Tuesday 23 February 2010

Library loot


Going to the library is such an addiction, but it's free and never fails to cheer me up (like daffodils do!). A colleague confessed to me the other day that he finds himself visiting the Central Library several times a week, and then often pops into his branch library on the weekend. I admitted that I am the same. These books are loot from last week - a couple of trips to the Central Library and one trip to the branch library.

A load of old tripe is a light novel by Gervase Phinn, more famous for his books about school inspecting in Yorkshire.
Summer at Gaglow is by Esther Freud, an author who I have enjoyed previously, and starts during WW1.
Caught in Cornwall by Janie Bolitho will form part of my Reading Cornwall, and is the last Rose Trevelyan detective story set in the county - I've already enjoyed a couple of the others in the series.
My secret diary by Jacqueline Wilson is the author's autobiography written in a similar style to her children's books. I was a bit too old for Jacqueline Wilson as she came to prominence when I hit my teens, but she was always a guilty pleasure when I needed something unchallenging.
In my own time is Nina Bawden's autobiography - I've enjoyed a lot of her adult books as part of my Virago Venture, so it will be interesting to learn more about the person behind these books as I suspect that they have many autobiographical moments.
The long song by Andrea Levy came from the new books shelf and I feel lucky to have got this so soon. Although not a fan of Small Island, I've loved her other novels and will be interested to see what I make of this.

Do any of these appeal to you?

6 comments:

  1. Oh pretty daffodils!

    I have a copy of Summer at Gaglow so will be very interested in your thoughts and how lucky to pick up a copy of The Long Song! I've been very tempted by that although should probably read Small Island first as it's been on my shelf for years.

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  2. They all sound quite good actually! I've read a couple of Gervase Phinn's school inspector books but haven't heard of that one. Must do a library post sometime.

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  3. Gorgeous daffodils!

    The Nina Bawden autobiography sounds very interesting - I bet she's had an eventful life.

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  4. Claire - I am looking forward to reading the Freud; hopefully tomorrow. I don't see why you shouldn't read The long song first.

    Cath - it turned out to be a very slight book, almost like a children's story, so didn't take long but was a nice gentle read.

    Rachel - it was fascinating; from being evacuated through to having a schizophrenic son who went missing later turning up dead in a river, she has had a huge amount of experiences which have obviously influenced her writing.

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  5. The daffodils appeal to me!! We are in the midst of yet another snowstorm and I'm beginning to feel like spring will never come.

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  6. The Gervase Finn sounds delightful and reminds me of Tales from a Stone Cottage presented each month in Country Living. And you had me at WWI with Summer at Gaglow.

    Love the daffodils! My pot of bulbs finally tired themselves out so I was happy to see yours.

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