Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.
Unsurprisingly, the start of the Olympics has resulted in a dramatic reduction in the amount of time I spend reading. Usually, I ignore television but now I find myself glued to the screen every day, watching all sorts of events that I know absolutely nothing about and, if you had asked me a week ago, would have said I had no interest in. But I am learning a lot. For instance, I had no idea that there were professional volleyball leagues. I still don’t know why there are (my reaction to volleyball is not generally “yes, I would love to pay money to see this. In fact, I must have season tickets!”), but at least I know they exist. What this continuing education means is that I have little time left to read, so this week’s loot is a meager two books.
All in One Basket by Deborah Mitford, Duchess of Devonshire – Debo! This combines Counting My Chickens and Home to Roost, neither of which I have read.
Mrs Tim Gets a Job by D.E. Stevenson – I was excited to get the two D.E. Stevenson books last week but I was even more excited when this showed up, again brought to me via the delightful inter-library loan system. I have loved the two Mrs Tim books I’ve read (particularly Mrs Tim Flies Home) and am really looking forward to this. I have missed Mrs Tim dreadfully.
What did you pick up this week?
Debo is just the best and one of the guests at my fantasy dinner party, Claire! I bought signed copies of Counting My Chickens and Home to Roost at Hatchards in 2009. Missed the Dowager Duchess by one hour *sigh*.
Make yourself a pot of tea and enjoy…
She is definitely on my fantasy dinner party list as well, Darlene. I am terribly jealous of your signed copies!
I picked up 8 holds from the library this week. Joining in and blogged about them this morning 🙂
Awesome! Thanks for joining in, SJ!
Like you, my reading time has taken a hit due to the Olympics. For now I’m revisiting Mansfield Park (sometimes you just need a dose of Jane!).
I have a feeling August is going to be a bad reading month for me: first the Olympics, then I have a trip for work, then I’m on holiday in Europe. I need to start working through my library backlog fast! And I completely agree about needing a dose of Jane – dose is the perfect word too, since the effect of a few chapters can be as beneficial as any medicine.
My reading is lagging far behind this week as well, Claire as I’ve been tending to our overgrown garden and watching the Olympics. I also enjoy reading the Duchess of Devonshire. The two are fun.
Gardening and the Olympics – sounds like a lovely summer, Penny! As much as I love reading, at least I know my books will still be there come winter.
I have not be watching the Olympics. We don’t have cable so I don’t have a reliable way of watching it. Enjoy the Olympics and your books!
Thanks, Linda!
Been watching the ‘Limpix (as so many TV commentators refer to the Oh-lim-pics!) Games, and I’m not a particularly sporty person. Yes, I played tennis when young, and then squash, but that was decades ago. Therefore, reading time seriously cut back. Have ordered the Parade’s End series of books (in one volume, soon to be published as this is going to be a new drama for TV in the autumn) by Ford Maddox Ford, and also ordered the first of the books by R F Delderfield in the Swann’s Way quartet, called God is an Englishman. Just about to start reading The Knot by Jane Borodale.
I am decidely un-sporty as well, Margaret, but I think we’re exactly the kind of people who enjoy the Olympics most! It is a foreign and fascinating world.
I am beyond thrilled to hear that you’ve ordered God is an Englishman. Are you familiar with Delderfield? He is a favourite in my extended family and every household has their own copies of his books. In fact, I was named after one of his characters (Claire Derwent in A Horseman Riding By).
Same here, Claire. The Olympics have completely taken over my life and I have only managed to read a few pages of Little Women every night before bed since they started. I love the cover of the Debo book – just what is she wearing?!
Thank goodness the Olympics are only every couple of years! The sad thing is, I am much, much worse when the Winter Olympics are on. Gymnastics and fencing I can easily ignore. Speadskating and curling, not so much. I have absolutely no idea what Debo is wearing but she does look marvellous!
The Olympics are very addicting. They just draw you in! After reading this post I think I will have to check out those Mrs. Tim books. Also, I agree that inter-library loan is a wonderful thing. I always have a lot of books on hold.
Mrs Tim is absolutely worth checking out!
Love, love, love The Duchess. I have read Counting My Chickens, but not Home to Roost. It is now on my TBR list. I tried reading her memoir Wait for Me but it kinda laid an egg. I think I will stick with her gatherings of quirky thoughts.
I’ve been dipping in and out of Wait for Me! and have loved what I read but have never tried any of her books of ‘gatherings’, so I’m quite looking forward to this!
My dear friend Christine (who writes under the name of Christina Green, romantic historicals for publisher, Robert Hale here in the UK – her books are lovely and set here in South Devon) recommended the Swann books to me, Claire. I’ve never read Delderfield, which seems strange when I think of it as I loved To Serve them all My Days and A Horseman Riding By, both of which were made into TV dramas in the 1970s (I think they were in the ’70s) and which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Regarding sports/games. I was once in a ten pin bowling team and that season I won the Ladies High Average trophy! I didn’t keep it, it wasn’t like having an Olympic gold to put in the trophy cabinet!
Now my sporting activity is picking the TV remote up and putting it down again. I can do this in 1/100th of a second on a good day with a following wind!
Christine is clearly a woman of great taste and discernment. As fond as I am of A Horseman Riding By, the Swann books are Delderfield’s best. I’ve seen the TV adaptation of To Serve Them All My Days but never the one of A Horseman Riding By, which isn’t available in North America on DVD. Such a shame since I’d love to see it!
My loot was pretty pathetic this week 😦 It’s going to pick up though! http://therelentlessreader.blogspot.com/2012/08/book-blogger-hoplibrary-loot-8812.html
I have a lot of very pathetic weeks coming up – we need them to balance out all the crazy, overly ambitious weeks!