Monday, August 22, 2011

Two years, a few books, and a lot of cake later


Desperate Reader is two years old today which has caused a moment’s reflection on my part. Last year I talked about what a great thing blogging has been for me, how many lovely people I’ve met, the new ideas it’s introduced me to, the cakes baked – all of which is still very much true. I’ve also read a lot of books I wouldn’t have without the self imposed discipline of sharing my thoughts about them which is probably the best thing of all (wonderful people excepted).

It’s not that I read more now than I did before but that I had fallen into a terrible habit of not finishing things. The combination of no longer being able to afford much of a social life and realising that second hand books aren’t necessarily disgustingly defiled objects impregnated with mildew, crumbs, and terrifyingly unidentifiable stains has helped me reconnect with a never very dormant passion for reading and it helps me get through the day just as it did when I was a child/misunderstood (because aren’t they all) teen.

I could wish for a more fulfilling and better remunerated job (I could even apply for one but the pay off would be to lose the security of the position I have and when I consider that it doesn’t look so bad) but however ambivalent I might feel towards my day job at the end of a particularly trying shift knowing that I can escape into a book until I’m fit company for civilised people again – well it’s rather marvellous.

If there has been a reading highlight of the last year that particularly stands out it’s finally getting round to Trollope, I’m 7 books in with dozens left to explore and though I’ve undoubtedly read better individual books I don’t think anything else has bought the same feeling of overall satisfaction or the feeling of being on the threshold of a long and satisfying relationship.

Anyway enough of that, I have fresh fruit that needs to be turned into preserved fruit before it turns itself into rotten fruit, possibly a cake to bake, defiantly a herring to deal with or my flat will stink in a way that not even a very good book will allow me to escape from, and celebratory new books to squeeze onto a shelf (somehow). I’ve been pretty sure for a while that Oxford World Classics exists just to make me happy – if further confirmation were needed it arrived today in the form of a totally unexpected book that looks both short and improving (the best kind?). Whatever saint or deity oversees the discovery of old green Virago’s smiled on me today as well when I found this little haul in an Oxfam, and I think I did okay out of Waterstone’s current 3 for 2 fiction deal at the weekend when I came away with one book I’ve wanted for a while, one I would have wanted if I knew it existed before, and a Walter Scott who may well turn out to be the new Trollope.   

21 comments:

  1. well done on two years ,all the best stu

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  2. Blimey Stu, that was quick, and thank you

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  3. Lovely post Hayley and congrats on your 2 year blog anniversary. Thanks to your latest fabulous Virago finds, I just ordered a copy of Wharton's the Fruit of the Tree!!

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  4. Congratulations! It's a wondeful blog. By the way, I love your phrase, "I’ve been pretty sure for a while that Oxford World Classics exists just to make me happy."

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  5. Happy Birthday, I hadn't realised that we share an anniversary (our second wedding). Information to share I had a great baking book as a birthday present Peyton & Bryne British Baking, is a great book, and so far lives up to the cake sold at their shop at St Pancras station. Strongly recommend both. Here's to many more books, cakes & blogging (& married life of course!) Cxx

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  6. Clover, I keep looking at that book and thinking it looks great... Happy wedding anniversary, did you go to a windmill?

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  7. Cate - thank you very much, horrible admission to have to make but I'm yet to read any Wharton despite having a lot of her books stacked up now, perhaps she will be the next new Trollope after Scott?!

    Diana, Okay it's possible they don't exist just for me, but making me happy is a significant part of what they do ;)

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  8. Congratulations on your anniversary, and on your book windfalls. Just out of curiosity, which Margaret Oliphant is that? I can't quite make out the title.

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  9. Congratulations, and many more.

    That Oliphant novel is Hester, about which I have heard good things.

    Best of luck with Scott, etc. I have written a fair amount about Scott, at least relative to book bloggers as a whole, much of it likely nonsense, but there it is.

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  10. Ooh, wonderful! I am quite impressed by that haul of Viragos. It's reassuring how many one can still find :)

    Happy blog birthday!

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  11. "I’m 7 books in with dozens left to explore and though I’ve undoubtedly read better individual books I don’t think anything else has bought the same feeling of overall satisfaction or the feeling of being on the threshold of a long and satisfying relationship"

    Hayley cannot tell you how delighted I am that you have discovered the wonderful Anthony Trollope. This is just how I feel about him.

    Also Edith Wharton - simply magnificent writer.

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  12. Congratulations on two years! I always thought of Trollope as 'dusty' until I read your blog and now I've put him on my wishlist:)

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  13. Congratulations, Hayley! I passed the two year mark back in June and it certainly feels like quite a milestone. You have intrigued me with all this Trollope talk. I see that Vintage are bringing out some pretty new editions soon...I might have to find out what all the fuss is about!

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  14. Lisa May - it is indeed Hester, and well worth a read, this is my second copy, first one will go to a charity shop now, couldn't resist the green cover, so pretty.

    Amateur Reader, I've read most of your Scott posts and will doubtless read them again as I did the Trollope ones...

    Joan Hunter Dunn - Why thank you very much.

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  15. Verity, they all came from an Oxfam where someone had come in with a pile of them, I made the woman behind the till check for more out back but there weren't any, I also made her tell me which ones she had bought herself, happily I already had all of them and we could laugh about it. I think underneath she was a little bit scared by me.

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  16. Elaine - thank you, I think I owe you Trollope along with many other excellent recommendations. Still suspicious of Wharton but I'll get there is the end.

    Chasing Bawa, and Books Snob Trollope is a little dusty but wonderfully so. The classic serial on sunday Radio 4 is his 'The American Senator' - not a bad place to start.

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  17. Hello Hayley - a belated happy anniversary to you (have been away from the computer for a while)!

    Am wildly envious of your Virago haul and I do love that you were every so slightly stalkerish and scary about them. What person though could be willingly giving up armfuls of old VMCS?

    I am looking forward to reading your reviews of the new Trollope as I have a sneaky fondness for Scott based on one reading of 'Waverley' and a few viewings of 'Ivanhoe'.

    Have a lovely weekend, Helen

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  18. Congratulation on your blog birthday & what a lovely pile of books! I'm envious of those VMCs & I'm looking forward to reading your reviews. I also have Braddon's Lawyer's Secret on the tbr shelves & I'm looking forward to it.

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  19. Congratulations on your two year anniversary. Great Virago haul

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  20. sharing knowledge with others
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylRA41TZ9zU

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