I'm not sure how many 'Bookshelf Travelling for Insane Times' posts I've done so far. I think it might be seven and this is my eighth. Aren't we doing well, those of us that are doing it? I'm a day late as usual but as it was my birthday yesterday as well as VE day and a Bank Holiday, I think I have an excuse.
Anyway, it's being hosted by Judith at Reader in the Wilderness and the idea is to share your bookshelves with other bloggers. Any aspect you like:
1. Home.
2. Books in the home.
3. Touring books in the home.
4. Books organized or not organized on shelves, in bookcases, in stacks, or heaped in a helter-skelter fashion on any surface, including the floor, the top of the piano, etc.
5. Talking about books and reading experiences from the past, present, or future.
Whatever you fancy as long as you have fun.
Here's my shelf for this week:
Well, unlike a lot of the piles I create, and even some of my shelves, these do have something in common and that is that they're mostly (but not all) travel books. Some of them I've read, some I haven't.
The first two, I haven't. They're both by American Authors about America. Woodswoman by Anne LaBastille is about living in the Adirondack Park in New York State, and glancing through it it's time I read it. All Gone to Look for America by Peter Millar charts the author's trip across America by train.
Four Eric Newby books are next, he is one of my favourite travel writers. I've read three of these books but not The Last Grain Race.
The next four are by Patrick Leigh Fermor, again a favourite travel writer and again I've read three but not Roumeli.
Next come three books based on the sea or maps which I've not read and then Ox Travel a book of traveller's tales published in support of Oxfam. Next to that A Bike Ride by Anne Mustoe who took up cycling in her fifties and has written several excellent books. She sadly died in Syria in 2009 on one of these adventures.
The next three books on this shelf are three of my favourite Virago travel books. The Virago Book of Women Travellers, Untrodden Peaks and Unfrequented Valleys by Amelia Edwards and West with the Night by Beryl Markham. I absolutely loved all three of these.
Two American travel books are next, both full of traveller's tales, I brought these back in my suitcase from America and have read both... very good.
Lastly there's a super DK Eyewitness Travel volume about Scotland given to me by a friend. It's full of beautiful photos and info and I often pull it out and look at it, Scotland being one of my favourite places in the world.
12 comments:
I loved, loved, loved, Anne Mustoe's books and was really sad when I heard she had died. Great writer and adventurer. I also have several Fermor and Newby books. They are also very good writers. I should participate in this little exercise. Had not heard of it but I do love seeing what books are in people's homes.
Hi Cath,
Belated birthday wishes for yesterday, I hope that you went wild and did something lockdown radical :) :)
We have already celebrated our 41st Anniversary in lockdown and it very much looks as though we shall both pass our May 24th and 25th 62nd birthdays in isolation too! In fact we have several family celebrations in April, May and June, so there is going to be one heck of a big party get together, when this is all over!
You have there what I would call my 'coffee table' shelf - books that I probably wouldn't sit and read from cover to cover, but which I would dip in and out of as I felt like it. We have a few such books on our shelves, although most of those are local 'Wessex' books, which hubbie has amassed for his Treasure Trail research.
Of course, being Disney fanatics, we also have quite a selection of books about the company and its theme parks, together with some interesting art books, which we collected in conjunction with the art and sculpture pieces we have had shipped over from the local Floridian Galleries over the years.
Hopefully there won't have to be too many more of your BTFIT posts, unless that is wishful thinking, as I can't see things settling down to a 'new normal' for some time to come!
Take Care :)
Yvonne
xx
This would be one of my favorite book shelves if it were mine because I love reading travel books. In fact, Beryl Markham's West With the Night is sitting on one of my shelves along with a biography about her. And Woodswoman sounds interesting and fun. Thanks for sharing. Hope you have a great weekend. :D
Hope you had a nice birthday yesterday, Cath!
Woodswoman looks good. Kind of book I like.
Happy birthday and I hope it was a good one. My son had his birthday in late March when we were just getting used to sheltering at home. We picked up Take Out from a restaurant, and watched his choice of movie. The rest of our birthdays are later in the year, maybe things will be different by then. Tomorrow is Mother's Day here, we are going to do take out dinner tonight for that.
I am going to have to look into some Eric Newby books. I am interested in the one my husband has, but I am sure there are others I would like. You really do have a good variety of travel books. That DK travel book looks good, I have enjoyed DK books on many subjects.
Hi Cath,
Oh how I loved Woodswoman. I read it within the first year of living here in the Adirondacks and it was a charm. I admired her muster and fortitude, all the while knowing full well I could never survive living the life she did. She was so resourceful, and yes, although one or two people assisted at various points, she really built that cabin herself. And there's the fact that she was totally dependent on her boat and its engine to get her supplies. I know I can't repair a boat engine. I think it was a fantasy for me, a dream. She wrote other books after this one, but everyone agrees this was her classic and it will remain so. I would love to re-read it as well. Sadly, Anne LaBastille died around 2011 of cancer, and her loss was greatly felt here in the North Country.
You mentioned another book I'd like to read or comment on. I will have to leave another comment!
Pam: I was so shocked when I found out Anne Mustoe had died in Syria. I don't know why, it's just that I'd read several of her books and felt like I knew her. So sad.
Yvonne: Sadly, I'm not a rebel so no radical doings here on my birthday, just a quiet day with cake and books.
Yes, I imagine you'll still be at home for your birthdays later in the month, safer for older people like ourselves I think. Especially as we both have husbands with underlying health conditions.
I must admit that I do tend to read my travel books from cover to cover, coffee table books for me are large books with lots of photos or paintings.
In all honesty I think there'll be a few more BTFIT posts yet. Another month or so is my guess.
Lark: West With the Might is a wonderful book. I didn't know there was a biogrpahy, I must look that up.
Kay: Yes, thank you, my birthday was very nice. When lockdown is over then we'll have a family celebration.
Nicola: I believe Woodswoman 'is' very good too.
Tracy: It's nice that some of the takeaway places are still in operation. We haven't had any yet but plan to this week. Hopefully later in the year things will be different. Our family has a lot of October birthdays and I would hate not to be able to see them all that month.
My favourite book by Eric Newby is Love and War in the Apennines but A Traveller's Life is also excellent.
Judith: I must admit I did wonder if you knew of and had read Woodswoman. I guessed you had somehow, partly because I thought it *had* to be your area where she lived. I will get to that soon. At the moment I'm reading The Woman in White which I think will please you...
Which was the other book that interested you?
Hi Cath!
The other book is West with the Night. A few years ago I was working and traveling all over New York State, and when I was in Buffalo, I dropped into a wonderful used book shop and found West with the Night, which so many people I know have loved. And yet, I still haven't gotten around to it! help.
If all goes well, I'm planning to be in the U.K. next year around this time. It will be my parents' 50th anniversary, so my husband, my sister, my brother-in-law (who's British), and I are taking them on a family history trip to England, Scotland, Ireland, Welsh, etc. We have strong English and Welsh roots, so it will be especially exciting to visit those countries. I can't wait! I'll have to check out some travel books before we go so I know what not to miss.
Judith: West With the Night is wonderful. There is an interesting dispute about whether or not Beryl Markham actually wrote it, but regardless it is a beautiful read.
Susan: I will keep my fingers firmly crossed that all goes well, things get back to normal, and you will be able to make your trip to the UK. You should definately try to see Wales as it's such a beautiful country.
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