Oh, Portland. I never do justice to you on my visits. I rush through, always on my way somewhere or another, spending only a few hours roaming your streets, admiring your buildings, and taking note of all the amazing-looking restaurants I want to visit next time I am in town. It is a shame but at least I get these quick glimpses and am reminded that one day I need to come back and stay for more than a night or two.
What never gets missed from any visit to Portland, however quick, is a trip to Powell’s, the massive new and used bookstore that for many years was the only reason Portland was on my radar at all. Powell’s is extraordinary and overwhelming and I still haven’t completely got the layout figured out but I love it there. When I visited last Friday enroute to California, I only stayed for half an hour but it was a productive half hour! Here is what I came out with:
Ayala’s Angel by Anthony Trollope – I tried to read my library’s copy of this but, even to my young eyes, the print was painfully small. I have it on my e-reader but, when it comes to Trollope, I feel much better having both digital and hard copies of his books.
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day by Winifred Watson – this is the first time I have ever come across a Persephone in a used bookstore in North America and, delightfully, it was one I did not own (though I have read it).
The Sunny Side by A.A. Milne – a collection of Milne’s writings for Punch (and, after seeing my reviews for Once a Week and The Day’s Play, you know how much I love his work from this period).
Two People by A.A. Milne – an AAM book I haven’t yet read!
The Adventures of Elizabeth in Rügen by Elizabeth von Arnim – I read this as an e-book last year and am happy to now have my own hard copy.
Love by Elizabeth von Arnim – von Arnim’s novel of a romance between a middle-aged widow and a younger man.
Sea Room by Adam Nicolson – I have been wanting to buy this for years but have always found a reason not to. Now, finally, I have my own copy.
A good half-hour’s work, I think, and, more importantly, a small enough pile that I’ll easily be able to transport them back to Vancouver with me when I fly home later this month. If I hadn’t had the logistics of transportation to consider, who knows what kind of damage I might have done.
The Captive Reader 
Envious! I’ve always wanted to go to Powell’s! Now did you go in armed with a list or was it just serendipitous browsing?
What a good job there is an ocean and a continent between that bookstore and me. Half an hour would be enough to empty my bank account. I’m going green with envy over here.
What lovely AAM editions! I wasn’t much fussed by Two People the first time I read it, but on a re-read I thought it was very good indeed.
I haven’t been able to get to Powells the last couple of times I’ve visited Portland – I miss it! especially since I have new authors to look for there. I have Sea Room on the TBR stacks already – and Elizabeth in Rugen, and Ayala’s Angel as well.
You were in my hometown!
An excellent haul, particularly with your time constraints.
Though I try to think of transportation logistics when I purchase books away from home, I never fail to overbuy, thus forcing me to leave books behind. 😦
Fortunately, a friend is looking after them for me, so my suitcase on the return journey from my next trip to England will be very heavy indeed. Times such as these make me fervently wish for a magical Mary Poppins bag.
How exciting! Powell’s is on my dream list. Whenever dh has to go to Oregon on business, we always send him with a shopping list — and instructions to ship them home if he has good luck (much cheaper than paying the airline fee). He always feels a little under pressure since everybody always has a list ready. 😉 I have that copy of The Sunny Side sitting on my TBR – the only other AAM adult book I’ve ever found here is The Red House Mystery. You have me looking forward to this one – I’ve been waiting for summer so I can savor it.
Happy Reading!
Fabulous books to walk away with! I’m jealous – I’ve never found a Persephone fiction novel in a used bookstore, though oddly, twice in succession (in two completely different cities!) I came across kitchen memoirs, which I wasn’t terribly interested in. I was in Portland for the first time and managed a trip to Powell’s. It’s such a magical place!
Lovely books! I’d love to find Elizabeth von Arnim and Persephone books in the wild. I think I might have to sternly tell myself not to buy them if I ever came across them and I already owned them, I would be so excited! I haven’t read Love by von Arnim. Very interested in your thoughts! (I’m thinking I might have it as an ebook version?)