Hobgoblin and I just returned from a library sale — not a bad way to spend a Friday evening, is it? One of the best parts of the trip was seeing local blogger Hepzibah and getting to chat about books a bit. She works at the library and graciously showed us around and had set aside two Edith Wharton novels for us (thank you!). And here is what I bought (for $22 — not bad):
- The Diary of a Nobody, by George and Weedon Grossmith (origin of the character Charles Pooter and the term “pooterish”)
- Between the Acts, Virginia Woolf (her last novel)
- How Proust Can Change Your Life, Alain de Botton (essential Proust reading; most likely I’ll get to it when I’ve finished Proust)
- The Accidental, Ali Smith (I’ve been meaning to read this one for quite a while, having heard so many good things)
- Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, Ann Tyler (I believe I’ve heard this is one of her best)
- PopCo, Scarlett Thomas (I know little about this, actually, but have heard good things about her latest, The End of Mr. Y)
- The Last of her Kind, Sigrid Nunez (Another recommendation from bloggers)
- Paris Stories, Mavis Gallant (A NYRB Classic — how could I resist?)
- Wild Decembers, Edna O’Brien (I didn’t recognize the title but recognized the name)
I love library sales!
Of Books and Bicycles 
i have the diary of a nobody. it’s nothing remarkable, but that is the charm of the book! it’s quite funny because the protagonist take the most trivial of things with such seriousness!
http://sulz.daria.be
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Oooo I envy your Gallant and Woolf purchases. I bought End of Mr Y because of all the good things I’ve heard about it. Haven’t read it yet.
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What an excellent lot of books! And what fun to meet a fellow blogger in person.
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We’ll be avoiding all library sales this summer due to the upcoming move, and I’m so going to miss them (although we caught the big Lancaster County booksale when we were down there for Bob’s interview in April, and knowing we have THAT to look forward to every year is wonderful).
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That’s great that you found Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant. It is one of Tyler’s best, andnd she has commented in interviews that it’s her favorite of all her novels.
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Yay for library sales! You got a nice stack of good books! Can’t wait to hear about Charles Pooter. I’ve heard good things about PopCo too though I don’t really know what it’s about. So I will rely on your reading and good judgment to sway me 🙂
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Hey–I also went to my library’s sale as well yesterday! I bought a book of Gallant’s short stories at the last booksale. I look forward to hearing what you have to say about the Nunez. I read it last year. It was good, but one of the characters was a bit maddening–though I am sure she was meant to be. Library sales are fun!
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I thank you and hobgoblin so much for coming and supporting the library!! It was so nice to see you…I will let you know when the next one is, I think it is in January or Feb. next year…but I will keep you updated…it sounds like you made out well 🙂 After you left, I ended up spending another 15 dollars (after hearing from you and hobgoblin about certain books)…so that brought me to 55 dollars, and I hope I don’t buy any more!!
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Wonderful selection of books! I loved the Anne Tyler when I read it, and I’d very much like to read some Gallant (post-Francine Prose!).
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Sulz — I’m looking forward to reading the book because book bloggers have been called “pooterish” and I’ve tried to claim the label with pride — we talk about the minutiae of our reading lives and enjoy it greatly! So I’m curious about the source. Imani — I’ve heard wonderful things about End of Mr. Y too, and PopCo looks like a lot of fun. Kate — yes, it WAS great meeting a fellow blogger; it’s so interesting to have both blog and in-person interactions with people. Emily — it must be very nice to have some advanced knowledge of the library sales in your new place! Bybee — oh, I’m glad to know Tyler thinks it’s her favorite — that makes me even more excited to read it. Stefanie — I’ll make sure to give you a full report on PopCo when I get there 🙂 Danielle, ah, interesting about the maddening character — I’m curious to see what that’s about. Hepzibah, it’s so hard to keep from buying books, isn’t it? So they have this sale a couple times a year? I could be in trouble! Litlove — I’m glad to hear you liked the Tyler — I’ve heard so many good things, I’m sure I’ll like it too.
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You found such great books at your library sale. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant is a good one. Enjoy your loot!
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