As a child I remember being taken to Smiths or Woolworths and being allowed to choose a book each week. Even as a child, I had to read books of a series in order! I love new books, with the unmarked spines and sleek dust jackets! I still have my original set of Noddy books by Enid Blyton. Some with price tickets on - remember the days of 12p for a book?
Reading allows you to merge into a fictional world, to forget your woes and fears and escape for a short while. I would sit on my Grandmother's knee and she would read to me. I had some favourites, Mr Twiddle. No matter how often we read them, I would want to read it, again, and again and never was I dissuaded. I have just looked at Amazon and they do list the 1968 copies of the Twiddle books and I am once again spiralling back to my childhood, of Grandma knee, Twiddles and happy, happy days.
Of course my reading habits have changed. Nowadays, my books fall into the following categories -
Children's Books
I have my original set of Noddy Books by Enid Blyton, lovingly read and many still have the Woolworth price ticket of 12p stuck to the front. I have always kept them for my children, but as I don't have any they sit in my study on a shelf next to a set of Beatrice Potter books.
Italian Collection
I am half Italian and am interested in my Italian Heritage. There are not that many books published about Italian communities here in the United Kingdom so when I come across one I tend to buy it!
Thyroid Collection
I have a Thyroid condition and obviously have an interest in the condition. Over the last 20 years I have purchased any books on the subject and added them to my collection.
Both the Italian Collection and the Thyroid collection of books sit on the same bookcase in our spare room.
Family History Collection
I have a passion for researching my family history and over the course of a decade or two have read, purchased just about every book going on the subject. This collection though, is about the books that I have found along with the way that relate to particular ancestors and their families.
This collection is mainly made up of books relating to the family names of Bowring, Bellasis and Eastwick. There is also a copy of a diary called the Diary of Thomas Asline Ward. Which cost me a little over £60 but simply had to be purchased. This set of books sits on the bottom shelf of a pine bookcase in the hall.
Elm Creek Quilts Collection
I was introduced to this set of books by a fellow avid reader and they are lovely books. They are a set of fictional books set with the obvious theme of Quilting. Each dust jacket has a picture of a quilt on it. There is something about these books that makes you want to hold the book and admire the quilt picture. These sit on the top shelf of the bookcase in the hall.
Cookery Books
There is nothing particularly special about this collection, other than it sits on the middle shelf of the bookcase in the hall and is, and one would expect, of a practical nature. Two books which do stand out are those that I have kept from my school days and I have fond memories of my O level cookery classes.
Angling Collection
These are not mine, but Stuart's and sit in a bookcase in the lounge with a few angling type ornaments and collectibles.
The Rest
The remainder of my books sits on three bookcases on the third floor of the house. Two in my study and the third one on the top landing. These books span the last 25 years and cover fiction and non fiction. The fiction books are ones that I will read again and particularly want to keep. Others are sent to the charity shop. The fiction books are mainly the lovely cozy mysteries set around bookshops and craft shops which are to me pure escapism!
Oh go on! Here are those familiar covers, courtesy of Amazon -
Oh go on! Here are those familiar covers, courtesy of Amazon -
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