What a lot of books!

I had a wonderful time out yesterday in London with Claire from Paperback Reader. Although TFL scuppered our plans to visit the Carlyles' House, we had a fantastic time bookshopping, in an amazing secondhand book shop in Notting Hill, a very posh remainders bookshop and then of course the Persephone bookshop! Claire presented me with a lovely Persephone jute bag (which was perfect for carrying around my new purchases) (and in return I gave her the pink Penguin one!), and I treated myself to 5 of the bookmarks that my Persephone books lack (sadly on 38 of my books have bookmarks, so I still need another 50 which was a bit too much of an expense to get all in one go!).

You can see the amazing stack of books that I came home with. Sorry about the blurry photo - my hands are ridiculously shaky today.
Working from bottom up:
Their eyes were watching God (Hurston) - this was my most expensive 2nd hand purchase of the day, it is one of the 30th Anniversary Virago hardbacks, and means I am only lacking 1 more of the whole set! Definitely the highlight of my finds.
Cats Eye (Atwood) - this is my favourite Atwood novel, and a duplicate that Claire no longer wanted.
Enormous changes at the last minute (Paley) - I think Claire would have bought this if I hadn't spotted it first, a lovely green edition of a book for my Virago challenge.
Diaries of Sylvia Townsend Warner - another one for Viragoing
The skin chairs (Comyns). The book shop had a copy of The vet's daughter by Comyns which I initially picked up, and then I felt confused as to whether it was Vet's Daughter or Skin chairs that I already owned. A £2 mistake was saved by asking one of my friends who was at home to check my library thing account!
After you've gone (Joan Lingard) - a modern novel by an author I enjoy
Sweet dreams (lucy Ellman) - a modern Virago novel
Wigs on the green (Mitford) - this came from the table of 50 books that Persephone wish they had published - now that I've read all of the Persephone books (review of my last read to come next week I think) I thought that I could read some of those! May sit down with this one later.
Ponies plot and Children of the house were two puffin books that looked enjoyable - I used to love puffin books as a child.
Fell farm holiday is a book that I already own, and love - it is a wonderful children's story, and at only 50p I couldn't leave it on the shelf - I hope to pass it on to someone who will enjoy it in due course.
Two vandals at a wedding (Fred Secombe) - I described this to Simon from Stuck in A Book as James Herriot, but a vicar instead of a vet. I read Secombe's series as a teenager, and enjoyed rereading this last night.
Fifteen (Clearly) - this was a book about a teenager called Janie that I remembered enjoying at school, and I enjoyed rereading it on the bus on the way home yesterday.

I also bought a copy of Finn Family Moomintroll (not pictured) for my cousin's birthday and Peppa Pig goes to the library for the niece of my friend who helped me out by checking my librarything account. Being a librarian I just couldn't resist it, and Lily is the only person of my acquaintance that is the right age for it!

I'm really sorry for such a blurry picture!

It was lovely to meet some ofthe UK bloggers in the Persephone shop - sadly my health didn't permit me to stay for the main meet-up - it was a struggle to get home as it was with all of those books after a tiring day (which I am now paying for...:( ). I hope you all had a good get together.

I can see that there have been lots of wonderful Persephone related posts - I apologise for not commenting on them all, but I'm in need of a day away from the computer. I'll be back tomorrow to round up the week, and Claire and I will announce our competition winners and the result of our favourite post of the week. Thanks for all joining in so overwhelmingly!