Time to read

I recently finished reading this reprint of her 1957 book. Set in France about an English university teacher and  and his aristocratic French doppelgänger. It's very strange and quite frightening. I very much enjoyed it. I hadn't realised that it has been made into a film twice, and most recently for release this year starring Matthew Rhys. 

Another favourite author. A beautifully written, heartbreaking story.

Just started this. A bit of light relief after the other two.

Next up. Last month I read, "The Paris Wife", a fictional account by Paula McLain written as if by his first wife which I loved. I was about to dig out and re-read Hemingway's own version of their time in Paris, " A Moveable Feast", when I found this in a charity shop. I just had to get back to Hemingway himself.

I love Penelope Fitzgerald and thought I had read all her books until I came across this last week. 

Another waiting for me. I hope it's a good read. I've liked most of his.

Couldn't resist this. I can't believe that I've never read either story.

All the above books were purchased in my local charity shops for anything from 60p to £2.50. I can't afford to buy my regular reading from full price bookshops as I normally read three or more books a week. It's a form of escapism as well as pleasure. But strangely during recent sad events I've been unable to concentrate on reading. Then, slowly in the first few days of May, something changed in my waking thoughts and I've been able to enjoy reading again. 

A Time To Grieve

A book that I have had by me to dip into during these last few "unreadable" weeks has been this one which I found recommended by a blogger I follow, dovegreyreader. Strangely the blog entry was written four days before my mother's death, but I didn't see it until a few days after and immediately sent off for a copy from Abebooks. It cost 0.1p - plus postage. And worth all those postage pennies and more.

Full price paid in A$ - how wise

Well I had no option with this one by a famous Australian female author whom I discovered via another UK charity shop find that had probably been left behind by a tourist or holidaymaker. Although Handel Richardson is a celebrated author, her name enshrined on a metal plaque on a literary walk on Circular Quay in Sydney Harbour, this was the only copy of her many books that I could find on my recent visit.

If you're interested, I photographed each book on one of my favourite scarves. Some vintage, some not. Some formerly belonging to my elegant and much missed mother.