Remember early in 2019 when I said I wouldn’t be buying any books this year? Except special occasions? Well, that is increasingly looking stupid. Cos I’ve bought a lot of books this year. I’ve also read a lot, but still…
Anyway, the silver lining to my total lack of self-control is that I get to do a haul blog post! It’s not all from one place, but here are books I’ve bought over the past month or so. Many of them on two trips to a great secondhand bookshop in Wantage.
Here’s some more details, from top to bottom…
This Other Eden by E.V. Knox
I love a collection of essays – to the extent that my essay shelves are bursting. Might need a shelving rethink.
Don’t, Mr Disraeli by Caryl Brahms and S.J. Simon
I’ve not read anything by these two, but I keep seeing A Bullet in the Ballet around. I guess they were good at titles! This mystery novel will tick Project Names anyway, and that’s enough to convince me that it’s a good purchase.
Alexander’s Bridge by Willa Cather
Another that will work for Project Names, and a novel by Cather that I hadn’t even heard of. I think she might now be on my list of “stop buying books by them and actually read one” now.
The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie
I haven’t bought a book by Christie for ages – mostly because I bought dozens when I was around 14, and have still not quite made my way through them. But I am coming towards the end of that pile, so picked up some cheaply in a charity shop.
The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
I can’t remember how I came across this book, written by a severely autistic boy about his experience, but I do know that I thought it could be a good way for me to try and understand autism better.
Heat Wave by Penelope Lively
I do have a few unread Livelys, but it was a heat wave when I picked this up, and clearly I’m that suggestible.
Wine of Honour by Barbara Beauchamp
Peace, Perfect Peace by Josephine Kamm
Spam Tomorrow by Verily Anderson
Table Two by Marjorie Wilenski
I’m grouping these because they’re all among the latest reprints from the Furrowed Middlebrow series from Dean Street Press. I got three as review copies, and then bought these four on top – it is such a fascinating looking batch this time around. They’re all connected with WW2. Do check them out!
Sixpence House by Paul Collins
One of my favourite books of the year so far is The Book of William by Collins, all about the First Folio. So it was only a matter of time before I got hold of his book about living in Hay on Wye, and I finally crumbled.
Keep The Home Guard Turning by Compton Mackenzie
Rich Relatives by Compton Mackenzie
Mackenzie is DEFINITELY on the list of authors I should stop buying and start reading – but I’ve made an exception here because the first one was recommended by a couple of people, and because the second is a sequel to Poor Relations, which I loved. At least I think/hope it is.
The Question Mark by Muriel Jaeger
I don’t read a lot of science fiction, but Karen made this one sound so interesting that I went right out and bought the British Library reprint.
There’s a Porpoise Close Behind Us by Noel Langley
I read a fun little book by Langley a while ago, and I couldn’t resist (a) this title, and (b) the fact that it features theatre actors. That’s one of those elements of a novel that I cannot resist.
The Sun in Scorpio by Margery Sharp
The Innocents by Margery Sharp
I am increasingly loving Sharp, and so was delighted to find a couple of her novels in the wild. In Wantage, to be more precise.
I do love Margery Sharp! I’ve not read The Innocents but I really enjoyed Sun in Scorpio. Lovely finds Simon – clearly I need a trip to Wantage!
Good news that SUn in Scorpio is a good’un! And yes, the Wantage shop is fab.
Sixpence House is one of my absolute favourites! I read it before I ever studied abroad here and it inspired me to visit Hay-on-Wye. I’ve been six or seven times by now.
I read Heat Wave this summer, during the heatwave, and it was a perfect choice.
Oo good news! I have been so often and love it – I daresay I’ll crack and read this soon.
Do these new acquisitions cause a further shelf space problem? And how do your resolve The Great Bookcase Dilemma?
At the moment the piles on the floor have just got bigger!
I also had a book-buying ban for the first 4 months of the year, and then I slipped in May, June, July, August… I may try to be more restrained for the last few months of the year at least.
Maybe I will try that too… but I won’t…
Such a lovely pile of books, Simon. I hope you enjoy the Jaeger!
Thanks Karen!
I love book hauls and since I haven’t done one of my own recently, I took great vicarious pleasure in yours! I’m unfamiliar with many of your treasures, which increases the fun (new things to check out!). I do remember reading Margery Sharp with great pleasure, but so long ago I can’t recall specifics; I have read Heat Wave, which I liked but considered one of Lively’s weaker efforts. The Reason I Jump sounds very intriguing (hasn’t David Mitchell’s son been diagnosed as austistic? It would be very interesting to read his introduction). I have my own (unread) copy of Alexander’s Bridge but Cather is one of those novelists I’m better at collecting than reading (nice to know others may have the same problem); I don’t know why, I just seem to avoid her (did read Saphira and the Slave Girl, which was very good, but — I just avoid Cather). All this going over new acquisitions is making me restless — there’s a very good second hand bookstore on my way to breakfast and today is a holiday in these sort-of-United States . . . .
I first read Sharp in 2004, but the past couple of years have brought her back to the top of my reading pile wonderfully! And I will put Heat Wave down the pile a bit. I have plenty of other Livelys to read anyway…
I’d missed the message where you said you planned not to buy any books this year. That was a brave statement. I lasted 3 months once but a year would be impossible.
Yes, it was definitely over-ambitious…
Ali and I have enjoyed Alexander’s Bridge and I’ve read Sixpence House. I want to get a load more DSP volumes, now I’m hoping you won’t like Table Two and then you’ll draw me in the Virago Group Secret Santa and and … I’ll just put it on my wish list, obvs. Happy reading!
Haha! Well, good luck, but I suspect I will like it ;)
Was it Regent Furniture bookshop? Haven’t been there for ages.
What a fabulous stack of books. I have just ordered two of those DSP books, and I read Table Two recently. I have read Alexander’s Bridge and the Christie’s and The Innocents, which I liked overall. I have just started another Margery Sharp novel. Happy reading.
Excellent! I am definitely enjoying exploring Sharp more.
Yep! It’s a wonderland.
That’s a really good haul! Enjoy!
Thanks Davida!
You need to find a Compton Mackenzie title with a name in it so you are forced to read it this year!
Nice haul! I’ve read Sad Cypress and liked it. I too am always on the hunt for used copies of Christie books. I like to have them nearby for emergency comfort reading. :D
I was all set to read Guy and Pauline, which I do own, and then discovered it was a sequel to a book I *don’t* have! Doh.
Impressive. Interesting haul! Looks like you have your reading set until the end of the year. :-)
I feel like secondhand bookstore hauls shouldn’t count. (1) It’s supporting the economy, independent retailers, etc., all very important, and (2) it’s REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE. But then again, I’m a total enabler and fail at my own attempts to not buy books weekly, so maybe take my input with a grain of salt ;)
The Man in the Brown Suit was the very first Agatha Christie book I ever read! I remember finding it astonishing but I haven’t reread it since I was a kid. Enjoy!!