A couple of years ago I worked within walking distance of home, and my route took me past the library in opening hours. that meant that I could pop in any day of the week, to return books, to pick up reservations, to check for new arrivals …
Now though I drive to work and with earlier closing times I can only get to the library on Saturdays.
Which is not to say that between reservations and books found on the shelves that my ticket isn’t stretched.
This week four books came home:
I spotted an NYRB Classics edition of Stoner by John Williams a few years ago, I read some very positive reports, and I added it to my wishlist. A few weeks ago I noticed that there was a UK edition too – published by Vintage. I checked the library catalogue and I found that there was one copy, further up the county. I placed an order, and it’s going to fill one of the vavant slots in my century of books.
I’ve been meaning to read more about suffragettes ever since I read No Surrender by Constance Maud, and I think that March Women March by Lucinda Hawksley might be exactly the book I wanted. A broad history of the women’s movement in the UK from 1792 to 1928, full of extracts from letters and diaries.
I’ve been looking out for Lesley Thomson‘s first book, but her second book turned up first. The Detective’s Daughter is a mystery, and with comparisons drawn with both Kate Atkinson and Ian Rankin it looks very, very promising.
And then there’s Flappers by Judith Mackrell. I’ve been stalking this one – a collective biography of six fascinating women: Diana Cooper, Nancy Cunard, Tallulah Bankhead, Zelda Fitzgerald, Josephine Baker and Tamara de Lempicka – and I was ready to place an order the very moment it was added to stock.
An excellent return on just one visit …
What did you find in the library this week?
Fleur in her World 
I feel a little bit the same way because I used to pass the neighborhood branch on my way home, and now I have to drive there. But I have other compensations! Your stack looks wonderful, especially the last two.
Flappers sounds fascinating!
All of those you picked up look really good. Tallulah Bankhead! That’s a name from the past. My Library Loot was posted up last week. If interested you can see it here:
http://travellinpenguin.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/library-loot.html
Happy Reading!
Jane, I live in what they call “cottage country” here in Ontario. During the winter, our library in the village is a wee gold mine so I head straight for the new book shelves and usually scoop 3-4 at a time. During the summer, however, all the in-comers with cottages regularly clean the shelves out until after Labour Day, so I tend not to bother even going in. I breathe a sigh of relief when they close their cottages up and go home to the Big Smoke!
Great selections! I am intrigued by all of them, but especially by the Flappers book. I am currently putting together a Gatsby/jazz age display at my library and that would fit perfectly.
I’ve already got my eye on Flappers (and am waiting eagerly for the day it is added to my library catalogue so that I can place a hold) and the other books sound great too. Enjoy your loot!
I’ll be interested in your thoughts on March, Women, March. I too would like to read more about the suffragettes. Enjoy your loot.
I am currently working a session or two per week in the small library access point in the next village to mine, it’s lovely despite the limitations, and it does offer the chance to order books from the county’s catalogue so I keep browsing for books I might order one day soon…! Lovely to see what you found.
I was sent Stoner the other day, so I will be very interested to hear your thoughts!
An interesting looking selection. You have a treat in store for you with The Detective’s Daughter; it is a really great book, gripping, well written and intelligent. I loved it. Get hold of her previous one too (A Kind of Vanishing) – it is also excellent, and an absolute page turner. Thomson does brilliant plot twists and turns – keeps you guessing all the way!