Now that I’m lucky enough to have a dedicated reading chair with its little table alongside, I’ve taken to popping books onto the table for consideration as forthcoming reads – even, possibly, a bit of polyreading! The pile next to the chair changes according to my mood, but I thought it might be nice to share a little snapshot of what’s in my line of sight at the moment.

On the Book Table

That’s a chunky pile of books, isn’t it? Shall we look at some specifics?

“The German House” is a very pretty ARC from HarperVia, which I had hoped to get onto for WIT Month. Alas, that didn’t happen but I do want to read it soon – it sounds right up my street!

Next up is a book that’s been sitting on my TBR since I bought it in a frenzy of enthusiasm a while back. I loved Binet’s “HHhH” – such a clever work which plays with the whole structure of books and writing – and this sounds just as thought-provoking. I keep picking it up and getting distracted – the story of my life with books, really!

Elizabeth Hardwick’s “Seduction and Betrayal”, in the form of a quite old NYRB Classic, has been languishing unread for a number of years since I had a bit of a binge on buying Hardwick books after reading her “Sleepless Nights“. There is a shiny new Faber edition which I *nearly* bought in London recently, but held back because I thought I might already have it. Obviously, I do – it comes highly recommended and has essays on women authors from the Brontes to Plath. Glad I refrained in London, really, because I don’t need two copies!

Melancholy…

Finally on the Book Table is this behemoth of a book. As I related in an earlier post, I looked for this all around London and eventually rooted out a copy in the lovely LRB Shop. You can see how fat it is from the first picture above – it’s a book that will sit on the Book Table for some time for dipping into, as the advice is that that’s the best way to read it. Certainly, I don’t think I’ll be powering through it in one go! 😀

So what will I pick up first? Good question – as I write this I’m between books and trying to decide. Having just read several fiction titles (reviews are pending!) I may be drawn to the Hardwick as I’m really enjoying essays at the moment. Watch this space!