Thanks, as always, to Elle for her participation, and to Marcie for sharing some of her latest library borrowing on Twitter – I mean X. (Can’t get used to that change.)
Thanks also to Jana for posting about the books she has out, and what is new for the autumn at the library where she works.
I’ve been stocking up on books for upcoming challenges and buddy reads (R.I.P., 1962 Club, L.M. Montgomery readalong, Margaret Atwood Reading Month, etc.), with a big novella stack to be borrowed later in the week.
My reading and borrowing since last time:
READ
- The Three Graces by Amanda Craig
- Uncle Paul by Celia Fremlin
- Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
SKIMMED
- Wild Fell by Lee Schofield
CURRENTLY READING
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
- The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
- The Seaside by Madeleine Bunting
- Penance by Eliza Clark
- The Year of the Cat by Rhiannon Lucy Coslett
- By the Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah (for book club)
- Reproduction by Louisa Hall
- Weyward by Emilia Hart
- Findings by Kathleen Jamie (a re-read)
- Milk by Alice Kinsella
CHECKED OUT, TO BE READ
University library stack at left.
RETURNED UNREAD
- The Fascination by Essie Fox – Turns out the gorgeous sprayed edges were not enough to get me to read this (the bottom book pictured below is Weyward).
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’ll be interested to see what you think of the Gurnah as he’s in my sights but I don’t know what his books are like as such.
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It’s really beautifully written — like Nabokov, he writes exquisitely even in what is not his first language. And it’s a very affecting story about a refugee in the UK in the early 2000s, just as relevant now and as wry as it is poignant.
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Great to see your book club is reading By the Sea. Lots to discuss there.
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Yes, it should be a good one for discussion. One of our members works for a neighbouring council and was telling me about a hotel where they house asylum seekers — now doubling its capacity, but with no local services.
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It’s desperate, and so much worse since Brexit. The Home Office needs a massive overhaul. Better yet, rip it down and start again.
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Time for some basic human compassion from governments.
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Ah, I see it’s featured in your book!
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It is!
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As ever, your list of books quite simply makes me feel a pale failure 😦
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I’m always borrowing many more than I actually get to read! I’m sure you’ve been reading some great stuff lately. You always seem to pick reads that suit you.
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I’m getting good at it. Good covers help 😉
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Ooh—Penance is on my list (to-buy or to-reserve-from-library, availability depending). I’ll be keen to see what you think of it!
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I’m a quarter of the way through and it’s great — really compulsive stuff, with an epistolary true crime framework but a lot about teen girl and family dynamics and a dying seaside town.
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Oh fantastic! Aaahh I can’t wait.
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I found Milk interesting.
Haven’t got anything on loan at the moment although have put some novellas on hold in readiness for November 🙂
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I’m really enjoying Milk, though I think it’s a bit indulgently overlong and unfocused — an editor could have done her a real service in shortening and tightening the text.
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What’s the Everyman’s Edition on the bottom of the uni stack? I love the decorated edges so it’s too bad that wasn’t convincing for you in the end! (But I suppose from an environmental perspective that’s not great anyway.) Thanks for sharing my effort to participate; I am certainly ever-grateful for the libraries that help keep my stacks fresh. (And isn’t 1962 a great year? Sheesh.)
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Very good question! I’d meant to caption it: Pale Fire by Nabokov, the one book I’ll attempt for 1962 Club.
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I love those sprayed edges, but sadly beautiful outsides do not always promise great reading.
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Too true! That sometimes goes for covers as well.
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I absolutely love the Sherman Alexie… leaving aside his personal failings, that book is so good. I listened to the audiobook and it was terrific. I think my son would enjoy it too, I need to remember that one for him.
Weyward is on my TBR list.
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I’m loving the Alexie. So sweet and funny, a real teen classic. I’m actually planning a post on a few cancelled authors I’m trying…
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