Tuesday 8 December 2009

On Saturday it was the school Christmas Fair. Had done my bit making lop-sided biscuits and cakes with wonky chocolate icing slapped on at top speed when my son mentioned (rather belatedly) that he had to be at school at 12 o'clock in order to perform carols with the rest of the choir. Chocolate cake looked seriously deformed but may just have tasted okay.

Anyway, there was a very large bookstall where I spent a happy 45 minutes before my own volunteering stint clearing tables and washing up. First find was a Virago edition of Angel by Elizabeth Taylor which I clutched (appropriately enough) while listening to the choirboys singing The First Nowell. Also found: Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler (which I think I have read before), Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thurbron and a lovely emerald-green hardback of After Julius by Elizabeth Jane Howard, a much under-rated writer. Also, SS-GB by Len Deighton, simply because I love his spy fiction. Well, I love any spy fiction really .

The Good Companion picked up a Charles Handy book, The Empty Raincoat, and said, 'Oh, I remember this, it's good, I wouldn't mind reading this again. Haven't we got a copy?'

'That is our copy,' I muttered, out of the side of my mouth, and smiled ingratiatingly.

'Ah.'


'Shall I buy it back for you? It's only 20p, I think I can manage it.'

'No, no, it's okay.'

After that, the afternoon became a case of spot the give-away.

'And is this ours? And was this ours? ... And this?'



Well, I have to clear the shelves and donate in order to make room for new stuff, don't I?

3 comments:

  1. Very funny about finding your own book. That happened to me at a house we stayed at in Tuscany. The second time we were there I was going throught he house library and spotted a Willa Cather, and said "ooh, Cather". Only to open it up and see my name and the date (two years earlier) in the front cover.

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  2. It was the Christmas Bazaar at the school where I work last Sat too. I had donated various surplus unguents to the 'Bottle-bola'. Guess what I won! Don't think I've ever managed to buy my own book back though - although there are some I've regretted giving away ...

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  3. Gee, what a coincidence finding your own book. What fabulous finds! I've been keeping my eye out for Angel by E.Taylor but haven't found one yet.

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