Book Haul feat. Zadie Smith
My seaside town isn't exactly the hub of vibrant youth activity. We don't really do clubs, nor do we really do shops. At least, not very exciting ones. However, much to my adoration, we do have a really bloody good selection of charity shops! I recently took G and Claire around the circuit and we all ended up hauling some pretty good buys back to the car. I thought I'd give you a run down of the 11 books that I bought, complete with little explanations as to why I picked them from the dusty shelves. Don't say I don't spoil you! I'll expand upon them as and when I read them so keep your eyes peeled, kids. Please let me know what you think of these books in the comments - Have you read them? Did you like them?
the plague by albert camus
bought for 25p
publisher: Penguin (essentials)
PAGES:297
isbn:n/a
Can we just take a few minutes to appreciate just how perfect this BRAND NEW copy of The Plague is?! And then, can we just take a few minutes to appreciate that it only cost me twenty five mere pence?! I'm not embarrassed to say that I may have freaked out in the shop when I picked this from the shelf. I took it to the till pretty promptly fearing someone would realise that it was an absolute steal and mark it up accordingly. I've been really looking forward to reading some Camus, thanks to recommendations from a couple of my babin' friends, so I'm so pleased that I have managed to kick start my collection with this thrifty find. The novel also sounds like it could be pretty awesome so I've got rather high hopes.
steppenwolf by hermann hesse
bought for 25p
publisher: PENGUIN (ESSENTIALS)
PAGES: 253
ISBN: N/A
This book was sat next to The Plague and I initially picked it up out of mere astonishment that it too was in such perfect condition. I'm glad I did because it sounds like a pretty interesting novel that was seemingly quite influential in the 1960's. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in and at 25p I'd have been stupid not to pick it up!
A STUDY IN SCARLET BY ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
bought for 99p
PUBLISHER: penguin (red classics)
PAGES:162
ISBN: 978-0-141-03433-1
I came so unbelievably close to buying this off of the internet recently for around £6, so I snatched it from the shelves when I saw it lurking among all the classics. It's quite frankly embarrassing that I have yet to read any Arthur Conan Doyle works so I'm pretty chuffed that I'm now able to begin the descent into the world of Sherlock Holmes. I also adore these Penguin Red editions. They're bloody stunning! Can we also take another few minutes (I know, we are going to be here for a long time!) to appreciate just how good the price tag was?! I'm really hoping that I fall in love with these novels. Will I?!
a handful of dust by evelyn waugh
bought for 99p
publisher:penguin
pages: 221
isbn:9780140237400
I've been meaning to check out some Evelyn Waugh for aaaaaages so I thought I'd pick this up, especially as it was only 99p! I'd not heard of this one before but it sounds like a pretty interesting social commentary. If I like this, I'll definitely check out Brideshead Revisited and Vile Bodies, two of his well known novels. I have just realised that he is actually buried not far from my home so I may take a little literary pilgrimage.
far from the madding crowd by thomas hardy
bought for 3 paperbacks for £2
publisher: wordsworth classics
pages: 318
isbn: 1-85326-067-3
I do love a bit of melancholic Thomas Hardy so I couldn't pass this perfect copy up! I'm looking forward to reading it, especially as it's his most pastoral novel. I've not actually read any of his novels before, sticking to his poetry instead, so this should be interesting. I'm hoping to give them all I go because I know I should. Any that I should definitely pick up next? (Tess of the d'Urbervilles, obvs!).
ON THE ROAD BY JACK KEROUAC
BOUGHT FOR 3 PAPERBACKS FOR £2
PUBLISHER: PENGUIN
PAGES: 281
ISBN: N/A
I've been meaning to read this for absolutely ages! Admittedly, I did have a bit of a screaming sesh when I saw it tucked away in a box at the back of the book shop. I've got high expectations for this novel, and I do love a good American classic, so hopefully it turns out to be really bloody great!
ADVERBS BY DANIEL HANDLER
BOUGHT FOR 3 PAPERBACKS FOR £2
PUBLISHER: HARPER PERENNIAL
PAGES:272
ISBN: 978-0-00-718128-5
Handler is the author of the Lemony Snicket series, so I thought I'd give this a whirl and see if it was any good. I've heard mixed reviews about this book but it was on my 'to read' list so I thought I'd give it a good go! I'll let you know how I get on.
ATONEMENT BY IAN MCEWAN
bought for 99p
PUBLISHER: VINTAGE
PAGES: 372
ISBN: 978-0-099-50738-3
I picked this up on a whim because I wanted to read some Ian McEwan. I've not seen the film, nor do I really know what the novel is about, but I thought it'd be nice to give it a go regardless. I'm guessing it may be a tad emosh?!
white teeth by zadie smith
bought for £1.25
publisher: penguin
pages: 542
isbn: 978-0-14-027633-6
Everyone and their dog has been discussing Zadie Smith so I thought I'd pick this up when I saw this near perfect copy. I'm expecting good things but I know a few people have had some troubles with this particular novel so I'm approaching it with a little caution. If this is good, I'll definitely pick up NW.
alone in berlin by hans fallada
bought for £1.25
publisher: penguin
pages: 588
isbn: 978-0-141-18938-3
This is a novel that I'd checked out briefly online and promptly forgotten about. It sounds really interesting, and like the sort of thing that I'd quite like to read, so I nabbed it. I've, again, got quite high expectations for this.
the fry chronicles by stephen fry
bought for 99p
publisher: penguin
pages: 425
isbn: 978-0-141-03980-0
I picked this up for 99p because it was in mint condition and I'm about half way through his first autobiography, Moab Is My Washpot. I'm not usually one for autobiographies but it's nice to read something a little different every now and again.
I couldn't be more chuffed with my little charity shop haul. Here's the tingly part, I got them all for the grand total of £8.96. The world wide web tells me that if I were to have bought them online, I would've had to shell out £57.84. That's a saving of just under fifty quid. I am winning at life. Do you shop in charity shops? If so, what's your best charity shop bargain? Let me know what you thought of these books in the comments! I'd love to know. I'm off to sort myself out and do a spot of tidying. Livin' the dream! ♥
the plague by albert camus
bought for 25p
publisher: Penguin (essentials)
PAGES:297
isbn:n/a
Can we just take a few minutes to appreciate just how perfect this BRAND NEW copy of The Plague is?! And then, can we just take a few minutes to appreciate that it only cost me twenty five mere pence?! I'm not embarrassed to say that I may have freaked out in the shop when I picked this from the shelf. I took it to the till pretty promptly fearing someone would realise that it was an absolute steal and mark it up accordingly. I've been really looking forward to reading some Camus, thanks to recommendations from a couple of my babin' friends, so I'm so pleased that I have managed to kick start my collection with this thrifty find. The novel also sounds like it could be pretty awesome so I've got rather high hopes.
steppenwolf by hermann hesse
bought for 25p
publisher: PENGUIN (ESSENTIALS)
PAGES: 253
ISBN: N/A
This book was sat next to The Plague and I initially picked it up out of mere astonishment that it too was in such perfect condition. I'm glad I did because it sounds like a pretty interesting novel that was seemingly quite influential in the 1960's. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in and at 25p I'd have been stupid not to pick it up!
A STUDY IN SCARLET BY ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
bought for 99p
PUBLISHER: penguin (red classics)
PAGES:162
ISBN: 978-0-141-03433-1
I came so unbelievably close to buying this off of the internet recently for around £6, so I snatched it from the shelves when I saw it lurking among all the classics. It's quite frankly embarrassing that I have yet to read any Arthur Conan Doyle works so I'm pretty chuffed that I'm now able to begin the descent into the world of Sherlock Holmes. I also adore these Penguin Red editions. They're bloody stunning! Can we also take another few minutes (I know, we are going to be here for a long time!) to appreciate just how good the price tag was?! I'm really hoping that I fall in love with these novels. Will I?!
a handful of dust by evelyn waugh
bought for 99p
publisher:penguin
pages: 221
isbn:9780140237400
I've been meaning to check out some Evelyn Waugh for aaaaaages so I thought I'd pick this up, especially as it was only 99p! I'd not heard of this one before but it sounds like a pretty interesting social commentary. If I like this, I'll definitely check out Brideshead Revisited and Vile Bodies, two of his well known novels. I have just realised that he is actually buried not far from my home so I may take a little literary pilgrimage.
far from the madding crowd by thomas hardy
bought for 3 paperbacks for £2
publisher: wordsworth classics
pages: 318
isbn: 1-85326-067-3
I do love a bit of melancholic Thomas Hardy so I couldn't pass this perfect copy up! I'm looking forward to reading it, especially as it's his most pastoral novel. I've not actually read any of his novels before, sticking to his poetry instead, so this should be interesting. I'm hoping to give them all I go because I know I should. Any that I should definitely pick up next? (Tess of the d'Urbervilles, obvs!).
ON THE ROAD BY JACK KEROUAC
BOUGHT FOR 3 PAPERBACKS FOR £2
PUBLISHER: PENGUIN
PAGES: 281
ISBN: N/A
I've been meaning to read this for absolutely ages! Admittedly, I did have a bit of a screaming sesh when I saw it tucked away in a box at the back of the book shop. I've got high expectations for this novel, and I do love a good American classic, so hopefully it turns out to be really bloody great!
ADVERBS BY DANIEL HANDLER
BOUGHT FOR 3 PAPERBACKS FOR £2
PUBLISHER: HARPER PERENNIAL
PAGES:272
ISBN: 978-0-00-718128-5
Handler is the author of the Lemony Snicket series, so I thought I'd give this a whirl and see if it was any good. I've heard mixed reviews about this book but it was on my 'to read' list so I thought I'd give it a good go! I'll let you know how I get on.
ATONEMENT BY IAN MCEWAN
bought for 99p
PUBLISHER: VINTAGE
PAGES: 372
ISBN: 978-0-099-50738-3
I picked this up on a whim because I wanted to read some Ian McEwan. I've not seen the film, nor do I really know what the novel is about, but I thought it'd be nice to give it a go regardless. I'm guessing it may be a tad emosh?!
white teeth by zadie smith
bought for £1.25
publisher: penguin
pages: 542
isbn: 978-0-14-027633-6
Everyone and their dog has been discussing Zadie Smith so I thought I'd pick this up when I saw this near perfect copy. I'm expecting good things but I know a few people have had some troubles with this particular novel so I'm approaching it with a little caution. If this is good, I'll definitely pick up NW.
alone in berlin by hans fallada
bought for £1.25
publisher: penguin
pages: 588
isbn: 978-0-141-18938-3
This is a novel that I'd checked out briefly online and promptly forgotten about. It sounds really interesting, and like the sort of thing that I'd quite like to read, so I nabbed it. I've, again, got quite high expectations for this.
the fry chronicles by stephen fry
bought for 99p
publisher: penguin
pages: 425
isbn: 978-0-141-03980-0
I picked this up for 99p because it was in mint condition and I'm about half way through his first autobiography, Moab Is My Washpot. I'm not usually one for autobiographies but it's nice to read something a little different every now and again.
I couldn't be more chuffed with my little charity shop haul. Here's the tingly part, I got them all for the grand total of £8.96. The world wide web tells me that if I were to have bought them online, I would've had to shell out £57.84. That's a saving of just under fifty quid. I am winning at life. Do you shop in charity shops? If so, what's your best charity shop bargain? Let me know what you thought of these books in the comments! I'd love to know. I'm off to sort myself out and do a spot of tidying. Livin' the dream! ♥
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What a haul! Atonement is one of my absolute favourites. I was stunned at the end of it - I had to just sit quietly to absorb it. Ian McEwan writes so entirely perfectly, I can't even imagine how his brain must work. If you like Atonement (or even if you don't) you must must must read Sweet Tooth by him - the best ending of any book I've ever read.
ReplyDeleteI've read White Teeth and really enjoyed it, although it took me a while to get into. I've also got Alone in Berlin and it's been sat in my 'to-read' pile for a while, so I'm really interested to see how you find it! Also I really should start having a look through charity shops for books rather than going straight for bookshops or the internet! Also a quick question, what do you do with your books once you've read them? Do you keep them or do you give them away?? x
ReplyDeletehttp://lostmyowls.blogspot.com
I can't believe how cheap they all were - SO jealous. I live in London and charity shops aren't much cheaper than any other shops! Hope you enjoy reading them! x
ReplyDeleteThe plague is good, it doesn't rival the stranger though!
ReplyDeleteAlone in Berlin is absolutely incredible. I really hope you like it, just thinking about the story still hits me hard. x
ReplyDeleteWow! Everything about this haul is amazing, from the actual books to the fantastic price you paid for them all! I honestly don't even know where to begin with a comment because I adore so many of these: Camus, Thomas Hardy, Kerouac, AND a Stephen Fry autobiography? You really can't get much better than this. It makes me consider treating myself to some new (used) books this weekend, not that I need them at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading atonement and also a study in scarlet, really enjoying both! I recently finished the Stephen Fry Chronicles, he's my favourite author! If you haven't read his first autobiography 'moab is my washpot' I'd really recommend doing so! You picked up some really good reads :)
ReplyDeleteI love going to charity shops for books, it's so much cheaper than buying them in a proper bookshop and they usually have a pretty good selection!
ReplyDeleteLouisa's Notebook
You have lots of lovely books here! I've been really wanting to read Atonement and Alone in Berlin! And I really love your little slippers by the way! Very adorable!
ReplyDeletexx
Mere
Good finds! I love finding good books in those shops, its such a lottery sometimesxx
ReplyDeleteI read Far from the madding crowd at school and I remember liking it a lot! I only remember bits of it, and I want to start reading more classics so I might have to pick it up. All your books were bloody bargains, Southampton like to ramp all the prices up now they know charity shops are 'hip'!! xxx
ReplyDeleteOh Bee what beautiful finds and savings! I have to say books in charity shops are my one true weakness I always come out with books!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy charity shopping a great deal and post my finds on my blog these days. 8D Recently bought some cute clothes from them included some dresses and a cute top. :)
So jealous of both The Plague and Steppenwolf! The latter is my favourite book ever, is just so, so good – hope you enjoy it too!
ReplyDeleteGreat! Charity shops are fab... So cheap and saving trees at the same time!
ReplyDeleteHi I'm Ana from Blogginup.com/en/
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Regards! :) xx
Atonement is a brilliant book, not so keen on the film however so give this a read before watching it!
ReplyDeleteAlone in Berlin has been on my list of books to read for a while now, can't wait to hear how you find it.
Enjoy all your reading :)
What a lot! I also enjoy to buy in charity shops, saddly, here in Spain there aren't many. I want to read "On the road" aswell, and maybe I'll watch the movie and see how good it is.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!
El pintalabios rojo
Atonement is fantastic! I studied it at A level but still managed to enjoy it after nit picking every sentence for exams!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to know some charity shops like that! I read Atonement for my finals 4 years ago and had some troubles with it as English is not my native language, but really enjoyed the book. It did help me that I'd seen the movie, but that might be because of the English language back then.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends recently read White Teeth and went aboslutely mad about it, she really, really enjoyed it. I bought NW by her recently and can't wait to start it :-)
Just like you, I'm not really keen to read autobiographies but absolutely love Stephen Fry, so I really hope you'll review it once you've read it :-)
On the road will make you go, "I'm quitting my job and I'm going to go to America and buy a car and drive it everywhere and live like that forever!"
ReplyDeleteIt's awesome.
So is Stephen Fry's book. Love that man. x
I've wanted to read Alone in Berlin for absolutely ages, I keep seeing it in charity shops but I really want to read it in German rather than English. My mum always has this rule about reading a book in the original language it was written in and seeing as I'm German I really should make the extra effort. I found a £1.99 copy of War and Peace in Oxfam so that'll be my challenge for this summer!
ReplyDeleteNina from little nomad
You picked up pretty good finds there, I love buying books from charity shops. I've read Alone in Berlin and absolutely loved it, such an interesting story and really quite believable as well. If you have time read a little about Hans Fallada himself as it makes the read all the more interesting knowing the history behind it (: xx
ReplyDeleteI've just finished the Sherlock Holmes series and you're going to absolutely love it. I didn't realise Doyle had written so many stories but they're all fantastic, I'm so sad I've finished the series. I can't wait to see what you think of Atonement! I've tried to read it 3 times but something distracts me away. I hope you fare better! :) x
ReplyDeleteThis post is so great. I'm second-hand book addict, to the point where I've started refusing to buy books new because I know anything I'm looking for will turn up eventually. This was proven to me when, after a few months of wanting The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson, I find it for 10p. TEN PENCE. Fair to say I was thrilled.
ReplyDeleteJust started reading your blog and I looooove your photography! :)
ReplyDeletewww.marsjambelle.blogspot.com
I love reading on your blog & I am looking forward to read more soon.
ReplyDeleteLifestyle Blog
Atonement is one of my ultimate favourite books, it's beautiful. The Charity shops near you are incredibly well stocked if I may say so, your town obviously has excellent taste in literature! xxx
ReplyDelete