Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Marg and myself that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!
Let us take a moment to appreciate the non-readers in our lives who not only tolerate us, bravely battling listing towers of books as they enter our studies and libraries in an attempt to commune with their anti-social readers, but who occasionally make the kind of sacrifice that proves how deep their love truly runs. On Sunday, my father not only braved the Central branch of the library with me, he also followed me up and down six floors, lugging my increasingly heavy book basket with him (I was perfectly happy to carry it, just to forestall all those who might accuse me of using a parent as slave labour – not that I’m above that), and managed to do so with grace (well, maybe not grace but with a minimal amount of whining). This might have been the first time since my pre-school days that a parent actually came into the library with me and it was terribly exciting, particularly as it was his first time inside the beautiful Central branch, which I always enjoy showing off to visitors and locals alike.
Luckily for my father, I had a detailed list compiled beforehand and, because I didn’t dare to test my father’s patience, I actually stuck to it! Usually I can spend hours at the Central branch, coming home laden down with more books than I can carry comfortably – this is a particularly fun exercise when travelling on the bus during rush hour. But I restrained myself to only the 17 titles I’d previously noted; here they are:
After my success earlier this month with Wild Strawberries, I went rather crazy pulling Thirkell’s Barsetshire novels off the shelves – 6 in total!
Cheerfulness Breaks In by Angela Thirkell
Miss Bunting by Angela Thirkell
Peace Breaks Out by Angela Thirkell
The Old Bank House by Angela Thirkell
The Duke’s Daughter by Angela Thirkell
Enter Sir Robert by Angela Thirkell
Rachel and Carolyn are hosting Virago Reading Week from January 24 to 31st and I grabbed these three titles to make sure I was well prepared:
The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather
I’ve long been meaning to read this, having greatly enjoyed Cather’s O, Pioneers! and My Antonia.
A Game of Hide and Seek by Elizabeth Taylor
Finally my chance to discover why everyone loves Taylor! I tried Angel several years ago with little success but this story seems much more intriguing and better suited to my tastes.
Good Daughters by Mary Hocking
When I searched the library catalogue by publisher this was one of the titles. A complete shot in the dark, really, but those are often surprisingly successful.
The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University by Kevin Roose
If you’ve ever read A.J. Jacob’s The Year of Living Biblically you may remember Roose as Jacob’s slave/intern. Roose transferred from Brown University to Liberty University, a Christian fundamentalist university, for a semester and this is his account of his time and experiences there.
Unhooked: How Young Women Pursue Sex, Delay Love, and Lose at Both by Laura Sessions Stepp
Presumably what the subtitle describes.
Charles Darwin’s on the Origin of the Species by Michael Keller, illustrations by Nicolle Rager Fuller
A stunning graphic adaptation of one of the most famous, contested, and important books of all time.
The Snows of Yesteryear by Gregor von Rezzori
For the Eastern European Reading Challenge.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Women Writers Explore Their Favourite Fairy Tales edited by Kate Bernheimer
24 contemporary women writers to discuss the impact of fairy tales on their personal lives, their work, and the cultures in which they were raised.
Prague Tales by Jan Neruda
Also for the Eastern European Reading Challenge.
Dearest Vicky, Darling Fritz: the Tragic Love Story of Queen Victoria’s Eldest Daughter and the German Emperor by John van der Kiste
Daughter of Queen Victoria and mother of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, Victoria had anything but an easy life and I’ve always been fascinated by her. I read Hannah Pakula’s biography of her (An Uncommon Woman) several years ago and having been looking forward to this ever since.
Miss Marjoribanks by Margaret Oliphant
For the Victorian Literature Challenge. This is also published by Virago (though my edition was not) so I might end up counting it towards Virago Reading Week depending on when I get around to it.
OOOh – I hope you like Elizabeth Taylor!
I hope I do too! I’ve heard so much praise for her but just haven’t been drawn to any of her novels – this was the only one where the plot summary really intrigued me.
I’m not sure this is the Taylor I’d have recommended under the circumstances – if by chance you don’t love it, do try At Mrs Lippincotes, which I suspect is one of her very best. And 17 books! How long will it take you to read them?
I’ve heard both At Mrs Lippincotes and A Game of Hide and Seek described as Taylor’s best work but I’m afraid A Game of Hide and Seek was the only one that sounded intriguing to me!
No idea how long it will take to read these – if everything proves interesting and worth reading, probably about a month.
Wow! That is some serious loot. I hope you find the time to enjoy them all.
Happy reading!
Thanks Cat! I shall try them all and let’s hope that each proves enjoyable and worth finishing!
OK let’s get this clear, you have a library that’s open on a Sunday? I’ve just been listening to a financial guru on the radio explaining why people in the UK no longer need libraries and why it is therefore all right to be closing down almost a thousand of them I suspect that if you’d suggested to him that they should actually be open on a Sunday he would have had apoplexy and died on the spot. Which, if you will excuse the vindictiveness, would have been no bad thing!
On the subject of your haul. I am in awe. I thought my library pile was bad enough but this is wonderful. How will you choose where to start?
I know, isn’t it exciting that it’s open on Sunday? It’s open in the afternoons while my local branch is usually closed both Sunday and Monday. However…I went to return some books to my local branch today and there were great big signs saying that it was now open Sunday afternoons as well. Joy! Looks like I wasn’t the only one asking for Sunday hours on the customer survey every year. Let us just ignore the awful people who try to reduce rather than increase the hours and spite them by trying to get the circulation stats up!
I think I’ll start with the Virago books since I’ve got a deadline to meet if I want to participate in the reading week!
I can see why you needed someone to carry your book basket!
That Dearest Vicky, Darling Fritz book looks like it might be one that I would enjoy.
Enjoy your loot!
I do have to say, though it may lessen my father’s glory, it was quite a light basket this week since so many of the titles were paperbacks.
I look forward to letting you know how Dearest Vicky, Darling Fritz goes!
I have no idea what The Old Bank House is about but want to read it solely because of that cover.
I know, isn’t it the perfect cottage scene? I would happily move in today.
That is quite a haul — and very nice of your Dad to help you. 🙂 I’ll be looking forward to your reaction to the Elizabeth Taylor – that’s the only one of hers I’ve read and I just read it last fall with the Cornflower book group. I’ll also be interested in your review of the Roose book. I know I’ve heard of it, but I honestly don’t remember what the reaction to it was.
Happy Reading to you!
Don’t you love when you know you’ve read something but have forgotten everything but that? Happens to me all the time – hence my reading journals!
I will be sure to report back on the Elizabeth Taylor, good or bad!
Goodness me! I wish I had time to read all these wonderful books! So glad that you have some lovely books lined up for Virago reading week – I look forward to reading your thoughts on them!
Not having a life definitely increases my reading time. Yes, I need to do something about that but for now it’s quite nice.
Looking forward to Virago reading week!
You have some wonderful books in your library loot. I hope you like the graphic Darwin and I am curious about the books for your Eastern European challenge. Enjoy your reading!
Thanks Gavin! I’m quite pleased with this haul and particularly intrigued by the Darwin book.
I’m jealous. Completely green with envy, not only for your impressive pile of books, most or all of which I am certain you will devour, but for your dear dad who accompanied you on your library trip. Well done!
Some of the libraries here in the the suburbs of Chicago are, indeed, open on Sundays. Usually the bigger ones or those located in areas near a college. I’m always righteously indignant (or so I think) when I find one closed on a Sunday.
Enjoy your books!
Most of the branch libraries are closed on the weekends (or were – I’ve just found out my local branch will now be open Sunday afternoons), hence the pilgrimage to the Central branch. Plus it’s just pretty and I do need to conserve my holds – why waste them having the book come to me when I can so easily go to the book?
Of course I don’t know your father, but I’ll bet he is delighted to have you back on the same side of the Rockies, and is therefore happy to go places with you. I love having my daughter ask me to go along, even though it’s usually to keep the adult/child ratio to a managable level.
I have Miss Bunting in my TBRSomeday collection; couldn’t resist it for 1 pound on my visit to Hay-on-Wye several years ago. So thanks for the reminder. It needs to move up to the TBRSoon pile.
And isnt’ the cover art on the Elizabeth Taylor absolutely charming?
(Hmm, the Vancouver Library central branch has changed a tad since I last saw it, ca. 1972.)
He is more than pleased to have me home. Both my parents have been very vocal about how happy they are to have me close at hand again and its been lovely.
I’m certain I shouldn’t be allowed to visit Hay-on-Wye – so many books and at such prices! I’d be dumping clothes out of suitcases in order to bring more books back home!
I ADORE the cover on the Elizabeth Taylor. Everyone else seems to love the green Virago covers but they leave me cold. This charming print has quite the opposite affect.
Wonderful stack of books. Enjoy!
Thanks Linda!
Ha! If I showed your post to my family they would then see that my small, teetering piles of books are as those of an amateur. Lucky you to have such a lovely Dad and library combo. The book content in our local library (UK) seems to be shrinking whilst the computers, DVDs and magazine racks are proliferating :(((
I will adding some of those titles to my TBR.
My family has pretty much given up on the idea of me every having less than fifteen or twenty items from the library at any given time. They’ve been much calmer since they made their peace with it.
I’ve definitely noticed that both here and in Calgary the branch libraries seem to be carrying larger and larger volumes of non-books. Trying to increase circulation numbers perhaps? As long as people are using libraries I can’t be too cross. Happily, at the Central branch books still dominate.
Oh I feel like I should make a trip to Vancouver just to see the library!
A great lot of loot! And as I haven’t read any of these, my TBR list is going to grow. Happy reading.
It’s a beautiful building – definitely worth a stop if you’re ever in town!
Glad to have contributed to your TBR list!
These look like some interesting titles. I’ll be anxiously awaiting your verdict on The Song of the Lark; I read A Lost Lady awhile back and enjoyed her writings style although I wasn’t as enthusiastic on the story. I’d also like to hear your opinion of Miss Marjoribanks; I found Oliphant to be really funny, but the main character grated on me. I hope you enjoy the books!
I’ll look forward to report back on these. I’ve just started The Song of the Lark and am loving it so far. I haven’t read any Oliphant though and am not quite sure what to expect!
I completely love your loot! 🙂 Looks like you raided the Angela Thirkell shelf. I’ve only read one Elizabeth Taylor but I loved it, so I hope you’ll fall for her as well. And Mirror mirror looks great!
I can’t wait for Monday, got two Viragos from the library and have to restrain myself 🙂
I did that to my dad once as well, but then I more or less dumped him in the computer books aisle, so he was fine.
Raid it I did, though I showed restraint and left a few Thirkell titles behind.
Glad to hear you’re participating in Virago Reading Week too! I’ll look forward to seeing what titles you’ve picked and what you think of them!
I had not seen that particular illustrated version of the On the Origin’s of Species. Might have to track it down.
I’ve heard good things and the idea seemed too novel not to want to see it for myself.
How nice of your dad! I ended up back in Calgary today as Thomas had a doctor’s appointment there and of course took myself off to the library. They don’t have many Angela Thirkell books though, I checked. That Mirror, Mirror book sounds fascinating, although looking at it on amazon, I think I’ve got the A.S. Byatt essay (Ice, Snow, Glass) from it in another book of hers today, On Histories and Stories.
Glad you got to visit the library – I’m sure that’s something you’ve been missing out at your little cottage!
What a sweet anecdote regarding your non-reader father toting your basket of books throughout your library. 🙂
I think all that loot will keep you quite busy! Your non-fiction selections look particularly interesting! Enjoy!
Yes, I have him well trained, don’t I?
I’m excited about all my loot but particularly the non-fiction!
Those books look lovely! I haven’t had a good browse in ages; since I usually take at least four kids with me I tend to use a lot of holds so I can bail if things get rough.
That doesn’t stop me from having lots of stuff out, though. I doubt anything could.
I love the convenience of holds but since I’m now in a library system that only allows you 50 free ones per year (tragic, is it not?) I foresee many more trips like this one!
I’m anxious to hear your review of the Willa Cather novel. I’ve heard good things about Cather but I read Death to the Archbishop and was not impressed. I’m also curious about the Origen of the Species book. I know it says graphic adaptation but is it really full of pictures?
Yes, the Darwin book really is full of pictures! I had a quick flip through when i first picked it up and it looks lovely.
I haven’t read Death Comes for the Archibishop but I’ve loved Cather’s prairie novels – loved, loved, loved them!
I have now added most of these books to my tbr list! You have found some really intriguing ones.
Thanks Ruth! I love introducing people to books they might not otherwise have heard of!