It’s been an odd sort of week at the Ramblings – mostly because I chose to spend the bulk of the half-term break being ill with some kind of flu-like virus. I was not amused, but at least I seem to be coming out of it – just in time to return to work!
I also got a *lot* of reading done before the illness really kicked in (reviews to folllow) and then hit a slump, which I am only just coming out of – I didn’t much like it when I was in it, though. And it was also a week in which no new books arrived – until today, that is…
I felt well enough to pop into town and return a library book; only to find that the library were having a little book sale. This is often an excuse for wild abandon and mass book buying, but I *was* restrained, picking up just two:
I was most chuffed with the Stefan Zweig – I already have Buchmendel, but not the other story, and having been bowled over by “The Grand Budapest Hotel” recently, I feel ready to read more Zweig. I already own the Beauvoir, but this copy comes with extra material at the end. And it was 50p for two books, so there you go!
As for the charity shops, I wasn’t intending to visit them today, but I slipped into the British Heart Foundation as last week they’d been moving their bookshelves around and so I couldn’t browse. The newly tidied shelves had one volume that caught my eye:
This particular volume of the British Library Crime Classics has been highly rated by many bloggers I respect, so I was happy to part with my £2 for a copy in brilliant condition!
And last, but definitely not least, I thought I’d show my face in the Samaritans Book Cave – a place where I could happy pick up umpteen books – and came away with two wonderful Virago titles:
I was particularly pleased with these because they’re original green covers and they’re in fabulous condition – the Samaritans peeps opined that they looked unread, and I’d agree; they’re just a little tanned on the pages with age, but the covers are lovely. The peeps were saying they hadn’t had many Viragos in lately (they know of my love of them!) and so it was an extra delight to find these. I’ve actually read “Mrs Miniver” in a modern cover version, so it was nice to get a green. And I own a different E. Arnot Robertson (an author who strongly divides Virago readers!) so was a great find.
So the week ends well, with some lovely new acquisitions to make up for a dullish, illish few days – off to do some reading! 🙂
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Feb 21, 2015 @ 20:32:26
You know you’re sick when you’re too sick to read!
These are lovely editions. You have so many books, you’ll have to post photos of your library…(or have you done that?)
Feb 21, 2015 @ 20:50:21
Yup – not a lot stops me reading! As for photos – I’ve put bits of my books up here, but they’re all crammed into the spare room on double stacked shelves, so it’s hard to do them justice in pictures!
Feb 21, 2015 @ 20:47:04
Congrats on excellent shopping, I’d say. I stumbled on some nice goodies myself too , a Betty Crocker cookbook from the sixties and oh joy, an early edition of Laura Wilder’s House in the Big Woods with illustrations by Helen Sewell aaaand a collection of Ellery Queen…sigh, such joy indeed.
Feb 21, 2015 @ 20:50:59
Nice finds! I always browse with an open mind, hoping for the unexpected!
Feb 21, 2015 @ 22:29:45
Sorry illness ruined your half term that’s just rubbish! Hope you’re on the road to being properly recovered now.
Nice book finds though.
Feb 22, 2015 @ 10:33:48
Thanks Ali – it was a bit of a blow! I’m getting back to normal now – just battling a cough that sounds like I’m on 40 a day and blocked sinuses – yuk!
But at least my brain is functioning now so I can cope with reading – that’s the main thing! :)))))
Feb 21, 2015 @ 23:55:32
That does look like Greer Garson on the Mrs. Miniver. Was it printed after the movie?
Feb 22, 2015 @ 10:36:44
Yes, I think the cover was designed deliberately with the Greer Garson image – though I don’t think the movie and the book are necessarily that close in content! 🙂
Feb 22, 2015 @ 07:05:00
I’m so glad you’re feeling better. ‘Ordinary families’ is one of my all-time favourites, but I actually gave away my Virago copy – I hate that cover it has too much of the voyeur about it.
Feb 22, 2015 @ 10:37:27
It *is* an odd cover (though having not read the book yet I can’t say whether it’s relevant). I wonder why it was chosen?
Feb 22, 2015 @ 11:33:23
Sorry to hear you’ve been ill – doesn’t it always happen over half-term! But you have some lovely finds here. I’ve become caught up with Stefan Zweig recently too and like the look of those stories.
Feb 22, 2015 @ 12:39:13
It’s as if my body relaxes and says “Yup – you don’t have to work so now’s the time to get ill!” Typical! The Stefan Zweig stories are wonderful – Buchmendel is one of his powerful, I think, and the other one in this volume is very moving – I read it in one sitting over a coffee shop and totally got lost in it.
Feb 22, 2015 @ 18:52:16
Oooh Ordinary Families, love it love it love it! Sorry to hear about your illness, glad you’re over that now.
Feb 22, 2015 @ 18:58:22
It’s good, then? 🙂 I did read the first few pages over a coffee in town and I liked the sound of it.
I’m glad the worst of the lurgie has gone too – although I think I may have given it to OH….. 😦
Feb 25, 2015 @ 17:34:51
So sorry you’ve been sick! I hope you are felling better.
What a great haul! I’m not going to England this year, but I certainly wish I could just hop a plane and go to the used bookstores and charity shops!
I also love Ordinary Families. In fact, I think I might have to reread it just from seeing a picture of it here!
Feb 25, 2015 @ 20:52:32
Yes, I was very lucky on this particular trip! Ordinary Families is getting a lots of thumbs ups, so I shall definitely try to read soon!
Feb 25, 2015 @ 21:56:45
I’ll meet you there, Kat. 🙂
Feb 25, 2015 @ 22:09:28
Wish you could both come over for a visit! 🙂
Feb 27, 2015 @ 16:51:59
Wasn’t Ralph Fiennes brilliant in the Grand Budapest Hotel? Though quite what the film has to do with anything Stefan Zweig wrote is a bit of a mystery to me… But maybe you will find out and tell me! I am so sorry you had to contend with the horrid lurghy too – Mr Litlove is back on his feet again, but it certainly hit him hard and was not a joyful virus in any way.
Feb 27, 2015 @ 19:28:35
He was fab! I loved the film (and I’m not a fan of modern movies) but I agree that it’s not entirely clear where Zweig comes in. But if it gets people reading his work that will be good. I think it’s more that the atmosphere of lost Europe in Zweig inspired Anderson – well, possibly! The nasty virus is almost gone, although alas I’ve given it to OH….. :(((((
Mar 01, 2015 @ 21:58:18
I send all my sympathies to the OH – at least you can lend him something good to read while he recuperates!
Mar 01, 2015 @ 22:00:03
I would, if he would read more! But he’s a film buff so has been lying in front of the TV coughing and snuffling and watching dreadful movies! 🙂
Mar 01, 2015 @ 22:03:28
Ha! Mr Litlove does that too! He’d choose a film (I was going to write even a bad one, but I had better make that especially a bad one) over a book any day… In that case, I do hope he’s applying enough TV to the eyeballs for a therapeutic effect! 😉
Mar 02, 2015 @ 08:28:09
Glad I’m not the only one with a movie buff for a husband! 🙂