…. fortunately the damage is not too bad!
I *have* been very restrained the last few weekends, as I’m being strict with myself and only buying books I’m sure I want to read, and relatively soon! I confess that there might have been a few review copies sneaking into the Ramblings recently, but I can’t be held responsible for that. However, the local charity shops have definitely been replenishing their shelves, and I stumbled across these beauties at the weekend:
I’d rather wanted to read Eco’s “The Prague Cemetery” when it came out and never got round to it; but his recent passing reminded me of this, so I grabbed this copy for £1.75 when I saw it in the Samaritans.
“The Joke” is an upgrade – I have a tatty King Penguin which isn’t very nice, and I also wanted to check I have the authorised translation, as apparently there have been several. Plus I like Faber volumes and this one was only 95p!
And the Durrenmatt was a must-have when I spotted it in the Oxfam! A lovely Picador collection containing 5 works – The Judge and his Hangman, The Quarry, The Pledge, A Dangerous Game and Once a Greek – I just couldn’t ignore it. I’ve read “Judge…” before (I think I have a green Penguin of it knocking about); but having read reviews by Jacqui and Marina Sofia of its follow-up, I was keen to read more. Interestingly, they have the title translated as “Suspicion”, whereas this volume renders it as “The Quarry” – but I’m sure it’s the same story as the opening pages have the same action they describe. Interestingly, considering Sarah’s post here about the cost of some books in charity shops, this one was £4 – more than I would normally pay, but the condition was pretty good and I’ve never seen it before.
So – time to donate a few more books to make some space! 🙂
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Mar 21, 2016 @ 06:53:29
I’m impressed at your restraint! The cover of The Joke is great 🙂
Mar 21, 2016 @ 07:16:42
It is! It’s much nicer than the Penguin one, which is why I decided to replace it!
Mar 21, 2016 @ 07:16:32
You got away with just three – I admire that self-control! Yes, I believe The Quarry and Suspicion are two different translations of Der Verdacht. (Suspicion is the more literal translation). Three authors I really like in one go! Enjoy.
Mar 21, 2016 @ 07:18:44
I think I did exercise a little willpower here! All of these are books I’m looking forward to – I’ll try and keep them at the top of Mount TBR! 😬
Mar 21, 2016 @ 07:46:37
Nice finds, Karen! Thanks for the link to my Durrenmatt post, much appreciated. Grant has also reviewed a few of his novels (Judge, Suspicion/Quarry and possibly one other) – in fact that’s how I latched on to him in the first place. Enjoy. 🙂
Mar 21, 2016 @ 11:09:41
Ah yes – I probably read Grant’s reviews too. I was trying to remember where I’d come across them! 🙂
Mar 21, 2016 @ 08:51:09
I don’t think I have heard of any of those books, well done on finding such a nice replacement copy of The Joke.
Mar 21, 2016 @ 09:11:29
It’s very striking, isn’t it? 🙂
Mar 21, 2016 @ 09:31:54
I’d have been very disappointed in you had you not offered a home to books like these. Durrenmatt’s name brings to mind a theatre production of The Visit that I saw many years ago, and I’d be very interested to know more about his work.
Mar 21, 2016 @ 11:08:45
🙂 That *would* have been unlike me! I remember “Judge” as being quite powerful so I’m keen to read the others!
Mar 21, 2016 @ 11:18:39
Great finds, and such restraint – I must try to take a leaf out of your book! I think I need to reset my parameters about what books to buy. Only buying books that I’ll commit to reading within a certain time frame does make a lot of sense, whereas I tend to book buy like I’m in a zombie apocalypse! 😉
Mar 21, 2016 @ 11:39:12
I do my best… but the house has so many books already that I’d have no problem if those zombies appear (in fact, I could probably fight them off with some of the weightier tomes!)
Mar 21, 2016 @ 14:51:35
Very restrained – well done!
Mar 21, 2016 @ 15:02:16
🙂 I thought so….
Mar 21, 2016 @ 20:13:58
Your post reminded me again to make space, and donate books. I am surely going to try doing it this long weekend. Thank you. 🙂
Mar 21, 2016 @ 20:38:58
Always a good thing to do – then you have a perfect excuse to fill up the space you created! 🙂
Mar 21, 2016 @ 20:39:25
Hahaha! I am happier now. 😉
Mar 21, 2016 @ 20:42:40
:)))
Mar 21, 2016 @ 21:49:30
I got told in one charity shop last week that they have certain days when they get new book stock. That could be dangerous knowledge….
Mar 21, 2016 @ 22:09:45
Very much so…
Mar 22, 2016 @ 13:22:18
I can’t resist my local charity shop – they only charge 50p for paperbacks; £1 for hardback. Plus it’s a locally run charity – Mary’s Meals – even though it’s now massive. It shuts at 4pm, so I try to stay out of the area (I’m that bad!) until after 4, except on a Saturday, when I limit myself to two. Last week I found an Eric Ambler in there I’d never heard of – The Intercom Conspiracy. Mr C buys a lot of clothes in there too, some of them brand new. I’d rather give the money to starving children than high street shops any day, even though we can afford to shop where we want. Most of my books end up back there anyway!
Mar 22, 2016 @ 14:03:15
Wow! Those are good prices, and I can understand why you limit yourself to one visit a week! I’m always happy to support the charity shops over the high street stores, and often there’s more chance of finding something quirky and different. I’m hoping to read my first Ambler soon!
Mar 22, 2016 @ 20:24:57
You can’t go wrong with those fantastic books in English charity shops! We have nothing like that here. I especially like the cover of the Kundera. We can always weed. And then probably buy back the one we’ve weeded someday, as I have done.
Mar 22, 2016 @ 21:50:18
I have been known to buy back books I’ve weeded – not always the same copy, but I’ve regretted many a hasty disposal!
Mar 22, 2016 @ 21:36:53
Only a few days til Lent is over and I can start buying again…
Mar 22, 2016 @ 21:49:44
Oooh – I’ll look forward to lots of pictures of nice new finds on your blog then! 🙂
Mar 26, 2016 @ 21:30:07
Oh gosh I am struggling at the moment with Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum. Too much dialogue and strangely dated! It’s for my book group. Nice finds in a charity shop though.
Mar 26, 2016 @ 21:45:58
I struggled with that one too, though The Prague Cemetery looks a bit more manageable!
Apr 13, 2017 @ 06:01:21