The past week or so has been very good for books (and bad for my TBR stacks).
First, I finally got to pick up my copy of the new Laurie R. King book, Dreaming Spies. While I was at Murder by the Book, I couldn't help checking for Helen MacInnes's books. They had a whole shelf of the lovely Titan Books editions, and I brought home I and My True Love.
Then at Half Price Books on Saturday I found half a shelf of Barbara Pym's novels. There were multiple copies of titles I already have, but I still found three to add to my collection: An Academic Question, A Few Green Leaves, and The Sweet Dove Died. As I mentioned elsewhere, I think I will end up collecting all of her books. Most of those I have now are lucky finds in used-book stores, though I've searched for a couple of specific titles on-line. At some point I will probably sit down with a list of those I don't have and start looking.
Today I finally got to a favorite Houston bookstore, Kaboom Books. I had hoped to go last Thursday, when I had half a day off from work, but they were unexpectedly closed when I got there. (I said bad words.) I made up for it today. I was pretty sure they had some of Margery Sharp's books, and I was right: Cluny Brown, which went straight up my reading list after Simon's review; and The Sun in Scorpio (about which I know nothing). They also had a 1909 edition of Some Experiences of an Irish R.M., illustrated by E.O. Somerville. I've resisted it for two years; today it came home with me. But the real find was Miss Miles, by Mary Taylor. The close friend of Charlotte Bronte, and a feminist author, Mary Taylor wrote just one novel, this 1890 story that "depicts women's friendships as sustaining life and sanity through all the vicissitudes of Victorian womanhood." I almost bought a copy at another store a year or so ago. I put it back on the shelf and have regretted it ever since. I didn't note down the title or author, so I had no idea how to find it again. And today, there it was, sitting on a shelf - even angled forward, to catch my eye. Book serendipity!
Though I have disqualified myself from the TBR Dare by re-reading, I'm still keeping to the spirit of the Dare by not reading the new books I'm acquiring. So these will have to wait until April 1st - except for the Laurie King.
What a wonderful haul - I am envious particularly of the Mary Taylor which is quite a find. I wrote about Sun in Scorpio for Margery Sharp day if you want a sneak peek.
ReplyDeleteA great deal to look forward to in April!
Cat, I should have checked Fleur/Jane's wrap-up site to see who read which book. Though I remember skimming the reviews, to avoid spoilers - except for Cluny Brown, for some reason.
DeleteNew books are always a good thing, even if they topple your TBR pile. I'm jealous that you found so many B. Pym novels. I need more used bookstores where I live. :) Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteLark, I have staked out all of the UBS around me, with the Half Price Books rated :) Seeing all those Pyms together on a shelf was a pleasant shock, I'd never seen so many at one time.
DeleteLucky you! You've found some gems. I think your HPB sounds so much better than mine. I own all of Pym's novels yet haven't read any in over a year - how did I let that happen?
ReplyDeleteI am envious of your Pym collection! A Few Green Leaves is a new title to me - I don't think I've ever seen a list of all her books. I saw another new-to-me title in a stack on Jane/Fleur's blog last week. Maybe we need another reading week?
DeleteMy goodness what a wonderful haul. All lovely, and I am particularly pleased that you and Margery Sharp will be getting acquainted.
ReplyDeleteJane, your Margery Sharp reading event definitely piqued my interest! But her books are thin on the ground around here. These are the only ones I've ever come across - so if I click with her books as I expect to, I'll probably be doing some on-line clicking as well.
DeleteAn excellent haul! I've had a copy of A Few Green Leaves for nearly two years and haven't read it yet... my next Pym.
ReplyDeleteI currently have six books in the Pym section of the TBR stacks, as well as the book of her letters & journal entries. I can't decide what my next one will be, but it will be a while. As excellent as they are, I don't like to read them too close together.
DeleteCluny Brown is a wonderful book - I hope you enjoy it too. And I am glad to see Helen Macinnes back in print (I saw that she had been e-booked, but hadn't realised there were 'real' ones too) - such a good writer of that nice mix of spies and lurv... ;-)
ReplyDeleteI know it's shallow, but I lurv these Titan reprints of the MacInnes books. They aren't flashy, but I think they're beautiful, and I want them all lined up on my shelves. I think this one will be more romantical than the first I read. I'm looking forward to meeting Cluny - it seems to be a favorite.
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