One of the best things about travelling around the UK is having the chance to visit different secondhand bookshops, not that there are that many of them left nowadays mind you. However, I did manage to buy eleven books on our recent trip to the Lake District, Derbyshire and Peterborough.
My first purchase was in Penrith:
The Star Spangled Manner by Beverley Nichols – first published in 1928 but my copy is from 1937. It’s obviously his thoughts on America, a place he travelled in extensively. It’s a very nice and clean copy in fact I think it might never have been read.
At the same place I found:
The Sea for Breakfast and The Loud Halo – both by Lilian Beckwith. I’ve never read anything by her, but her books were very popular when I worked in libraries yonks ago. Again the books are in great condition, I love the covers.
Two Persephones were my next purchases – from the great bookshop in Buxton. I could spend all day in there but the old books are a bit pricey. These reprints were very reasonable though:
Gardener’s Nightcap by Muriel Stuart
Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple
Somewhere, I can’t remember where, I bought Voices in the Wind by Evelyn Anthony. I used to read her books back in the 1970s but this one was published in 1985.
I bought a few books aimed at children: Pigeon Post by Arthur Ransom, Flight of the Grey Goose by Victor Canning and The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks.
Over the Mountains by Pamela Frankau turns out to be the last in a trilogy, so I’ll have to track down the first two.
The last two are non-fiction:
The Blessings of a Good Thick Skirt by Mary Russell which is about women travellers and their world.
Lastly I bought a nice old copy of In Search of England by H.V. Morton This book has been reprinted a lot since it was first published in 1927 but my copy is from 1943 – complete with dust jacket.
Not a bad haul I think. Have you read any of these books?
I recently bought a copy of In Search of England, after Jennifer at Holds on Happiness wrote about it- but I’ve yet to read it.
I hope you both enjoy it when you get around to reading it. I recently bought another book by Morton. I can’t remember the title but it is a reprint with all kinds of gorgeous photos.
Jennifer,
It was you (and Joan) who prompted me to buy this one. I did see a paperback copy just after your blogpost but it was £30 – crazy money. I got the hardback for £2 I think. I feel a collection coming on!
Lisa,
I’ve known about the books for years but it was Jennifer and then Joan’s mentions of the books that made me buy this one too.
I’m so jealous! What a great stack of books! I’ve just finished my third Dorothy Whipple and will definitely be reading more. I love Lilian Beckwith and have read four of hers. I remember laughing out loud over at least one of the, A Rope In Case, I think. I’m pretty sure I have a gardening book by Mary Russell, but I can’t lay my hands on it at the moment. Your books will certainly keep you occupied in the weeks to come!
Joan,
I’ve enjoyed a couple of Whipple’s books, but I’ve been managing to pick up old copies. The Persephone is very nice though and has better print of course. I’m almost hoping for a snowy winter so I can just hibernate with my books!
Hi Katrina,
Yes! A snowy winter so I can trek all over the wilderness on snowshoes, going wherever I choose. Sounds good to me.
I read a number of Evelyn Anthony’s books–in the early to mid-1970s, and I think the late 1960s. Enjoyed them, but for some reason I can’t recall a single title.
The Indian in the Cupboard is the first in a series of four books for children. They were very, very popular here in the 1980s and early 1990s. The children I taught just ate them up, but for some reason I never read one, which surprises me, because I read loads and loads of children’s books at that time, and later, too.
Judith,
Oh so I have more books to track down then, if I enjoy reading the first one. I’ve read her books for adults and loved them.
Definitely have read and still have and enjoy Pigeon Post;
have seen the film of The Indian in the Cupboard, which mightn’t really count!
pretty sure I had In Search of England but have relinquished it. I remember the jacket having the same design as your copy.
PS – Books by Victor Canning are quite readable, hope you enjoy that one.
Valerie,
I’m sure that my Dad read Canning’s books back in the 1970s.
Mine also 🙂
Valerie,
I’ve read at least one of Arthur Ransome’s books but I hadn’t realised until last week that they were inspired by Lake Windermere and Coniston Water. I get annoyed by all the books that I gave away, thinking I wouldn’t read them again. I wish I still had my Gavin Maxwell books.
I have loved the Arthur Ransome books for years and re-read them often, they are memorably well-written in my opinion.