Book hunting again

I set out this morning with a plan: drop off two bags of stuff at charity shops and find books to read. That’s right, give some away and get some more: typical. It teemed with rain just long enough to get me quite wet and then cleared up. Also typical, although I’m glad of the rain for the garden. So, what treats in store?

The Agatha Christies are the facsimile editions, in excellent condition. They came from the new Cats’ Protection League shop. A Tale of Two Families by Dodie Smith was also a charity shop find. Very nice condition and quite new to me.

I was less successful at the library than on my last visit. Murder in Piccadilly I now find I’ve already read. Those seductive BLCC covers. Speaking of covers, how many times have I thrilled to see a grey Persephone cover only to find that the book is just rotten old Miss Pettigrew *again*? It happened this morning. Pleased to find a Mrs Malory book I’m pretty sure I haven’t read, ditto a book by Douglas Coupland. The choice of Leaving Berlin is a good example of cover and subject matter drawing me to an author and book I’ve never heard of. (Yes, tell me Joseph Kanon is very famous; I daresay he is.) Take a photograph of a grim, snowy Berlin, add 1949, the CIA, ‘intrigue’ and ‘moral ambiguity’ (says the blurb) and I’m there.