I’ve missed these for a few months, which emphatically doesn’t mean that I’ve not been buying books. But I think I’d been a bit restrained over the past couple of months – and, indeed, had been pretty restrained in August until the last week or so of it… and I have a whole heap o’ books. But they’re pretty great. No regrets.
If Only They Didn’t Speak English by Jon Sopel
I saw Sopel speak at the Hay festival earlier in the year – the only thing I went to, in fact – and it was excellent. Saddening, but excellent. So I eventually got a copy of his book – which retreads a lot of the same ground as his interview, but is good reading nonetheless.
Portrait of Stella Benson by R.E. Roberts
My recent wonderings about Stella Benson led me to buy this – I’d seen it described as a personal account of her life, and I love it when the memoirist has a relationship of some sort with the subject.
Letters of C.S. Lewis
I found this in a charity shop, and apparently bought it shortly after it was put out on the shelves. Which led to a curious conversation with the person shelving books, who I thought wanted to take the copy from me. It was all very confusing.
In the Freud Archives by Janet Malcolm
Forty-One False Starts by Janet Malcolm
Psychoanalysis: the Impossible Profession by Janet Malcolm
The Journalist and the Murderer by Janet Malcolm
Yup, I was serious when I said that my recent read of Two Lives had sent me off on a Janet Malcolm craze.
The Snow Ball by Brigid Brophy
I really enjoyed her novel Hackenfeller’s Ape, and the Backlisted podcast did an episode that convinced me this novel was definitely worth buying – so I was pleased to find it in a charity shop recently.
The Trip to Echo Spring by Olivia Laing
Adding to my pile of Laing books to read, after really liking To The River. This one is all about writers and alcohol – intriguing, no?
The Bachelors by Adalbert Stifter
I’ll be honest, I don’t even remember buying this. But I love these boxy little Pushkin Press editions.
Reaching Down the Rabbit Hall by Allan Ropper and B.D. Burrell
The subtitle ‘extraordinary journeys into the human brain’ sum this one up – hopefully the sort of popular neurosciency type stuff that I find fascinating.
Rockets Galore by Compton Mackenzie
I want more and more Mackenzie. Though I think this might be a sequel. Which would be the second time I’d done that with Mackenzie.
Rosy is My Relative by Gerald Durrell
Sure, I need more Durrell waiting on my shelves.
Any you’ve read, or would recommend, or are interested in? I’ve already started the Sopel and one of the Malcolms…
The only one I’ve read is The Bachelors but Stifter may be a bit of an acquired read.
Hmm that doesn’t fill me with confidence…
I teally like Stifter but I’m not sure if you will like him. I think you can tell quite quickly though, say 30 pages or so.
Nice acquisitions! I really keep thinking I should read some Olivia Laing – but there are so many books on the TBR already! :0
I think you’d love To The River – not least for the Woolf stuff!
Rosy is My Relative! I read it as a teenager and read it again a few years ago. I was pleased that it was just as funny as I remembered.
Oh good! I have so many Durrells unread, but I’ll remember your recommendation for this one :)
I’m interested in reading The Silent Woman by Janet Malcolm which I can borrow from my local library.
That’s one of the few Malcolm books that I didn’t grab – but I’d be interested to hear what it’s like.