'oh, oh, oh, stop me. Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before'.. The Smiths, 1987.
There, that's an ear-worm for you. (One of those songs that go round and round in your head and drive you mad. Only, I'm always fine when it's The Smiths... must be an age thing.).
Anyway. Had a lovely long lunch out with the Library Ladies (who lunch!) at Burford Garden Centre today. I'd not been there before, and I'll need an wage increase before I go there again. About 40min drive away, and a very nice place, even for an 'anti-consumer' like me!
The vegetarian soup was being re-filled, and so I chose instead the Roasted Aubergine stuffed with Lentils, Spinach and Goats Cheese. Served with red cabbage minty coleslaw and salad leaves. £7.50, pricey? but perfect. Delicious, and when I got home I looked up Aubergines in my Yotam Ottolenghi's book 'Plenty'. Something similar on page 116, and then I remembered why I love that book so much - it's vegetarian foodie pornography!
Had a quick look around Burford itself, the churchyard was most interesting, very close to the river, and very ancient, many headstones illegible with age, but I found one dating from 1763 (I think).
Hadn't done that for a while. Burford's shops mostly antique, art galleries and overpriced designer clothing. Nothing I'd want there then....
Popped into the charity shops in Faringdon whilst waiting to collect Tom from school. This is where The Smiths song title comes in. Stop me. Stop me from buying 2nd hand books at 3 for £1. It'll never happen. But my house may be full (of books) when they come to take me away...
So when I got home, and after all the usual chores, I took my treasure upstairs to the dusty pile under my bed, and pulled the rest of them out to assess whether I still wanted to read them (all) or not....
1. Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Living to Tell the Tale. 'Marquez's greatest book... puts itself beyond category: fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, memoir, poetry, drama. As a reading experience it is completely magical' Observer. Esentially auto biog from birth 1927 to marriage 1950. Yes.
2. Irene Nemirovsky: Fire in the Blood. 'Mesmerising... another gem from a glittering career cut tragically short' Daily Express. Yes.
3. Chris Cleave: The Other Hand. 'Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.' Yes.
4. Anna Pavord: The Tulip. 'The Tulip is not a gardening book. It is the story of flower that has made men mad, Greed, desire, anguish, devotion have all played their part in the development of the tulip from a wild flower of the Asian Steppes to the world-wide phenomenon it is today...' Yes.
5. Caitlin Moran: How to be a Woman. Yes. full stop.
6. David Nicholls: Starter for Ten. Enjoyed his book 'One Day'. Yes, but not urgent.
7. Tracy Chevalier: Remarkable Creatures. Have read 'The Girl with a Pearl Earring', 'The Virgin Blue' and 'The Lady and The Unicorn' by TC. Enjoyed all of them. This one about lady fossil hunters in early 19th century. What's not to like? Yes.
8. Sebastian Barry: The Secret Scripture. I was given this in hardback by a friend a few years ago, but picked up the paperback recently (more visually appealing). Mental hospital, patient history, secret. Yes.
9. Dan Chaon: You Remind Me of Me. 'A mesmerising debut novel that introduces one of America's most exciting young writers'. Yes.
10. P.G. Wodehouse: Blandings. Yes, because I've not, and I think I should, and it looks jolly good too.
11. Michel Faber: The Hundred and Ninety-Nine Steps. 'Part historical thriller, part gothic romance, part ghost story, it is further confirmation that its author is a singular talent with a unique perception of the universe' Sunday Herald. It's a novella, and not my usual style. Why not? Yes.
12. Deirdre Madden: Molly Fox's Birthday. 'What the reader is left marvelling at, finally, is a novellist who is at once so shrewd and knowing an observer of human fraility, and yet maintains so kindly an understanding of it' Irish Times. Yes.
13. S.J. Watson. Before I Go To Sleep. 'Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trustmay only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine's life'. Sounds good, and has been recommended, but not sure I want to read this before I go to sleep.....
14. Victoria Hislop. The Return. Maybe. Loved 'The Island', but have heard this one is okay, and 'The Thread' is much better. Possible.
There, now that wasn't too bad now, was it?.... Kat!
There, that's an ear-worm for you. (One of those songs that go round and round in your head and drive you mad. Only, I'm always fine when it's The Smiths... must be an age thing.).
Anyway. Had a lovely long lunch out with the Library Ladies (who lunch!) at Burford Garden Centre today. I'd not been there before, and I'll need an wage increase before I go there again. About 40min drive away, and a very nice place, even for an 'anti-consumer' like me!
The vegetarian soup was being re-filled, and so I chose instead the Roasted Aubergine stuffed with Lentils, Spinach and Goats Cheese. Served with red cabbage minty coleslaw and salad leaves. £7.50, pricey? but perfect. Delicious, and when I got home I looked up Aubergines in my Yotam Ottolenghi's book 'Plenty'. Something similar on page 116, and then I remembered why I love that book so much - it's vegetarian foodie pornography!
Had a quick look around Burford itself, the churchyard was most interesting, very close to the river, and very ancient, many headstones illegible with age, but I found one dating from 1763 (I think).
Hadn't done that for a while. Burford's shops mostly antique, art galleries and overpriced designer clothing. Nothing I'd want there then....
Popped into the charity shops in Faringdon whilst waiting to collect Tom from school. This is where The Smiths song title comes in. Stop me. Stop me from buying 2nd hand books at 3 for £1. It'll never happen. But my house may be full (of books) when they come to take me away...
So when I got home, and after all the usual chores, I took my treasure upstairs to the dusty pile under my bed, and pulled the rest of them out to assess whether I still wanted to read them (all) or not....
1. Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Living to Tell the Tale. 'Marquez's greatest book... puts itself beyond category: fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, memoir, poetry, drama. As a reading experience it is completely magical' Observer. Esentially auto biog from birth 1927 to marriage 1950. Yes.
2. Irene Nemirovsky: Fire in the Blood. 'Mesmerising... another gem from a glittering career cut tragically short' Daily Express. Yes.
3. Chris Cleave: The Other Hand. 'Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.' Yes.
4. Anna Pavord: The Tulip. 'The Tulip is not a gardening book. It is the story of flower that has made men mad, Greed, desire, anguish, devotion have all played their part in the development of the tulip from a wild flower of the Asian Steppes to the world-wide phenomenon it is today...' Yes.
5. Caitlin Moran: How to be a Woman. Yes. full stop.
6. David Nicholls: Starter for Ten. Enjoyed his book 'One Day'. Yes, but not urgent.
7. Tracy Chevalier: Remarkable Creatures. Have read 'The Girl with a Pearl Earring', 'The Virgin Blue' and 'The Lady and The Unicorn' by TC. Enjoyed all of them. This one about lady fossil hunters in early 19th century. What's not to like? Yes.
8. Sebastian Barry: The Secret Scripture. I was given this in hardback by a friend a few years ago, but picked up the paperback recently (more visually appealing). Mental hospital, patient history, secret. Yes.
9. Dan Chaon: You Remind Me of Me. 'A mesmerising debut novel that introduces one of America's most exciting young writers'. Yes.
10. P.G. Wodehouse: Blandings. Yes, because I've not, and I think I should, and it looks jolly good too.
11. Michel Faber: The Hundred and Ninety-Nine Steps. 'Part historical thriller, part gothic romance, part ghost story, it is further confirmation that its author is a singular talent with a unique perception of the universe' Sunday Herald. It's a novella, and not my usual style. Why not? Yes.
12. Deirdre Madden: Molly Fox's Birthday. 'What the reader is left marvelling at, finally, is a novellist who is at once so shrewd and knowing an observer of human fraility, and yet maintains so kindly an understanding of it' Irish Times. Yes.
13. S.J. Watson. Before I Go To Sleep. 'Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trustmay only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine's life'. Sounds good, and has been recommended, but not sure I want to read this before I go to sleep.....
14. Victoria Hislop. The Return. Maybe. Loved 'The Island', but have heard this one is okay, and 'The Thread' is much better. Possible.
There, now that wasn't too bad now, was it?.... Kat!
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