I had some short stories, poems and photographs to share ... and so here I am

A Lucky Literary Dip

 

We didn't manage to organise a mini blogmoot in such short notice, but I did manage to find a trace of Barbara Smith (Cailleach) in a Dublin bookshop. This poetry book of hers, Kairos, is gorgeous, with nuggets of gold behind that dreamy picture. What a delight. An explosion of something pleasant on the tongue. These are definitely for reading aloud. It has now taken pride of place in my living room.

It was my fault we didn't meet up; it didn't even occur to me that it could be a possibility. The next time I am in Dublin, maybe in November or December, we will definitely try to arrange it.

My regular visits to that charming city always involve something to do with books. I love to drink a large latté in my favourite cafés, which just happen to be close to my favourite bookshops, which all blur into one after a five-day visit. Barbara also told me about the Chapters bookshop, which was a wonderful place, with new and second-hand books. This is where I found some good bargains on new hardbacks. All in all I ended up buying ten books while in Dublin ... and I wrote a fair amount towards my own novel, even a few pages while sitting on those café terraces. The main character is from Dublin, so it's nice to visit his place and remember all the little things about our stock.

Here are the titles I bought, so you can kind of tell what mood/state of mind I'm in at the moment:

The Blair Years, Alistair Campbell
The Woman Who Walked Into Doors, Roddy Doyle (Irish author)
The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne, Brian Moore (Irish author)
This Human Season, Louise Dean
The Sea, John Banville (Irish author)
On Chesil Beach, Ian McEwan
Blindness, José Saramago
Mister Pip, Lloyd Jones
My Life As A Fake, Peter Carey


Now, of course, who knows when I will get round to these, given there's already a big backlog. But I do love swaying in front of the bookshelf, letting my fingers run over the spines, deciding almost at random what my next book will be. A lucky literary dip. That way I move between different authors, styles, years. I also love to read books that I've bought in a place I've visited. I write the date and the city inside the cover, so I remember the trip when I finally get round to reading the book.

7 comments:

Wanderlust Scarlett said...

That's a good idea... write the place and date in the book.

My friends and I trade books regularly but we always write notes to each other in them.

Do a review of the books on the list, please?

Thanks!

Scarlett & Viaggiatore

L.M.Noonan said...

Yes, a much better idea than to...from...xxx
A french friend of mine always writes inside his books "This was stolen from..."
Hmmm.

I would love to visit Dublin again. The perks of being a European I guess.

Unknown said...

Wow - that is a great list of books, Shameless; I always buy books when I go to forn parts. I usually have to negotiate airport check in with a degree of wilyness ;)

And that picture is so cool - my book in your hand... :) Glad you savoured it so.

And just as I'm here, Les Bleus have just upset the New Zealand applecart - incroyable!

Shameless Words said...

Wanderlust, hi, yes, oh, reviews, gosh, if I get to them, I've almost fainted in front of my shelf trying to see where I need to go next ... such wonderful choice! :-)

Loretta (Wow, it's funny to use that, but I LIKE IT!),
I always imagine when I'm 90, and I look back over these books with yellowy pages and dream about that time and place, and when I sat here on the computer and I communed with nice writers like you! :-)

Cailleach,

I know what you mean about the check-in at the airport ... this time around I was forced to do some rearranging ... ie, very heavy carry-on bag!

Your book is lovely ... so much variety and phrases that make me go wow, I wish I had said that! :-)

And the rugby? ! The French around me are insufferable! I have ignored their text messages. Hey, we have to let some people win some of the time, right? :-)

Unknown said...

LOL, Shameless - that's right we only played so badly to let others get their shoulders around that rugby world cup door... ;) Besides, there's always the six nations to look forward to.

apprentice said...

My copy of B's book is no doubt trapped in the UK postal dispute.

Nice list of books, except Alistair Campbell, I wouldn't give him house room. Look forward to hearing your views on them all.

S. Kearney said...

Hi Apprentice, you'll love B's book when it gets there ... well worth the wait! :-) You're probably right about Campbell, but I kind of have to read it to know what went on ... being a journalist who covers UK politics and all. Ho hum. Required reading, they say.