Earlier this month, I turned 40 years old. I think I’m ok with the milestone – and it was put in perspective by my neighbour inviting me to her 90th birthday – but it is strange to think I was only 21 when I started this blog.
I had a lovely celebration with friends from many stages of life, having a civilised afternoon tea in a local village hall. And, of course, I got a lot of books! I won’t write masses about them, but there are lots that I’m excited to dive into. Some were bought were book tokens (which, I have decided, don’t count under Project 24 as they are effectively birthday presents… right?) and that includes Bookish by Lucy Mangan, which I listened to as an audiobook and knew I had to own. It’s SO good. More about that soon.
From the ones I haven’t read, I think I’m most excited by The Bookseller at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw – which I heard about from Kate of The Book Club Review Podcast, when she appeared on a ‘5 Books’ bonus episode for the Tea or Books? Patreon.
The thing that isn’t a book is (gasp) a letter written by E.M. Delafield!!
Here are the books in the pic:
Snowflake by Paul Gallico
Hercule Poirot stories by Agatha Christie
The Garden of the Finzi-Contini by Giorgio Bassani
Arnold Bennett omnibus (RiceymanSteps, Elsie and the Child, Lord Raingo, Accident)
The Clothing of Books by Jhumpa Lahiri
Mrs Caliban by Rachel Ingalls
The Bookseller at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw
Bookish by Lucy Mangan
Look Closer by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst
The Picador Book of 40
All Sorts of Lives: Katherine Mansfield and the Art of Risking Everything by Claire Harman
Do Admit: The Mitford Sisters and Me by Mimi Pond
Uncle Fred: an Ombnibus by P.G. Wodehouse
Mrs. Caliban by Ingalls is an interesting book. I read it a very long time ago and still think about it occasionally. While I wouldn’t exactly say it was enjoyable, it was indelible.
Happy birthday!!! But you’ve counted wrong. You can’t possibly be 40, no, no, you’re early 30s in my head and that’s where you’re staying. Great books – I’ll be very interested in how you find the Lucy Mangan. And I’m off to look up the book on Katherine Mansfield.
Happy birthday! I can’t believe you’ve been blogging for that long – 21 seems like a very spring chicken sort of age to start blogging, so well done you!
What fabulous birthday gifts. I just want to let you know that 40 may seem a milestone, but campared with 70 and then 80, it is just a small bump in the road. It’s hard to fathom that one has reached her 80th birthday! I am a big fan of Tea or Books?
Belated happy birthday, Simon!
Happy birthday, Simon! You’re still a mere child at 40.
Belated happy birthday, Simon!
Happy belated birthday! I agree with Litlov, you will always be 30ish in my head too!!
I applaud your very sensible, civilized way to celebrate and am now very covetous of some of your book gifts. I shall very much look forward to being even more tempted (or not) when I read the reviews!
I agree with the comment about Mrs Caliban; I thought it was a weird but thought provoking book.
Lovely! Happy birthday!
A belated Happy Birthday, and in my view 40 is young! That’s an interesting collection of books you have there.
Happy big birthday, and what a lovely haul! The Bassani is brilliant!
You have some very appealing books to look forward to! I read the Bassani recently and agree that it is brilliant. Happy 40th!
Happy birthday, Simon! I hope you enjoy all of those books – the Ruth Shaw one does sound good.
A very Happy Birthday to you!
May we hear more about the EM Delafield letter, please?
Happy belated-birthday! My 40th is still a few months away but people are starting to ask me in an ominous tone how I feel about it. So far, the same as every birthday (happy but please don’t make me have a party) but I’m now extra alert for the arrival of an impending sense of doom/mid-life crisis.
Excellent choice to buy your own copy of the Mangan! I thoroughly enjoyed my library copy but am also considering buying it.
Happy birthday Simon! I second Kaggsy’s recommendation of the Bassani, and I really liked Mrs Caliban too. Did you go to Robert Douglas-Fairhurst’s lectures at all? I always found him engaging so hopefully that bodes well for Look Closer. A great haul – happy reading!
He was my main undergrad tutor!
Happy Birthday Simon – can’t believe you’re 40! Where have the years gone? Anyway I’ve enjoyed your blog ever since you and I both began. Keep on blogging.
Happy Birthday, Simon (and Colin)! Afternoon tea at the village hall sounds absolutely delightful, just the kind of celebration I would enjoy myself, and lots of lovely books, too – splendid stuff!
I’m delighted to see Mrs Caliban here, one of my favourites from the excellent Faber Editions series – it’s hard to go wrong with those!
Congratulations on turning forty
Happy birthday again to you and Colin. But 40 – no – late 20s at most. I must have been following this blog since almost the beginning, shockingly! A lovely haul and a LETTER, wowee!
Belated birthday greetings Simon. You tempted me with Bookish by Lucy Mangan but then I found out it’s £13 in paperback. Book prices just seem to be getting to the stage where I think twice about buying them if I don’t know the author… Maybe the library will get me a copy (don’t hold your breath)
Wow…21 when started….
Thank you for continuing this blog for so long…so many have stopped blogging (understandably so).
Happy Birthday 🎂 and many more years and blogs…so so enjoy your blog n podcasts!