Thursday, 10 September 2009

Cambridge Day 2

It's been another action packed and book buying packed day here!

This morning's papers fell into two halves; the first discussed how funds might be raised by libraries wanting to acquire rare items and the second half discussed theft from libraries and how books might be recovered and how libraries and the book trade can work together to prevent this.

I then missed lunch in order to bookshop, although I did squeeze in a toasted teacake in M and S. I found their Oxfam bookshop which was rather good, although also rather expensive.

I picked up three items in there:
A lovely green VMC of A compass error which looks wonderful and which I will be reading very soon for my VVV blog.
Path to the silent country by Lynne Reid Banks - this is the sequel to her book Dark Quartet which I own, about the Brontes. I think I've had it from the library but now my set is complete.
Let the Hurricane Roar by Rose Wilder Lane (daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder). Again, I've read this.

Next door but one was a shop called Galloway and Porter, and we had been given a 10% off voucher. It seemed mostly to be a remainder shop but I picked up three more books there:
Mother country by Elisabeth Russell Taylor, another VMC, in a new edition.
Cat Sanctuary by Patrick Gale, one of his I haven't read and set in my beloved Cornwall.
These two were £2.99, new, before discount, and on the way out I spotted a copy of
Hard work by Polly Toynbee which I've read before but is an interesting journalistic investigation into the world of low paid work. The man in the shop let me have it for 50p!

This afternoon was library visits time and I had a wonderful outing to the libraries of Gonville and Caius, and Trinity colleges. The latter has a particularly famous library designed by Wren which I was recommended to see. All fascinating, but lots of walking around Cambridge - I feel I am getting to grips with the place now (which is good as I have lost my map!) and have really enjoyed the chance to see the city.

It's a beautiful evening and I am now off for another reception, this time in the beautiful Fellows Garden of the college in which I am staying. I am however footsore, and exhausted, and homesickness is beginning to bite. Today is the first day in over a year that I haven't seen my boyfriend and I really miss him. :(

1 comment:

  1. One wonders if Wren had time to do anything other than design buildings, such a prolific man! I would love to see a library designed by him.

    I told R about you baking treats and leaving notes for Ken and he said that you are too good!

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