More importantly, I also bought some books in Bristol... and here they are, taken (rather obviously) on my bed, I'm afraid:
(Clockwise, starting top left)
Two Worlds and Their Ways - Ivy Compton-Burnett
I do already have this; I bought it to offer as a giveaway when I read it. So, watch out for that!
No.3 - Lady Kitty Vincent
I was rather surprised to find this, since I thought nobody else read Lady Kitty Vincent. I rather enjoyed her books last year, and have kept an eye out ever since, but this one doesn't seem to be available at all on Amazon or Abebooks. Worth £2.49 of my money!
The Bottle Factory Outing - Beryl Bainbridge
Spurred on by Beryl Bainbridge Reading Week!
A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
I laughed my way through this brilliant tour de force, but didn't have my own copy - and it's definitely one I'll re-read.
The West Pier - Patrick Hamilton
I've still only read one Hamilton novel, but it was one of the best novels I've ever read, so I'm happy to add to the Hamiltons on my shelf. I don't think I'd even heard of this one.
Herland - Charlotte Perkins Gilman
I've been meaning to read this Amazonian utopia (dystopia?) for years, and was glad to stumble across a copy. And I had a nice chat with the bookshop owner (who, on a previous visit, had told me that he loved Persephone Books) - he, entertainingly, told me that he'd once painted his bedroom yellow after reading The Yellow Wallpaper. A brilliant novella, yes, but not one which would lead me to re-decorate in yellow...
Brighton Rock - Graham Greene
My book group is doing this next month...
The Persimmon Tree and other stories - Marjorie Barnard
I don't know anything at all about this, but the blurb sounded intriguing. And I'm not a person who leaves VMCs untroubled on a bookshelf...
So, there we go! It's always great to spend time with my brother, and even better when he traipses after me around bookshops. He even bought three books himself. Perhaps he'll let you know what they were in the comments...
As always - thoughts? Have you read any, etc. etc.? I'd love to know.
Confederacy of Dunces might be my all-time favorite novel. I've read it twice and can't wait to read it again. I've always meant to read Brighton Rock but have never gotten around to it.
ReplyDeleteI think a re-read of Confed might come up early next year...
DeleteI think oyu will love The Bottle Factory -- I thought it was brilliant. Wish I had read The Confederacy.. -- I do miss the book group!
ReplyDeleteAnd we miss you, Harriet! They ask after you often :)
DeleteI loved the Bottle Factory - think you will too. Confederacy was sort of wonderful too, and I'm a huge Greene fan. A great selection there.
ReplyDeleteWhat's weird is I kept seeing it in my head as 'The Bottle Factory Opening', and only when I typed that into LibraryThing and got no results did I realise my mistake!
DeleteI've got Herland and Brighton Rock among the TBRs. I've tried Graham Greene before, and couldn't get along with him at all (apart from Travels With My Aunt, which I enjoyed immensely) but I thought I would try again.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, your Greene experience isn't auspicious for me, given my love of Travels With My Aunt!
DeleteLovely books Simon - I have the Persimmon Tree on my tbr as well. I read Herland a long time ago and loved it; likewise Brighton Rock. Like you, I've read one Patrick Hamilton and have another huge tome waiting - I think it would be best if the booklovers of the world were just paid a wage for reading constantly. After all, we do provide a service to authors by reading their works!! :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely ! Although most of these are dead, so perhaps they wouldn't be appreciative...
DeleteMarjorie Barnard's stories are very good, especially the title story. I think you'll enjoy her, Simon.
ReplyDeleteOh good, thanks Lyn! I have to be in the right mood for short stories, but I'll keep them on hand.
DeleteHa ha!!! I cannot be jealous of your VMC find because I *already own it*.
ReplyDeleteRe. yellow wallpaper, in that book her madness was being worsened by the wallpaper. *Why* would you seek to share the experience by painting your room the same hue? :0
A nice haul of books, although I can't speak to any of them. I'm so glad that Colin got you into the Olympics a little bit! Our viewing waned a little towards the end (who knew that water polo was such a big sport? and that it would take forever to get to the finals?), but with four kids between the ages of 11-16, there was always somebody wanting to watch something. I have to say from all that we saw that we agreed with the coordinator who said, "Britain got it right." :)
ReplyDeleteI have to say, if I'd had it on all the time I would have gone mad. Not having internet or TV for most of it kept it fresh for me ;)
DeleteI'm going to Bristol in a couple of weeks time for a weekend away ... Any suggestions of which Bristolian bookshops to explore, please?
ReplyDeleteThanks .... Richard [Nuneaton]
Hope this isn't too late for you to see! My favourite is the Amnesty Bookshop on Gloucester Road - although I don't know Bristol very well, and there might well be even better ones.
DeleteThe three I've read - Dunces, Brighton Rock and The Bottle Factory are all great and the Gilman looks really interesting. I must get some books by Hamilton. Hope you enjoy them all.
ReplyDeleteThanks! And it sounds like I picked up some great books, thanks for the encouragement.
DeleteI bought Catch-22, Starter for 10 & The Confessions of Fitzwilliam Darcy. You're a bad influence on me.
ReplyDeleteBad??
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGreat selection. The Hamilton is definitely worth a read.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! I must read some more of his.
Delete