Tuesday 30 June 2009

Library Loot


I am going to put this in writing: I will NOT request any further books from the library until I finish reading the ones that I already have. Today I had to return The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb without reading it and am most annoyed with myself; I stupidly thought I could renew it thrice, not twice. Anyway, I picked up my last batch of requests for the time-being:

Ulysses by James Joyce - this is for the reading Ulysses challenge and as my own copy is at home in Glasgow and I won't be visiting for a couple of months, I thought I would borrow a copy to see if reading it in book form was easier than in DailyLit installments. I am pleasantly surprised to find that I have read 65 pages/the first volume over the last two weeks.

The Unicorn by Iris Murdoch - I fancied reading some Iris Murdoch for the first time. I do have a copy of The Sea, the Sea but, again, it's at home with the parents.

The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald - this is a title that has been on my wish-list for some time.

The Parasites by Daphne Du Maurier - I thought it about time that I tried another book by the author of one of my all-time favourites, Rebecca.

Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd - this book has recently won the 2009 Carnegie Medal, awarded posthumously, and I am enthusiastically looking forward to reading it.

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee - looking forward to reading this for my personal challenge to read more Man Booker winners.

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín - there has been much talk about this recently amongst bloggers and a good chance it will be nominated for this year's Booker.

Now to the outstanding library loot before making a start on these.

19 comments:

verity said...

I loved The bookshop, really really good.

Most entertained that you had a library transgression whilst I had a charity shop transgression!

Paperback Reader said...

Glad to hear it - both the love of The Bookshop and the mutual transgression!

Lezlie said...

I am notorious for checking more books out of the library than I could possibly finish, even when I have a pile of them already at home. So, I can totally relate! :-) Good luck!

Lezlie

Unknown said...

That is a great library haul! I might read Disgrace in July too!

I haven't read any Iris Murdoch yet either, so am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this one.

Paperback Reader said...

Thanks, Lezlie! They are just so tempting... my problem is that there are just so many books that I both own and want to own that it will take me potentially decades to read them all. Sigh. Not enough hours in the day or enough paperback_readers to go around.

Jackie, you should! It will be interesting to compare. It may be next in line for me.

I REALLY want to like Iris Murdoch; I hope I do.

JoAnn said...

That's an ambitious stack of books - lol! I always seem to bring home more books than I can read, too. Too bad about Wally Lamb's book, maybe you can check it out another time - it was very good!

Rebecca is still the only Du Maurier book I've read. Brooklyn was excellent!

verity said...

I was thinking about Siobhan Dowd - the name rings a bell, I think I must have read something by her previously.

I've not read Iris Murdoch either, I feel I should - you'll have to let me know whether or not too. I keep meaning to watch the filn too.

Paperback Reader said...

It is ambitious, isn't it? Somewhat daunting too... especially when added to the existing five library books that I already have! My TBR list seems to be never-ending At least Ulysses is a read in progress.

I think that the Wally Lamb novel will be one that I will eventually buy so I will get around to it eventually; I was looking forward to tackling it this month.

As for Brooklyn, it was your review that prompted me to request it, amongst others! I hope I love it too.

Paperback Reader said...

Verity, the cover of one of her other novels, A Swift Pure Cry, has been tempting me for some time on Amazon but until now I hadn't made the connection that the books had one in the same author. I have a feeling I may love this book.

As for whether to read Iris Murdoch or not, I definitely will let you know. She seems like a novelist that we should read. I want to see Iris too.

Darlene said...

I'd really like to read The Bookshop one of these days. Just wondering how long your library loan period is for interests sake? Ours here is three weeks and you can renew twice.

Paperback Reader said...

Darlene, my library loan time is the same as yours, so I have theoretically nine weeks to read the six books plus the ones I already have... manageable, yes?!

Darlene said...

Manageable yes IF you don't see or hear of anything else fantastic to read in those nine weeks. So many of us have what amounts to Book Attention Deficit Disorder.

Paperback Reader said...

"Book Attention Deficit Disorder" - I like that, Darlene! I am averaging eleven books read a month this year so I have high hopes!

Dot said...

I really enjoyed The Parasites when I read it recently. Only heard good things about Brooklyn so I look forward to your review of it!

Paperback Reader said...

Dot, I red your review of it, which prompted me to request it! Hopefully I will only have good things to say about Brooklyn too.

Ana S. said...

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Bog Child.

Paperback Reader said...

Ana, I'm really looking forward to reading it and sharing what I think. It was the one book that the librarian entered into conversation with me about.

Samantha said...

I recently finished Brooklyn and I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Paperback Reader said...

Samantha, I think I'm going to read Brooklyn next so look out for my review some time next week.