Ludlow, Shropshire, Sunday morning. What could be better. The sound of Housman's bells cascading down over the rooftops, little old ladies with prayerbooks hurrying back to cottages up shaded alleys, early spring sun lighting up brass letterboxes on gloss painted front doors. And then look what catches my eye in the market place. I was going to self indulgently show you the Dinky Toy 3 ton army lorry I got for eight quid, but thought this was far more edifying. I thought we could scan the shelf and see how many we'd read. I just have, and am ashamed to admit it's only one. But which? I'll think of a prize for the first one there. Probably a dog-eared Penguin. That'd be novel.
Halifax, West Yorkshire
23 hours ago
19 comments:
Claudius the God...has to be, everyone has this...don't they?
England in the Seventeenth Century as it's by a namesake?
Good thinking girls. I think I've got Claudius the God but haven't read it Vinogirl, and well spotted Caroline, but it's not that either. Actually this is virtually impossible I know, even though you've narrowed it down a bit. So as it's nearly the end of the week and I'm feeling particularly generous, I'll tell you it's fiction.
'The Secret Agent' by Joseph Conrad ?
I reckon since you like the quintessential English scene, it might be the G.K.Chesterton.
A Kind of Loving?
well that'll the CSF Commodore then - seeing as i'm a fan
I'll go with A Kind of Loving too.
I'll vote for Mervyn Peake's Titus Alone. Thoroughly recommend it if you've not read it but you want to start with Titus Groan which is the first of the trilogy.
is there a prize?!
Well, nobody's gone for the C P Snow, so that'll be it. It would make you a pretty rare bird these days, though...
Got to be 'Cry The Beloved Country' 'cos that's what you do, really, isn't it?
I cry for The Beloved Country sometimes - well, you just have to, don't you, when you think how it used to be and how it is now?
Sorry not to have replied earlier but I've been admiring a Victorian waterworks in Ware. But well done Wilko for getting in there first. Now, what to send him....
And thankyou all for taking the time to engage in such a useless task!
Nice photo. The Leica?
Yes Ron.
Please sir could you move down a shelf to the Puffins?
Ah, only one for me too, the Conrad. Though the hidden Murdoch may make it two...
Don't think I've read that one Didi.
I've only read one of these - the C P Snow (and that was many years ago), but I'm ashamed to say I have several of the others but haven't read them. Don't they look inviting, though? Always tempting in the second-hand bookshop.
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