I’m planning to do this list for every month, as a way of showing myself what’s finding its way to my overflowing shelves – and to see if I read more than I bought in any month. Which is a pretty low ambition, one would have thought, but also not very achievable… though I think I did it in February! This round-up is coming a bit late, but that’s nothing compared to how late my round up of 2017 reading is. One day it will come, I (sort of) promise.
(Granted, I did get quite a few review copies… and I’ve included some gifts in this post, just because I wanted to mention them.)
Here they are, with a silently judging Hargreaves:
Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh
I have a handful of Waugh books I’ve not read, but I bought this one because my book group is reading it this month. I’m halfway through. In the past I have been conflicted about Waugh’s moral compass… with Vile Bodies I’m largely just confused about what’s going on.
My Face for the World to See by Alfred Hayes
I can’t resist a cheap NYRB Classic, even if I’m amassing them and not reading all that many.
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
I liked The Fault in Our Stars, and I’ve been watching John Green’s vlogs for many years, so I’m happy to put another of his books on my shelves. I’m not often in the mood for reading teenage fiction, but it’ll be good when I want a quick, doubtless heartbreaking, read.
From the Heart by Susan Hill
Susan Hill writes a book about every five minutes, in many genres, but I very much appreciate her ‘short literary novella’ genre – The Beacon, A Kind Man, Black Sheep – and hadn’t heard of this recent one until I stumbled across it.
Reading Allowed by Chris Paling
I visited Mostly Books in Abingdon for the first time in ages – and I always try to buy a book when visiting an independent bookseller, to support them. It was rather sad to see how few books were on the shelves – it’s a small shop, but there were still big gaps on the shelves. I was wondering if I’d have to read empty-handed, but this comic memoir of working in a library looked fun.
The Proper Place by O. Douglas
Ann and Her Mother by O. Douglas
Penny Plain by O. Douglas
Farewell to Priorsford by O. Douglas
These were a very kind gift from my friend’s mum (hi Mrs S!) who sometimes reads the blog and knows that I like O Douglas (also known as Anna Buchan – John Buchan’s sister). I had to be strong and not accept all the novels on offer – there were quite a few – but asked for a selection. I’m excited to see what I think of these!
Since the last four are gifts, I only actually bought five books in February. Very restrained, no??
Vile Bodies isn’t one of Waugh’s best
Very restrained! O. Douglas’ books are very comforting, though the Scots dialect and frequent Shakespeare references can be a bit wearing if you read too many back-to-back. As for Waugh, I have to admit I’ve never managed to finish any of his novels and, after getting to know him better through his letters to Nancy Mitford, I’m fine with that! What an unpleasant person he was.
Only 5? Such self-discipline! And Hargreaves does look suitably disapproving (if very cute). Does this mean we will be seeing regular gratuitous cat pictures on your blog??? ;)
At last there is a mention of Penny Plain on your blog — my favourite comfort read of all time, & one to which I am going to turn this very evening on my Kindle, to read monoptically, after undergoing cataract surgery on my left eye this afternoon!
All went swimmingly, after weeks of dread, such as only bookish people can know when surgeons come at their precious eyes with scalpels!
I also have The Proper Place by O. Douglas, purchased after reading about the syllabus on Furrowed Middlebrow. Of course I haven’t read it yet.
I’ve read several by Waugh and by far my favorite is Decline and Fall which is hilariously funny, quite different than his later works like Brideshead Revisited.
Also I think Hargreaves is planning how knock the stacks off the table!
How many tries did it take before you got the picture with Hargreaves in it?
Reading Allowed by Chris Paling does look like it would be fun and in keeping with those wonderful books about books we all like reading.
P.S. I would love gratuitous cat pictures in every post.
I read my first O Douglas novel this month, The Setons, and I will be reading more by this author.
Our book group read Vile Bodies recently too – most were perplexed by it! I’m glad you found something to buy in my local bookshop – I wish they were able to carry a bigger stock on the shelves too, but I rarely leave empty-handed as they always have all the new books I’m addicted to.
SO restrained! And Hargreaves looks suitably baleful, as cats in photographs so often do!
My pleasure Mr T . I’m so pleased to send this books to someone who I know will appreciate them. The remainder are sat on my shelves for when you feel less restrained and want to add to your collection!
Five books in February is quite good! Particularly considering I purchased, I don’t know, roughly thirty books in March? And it’s still only halfway through the month? (Don’t tell anyone.)
My daughter told me about your podcast, which I LOVE! I was listening when out with the dogs today and our taste in detective novels is identical! :)
O. Douglas is one of my favourite authors. I collected all her books (and the biographies) slowly, but surely, in the 1970s, from secondhand bookshops. It’s almost disappointing to have a full set, as I miss the thrill of spotting one I don’t already have!