Books happened.
I know.
But how am I to resist when the English library in my Hometown decided to do a big spring second hand book sale just the weekend before I left for Berlin (where I am now, by the way, more about this later), I just had to fill my bag pack with them, really. Travelling light is overrated, I tell you. I went in and found (for a bargain price – one more reason I couldn’t resist, what usually keeps me from buying too many books in Switzerland is their ridiculous price, so when they are that cheap, nothing stands in the way anymore) :
Pile of Books getting used to a Berlin environment (fitting rather well, I would say)
– A song for Issy Bradley, by Carys Bray, which I sort of remembered I had heard good things about, so I just went for it
– Deaf sentence, by David Lodge (the only Lodge they had, which coincidentally is one of the few I haven’t read yet, that’s predestination for you or I wasn’t raised in the birth place of Calvinist protestantism)
– On Chesil beach, by Ian McEwan. Which is a test, as I didn’t enjoy Atonement that much, and wouldn’t have bought an other McEwan at a full price, but for 1 Swiss franc, you can allow for second chances to happen.
– Charles lamb’s Essays for Elia
– Kate Mosse’s Labyrinth (Because I read “the taxidermist daughter”, a few months ago, and really enjoyed the atmosphere and her writing, so I am really looking forward to this)
And(left on my piano who in the present reduced circumstances (in terms of book space) is forced to shadow as a bookshelf)
-That edition of Vile bodies, all black and gold, and shiny, and,… well, maybe I’m a superfictial bright young thing
The other books decorating this bed table in the room I’m renting are books I received and took with me to Berlin, so that they may travel a bit too (it is only fair). Safe to say a couple of bookish weeks are coming!
Room I ‘m renting even has the required “I’m fully at home here, what are you doing here intruder” cat, which is all I needed to really enjoy Berlin
Eloise In Wanderlust 
You know, if you get them electronically, you can have THOUSANDS and it doesn’t add any weight. I know. Checked. 😉
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I know, the worst of it is.. I have an e-reader, and I use it a lot as well, I had managed to go travelling for 3 months in India and Nepal with just that, but suddenly I heard “second hand book sale” and all my resolutions about light-packing were shattered… Well, it’s a long road, I guess;)
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Oh, I understand. I write to you from a room lined with bookshelves, some of them double-stacked.
Though I’ve found the more used to reading electronically I’ve gotten, the less I’m able to deal with a real book. I bought Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood in hardcover (at her reading), paperback (not going to read a signed book) and kindle (always had it on me).
Also that trip sounds amazing! In theory. I don’t have the constitution for backpacking.
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haha, we are all useless, that does make me feel better (though I am also extremely jealous now, a signed copy of the year of the flood? awesome!) It was amazing indeed, and the e-reader definitely made it possible, because I wouldn’t have had the constitution either for carrying any additional weight. But it did refuse to work when it was minus 10 degrees at 4500 meters in the Himalayas, so one point for paper, in that setting;)
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Wow, it never occurred to me how cold it would be up there! (See what I mean? I think imaginary backpacking is more my speed).
I really recommend if you ever get a chance to see her, you do. I brought a stack of books and she signed them all, and I was a babbling idiot and she was very kind about it.
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Wow – nice haul! I’d be a terrible back-packer. I’d happily whittle down my essentials to the bare minimum but then struggle to choose between the books. I don’t have an e-reader, mainly because I don’t need one, and I just love books as objects. That said, I can completely see the practicalities of having one while travelling (although I shall always quote your frozen kindle story whenever I get accused of being a luddite in future! 😉 )
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That’s definitely a heavy load. Especially that Marlon James books – I still haven’t finished reading it. It’s massive, dense, and intimidating. I’m actually disappointed in myself for putting it aside. I’ll have to return to it when I’m in the right mind for it
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It does seem massive, I agree, I’ve had it for a few months and -as it often is with dense, intimidating books . I have always found myself with something else to read first…Will see when I get around to finally starting it;)
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