I always thought I owned a lot of books. Susan Hill owns tons more--and has more house to tuck them away in. Oh, to go live in Susan Hill's house.
Hill has written about her search for her copy of Howards End which leads her to a year of reading or rereading only books from her own collection--the forgotten or forsaken or formerly loved. Her chapters are short excursions through the bookshelves which always turn up some gem that sparks a memory of an old friend (she had met many of England's authors who were still alive in the 60's and 70's) or a favorite poem (she can quote extensively) or an alternative and perhaps better read.
She gives us charming stories of people like Sacheverell Sitwell, and whimsical chapters like "Bad Bed-Fellows" There is a moving tribute to Benjamin Britten and an impassioned plea for reading books slowly. As she wends her way among the books in her home, we learn more about Susan Hill and about the books themselves.
It made me think of forgotten authors, favorite authors, and some new-tp-me authors. I borrowed this from the library, but I may need my own copy.
Hill has written about her search for her copy of Howards End which leads her to a year of reading or rereading only books from her own collection--the forgotten or forsaken or formerly loved. Her chapters are short excursions through the bookshelves which always turn up some gem that sparks a memory of an old friend (she had met many of England's authors who were still alive in the 60's and 70's) or a favorite poem (she can quote extensively) or an alternative and perhaps better read.
She gives us charming stories of people like Sacheverell Sitwell, and whimsical chapters like "Bad Bed-Fellows" There is a moving tribute to Benjamin Britten and an impassioned plea for reading books slowly. As she wends her way among the books in her home, we learn more about Susan Hill and about the books themselves.
It made me think of forgotten authors, favorite authors, and some new-tp-me authors. I borrowed this from the library, but I may need my own copy.