This week I received some very good bookish news that I should be able to share in early November. I’m not quite sure why, but I’ve made it a habit of posting something about each birthday I’ve celebrated since I started blogging. Maybe because, otherwise, the years pass so quickly that I can’t remember from one to another what I did, ate, or received as presents! So, to follow on from my posts from 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, here’s this year’s rundown. (I haven’t read any more birthday acquisitions since last year’s overhaul. It’s a good thing books are patient.)
It was a lovely, warm autumn day yesterday. I took off work and spent some time reading (of course) and charity shopping for books and a cute new autumn-colours sweater (UK: jumper) before putting in my usual couple of hours volunteering at the library. I did my good deed for the day there by spotting that a copy of the new Sally Rooney novel had gone onto a display shelf instead of to one of the 26 people in the holds queue – oops!
Despite a busy termtime week at work, my husband made deep-dish pizzas and the very decadent Bananas Foster cupcakes from the American-in-London Hummingbird Bakery cookbook Life Is Sweet. Next weekend we have a concert by Nerina Pallot, one of our favourite singer-songwriters, and managed to get a Saturday lunchtime table at Henry and Joe’s, the closest our town has to fine dining, so I’ll consider those additional birthday treats. We’ll be spending this weekend down with our goddaughter and her parents – her second birthday (today) being much more important than my 38th – including a trip to the zoo.
Here’s my book haul thus far, with a few more to come, I expect. I also got some birthday money that I may well spend on books. After all, there are some novellas, poetry collections and recent releases that have been calling my name…
Happy birthday! Nice birthday book haul! 😀
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Thank you for sharing! Happy birthday!
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Hope you had a wonderful birthday. I love a celebration that lasts for longer than just the day!
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It’s been a theme of recent years: spreading the birthday out to a week or more. Especially when it falls on a weekday, I agree it’s nicer than just a one-time thing. I think I have a parcel awaiting me at my in-laws’, so in that sense the celebration may extend until next month when I can pick it up!
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Wonderful!
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Happy birthday – sounds like the perfect way to spend it, celebrate it and purchase for it!
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Thank you. I agree!
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Yay! Birthday time! 🎂 And I completely agree that birthday celebrations should sprawl out. That’s an amazing stack of reading. And, oh, I loved loved loved A Complicated Kindness. When I reread it recently, the sadder parts stood out for me differently, but with earlier rereads I just fell into her voice so hard and the whole community feel of it all and her wry look at the world felt like everything…I think you’ll really enjoy it and possibly find a different thread to relate to, than reverberated for me. What on earth drew you to Man V Nature? Didn’t you despise The Last Wilderness? Heheh
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I’ve only ever read All My Puny Sorrows by Toews, which I loved, though I’ve recently read more about Fight Night for doing the Bookmarks write-up and want to find that one, too. This was a lucky thrift store find — I never see her books over here.
Despise is a strong word! I liked Cook’s writing enough to think that, in short form, and with attractive themes, it would be for me. So I’m giving her another try, on my brother-in-law’s dime 😉
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My own copy of this one, which dated to its publication, was one of those loaned-out-never-returned book (it’s not the same edition, and I’m sure you’d’ve told me if the dedication matched LOL). If you loved AMPS I am fairly sure you’ll have the same response to this one and FN too.
It is a strong word, but I thought I remembered that you had a very strong reaction to it! I think you’ll enjoy the stories actually. And Lauren Groff’s too. It’s that time of the afternoon where that cupcake photo is making my mouth water…it’s not too early for day-cupcaking, eh?
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Knowing me, it will probably be September by the time I pick up those two story collections.
We’ve saved today’s cupcakes for after-dinner dessert with ice cream 🙂
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Sounds like you had a lovely day Rebecca – happy birthday!
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Thanks, Cathy! Even though I don’t like the number going up anymore, it’s a good excuse to have nice meals and indulge in some book buying.
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Belated good wishes for your birthday. Yet MORE books for you to plough through …
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Thank you! Always…
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Happy birthday, sounds like a good way to spend it. I really enjoyed Tea is So Intoxicating.
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I had to have it, just for that title! But I had also heard great things from you and Simon.
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That sounds like a lovely relaxed birthday, and the cupcake looks scummy!
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They are delicious, but deadly — rum in the cake, filling and frosting!
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Blimey!
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Happy birthday – sounds like you had a delightful day.
I have one of the Hummingbird books – I think it’s the one in your photo in fact but have yet to make anything from it. They all look very sweet and sugary!
Now you have us all trying to guess what this good news is going to be: )
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Very sugary indeed! My husband also said an obscene amount of butter went into the icing. It being American-style desserts but with British measurements and tips makes it a perfect book for our household.
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Ok I can feel my teeth protesting already
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Happy birthday. Sounds like you had a perfect day.
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Thanks, Kim! We got a lovely weekend of warm, sunny autumn weather, too.
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Happy Birthday, Rebecca. Looking forward to hearing your news in November
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Thanks, Paul!
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Happy birthday! (and a bookish one is the best)
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Thanks, Kate! They’ll always be bookish 😉
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Happy birthday! Enjoy your book haul!
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Thanks, Laila! I was given another one from my wish list this weekend and started it right away, but I’m not sure how quickly I’ll get to the rest of the pile.
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Happy belated birthday! Intrigued by your November news! I loved A Complicated Kindness but have never been able to get on with anything else I’ve tried by Toews. I also didn’t get on with Delicate Edible Birds the first time I tried it, but am thinking of returning to it as I liked Groff’s other short story collection so much.
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Thanks! It’ll soon by my only unread Groff book as Matrix is now available for me to pick up from the library. Arcadia is the one of her books that I didn’t find very interesting, but that was over nine years ago so I have a feeling I’d need to reread it.
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Arcadia is on my tbr.
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Happy (belated) Birthday!
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Thank you, Davida 🙂
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Happy birthday and what a lovely pile. Tea is so Intoxicating is excellent!
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That’s 3 votes for it, hurrah! Not the sort of thing I often read, but I’ll enjoy dipping into the series.
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I think I probably say this every year on your birthday post (but it’s still true!)… Your birthday celebrations sound perfect! And another great pile of books. Like Marcie, I’m especially excited that you found a copy of A Complicated Kindness. 🙂
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Thanks! Nothing too exciting, but I had a nice day. And there’s tomorrow’s fancy restaurant meal still to come.
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Have fun!!
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[…] did, ate, or received as presents! So, to follow on from my 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 posts, here’s this year’s rundown. (Oh dear, I realize I’ve read just one of the books I […]
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[…] would be “Blythe,” about a woman who feels responsible for her alcoholic best friend. (From my birthday book haul last […]
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