Weekend Miscellany

I’m back from my travels, pleased to see that my posts all appeared when they were supposed to, and delighted to find so many willing Ivy Compton-Burnett readers! Hayley asks whether she’s likely to enjoy Manservant and Maidservant after having given up A Heritage and Its History – the answer, probably, is no. In for a penny, in for a pound, with Miss C-B – her novels are all very similar and it’s unlikely that you’ll hate one and love another. Verity asked whether we could choose a Virago ICB, but having looked on Amazon the four that Virago Modern Classics reprinted are in quite short supply, and quite pricey too, so it will probably be best to stick with Manservant and Maidservant since it’s in print in the US. Is that ok? I recommend you go and get copies now, if you fancy joining in, and we’ll aim to read it during October/November? Let me know what you think about the plan…
(by the way, it was also published in the US as Bullivant and the Lambs)

More about my trip to Grasmere and Edinburgh, very soon, and apologies if I haven’t responded to an email yet – I have 300 waiting in my inbox.

1) The book, for this weekend’s miscellany, was waiting for me when I got back from Edinburgh. I must confess that I hadn’t heard of J.B. Priestley’s Delight (1949) – also reprinted, and hopefully on its way to me – in which he wrote dozens of little essays (two pages or so each) about things which caused him delight. It sounds an, indeed, delightful book – probably more difficult to write than a Grumpy Old Man collection, but much nicer to read. Well, an anthology has been created in aid of Dyslexia Action and the London Library, called Modern Delight. All sorts of folk have been invited to share things which cause them delight, and it looks like a surprising and happy book. Who knew that Jeremy Paxman liked frogspawn, or Joan Bakewell motorway service stations? John Carey on ‘beekeeping’ and Lynne Truss on ‘perfectly captioned cartoons’; Nick Hornby extolling Bexhill-on-Sea; Erica Wagner proclaiming the delights of peeling chickpeas – how appropriate to choose such a miscellany for my miscellany! Might appeal more to UK readers than non-UK, for the famed people might not be famed beyond these shores. But how nice to see proper, credible names – and many writers – rather than reading that Katie Price likes horses or Wayne Rooney has a fondness for potatoes. Can’t wait.

2) The blog post – I haven’t been able to read blogs this week, so shall link to something not very bookish, but very yummy: the recipe for the cake Karen aka Cornflower made for my visit to her this week. And it was delicious!

3) The link – Simon B at the Bodleian sent me a link to an article on the BBC’s website: What does your bookcase say about you? I can’t agree with the included sentence ‘books aren’t essential’ (is this woman MAD?) but there’s some fun stuff in there too. I’m very fond of my Argos bookcase, which slopes from five units at the right to two at the left, but the rest of my bookcases were mostly nabbed from my parents…

Happy weekend everyone! I’ll be busying myself over the weekend trying to write lots of posts which will appear at intervals over the next week, as I’m off to the Lake District and Edinburgh. Will try to remember to take my camera… and, of course, give you a list of the books I buy along the way. I *might* buy none, of course, but I’ve already pencilled three secondhand bookshops into my itinerary, and there are sure to be more… Someone said to me the other day that, what with the review books I’m sent, I must never have to buy books anymore… cue hollow laugh from me.

As always, a link, a book, a blog post.

1) The link – Abebooks’ Weird Book Room. You’ve probably all seen those books of strange title collections – well, Abebooks have devoted a section of their website to it, and you can submit ideas too. I spotted the link on Liz’s blog. I’m especially drawn to Nuclear War: What’s in it for you? and People Who Don’t Know They’re Dead. And who wouldn’t want to read Cheese Problems Solved? Towel Origami – just think of those wasted mornings in the bathroom where my towel has been sat, simply folded in half?

2) The blog – not long ago I started reading Claire’s blog Kiss A Cloud, which is both beautiful and bookish. More or less any link would whet your appetite, but the most recent post seems a good place to start. It’s following a meme from Book Bloggers Appreciation Week – talking about which books you’ve read because of other bloggers. Claire mentions Woolf, Persephone, and I Capture the Castle amongst her finds, so how could I not be smitten? I so admire bloggers with great camera skills – mine seem to be all taken at night, of books leaning against walls.

3) The book – I’ll be writing about this soon, as I’m *really* having trouble resisting it whilst I read the books I should be reading. It’s Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill (a brave choice of title, since I imagine there will be errant apostrophes in ‘Howards End’ whenever the book is mentioned). Subtitled a year of reading from home, the book is a series of essays a la Anne Fadiman’s Ex Libris, which documents Hill’s decision to read only books from her shelves, for a year. She explores books she’d forgotten she owned, or had never read, or simply wanted to read again. I’ve only read four pages so far, but it has some lovely excerpts: ‘A book which is left on a shelf is a dead thing but it is also a chrysalis, an inanimate object packed with the potential to burst into new life.’ Hill’s writing can be a little forthright for my tastes, but I’m sure that won’t spoil a book so deliciously, well, bookish. It’s out on the 15th October, and doesn’t it have a beautiful cover?

Happy weekend, all. Next week I will, honest, promise, definitely be putting up my review of Miss Hargreaves, and a giveaway to go along with it – so watch this space. I’m trying to re-read it first… not much time at the moment.

1) The link – is a rather fun, bookish competition from The Big Green Bookshop. I saw about this at Chasing Bawa‘s blog – basically tell this bookshop (in email, post, ‘phone or person) your five favourite books (in no order). You have until November 22nd to do so – after that somebody clever with a spreadsheet will compile a Top 50. And one lucky person, randomly selected, will win 20 books of their choice from that 50. What’s not to like? Click here for all their info, or here for their blog, or just email enquiries@biggreenbookshop.com.
My top five? Well the first three are always there, in some order or other, but after that I improvise based on my feelings for that day.

1. Miss Hargreaves – Frank Baker
2. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
3. Diary of a Provincial Lady – EM Delafield
4. Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne
5. Family Roundabout – Richmal Crompton

And whilst I’m at it, I found this name-the-book-from-the-photo competition in their archives… it’s hilarious, and groan-inducing. Go and have a try, you’ll love it. I got none of ’em.

2) The book is in fact books. At the Kisses on a Postcard launch the other day, Alexandra Pringle was saying how jealous she felt of those who hadn’t read Barbara Trapido before, because of all the bookish pleasures ahead of them… at which point I raised my hand and confessed my sins of omission. And so the lovely people of Bloomsbury have sent me their new editions of her novels… any Barbara Trapido fans out there, and if so, where should I start? So far I’m hearing ‘start at the beginning’ with Brother of the More Famous Jack, a fantastic title.

3) And for the blog post this week, I really enjoyed Rachel’s (aka Book Snob) tales of recent buying. The first line will make you realise what an affinity Rachel is: I went out on my lunch break today to Brompton Road, ostensibly to buy a dress for a wedding I am going to on Saturday, but somehow I returned back to my office with no dress and a bag full of books.Now it’s true that I’ve never set out to buy a dress, but most of my errands turn into impromptu book buying trips. You can read more about it here, and find out what she bought. (Rachel, if you’d like me to post you the sketch as a souvenir of sorts, just email me your address!)

It’s a bit late this weekend, mostly because I spent so much time thinking about the review of The Other Elizabeth Taylor (thanks for kind comments on it!) that I didn’t want to get it swept away in the Friday lull. My stats counter tells me that things drop off on Friday, and quite significantly at the weekend, which suggests that quite a lot of you are reading blogs at work. Tsk! As if *I* would dream of doing such a thing. The very thought.

Ahem. So – a link, a blog post, a book.

1.) Verity’s recent review of Barbara Comyns’ wonderful Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead reminded me that it has one of my very favourite opening lines: ‘The ducks swam through the drawing-room window.’ If you don’t immediately want to read on, then check to see if you have a pulse. It didn’t make this week’s link, though – the 100 Best Opening Lines of Novels. This was decided by the editors of American Book Review, and thus has rather a leaning towards American titles. Don’t you find that these lists often choose opening lines from the best novels, rather than the best opening lines? A subtle but significant difference. I’m sure some of the best opening lines come from novels which are otherwise pretty poor. Anyway, pop over there to see who comes top (though any list which includes James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake at no.7 isn’t going to be in total agreement with me: ‘riverrun, past Eve and Adam’s, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs.’)

Fun for a browse – let me know what you think, and which you’d place at number one.

2.) The book. It’s Miss Hargreaves again, I’m afraid, since none others sprung to mind… I like to choose ones which I’ve had emails about, or received through the post, but might not review for a little while – and most of the ones I’ve had this week I’m *desperate* to read as quickly as possible. So instead I’m going to show you the part of Bloomsbury’s reprint of Miss Hargreaves which excites me the post:

3.) For my blog post of the week, I’m linking to Lisa at A Bloomsbury Life. I know I keep going back to the same blogs for this, and I will try to expand, but darn it – if Lisa must make her blog so appealing and wonderful, what am I supposed to do? Specifically, I’m linking to her post on Beverley Nichols, which quotes a hilarious section of his book Laughter on the Stairs, all about decorating his house and hearing that Woman’s Own want to look at it. How to get the house looking presentable when he has so little furniture… Rarely have I read a blog post which made me so desperate to read the author – Beverley Nichols is one of those writers I’ve seen a heckuva lot in secondhand bookshops, but never read. The Thatched Roof is the only one I have on my shelves. So, yes, wonderful excerpt – but the post is made even lovelier by Lisa’s characteristic style and great choice of accompanying photographs. Which doesn’t include the one I’ve picked for this post – so you’ll just have to go and read her post for more!

It’s that time again – c’est le weekend! And so, of course, I have a book, a blog post, and a link for your delectation. Come in, sit down, have a cup of tea and a slice of cake. I even made a cake yesterday – coconut and orange sponge (like the chocolate and orange, but with a sizeable amount of coconut instead of cocoa powder.) I haven’t tried any yet, but I’m looking forward to having some tonight… mmm. Anybody got any baking photos to share? I’d love to post a link to them.

1) Let’s start off with the book. Beautiful Books published Angela Young’s Speaking of Love, which I loved, and then they did me the kindness of putting my name on the back of the paperback – so I consider them little less than heroes. And respect their judgement, of course – so I’m looking forward to starting Lanterns on their Horns by Radhika Jha. A very striking cover, I think you’ll agree. Read more about it here. Apparently it involves the artificial insemination of cows to end poverty in an Indian village, and is compared (admittedly by the publishers) to Charles Dickens (great) and Naguib Mahfouz (who? I’m sure he/she is famous, but my knowledge of non-British writers is shamefully low. Unless Mahfouz is British, of course, in which case I don’t even have that excuse.) There’s a review on (the aptly named) Farm Lane Books here.

2.) The link – my e-friend Sherry, from the dovegreybooks reading group, sent me a link to an article from the Telegraph which is likely to strike a chord with Stuck-in-a-Book readers. Click here to read it. It’s called ‘There’s no smell on the shelves of cyberspace’ by Simon Heffer, and is about the pleasure of browsing real life bookshelves, as opposed to clicking a link and getting the book delivered. The internet has done wonderful things for book-lovers – and dire things for their bank accounts – but there will always be room for the surprises and serendipities of bookshops. Call it the thrill of the chase for those who prefer a more leisurely pace. To whet you appetite, and show that Simon Heffer is One Of Us, here’s a quotation: “I realised at an early age that hours passed in shops full of old books constituted one of the greatest joys of civilised existence.”Yes, Mr. Heffer, we can but agree.

3) And the blog post – it’s Paperback Reader again. Over the past fortnight or so she has been sporadically putting up photos of colour-themed bookshelves. Some are kept like that all the time, some were done for the photo-op. Here’s the link, which cleverly shows you all three relevant posts (white, orange, and silver) because she knows what she’s doing with tagging. (Something I manifestly failed with the only time I tried to do it.) Harriet did the same thing with her shelves a while ago – but I don’t know if she’s kept them like that. Harriet? I’ve toyed, occasionally, with putting all my books in colour order… but while I love to look at other people’s photographs, I know I’d never be able to find anything. Plus all my bookcases are double-stacked (and now books are in piles on the floor) so it might not have the same effect. The picture above isn’t from Paperback Reader, but one which did the rounds on the blogosphere a couple of years ago.

This weekend miscellany malarkey seems to have settled into a blog, a book, and a link. Sorry that ‘link’ doesn’t begin with ‘b’, that would have been pleasingly alliterative… any b-synonyms for ‘link’, let me know… Also, I’ve been using this weekend frivolity to try out all the fancy colours which Blogger offers me. I do hope this doesn’t offend any more delicate senses…

Anyway, here goes.

1) This week there are two blog posts I want to point out, as I couldn’t narrow it down to just one. Elaine at Random Jottings writes about Light Relief in the form of PG Wodehouse and Betty Macdonald’s The Egg and I. Like Elaine, I’ve bypassed The Egg and I dozens of times in bookshops, but I know that next time I’ll snap it up. To quote Elaine: And then I turned to The Egg and I another title to join the distinguished list of Books I used to Shelve Regularly when I was a Librarian and turned my nose up at (sorry for the appalling grammar) and recently given to me to read by a friend who said ‘ Cannot believe you have not read these Elaine’. She also was staggered I had not read Mapp and Lucia. I do like to keep my friends on their toes. Oo, I’ve never noticed that ‘quotation’ function before. That’ll come in handy.

The second blog post is this one from Simon at Savidge Reads – mostly I just like the fact that it has pictures of bookshelves. (The one above is actually one of my own, taken last year.) But he also asks from where we inherit our love of books – parents? grandparents? teachers? nowhere? The comments make for fun and interesting reading.

And whilst I’m posting blog links, I happened upon one of my own sketch-based posts which I’d forgotten about, and which made me chuckle… narcissistic, much? It’s from the days when most of my sketches involved my Stuck-in-a-Book self-portrait.

2) Icon Books emailed me a little while ago, wondering if I wanted to review any of their books. Not my usual sort of publisher (they’re non-fiction publishers, for a start) but I looked through their Literature section, and they sent me a couple. I’ve got Shakespeare on Toast: Getting a Taste for the Bard by Ben Crystal (any relation of David?) and Nobel Lectures: 20 Years of the Nobel Prize for Literature Lectures edited by John “Did Cruella de Ville Dye Her Hair?” Sutherland. I’ll be interested in the former, though it’s preaching to the converted – but I’m really looking forward to the latter. Just a shame it was published too early for Doris Lessing’s speech.

3) Graduating from university, or simply seeking a new job? I was sent a link to the 50 Books You Should Read Before Entering The Real World – click here – though it has little in common with my own 50 Books You Must Read But May Not Have Heard About. (Speaking of which, it’s ongoing, and in no order, but hasn’t been updated for a while… I’m always open to ideas about obscure books which should make the list). The list has lots of books related to jobs and finances etc, but also a section on Fiction and Memoirs. The only one of those I’ve read is the much-overrated The Catcher in the Rye… but that shouldn’t put me off the rest.

It was fun last week, so let’s try it again. I had meant to write about a few books I’ve recently finished, but somehow it hasn’t happened. Next week, I promise.

1) This video is hilarious. I subscribe to communitychannel’s videos on YouTube, and though her humour is unfortunately sometimes what Our Vicar’s Wife would call “near the knuckle” (does anyone else use this expression?) her sketches are usually very amusing. Just watch the sketch at the beginning – I think you’ll enjoy it.

2) Do go and see a lovely review of Joyce Dennys’ Henrietta’s War on the very wonderful blog Paperback Reader. This should even please my brother Colin (who says he reads my blog but ‘skips the booky bits’) since the blog title is adapted from the Beatles song ‘Paperback Writer’. The review takes the form of a letter from Henrietta, and picks out one of my favourite moments in the book, concerning offal…

3) How have I lived this long without buying any of the gorgeous New York Review of Books Classics titles? Possibly because that’s such a mouthful. But incentive, if incentive were needed, has arrived – they currently have a 20% off sale. Actually, I had to go to Amazon because I don’t have a credit card, and so I don’t know what postage costs to the UK are. But any American readers should head that way immediately… I bought Barbara Comyns’ The Vet’s Daughter, because it’s one of hers which I don’t have yet and I hate the new Virago cover for it. But they also do all sorts of Stuck-in-a-Book favourites and would-be-favourites including to-die-for editions of Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book; Sylvia Townsend Warner’s Lolly Willowes; Elizabeth von Arnim’s The Enchanted April, and Ivy Compton-Burnett’s A House and Its Head and Manservant and Maidservant. All of those should be pictured below, and if I’ve done things correctly, clicking on the image will take you to the NYRB page in question. My friend Erika says “They really are lovely editions–the paper is good quality and bright, the binding is tight, and it just has a good feel to it in your hands!” They should put me on commission…

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Something new I thought I’d kick off here – at the weekend I’ll pick three or four things I’ve noticed in the week beforehand, and point you in their direction. It’ll usually be other bloggers or blog posts which I’ve enjoyed, but will also include books I’ve spotted or snippets of information I’ve been emailed.

1) First off, Libby Cone’s novel War on the Margins was published on Thursday by Duckworth. She sent me a copy ages ago, but sadly I’ve not got to it – but it’s definitely the right territory for Stuck-in-a-Book, based as it is in wartime Guernsey. All of us loved Mary Ann Shaffer’s The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, didn’t we? Lynne at dovegreyreader wrote about War on the Margins here, in its self-published incarnation. Isn’t it great when a self-publisher manages to get published in the conventional way as well? Libby sent me a very sweet email asking me to mention that the book was now out, suggesting I say the following: “She’s barmy! She’s driving me nuts! I haven’t been able to read it; read it for yourselves, for goodness’ sake, so she’ll leave me alone!” But I will read it one day, Libby, I will… see if you can beat me to it.

2) There are quite a few things that readers of Siab agree on, more or less – two of them are that reading is great, and that Virago Modern Classics are wonderful, when they appear in their dark-green covers. Witness the Virago collage I made a while ago:

Well, Verity (of The B Files, see left-hand column) has set up a subsidiary blog, Verity’s Virago Venture, documenting her attempt to read as many of the VMCs as possible. I can’t remember how many there are, but it’s A LOT. Go along and see her progress – authors/books already covered include Barbara Comyn’s Sisters By A River (which I wrote about in April) and the works of Antonia White.

3) I’m a little in love with Lisa’s blog A Bloomsbury Life, which has (I quote) “sporadic posts about style, travel, food, literature, gardens, eccentrics and their foibles.” It’s a quirky riot of colour, very stylishly so, and is a simply beautiful place to be. Most adored post recently is this one, in which Lisa compares the photographs taken on her travels with objects and designs around her home – how the one has influenced the other. For example, below – she has drawn connections between the beautiful saris she saw, and the way she shelves her books… beautiful. Do go and read the whole post, with lots of great photographs.