Can't Resist!

If I am in a second hand shop I simply can't resist grabbing any old books I see - you know the 'classics' - titles we all know from 'back in the days'. I do fancy myself reading some of the titles to our grandkids one day and expect that they will be extra special because they are from another time with loads of charm and brilliant with extensive vocabulary. We shall see - however meantime I just like them because they are old and precious and delicately constructed with old style illustrations - and they remind me of books that were sat on our bookshelves when I was a child.

The other thing I like to do is to borrow old books from our local Library - often they have to search for them on the National Library web and bring them in from afar. Like one I am reading at the moment - 'Greenbanks' by Dorothy Whipple. The first edition was published in 1932! I first read of Dorothy Whipple's books on Jane Brocket's website YARNSTORM. One thing's for sure - they are rich with vocabulary and the character development is fabulous! She is an author with a real insight into people and how they think and behave. Last night I laughed out loud as I read her book! People are so interesting - and people who observe people and express that in an amusing way are even MORE interesting!

When we were on holiday up in Northland I did my usual scavenge in local second hand shops and was rewarded with a dear little Oxford illustrated Bible - hardly used which is normally a good thing when you are talking second hand but in this case it made me feel a little sad. A shame that some of the best stuff ever written has not been devoured by the previous owner! Maybe something like this - 'immaculate condition, one careful lady owner, kept on the shelf for special occasions only'.