Unfortunately for the shelves in my house, visits to London are inextricably linked with bookshopping, and Saturday was no exception to the general rule… My BFF J. and I managed to miss out on our usual pre-Christmas get-together back in December, and so as it was her birthday yesterday, we decided to have a catch-up, a gossip and a general bimble round London (as she puts it) on Saturday – which turned out to be a relaxing, fun and profitable trip! 😀
Inevitably there were bookshops and after we’d done a bit of general browsing (clothes, fabric and art shops!) we decided to give Second Shelf Books a look, as I’d been very impressed by what I’d seen and heard about them (and Ali thought very highly of them on her visit!) We rolled up fairly early (we’re morning birds), wondering if they’d be open and even though they weren’t officially, the very nice person behind the till let us in! And what a lovely place it is! We had a wonderful browse through all the wonderful rarities and first editions, with me eventually settling on purchasing this:
It’s by Elaine Feinstein, who translates Tsvetaeva wonderfully and whose biography of Anna Akhmatova I have lurking and it’s a mixture of novel set in Russia amongst real writers as well as her poetry. So it was most definitely coming home with me… ;D
After interludes for getting vaguely lost, stopping for lunch at Leons (with much gossip and catching up) as well as a very tempting visit to Paperchase, we headed for Judd Books in Marchmont Street. They’re a stone’s throw from Skoob (which we managed to resist) and I can’t recommend them enough. Judds is a shop always stuffed with unexpected treats and I was lucky to get out with only these:
I’ve wanted to add Marianne Moore to my poetry pile for yonks and this was at a fraction of the price it is online (bricks and mortar shops win out again!). As for the book on Peake, I’m not sure how I missed out on this when it originally came out, but it’s absolutely stuffed with the most amazing artworks, essays and writings, and a steal at the price. Both J. and I left with copies…
Inevitably, we ended up at Foyles – well, how could we not? – and partook of tea in the cafe, while J. finished reading a book she’d brought with her for me. Yes, she’d managed to procure me a beautiful first edition of a Beverley I needed!
As it comes with a dustjacket, I was doubly pleased and now I can get on with reading the rest of this particular house/garden trilogy of Bev’s! Dead chuffed!
We didn’t get out of Foyles unscathed, needless to say. Although I *did* exercise restraint, picking up and putting down any number of books. J. indulged in some poetry in the form of Roger McGough and Willa Cather (two of her favourites), whereas I eventually settled on these:
I’ve been circling the Gamboni for a while and finally decided to go for this new, reasonably priced edition (the old ones were priced at scholarly book rates…). As for the Kate Briggs, it’s all about translation and I love translated books and I love translators so it’s a no-brainer. Very excited about this one…. 😀
That’s it book-wise. We were in any number of stationery and art shops, and bearing that in mind I certainly think that the small haul I have was very well-behaved of me…
The tea is green with mint (my favourite) which I decided to treat myself to from Fortnum and Mason (yes, really!) We were in there to pick up some favourite marmalade for J.’s hubby, and I decided to treat Mr. Kaggsy to some posh coffee flavoured choc (not pictured). The tea just fell into my hand as I was queuing to pay…
So a fun day out gossiping, playing catch-up and shopping – lovely! It *is* nice to live close enough to London to pop up there (and especially go to Foyles, although those visits always bring a sense of despair at the *mess* of construction that’s going on in the area). Now it’s just a case of deciding what to read next… 😉
However, before I finish this post, there was *one* more book which sneaked into the house at the weekend, and that was a volume I ordered online after reading a review of it here. Kate Macdonald picked up her copy, oddly enough, at Second Shelf, and wasn’t so enamoured with Priestley’s grumbling. However, I’ve found his grumpy narratives oddly entertaining, so I though I’d give it a try! 😀
Apr 15, 2019 @ 08:17:20
A perfect day!
Apr 15, 2019 @ 10:36:33
It was! (And I haven’t forgotten that we must meet up for a book mooch at some point! 😀)
Apr 15, 2019 @ 08:51:35
What an utterly perfect day. Love your purchases, the Elaine Feinstein is very you, and what a gorgeous edition. Glad you loved the shop, isn’t it adorable. I am very interested in that Beverley Nichols and J B Preistley. I have three Nichols tbr and have meant to read J B Preistley again for years after I read The Good Companions many years ago.
Apr 15, 2019 @ 10:35:45
It was lovely, and the Feinstein was a perfect find. I do hope you enjoy Beverley – such a joy!
Apr 15, 2019 @ 11:09:03
Well I did enjoy Down the Garden Path last year, so I really must blow the dust off my other volumes. I have lots of BN catching up to do.
Apr 15, 2019 @ 11:12:29
Oooh, definitely do! Which ones have you got????
Apr 15, 2019 @ 11:13:50
I have A Thatched Roof, Merry Hall and The Sweet and Twenties
Apr 15, 2019 @ 11:27:46
Oooooh! All of those are wonderful!!!! 😀
Apr 15, 2019 @ 09:25:32
A profitable day? Profitable for whom, I have to ask😉.
Apr 15, 2019 @ 10:34:57
My bookshelves and the shops, though probably not my bank balance…. 😱
Apr 15, 2019 @ 09:27:13
What a wonderful day and a fabulous gift to have the Beverley, too! I must pop to Foyles when I’m down for the London Marathon as I’m sure they’ll have Spanish children’s books to help my language learning …
Apr 15, 2019 @ 10:34:28
Foyles have everything…. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Apr 15, 2019 @ 09:49:41
A wonderful selection – hurrah for Beverley, as always! And This Little Art is SO good.
Apr 15, 2019 @ 10:34:08
I was quite pleased with my haul, I must confess – the Beverleys are calling at the moment! And I remember you liked the Briggs – so excited for that one!
Apr 15, 2019 @ 10:01:16
I’m so excited about The Second Shelf – when my weekends free up a little in the summer, I can’t wait to go visit them! Also, yes, the area around TCR is a *complete* mess at the moment and has been for ages. I’m starting to think the construction project is just an elaborate money laundering scheme.
Apr 15, 2019 @ 10:33:03
It’s a lovely little bookshop, and so many treasures! Go with a full purse or very flexible credit card…. 🤣 As for what’s happening to Charing Cross Road/Soho, it breaks my heart – all the soul is being ripped out of it…
Apr 15, 2019 @ 11:14:21
Apparently they also stock titles that are more affordable – like nice Viragos for something like £20! Which is also a fantastic thing for a secondhand bookshop to do.
Apr 15, 2019 @ 11:27:27
Yes, there were some Viragos, and also lovely old orange Penguins and some paperbacks, in which my book was nestling. So there’s quite a variety. Me, I had trouble tearing myself away from the awful expensive Sylvia Plath and Virginia Woolf rarities….. ;D
Apr 15, 2019 @ 11:33:39
Oh, yum. I don’t blame you!
Apr 15, 2019 @ 12:18:06
😀
Apr 15, 2019 @ 12:06:25
Great post, love to hear about your visits to bookshops. You communicated so well, the thrill of the hunt! Regards, Andy
Sent from my iPad
Apr 15, 2019 @ 12:17:55
There is indeed the thrill of the chase when browsing second hand bookstores (or even new ones like lovely Foyles!) I always seem to come away with the unexpected… ;D
Apr 15, 2019 @ 15:18:13
Cornwall is a lovely place to live, but visits to London become a rarity because of the distance. An admirable haul from your day trip!
Apr 15, 2019 @ 15:24:55
Yeah, I’ve often considered a move to somewhere lovely. But I’ve always lived within a short train ride from London and I guess I might miss that a bit…
Apr 16, 2019 @ 06:23:05
Don’t you love it when things fall into your hands? Haha. One day I will be in London and I’ll hire you to be a guide. I can pay you in books🤠🐧
Apr 16, 2019 @ 11:14:59
Lol! Yes, I couldn’t help myself and the tea is gorgeous. And if you need a guide to London bookshops, I’m your woman, particularly with that kind of payment!! 🤣🤣🤣
Apr 16, 2019 @ 10:41:34
I’m so overdue a London visit and I don’t know this shop, I feel like creating an itinerary for the next visit, I’m so envious of your day, in a delighted kind of way, because it’s also so lovely to follow your meandering and see where these places are for that future trip, post November, when a certain child becomes adult, which is going to give me additional freedom from medical responsibilities. London will be my first port of call!
Apr 16, 2019 @ 11:13:41
I do tend to get withdrawal symptoms if I haven’t been for a while! Judd Books isma wonderful place to explore and I can’t remember how I stumbled across it, but I’m glad I did! The Second Shelf is fairly new, and a delight. Yes – having a lovely itinerary is a good thing – Skoob is nearby, and there’s the bloomsbury Oxfam and the LRB bookshop and Persephone too… Now I want to be planning another visit!
Apr 16, 2019 @ 11:21:01
Putting them all on my future itinerary and I want to visit Belgravia Books to see all that translated fiction in one place! 🙂
Apr 16, 2019 @ 11:24:56
Nice! I’ll add Belgravia Books to my list for next time. And one day I’ll get to Daunt…
Apr 16, 2019 @ 11:40:31
Oh yes, Marylebone and Belsize Park, both!
Apr 16, 2019 @ 11:41:14
:DDDD
Jun 27, 2020 @ 06:22:01