I’m on a little holiday in Somerset, spending time with Our Vicar and Our Vicar’s Wife some of the time, and spending other chunks of time looking after beautiful Sherpa with Colin. I haven’t seen Sherpa (my parents’ cat) since Christmas, and have missed her like crazy, so she’s been getting lots of hugs from me today.
But yesterday I went to Clevedon and Taunton, and bought myself some books. If you’re ever in the vicinity of Clevedon, Somerset, can I recommend that you check out Clevedon Community Bookshop? There is a good selection of books, very reasonably priced, and the staff are super friendly. I bought four books there, two in a bookshop in Taunton, and another couple in Clevedon charity shops. So, what were they?
The Last Tresilians – J.I.M. Stewart
Karyn loved this book back in 2011, and I’ve been keeping an eye out for it ever since – and was thrilled to see it in Clevedon Community Bookshop’s nice bookcase of Penguins (Karyn, you need to visit!)
How To Suppress Women’s Writing – Joanna Russ
I felt bad as this title was being read by one man to his colleague, to write down in their sales book – and I felt obliged to point out that it was ironic, and a feminist work. I saw it mentioned on Twitter recently, I think, and was chuffed to discover a copy so soon afterwards.
Circular Saws – Humbert Wolfe
I mostly know Wolfe as a book reviewer from the 1920s, and can’t quite work out if this is a selection of essays, stories, or arbitrary thoughts – but it certainly looks fun and 1920s-y.
Dear Austen – Nina Bawden
About Bawden losing her husband Austen in a railway accident.
Looking For Alaska – John Green
I liked The Fault in Our Stars, and Green is very engaging on YouTube, so I thought I’d try another of his books for teenagers (I totally refuse to use the term ‘young adult’ except when referring to young adults, rather than younger-than-adults).
The Gallery of Vanished Husbands – Natasha Solomons
I really liked Mr Rosenblum’s List, so grabbed this book. An intriguing title!
Tommy & Co. – Jerome K. Jerome
Did you know that JKJ had written this book? I didn’t. I would have done if I’d ever gotten around to reading the biography of JKJ that I have – which I WILL DO ONE DAY.
Still Missing – Beth Gutcheon
A Persephone novel that I don’t yet have, for £1.95?! Yes please!
Hope you’re having a lovely weekend, and reading lots. I’m knee-deep in Martin Edwards’ The Golden Age of Murder right now, and loving it.
I was just thinking about Nina Bawden today, and that awful day. I didn’t know JKJ wrote anything other than the two three men books, which I am quite fond of.
I also read Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow by him (or something like that) and it was fab too.
I did notice a lack of Sherpa-related photos or updates – I’ve missed them!
That is a lovely stack of books. I think I am most curious about Dear Austen, even if it’s not as I first assumed about Jane Austen.
I did think it was about Austen when I first spotted it, but then remembered that I’d read an article about this back when it was published.
But where are the Sherpa pix????? :)
Lovely selection of books ( and the shop looks wonderful!) I picked up the Stewart book after Karyn’s recommendation but shamefully have yet to read it. And any second hand Persephone is a wonderful find!
I didn’t bring my camera home, foolishly, and my phone’s camera is misbehaving – there might not be any Sherpa pics this time around :(
Simon – how exciting to see that copy of The Last Tresilians amongst your recent purchases. I hope you plan to read it soon, and I hope you enjoy J.I.M. Stewart’s writing as much as I did.
I’ve just moved house, and the experience of boxing, moving and re-sorting all my Penguins has put me off book-buying for the present. But when I get over the experience, I will keep in mind the bookshop you recommend.
Fingers crossed! I do feel nervous about it, in case it doesn’t live up to expectation…
Sounds lovely. I don’t know about you, but I always operate under the rule that I’m allowed to buy as many books as I want on holiday. (See also eating whatever I want.)
I have indeed managed to do lots of reading this weekend and last, though last weekend it’s because I had a bad cold and cancelled other plans and the actual reading was all comics as that’s all my brain could cope with. This weekend I finished My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (which EVERYONE seems to be reading right now) and started The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard (which is stunning, so far, 100 or so pages in).
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