Monday 25 May 2009

Thou Shalt Covet Books



My first commandment: thou shalt read books
My second commandment: thou shalt covet books
My third commandment: thou shalt have books


What better way to blog on a dreary Bank Holiday Monday than to blog about the books I covet. I have read a number of book coveting posts this month that contribute to Debi's mini-challenge in honour of Dewey and I thought I would contribute.

My book eyes being bigger than my book stomach I am continually coveting new books to read and my wants and desires are eclectic and wide-ranging. For the purpose of the post I took the books most recently added to my Amazon wishlist, along with the first three books that I am desperate to own.

1. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters: I am literally counting down the days (THREE) until this is released in the UK. I am jumping up and down with anticipation. Thanks to Littlebrown's Sarah Waters website I have had a sneak read of the first two chapters and I am impatient to read the remainder. I have splurged and pre-ordered a copy and I only hope that it arrives on time.

2. The Thing Around Your Neck, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: I have mentioned in a previous post how much I am looking forward to reading this title; I have requested it from the library but am fifth in line so should expect it some time close to Christmas. I really should own it in hardback as I own Adichie's previous titles in that format.

3. Journal by Katherine Mansfield: I am itching to puchase the title. I have been obsessed with Katherine Mansfield recently (which reminds me I have an unfinished blog post concerning her) after re-reading some of her short stories and remembering how much I loved her writing. This is the title from Persephone Books that I most covet.

4. The Gourmet by Muriel Barbery: the follow-up (not a prequel per se, more a side-by-side?) to The Elegance of the Hedgehog this book isn't released until Autumn but my book taste-buds are salivating in anticipation - an appropriate yet unintentional desciption as it concerns a food critic.

5. The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White: the advantage of taking these directly from my wishlist is that it demonstrates my book likes in all their versatility. This timeless manual for writing is the one I am most wanting to invest in.

6. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson: Another one that isn't being released until later in the year (by Penguin Modern Classics,) I have been coveting this book for a while but it has been out of print. I don't know much about it and would like it to stay that way until read.

7. Mixed Media: Feminist Presses and Publishing Politics by Simone Murray: Simon reviewed this title recently and I was immediately interested. The Virago section alone is enough to peak my interest although I was disappointed to discover that Persephone isn't included.

8. Moomin: the Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip: I loved the Moomins as a child and I would love to own the four-piece hardback collection. How lovely would they look on the shelf with the other comics and graphic novels?

9. The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook: Cupcakes, enough said. I covet a visit to this bakery on Portobello Road.

10. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Volume 3: Wolves at the Gate: Volumes 4 and 5 are also on the wishlist so I can read Season 8 of the cult TV show (and personal favourite) in graphic novel form.

11. Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson: Another Persephone and another I covet. The synopsis amuses me.

12. Captivated: J.M. Barrie, the Du Mauriers and the Dark Side of Neverland by Piers Dudgeon: I cannot articulate how much I covet this book. J.M. Barrie? Daphne Du Maurier? I've been wanting this book for six months, since reading Daphne by Justine Picardie.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm looking forward to reading We have always lived in a castle too!

I enjoyed The Little Stranger and The Thing Around Your Neck too. If you'd like to avoid the wait for Adichie's book then you can find almost all of the stories online.

Paperback Reader said...

Thank you for your comment.


I think I may resort to reading the Adichie stories online. I managed to do it for one of them and reviewed it here:

http://paperbackreader2.blogspot.com/2009/03/private-experience.html

I'm not sure why Why We Have Always Lived in the Castle appeals to me so much but it really does... I'm intrigued and I have read positive blog reviews in the past.

Ana S. said...

We Have Always Lived in the Castle is AWESOME. And don't worry, that's all I'm going to say, because yes, the least you know the better.

Mixed Media and Captivated sound really good too. And I have never read any Adichie. Clearly I need to change that.

Paperback Reader said...

Ana, that edition of We Have Always Lived in the Castle is being published in October so I can see myself reading it for Carl's RIP challenge.

verity said...

I have just stumbled on your blog, and love your posts about library loot and your eyes being bigger than your stomach! I have the same problem - I have over 50 books of my own waiting to be read, and about 20 library books (I sneakily have my partner's card too), and I still pop into the library ever few days!
We like some of the same books too - I'm a big Persephone fan - but I have to say I was disappointed by the latest Sarah Waters...

Paperback Reader said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Paperback Reader said...

Thank you, Verity! I'm glad that you stumbled upon my blog.

I have HUNDREDS of books of my own still to read (I am not exaggerating...) and yet I still have the huge pile of library books. My problem is that I become too distracted by the idea of a particular book and HAVE to read it and then by the time my hands are on it my attention has usually been taken up by something else! At least attempting to borrow these whims from the library allows me to make a dent upon my own collection rather than adding to it.

I am sad to hear of your disappointment in the new Sarah Waters; it is being shipped to me as we speak. I was disappointed by The Night Watch and yet I am hopeful about this one but I am doubtful that it could possibly live up to the anticipation that I myself have created ...

verity said...

You're right, being distracted by a particular book is a big problem isn't it! Then they arrive, but you've moved onto something else *sigh*
Hopefully you'll post about Little Stranger. If you were disappointed by the Night Watch, my money is on you being even more disappointed by this one.

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

I haven't read any of these books, but I just picked up another one by Waters (Fingersmith). I've heard great things about We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

Paperback Reader said...

Trish, thanks for stopping by!

I heartily recommend Fingersmith; it's a fabulous book!

StuckInABook said...

I didn't know We Have Always Lived in the Castle is being published in Penguin Modern Classics, how wonderful!

Paperback Reader said...

Yes, I am incredibly excited about that! Great cover too.

Paperback Reader said...

I have just seen that a few Shirley Jackson novels are being released as Penguins on the same date (October 1st), including The Haunting of Hill House. I now know how I'll be spending my Hallowe'en this year.