I’m off to Torquay for a few days, so won’t be blogging again til next week – but I haven’t decided which books to take with me yet… I’ll have to take some to study from, but there should be time for fun reading too, and would like your help winnowing down the selection from those pictured. Any thoughts?
I can definitely recommend The Haunted Bookshop. Thoroughly enjoyable! I have Illustrado on my tbr, but haven't got to it yet, so all I can say is that it looks very tempting. Enjoy your holiday!
I second THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP by Christopher Morley. A good duo would be THB and PARNASSUS ON WHEELS, a sort of companion volume for THB, also by Morley. A great duo.
I read Gilead this summer and could not stop gushing over it. I think you will really love it!
I would choose "Molly Fox's Birthday". I enjoyed her writing voice, and wonderful characters.
Thin ones!
Torquay – lucky you! Palm Trees!! What are you up to down there?? Molly Fox's birthday is good, definitely the best Deidre Madden
Well I'd consider
a) None (just entertain yourself in other ways for a change)
b) The Sarah Waters if you must take a book!
c) OVW advice is good
Enjoy Torquay!
Definitely Night Watch. It is good easy reading and I can't help but get absorbed in Sarah Waters' characters. the haunted bookshop sounds interesting. Is it scary ?
Thank you for your approval Dark Puss – I did actually email Simon to remind him the Dr Alice (from 'Coast') had proved that Torquay sand is the best in Bitain for the construction of sandcastles – in the hope that he would lay down his books for an hour or so!
Gilead is ace! And The Night Watch is one of my favourites. Lge
Gilead
The Haunted Bookshop – no question! Have a great trip.
Love, love, love The Haunted Bookshop. And recently read Molly Fox's Birthday and thought it was a good read too. I'll contradict everyone else though and say that I loathed Gilead and would only open it again if a wonky table needed slightly less than its full width to steady a leg.
I would love reading this creepy book!!! awwwuuuuhhhh…
I'll be recommending this one to my friends…
I'd take The Haunted Bookshop, but it's the only one I have read, so maybe I'm not the best judge. However, if you haven't read Parnassus on Wheels, I recommend taking a different book. Although it isn't necessary to read Parnassus first, it does help to be familiar with the characters from that book before reading the other.
A woman visiting the library yesterday checked out Night Watch. I wanted to grab it and head for the staff room so that would be my choice.
Enjoy your time away!
Miss Brill is one of the most poignant and amazing stories ever.
I think it is almost on the top of my list of tear-jerkers…
glad to find a Mansfield afficionado
Melwyk – thanks, I'm even more keen to read it after all the positive reviews here. Soon, soon…
Yvette – yes, I really enjoyed Parnassus on Wheels, and have been saving this one up as a treat…
Sara – I'm sure I will! My housemate read it the other day and loved it. So many books to read!
Henrietta – my friend Sherry recently raved about this one, and it's another one I'm sure I'll like
Mum – I did end up reading thin ones…
Verity – palm trees and illuminated shrubs! Just went on holiday, actually… freezing but fun.
Peter – how self-consciously controversial of you ;) I'd rather leave my clothes behind than take no books.
Anon – The Night Watch is a definite must-read-soon, but I think I might save it for nights around Christmas. Oh, and I doubt The Haunted Bookshop is scary, if it's anything like Parnassus on Wheels – but I am intrigued to find out what is haunting the bookshop…
Ruth – short but sweet! Soon, soon…
Susan – another recommendation! I didn't know Morley was so well known in the US – he's impossible to find, except in Print On Demand copies, over here.
Kristen – thanks for another Morley recommendation, and oh dear about Gilead! What was it you didn't like?
Bibliophile – I did really enjoy Parnassus on Wheels, so will read soon… I'd forgotten how many people commented and loved that Morley, so must dig it out.
Darlene – haha, yes, you should have said it was broken, or something, and nabbed it for yourself…
Elizabeth – isn't it moving? So many Mansfield gems out there. (Although I think you wanted to comment on an earlier post! Never mind :-) )