It was a lovely year for bookish presents – here’s the little pile I got from various people under the tree this year…
Nemo’s Almanac – this was from my friends Paul and Kirsty and, coincidentally, I bought them the same thing! It’s a collection of quotations (mostly poetry) where you have to identify the author.
Bloomsbury by Matthew Ingleby – Matt was at Magdalen with me, and my friend Lorna (who also knows him, rather better than me) sent me a signed copy of this one. Always eager to add to my Bloomsbury shelf!
The Cat’s Cradle Book by Sylvia Townsend Warner – I usually take part in the LibraryThing Virago Modern Classics Secret Santa, and it always ends up in truly brilliant purchases. My nonplussed family watch while I squeal over things – like this beautiful edition of one of the few STW books I don’t have!
Catherine Carter by Pamela Hansford Johnson – and this equally beautiful edition – signed by PHJ no less! I should say that my Santa was unveiled as the wonderful Jane at Beyond Eden Rock.
Deeper Than Indigo by Jenny Balfour Paul – I don’t know anything about this one, but Jane thought it would be up my street.
The Professor’s House by Willa Cather – the final Secret Santa book is one I read ten years or ago, but have never owned – and it’s a nice VMC with a Vanessa Bell cover.
The Lonely City by Olivia Laing – the final three books are from my family, who wisely turned to my Amazon wishlist. This was from my parents, and you might remember this one from a Weekend Miscellany.
My Life With Bob by Pamela Paul – another one from Mum and Dad; another one I’ve previously highlighted in a Weekend Miscellany. And the first one from this pile that I’m going to start, I think!
How Not To Be a Boy by Robert Webb – from Col, and all about damaging gender stereotypes (as well as about Webb’s life). Well done him for writing it!
Can’t wait to dive in to this delightful treasure trove! I hope you all got good books under the Christmas tree.
Ooh those books are gorgeous. I envy you the PHJ. I bought that exact edition of The Cat’s Cradle book for myself just before Christmas, it is lovely. The Professor’s House is mostly likely going to find a place on my books of the year list, such a beautiful little book. Happy reading Simon.
Seventeen books and counting under my tree … pics to come tomorrow or Sat, I think! What a lovely selection here.
What a delightful collection! I have read only two of them, The Professor’s House and The Lonely City, but they are all tempting me so I have copied your list and I will go on a Book Hunt! Thanks for all your most interesting posts, wishing you a peaceful and literary 2018. X Dorothy.
Some very enticing titles there, Simon! I’m keen on reading some Olivia Laing – she keeps popping onto my radar!
Wonderful! I found two books under the tree – both of which were specifically requested months ago so they would have time to be ordered and shipped from the UK: the Persephone edition of Earth and High Heaven, which I’m delighted to add to my collection because I love it, and Jacob’s Room is Full of Books, which I read immediately. Not quite as bookish a Christmas as yours but very satisfactory!
I had a lovely time as your Virago Secret Santa, and it was lovely to find that I could send you a STW that was missing from your collection. I’m not 100% sure that you will love Indigo, but I loved hearing the author speak, and I felt that it was my duty to send you a little out of your comfort zone.
Looks like a lovely — and thoughtful — collection of books to unwrap! Enjoy!
Ooh that is lots of good books! Congratulations on your Christmas haul! I got mostly comics in the book category for Christmas this year, but then I got loads of book tokens so I’m just rubbing my greedy hands together like Ebenezer Scrooge and planning what I will buy.