Today I'll be talking about a fun outing on Saturday, and some more birthday books which have found their way to me, courtesy of my brother - I think I've had 19 or 20 books for my birthday, which is more or less the same number as I've bought all year. Famine really does make you appreciate the feast.
But first - one of the nicest, and most unexpected, pleasures of blogging is meeting bloggers in person. I must have met at least 25 or 30 now (including 20+ at the UK meet-ups) and it's always been great fun. What's even better is when we can form some sort of welcoming party for those visiting from distant shores. So when Thomas (My Porch) put up an open invitation for UK bloggers to assemble in London and meet him, of course I was delighted and excited.
A group of us (Polly, Hannah, Claire, Hayley, Miranda, and Donna) met Thomas at the Persephone bookshop, then went for a fabulous afternoon tea at the British Museum...
Thomas, being the lovely guy that I suspected he would be, had brought us all books as presents - chosen to suit us, by careful examination of our blogs. I was so, so pleased to get Tepper Isn't Going Out by Calvin Trillin - it was in my Amazon wishlist ever since I saw Thomas call Tepper his favourite fictional character. Little did I suspect that I'd get the book from the man himself - always a bonus when a book has what the Bodleian calls 'notable provenance'.
And these are the lovely books my brother got me for my birthday - courtesy, once more, of that Amazon wishlist. Such a good idea:
- Exercises in Style - Raymond Queneau
- Lazy Thoughts of a Lazy Girl - Jenny Wren
- Rereadings - ed. Anne Fadiman
- Beowulf on the Beach - Jack Murnighan
Look at you, lucky! I never get that many books on my birthday! Glad you got such a good haul, there are some fantastic and jealousy inducing titles in there! The blogging day out in London sounds wonderful and I wish I could have been there - alas there are few of us bloggers here in NYC!
ReplyDeleteI'm COMPLETELY jealous that first, you got to meet all those bloggers; second; you got to go to the Persephone store, and finally, tea at the British Museum! What could be more wonderful?
ReplyDeleteSomeday I'll go to London. Someday!
Good for you that you got so many books specially those that you wanted. There are some good ones in that lot.That tea looked scrumptious!
ReplyDeleteThose look like delicious baby cakes! Yum!
ReplyDeleteWhat an ideal day! I said the other day to dh, "If we ever get over to England..." and he said, "you mean WHEN we get over to England," which gave me hope. :)
ReplyDeleteYou forgot to mention another book you acquired on Saturday for your birthday :p
ReplyDeleteWish-lists are wonderful things.
Ooo, you're right, sorry Claire! Not deliberate - will mention soon. I also forgot to mention a birthday book a friend gave me on my birthday itself, so they'll appear together soon... (blame the fact that I was trying to find things in my bedroom under all my brother's possessions...)
ReplyDeleteWhat a bounty! I'm so sorry to have missed Thomas' visit and the tea at the British Museum which looks scrumptious. I'm off to find out more about the books you've received. Queneau's book looks very interesting!
ReplyDeleteIt must have been so nice for Thomas to have you all there to meet him! And you must be thrilled with your books...the best sort of present if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteI was so gutted to miss the wonderful sounding afternoon tea but sadly I am not too well and also have been spending lots of time with family since our recent loss but it looks like it was lovely!
ReplyDeleteAnd what a wonderful haul you have gained, we all need siblings like that. Sadly my siblings are at least 16 years younger so they dont get which books I would want regardless of hints.
The blogging day sounds like such a treat! I would love to join sometime, it must be so nice to meet in person.
ReplyDeleteAs a writer, the only thing I love more than food is books, but I have to say that even I found my eyes focusing on that picture of the tea at the British Museum.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a lovely time. Tepper isn't going out is a wonderful book too.
ReplyDeleteTepper is Trillin at his very best! You'll love him.
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