Thursday, April 1, 2010

Happiness Is.....Taking Delivery Of A Large Box Of Books


Isn't it wonderful, you have a large Amazon wish list, one day, feeling frivolous, you decide to convert some of that wish list into hard purchases. You flex your plastic friend and hey presto a few days later, the postman hands over a large box, full of lovely books. You rip open the box and luxuriate in the smell of new books, I swear this latest delivery smells of perfume. You caress, flick through and read the backs of the lovely hoard, and then you decide which one you are going to read first, then you carefully place the others lovingly on the bookshelves, feeling satisfied that you now have enough reading material to last a few months.

The book I have chosen to read first is East of Islington, a novel of metropolitan life, by Sam Taylor, I have it on very good authority that this is an excellent read and will make me laugh out loud, I am about to start chapter three and have only just managed to tear myself away from it long enough to write this post, I have been laughing since the first paragraph.


I also purchased the Goddess Guide Books I and II, by Gisele Scanlon, Which are wonderful coffee table books, full of all sorts of girly information, I think I will place them in the loo, this is no insult to the books you understand, but I think it's highly important to have a well stocked library in the smallest room of the house.

Another lovely coffee table book which arrived is Taschen's London, Hotels, Restaurants and shops, there are two other books in this series the other two being New York and Paris, which are still languishing on my wish list, and will be purchased at a later date.

Other books include, the persephone classics, Little Boy Lost Maghanita Laski, Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day, Winifred Watson and Someone At A Distance, Dorothy Whipple.

For an injection of French history I bought  Dancing To The Precipice Lucie de la Tour du Pin and the French Revolution, Caroline Moorehead.

Going through a slight Bloomsbury phase, Among the Bohemians, Virgina Nicholson. And Mrs Wolf and the Servants, Alison Light.

The rest are: The Help, Kathryn Stockett, One Day, David Nicholls, The Group, Mary McCarthy, Merry Hall, Beverley Nicholls And Finally, Excellent Women by the highly underrated author Barbara Pym.

Well, those should keep me going for a while.

17 comments:

  1. Enjoy! I too have currently been blessed with an abundance of books. First a trip to the bookstore in a neighboring village that has an English session, and then on my birthday two friends each sent me books as a present. They are all stacked on my nightstand waiting for me to finish the 1000+ paged, Echo In A Bone. Now if I could just have a sunny day to sit outside with them, I'd be truly happy.
    Might check out the Goddess books :-)

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  2. There is nothing like a large delivery of books from Amazon to make my day! Enjoy - and let us know what you think of them.

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  3. What a treasure trove! I am interested in Mrs. Woolf and the Servants. Both The Help and Merry Hall are favourites of mine. Curious to see the change in the cover of The Help for the European market. Have fun reading!!

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  4. Hi Dash - I'm so envious of your stash! My Amazon wish list is growing longer by the day but I haven't yet ordered (in case I change my mind about one or two!) Would be interested to hear what you think about the Barbara Pym book - she is certainly underrated and an author I want to return to...happy (Easter) weekend....x

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  5. My boss is leaving to back to the US in a week and brought in a ton of books to work. As I'm practically the only one who can read English enough to read a book, I've been helping myself. I've got enough for MONTHS!!!

    :)

    A really eclectic collection too.

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  6. What a great haul you have there. I've not read any of them (she said shamefacedly.

    Did you know that Book Depository charge no postage to France - mind you you might not get all the books but I've always managed to get what I wanted from them.

    Happy reading.

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  7. Ok...I just want to say that had to be one happy moment when you saw that box at your doorstep Dash...what a treasure!! I have the Taschen's London book and never tire of it. The rest of your purchases have been duly noted...have a wonderful weekend...I have a feeling there is no question that it will be!!
    Jeanne:)

    PS...did you receive my note about the package?

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  8. I'm very envious........enjoy and hope you have a Happy Easter.

    BTW Play.com also send free to France.

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  9. Oh what an excellent haul of books - I just adore Amazon and am looking forward to converting my wish list soon... ENJOY! Have a lovely Easter too. x

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  10. HI Dash
    What fun you must of had opening that box of treasures... for me books have always felt like old friends.. and new friends are just as welcome.. Whenever i finally get my books out of storage I think it will feel just like this... opening a big parcel of happiness....

    I've seen the movie 'Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day' so will be interested to hear your thoughts on the book... Have a FABULOUS weekend Birthday Girl .. I'm sure you will!!!!! xxx Julie

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  11. I adore Barbara Pym, and have my English women-in-lit professor to thank for introducing our class to Pym so many years ago! Happy reading . . .

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  12. I know what you mean about having the smallest room in the house stocked with books. It does make it more civilized in a way, does it not?
    I love The Help and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. The others I haven't read, but thanks for the recommendation regarding East of Islington.

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  13. How delightful to get such a big box of books. What a lovely gift you have given yourself. Happy reading!

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  14. What a lovely box of books! I hope you enjoy the Persephone reads, and the Goddess Guides sound rather fun! I spent a lot of my childhood in France and remember the thrill of getting a box of books from amazon.

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  15. The best parcel ever and there are some really great choices in there....Have a happy Easter, xv.

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  16. hey, just thought i would pop in and say hi. i have been enjoying your posts. great stack of books ! im currently reading 4 at once. haha

    cheers
    ~laura

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  17. Hello - I've just found your blog and, living in Cannes in the South East of France (and being an Australian) have had so many "me too!" moments reading through your funny posts.
    But I had to comment on this post - all my friends ridicule me for getting so excited about Amazon deliveries and blogging about them - but there is something so exciting about a new box of books - like discovering new friends!
    Enjoy!

    PS - One Day is brilliant, I laughed and cried!

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