Thought I’d share my book haul from London. Because it is physically impossible for me to travel and not come back with books. And penguin pillows. Apparently.
Book links are Book Depository affiliate links. More about that here. I’m aware that that post outlines a blogging schedule, and that today is actually Thursday. Hi. Take note of the title of the first book listed.
Anything is Possible, Elizabeth Strout – I’ve been a little obsessed since I read my My Name is Lucy Barton. Anything is Possible was my train book, and I am exactly half-way through it. Amazing.
A Horse Walks Into a Bar, David Grossman – I wanted this to be my train book. I think this will be my next one-sitting read.
Yellow Blue Tibia, Adam Roberts – This was Neil’s train book. He actually laughed out loud, and um, strongly recommends that I read it.
Christodora, Tim Murphy – I’ve been wanting to read this for a while and it was the first book I saw when we strolled into the Big Green Bookshop.
Funny story, maybe – Whenever I travel, I like to traipse around bookshops. Even if there’s no time to y’know, buy books. Sometimes, I go into shops just to pet the books and promise I’ll come back to buy them later.
We went to BGB twice.
Second visit went like this…
Book Dude: You’re back.
Me: I said I’d come back.
Book Dude: Yes, but people lie.
Me: Yes, but I’m a book person. We’re good for it. Do I look like an amateur?
Back to the books…
Moonglow, Michael Chabon – Chabon is on my auto-buy list.
Manhattan Beach, Jennifer Egan – Possible unpopular book opinion alert: I didn’t like A Visit From The Goon Squad. But I LOVED The Invisible Circus. So here we are.
The Chalk Artist, Allegra Goodman – Might have bought this for the fucking beautiful very nice indeed book jacket.
Just look at it.
The Diary of a Bookseller, Shaun Bythell – I first read about this in the Sunday papers. I still read those. For the books. Like this one.
Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls, Elena Favilla – One to read with my Isla, rebel girl extraordinaire.
Little People, Big Dreams: Frida Kahlo, Isabel Sanchez Vegara – Another one for Isla. Because art. And Frida.
Notes: Books from:
Have you read any of these books?
Do you travel to find cool bookshops?
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33 Comments
It sounds like you would be amaaazing on the counter of a book store! You could recommend all the best reads!
Plus, then you’d get a staff discount…
I can’t count change fast enough for queues.
Glad you got the Rebel Girls book – now Auntie can find a different one for her ❤
Any Auntie Danni book is a good book.
Or you could work in a library!!?? 🙂
My offline career has nothing to do with books.
Would be pretty awesome though. Surrounded by books all day. ?
Most places here are inaccessible to me.
I’m interested in hearing what you and Isla think of Rebel Girls! I’ve been eyeing that one for a while.
I was skulking around the indie bookshop in Sag Harbor this weekend. (Did you go when you were on LI?) And of course I bought the Chabon book. Can’t wait to dig in.
I also bought The Chalk Artist, but the cover here is quite different from yours.
Right now I’m reading Butterflies in November, translated from Icelandic. I’m on the fence for now. I’ll give it a few more pages to see if things turn around. Because Chabon.
I still have Butterflies In November somewhere in this house. Maybe I’ll finish it next month?
The Chalk Artist does have a pretty fucking beautiful jacket. I’d buy it for the same reason. One of the only books that I couldn’t finish, just because it bored me to tears, was Olive Kitteridge. I don’t know if I could ever pick up another Elizabeth Strout book, but maybe I’d try this one.
Maybe start again with My Name Is Lucy Barton, Anything Is Possible is kinda a sequel to that. It’s basically interlinked short stories, which I usually hate, but the writing is SO GOOD.
You talk about books so passionately, your words really draw me in. I lost my reading mojo after a bad accident, but reading your reviews is sparking a flame again.
Have you ever edited manuscripts or anything?
Oh, and as for cool bookshops… No Alibis in Belfast – I’m in NI. It is amazing.
There’s nothing quite like discovering books. The feel the smell. Love it!
What are you reading now, Racheal?
A great list of books to read. I am a little sad that the book review site I used to work with has closed down – I would get pre-publication books and it was a great way to feed an addiction. Now I’ll return to the bookshop though – something I haven’t done for a while – so I am grateful for your recommendations
Do you use Netgalley? ARCs galore! Let me know if you read any of these.
I shared your Bee Hotel post with a friend who is obsessed with bees and afternoon tea.
Wow! now that’s a book haul and a half!!!
I like a good bookstore also and yes have gone into them when I travel just to see what is around. Enjoy the local ones as more interesting than chain bookstores. Always have two books when I travel for planes, trains and waiting. Looks like good list.
I get a real sense of your love of books through these posts 🙂
My fav sort of post…books! Love book shops – we used to have a lovely little bookshop that stocked new & second hand books in a quaint cottage shop and I was gutted when it closed a few years back. They couldn’t compete. I love browsing book shops, particularly second hand – and hate to get rid of any books at home! This list looks great – haven’t read any of them but some will definitely join my to read queue (belong to Netgalley and TBConFB so always queued up!) x
Great recommendations……and a lot of reading to be done…..:)….best of luck with your reading too….
Nice list – sigh…more books on my list! Have you read Olive Kitteridge? I loved it – and although I enjoyed My Name Is Lucy Barton, Olive Kitteridge really got to me. Happy reading!
I love to read, too! You’ll have to let me know if “The Chalk Artist” is a good read. It looks amazing! 🙂
I haven’t read any of these, but thanks for the list!
That smell and feel of closeness when you enter a bookshop…. That is what I love!
I instantly feel relaxed when I go into a book store. Honestly wish I could bottle that feeling!
I wonder if it’s all the thoughts and people. A book is so much more than printed paper.
I am glad it isn’t just me! I have dragged heavy books around London that I had to have. I also brought several heavy volumes home from Victoria and that is three flights and a boat trip away!! ?
I want to see your Penguin pillow too!!!
Extra points for asking after the penguins, Ritu! x
Ha Ha!! ??