New Additions To My Shelves

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a book lover in possession of multiple copies of Jane Austen’s novels will always want one more. It is also a truth universally acknowledged that my husband is the best husband in the world. When these two pieces of universal knowledge combine then I end up with an absolutely wonderful copy of Pride and Prejudice. It was our thirtieth wedding anniversary earlier in the month and we weren’t able to do much to celebrate (thanks worldwide pandemic) and we both said we were fine with no gifts. However, he decided I needed a small gift anyway and this showed up in the mail.

Isn’t it amazing? Each of the letters in the novel is carefully recreated using different paper and handwriting. They have postage marks and marks from sealing wax. A lot of research was put into getting everything as accurate as possible. The letters are still in the text but now when you come to one you can pull out an actual letter as well. It makes reading that much more of an immersive experience. I haven’t read it yet. I am doing my usual thing of gloating over and saving something I am particularly looking forward to reading. But one day soon will be the perfect day and I shall sit on my couch with a cup of tea and sink into Elizabeth Bennet’s world.

I haven’t been buying that many books lately. Part of that is because I can’t go anywhere so there has been no book browsing in my life. Part of that is because I am being careful with money right now. However, during a particularly stressful period of time lately I started rereading Angela Thirkell’s novels. I wanted to read them in order but I don’t own them all. I read the ones I had in order and now I am slowly going back and buying the ones I am missing. These two arrived recently. Reading her books is like visiting old friends. You love them despite, and sometimes because of, their foibles, idiosyncrasies, and weaknesses. I am sure the world she creates is not an accurate world but it is a very comforting world to live in for a while. I have enjoyed every moment of it.

The British Library very kindly sent me the latest novels in their Women Writers series. They are such pretty books and I am particularly excited to read Tea Is So Intoxicating. That is a wonderful title and I hear very good things about the book.

That is not a huge number of books to have entered my house in the last couple of months. I don’t know whether to be pleased or saddened by my self-restraint. One day soon we will be able to go book shopping again and I shall make up for it in a glorious binge of book buying. In the meantime, I am very grateful to have a husband who knows that if I only get one gift then a Jane Austen novel is the way to go.