I've been having a bit of a book buying splurge over the past few weeks, there have been a number of book buying opportunities recently including a couple of bookfairs and a trip to the wonderful Much Ado About Books in Alfriston, East Sussex. Cate at Much Ado recommended a couple of novels by William Nicholson, husband of Virginia Nicholson, and an excellent writer of novels exploring the nature of relationships and love.
I love the pleasure of choosing and buying new books - it's so exhilirating finding new writers and new genres. Sometimes, however, when I've bought a number of new books I don't know where to start and that's where I am now!
I have recently started reading crime novels, not the serious stuff but rather gentle, cosy crimes, where not an awful lot of action happens but where there is lots of character development and lovely settings. I'm a big fan of M C Beaton novels especially Agatha Raisin and I love any novels with an academic setting especially Veronica Stallwood, Jill Paton Walsh, Amanda Cross and Edmund Crispin. However, I have been hoovering up new crime writers recently, thanks mainly to Jeremiah Vokes of Darlington. He specialises in just the kind of crime fiction I love and, just to improve things further, his books are always in lovely condition. I have selected a large number of new authors including Betty Rowlands, David Dickinson - not Cash in the Attic David Dickinson - and Jane Langton. Now I'm so spoilt for choice I don't know where to start. I'm constantly dipping into a different novels and not finishing any as I'm tempted by another book!
At the same time as I'm acquiring lots of cosy crime I've also bought a number of Dodie Smith novels as well as a couple of Alison Uttley novels. So all of these are also on my "to read" pile. Also my friend Lou of TP Books has found me a couple of very scarce Mabel Esther Allan novels and Winifred Finlay's Judith in Hanover. All in all I'm in a bit of a lather!
Finally I'm having a reread of Barbara Pym and E F Benson's Mapp and Lucia novels - wonderful!
I love the pleasure of choosing and buying new books - it's so exhilirating finding new writers and new genres. Sometimes, however, when I've bought a number of new books I don't know where to start and that's where I am now!
I have recently started reading crime novels, not the serious stuff but rather gentle, cosy crimes, where not an awful lot of action happens but where there is lots of character development and lovely settings. I'm a big fan of M C Beaton novels especially Agatha Raisin and I love any novels with an academic setting especially Veronica Stallwood, Jill Paton Walsh, Amanda Cross and Edmund Crispin. However, I have been hoovering up new crime writers recently, thanks mainly to Jeremiah Vokes of Darlington. He specialises in just the kind of crime fiction I love and, just to improve things further, his books are always in lovely condition. I have selected a large number of new authors including Betty Rowlands, David Dickinson - not Cash in the Attic David Dickinson - and Jane Langton. Now I'm so spoilt for choice I don't know where to start. I'm constantly dipping into a different novels and not finishing any as I'm tempted by another book!At the same time as I'm acquiring lots of cosy crime I've also bought a number of Dodie Smith novels as well as a couple of Alison Uttley novels. So all of these are also on my "to read" pile. Also my friend Lou of TP Books has found me a couple of very scarce Mabel Esther Allan novels and Winifred Finlay's Judith in Hanover. All in all I'm in a bit of a lather!
Finally I'm having a reread of Barbara Pym and E F Benson's Mapp and Lucia novels - wonderful!