Those of you who follow me on social media might have picked up that I’ve been off on my annual tour (ahem!) round the East Midlands, visiting the Aged Parent and the Offspring in their various locations. I *do* look forward to this modest journey because:
a. it’s nice to get away
b. I like to travel on trains…
c. you can read a lot on trains!
(It *is* nice to see family, too!) So I left Mr. Kaggsy holding the fort, and scheduled a lot of posts and set off. I had a bit of a quandary about what chunkster to take along to read en route, and in fact I ended up taking this:
Victor Serge is an author I’ve covered many times on the Ramblings; I love his writing, and his life is as fascinating as his books. His Notebooks have been released by New York Review Books, and the book was the perfect companion to my travels. As you can see, there is a positive *forest* of post-its – sign of a book which is going to make you think and stay with you, which this one definitely is. I am still reading and will share some thoughts eventually…
So, normally on my visits I end up buying *lots* of new books, but I was amazed to return from my travels with only *two* new volumes!! These are they:
The Chagall caught my eye as I whizzed into Hatchards at St. Pancras whilst on my way to a rail connection; it was about his life in exile and I kind of felt it chimed in with the Serge. Plus it’s a pretty new Penguin Modern Classic – I do like their current colour scheme! The only other book I picked up was from the one second hand shop in the centre of Leicester (nothing from the charity shops!!) It’s an old Pelican edition of some selected essays and articles by John Berger which I’d never come across before, and it was Not Cheap. However, a glance at the contents was enough to persuade me:
I don’t know if you can make it out from my rubbish photo, but there is an essay about Victor Serge! Berger on Serge – oh my! Not to be resisted! I still can’t believe that I only came home with these two new books; as Youngest Child reminded us, Middle Child had to lend me a suitcase on one visit as I had so many finds to transport home. Maybe I’m just becoming more selective…
Whilst in Leicester, we paid a little visit to the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery. I always like to pop in when I’m in the city, as it has a nice collection of German Expressionists as well as some dinosaurs and Egyptians. The current exhibition turned out to be an unexpected pleasure, as when we arrived we discovered there was a show dedicated to the artists who were behind the wonderful images in Ladybird Books!
The exhibition was a real treat. There were sections dedicated to the main artists involved, with original artwork, Ladybird books and covers, as well as examples of other uses of each artist’s artwork. I grew up reading these books, as did the Offspring (we may still have some in the house…); so it was absolutely fascinating to see the stories of the art behind them. I’m particularly fond of the 1950s and 1960s artwork (I love that mid-century modern feel); and it was wonderful to see some large and lovely artworks from that era.
I took a few snaps of images that particularly caught my eye:

John Bull magazine from 1951 featuring the Festival of Britain – with which I have a bit of an obsession…
An extra fun element was the fact that as well as a wall display made up of a positive mosaic of Ladybird books, there was a pile in the middle of the exhibition that you could pick up and browse through. In fact, the exhibition was very child-friendly, with places where you could draw as well as reading nooks designed for children (and into which 24-year-old Youngest Child had to crawl… you can’t take them anywhere…)
It was a really fascinating exhibition, and in fact the whole gallery/museum was a lovely place to wander through. On my way out, I spotted another resonance with my current reading:
The gallery has a quote from John Berger on one of the walls – so they get a thumbs up from me!
As well as visiting the New Walk Museum, we also popped to the National Space Centre (there’s a family connection – don’t ask….) I’d never actually been inside before, but Eldest Child had visited with my late dad back in the day. It was actually a really interesting place to go, as I do like hearing about space travel, and there was an interesting show in the Planetarium. I also got very silly-excited about seeing this:
Apart from all this gadding about, there was of course the chance to explore new to me purveyors of vegan food, and a favourite was the Prana cafe where we had yummy vegan scones:
Middle Child also played host and made me a lovely vegan Sunday breakfast, so I was very spoiled!
And fortunately, because of my good behaviour, I didn’t have a ton of extra luggage to haul back with me on the train, so I was able to relax on the return journey and enjoy the Serge Notebooks – perfect! 😀
*****
I did, however, return home to some lovely bookish post:
The Hugo Charteris is from Mike Walmer, and I’m looking forward to catching up with Charteris, as I did enjoy the first of his I read. The Hess book is part of a new imprint from HarperCollins called HarperVia, and is set in Germany in the early 1960s. It sounds absolutely fascinating, and will be ideal for Women in Translation month if I get to it in time… But first I need to finish Victor’s Notebooks! 😀
Aug 07, 2019 @ 07:31:50
Mrs TD and I took two grandchildren (when they were about 8 & 9, a couple of years ago) to a museum in which there were typewriters on display, like the one in your picture. They had no idea what they were or how they work. Made us feel ancient. Congratulations on your restraint.
Aug 07, 2019 @ 08:37:39
Oh dear… at least my Offspring can remember typewriters. I’m still very fond of them though if I had to go back to one after a PC I think I would struggle…
Aug 07, 2019 @ 07:58:37
What a fun post, thank you.
There is an excellent charity book shop in Queen’s Rd in Leicester. Did you try there? There are also two other charity shops in the same fun road, both with good book sections.
Aug 07, 2019 @ 08:36:39
I have indeed visited the charity shops of Queens Road, and I know the Loros and Age Bookshops well! 😁😁 I’ve had many a great find in both of them but this time nothing really took my fancy – which is useful for my groaning bookshelves!
Aug 07, 2019 @ 08:34:45
Oh my, that Ladybird artists exhibition looks wonderful! I recall seeing some of Charles Tunicliffe’s Ladybird covers at the Royal Academy a couple of years (I think they formed part of the ‘What to look in the Seasons’ series). A whole exhibition would be such a treat. Lovely!
Aug 07, 2019 @ 08:40:06
It was really lovely, and the artwork was just stunning. I’m so glad I stumbled on the exhibition!
Aug 07, 2019 @ 08:38:25
What a lovely trip! my friend Alison was telling me about the Space Museum as she took her son the other day, they all love it. I think a trip over might be due. And what restraint!!
Aug 07, 2019 @ 08:42:55
It was a lovely trip (and I did consider trying to get over to Brum for a day but I was on a tight schedule alas…) The Space Centre is great fun to visit and I was of course very interested in the Russian angle! 🤣
Aug 07, 2019 @ 08:48:40
I had a similar disappointing (in terms of book finds) visit to Malvern a couple of weeks ago. I wonder if the rise of the ebook is affecting the number of volumes being donated?
Aug 07, 2019 @ 10:37:28
Possibly – although I have heard that ebook sales are dropping and free books fighting back! I think it just depends on what people have been donating and also what my current interests are. I can go for ages without finding anything locally; and also I thought the other day how long it is since I saw any new Viragos!
Aug 07, 2019 @ 09:52:21
Amazing adventures🌼
Aug 07, 2019 @ 10:38:40
Simple travels, but fun! 😁
Aug 07, 2019 @ 11:14:05
Awww, you have such lovely children! Sounds like a lovely trip, with a nice balance of social and cultural life, plus books. I admire your restraint, by the way.
Aug 07, 2019 @ 17:17:54
The Offspring are a good bunch, I must admit. It was a lovely trip, and I feel my restraint was definitely admirable! 😀
Aug 07, 2019 @ 15:11:23
St Pancreas doesn’t count since its not in Leicester (unless they have moved it ) and therefore not technically on your holiday (can I have bonus points for trying to help you out here). So you only really bought one book while on holiday. Whoo, what an achievement.
Ladybird books – now i’ve come over all nostalgic
Aug 07, 2019 @ 17:17:15
Ha! Good point! I feel even more virtuous and tempted to send off for more books…. ;D As for the Ladybird exhibition – yes, there was certainly plenty of nostalgia for wallowing in!
Aug 08, 2019 @ 23:11:41
Now don’t go and spoil this impression of virtue you have given us
Aug 09, 2019 @ 20:58:38
😀 Virtue is not a word usually applied to me when it comes to books….
Aug 07, 2019 @ 18:05:08
Sounds lovely Kaggsy, and I admire your restraint! You can reward yourself by buying books now, that’s right, isn’t it?!
Aug 07, 2019 @ 18:06:31
Exactly – spot on! 😀 I feel a book binge coming on…
Aug 07, 2019 @ 22:35:36
A fabulous sounding trip. That ladybird artists exhibition sounds amazing. I am also interested in your breakfast. 😉 As you know I went vegan in January, but have yet to try vegan egg, what is it actually and what does it taste like? Well done on your bookish restraint too.
Aug 08, 2019 @ 09:15:17
It was indeed a lovely trip! As for the brekkie, we tend to go for scrambled tofu rather than an egg substitute. I *have* tried Vegan Egg but was a little underwhelmed. If you add black salt to tofu it gives it a bit of an eggy taste. I was never a fan of eggs anyway so I don’t miss them!
Aug 08, 2019 @ 09:20:50
Ah, yes I was never madly into eggs either.
Aug 08, 2019 @ 09:22:01
😁😁😁🥚🥚🥚
Aug 08, 2019 @ 13:20:55
I love to see you enjoying your vacation. Thanks for taking us with you to this lovely outing. I love the connections between your books and the art visits. Food looks great. I am not vegan but love vegan food. Well, I love all food, lol.
I would have crawled into that space at the exhibition as well. Hehehe.
Aug 08, 2019 @ 13:37:49
I must admit, the reading nook was very appealing… And I do love it when there are resonances between the various elements in my life! 😀