I came, I saw, I connected to the internet.
Hopefully my prolonged absences from the blogosphere are now at an end, and I should be back in the swing of things from today onwards – though The Carbon Copy is currently visiting, so, in the words of the hideously written Charlotte Lucas from 2005 Pride and Prejudice “don’t you dare judge me” if I miss tomorrow… oo, it is nice to be back.
Today’s entry will be a bit of an update, and from now on I’ll be mingling library things with my usual bookish chat, and hopefully a few more entries on the 50 Books You Must Read But May Not Have Heard About. Out of interest, has anybody read one of these of
f the back of seeing them on the list, and what did you think? I’ll probably be asking similar questions when I get, say, halfway through the list – so keep your eyes out. But still, I’d like to know whether people have gone all investigative, and whether or not the books met with approval. The novel I have planned for no.15 has its opponents as well as advocators…
The exciting events of my first week (remember Jane Austen’s handwritten letter?) have dissipated somewhat – call me callous, but I can’t get quite as excited about journals called The Knee. I’m glad I have two, but have never felt the lack of monthly updates. Another was entitled simply Blood. Presumably the editor was Bram Stoker. In case it wasn’t obvious, I’m in the Radcliffe Science Library. And while I’m teasing it, the times when I’m not going through every book in the place checking for barcodes (my main Herculean task) it is fun. My colleagues are very nice, and I love dealing with enquiries and helping readers – the interaction is great, and the students haven’t even arrived yet.
Aside from that, I’m settling down well in Regent Street, though I still don’t have a bookcase… which is sad. Thus my books currently look like this (apologies for another blurry photo):
ooh, sad to see the books in a heap – but glad you are back – it gives me another excuse for my failure to engage with the ironing pile! OVW
You need a house/apartment-warming party. Way back when we were in college or graduate school (even early married life), friends were invited in to paint the place and you fed them a pot of spaghetti, sauce, and garlic bread (this was the days before pizza parlors abounded!). Are you too grown up for planks and cinder-block (or bricks) shelving – even if only for temporary use? Friends could help with collection of materials – setup – even with unpacking and sorting of books per your directions and shelving. Voila??
What about FREECYCLE? I’m sure Oxford must have one – they are usually Yahoo groups. I’m dropping a rather tatty desk off tomorrow to someone who has just graduated, is setting up house (well room actually)and put a WANTED message oh our local FREESERVE group.
Forgot to say WELCOME BACK.
Get those ridiculously pretentious and generally poncy Persephone books out of there and give them to the nice Oxfam bookshop on St Giles. No self-respecting red-blooded male should be seen with any of them. I`m shocked.
Hmm I wonder who this strange latest anonymous person is… I’d assume it was my brother, only he was with me the entire time…
So glad you are back … and I love those Persephone books. I’d hang on to them if I was you.
I read Garnett’s Lady into Fox many years ago when I was working for a screenplay writer who was – you guessed it – adapting it. But, sadly, I remember more about the circumstances in which I read it, rather than what was in between the covers. The others on your list – save one – I don’t know. So I shall choose one to investigate. Perhaps Monica Dickens … .
Very glad you are back. You were sorely missed.
Simon, so glad to see you’re back! You’ve been missed.
Also, would recommend a bookshelf postehaste.
Simon, one more thing (speaking of your list of 50), have you read any Burney aside from ‘Evelina’? I’ve read ‘Camilla,’ and though it’s in theory good, it’s soooo lengthy. More than it needs to be, actually… I prefer ‘Evelina,’ because it’s the same basic plot but more concise. Burney’s diaries are fascinating, too.
Regent Street I see – will there be Christmas lights perchance…