Thursday, May 21, 2015

Thursday Bookshelf - A

After unveiling my new bookcases last week, Rose & Lory asked for some close-up photos of the contents. I've also been inspired by Sue, who blogs at My Quiet Life in Suffolk. She posted pictures of all her bookshelves earlier this year & it prompted memories & stories of where she bought the books & when she read them. I'm sure many of us can remember the books we were reading at significant times of our lives when the details of what we did last Tuesday are irretrievable.

So, as a good librarian should, I'm going to begin at A & post a shelf each Thursday. (I hope the pictures are big enough for you to read the titles. I didn't want to make them any bigger because the page then takes too long to load).


I read this copy of By the Sword Divided by John Adair many years before I finally saw the TV series that was partly based on the book. Among Friends was my school reader. My favourite story was about two children who get to know an old lady living in a tumbledown house. They'd always thought she was a witch but, when she lets them pick the peaches from her tree & gives them lemonade, they become friends. I love it because it's set at Christmas, a hot Australian Christmas. I could always smell the warm peaches as I read. I don't read a lot of Australian history but Robyn Annear's books are always well-written & enjoyable. Bearbrass was one of the early names for Melbourne.


Lots of English history here. When I was a child, Mum took me into the city once a year to see an eye specialist in Collins St. There was a bookshop that I always had to go into & Dulcie M Ashdown's Ladies in Waiting was the book I always took off the shelf & coveted. I couldn't afford the book until some years later. I'm not sure how I managed to be seeing a Collins St specialist (Melbourne equivalent of Harley St) as we weren't well-off but I was & I always wanted this book which I finally bought. Theo Aronson was another favourite Royal biographer from around the same period. Also, Karen Armstrong's memoirs of being a nun & afterwards - stories about nuns have always fascinated me.


The beginning of the Austen collection,

& the end of the Austen collection. As you can see, I have no problem owning multiple copies of the same book. The Folio Society set have lovely woodcut illustrations by Joan Hassall & I am a fan of the Penguin Deluxe editions.

Another shelf next Thursday.

12 comments:

  1. Great set of photos. Keep them coming!

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    1. Thanks Martin, I think I'll enjoy a walk down memory lane. Moving my books around the other week brought back a lot of memories of buying & reading the books.

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  2. I love snooping through people's bookshelves when I'm in their house, and this way I can do it without leaving my chair. Thank you!

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    1. You;re welcome! I can see I'm going to become obsessed with walking down memory lane.

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  3. Oh Lyn, this is wonderful, thank you! It's like sitting down to a huge slice of chocolate cake with you and digging in. Would you prefer tea or coffee? :)

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    1. Strong tea, milk & no sugar please! It's always fun to look at other people's bookshelves, isn't it?

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  4. Perusing someone's bookshelves is always so much fun. Thanks for the peek.

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    1. You're welcome, Joan. We're all stickybeaks at heart, aren't we?

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  5. By the sword divided - haven't seen that for years. I loved the book, and had both that one, and the book of the television series; and lost them both when I moved house. Thank you for reminding me.

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    1. I only saw the series of BTSD about 5 years ago when a friend loaned me the DVDs. Julian Glover is one of my favourite actors so I enjoyed it very much.

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  6. Oooooh - what a great super idea you have here! Would it be ok with you if I borrowed it (with appropriate credit of course) and used it on my blog? I think it would make a fab summer project. (Love your blog, by the way. A lot of variety and new titles - bliss!)

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    1. Yes, of course, go ahead. It's interesting to really look at the books on your shelves properly & remember when you read them etc. I'm glad you enjoy the blog. I think Cowboy is gorgeous!

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