More Books

My mother and I went downtown and started the day at a nice cafe with a light Organic cappuccino then meandered about the local boutiques chatting and window shopping. Of course I had to stop at the bookstore and whilst there Scoop by Evelyn Waugh caught my eye: "ingenious, satirical, extremely funny" ...a promising description, I opened to a random page and read:

After an early luncheon William went to say goodbye to his grandmother. She looked at him with doleful, mad eyes. "Going to London, eh? Well, I hardly suppose I shall be alive when you return. Wrap up warm, dear." It was eternal Winter in Mrs. Boot's sunny bedroom.

My latest books: Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida,
Waugh's Scoop, and Ford's Parade's End. Photo © Katherine Cox
I like the sound of it! Mrs. Boot seems like a character Maggie Smith would play, with perhaps a dash of Austen's Mr. Woodhouse thrown into the mix? And I happily walked out with my new purchase. I've added five more books to my collection over the few months.

Troilus and Cressida drew my attention in Masterpiece's recent Inspector Lewis episode where they mention the play. I hadn't heard of this piece by Shakespeare before and have been wanting to add something by the dear Bard of Avon to my library.

Ford Madox Ford's Parade's End is wonderfully complex. It's stimulating and next to Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, is the only other modernist work I've read. Tender is the Night and Eliot's The Mill on the Floss are my other additions (not pictured above). I'm very happy with how my little library is shaping up. 

Comments

Teresa said…
I've read Parade's End and it's very good! Hope you have the time to read it before the mini-series is released :)
lol I read Scoop 5 years ago and loved it. I think Evelyn Waugh is overremembered as the author of Brideshead Revisited, in his time he was actually known as a major satirist on the same rank as PG Wodehouse. One of my favourites is Black Mischief, unfortunately now it's perceived as racist. It does have many stereotypes but it stereotypes every single nationality (including the English) so I don't think that's a big deal. It's hard to get at major bookstores, I got mine at a secondhand book sale for a fraction of the price. I also recommend his war novels featuring Guy Crouchback.
Anonymous said…
I completely agree with Maggie Smith playing that character although I have not read the book.

Two years ago I read Troilus and Cressida, but Chaucer's version, obviously translated to modern English! It is a very interesting read.
Fanda said…
I haven't heard about Troilus and Cressida before, is it another tragedy?

Tender Is the Night and The Mill on the Floss are two books I've been longing to read, can't wait to read your reviews on them!
JaneGS said…
Nice additions to your library.

I've only read A Handful of Dust by Waugh, but he's one of my mom's favorite authors, so I should get busy!

Troilus and Cressida is ... interesting. I read it without knowing anything about it, and it surprised me by its cynicism. I'll be interesting in reading your reaction to the play.

Enjoy your new books!
Karen K. said…
If you like Scoop I highly recommend Decline and Fall. It has the same satire, I found it hilarious. Very different than Brideshead which I found very sad.
Anonymous said…
Hi, can I ask what your editions are of "Scoop" and "Troilus and Cressida"?

Oh, and I LOVE your blog - everything about it!
Katherine Cox said…
@Martina: Thanks very much! :)
My edition of Scoop was published by Back Bay Books (ISBN is 978-0316926102) and Troilus and Cressida is part of the Folger Shakespeare Library (ISBN: 978-0743273312).
Katherine Cox said…
@Karen K. Thanks for the recommendation!

@JaneGS: That must be why it's not as well known as his other plays.

@BooksandReviews: I may have to read Chaucer's version later on.

@Caroline Helstone: Now I'm more eager to read it. I've heard great things of PG Wodehouse too but he's another I've yet to discover.

@Teresa: I think I can say it's become my favorite novel, so complex and fascinating! I'm still on No More Parade's haven't been reading as much the past couple days.

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