It’s still a week to go until my birthday, but I cannot resist…! My mom bought me three books for my birthday over a month ago and my grandma sent me a bit of early birthday money, so I am unable to contain myself anymore, I must have a beautiful picture of my growing stack of delicious republished forgotten classics. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually found books I know I’ll love in a bookstore.
So here’s the list:
Nightingale Wood by Stella Gibbons, author of Cold Comfort Farm — my library still doesn’t have this one yet, so after a bit of impatient rechecking every few days to see if it was somehow there, I decided a birthday is the perfect time to indulge.
Wigs on the Green by Nancy Mitford — after enjoying Love in a Cold Climate recently and understanding all the Mitford humour even more thanks to Hons & Rebels by her sister Jessica, I wanted to begin enjoying everything Mitford and these new covers are particularly appealing, especially since Wigs on the Green is a parody of British fascism in the ’30s.
Mrs. Tim of the Regiment by the delightful D.E. Stevenson — my library does have a copy of this, but I cannot resist, especially as I currently do not have my own Miss Buncle’s Book! I must be able to hold at least one of her books to my heart, at any time I may wish to literally physically do so.
Love’s Shadow by Ada Leverson, The Brontes Went to Woolworths by Rachel Ferguson — once I’d read and loved Henrietta’s War then ever more of the charming and colourful Bloomsbury Group reprints have been joining my collection. And also my much treasured first Persephone book, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson.
All that plus a delightful new reading journal (it has sections for my biblio style and literary superlatives, plus such a nice cover) and some french macarons, which perhaps should have been savoured over one of my new books, but have already been gobbled up whilst sitting at the computer! The pink one was particularly delicious, I am happy to report — strawberry flavoured!
a few of my favourite books 
What a lovely set of new books! Envying you the Gibbons and Mitford, knowing you will enjoy Love’s Shadow, and hoping we might read Mrs. Tim close together as this is coming up soon for me too. Happy reading and happy birthday!
Thank you! I was envying other people’s Gibbons and Mitford, so I finally just got my own. I’ve already started Mrs. Tim, but have since started something else too, so tell me when you start it, maybe I’ll join you.
I will be very interested to hear how you get on with the Stella Gibbons. I’ve only managed to find one book other than ‘Cold Comfort Farm’ by her, ‘Fort of the Bear’ and it was a massive disappointment. Consequently, I’ve not looked for any others. Maybe you’ll change my mind.
I love the tea cup, by the way. Books should always be accompanied by tea. Happy Birthday for next week.
I’ve heard good things about it, so hopefully it will be enjoyable. I love my old tea cups, I got that one from a great aunt, she said I was the only one who wanted them (shocking!), so it’s got a special memory.
I received Wigs on the Green for my birthday. Enjoy eating the macaroons and Happy Birthday.
Thanks Joan! The macarons were delicious, I try to ration myself since like little sugar sandwiches, but they are a delightful treat, just like the books.
You lucky thing! What a wonderful pile! Wigs on the Green is just brilliant. I love that edition of Nightingale Wood – the Virago one here is ghastly -all pastel pink and stereotypical flappers cavorting around on the front. Their attempts to reel in the chick lit market have really downgraded the quality of their book design in recent years if you ask me!
My excuse, besides the whole birthday thing, is that it’s been a rather stressful time with my husband’s surgery coming up and I need all the comforting books I can find! I partly got Wigs on the Green based on your review and partly because I always need more of the Mitfords in my life.
I wish that Virago would go back to the gorgeous dark green covers! They were so distinctive and seemed to be a guarantee of a book that was really worth reading!
Love the collection of books – I have all but the Mitford but have yet to read any of them due to being over enthusiastic about online requesting from the library!
Hi Liz, thanks for coming by! I’m new to keeping my eye out for Virago books, but it is easier to spot them in the green covers. I’m also always too enthusiastic about library requests and perhaps for the same reason am having trouble knowing what books to start with now… Blessing and a curse, really. 😉
Happy birthday for next week! 🙂
I recently read both Love in a Cold Climate and Cold Comfort Farm and loved them. So I really want to read everyting else by them now 🙂 Can´t wait to hear your thoughts on Wigs on the Green!
Thanks Bina. 🙂 I so enjoy finding all these great inter-war female authors, it’s like lovely hidden treasure.
What a great set of books (and happy early birthday)!
I picked up my own copy of Nightingale Wood a few weeks ago but haven’t yet started on it and Love’s Shadow just arrived in my mailbox this afternoon! Mrs Tim of the Regiment has been one of my favourite reads this year (and one I should probably get around to reviewing…), so I hope you enjoy!
Thanks Claire. I have such an embarrassment of good books now, it’s hard to know where to begin. I look forward to your review of Mrs Tim, I’ve started it, but it has a looser narrative than Miss Buncle’s Book, so I don’t feel as glued to it.
I loved Cold Comfort Farm–I’m going to have to keep an eye out for “Nightingale Wood.”
I’d like to reread Cold Comfort Farm at some point, only whenever I go, I always see the edition with the cow on the cover! Not attractive, Penguin people! But at least Nightingale Wood is pretty.
Oh, you got some Bloomsbury Group books, I’d really like some myself. Actually, all of the books you received look good.
They’re like addictive little candies or something! Once you start…!
Ooh books, macaroons and a new journal. Sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday! Happy birthday and enjoy your books.
Thanks Iliana, it’s nice to see you around here. 🙂 I’ve already started writing in my new reading journal, it has sections to write down my favourite authors and books and all those good things, but not with pen! I might change my mind…!
Happy Belated Father’s Day…
lovely birthday book views.
Thanks!
Did you read The Bolter, by Frances Osborne? It’s the (true) story of Lady Sackville, who was Nancy Mitford’s inspiration for ‘The Bolter’ (the mother) in Love in a Cold Climate. It was a good read, and it sent me back to reading LiaCC again.
Hi Audrey (I love that name, if I ever have a daughter, Audrey is already all picked out!), I haven’t read or even heard of The Bolter, but thanks for mentioning it. And thanks for coming by, it’s always nice to meet new people and find a new blog to read. 🙂