Thanks for the positive response to my first Overhaul, where I look back at previous book hauls and see how many I’ve read and how many I’ve kept. It’s a great way to see how things progress on my shelves AND to make me feel bad about myself. What’s not to like?
This time I’m going even further back – nearly a whole decade – and to one of my favourite bookshops for cheap finds, the Amnesty charity shop in Bristol. Plus a few books from Oxford that I piled into the same post.
The Overhaul #2
The original haul post is here.
Date of haul: August 2009
Location: Bristol
Number of books bought: 12
- Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
I read this in 2016 and I thought it was pretty good, but quite confusing and not at all the ‘haunting novel of a summer of terror and wonder’ that the cover alleged it to be.
- English Short Stories of Today ed. by E.J. O’Brien
This is the sort of collection I buy and put on my shelves and know I will never read. I have not read it
- The Sandcastle by Iris Murdoch
This one I have read! In 2010, in fact, though sadly I didn’t much like it. Good set pieces but I found some of it quite dull – and a later attempt with The Sea, The Sea has confirmed that I am not a Murdoch fan. It’s not on my shelves anymore.
- Summer at the Haven by Katharine Moore
Guys, I’m killing it, because I’ve read this one too – in 2009, no less. I didn’t write a review of it, but I remember enjoying this tale of an old people’s home. Not the finest writing in the world, but very enjoyable.
- Howards End by E.M. Forster
And I’ve read this one! It was the third Forster I’d read, and third time lucky – because I thought it was brilliant, having not really liked the others. You probably know all about it, but here’s my review from 2011.
- Family Money by Nina Bawden
Ah, this one I haven’t read. After reading A Woman of My Age in 2013, I decided that maybe Bawden wasn’t for me. This is still on my shelves, but it’s a borderline case.
- Family History by Vita Sackville-West
I’ve read a few more VSWs since 2009, but this is not one of them. One day!
- The Shutter of Snow by Emily Holmes Coleman
I read this account of madness in 2009, and didn’t get on with it. Very experimental in form, which I found distracting and annoying rather than transformative. I decided not to keep it.
- Clash by Ellen Wilkinson
I decided to give this to a more receptive home! I might well have enjoyed it, but I felt like it would never quite be the time to find out.
- Writing Lives: Conversations Between Women Writers
Still waiting! Have I dipped into it? Maybe? Probably not.
- Among You Taking Notes: the Wartime Diary of Naomi Mitchison
I read this, and found it a bit disappointing. Sometimes diaries really click and sometimes they’re just a bit dull. It went to a charity shop.
- Behindlings by Nicola Barker
I never got around to this, and it got culled at some point because it’s an enormous copy, and I didn’t think it was justifying all the space it was taking up. Sorry Nicola B!
Total bought: 12
Total still unread on my shelves: 4
Total no longer owned: 5
Nooooooooooo! Clash is *wonderful*!!!
I remember your v positive review, but it was on a much-wanted list for my Secret Santee at LibraryThing, so I thought they’d get to it sooner than I did!
Ah so your one went to Ali and Kaggsy gave me mine but it’s not her original one. Hooray for Clash. I will be reading my copy in August!
Also, well done, Simon, good going!
I think mine went to Jane, if memory serves…
Thanks!!
Clash has certainly been doing the rounds – you should give it a go at some point, Simon :)
I love these post SImon. I feel vicariously very satisfied with you progress!
Thanks :D
I didn’t know about that Amnesty shop. Does it still operate – the website isn’t very clear.
I think so! It certainly did last year, which was my most recent visit.
What a great feature! I enjoyed it very much, especially your comment about the short story collection (probably because I have a similar habit). I also share your opinion about Howard’s End (it’s such an incredible book; I’m also a real Forster fan) and am now curious to check out Clash!