I was in London on Saturday, seeing various different friends for much-overdue catch-ups. The first thing I did, actually, was go to a private gallery for the first time in my life. I love Raoul Dufy so didn’t want to miss an exhibition of his work at Connaught Brown – and Karen of Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings came along with me. We had a lovely time, though decided, on the whole, not to pay £30,000 for a painting. A difficult decision to make, I’m sure you’ll agree.
But just before that, actually, I spent a birthday book token from my friend Malie – and I did it in Waterstones Piccadilly, which has an excellent section devoted to independent publishers. It’s next to the ‘Black writing’ shelves, which is why a non-independent-publisher snuck into my pile. (Also, query, Eudora Welty was under ‘Black writing’… she was white, wasn’t she?)
Here are the books I bought with my book token, clutched in what my friend Lucy refers to as my ‘serial killer gloves’:
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Yes, secondhand copies of this are ten a penny, but I am so in love with the covers to these 4th Estate reprints. Three down, one to go!
The Murderess by Alexandros Papadiamantis
I spent quite a while going through the NYRB Classics, trying to decide which I wanted, and chose this novella in the end. It sounds quite dark (about a grandmother murdering her grandchild) but also potentially really interesting. And maybe my first Greek novel?
Burning Secret by Stefan Zweig
I read Confusion in the same style reprint from Pushkin, and couldn’t resist a matching edition.
Only when I took the photo did I realise that I’d apparently been drawn to yellow books particularly… Have you read any of these?
The pictures *were* lovely, but in view of the cost I think we made the right decision…
And the books are very pretty with their yellow theme. The Zweig one sounds wonderful – I do love his books!
Most unlike you Simon to buy a crime novel! But the covers are gorgeous and this sounds like a great selection.
The Murderess looks really interesting. I’d never heard of the author before but have added it to my ‘to read’ list.
Your books are pretttttttty. I love Half of a Yellow Sun, I can say for sure! If I saw such an attractive edition at the shop, I might not be able to resist. Also, yes, Eudora Welty was definitely white. Someone at the shop must have been confused.
Somehow it surprises me that there is a ‘black writing’ section. Is there an Hispanic section? Asian? Women?
Eudora Welty defo mis-filed.
I like those Golden Age Murder style gloves. It must be cold there!
Maybe Eudora Welty was accidentally included because she is a Southern writer? It’s the only explanation I can come up with. Definitely a white woman, though.
I haven’t read any of those though I have read The Post-Office Girl by Stefan Zweig which I loved. I do have his collected short stories which is massive so I’ve been terrified to tackle it. My library has some of the shorter story collections on e-book, so I’ve downloaded one and hope to read a bit at a time that way.
Also yellow is apparently ON TREND in the fashion world, so there you go! Obviously, you are very fashionable.
Oh my that IS expensive art! How great that you have new books to read :)
Book tokens are always such a gift, and what a lovely day out! Have suddenly realized my husband has a pair of ‘serial killer’ gloves in the hall closet…thanks for that image, Simon and Lucy!