Thursday 17 May 2012

My book bargains on Charing Cross Road this afternoon, only £1 each:
A Girl of the Limberlost, Gene Stratton Porter (1912)
Mrs Bridge, Evan S Connell (1959)
At the Jerusalem, Paul Bailey (1967) ... the book that impelled Elizabeth Taylor to stalk Paul Bailey to his job on the shopfloor at Harrods and take him as her inspiration for Ludo in Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont.

Has anybody read any of them?  I was quite pleased with my haul.

10 comments:

elegancemaison said...

Good haul at terrific prices. Ridiculous that London West End second hand booksellers can sell these interesting titles at £1 each whereas our local provincial charity shops have yards of ubiquitous 'bestsellers' for £2.50/£2.99. I've not read any of your selection but looking forward to your reviews so I can search for them on abebooks etc.

scrumptious days said...

I've just ride to leave a comment but brand new iPad playing up! So I may have left dozens of the same, please delete.

I've read the girl of the limberlost, when I was studying American Children's Lit for an MA, very odd, atmospheric and featured moths!

mary said...

Hello, Elegancemaison (you do sound glamorous!). Yes, this particular shop is really good for rummaging in and they're always busy, whereas my local overpriced Oxfam Books sells all the latest book group castoffs for twice the price.

mary said...

Only one comment, Jude, so you must have been doing it right.
What a fascinating MA subject ... couldn't we tempt you to do some book posts/reviews? I picked the book up because I'd vaguely heard of it and then I couldn't resist a character list that starts: Elnora, who collects moths to pay for her education ...

scrumptious days said...

It was wonderful, I studied children's literature at Roehampton, I couldn't face taking an MA in Education (too many other teachers!) but Children's Lit was perfect. It was over 10 years ago and I'm really best looking at picture books or children's series fiction.
I did love it as at the time I just had two boys, it gave me an excuse to re-read so many of the books from my childhood that they wouldn't have enjoyed, the American fiction was great, Louisa Alcott and Laura Ingles Wilder on the reading list, heaven.

kristina said...

Mr Bridge and Mrs Bridge are two of my all-time favorite books! But definitely save the movie till after you've read both.

K x

mary said...

That sounds heaven, Jude - reading Little Women and calling it work!

mary said...

I was digging around to see if Mr Bridge was there too, Kristina - but no sign of him. So I'll hold off from any movies on your advice.

Mac n' Janet said...

I read Mrs. Bridge and Mr. Bridge. Liked them both.

mary said...

Glad it's getting so many recommendations, Janet.