Edited: Belatedly adding in links to this month’s posts by Eleanor and Marcie, with a huge thank you for participating!
And here’s my haul from today. A few short story collections there because in September I always try to focus a bit more on stories.
Naomi has also been reading a lot from her local libraries, and Laura stocked up before heading out on holiday:
Normally my library system would be busily buying up the Booker Prize longlist, the Wainwright Prize shortlists, and big-name upcoming releases by the likes of John Irving and Ian McEwan. I have a file on my desktop with a list of 29 author names I periodically check for, as any on-order titles from them will show up at the top of the results. But there’s been a huge slowdown on acquisitions, and I know exactly why: the librarian who orders and processes new books experienced a family tragedy this summer and has been on compassionate leave for a while already. Were I not a library volunteer who also vaguely knows her socially, I’d have no idea and might be simmering with impatience right now. Instead, I’ll be patient, read what I already have out, and address my review book backlog.
Since last month…
READ
- Where the Wildflowers Grow by Leif Bersweden
- Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding (for book club)
- My Life in Houses by Margaret Forster
- Black Narcissus by Rumer Godden
- Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
- The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
- From the Hedgerows by Lew Lewis
- The Last Wild Horses by Maja Lunde
- Golden Boys by Phil Stamper
- The False Rose by Jakob Wegelius
Also a children’s book I spotted while shelving – who knew it existed?!
- River Rose and the Magical Lullaby by Kelly Clarkson; illus. Laura Hughes
CURRENTLY READING
- Brief Lives by Anita Brookner (for book club)
- Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnet
- Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
- State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (a reread)
- Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout
- The Young Accomplice by Benjamin Wood
A few of these are from the Booker Prize longlist, in advance of the shortlist announcement on 6 September.
And from the university library:
- Summer by Edith Wharton
Still lots around that I’ve borrowed and not gotten into yet:
And various new releases on hold or awaiting me on the reservation shelf.
What have you been reading or reviewing from the library recently?
Share a link to your own post in the comments. Feel free to use the above image. The hashtag is #LoveYourLibrary.
Bookish Beck = Rebecca Foster. American transplant to England. Freelance proofreader and book reviewer.
Bookish Beck 
I spotted Melissa Banks’ The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing in Laura’s pile. I was so sorry to hear Banks had died. The Girls’ Guide… was the book that converted me to linked short stories. A sad loss.
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I have totally missed out on that one. I probably judged it by the title and assumed that it would be schmaltzy like The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. I’ll have to find a secondhand copy my next time in the States. I adore linked short stories!
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It was published over twenty years ago, I think. I read The Divine Secrets…, too, succumbing to the hype.
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I’ve had a poor month, library wise, hence no post. But your reading stamina goes from strength to strength!
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Has your library been busy with children visiting? It’s been manic during some of my shifts! With the children’s section, especially, looking like a cyclone hit it.
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I’ve been away such a lot I’ve not been in much, let alone volunteered. But I gather it’s been super-busy with the reading challenge which is always well-promoted and enjoyed here. Lots of young readers in the making!
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Yes, the reading challenge has been very popular. It makes me slightly sad that children aren’t expected to visit the library or read much outside of the summer holidays. But anything that gets them reading is a good thing.
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How are you liking Oh! William? I recently read it and liked it. I still need to write and post my review of it. It is more on the introspective side and definitely character driven; both of which I like in books. 🙂
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I liked it well enough, but not as much as My Name Is Lucy Barton (the only other one of that series I’d read). The writing style annoyed me this time even though I appreciated the psychological insights.
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I enjoyed My Name is Lucy Barton as well. Like you, I have only read these two books. But I have Anything is Possible on my shelf. I actually found Olive…Again on a discount table at a local store yesterday and bought it. (I’m thinking it’s not part of the Lucy Barton series though, is it?) 🙂
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Olive, Again is the sequel to Olive Kitteridge, and my favorite from Strout thus far!
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It’s a shame that the librarian you know doesn’t have someone else to help her with ordering and processing new titles! At least you do have a lengthy backlist to dive into. I am always checking out from the library but have been doing a good job of reading my own books with 15 Books of Summer. I hope I can keep that up in the Fall!
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As a volunteer I’ve never known precisely who has what job title, etc., so there may be other people who work in acquisitions, but I think she is the only person who does it full time, so it’s one area that has definitely suffered. Her teenage son committed suicide over the summer, so I can understand it’s going to take her a long time to feel up to coming back to work, if ever.
It’s always a tough balance, reading from my own shelves but also getting to the library books and review copies. Next summer I’m going to choose my 20 Books purely from my own shelves.
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Oh God, that’s so horrible. A parent’s worst nightmare. I’m so sorry for her.
That is a good strategy for next summer’s 20 Books.
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I keep checking my library system in the hopes that the new Maggie O’Farrell novel will come through in time for me to read it before I see her at a local event. I’m number 9 on the hold list so somehow I don’t think its going to happen.
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I’m currently 3 out of 16 holds for the new O’Farrell! How nice that you’ll get to see her live. I saw her speak back in 2013 when she was touring Instructions for a Heatwave.
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To be fair our library service does a great job of outreach and contact with local primary schools and we have decent numbers throughout the year. Of course things could always be better, but some room for optimism here!
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I joined a zoom call when she was at Hay (I think it was that festival) and talking about how many attempts she had to write Hamnet. A very interesting speaker so I’m looking forward to seeing her in the flesh
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I went to the virtual book launch for Hamnet on Twitter and enjoyed hearing her speak about it.
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I have been a bit slack with posing library books recently because of other stuff (!!!) but did pick up three at the weekend
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That you’re managing to read at all is a marvel. I hope you’ve found some good stuff that’s taken your mind off things a bit.
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Thanks, Rebecca. It is a much-needed distraction.
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Thanks for adding my link, Rebecca!
I have way too many library books coming in right now, considering all the other reading I want to do, but so many good books are coming out. And the Giller longlist comes out tomorrow!
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