More actual books with covers and pages, obv, since, unless you've already downloaded them, it's pretty tricky to download anything without WiFi too. Ah, modern living. We are finally connected in our wonderful new home. Apparently, now the removal man, as well as the postman, knows me as "the one with all the books". Books are quite heavy, it would seem.
However, now we're all settled in, books and all. We have a shelf and a box in the living room for browsing - there were strict criteria for making it onto that shelf, and I'm pretty pleased with it. It's already doing its job - cunningly positioned next to the comfy chair, family and friends have been tempted by its bookish charms. I love coming back into the room from making tea to find someone curling up with a book. It's like living in actual Waterstones.
The conservatory holds two shelves of "books I don't want to get rid of, but don't really need people to know I own". There is a fair amount of Twilight and Philippa Gregory on it.
The dining room holds cookbooks and Bibles (of which we seem to have an inordinate number). I am not quite sure why Bibles got lumped in with the cookbooks, but I think it's probably because they fitted there).
Our bedroom has a small wood and glass bookshelf that my Great Nan bought at the Ideal Homes Show in the 50s. My Nan gave it to me when I was a student, and it has always held my comfort reading (basically The Darling Buds of May and lots of history of food.) Also a book that's been on the shelf since I was actually at uni. I was meant to read it in my first year. It's called Holy Feast and Holy Fast and is about food and control among medieval women. I am sure it's very interesting, and I really quite want to read it - I have just never quite got past the first chapter. I am wondering how many decades I can keep it on my shelf without actually finishing it.
The kids all have a bookshelf each in their bedrooms. The baby's belonged to my lovely friend, and was made for her by her Dad when she was a small girl. Just the right size to hold his favourites (although to be honest, he is only really interested in Amazing Baby Baby's Day (about 37 times a day) at the moment.
There were some territorial disputes over Tom Gates and Wimpy Kid, but they were mainly resolved through the medium of pointing out that their rooms are actually only a few metres apart, and they can, in fact, read books that are not on their shelves.
So we've all been reading some rather wonderful books. My favourite two recently have been The Child's Elephant by Rachel Campell-Johnstone, which, to my mind, should have won the Carnegie Award, and First Class by Christopher West, which is a history of Britain through it's postage stamps. Sounds unpromising but is wonderful.
Now I'm back online, I will probably mainly be reading Mumsnet. But will try and make some time for the odd book too. But probably not Holy Feast and Holy Fast...
No comments:
Post a Comment