RECIPES

Monday 19 July 2021

Weekend Books

 

Here it is, Monday again!  We had rather a lot of rain over the weekend so it was very soothing to get distracted with looking through my new books.

I find I am not a great fiction reader – only one book was fictional (an old book, “Bracebridge Hall,” by Washington Irving) – and some of them (like the one on English country pubs) are more a “coffee-table” book that can be picked up and put down at will.




There are a couple of garden books and one on how to make a Kate Greenaway doll with clothes, and then a couple on travel experiences (like Michael Palin’s “Pole to Pole”).  They might, on the whole, be old books (it was a Book Fair of donated books, after all), but I like going through them.

One book I was particularly attracted to was “The Darling Buds of May Book of the Seasons.”  It contains sketches and excerpts from the writings of H.E. Bates, and is full of descriptions like this one:

“The August rain is heavy and dark; it seems to blacken the green of the trees and wash out the burnished shine on the wheat.  At the same time it gives the oats a fresh, airy grace.  Beads of clear rain hang on the beards.  The black seeds are shown up like darts.  The oat-stalks are washed clean, opalescent, and all through the rainy, windless days they do not move.  For some days the wheat has an astonishing colour, especially against the hedgerows.  It is part green, part gold, partly the colour of dark honey.  The colours shade into each other and are more than ever like waves as the wind gently blows the corn.” (from “In the Heart of the Country”)

Don’t you just love how he manages to paint a picture with his words?

Margaret ๐Ÿ˜Š



11 comments:

  1. That is fabulous. It seems I share your preference for non-fiction reading material - and LOVE LOVE LOVE a second hand book fair. Dunedin used to host a great book sale in the Regent Theatre in the Octagon over Queen's Birthday weekend every year, and it was my annual 'not to be missed' event. Enjoy your books. F (and Mr T)

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  2. I used to love the Lions club fairs. Not just books but there was always a huge corner of them. It's fun finding good reads, some you wouldn't have bought elsewhere.
    I read mostly non fiction now, except the detective or two. Travel books are my favourite.
    Looks like you got a wonderful haul. Happy browsing!

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  3. If only I could write like that.........

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  4. Bates paints words pictures. They will brighten your winter days.

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  5. Oh I'd love to look through that "English Country Pubs"!!!!!

    And his descriptive language, is amazing and beautiful!!!!! What a word-picture he paints!!!! I am so in awe, of people who can do this.

    You have a lovely stash!!!!

    ๐Ÿ’™๐ŸŒนLibertรฉ๐ŸŒน๐Ÿ’™

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  6. I love your assortment of 'new' books. They all look so interesting. I haven't been reading much this summer but hopefully once the rainy days come I'll be more inclined to read again.

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  7. I could read descriptive prose like that over and over and each time find something different to appreciate! That really is a great haul of books.

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  8. Thankfully the weather has cleared a bit now, Margaret. Love that prose - that is magnificent
    Stay safe
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  9. Love rain. Here it´s just cold and grey since weeks, not a drop. No summer. Again.

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  10. Thank you for sharing your books, you've pushed me to get back into mine.

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  11. Una gran oferta de libros. Saludos.

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Thank-you for visiting my blog. I love it when you leave a comment so please feel free to have your say. Have a great day! Margaret xx