The Overhaul #7

Let’s do another Overhaul! It’s where I look at some books that I bought, and see how many of them I’ve read, how many I’ve not kept, and how many are still to read. I basically shame myself for all of our entertainment. FUN!

 

The Overhaul #7

The original haul is here.

Date of haul: November 2012

Location: London

Number of books bought: 11

This is one of my more restrained hauls, and it even represents a whole range of bookshops – and some books I got at the annual book swap of my online reading group, but we’ll count it all to the haul. Here goes…

Mariana by Monica Dickens
I read this during Project Names last year – one of the very first Persephones, which I’d been intending to read for years. I enjoyed it but also remember nothing at all about it, and felt that I’d forgotten it as soon as I finished the last page. Do you ever get that?

Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks
I think I must have started this almost as soon as I bought it. It’s my favourite of Sacks’ books, all about different types of hallucinations, as you might have guessed. Shows his wonderful humanity, and it’s fascinating. I have lent my copy to someone…

The Crafty Art of Playmaking by Alan Aychbourn
Guys, I’m on such a roll, because I’ve read this too! Annoyingly, just before I went to see his wonderful play Relatively Speaking, and I didn’t realise this book would give away the plot.

At the Pines by Mollie Panter-Downes
Ah, here we go. Not read this, though I have read lots of MPD before and after this haul.

Adele and Co. by Dornford Yates
I even singled this out among the ten books with names in the title that I’d read during Project Names. Reader, I did not read it.

Cheerful Weather for the Wedding by Julia Strachey
I’d already read this when I bought it – counting it though.

Money For Nothing by P.G. Wodehouse
I don’t think I’ve read this, but I’ve read a lot of Wodehouse and don’t particularly remember which…

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
I read this for a book group, and I enjoyed it, but I think I sent it off to a charity shop at some point when I realised I probably wouldn’t re-read it.

Darkness and Day by Ivy Compton-Burnett
This was my final ICB book to buy – except for early novel Dolores, which is very tricky to find – and I have read it! It was worth tracking down – it’s a really good one.

The Man Who Tasted Shapes by Richard E. Cytowic
I love Oliver Sacks and it made me think that I wanted to read more popular neurology – I find synaesthesia fascinating, but started this book and didn’t get very far. Turns out not all neurologists write as engagingly as Sacks. But it’s still on the shelf with the intention of trying again one day.

Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter
This one has hovered vaguely on the edge of my reading life for so long, but never quite to the top of the tbr. One day!

Total bought: 11

Total still unread on my shelves: 5

Total no longer owned: 1

20 thoughts on “The Overhaul #7

  • October 15, 2020 at 10:58 am
    Permalink

    I love most Dornford Yates books, while acknowledging that they are truly dreadful – racist, sexist, classist etc, but somehow fun.

    Reply
    • October 16, 2020 at 12:40 pm
      Permalink

      I will know what to expect then!

      Reply
  • October 15, 2020 at 12:00 pm
    Permalink

    I’ve also read Mariana, and like you I remember enjoying it, but that’s all – no idea what it was about really. I have better recall for some of her other novels – particularly The Winds of Heaven, which I loved, and Joy and Josephine, which I didn’t. I think my favourites from her are her autobiographical books – One Pair of Hands, etc.

    I have some Dornford Yates on my shelves too, and still haven’t read them.

    I am pretty sure I read Nights at the Circus years ago, but again I remember nothing….So many people rave about Carter that I ought to give her another go, but I fear she may be too clever for me. My daughter loves her.

    It’s always such a joy to see that even you haven’t read all of your books Simon!

    Reply
    • October 16, 2020 at 12:16 pm
      Permalink

      Glad it’s not just me, Rosemary! And yes, One Pair of Hands remains easily my favourite of hers. I keep meaning to read Joy and Josephine, but interesting that it didn’t work for you.

      Reply
  • October 15, 2020 at 12:17 pm
    Permalink

    I love your book hauls, Simon. Let’s hope we can all go off on book buying sprees very soon.

    Years ago I owned about five Dornford Yates. Where are they now?! Why on Earth did I get rid of them?? Aaargh.

    Reply
    • October 16, 2020 at 12:15 pm
      Permalink

      Oh yes, have all been there with the ‘why didn’t I keep them’ angst!

      Reply
  • October 15, 2020 at 12:47 pm
    Permalink

    I’m genuinely really impressed that you read more than half of these. If I did a similar post, it would include much, MUCH more shame. :P

    Reply
    • October 16, 2020 at 10:41 pm
      Permalink

      I dare youuuuuuu

      Reply
  • October 15, 2020 at 1:54 pm
    Permalink

    This is interesting. Book shaming as entertainment and as a salutary lesson to oneself. I think I might get round to this too. Thanks for the idea. I think your success rate is rather good actually.

    Reply
    • October 16, 2020 at 12:15 pm
      Permalink

      thanks Margaret! This is one of my higher scorers, for sure.

      Reply
    • October 16, 2020 at 12:14 pm
      Permalink

      It’s fair to say not many people have been brave enough to join in, but Bookish Beck did once!

      Reply
  • October 15, 2020 at 9:14 pm
    Permalink

    Put all those other “middlebrow” books down and read the Angela Carter!

    Reply
    • October 16, 2020 at 12:14 pm
      Permalink

      Ha, no, but will try to read her soon!

      Reply
  • October 15, 2020 at 10:39 pm
    Permalink

    I’m so glad that you also read books and then can hardly remember anything about them, except that you enjoyed it. So far I cannot get on with Ivy Compton-Burnett at all but the author Sheila Kaye-Smith said she moved from hating her writing to loving it as she got older – that seems strange to me.

    Reply
    • October 16, 2020 at 12:13 pm
      Permalink

      Interesting! I think my tastes have changed a little over the years, but nothing that diametric.

      Reply
  • October 16, 2020 at 12:33 am
    Permalink

    I do enjoy your book overhauls! Quite an impressive number of completions on this one . . .

    Reply
    • October 16, 2020 at 12:12 pm
      Permalink

      I did feel quite proud of this one :D

      Reply
  • October 17, 2020 at 5:30 pm
    Permalink

    Good work, well done! I have read and enjoyed The Man Who Tasted Shapes so it is gettable-throughable, I promise. But Sacks still wins, obviously.

    Reply
  • October 17, 2020 at 8:46 pm
    Permalink

    I do love these posts. I’ve just copied the format again to look back at previous birthday book hauls and see how many I’ve read. I actually haven’t done too badly with some years! I’ve seen and read a few Ayckbourn plays and really enjoy his humour. I wasn’t that taken by The Man Who Mistook…, but I need to try more by Sacks.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *