Project 24 – #5
I’m really running through them like wildfire now… halfway through March’s allowance and we’re only just halfway through February. Perhaps the naysayers were right… anyway, enough self-flagellation, you’ll want to know what the book is.
My favourite shop in Oxford, Arcadia, is a lovely little place which is great for gifty things. I always buy my greetings cards and wrapping paper there, and to top it all they sell secondhand books. They specialise in Penguin paperbacks, and when I walked past today, they seemed to have even more than usual. Inside there were rows and rows of them, each individually wrapped in cellophane. But it was outside that I spotted Strange Glory by L H Myers. I can’t remember where I heard of it, but it was in connection with my research, and I wanted to track down a copy… so when I walked past one, I couldn’t leave it there – right?
I should point out how close I came to buying Love by Elizabeth von Arnim yesterday – and I resisted. I’m doing well, honest…
So there it is, no.5. I’ve not read any of the first four yet, I must confess. Maybe I should see how many of the 24 I’ve read by the end of the year… but this week I’m going to immerse myself in Rose Macaulay novels.
Anybody heard of/read any L H Myers? And how are fellow Project 24-ers going? (Project Zero people, keep quiet! You’ll just make me feel worse.)
It is really hard when it is something you have been looking for. The only way to avoid that would be to stay from all bookselling venues. But one must have joy in one's life.
Simon – I can lend you Love – I read it at the weekend!
My lips are sealed …
Oh Arcadia — I too find it utterly irrestistible. Those lovely old Penguins sitting right by the pavement as you walk past — how could you not buy one. I've never heard of LH Myers but look forward to hearing if it was worth breaking into March for!
Simon – I moved away from Oxford in 2005 after 5 lovely years and my favourite shop was also Arcadia. The Classics Book Shop on Turl Street also used to be excellent but I understand that it is now something else which is remarkably sad… Arcadia used to see quite interesting cheap prints alongside the penguins. Thank you for sharing, Hannah
Project "43" report (although 43 was an arbitrary pick since that will be my age this summer – I'm not sure it was reasonable :/ ). Nineteen books have entered my house destined for my TBR shelf since January (please don't gasp!). While 3 of them came as Valentines and several of them came from Christmas gift card spending, I've just decided to "own up" to them all, since they do have to occupy shelf space. Of the 19, I have actually read 3, and I'm trying to do better at reading them as they come in. I had hoped to "learn" to use the library this year, but I've about decided to give that up in an effort to give more time to the books "in house". I have a better selection to choose from anyway! ;)
"I always buy my greetings cards and wrapping paper there…" How very convenient. I'll bet there's a ton of Oxford shops that sell greeting cards and wrapping paper, but look at that! They just happen to sell secondhand books, too.
Oh, the hardship!
(Go on…. go back and get Love. You know you want it.)
Susan D – you've seen through me! But, no, they do have the nicest wrapping paper in Oxford. Or perhaps I've convinced myself that they do…
I've obviously been there a lot – when I bought Strange Glory I didn't have enough cash on me, and the lady said I could take the book and drop the money in later!
I see you haven't updated your Project 24 counter to reflect your latest purchase. A sure sign that you are in denial!
" They specialise in Penguin paperbacks, and when I walked past today, they seemed to have even more than usual. Inside there were rows and rows of them, each individually wrapped in cellophane."
And at that point I lost consciousness!
True, Pat! I'll do that in a min…
Oh now I get it :) 24 books in a year …. and there, I was, thinking it was per month … must do better in February!