Bookshelf Travelling in Insane Times is a meme which was started by Judith at Reader in the Wilderness.
It must be at least twenty – maybe even thirty years since I stumbled across Elizabeth von Arnim, not that I knew the name but I found a small copy of Elizabeth and Her German Garden which didn’t even have an author’s name on it. I loved it so much that when I did discover who wrote the book I started to collect everything else that she had written.
Some of Elizabeth von Arnim’s books are available free from Project Gutenberg here.
The other books on this shelf are by Lawrence Durrell, I think I read some of his books back in the 1970s, gave them away and then bought these ones again but so far I haven’t got around to reading these ones, now I’m not even sure that I read any of them although I definitely did read books by his brother Gerald.
The Edna Ferber books I read some years ago. I enjoyed them both but particularly Show Boat and that edition is particularly stylish I think as it’s a facsimile of the original 1926 book. Some of her books are available on Project Gutenberg too. I remember I enjoyed reading Roast Beef, Medium it’s a collection of short stories. You can download them here.
What a gorgeous collection of Elizabeth von Arnim’s books. I am deeply envious. I am happy to see Edna Ferber on the shelf. I just reread So Big a week or so ago.
Jennifer,
I was really lucky and got several of them really cheaply in an English charity shop during one of our UK road trips. I want to read more by Edna Ferber.
I’ve only read one book by Elizabeth von Arnim and really enjoyed it. I haven’t come across any in years, but I’m delighted to know that they are available via Project Gutenberg.
Paula,
They don’t have all of her books but it’s nice that some are available free anyway.
You have such beautiful old books!
Joan,
I much prefer the old ones to the modern reprints, not that all of them have been reprinted.
I am not sure about von Arnim, but I definitely want to try some books by both Lawrence and Gerald Durell. Also Edna Ferber, and I have a couple of her books, Giant and Show Boat. Not nice copies like your, though.
tracybham,
I definitely want to read Ferber’s Giant, I should just order it online as there’s almost zero chance of getting it otherwise.
Oh yes, Edna Ferber. In my teenage/early 20s years (1965-1975) I read as many as I could get my hands on. Big sweeping Americana novels, I believe. My library had them all, in original editions, I’m sure. Along with Frances Parkinson Keyes. Well, I don’t think I’ve thought of either of them in years, except in passing.
I think I’ll go take a look on line for some vintage cover art, just for a dose of nostalgia.
Susan D,
I prefer to get my old books from secondhand bookshops, mainly in Edinburgh or St Andrews but Edna Ferber doesn’t appear often so I think I will have to resort to the internet for more of them. I’m pretty sure I read some Frances Parkinson Keyes when I first worked in a library in the mid 1970s. I hope you enjoyed your vintage cover art stroll back to the past.