Apologies for the slight blogging lull – these couple of weeks since half term have been a) hectic, b) I’ve been full of lergy, and c) I have to fight my daughter to get on the laptop these days! Those are my excuses, and I’m sticking with them.
Meanwhile, I know most of you love looking at new acquisitions, so here are the latest titles to arrive at Gaskell Towers …
From the top, they are:
- The Snow Child
by Eowyn Ivey. A modern fairy tale of a childless couple in Alaska and the snowgirl they make. Sounds magical.
- The Child Who
by Simon Lelic. The third book from the author of Rupture
, a highly original crime novel. The child who features the case of a twelve year old murderer and the impact it has on his solicitor.
- You & I
by Padgett Powell. OK, I was drawn in by the purple and gold cover, but on inspection this promises to be rather interesting and experimental having been described as ‘Waiting for Godot on acid’.
- Collected Folk Tales
by Alan Garner. A collection of British folk tales, gathered and retold by the renowned author – and purple and gold again – Christmas’s trending colours in book covers perhaps?
- The Dovekeepers
by Alice Hoffman, which tells the story of the siege of Masada in 70AD through the eyes of four women.
- Charles Dickens: A Life
by Claire Tomalin. I hope that by finding out more about Dickens the man, I’ll be enthused to read more of his novels.
- The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern. I’ve given in to the hype surrounding this book, (but did buy a cheap copy via The Book People).
Have you got any good new books lately? – do tell …
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I just googled Claire Tomalin and she has written some very interesting stuff. Alice Hoffman’s book is also in the Melbourne library but with six days to go and five books in the house…….
The Snow Child looks/sounds lovely – definitely adding that one to the list! And I want the Alan Garner very much (I tried hinting to OH the other week that I’d updated my wishlist, so let’s hope he looks there in time for Christmas). And The Night Circus is very much on the TBR pile. I’m struggling a bit at present because I “accidentally” visited a couple of bookshops, and then a whole pile of review books turned up at once – oops!
‘accidentally’ visited a couple of bookshops – love that!
Oh dear, haven’t you cultivated that ability yet? I’ll be “accidentally” visiting two bookshops and a large library on Tuesday, despite the fact that I, too, have been hit by the sudden panicked bout of review books that are being doled out all at the same time…
Oh yes I have – but I know in my heart of hearts that said visits are no accidents.
Evidently you need to work on subduing your book-buying conscience more. When you truly believe you meant to walk right past that bookshop door, then your work is done!
I confess to fancying a copy of that Dickens biog. The trouble with lit crit or lit bios is that I know that one day I’ll have them in stock so I daren’t justify spending on a copy. Sigh. It is also the reason why I assert that I don’t stock fiction (when I do a bit) because then I couldn’t justify spending on that wither
I feel a slight cheat here because I got my copy for a tenner from the Book People. Love ‘em, hate ‘em they do have some bargains. From what I gather they work with the publishers to extend print runs and so on, so I don’t feel so guilty at not having paid £30 for it.
Whoah, whoah, whoah – The Book People have it? *high-tails it to the website, pronto* You’re such an enabler…
Sorry, I’m commenting on every comment here, but I’m nothing if not enthusiastic when it comes to shameless book acquisition!
Just to lower the tone a bit, I’ve acquired 7 new books in the last few days –
Schotts Quintessential Miscellany
Final Breath by John Francome
The Works by Pam Ayres
My Life in Comedy by Nicholas Parsons
Absolutely by Joanna Lumley
May I have Your Attention, Please by James Corden
and My Life by Brendan Sheerin
So there!
You can’t fool me Norm with those anagrams of your name!
Just re-discovered the Book People for the first time since junior daughter left primary school (as she is now in Year 13, it has been a while!) and treated myself to The Night Circus although managed to resist the Claire Tomalin – I like the idea of literary biographies and I know I probably should read them, but the fact is that I don’t and they just sit on my shelf, unread.
The Snow Child, The Dove Keepers and the Alan Garner book have all gone on my list – I love Alice Hoffman and Alan Garner and The Snow Child looks very appealing.
I do the same with biogs as you in general Liz, but I do enjoy them when I do get around to reading them. I want to read the Dickens one though, as I hope it’ll enrich reading his books, which I’ve not read enough of and want to read more.
I have recently read and reviewed the Tomalin on Dickens and think it is terrific. I also hae the Snow Child to hand and have started reading it and it is, as you say, magical
Elaine, I meant to link to your review of the Dickens, but in my haste to post, missed it out, apologies. The Snow Child will be my next must-read I think.
Hope you enjoy them – I’m sure the Tomalin will be particularly good. The Collected Folk Tales looks interesting
I’m with Juxstabox: would love to get my hand on the Dickens biog sooner rather than later. I really liked her Austen book and after reading Juliet Barker’s The Brontes this year, I’m in a mood for more lives of authors.
Also gave in to The Night Circus hype. It’s sitting on the TBR, waiting for the dust to settle a bit and I can read it without being too influenced by all the reviews I’ve read.
Ohhhh, I want them all! They look so pretty in their shiny shiny pile. ‘The Snow Child’ sounds beautiful, I love Alice Hoffman, I want the Claire Tomalin, and I just gave in and ordered ‘The Night Circus’. So many rave reviews flooding in right now, I couldn’t hold out another day! *sighs happily*