Someone asked what we bought in the Jaffe and Neale /Chipping Norton Bookshop.. I should say, I also bought 4 books in the Sue Ryder charity shop for the grand total of £4 and in W.H.Smith`s cut price bookshop, the second vol of diaries of Piers Morgan, DON`T YOU KNOW WHO I AM ? (scandalous goss. great fun.) and the new Lee Child, BAD LUCK AND TROUBLE for my son-in-law`s birthday. It was a serious book buying morning. In the proper bookshop, the ED, who is a serious cook, wheedled Claudia Roden`s latest, ARABESQUE. A TASTE OF MOROCCO, TURKEY AND LEBANON ...Not only does she make wonderful dishes, Claudia is one of our top people after she was so utterly charming in her contributions to Jessica`s book HEROINES... and neither Jess nor I even know her. She could not have been more anxious to please and to get it right. We love you, Claudia.
It was a real joy to find new and very nicely jacketed editions of that fine novelist J.G. Farrell`s novels. Jim Farrell was one of the greatest writers of his generation and a separate blog devoted to him and his work is upcoming. My old copies are either lost or badly battered from many readings, so I bought TROUBLES and THE SIEGE OF KRISHNAPUR Phoenix Books have done a really terrific job with the new look of all Jim`s novels which I could not recommend more warmly.
The ED bought a collection of essays by Marian Keyes called FURTHER UNDER THE DUVET, about which I know nothing but am told I should, and Eva Rice`s novel THE LOST ART OF KEEPING SECRETS, which is said to be Nancy Mitford-esque and therefore I will bag it later.
The Younger Daughter and I have a running joke about Our Leader and the Mighty US President and 'Yo Blair' so when I saw a small book called YO BLAIR which, in case you wondered, is a serious study and sub-titled, TONY BLAIR`S DISASATROUS PREMIERSHIP by the excellent journalist Geoffrey Wheatcroft. The YD snatched it up and bore it off to her lair full of political tomes, muttering 'Yesss.'
The ED slid the latest Penny Vincenzi into the bag - it`s called, AN ABSOLUTE SCANDAL and Penny is a lovely woman who writes the sort of books I just never read so ignore me.
Next came the new Ian McEwan, ON CHESIL BEACH because it is not possible NOT to buy a book by Ian and I will report, then OLD GORIOT by Balzac because I decided it was high time I read or re-read some of the French classics and my French is no longer up to it, has to be a translation.
The piles are added to the other piles balanced precariously on tables and floors and windowseats all around the house. The sun is shining and the RAYMOND CHANDLER. FAREWELL MY LOVELY Penguin Deckchair awaits.
