After redeeming a Waterstones stamp card and claiming back all my amassed points, this book haul was cheap for its size, the entirety of which set me back a paltry £17.98, of which most was spent in second-hand bookshops.
First off was a trip to the charity shops where I found a my first Virago – a publisher beloved by so many on here – and then a second, bookended by yet more recommendations and at the price it would have been silly not to.
Visiting the wonderfully named Mrs Lofthouse’s Second Hand Book Emporium, I expected great things, but the above collection is sadly all I found, the fiction section in particular was deeply lacking in-depth to my mind. I wanted to pick up more but there was little else of note and thus came away with quality instead of quantity.
Next up books on books, always a delight to drive the hunger and as I like works that compliment each other, On the Shortness of Life is something I reflect on whenever I watch or read the news, which justified the purchase of both.
The last selection but by no means least is a strong finish including a John Wyndham book that I never knew existed due to originally being written under a pseudonym. This will be a welcome light read against the other three quality reads I also picked up.
I shall be back visiting blogs sometime after the weekend as my holiday is drawing (and writing) to a close so don’t feel too left out in the meantime by my absence.
I’m salivating! LOVE getting new books to read 🙂 Margaret Atwood is one of my all-time faves so I really look forward to your review of that book. The Good Earth blew me away when I read it several years ago. Enjoy!!
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It was A DNF for me in regards to The Handmaid’s Tale so I am looking forward to this one grabbing me. It’s nice to go some way to redressing the imbalance of male to female authors in my collection, not that I usually pay much attention these days as I go for quality and what trusted bloggers such as yourself recommend.
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Ser-woon! Congratulations on a seriously good haul, and on breaking your Virago duck! I look forward to reading the reviews! 🙂
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As I look forward to reading them, although the choice clammering for position on the ol’ pile is a bit stressful at times!
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I’ve never heard of that Wyndham either. Looking forward to your review!
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He wrote three under the name John Beynon apparently. I wasn’t expecting to see any new Wyndham’s so to see that was pretty seismic. Still it does give me more to add to the need to read list which always cheers me.
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The John Wyndham is a surprise! I will have to get that for my husband. A fantastic selection of books.
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There are also two other books originally written under the name John Beynon, which I imagine are also out now so well worth a look for Christmas, if it is not too early to mention it.
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No, not too early – thank-you!
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I recently picked up a book by Margaret Atwood at a book shelf (for free, though, and it was still in good shape) and it was called “The Blind Assassin.” I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but I’ve enjoyed the books of hers I have read, Including “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Does DNF mean you did or didn’t like it? (I’m sadly not up on texting abbreviations and internet slang.)
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DNF stands for did not finish, I did feel that I should have another go at Atwood and this was the cheapest option so looking forward to that. The Handmaid’s Tale was good in terms of themes and message but I just couldn’t get into it, I read the entirety of books two and three of Powell’s A Dance quicker than I managed one hundred pages of Atwood. Still it is one I will probably reread at a later date if I do find myself getting into Atwood.
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You’re a great bargain hunter, Ste J! We can never own too many books, eh? Enjoy the rest of your holiday!
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That is true! I came home today so will be out visiting blogs again soon. You are such an enabler but your words about never owning too many books are words I live by.
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You certainly got yourself an interesting selection of books! I love the sound of The Tale of Rickety Hall in particular 🙂
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I usually try and stick to either books I read as a kid or YA stuff that takes my fancy (I know bad habit, I should encompass more) but the title pretty much sold it to me.
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Most of the books I read are YA. Or little kids’ books that have weird titles and wonderful pictures. I’ve started Christmas shopping and have already bought a pack of books for my four-year-old granddaughter. One of the books has a wonderful title. There’s a Monster Under My Bed Who Farts 😀
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You have to hand it to these writers, they certainly come up with memorable titles that will appeal to kids of all ages.
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Good haul! I’ve read the Atwood but not “The Shutter of Snow” as far as I know. A hint: do NOT read the foreword or introduction or whatever first, they are known for spoilers! Have fun with all these and catching up with your blog reading when you’re home. And I MUST return to Scarborough!
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Thanks for the tip, I usually skim read introductions as a lot seem to assume familiarity with the text which just ruins it for the new reader. The fun will begin tomorrow when I pick a new book and hopefully start planning some time to catch up on the blogs I have been missing.
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Oh wow! Booked is my tattoo too and so I loved seeing that in your title, J. As of books, one can never have enough. All these titles appear interesting to me. Whether I must invest my time in them would have to wait until I’ve read your reviews. 😃
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I will be trying to get through them and all the other books demanding my attention soon, well I say soon, I need to stopping adding books to my pile and get reading what I have but at least you never know what I am going to review next with such vast choice.
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Looks like a great haul, so many diverse reads to look forward to.
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Where to start is the question but today I plumped for Bookshops which may end up inspiring me to more books, life is a proper trial, I tell you.
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Of all your found treasures the only one I’ve read is The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck. Apparently I did all of my “good” reading years ago when a teenager and young adult. Wish I’d kept a list because now I’d like to go back and read them all again as a Senior Citizen 🙂
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Well I am always glad to refresh your memory by happy accident, there is always time for new ‘good’ reading and rereading will undoubtedly inspire new thoughts on how you view books.
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Looks like you really scored Ste J. I don’t know where you find the space to store all these books.
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It’s increasingly becoming a matter of being inventive with space…so cramming them everywhere really.
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I loved The Good Earth when I read it some years ago…maybe 10 years ago…I think I gave it 5 stars. The little bit of the cover I can see in your photo of The News looks pretty cool. Yes, I love interesting book covers as much as I love books 🙂
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Well I aim to get through a lot of books in the coming months so that should be amongst them unless I get distracted. There is something about a good cover that adds to the whole experience of reading. The Good Earth was recommended to me years ago and I left an unread copy in the US, hopefully it’ll be second time lucky.
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I shall await your review 🙂
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These book haul reports are always good fun! Many of the books you bought are already on my reading list. Others shall wait for their possible turn.
Looking forward to future reviews!
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We both have great taste my friend, once again I am backed up with books to review but there will be loads coming real soon.
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Lol, that’s quite the haul!
I’ve actually read The Good Earth a long time ago. It stays with a person, & doesn’t get lost by reading or watching a plethora of other stories. I also see you have a Margret Atwood book. As a Canadian I should love her work, but… well, perhaps another try is in order. Cat’s Eye was my first Atwood book, and I never wanted to read another by her.
Hope you’re having fun on your vaycay!
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I struggled with The Handmaid’s Tale as well but I like to be fair with an author so we shall see how another punt goes. I am excited for The Good Earth but that goes for so many books on my shelves, still I will make time for them all. My time off was good and now it is sadly back to the grindstone of life and being excited for my days off.
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Oh, I truly would love to go book shopping with you. You always end up with great finds.
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Well I do hope we get to do so at some point, you can pretend not to know me as I make noises like a strangled dolphin when I come across unexpected times.
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Haha! Strangled dolphin?
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That is how I have been described more than once!
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That’s exciting to have so many books to look forward to! I remember my brother didn’t like A Good Earth at all when he had to read it in school. But then, I hated The Grapes of Wrath in high school and now it’s one of my favorite books, so you never know. The Stowaway to Mars title intrigues me – I’ll have to look into that one. Happy reading!
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I think school does a lot of harm to people’s attitudes to reading but it is great to revisit books and fully appreciate them later in life. It’s always exciting to choose a new book in my house with all the fantastic books that surround me.
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This is a real good haul. I would like to read your views on Buck’s “Good Earth” and Naipaul’s.
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I will get to them in good time my friend, well I hope. Too many good books about.
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I read The Good Earth recently as part of my Pulitzer Prize reading quest. I will be very curious to hear your thoughts!
How strange – your Muriel Barbery’s book is called “The Gourmet” and the edition I have is called “Gourmet Rhapsody!” I think I like “The Gourmet” more, as Rhapsody sounds a little melodramatic, don’t you think?
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I heard good things about it a few years ago when I was on one of my travels overseas and picked up a copy but left it and so many other books over there, they are in safe hands mind you. It annoys me when they change the names of books, I can understand why they would call it Gourmet Rhapsody but but it doesn’t add, my eyes probably would have slid over the title had it been that. You’re right the title is melodramatic, tone it down publishers, your readers have class.
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Haven’t worked out where you are from this post. I’ve always admired the way you combine eclecticism with seriousness. You have me looking up titles again. Does The Lighthouse and The Reader mean you’re preparing for some kind of Deutsche-fest?
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I hadn’t thought of a deutsche fest although doing weeks devoted to certain things is certainly something that I am working on, I have two in the works, well one really and see how that goes but my focus tends to wander in different directions as I read a book so pulling a theme together would demand foresight and time, two things that are erratic at best.
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I haven’t read Life Before Man, but you can’t go wrong with Margaret Atwood!
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I look forward to finally getting into one of her books, this should be a good year for books.
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