I have taken in well over 1,500 books this last two weeks, the most I have ever acquired in one go. The majority are mainly for stock of course, though that's a moot point when you have to hurdle them to get to the front door. I have also lots of new books from publishers, from visits to two libraries, and from spending the last of my birthday funds on yet more; these volumes I have to hurdle to get into bed. I have photographed them on the sitting room mantelpiece as that is the about the only place left in the house not full of other books, and you will see that today's themes are trilogies and good things that Cornflower has recommended.
As you can see it is an eclectic mix. Simon and Schuster, through the Real Readers scheme, have kindly sent out a paperback copy of Child 44
by Tom Rob Smith together with a gorgeous limited edition hardback proof of Agent 6
signed by Tom Rob Smith. These two are the first and third in the trilogy. Next on the left hand pile we have The Far Pavilions
by M. M. Kaye. Like Gone with the Wind this is one of those titles that I feel I out to have read but have not. I've borrowed this from my mum-in-law.
Next up is one I have had on my radar for a while. Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky 
by Patrick Hamilton is the umbrella name for the trilogy of The Midnight Bell, The Siege of Pleasure and The Plains of Cement. I noticed the glowing reviews for the serialisation on DVD of Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky
and the book(s) immediately went high up on my 'to be acquired' list. I saw it in the library and pounced. I shall be after that DVD next.
Jill
by Philip Larkin was also a book I pounced on. I've had enormously pleasure loathing the poetry of Larkin over the years, since I did Whitsun Weddings for A-level in fact. I admire Larkin's writing but find little to like. The depth and variety of things not to like is, however, enormous. I have always wondered if I'd feel the same way about his prose. The edition I have got has a nice introduction by Larkin where he is effusive about Bruce Montgomery aka Edmund Crispin
which gets us off to a more cheerful start than I was expecting. What the actual novel is like remains to be seen.
Lastly on this side of the pile we have The English German Girl
by Jake Wallis Simons and Nimrod's Shadow
by Chris Paling which were the two books from Fiction Uncovered that most appealed before my funds ran out. Fiction Uncovered with its promoting of new fiction seems like a jolly good thing. The first place I saw Fiction Uncovered mentioned was on Cornflower so thanks to Karen I now have these tempting two volumes.
On the other side I have a nice review copy of Gillespie and I
by Jane Harris which I am thoroughly looking forward to as I have heard so much good about it, again especially from Cornflower.
The Borrible Trilogy
by Michael De Larrabeiti is one that I read as a young teen. I remember that I was quite shocked by the violence and that it features some sort of demonic version of the Wombles and that it was also quite witty and not like anything else that I had read at the time. It was a library book and I had not seen it since. Having spotted the trilogy again recently I couldn't resist.
I, Coriander
by Sally Gardner is another one from the library, and again I've had my eyes open for it since I saw this review from Cornflower a couple of years ago.
Like Bees to Honey
by Caroline Smailes is Caroline's most recent book. She has a reputation for difficult subject matter and though I love her blog I suspected her early work would be too dark for my tastes. Like Bees to Honey is altogether a perkier tale I gather and I've wanted it for a while.
Rattling through the last volumes: The Cleansing Flames
is the last of the wonderful St Petersberg Mysteries. Thank you to Faber for the review copy. Marcus Sedgwick's My Swordhand is Singing
is a YA version of the vampire myth, with all the Eastern European trappings I gather (I think I saw this first on Gaskella). Monsieur Montespan
by Jean Teule is a review copy of a historical love story from Gallic Books.
Thank you to the publishers for their review copies but mostly to Cornflower for her reviews! You'll note I've held that review of I, Coriander in my mind for four years!
Lots of very good reading, for sure. Though the title that jumps out at me is THE FAR PAVILLIONS by M.M. Kaye. A favorite book of mine. I read it years ago but I still remember parts of it which is saying a lot for my faulty 'old lady' memory these days.
What a book! It's funny you should mention GONE WITH THE WIND - I suppose it is that sort of read. A thumpin' good read.
Went to the library this past week and came home with about 19 books. (I know, I know, there's no excuse. Ha!)
Posted by: Yvette | June 12, 2011 at 11:13 PM
Fab picture! I've just finished 'Gillespie and I' and loved it. What a difference after Harris' debut novel 'The Observations' which I rather struggled with. I've added some of the other books in your photo to my 'to read' list.
I've come to really appreciate Philip Larkin's work over the last dozen years. I hope you enjoy 'Jill'. I've been checking eBay for copies for a while, but whenever one has come up, I've been too busy to bother to bid for it. You've encouraged me to make a more concerted effort the next time I see one :)
Posted by: Carola Huttmann | June 13, 2011 at 08:12 AM
My mantelpiece was free! Now it will be taken up with many of the books you mention.
The far pavilions keeps getting put to the bottom of my TBR pile but maybe I will drag it out now and give it a go. I've almost finished When God was a rabbit - excellent read, thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Posted by: Barbara Fisher | June 13, 2011 at 10:16 AM
Oh, The Far Pavilions, I loved that when I read it years ago! I think there was a TV series which just didn't live up to my memories of it and I'd be bothered now that re-reading it would spoil my memories. I hope you like it.
I have Gillespie and I - hope to read it soon, but other 'must reads' are piling up.
Lovely books!
Posted by: Margaret @ BooksPlease | June 13, 2011 at 10:28 AM
I look forward to hearing what you think of Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky - since I loved The Slaves of Solitude, I have recently bought quite a few Hamiltons, including this one.
Posted by: Simon T | June 13, 2011 at 10:56 AM
I read Far Pavilions in my early twenties and loved it. Just loved it so very much. The other one I would like to read is Gillespie and I.
Posted by: Mystica | June 13, 2011 at 11:18 AM
The Far Pavilions seems to have struck a chord! Thank you to everyone for their comments.
Carola - there are new and used copies of Jill on Amazon and used ones available on Biblio and Ukbookworld too.
Simon - yes, I'd noticed there was a bit of a blog buzz about The Slaves of Solitude. It''l be next on my hit list if I get on with Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky.
Posted by: Juxtabook | June 13, 2011 at 12:14 PM
[quote]"Carola - there are new and used copies of Jill on Amazon and used ones available on Biblio and Ukbookworld too."[unquote]
Thanks for that, Catherine. For some reason I thought 'Jill' and 'The Girl in Winter' were out of print, so I never thought of looking on the usual places I buy from like Amazon or the Book Depository. Silly me :)
Posted by: Carola Huttmann | June 13, 2011 at 04:04 PM
my gran had far pavillions I be interest to see what you make of it ,all the best stu
Posted by: stujallen | June 14, 2011 at 07:11 PM