Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!
I’m caught up in Love and Capital this week, which is proving wonderfully entertaining but definitely the kind of book that requires my full attention, so I have only brought home a few things from the library. When I need a break from Marx’s antics, these should be perfect, pleasant distractions.
It’s been far too long since I read any books about books (though Among Others by Jo Walton, which I read over the weekend, should probably count as one since it’s full of bookish discussions) and The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs has come highly praised. As is always the case when I have a bookish book awaiting me, can’t wait to get started on this.
I’ve been feeling deeply domestic lately, but have resisted all impractical urges to move beyond my usual sphere (the kitchen) onto new projects. I see so many bloggers who quilt or knit or crochet and I love the idea of these activities even though experience has taught me that a) I don’t have the patience for any of them and b) I have no need for the final products (I have more blankets, quilts, and knit hats that I could ever use). So instead I shall read. Jane Brocket’s The Gentle Art of Domesticity is the perfect book for me right now, filled with all the fun domestic arts. I read it last year as well and loved it then, though I am overwhelmed by Brocket’s love for and use of bright colours. I’ve also picked up Nigel Slater’s excellent The Kitchen Diaries, another reread. Technically classed as a cookbook, I love this for Slater’s wonderful descriptions of his meals and the seasons that influence them. But the recipes are excellent too and have already inspired a few dinners in our house since I picked the book up a few days ago.
What did you pick up this week?
I’ve got my eye on Pleasures of Reading… and I’m planning on getting Rattle Bag ed. by Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes today.
The Rattle Bag is one of the books I put on my “to read” list after reading about it in Howards End is on the Landing but, because it’s poetry, didn’t rush after it like I did some of her other recommendations. I hope you enjoy it!
Lots of great sounding books!
Thanks, Amy. I’m looking forward to them.
I’ve heard good things about the Alan Jacobs book and have it on my library list. I love the Brocket book. I ordered it last year after you so positively reviewed it, and I like to dip into it every now and then…so relaxing. I’m about to start Moon Over Manifest which I picked up at the library. A young adult book, I believe, winner of the Newbery last year. My sil picked it as our “book of the quarter” to read together. She flew through it and really liked it and is “hurrying me” to get to it. I’ll be looking forward to your thoughts on the Jacobs book.
Relaxing is exactly the right word for the Brocket book! I’m glad you enjoyed it too. I hope you enjoy Moon Over Manifest!
I have two out of these three titles you’ve mentioned, i.e. the Slater and the Brocket and love them both. My current reading is the very first Bill Bryson I’ve read. Yes, I know he’s popular but he’s never appealed to me. However, I read a few good reviews of his book At Home and thought I’d give it a go. It is a page-turner and there is a lot of social history information in it. My ownly quibble is that for 99% of the book he’s used secondary sources for his information (i.e. other people’s books) and not gone to primary sources – letters, diaries, other ephemera, etc. So he is relying totally on those secondary sources being correct (which needn’t necessarily be the case, although if you look at sufficient secondary sources and theyall give more or less the same answer, then they possibly are correct!) Overall, a good book, but after almost 700 pages – I’m almost through it – I’ll be glad to get back to Elizabeth Jane Howard’s Marking Time, the second in the Cazalet Chronicles series.
Glad to hear you’ve continued with the Bryson. You’d mentioned your issues with it last week but I think it’s interesting enough to stick with all the way, as you’ve clearly decided to do!
The Kitchen Diaries looks good. Enjoy your loot. Still playing catch up so loot for me today.
The Kitchen Diaries is wonderful, Linda! I do recommend it, heartily. Good luck working through your old loot!
What I’m about to pick up today:
A whole bunch of Bread Baking books, waiting for me at the library.
Exciting! What could be better on a cold day than baking bread in a nice warm kitchen?
I like the look of the Gentle Art of Domesticity. I have now picked up all three of Jo Walton’s books from the library – finished two of them (both wonderful though sad!) and now reading a Justine Picardie of Daphne (du Maurier which is proving to be fabulous).
So glad you’ve enjoyed your encounters with Walton! I’ve read two now and can’t wait to get started on her “Small Change” trilogy (starting with Farthing).
All three of them look lovely books to dip into. I enjoy ‘domestic’ books but only to look at the pictures . Enjoy your loot.
Both the Brocket and the Slater have wonderful photos, so I’m sure you’d enjoy those!
The Kitchen Diaries is a delightful book. One of these days (when I have more time or can organise my days better) I plan to use this book for a full year for the family meals. Perhaps that’s wishful thinking!
Have requested from our library this week ‘The name of the rose’ by Umberto Eco and ‘Eva Trout’ by Elizabeth Bowen. Picked up yesterday ‘Dark Matter’ by Michelle Paver and ‘The summer that never was’ by Peter Robinson.
Using the book as a guide for a full year would be an interesting experience! And, surely, a delicious one!
I’m impressed by your picks/holds this week: Eco intimidates me (though whenever I see interviews with him, I find him rather adorable) and Bowen is a bit intense for me, though I think she writes beautiful. I hope you enjoy both of them and both of the titles you picked up yesterday!
I saw Walton talk about her books last week (she’s on tour for the paperback release of Among Others); she’s almost as much fun talking about books as she is writing them.
My loot was late this year because Seattle’s snow storm closed my library — the horror! Jacab’s book on reading looks interesting; I’ll add it to the list.
How fun that you got to see her in person!
We were so happy to have only a little snow up here when we saw the photos of Seattle! Glad your library has reopened and that you were able to pick up your loot!