitely be back!