I have a confession to make.
I went to the Oxfam shop at lunchtime to purchase the hardback Virago 30th anniversary edition of Diary of a Provincial Lady (lovely cover designed by Cath Kidston) (which I wrote about over on Virago Ventures earlier this year...) which I had spotted yesterday (but didn't buy as I wanted to check that the pricing was keen - which it was).
However, I managed to leave the shop with not one but two copies of Diary of a Provincial Lady. Since yesterday, a copy of the original green Virago edition (which contains all three of the Provincial lady books) had been brought in - it was in immaculate condition and only £1.99.
Spontaneous book purchasing is one thing, spontaneous book purchasing of the same book in different editions is a little scary, particularly when one has read the book.On the plus side, I wasn't really buying books, I was donating money to Oxfam.
Has anyone else got any confessions to share?!
Oh, there's a concept! Wouldn't it be great if we could get income tax receipts for our 'donations'.
ReplyDeleteExcellent purchases, Verity. The anniversary edition is on my shelves and a favourite.
:) One of the books had a gift aid sticker in, so Oxfam will get the income tax back on that :)
ReplyDeleteHa ha, I know exactly how you feel. I keep making promises to myself that I won't buy any more books this year and keeping a picture of my TBR pile firmly fixed in my mind, but everytime I pass an Oxfam bookshop I seem to miraculously find myself paying at the till. It's like magic...or memory loss.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a wonderful book, I can see why you'd want to own both editions!!
ReplyDeleteToo funny...I have bought two editions of several books but not to keep both...just that I felt I had graduated to the nicer edition. As both of your editions are beautiful, I don't blame you in the least. I do not know much about this book or author, so I am off to search for some additional info in your archives.
ReplyDeleteWonderful finds! I can't tsk tsk you because I have been known to do the same thing, but I usually come out with armfuls :/
ReplyDeletebookaholics unite!
Thanks for all of your reassurances fellow bookaholics. I often come out with armfuls of books, it is just that two of the same book seems frankly ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I also have both of the above copies and I have even more shamefully read NEITHER (although strictly speaking neither have you but you have read the novel).
ReplyDeleteI have duplicate copies of Angela Carter books (Virago and not) and three different Penguin copies of Lolita, although one is an annotated copy and another in a banned books boxset that I can't break up so entirely understandable...
Oh, Verity. I think most of us suffer from this affliction...and those few that don't are still enablers. There are at least three editions of Pride & Prejudice in this house, not including The Annotated P&P or P&P&Z!
ReplyDeleteHi Verity, I'm new here and looking for an excuse to linger longer on your lovely pink blog. If there are cakes anywhere hereabouts, that would do it...
ReplyDeleteAs for confessions, I have two copies of The Monk (Matthew Lewis.) But neither of them is beautiful, so there is no excuse for it!
I don't have any duplicate copies, although, I have been tempted. Saw a gorgeous hardback edition of Gone With The Wind t'other day, but had to resist the urge, considering I haven't read my paperback copy yet.
ReplyDeleteHowever, last time I was at Oxfam, I did buy nine books impulsively!
I have the same two editions and you were entirely right to bring them home. Both wonderful. I flouted my book buying ban today and bought home from our Oxfam shop a book I already own in the very same edition. But it was a Persephone so I considered it my duty to rescue it and help it on its way to a new home!
ReplyDeleteThink you'll find it includes all FOUR of the Provincial Lady books ;-) If it doesn't, you should get your money back...
ReplyDeleteI love that Virago edition, though I don't actually have it... my Mum has the other Virago edition of the PL book, but though I have between 2 and 3 copies of each of the PL books, none are published by Virago...
This certainly has provoked a lot of replies! I'm glad that lots of you have duplicates in different editions, but I do feel that is a little bookaholic to buy two on the same day.
ReplyDeleteSarah - do stick around - cake is baked most Tuesdays :) We have coconut cake this week...
Fleurfisher - which Persephone title? Lucky lady!
JoAnn - I don't even own one copyof P and P...
Claire - of course I haven't read your copies of DoPL ;)
Simon - yes, it does - but my degree was in history, not mathematics...
I meant that you hadn't read either of these copies that you have just bought but have read the book previously!
ReplyDeleteI too am a bookaholic! This weekend has been spent tearing my hair out trying to work out how I am going to store my ever growing pile! I love that you bought both copies of this book. Meeting other book bloggers has made me realise it is normal to own more than one copy of the same book!
ReplyDeleteI have a total of four hardcover copies of Atwood's Oryx and Crake. One British, one American and two Canadian. I plan on giving none of them away. Well maybe I could part with one of the Canadian editions.
ReplyDeleteNow a confessional from me could fill a post or three so I wont take over your comments. I did however also get a copy of teh Cath Kidson version of this the other day and its taking all my will power not to read it now!!!
ReplyDeleteKaren - it is nice to know that one is not alone isn't it, I have such dreadful storage problems. Luckily I managed to get them shelved before my boyfriend got home as I dread to think what he might have said.
ReplyDeleteThomas - I don't think I own more than 3 copies of a book...
Simon - it is so pretty, and definitely a book that you should read (and I think that you will enjoy...)
That is such a beautiful edition that I should think it would dazzle anyone into buying more books. Cath Kidson - wow.
ReplyDeleteI've recently purchased three books in a series that I already own, but have recently been rereleased. But I used birthday gift cards, so I'm pretending that excuses my madness.
My souvenir from a trip to Chile was a Spanish language edition of The Tattooed Potato and Other CLues by Ellen Raskin. Which not only did I already own but... I don't read Spanish.
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