Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Sharlene from Real Life Reading 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.
With just about two weeks left in 2020 (hurrah and good riddance!), I am stocking up on books for the holidays. I’m not taking too much time off – just three working days – but the way the holidays and weekends align means I’ll have a lovely 10 and a half days without work. With no entertaining pressures this year (no socialising outside of your household where I live), that leaves a lot of time to fill with books and walks. Sounds perfect!
A Bite of the Apple by Lennie Goodings – the much-read memoir about the founding of Virago Press. The Guardian described it as an “essential literary memoir” and everything I’ve heard from other readers has been enthusiastic.
Love and Freedom by Rosemary Kavan – A memoir of the sinister early years of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia by an Englishwoman married to a Czech. This complements the extraordinary memoir, Under a Cruel Star by Heda Margolius Kovály, as both women’s husbands were persecuted during the show trials of the early 1950s.
Outpost by Dan Richards – a journey around the world in search of remote retreats.
Book by Book by Michael Dirda – Subtitled “notes on reading and life”, I’m so looking forward to this. I loved Browsings by Dirda and think he is one of the best writers about books and the joys of reading.
Perfume from Provence by Winifred Fortescue – a 1930s best-seller about moving to France.
The Pattern in the Carpet by Margaret Drabble – Last Christmas we pulled out some old jigsaw puzzles for the first time in years and since then have been unstoppable. Drabble has been a more constant of lover of puzzles and here looks back on her life-long enjoyment of them.
Rachel to the Rescue by Elinor Lipman – a new book from Lipman! A political satire/romantic comedy for the Trump era seems ambitious but I trust Lipman to always be entertaining.
Better Luck Next Time by Kate Hilton – Not a winner. I’d heard this mentioned as a family story about the children of an activist icon and their cousins but, belatedly, also saw it advertised as a divorce romantic comedy. It didn’t succeed as either for me but it was one of those quick books that I kept reading, willing it to get better and reward my attention. It didn’t.
Swiss Watching by Diccon Bewes – I can’t go and observe the Swiss in person (*sob*) so I might as well read Bewes’ take on them.
What did you pick up this week?
What a lovely mixture, thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
A Bite of the Apple is as good as everyone says! And Love and Freedom sounds excellent!
I’m so intrigued to start A Bite of the Apple, even more so now that I know it has your endorsement.
Ooh Ooh! I have been looking forward to A Bite of the Apple!! Nothing for me this week, but I did fill my holds list back up, so…. coming attractions.
The promise of things to come is always intriguing. Can’t wait to see what you’re getting!
I agree with your assessment of Dirda’s books. I so enjoy his enthusiasm and how broad-ranging his reading is. I’ve added A Bite of the Apple to my list of books I absolutely must read. I’m sure I will get to it one of these days.
The “must” read list is always a challenge, isn’t it? I have a few hundred things I “must” read and maybe one day I even will!
Thanks. I’ll check out Elinor Lipman’s new book asap.
It sounds ridiculously quirky; I’m not sure I’d trust any author other than Lipman to attempt it.
Oh I am so boring! I currently only have one from the library, A Dark So Deadly by Stuart MacBride. Happy reading. ❤📚
One sounds nice and manageable! I’m losing track of library return dates (thank goodness for online portals) with 60+ items checked out right now (not just books, thankfully).
So glad I found your blog. You have introduced me to Margery Sharp and I’ve further explored D B Stevenson. Am putting A Bite of the Aplle on my Christmas list. Merry Christmas to you and your readers.x
It’s lovely to hear from you, Julia. Merry Christmas to you as well.
Just whipped over to my library’s catalogue and we actually have a copy of ‘A Bite of the Apple’…my eyes went wide with shock, Claire. Your library is better stocked, I find, but every once in awhile mine comes through. Hold placed….result!
Victory! That is wonderful news as this seems like a book that is perfect for you.
[…] when it comes to books about Europe. (As well as the Interwar Period.) Last December in one of her Library Loot posts she mentioned Swiss Watching: Inside the Land of Milk and Money by Diccon Bewes. Needing […]