katewritesandreads

katewritesandreads

Friday 23 May 2014

In which I acquire twenty-five books


I went to the Christian Aid book sale in May with a long wish list. I took home twenty-five books, only two of which were on the list …

Maisie Dobbs is a private investigator. Love this series which begins just after the end of WW1.

A Quiet Year by Derk Tangye
Heard an interesting radio programme about him the other week

Was on wish list; the reviews have been brilliant

At Times Like This by Catherine Dunne
Irish writer; haven’t read her before

Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
I blogged about Geraldine Brooks here. This one is set in Martha’s Vineyard in 1650.

Cross Country with Grandma by Karen Testa
Great title

Dear Life by Alice Munro
After reading The View from Castle Rock I’m looking forward to this

Every Contact Leaves a Trace by Elanor Dymot
Sounds very intriguing

Girls will be Girls by Arthur Marshall
Arthur reviews girls’ school stories and other titles in his own hilarious way. The other title I’ve read of his was called Giggling in the Shrubbery.

Homeland and other stories by Barbara Kingsolver
Love Barbara Kingsolver’s novels and essays but have never read her short stories

If Morning Ever Comes by Anne Tyler
One of my favourite authors

Night Music by Jojo Moyes
Always good for a page turner

Yipee, another Geraldine Brooks – this time set in Vienna in World War II

Was on wish list; have loved her other books

Telling Tales by Ann Cleeves
For when I feel like a spot of crime

The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
Anything with patchwork quilts catches my eye

An Anne Tyler I haven’t read; what a treat

My Antonia by Willa Cather
First published 1918; set in the American West

The Hour Before Dawn by Sara MacDonald
A family mystery set in New Zealand

The House at Sea’s End by Elly Griffiths
More crime. Hope I like it as I see there are other titles with the same main character.

The Long Weekend by Victoria Henry
And a long book to get lost in

The Red House by Mark Haddon
Have started this one; don’t care much for the characters but his writing is stunning

True Grit by Charlie Ports
Loved both the 2010 version of the film and the John Wayne original so will be interested to see how they compare with the book

When the Children come Home by Julie Summers
Non-fiction, about children who were evacuated in WW2

Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell
A lovely Virago edition

Plus five girls’ annuals for my collection including one printed in 1948 when paper was still rationed. The board cover is counted as page 1.

I think that will keep me going in reading material for a little while. Have you read any of the titles above?

5 comments:

  1. Hi Kate, that's a good haul. I went for non-fiction mainly although I bought a Barbara Pym and an Anne Tyler. So I'm reading Lucy Wormsley's If Walls Could Talk and have a fabulous book of fashion and a collected set of directories of Tudor, Stuart, Georgian, Regency and Victorian directories. Anne Stenhouse

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  2. I'm envious of the book sale and the haul, Kate! Can't believe you bought so many - we're trying to get rid of some of our print books now, although I have very many I won't part with, of course. Enjoy your reading!

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  3. Anne - love the sound of your directories.
    I had a pre-sale clear-out, Rosemary, so no more book shelves were required!

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  4. Twenty five books! When will you ever get to read them all. I like Anne Tyler too - let us know what it was like.

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  5. I will, Wendy. Hope it won't be too long!

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