What is your most recent Persephone purchase?

I bought three this week as a bit of a treat for myself - I felt very indulgent doing so - but they are such beautiful books - I'll probably save reading them till I'm on holiday or something.

I bought:

The fornight in September
Miss Ranskill Comes Home
Saplings

They look wonderful!!

What was the most recent Persephone book you bought? and have you read it yet?

I recently bought The Fortnight in September too!

I just ordered The Victorian Chaise-Longue, Someone at a Distance, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, and The Making of a Marchioness from Amazon UK. I can't wait to get them!

I do still have William - an Englishman and The Carlyles at Home to read -- I suppose I'd better get to them before I get the new ones.

Today, in the mail, The Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hogdson Burnett. I am sooo happy!
And I also received, in a separate envelope, a note about the upcoming tea in New York City, in April.

I just bought a second-hand copy of Kitchen Essays.

Eeeek! I'd forgotten I'd bought two more! They just arrived in the post this morning - Saplings and Alas, Poor Lady. Someone help me! I can't stop!

miss_read....do you REALLY want to stop?
;-)

Alas, 'want' and 'need' are two very different things. ;)

quite true, quite true.....

I bought 'The Victorian Chaise-Longue' as a gift, and threw in 'The Fortnight in September' for myself.
I'm looking forward to the tea, and already wondering what I'll buy - I'm thinking that not paying postage probably equals at least two extra books...

Well, rec, we will have to see how much they charge for them...Also, wouldn't it be cool to think of a way to identify ourselves as LThingers, so that we can "really" meet?

Great Idea, Aluvalibri!

How 'bout pinning a pretty bookmark to our lapels!

sounds good to me!

There are buttons available

http://www.cafepress.com/thingstore

Thank you Simon! We shall certainly look into it.

Paola :-))

Thanks, SimonW11, the thingstore slipped my mind completely! I just ordered 10 buttons!

I can say that The Fortnight in September was up to standard. I enjoyed every minute of it, gulped it down like a starving person.

Buttons, you say?

Buttons, buttons, we need buttons!!

Do you live near NYC? If so, please do come to the Persephone Tea! Miss Paola, known here as aluvalibri, will be there. We would love for more to attend. I have a special LT button for all!!

YESSSSS! Please DO come!!!!

:-))))

I'm so jealous, you lot! I really WISH I could come! :(

I may not have made it to the New York tea, but did finally make it to the shop on Lamb's Conduit Street last night. I had to buy three of course, because of the offer. I just couldn't decide, but in the end came away with

The Shuttle by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Far Cry by Emma Smith and
Lady Rose and Mrs Memmary by Ruby Ferguson.

I sat down and read 80 pages of Mrs Memmary as soon as I got home. So much for getting anything else done yesterday evening!

Actually, I sat down and read Lady Rose in full this week; just haven't had time to post the review to my blog yet. But it was everything other readers had indicated, a mix of sweetness and sadness.

Jillmwo, I have now read Lady Rose in two very quick sittings. As with other Persephone's a real delight, and as you say a mix of sweetness and sadness. I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to reading my other two purchases! Though at the price they are I really ought to try to make them last a little longer...

finebalance, translate the amount in dollars and see why most of us, across the ocean, tend to buy less than you guys in the UK.....:-((

By the way, I am reading The Shuttle and LOVE it!

*edited to add last sentence

I ordered my first (and surely not the last) three books:

Good Evening, Mrs. Craven
The Victoria Chaise-Longue
Few Eggs and No Oranges

The books looked beautiful online, but in person they are much lovelier. The bookmarks are perfect, and I am now officially in love with these books.

#25> Biblio, welcome to the addiction of Persephone Books!

:-))

I bought three today - found them in a second hand shop - a rare event and they were all titles I had fancied. So I had to get them. I got Greenery Street (which had the bookmark in it!), Miss Ranskill Comes Home and The Village - that's the one I am most excited about as I am fascinated by the early post-war years in Britain - currently listening to The Night Watch on audio.

Having three beautiful grey books makes me hunger for more - so might treat myself to some new ones.

Lucky you, Anne. There is absolutely NO way we can find used ones here in the US.....:-(((

#27 - byzanne, you're so lucky to have found the bookmark still in Greenery Street! I find second hand copies on rare occasions, but have never found the bookmark! Well done!

#29 - yes, it was incredibly lucky - and the book looks as if it is read too. I've bought the latest two House-bound by Winifred Peck (it is set in Edinburgh, where I live) The Shuttle and The Making of a Marchioness online just now. However, I have promised the last one to my mother. I think she will like it but she doesn't hold onto books, so I will ask for it back when she is finished it! I'm sure she has Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day so I might retrieve that if she hasn't got rid of it yet. In the meantime, I will keep my eyes open for more grey books...

Hi - congratulations on your second-hand Persephone book finds (I'm trying to not to be jealous...not quite managing it). I'm thinking of getting the Winifred Peck too - have you read it yet? I'm interested in her because I'm a fan of Penelope Fitzgerald. Thanks for the invite to the OU group.

I've just ordered those books - hope it comes early next week but hard to know when Royal Mail will deliver - plus it will be too big to fit through my letter box so if I am out when they deliver... Oh the joys of ordering online.

Touchstones don't work for either House-bound or Winifred Peck - neither are in LT yet!

Also bought a second hand copy of The Victorian Chaise-Longue online but it is an old Penguin edition rather than a Persephone - but I collect old Penguins.

The last one I bought was The Fortnight in September, the last one I read was The Village. Both absolutely wonderful. I can't buy any more for a while because it will already cost me over £100 ($200) to ship home to the U.S.A. all of the books I've bought during my year in England. (Does anyone know a cheaper method of shipping books overseas than the Royal Mail?)

I succumbed again! I had to visit the shop as I wanted to buy one as a gift for a friend. I ended up getting myself The Village by Marghanita Laski and Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple. I have no excuse to visit the shop for a little while now, so I will have to make those last me!

finebalance, I've read most of the Whipples and they have all been excellent. Do enjoy them!

I haven't bought anything since the Persephone Tea, but I raced through Little Boy Lost, The Shuttle, and Good Evening, Mrs Craven Each of them was wonderful in it's own way. On the strength of The Shuttle I'm reading a biog of Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt, and when I have more time I definitely want to dip into WWII stories.

I read Fortnight in September in the non-Persephone version (and BookCrossed it so I have the opportunity to buy a "proper" copy!!) and loved it. Greenery Street is a favourite too - there's a sequel which is out of print so maybe they will publish that too one day.

I haven't bought any new for a while (had some for my Birthday in Jan) but I'm going to The Shop... I mean, I'm going to London for my Brother-in-Law's wedding in August, so will add to my pile then. Will report back now I've joined the group properly (oops)

I'm going to have my first visit to The Shop this summer, too, LyzzyBee! Yaye! I'll be in London next month for my cousin's wedding, and have set aside some time for book shopping. It's useful when relatives get married in London, isn't it? :)

Just finished my first Persephone The Shuttle and loved it! I am waiting anxiously for Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day to arrive in the mail.

Marise, I KNEW you would love it! Great book.

Rec, you're right about the Whipples. I loved Someone at a Distance, and having finished this weekend I had to go back to the shop and buy The Priory. Of course, I couldn't walk out with only one book, so I also bought Greenery Street by Denis Mackail and Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski.

My last three books were Saplings which I am reading at the moment, Tea with Mr Rochester and The Shuttle. The last two haven't arrived yet - post to Morocco is a little slow sometimes!

Someone at a Distance was fabulous - I read it just before Consequences which have just finished and was one of the gloomiest books I have ever read - I wish I had brought The Making of a Marchioness with me, or at least some Nancy Mitford (I live in Marrakech this year, you see, and was only able to bring a few of my books).

I loved Someone at a Distance and The Priory too. As for They Were Sisters it is also excellent but also really searing, tragic stuff.

I went to the Persephone shop in London this weekend and came away with The Shuttle, House-Bound and Lady Rose and Mrs Memmary.

This morning I ordered Reuben Sach, and I plan to make another visit to the shop at the end of the month! (I bought 4 and a CD last time!)

I've just placed a Green Metropolis order for Bricks and Mortar, Minnie's Room: The Peacetime Diaries of Mollie Panter-Downes (no touchstone?) and The Home-Maker.

Fell into Persephone Books last night and couldn't leave without A Fortnight in September by R.C. Sherriff, Cheerful weather for the wedding by Julia Strachey and A House in the Country by Jocelyn Playfair.

I dithered over Mollie Panter-Downes having just read one of hers in Virago, but decided to chose authors I didn't know. I'm saving Dorothy Whipple's They Were Sisters to purchase another time. It did look searing...

finebalance, I recently fell deeply in love with A Fortnight in September. I hope it works the same magic on you!

Well I did go to The Shop at the beginning of the month, the day after my BIL's wedding - OH Matt's first trip there and he liked... the fact that he could sit down on a comfy chair! Well, he did also like the fact that he's finally visited a place I love so much.

I got 3 books, one was Making of a Marchioness for me (on Heaven-Ali's advice), one was a book for my friend Bridget, and one was a book for the aforementioned Ali! Hooray!

LyzzyBee, reading your post makes me wonder if anyone can go into the shop and come out with fewer than three books! I know I couldn't.

I took advantage of their special and my order came two days ago: A Fortnight in September, Greenery Street and The Making of a Marchioness, which I am halfway through and enjoying very much!

Hello Persephone lovers. I've just been reading How to Run your Home without Help which is alternately terrifying and hilarious. The sheer amount of work she advocates seems ridiculous to me, although perhaps I'm just a slattern. There are some good tips in there, however, and as a historical document it's fascinating.

Next up is Someone at a Distance - I enjoyed The Priory and hope this will be equally good.

My OH gave me How To Run.... for Christmas last year. He's a bit of a slacker with the housework (like me!) and was worried when the London friend sent to do a shop run chose that one out of a list for him to buy me! But it was great - yes, amusing and terrifying in equal measure!

I bought The Far Cry last week, I have about 5 unread Persephonies in my pile, so I think I better hold off until I read a few ... but when has that stopped me buying before! I've suggested 'An Interupted Life' for reading at my local book group next year. I was extremely moved by that book.

It's a shame they only sell their books and one notebook on their website - I wish they could sell their CDs ( I've always wanted to buy audio books, but I've no idea which one, they do cost a lot ) and the " 50 books we wish we had published " !
Anyway, I've just placed an order for Mariana (#2) by Monica Dickens ( because it was compared to I Capture the Castle, one of my favourite books ), The Home-Maker (#7) by Dorothy Canfield Fisher ( because I read somewhere on the Internet that it literally made a mother change the way she raised her children ) and The Closed Door and Other Stories (#74) by Dorothy Whipple ( it will be my first Whipple, I wanted to wait for the Persephone Classics to come out to discover her less expensively but I was too impatient for that ! ).

Their discount is very tempting, I wonder if I'll ever be able to order one single book from them.

I love The Home-Maker! Did you know that the author, Dorothy Canfield, studied at the Sorbonne and had a Ph.D. in French from Columbia University? I also noticed that you list Noel Streatfeild as a favorite author. Have you read Saplings, which is published by Persephone? It's a rather sad, but wonderful novel.

I didn't know that ! It seems that French was quite fashionable until recently. It seems quite incredible to imagine that I may be sitting on the same bench she sat on ( although I do hope they improved the benches since then ! ) : I'm also a Sorbonne student :)
I've never read Saplings but it will be my next Persephone purchase : if only someone could publish unabridged versions of Noel Streatfeild's books, I'd be a happy girl. I do hope Persephone will publish more of her books, it's a shame that, apart from Dorothy Whipple, they don't seem to be about to publish two works of the same author.

I got an email from Persephone yesterday : if you order 3 books before February 29th and write " Free copy of Good Things in England please " in the additional info box, you'll get one. It's to celebrate Mothering Sunday.

I ordered Consequences, Saplings and Hostages to Fortune. I hadn't thought about ordering before long but the offer's very tempting : you buy 3, you get 4 !

I can't wait to receive them all, even though I have so much homework these days.

I took the Persephone plunge about 10 days ago, thanks to a gift card from a lovely LTer. Once I started looking at the catalogue, I went online to scout up a few more. All four arrived today! My gift choice was The Shuttle by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I also received Tea with Mr. Rochester by Frances Towers (eBay auction item--it has the bookmark) and two from Alibris, Marjory Fleming by Oriel Malet and Brook Evans by Susan Glaspell.

I am hooked!

I bought two second-hand Persephones last week: How to Run Your Home Without Help and Princes in the Land.

Second hand? That's quite a find, miss-read! With bookmarks?

Well, I say second-hand, but they were from Amazon Marketplace. Sadly, no bookmarks.

I've just bought the three new Persephone Classics : I promised myself I wouldn't buy any more books before at least June (judging by the state of my TBR pile) but I gave up, they're so cheap on The Book Depository. Good Evening, Mrs Craven has already been shipped and Someone at a Distance as well as Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day will be shipped tomorrow. I'm now penniless :(

>62 Sibylle.Night: I'm a sucker for The Book Depository too, Sibylle! I have been relatively well-behaved in terms of purchases lately - only 2 books this month. But I can't guarantee this restraint will last long ;)

Since The Book Depository didn't send me the matching bookmarks, I've just ordered them by telephone. The woman on the phone was so nice ! I was very shy at first because it was the first time I was calling somebody in an English-speaking country. I wasn't going to say that I was French at first, just to see if she could understand me and if I could understand her without making any particular effort but I had to very quickly because I was afraid she was going to just hang up if I made a mistake.
I didn't make any, although it all happened very quickly because they already had my address.
Just in case you want the bookmarks without the books, 3 of them cost me £2 (one bookmark costs 50p. and it was 50p. postage as well). If you want the free bookmarks, you have to order via Persephone directly because all the other bookshops (including Amazon and similar ones) only carry the books.

I think it's a great opportunity to speak English so I may order my Persephone things (books and audio books) directly by telephone from now on :)

This isn't a Persephone purchase as such, but it is a Persephone acquisition. I'm moving in a couple of weeks, so last night my book club had a farewell supper for me. They gave me a copy of The Woman Novelist and Other Stories and a token for another Persephone book! Wasn't that a thoughtful gift!? :)

Miss-read, what a treasured gift. Just knowing there's a Persephone book token in your wallet is divine! I guess your move is taking you away from your book club? Best wishes with your relocation.

I hope you find a book club in your new location as nice as the one you are leaving! What a great gift!

I have ordered my first Persephone - William-an Englishman.

#68 Starting with #1 in the series, I see!

My birthday is in August, and I've decided to order three Persephones as a gift to myself. Not sure which ones they will be . . .

#69 The beginning always seems like a good place to start.

I shall try to treat myself to one or two every month - I should have quite a few by February (my birthday) - can't promise to wait until then to read them!

My most recent persephone purchase (and first!) was Marianna by Monica Dickinson. My birthday's in august and I'm planning on asking for a gift certificate! ;)

Perhaps we should start a thread where we post our birthdays.....that would be fun! (and useful to know...eh eh eh eh....)
:-))

In post today Marianaand the three new classics, Someone at a Distance; Good Evening, Mrs. Craven and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.

That's wonderful, englishrose! I have one Classic so far, Miss Pettigrew. The other two aren't available in the US until Autumn.

I ordered the following through Alibris today:

The Carlyles at Home
Reuben Sachs
The Wise Virgins
Manja: A Novel about Five Children

(Where are the touchstones?)

I have ordered three books to take advantage of the new Persephone offer (free Persephone notebook if you order 3 books from a list they give you - if you haven't received the email and would like the list to take advantage of the offer, please do tell !) :

The Far Cry by Emma Smith
Every Eye by Isobel English
The Young Pretenders by Edith Henrietta Fowler

I ordered them by phone, the second thing I said after 'hello I would like to place an order please' was 'I really apologize for my accent, I'm French'. Perhaps next time I'll skip that part and see if they can understand me anyway without making any particular effort.
The woman who answered me was incredibly nice as usual. The selection of books from which we could choose was great ! Once I receive these, I'll have 16 Persephone books (3 Classics and 13 Originals), one notebook and two biannuallies. My collection keeps growing !

Congrats, Sibylle.Night! I think French accents are quite charming and you should not appologize!!

Sibylle.Night, I agree with marise. Nobody should ever have to apologise for their accent.

I hope to take advantage of the Persephone offer before end of this month.

Could not wait any longer - I have ordered:

The Far Cry by Emma Smith
Every Eye by Isobel English
Fidelity by Susan Glaspell

I was hoping to buy the notebook at some stage - so this offer of free notebook is a great bonus.

Sybille

not only is a French accent charming, some even find it sexy!


A French announcer at Edinburgh's Haymarket Station is proving to be a hit with female commuters.

Well, it wasn't a purchase, but rather a lovely gift from an amazing lady here on LT! Two books by Mollie Panter-Downes! Minnie's Room and Good Evening, Mrs. Craven!

oh, sweet dove grey swoon.....!

Same here, not a purchase but a wonderful gift from a dearest friend here on LT: They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple.

I have just ordered A Very Great Profession by Nicola Beauman

And it arrived this morning. I think it might well be a very satisfying read as well as a starting point for other books.

Bought online from Persephone:

The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
An Interrupted Life: The Diaries and Letters of Etty Hillesum 1941-43
The Victorian Chaise-Longue by Marghanita Laski

I received two book tokens from my brother for my birthday (and since they have a buy 3 for £27, I picked up one more to make the deal a bit sweeter).

The Blank Wall by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding
They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple
Few Eggs No Oranges by Vere Hodgson

I went to a Parisian bookshop that sells books in English. I can't afford bookshops anymore because I can buy two books on the Internet for the price of one book in a bookshop. Still, I went - I had time and I was curious as I had never been to this particular one (which shall remain anonymous).

I browsed, touched, wanted to smell but didn't smell. I almost left with The Well of Loneliness in honour of Banned Books Week but put it back on its shelf when I remembered I was a student and didn't have a steady income. They had some Viragos (but then Virago Press is not niche) even green ones, but I didn't see any Persephone so I went to the counter and asked if they carried any books printed by Persephone books, it's an independent, rather small publishing company.

They didn't, and in fact, the bookseller behind the counter had never heard of Persephone books. Now I do not want to criticize bookshops, their job is hard enough at it is as more and more people imitate my purchasing habits, but still. There have been several newspaper articles about Persephone books for the past few months, not in obscure newspapers in obscure columns but in, for example, the book sections of The Guardian or The Independent. Why would someone whose job it is to sell books and therefore who must be quite passionate about it given the dreadful state of the finances of independent bookshops, not read such things as the books section of The Guardian or The Independent ? It wasn't even a specialized bookshop, just a regular one. I don't read thrillers but I know of Europa which was recently talked about in an article that mentioned reprinted forgotten novels.

That being said, I'm glad I introduced them to Persephone "it's a publishing company that reprints novels essentially written by women at the beginning of the century and which are no longer in print". I wasn't surprised when the bookseller seemed quite obsessed with their reprinting of The Expendable Man, a thriller. He said he was going to order some of their books for the bookshop, he seemed to like their catalogue. Gosh, I'd love to be a bookseller. I ended up giving in even though I had made a solemn promise to myself not to buy anything unless they were running a special. I've never bought Persephones directly from bookshops, even on special order, I'm used to calling Persephone directly but I was quite crazy today. I took the following titles :

Cheerful Weather for the Wedding (does anyone know if Julia Strachey, the author, is related to Dorothy Strachey whose Olivia has just been reprinted by Vintage Classics and sounds great ?) -> the man liked its title, I asked if he knew the book, "no but I like the title", it's a beautiful one indeed !
The Children Who Lived in a Barn
Greenery Street

I didn't ask for the price, perhaps I should have. I have a feeling that people don't do that in independent bookshops, it sounds rude, we all know it's going to be expensive when we enter the place.

Yes, Sibylle, Julia Strachey was related to Dorothy Strachey and Lytton Strachey, who were her aunt and uncle.

>87 Sibylle.Night: Julia Strachey was Dorothy Strachey (Bussy)'s niece. (Also, Julia was Lytton Strachey's niece because Dorothy Strachey was one of his older sisters).

But what excellent books!! And you won't have to pay the shipping cost, although that is probably included in the price.

Oh, Paola beat me!

he he he he.......

Not got any at the moment but I'm going to BUY some later in the month - I'm sure I'll manage to sneak one in for myself amongst the presents and errands for others.

Anyone else near London and fancy meeting me and Fabrile-heart for a coffee on 29 Oct?

Rub it in, Lyzzy, rub it in......;-)

I have been skulking and sulking because I did not make it to the Persephone bookshop while in London. There was just so much to see and I didn't see half of it but now I feel bad and like I might be justified in an order. . .

I wish I could meet you and fabrile-heart LyzzyBee. Maybe you will regale us with photos and stories.

Oh and Fabrile Heart I missed the National Portrait Gallery entirely. I got there twice after it closed and once before it opened (one of those I spent too long in the National Gallery) How was the exhibit?

I used to work just a few minutes walk from the Persephone bookshop, but I didn't know about it back then ........

>95 Marensr: Maren, I'm sorry you didn't get there as I am sure you would have found it fascinating. The portraits I was most interested to see were of Naomi Mitchison, Rebecca West and Mary Webb. Having said that, the whole exhibition was outstanding; I even bought the catalogue - something that I never do normally.

Why is it that whenever I go to exhibitions they never have the postcard of the pictures that have moved me most?

Oh now I am even more sorry I missed it fabrile-heart. Sigh.

I find the same thing is true for me. The exhibition items that move me most are never the ones they've made into postcards.

Dark day for me.
A good friend of mine whom I introduced to Persephone books told me yesterday that she saw tons of Persephones at Shakespeare and Co for 17€ (same price when I order directly from Persephone, with the risk of the parcel getting lost in the mail, and the delay, plus they had their bookmarks, amazing) which is just two blocks away from my uni. So I went and made a solemn promise to myself that I was just "going to see". Who was I fooling ? I even brought my card "just in case but really I'm not going to buy anything". Oh dear, this is SO embarassing. I sound like a child who can't understand the word "no". Anyway, I went and here they were in all their grey glory, a copy of each Persephone book right in the heart of Paris. Surreal. I took A Very Great Profession, trying VERY HARD to forget that I had brought my credit card and focusing on the little conscience floating in the air shouting "your TBR pile is huge, Mount Everest is not what we're shooting for, mayday, mayday, mayday!!!" Aladdin-like.
You know the rest, don't you ? WHY oh WHY do I post in this thread ? I shouldn't post here, I shouldn't be here. But the truth is, I now own Nicola Beauman's book.
Not very proud of myself but at least I paid its normal price (the other bookshop I talked about a few messages above sold them for 5€ more per book, which is huge, I paid 3 when I could have got 4 for the price).
Not buying anything till at least 2009 to compensate. I say blame Oscar Wilde - "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it".

Exquisite control, Sibylle!! You bought only one--you should be proud of yourself.

Well done sibylle.night! I know it's probably unlikely that they will carry any persephones, but The Abbey Bookshop is right around the corner from Shakespeare and Company ( 29, rue de la Parcheminerie) and is run by the nicest canadian gentleman. He's always got a pot of coffee or spiced cider on offer and you may well find some treasures in all the stacks. ;)

Sibylle, I sympathize, but I am afraid I would have been that little Oscar Wilde devil whispering in your ear, "yield to temptation!"

I am glad you posted here, so that I could enjoy your shopping vicariously! Thank you!

I agree Marise - I love to hear of others yielding to temptation and why shouldn't Mt BTR be continually increasing in height? Sibylle - I hope you enjoy your Persephone purchase..

#101 - The Abbey Bookshop sounds like the perfect bookshop - One of my favorite independent bookshops in Sydney is called Abbeys Bookshop - Normally, no coffee or cider but a huge range of books on two floors - Wine and cider are reserved for special sale nights!!

If I'm ever in Sydney....;)

Ha Ha! Now I have even more reasons to come back to Sydney, mrspenny!!!!!

#104 - hope you will get to Sydney one day - great place!!

#105 - a bookshop crawl sounds ideal for your next visit, autumn would be a lovely time to visit!!

Sibylle,

Your story is priceless. Where books and hats are concerned, I find myself diligently heeding dear Oscar's words.

I visited the Lambs Conduit Street shop yesterday to buy vouchers for my Mum's birthday present...somehow a copy of Someone at a Distance ended up in my bag too. I have no idea how that happened, honest.

It's my first Whipple and I can't wait to start it. I think this may be a nice one to settle down with on Christmas Day.

#108, I liked it but not as much as her collection of short stories, The Closed Door and Other Stories

>108 charbutton: ....I have no idea how that happened, honest...

Yeah, I believe you! ;)

My copy of Mariana has arrived from The Book Depository.

Yesterday I found Saplings, The Priory and A Woman's Place: 1910-1975 all in my local secondhand bookshop!

touchstones not working!

My first purchases from Persephone are The Making of a Marchioness, Someone at a Distance and Plats du Jour. I have read, and enjoyed, Someone at a Distance.

I have ordered 3 copies of Kitchen Essays - 1 for me and 2 for Xmas presents. I managed to find an old copy in the library so I could check it out before I brought it - it is a charming book. I threw in Miss Pettigrew Lives for the Day for me as well. I keep checking for the parcel. These are lovely books.

Niki

I haven't been over here to the Persephone group in ages, and Persephone told me in the last Biannually that I was being cut off for not placing an order in over a year. But my wonderful Virago Modern Classics Secret Santa came through for me with a copy of The Young Pretenders!

I wish I could drop everything and read it now, but I'm already reading four books at a time, including M.F.K. Fisher's wonderful How to Cook a Wolf. Given the economic climate, I thought it would be good to read books about rationing. Perhaps I'll save up for They Can't Ration These.

I'm not here, this is a hologram.
I guess the financial crisis isn't so much of a crisis for me : the pound dropped compared to the euro so I placed an order (and filled a basketful of books on The Book Depository but haven't hit the button yet, I AM NOT GIVING IN, STOP LURING ME BD !).

The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sheriff
The Priory by Dorothy Whipple
Round About a Pound a Week by Maud Pember Reeves

I feel weak, and childish. and penniless. and awful. and excited. and penniless. mostly penniless.

I am all excited, I met lovely friends (including our own Heaven-Ali) last night for present exchanging and there were an awful lot of Persephone-sized oblong parcels going around!! Whee!

I received a Persephone parcel today from my Virago group Secret Santa! Not a purchase but definitely a Persephone in possession.
I'm going to start to read The Shuttle (I don't think there's a touchstone as so many possibilities) straight away!
I am hoping that another Persephone makes its way into my stocking too... *hint hint, Santa*
I am also penniless but I hope to treat myself with a trip to one of the shops in the New Year.
Happy reading over the holidays (mine are bound to feature a couple of Persephones; I want to read Mariana after The Shuttle).

>113 rbhardy3rd: Rob, They Can't Ration These is a great book, although as a lapsed member of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, I'm not sure I should admit it! The Country Housewife's Book is a delight too, but I still feel that reprinting Agnes Jekyll's Kitchen Essays is PB's finest moment to date. Each of them deal, in their different way, with making the most from the food that is available.

I would like a word which means "to go to the Persephone shop, ostensibly because you want to get a copy of Miss Pettigrew as a present for a friend, and then to spend the next 20 minutes browsing for something which will enable you to 'take advantage' of the discount if you buy three books". It might seem a specialised term but I seem to do quite a lot of it...

So my latest Persephone purchases are Miss Pettigrew and Tea with Mr Rochester (for said friend) and Miss Buncle's Book for me. I'm in the middle of Miss Buncle now and enjoying it a lot - similar lines to Miss Pettigrew (although not quite as stellar, but then what is)?

> 118 "to persi-fone"?

I've just returned from my local secondhand bookshop with two Persephone titles: Family Roundabout complete with bookmark and An Interrupted Life: The Diaries and Letters of Etty Hillesum 1941-43. This is the second time I've managed to pick up lovely grey spines there. Am celebrating with a glass of wine whilst wondering who it is that keeps giving them up.

Alas, back in the states and no grey spines in secondhand (or even new) bookshops here. ;( Wow, and Family Roundabout is a brand new one! I also found An Interrupted Life at my favorite oxfam. It has been my favorite persephone. No idea why someone would give it up but thankful they did!
Am celebrating with a glass of wine whilst wondering who it is that keeps giving them up
Surely someone not in their right mind...let's hope they never start taking medication to to correct that!

I did not buy them, they both were lovely gifts from precious friends from the UK: Lady Rose and Mrs. Memmary and The Victorian Chaise-Longue.
I will delight in reading them over the holidays, since I am on vacation until January 5.

>121 ms.hjelliot: hjelliot, have you moved? If so, hope it went well and you are settling in for the festivities?

>122 aluvalibri:, Miss P, I hope you enjoy every minute of your holiday, which I am sure you will as they are well deserved. I found an old penguin edition of the The Victorian Chaise-longue a few weeks ago and am longing to read it too.

I have indeed moved, back to the US. In Portland, Oregon now and still waiting for our possessions to arrive from England. We've got a temporary furnished place in the heart of downtown and that's where we'll be for the holiday. Settling in despite not being able to 'nest' properly. ;) Snowed all day today (very unusual for here) and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! It's beautiful!

Oooh dear I *know* I have some Persephones for Christmas and I also have one in the TBR but I have to be good (don't I) and follow my TBR rule and read them in acquisition order... or do I??????? (not to mention not opening the Christmas ones till 00:01 on Christmas day even though one of them I bought in the shop from a friend TO me and it isn't even wrapped yet!!!!)

>122 aluvalibri: Paola, I found The Victorian Chaise-Longue abolutely riveting when I read it last year! I couldn't put it down. I have an old hard cover edition, but keep it on the shelf with it's Virago cousins.

>125 LyzzyBee: Rules were made to be broken?

hjelliott in Portland! Why, we're practically neighbors! An absolute MUST on your 'to do' is a visit (well, many visits!) to Powell's City of Books!

You lucky lady, you! (Although, Paola was just there this summer, so their Virago inventory is probably zip! :~))

HA! Cate, most of the Viragos they had in stock I already have (as Terri can confirm), so I only bought a couple.
:-))

Yes yes! I'm in snowy Portland! Have been to Powell's and even found a few green spines...despite the efforts of Paola. ;) Love Powell's. Am going to try my darnedest to become an employee!!!

Oh Heather! Work at Powell's.......sigh.......

>129 ms.hjelliot: Best of luck becoming employed at Powell's! That would be a dream come true!

Today I ordered A Fortnight in September for a friend in the States who is recovering from a double mastectomy op, in the hope that it cheers her up in any way possible and A Very Great Profession for another friend's birthday.
I showed great restraint and did not buy anything for myself even though I really, really wanted to! I have unread Persephones at present and couldn't justify purchasing more. Sniff.

I still have four on my tbr pile so have resisted buying more. Saying that, it's my birthday soon, must have a word with the family :-))

Wow, my friend has already received her birthday Persephone! That was far quicker than I anticipated and now she has to be tempted by it for nine whole days... Persephone are super efficient!

After promising myself to buy NO MORE BOOKS EVER, because my TBR pile is horrendous, I caved and bought three American Persephones from Amazon. The covers of the American editions are surprisingly beautiful.

I just got Cheerful Weather for the Wedding in the mail. Along with The Children Who Lived in a Barn, it is a Christmas gift from a very dear friend.

I was bad and should go to the naughty room. I bought Saplings, They Were Sisters and Lady Rose and Mrs Memmary. I. just. wasn't. strong. enough.

I just ordered Kitchen Essays and Someone at a Distance from the Book Depository. They were around £6 to £7 each incl. delivery to Australia. Much cheaper than Persephone's prices! (they want £4.50 per book for shipping).

I get Miss Buncle for my bday tomorrow - how on EARTH will I resist reading it till I get to it in the order of the TBR?????

Don't resist, Lyzzy! As Oscar Wilde said: The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. (Or words to that effect.)

I might see if Ali fancies reading her copy (that I got her for Christmas!) at the same time...

I just bought the Persephone Classics edition of Good Evening, Mrs Craven: The Wartime Stories of Mollie Panter-Downes with my Christmas book tokens. I'll be saving it for a treat.

This isn't a purchase, but a fabulous find! My fiance and I are going to be buying his late grandfather's house, so are now faced with the daunting task of clearing it. Yesterday, in the corner of an old bookshelf, I found this:

You can't begin to imagine my excitement!!!

Oh lucky you!!!! I hope you find many more.
:-))

How delightful, miss_read! what a find!

I splurged on a few Amazon marketplace bargain Persephones: Hostages to Fortune by Elizabeth Cambridge, Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski (Persephone Classic), A London Child of the 1870s by Mary Vivian Hughes and Princes in the Land by Joanna Cannan.

I also ordered Family Roundabout by Richmal Crompton! I've been wanting that one for some time.

Now I need to read them all, plus the last load I bought and also watch the film adaptation of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Good times.

I was lucky enough to score two Persephones in book swaps in the past two weeks: Good Evening, Mrs. Craven and A Woman's Place, 1910-1975.

miss read, what an excellent edition! Sounds like you have a treasure hunt ahead of you as well. Do post pics whenever you can. I'd love to see your new house and all.

I found The Blank Wall in a charity shop- detective/suspense fiction isn't exactly my comfort zone, but it's so rare to find Persephones second hand that there was no way I could leave it behind.

I also found a non-Persephone copy of The Blank Wall in a thrift store. Mine is a double volume with another of her books.

I read the first book in the volume and it was not very good. I'll let you know what I think of The Blank Wall when I get to it.

I can't believe my luck- I was already thinking about what I'd buy with my birthday money (two months in advance) and decided that Lady Rose and Mrs Memmary was the Persephone I most wanted to get next, and bizzarely, there it was in Sue Ryder for £1.50. I also found The Wise Virgins in Oxfam earlier this week, so together with The Blank Wall, that makes three Persephone charity shop purchases in as many weeks. I can't believe it, why are people giving away Persephones?

And why aren't they giving them away where I live? ;)

I got a Persephone on Paperbackswap a few months ago - Brook Evans. Someone else on this site (Cariola?) also got one from PBS. God knows who gives them to thrift stores but the one I got on PBS was remaindered from a college in Arizona. Apart from a tiny library stamp on the inside cover it was in pristine condition.

Not a purchase ... but does anybody know when the biannually is due?

Good question bunnyb. There is no indication of the Spring/Summer issue on their website, but I imagine (& hope) it would be soon? *crossing fingers*

The publication date for the next new books is April 23rd, according to Amazon.uk., so I'm assuming it's due around then.

Thank you Teazle!

That makes sense!

I've just come home from town, where I found The Montana Stories by Katherine Mansfield and a Virago Modern Classics edition of The Crowded Street by Winifred Holtby, for a total £4.98 in the Oxfam bookshop.

(Touchstone for the Mansfield showed a completely different book!)

Whoo, teazle! I am very jealous (of both).

According to this fortnight's letter the biannually is being sent out on the 20th April! I'm looking forward to it.

I bought A Very Great Profession for myself with my token from a friend yesterday - and several others for / on behalf of friends which I can't list on here!! Some people will be very happy come May/June, and one person will be *very* happy indeed!

#161 Hee hee - is that me ? : )

Yes I also bought some as presents for other people. I bought my mum Little Boy Lost, she liked the sound of it- I must say I loved it when I read it some time ago.

Awaiting my copy of the biannually...

The website has had an elegant re-vamp and reveals the forthcoming titles this Autumn. It also contains more information about this half of the year's titles and I am coveting a copy of Making Conversation (no touchstone) by Christine Longford.

I like the new-look website. Very pretty!

I splashed out today and bought Making Conversation by Christine Longford from the Persephone website. I was sorely tempted by Amours de Voyage as well but maybe next month... :)

I walked past the Lambs Conduit Street shop this morning - head down, not making eye contact with the shop and chanting to myself 'I can't afford new books. I can't afford new books. My TBR list is too long. My TBR list is too long'.
:-(

In a moment of weakness yesterday I ordered the softcover Good Evening Mrs. Craven: The Wartime Stories of Mollie Panter-Downes and I am now anxiously awaiting its arrival.

However, I am still feeling virtuous as I initially had three Persephones in my cart and put two of them back on my wishlist.

By a REAL stroke of luck, in my usual used bookstore, I found a pristine copy of Mariana by Monica Dickens, a Persephone Classic with a beautiful cover. I really could not believe my eyes, as I have never ever found a used Persephone anywhere!

Excellent Paola! As I know the bookstore, I can picture you there finding such a treasure! (Now who, in their right mind, would give that one up!?)

>169 aluvalibri: Ooooh! Nice one, Paola :)

>Excellent news Paola. I found an old Penguin edition earlier in the year and have recently finished it, having enjoyed it thoroughly!

Ali has a few new ones, as of last Wednesday - I'm sure she'll post about them soon!

who, in their right mind, would give that one up!?

Exactly my thoughts, dear Cate, after the astonishment of the discovery abated. And, I am sure, the book had never been opened!

My only Persephone purchase was an online order from their website.
The order contains the following books:
1) William-an Englishman
2) Mariana
3) Someone at a Distance
4) Fidelity
5) An Interrupted Life: the Diaries and Letters of Etty Hillesum
6) The Victorian Chaise-Lounge
7) The Home Maker
8) Good Evening, Mrs Craven: The Wartime Stories of Mollie Panter-Downes
9) Few Eggs and No Oranges
10) Good Things in England
I am sure I will have quite a wait as I am in the US, but I am excited for when they do arrive.
belva

Belva!!! You really splurged, didn't you?
:-))

Belva - that is a lovely collection - don't be surprised if they arrive soon as Persephone is very efficient with its mail order. It only takes about seven working days from order to arrival to Australia.

Wow, that quickly. How wonderful. And yes, I did splurge but I had none and have not bought many books at all this year so I felt quite justified.
I am anxiously awaiting them so I can begin reading the lovely gems.

I just popped into my local second hand book shop and found Amours de Voyage, a pristine copy for half price. I'm guessing it must be an unwanted review copy. Just in the right place at the right time - couldn't resist.

Oh nannybebette that is a tantalizing stack of books you'll have to let us know how you like them and we'll have to compare notes about Good Evening, Mrs. Craven.

For my birthday last week I got:

On the other side: Letters to my children - Mathilde Wolfe Monckeberg

Cheerful weather for the wedding - Julia Strachey - thanks Liz : )

Daddy's gone a hunting - Penelope Mortimer

There were no windows - Norah Hoult

That now brings my total to 30.

Yay - there you are Ali! See - I'd forgotten what you had Even Though I Bought Them All!!!! Can't believe you've got 30 now!

Virago green here, Miss Ali!!

Ah, you're all so lucky and I am also Virago green with envy!

I ordered from the store a gift wrapped copy of They Can't Ration These for my aunt's birthday but I'm holding out buying any for a few more weeks (on the day of their belated birthday celebrations -June 18th- in the hope that I will be able to splurge).

As I couldn't wait until then I borrowed Cheerful Weather for the Wedding from the library even though about half of the Persephones I own are unread. Ah well, the mood took me to request it.

Not a purchase, but dear Ali just passed me The Blank Wall which she found in a charity shop while on holiday, but already had! Looks good and it's in great condition! Hooray and thanks again Ali!

I got Saplings as a present and I am looking forward to contrasting it with her children's books.

This was sort of a Persephone birthday for me. I got Kitchen Essays as a gift from a friend. All my Persephone's are the soft-covers and lovely and certainly most appreciated. but I will have to add some dove grey gems at some point.

I hope you enjoy Saplings, Maresnr. I think that has to be my favourite Persephone (out of the ones I've read so far, at least).

I treated myself with a mail order from persephone. I ordered:
The Victorian Chaise-Longue by Marghanita Laski
Miss Ranskill Comes Home by Barbara Todd
Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson
Every Eye by Isobel English
and was gifted a copy of Kitchen Essays by Agnes Jekyll
I received them all quite quickly even though I opted for surface mail, only took a week, so I need to get reading!

I've been very lucky recently and got three Persephone books through GreenMetropolis:

The Victorian Chaise Longue by Marghanita Laski
They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple
and
Fidelity by Susan Glaspell

Amazingly, the Glaspell still had the bookmark inside it!

I've read the Laski and enjoyed it - the other two have the look of substantial holiday reads about them.

I took my Mum on her visit Lambs Conduit Street visit this week and couldn't resist picking two up for myself! The Hopkins Manuscript by R C Sherriff and The World that was Ours by Hilda Bernstein. I now have to reconfigure my Virago/Persephone/women's history shelves to accommodate them.

For people who aren't on the mailing list:

15th June 2009

Dear Persephone Reader,

This year is our tenth birthday and we are celebrating on Thursday (18th June). We invited you, in the last Biannually, to a party in Lamb's Conduit Street to mark the occasion, but want to remind you again by email: all are welcome and we will be serving champagne and cups of tea all day plus cheese scones for elevenses, salads for lunch, brownies and cup cakes for tea and canapés for the evening.

Also, for this week only there is a special offer of three books for the price of two ie if you buy two books you may have a third free of charge. This applies in the shop on Thursday only but on the website all this week. (The offer also applies to readers abroad, although the third book will be sent surface mail even if the other two are sent airmail.) If you would like to take up this special offer on the internet please order and pay for two books as usual, but write ‘free book please' and the title of the third book you would like in the Additional Info box on the website.

Finally, if you have not already discovered it, do bookmark the new Persephone Post. It changes every weekday and Persephone readers are finding it a fun thing to have in their list of favourites.

We do hope to see some of you in the shop at some point during the day on Thursday.

Best wishes

Nicola, Lydia and Genevieve

I had a feeling that they would offer 3 for 2 for their birthday celebrations but, regrettably, I cannot indulge at the moment and feel quite emotional about it! I've had my covetous eye on a few of their titles recently and desperately want a copy of Katherine Mansfield's Journal but financially it is just not possible.
I was so looking forward to popping into the shop and wishing them Happy Birthday.

However, I hope that you all take advantage of this wonderful offer so that some of us can experience the generosity and joy that they will bring (and so I can live vicariously through you)! Happy shopping!

I'm contemplating going down to London for the afternoon- it would be lovely to meet other people there, if any other members are going.

EDIT: That won't be happening as my supervisor wants to see me then to give me back my dissertation. I'm not expecting it to be very pleasant. If anyone does go, I'd love to hear full details.

I would love to hear from any of you living in the UK that can visit the shop. It sounds marvelous.

I am feeling festive because a dear dear LT friend send me a beautiful dove colored persephone The Young Pretenders which looks splendid. Just my kind of book.

I am also half way through Saplings which is wonderful.

Charbutton, I would love to know what you think of The Hopkins Manuscript that has long been on my list of interesting books.

Sadly enough, my Persephone Classics order never came & never came so finally I emailed them with all the pertinent information, etc. They very kindly replied that somehow they had misplaced my order and would I like them to refill it and ship it. I declined as when I got the original invoice and saw the conversion of pounds to dollars the books averaged over $17.00 per book, which I thought quite high, but we just cannot get them here.
Anyway, eventually I ordered 2 books from Powell's. I got Mariana by Monica Dickens and Good Evening, Mrs. Craven by Mollie Panter-Downes.
So we will still get to have that discussion Marensr when we have both read our lovelies.
Now I am feel an official Persephone Reader (well, owner, not yet reader) and I feel quite like one of the club. Yea!~!
belva

Sadly enough, my Persephone Classics order never came & never came so finally I emailed them with all the pertinent information, etc. They very kindly replied that somehow they had misplaced my order and would I like them to refill it and ship it. I declined as when I got the original invoice and saw the conversion of pounds to dollars the books averaged over $17.00 per book, which I thought quite high, but we just cannot get them here.
Anyway, eventually I ordered 2 books from Powell's. I got Mariana by Monica Dickens and Good Evening, Mrs. Craven by Mollie Panter-Downes.
So we will still get to have that discussion Marensr when we have both read our lovelies.
So, owning 2 now, I feel an official Persephone Reader (well, owner, not yet reader) and I feel quite like one of the club. Yea!~!
belva

>196 rainpebble: Gee, that's a bit hopeless (that they lost your order)! I can sympathise as to the exchange rate and cost of shipping, etc. My aussie $ fetches about 48p, so for now I'm sticking to buying my Persephones from the Book Depository if/when I see them for around 10-12 pounds, as shipping is free and they are pretty reliable with orders :) I hope you enjoy Mariana when it arrives!

Although I wasn't able to go to the birthday celebrations yesterday, when I told my mother about it, she read my mind in realising that the 3 for 2 offer would be a perfect way to get my Christmas and next birthday present bought early. Apparently she had lots of people asking what her favourite Persephone is, and she had to explain that she was there as my emissary. I'll copy and paste her report:

The shop wasn't really decorated but maybe it was too crowded to notice. There were balloons outside and lots of people there. I bought your books and then was escorted to the back --lined with lots of boxes of books and there was a table with a lovely assortment of salads (pasta with olives, couscous, carrot and one other-- all very nice and colourful and delicious. There were also some bowls around with cherries and strawberries and I saw a tin with some fairy cakes but I never managed to get those. Then I went into the courtyard garden and met a very nice lady who works close to the Ken Church St Persephone. Everyone was very friendly and chatty and some mentioned a book club run by Persephone (one is in the afternoon and I think there is another in the evening -- maybe you could go to one-- I think they're monthly).

Then I came back home and phoned Dad and mentioned that he could go and have a snack after work and get you your other 3 books and he thought that was a good idea. He had a brownie and some cake (but no fizz or wine as they were onto tea -- it being teatime and Persephone being so British!). Dad even got an extra bookmark -- for some reason. He says they put it in and he is not responsible-- so count it as a dividend.

Anyway the place was buzzing and lots of books were being bought. It was just about all women (lots of young ones as well as my age) and one young bloke and one man when I went but Dad said there were 3 other men when he went so it wasn't total women domination.

julia_flyte - Oh my goodness, your parents are so lovely! Too funny that your Mum noticed the tin of fairy cakes but never managed to get any, perhaps that was intentional. Do you know which titles your parents chose for you?

I broke down and ordered They Knew Mr Knight, The Shuttle and A London Child of the 1870's last night. Nevermind that I was in the shop while on holiday just last month and brought home eight titles, still unread. I just tell myself that I'm building a decent library.

julia_flyte you are doubly blessed: you have wonderful parents and you will be the recipient of a lovely bunch of Persephones! Congrats on both!

Julia, your parents are super!

I am extremely lucky, and it really cheered me up after the anti-climax of my returned dissertation. I'm lucky that my parents are probably even worse than me when it comes to buying books. The ones I asked for were Fidelity, Manja and Saplings (probably my favourite Persephone so far, but I don't have my own copy and don't like the cover of the classics edition) for Christmas and The Home-Maker, Consequences and The Shuttle for sometime in the future. I like to space my Persephone reading out as I'm terrified of running out, so I'm quite glad I have time to wait before receiving them!

Julia how wonderful. Actually, I am sure if there were more clever young blokes they might have shown up.

I am enjoying Saplings and The Young Pretenders enormously- I am almost done with both and it is sort of interesting comparing the lives of these children who are both in some sense abandoned.

nannybebette, I have not yet started Good Evening, Mrs. Craven but we will indeed have to compare notes.

We recently got back from a trip to Scotland (my first time overseas!) and I found a copy of Miss Buncle's Book at Blackwell's in Edinburgh. No bookmark inside, but I enjoyed it tremendously.

After getting home--and after two weeks of being used to my dollars not going very far--I took Persephone up on the three-for-two offer and ordered Making Conversation, Miss Ranskill Comes Home and The Priory.

This can also be justified by my not ordering in a long while and falling off the mailing list! Must stay up-to-date! I'm sure you all will agree with me . . .

I treated myself to Katherine Mansfield's Journal yesterday from the Lamb's Conduit Street shop.

I took the plunge and ordered The Victorian Chaise-longue, An Interrupted Life: The Diaries and Letters of Etty Hillesum 1941-43 and Fidelity PLUS a Persephone Tote Bag. Can't wait until they arrive!!

I also took the plunge and got Saplings and Cheerful Weather for the Wedding from Amazon. $25 for the two together so I didn't have to pay shipping, but not the grey covers if those are the ones you prefer and also a very limited selection.

romain, I love the Persephone Classics! I've been ordering them as well! Oh, I think I need some help.....

bleuroses - Glad to hear about the tote bag! My 3 for 2 offer arrived today, hooray. The free book that came by surface mail arrived with the two that I paid air mail for. Go figure. So now on my Persephone shelf is A London Child of the 1870's, The Shuttle and They Knew Mr Knight.

luvlondon, of your 3 new acquisitions, I''ve only read The Shuttle which I thought to be the absolute 'page turner'! Hope it catches you as well!

My books arrived in today's poste. Hopefully, the Tote tomorrow.

I found really old copies of The Shuttle and A London Child of the 1870's. Not Persephones but good enough reading copies for the time being. I am really looking forward to the first as there have been so many favorable reviews of it on this site.

I've just taken posession of Miss Buncle's Book and also ordered They Knew Mr. Knight from The Book Depository. It could be a little while before I get around to reading them though...

I found a copy of Saplings today at my local BN. It is a classic so not the grey covers but excited nonetheless that they are starting to carry some.

Amazon stopped by my home as well today and with him came to call:
Saplings,
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day,
Someone at a Distance,
The World That Was Ours, and
Little Boy Lost.
I will no longer be lonely.

noodlejet22 and nannybebette, I was watching a show on WWII this past weekend. They talked about the evacuation of children and it brought to mind, Saplings. I got tears in my eyes all over again thinking of the children in that book, they grab your heart and apparently, don't let go.

I couldn't resist the June birthday offer and now have sitting on my shelf:
Good Things in England by Florence White
How to Run Your Home without Help by Kay Smallshaw
Lettice Delmer by Susan Miles

luvlondon, that's the main reason I wanted to pick up Saplings. I generally have not read much about WWII from the perspective of children. You are right, it speaks to the heart.

I bought a copy of The Crowded Street today from the store impulsively. Next month I am going to read Saplings, amongst others.

I was in Kenilworth earlier this week before my graduation, where I came across a copy of Good Things In England in the Acorns Hospice- my mother claims I walked directly towards it before we even entered the shop. I can't say that I've yet found anything in it that I find particularly appetizing (Norwich-fed cygnet, anyone? Talk about specific), but my mum's determined we'll find something we can make.

>219 julia_flyte: earlier this week before my graduation

Congratulations, Julia!!

Congratulations and best wishes!
:-))

Congratulations, Julia!

I went to the closing down sale of a chain bookstore in London (just the one store on Oxford Street) where everything had 50% off and I pounced on the one Persephone I came across: The Far Cry by Emma Smith. A half-price new Persephone!

222 oh, was this the Borders on Oxford St?

It was indeed, lyzzybee! A lot of the shelves were empty but I came away with a few books including that wonderful grey one. If I had more money just now I also would have bought a copy of every Daphne Du Maurier Virago - there were so many and I was sad to leave them (and the lovely hardback PG Wodehouse editions).

Oh goodness, a sad loss.

>219 julia_flyte: - Julia - congratulations on your graduation..

What must one do to buy the dove gray editions of Persephones? I have ordered several and they have all come with the printed cover. Still stylish, but not nearly as classy as the grays.
belva

I always order mine directly from persephone. There are only nine (I believe) in the persephone classics series (the new ones with printed covers):
Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple
Good Evening, Mrs Craven: The Wartime Stories of Mollie Panter-Downes by Mollie Panter-Downes
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson
Mariana by Monica Dickens
Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski
Kitchen Essays by Agnes Jekyll
The World that was Ours by Hilda Bernstein
Saplings by Noel Streatfeild
Cheerful Weather for the Wedding by Julia Strachey
So...any others you order should be dove grey! ;) I've had my fair share of wrong editions too when ordering from abebooks, etc. Now I've started asking the bookseller to confirm the edition before I buy. And for viragos, often if it is in the 80s for a publishing date, and coming from england, it's usually a green cover. But always best to check first.
Hope that helps belva!

Just received my first ever order from the Persephone shop. I took advantage of the 3 for 2 they were having last June.
I got:
Saplings
Consequences
The Expendable Man
Fidelity
Lady Rose and Mrs Memmary

Tuppy - I read The Expendable Man a while ago and posted on it here. I hope you get the shock I did!

Has anyone noticed that The Making of a Marchioness is available on Amazon.com for pre-order in the Classics edition with a beautiful cover picture?

I put in an order for Minnie's Room by Mollie Panter-Downes on the weekend. My excuse, not that I needed one, to my husband was that the economy seems to be recovering slowly but you never know how long these lower exchange rates will last. Of course, when the new books are published this Fall I'll be back at it.

yesterday from Amazon these goodies arrived:
Little Boy Lost
Someone at a Distance
Good Evening Mrs.Craven

I enjoyed Mariana (my very first Persephone) so I'm excited to begin these

>#228:
hjelliot;
That helped tremendously. I only have seven, but they are all on your list of the nine in the Persephone Classics Series. Isn't that odd?
Thank you so much for the info. Good stuff.
belva

I've recently been visiting relations and friends, and was able to explore some new charity shops. I was amazed to find no less than three Persephones, two with the original cards in and all appearing never to have been read. So quite unexpectedly, I find myself the proud owner of

The Carlyles at Home by Thea Holme
Operation Heartbreak by Duff Cooper
and
The Crowded Street by Winifred Holtby

Lucky you! I really envy those of you living in England that come across Persephone titles in charity shops for such fantastic prices. Enjoy!

Thanks, luvlondon

That was the best find I've ever made of Persephone books in charity shops - I was on the lookout for Virago Modern Classics and was taken by surprise to find them. I'm reading Viragos this month, but look forward to getting into The Crowded Street next month - I heard a dramatisation on BBC7 recently that I really enjoyed.

Have a good day!

I finally found my very first dove gray Persephone. I found it online of course as we have none here stateside!~! It is The Victorian Chaise-Longue by Marhganita Laski and I am so thrilled. It feels like Christmas in September. It just arrived in the post today.
belva is a happy camper!~!



I don't know if that balances out having to bury my favorite cat though. No, I don't believe it does. But I am delighted to have my first gray.

Congratulations belva on your find. Sorry about your cat.

thank you.

Oh Belva, so sorry to hear about your cat.

Poor kitty....sorry, Belva dear.

I'm in London on vacation and one of my stops was at the Persephone shop--went there on Friday. I came back with:

The Making of a Marchioness
Mariana
The Young Pretenders
A London Child of the 1870s
The Victorian Chaise Lounge
Saplings
Someone at a Distance

Very excited about my purchases, and the people there are lovely.

I found Miss Buncle's Book in Foyles, but I really like the bookmarks, so I'm going back to the shop tomorrow.

I don't feel guilty about the spending because I've been saving for this vacation for a while.

Found my first charity shop Persephone - Little Boy Lost - the classics edition. 50p!!! Very happy :)

Bought four more today:

Miss Buncle's Book (not in stock today, but they're sending it to me with free shipping when it comes in)
The Carlyles at Home
The Far Cry
They were Sisters

Over the bank holiday, I was near a Waterstone's that was offering three for two on all fiction. Chains aren't always all that good on Persephones, but I found

Cheerful Weather for the Wedding
and
Little Boy Lost

both Persephone Classics

and

The Priory by Dorothy Whipple

I'm just starting Little Boy Lost after seeing it recommended in this group.

Here's hoping that Little Boy Lost shows up the my mailbox today. I'll have a box of tissue close at hand just in case.

Definitely have those tissues to hand! I need you to email me as soon as you finish reading it (Paperback_Reader)!

I'm planning on reading The Blank Wall this weekend.

I felt compelled to take advantage of The Book Depository's discounted prices on some PB Classics and ordered Saplings and Good Evening, Mrs Craven (plus, the Aussie dollar has improved in value recently, so it's all good!).

I had an Amazon gift-card to use and purchased Classic editions of The World that Was Ours and the new The Making of a Marchioness. I also visited the Persephone shop in Kensington yesterday (it is lovely) for a gift copy of Lady Rose and Mrs Memmary; I left with a copy of The Montana Stories for myself and a grey Persephone book-bag.

I have also pre-ordered the forthcoming titles by Whipple and Laski.

Today I received from Amazon, the 3 classics I don't own, which went immediately into a cupboard for my husband to surprise me with at Christmas. These are The World that Was Ours, The Making of a Marchioness and Kitchen Essays. I considered letting him order them by himself but the poor love might've got it wrong...

Oh Barbara! I am moved by your thoughtfulness....the poor love might've got it wrong...
;-)

Paola - the poor love has learned to keep all receipts!

oh oh!

I found one of my favorite book stores is stocking Persephone Classics. I got Mariana.

Just bought The world that was ours at an evening with Nicola Beaumann in the Woodstock bookshop yesterday!

I pre-ordered High Wages and To Bed With Grand Music and they arrived today

Very jealous, Danielle! I'm hoping Santa brings them both (greedy much?)

I received Every Eye yesterday from my Persephone Secret Santa :).

Planning on reading a number of Persephones over Christmas holidays.

I know! I couldn't help myself and I surely wouldn't call it greedy...maybe eager :-)

Every Eye looks good, do enjoy!

...and I asked for a Persephone subscription for Christmas! Don't know if I'll get one, considering I couched it as a "suggestion..." but very welcome if it does come!

I just wrapped not one but TWO Persephones that one dear friend is going to add to her collection on Christmas Day (one from me, one from another friend bought on her behalf that day I went down to the shop!)

I just received the New House by Lettice Cooper from my Persephone Secret Santa!

I purchased a Classics copy of Kitchen Essays yesterday with 40% discount (large book chain closing-down sale).

I bought myself the three classics I was missing. The World that was Ours, The Making of a Marchioness and Kitchen Essays. I see on the B&N site that there are two more to pre-order. I bought also The Other Elizabeth Taylor with part of a gift card I received.

Nicola - if you read this - I have the money to buy American classic editions (which I prefer to the greys because the covers are SO beautiful) but they are not available in large enough numbers. Please get a move on!!!

Not purchased (by me, at any rate), but given to me for Christmas - lucky me

Monica Dickens - Mariana (how did I not have this one, I've bought it for loads of people) from my friend Bridget

Dorothy Whipple - High Wages from dear Ali (waves)

Maud Pember Reeves - Round About A Pound A Week from Other Half Matthew (chosen by me!)

Edith Henrietta Fowler - The Young Pretenders from my friend Audrey

Ooh lovely and I am catching up with Mt TBR, although I did have some other books for Christmas too, so it won't be long till I get to them!

This is my main Persephone-acquiring season so it's good to have some on the TBR again!

Hetty Dorval arrived today along with a lovely Persephone Book Bag! I'm tickled grey!

Tickled grey! I like that!

I just placed an Amazon Marketplace order for three second-hand Persephones: Hostages to Fortune, The Montana Stories and There Were No Windows. All three for about £16 (including postage). I didn't think that was too bad - so I won't feel guilty about treating myself so soon after Christmas!

Had the best luck yesterday! Went into my local Oxfam Bookshop where they were having a sale - got Round about a pound a week for..... £1!! Couldn't have left it there - would have been a crime!

Yes I received 3 lovely new Persephone books for Christmas.

Making Conversation by Christine Longford (from Lyzzybee) *waves back*

The Expendable man - by Dorothy B Hughes

Good Evening Mrs Craven: the wartime stories - Mollie Panter Downes

That brings my total of Persephone books to 33.

Heaven-Ali, we're Persephone twins! I have 33 of them as well!

Hi all, am so glad to have found this group. I received my first Persephone book - Mariana as a Christmas present. Within the first month, my collection has now grown by three The Making of A Marchioness, Miss Buncle's Book, and Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day. I am in love with these books and can foresee an obsession emerging... I am slightly concerned.

Books have been bought through the website so far but I live fairly near both shops, so I am sure I'll venture down soon. Have already picked out my next three buys.

Have Winifred Peck's House-Bound on the way. Just received The Making of a Marchioness today. I bought my first Persephone a couple of weeks ago.

pb_29 ooh I wonder if you live near where I used to be - I was within walking distance of the Lambs Conduit shop although the other one hadn't opened before I moved away from London. I now have an Easter and an Autumn visit to pick up books for birthdays and Christmas on behalf of my friends here in the Midlands!

Welcome to the group! I have all those books, haven't read Mariana yet but the other three are MARVELLOUS!

I paid my first (and I suspect not last) visit to the shop in Lamb's Conduit Street. There was an offer if you bought three books so naturally....

I am now the happy owner of

Family Roundabout by Richmal Crompton
Lady Rose and Mrs Memmary by Ruby Ferguson (bought thanks to recommendations from this group)
and
The Fortnight in September by R C Sherriff

I've also been lucky enough recently to acquire a copy of A House in the Country by Jocelyn Playfair second hand (but virtually as new).

I foresee a happy spring of reading ahead.

Today I received a wonderful surprise in the mail: The Expendable Man. I'm going on vacation to Arizona in March, and I'm thinking it might be the perfect book to bring with me.

Just received To Bed with Grand Music and I'm really loving it!

Yesterday afternoon William: An Englishman arrived on my doorstep!

Ooh, the Book Depository is selling A Fortnight in September for £4.50 (i.e. 62% off). Naturally, I snapped up a copy immediately! :D

What a good buy, digifish! That's one of my very favourite Persephones.

Well, circumstances of life have prevented me from posting here for a while - but somehow have not stopped me from accquiring many more books! :) My collection has grown to include The Children Who Lived In A Barn and Cheerful Weather for the Wedding. I'm currently reading The Shuttle, and although I know it'll keep me going for a while, on a sunny afternoon a couple of weeks ago, I somehow found myself in Kensington Church Street, and stepping through the door of Persephone before I could stop myself! So I now own 2 copies of The Victorian Chaise Longue - bought as gifts for others, and The Far Cry for myself. Thank you very much to the ladies in the shop - it took three pairs of eyes and a long search to find the books that were right in front of us! And after all that hard work, I treated myself to a cupcake from the lovely cupcake company across the road....happy days....

I just came back from a few days in London and my first trip to the new(ish) Persephone shop on Kensington Church Street. I'd only ever been the original Lambs Conduit shop. I bought Making Conversation and would have come away with more, but I had a lot of walking to do and didn't want to carry them all over the place with me!

I wanted to order a CD from Amazon and being cheap wanted the free postage, so added to my order to bring it up to the requisite amount with Few Eggs and No Oranges which looks right up my alley. I would happily have bought the Florence White cookery book (in Classic edition) but for some reason it is not available on Amazon despite a 1 April release date.

Hello
I am new to the group - This week 10 new persephone books have joined my library at home - including The Priory, Saplings, Making Conversation, A House in the Country, High Wages, A Woman's Place, The Village, Alas Poor Lady, Cheerful Weather for the Wedding, Consequences. Hmmm, its been an expensive week.
I have already finished Making Conversation and am halfway through The Priory. Will come back to them again but am enjoying them so much it is hard to slow down when reading them the first time round.
I live the writings of Dorothy Whipple - so subtle, but what page turners.

High Wages just arrived in the mail yesterday!

I finally made it to the library last night for the first time in three months, and came home with four Persephones:
Minnie's Room
Good Evening, Mrs. Craven
The Montana Stories of Katherine Mansfield
A House in the Country

I think I've read one of the Mollie Panter-Downes already, but I had a baby balanced on one hip and couldn't flip through to check--just grabbed for those grey covers!

Someday I'll be able to buy them instead of checking out from the library...

I went to the Persephone shop in Lambs Conduit Street for the second time yesterday and came home with 6 more books, so now have 12 Persephones and 4 books published by them in differend editions.

I bought:

Elizabeth Cambridge, Hostages to Fortune
Cicely Hamilton, William: An Englishman
Mollie Panter-Downes, Minnie's Room
Margharita Laski, To Bed With Grand Music
Vere Hodgson, Few Eggs and No Oranges
Mathilde Wolfe-Monckeberg, On the Other Side: Letters to My Children from Germany 1940-46

Persephone posted an e-mail to me regarding a sale they were having. Buy 2 at regular price & get the third one free, but even so it cost me $58 and change U.S. for the books and the posting.
But I chose:
The Children Who Lived in a Barn,
Minnie's Room and
The Making of a Marchioness,
which brings my paltry collection to a grand 14!~! Whoo Hoo!~!
belva

Hi Belva

I've read the first and third of your three - The Children Who Lived in a Barn is good fun although it shows its age in the way the older daughter is treated and in the fact that the children aren't whisked off into care as they would be nowadays. I really enjoyed The Making of a Marchioness although I found the first half more convincing than the second.

Anyway, enjoy!

I received a token for two Persephones from my lovely colleagues at the company where I just completed a placement- we had a 'creative afternoon' walk around Bloomsbury in February and everyone got to choose a local landmark. Mine was the Persephone shop (and I also talked a bit about the literary culture of Bloomsbury so that it wasn't just shameless commercialism). The ones I chose were To Bed With Grand Music and Hostages To Fortune. I sort of took a chance on the latter as it doesn't seem to be one of the more well known Persephones, but I see that a commenter on another thread has described it as one of the best books she's ever read. It's funny how some Persephones are discussed a lot more than others.

Exciting! I can't waitfor the new ones to come out this week!

I hope some of you lovely ladies might want to join in the fun of Persephone Reading Week, the week after next on my blog, and that of bunnyb..

http://cardigangirlverity.blogspot.com/2010/04/persephone-reading-week.html

Julia, I got those two and one other on my last visit to the Persephone shop.

Well, I splurged and got a couple of copies on eBay: Mariana and Saplings. Not the dove-grey covers, sad to say. But I do think their cover updates are a lot better than the new Virago covers.

I've just bought the new ones!

I've also just ordered the two new editions.

Yesterday i ordered the two new ones, plus The Crowded Street arrived this afternoon!

I quite like the Persephone Classics editions - I bought Mariana, Saplings and Good Evening, Mrs Craven in the Classics editions by choice.

I can't remember the details of the new ones but remember thinking at least one of them would be on my to buy list next time I get to the shop.

Just added the Persephone audiobook of Cheerful Weather for the Wedding to my iTunes cart. The narrator is Miriam Margolyes.... should be fun!

296> I've been looking at that on audible.com. Come back and tell us how you like it!

Yesterday I bought

Dennis Mackail, Greenery Street

Irene Nemirovsky, Dimanche and other Stories

Diana Gardner, The Woman Novelist and other Stories

Today I received Good Evening Mrs. Craven!

>297 Cariola: Cariola, I really enjoyed Margolyes' narration. The story itself is a little peculiar, not everyone's cup of tea :)

Just ordered my first PB direct from Persephone (up til now I've always used the Book Depository). I bought The Priory which will come via surface mail, plenty of time for me to read my other TBR Whipple (They Knew Mr Knight).

Do Persephone send out matching bookmarks with the greys or does one have to order them separately?

> digifish - bookmarks are usually included with the grey books.

>302 mrspenny: OK, thanks, that's what I thought. My brain is a little tired this week... so please forgive the dumb questions .. :)

I just placed my first persephone order (I confess my soul grey one was a gift and I have purchased a number of the classics that are available in the U.S.) I feel quite giddy.

I ordered Few Eggs and No Oranges, The Hopkins Manuscript and Miss Buncle's Book.

My copy of The Priory arrived today (very fast for surface mail)! Unfortunately one corner was really mashed in and had poked through the padded bag (which was clearly not strong enough for a large/heavy paperback such as this). I'm a bit disappointed and have emailed Persephone about it, so they can add me to their 'fussy customer' list ;)

> Marensr - Miss Buncle is one of my favourites and I recently loved The hopkins MS which I wasn't expecting too as don't usuallu read scifi.

That's good to know verityjdo. They just arrived and I am trying to decide which to read first.

I am delighted to say that Persephone will be sending me a replacement copy of The Priory :)

I am new to Persephone Books- I only learned of their existence last week while reading a blog. I am so excited about them! I love British fiction, especially from the Gilded Age and Victorian period, so I am really looking forward to collecting and reading them all. I also love the grey covers- they are very much my style!

So far, I have purchased The Making of a Marchioness, The Blank Wall, Reuben Sachs, Lettice Delmer, Little Boy Lost, and and They Knew Mr. Knight. I'm in the US, so its difficult to find the UK-issues with the grey covers, but I've had some luck finding them online at all the various used book sites.

309: The Making of a Marchioness is excellent; happy reading! Welcome to the obsession.The books are especially worth buying direct from Persephone, as they're accompanied by bookmarks that match the endpapers.

A copy of Every Eye appeared in my mailbox today...

I have been trying to fight off an obsession with Persephone for some time. I've bought the odd one here and there, second hand or at Amazon but have tried to keep it in check by not buying full price and not posting on here. Anyway, I finally succumbed so here I am with news of my first Persephone splurge. I bought:

The Home-Maker, The Priory and Good Evening, Mrs Craven. I am about half way through Good Evening Mrs Craven and enjoying it immensely. There are moments which remind me of Barbara Pym. It's that combination of dry wit and poignancy, I think.

I was also lucky enough to pick up a 1930s Penguin edition of Greenery Street at my local Oxfam charity shop, yesterday. There is a wonderful advert for dental cream on the last page!

You're hooked now, katie4098! There's no escape!

I know! I am so hooked! The first one arrived in the mail yesterday - Reuben Sachs. I will be asking for the Book-a-month subscription for Christmas & birthday, as I would really love to have the matching bookmarks!

I just received A Woman's Place in the mail!

So, I have collected a few Persephone books so far - a couple collected from second hand shops and the rest given to me as birthday and Christmas presents. But I am planning on buying one (or maybe 3...) directly from Persephone in the next couple of weeks so I can continue to get the Persephone Biannually booklet!

My only problem is I can't decide which one(s) to get from my vast Persephone wishlist!! Any suggestions?!

They're all good! I loved The Crowded Street and The Making of a Marchioness, I also loved Miss Buncle's Book, Good Evening Mrs Craven, The Far Cry, and The Young Pretenders. Also anything by Dorothy Whipple is a sure bet, I've loved all three of the books I've read by her.

If you buy three directly from the Persephone website, you'll get a slight discount, plus they'll send you the bookmarks that match the endpapers...

I had a lucky find in a charity shop today:

The Hopkins Manuscript by R. C. Sherriff

and then because Waterstone's was offering 3 for the price of 2 on all paperback fiction, I also treated myself to:

Dimanche and other stories by Irene Nemirovsky
and
High Wages by Dorothy Whipple

We have weekend visitors, but next week I shall retire happily to my sofa.

I have They Were Sisters coming from PBS. The sender said it belonged to her mother in law and arrived by post after her death, so is unread. She posted three Persephones. I got one because I was top of the wish list for that book. Who got the other two? I am presuming it was someone from this group...

Making Conversation arrived here today!

A swap copy of The Children Who Lived in a Barn is on it's way from PBS. Barbara, I don't think, with two weeks having passed, that this was the same swapper, unless she posted one each week.

It is really, really hard to find any used Persephones here in the states, either on swap sites or in used book shops or charity stores. Amazon and B&N carry a few of the newer editions, and sometimes I can find used copies on Alibris or Abes, but they are usually priced as high as the brand new ones.

I am sorely tempted to order three Persephones as a birthday gift to myself . . . never mind the garden fountain I bought as a birthday gift for myself last month!

Deb - she told me that she posted 3 and then she posted 5 more about ten days later. There are so many people ahead of me on the wishlist that I didn't get a look in with the other 5, but perhaps you did? She is slowly sorting through her m-in-laws estate so more may turn up.

I just received a beautiful swap copy of The Children Who Lived in a Barn, complete with bookmark!

Yes, mine was brand new and came with the book mark too - so this has to be the same lady Deb. I think the previous owner would be pleased her books went to people who value them. God bless her.

While I had heard of Persephone books, I had never seen one of the gray covered beauties (I'm in NY). On a trip to London this week, I stopped in their bookshop and picked up my first copies: Julian Grenfell, Mariana, Journal of Katherine Mansfield, and Consequences. Now I just have to figure out which one to read first!

The dove grey covers are so beautiful. I like the new ones, too, but they aren't as classy.

>324 Tanglewood: I haven't read the other 2 but I loved Consequences.

In my mailbox this week from the book depository: The Home-maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher and Greenery Street by Denis Mackail

Two arrived today: There Were no Windows (a lovely dove grey copy) and Little Boy Lost (sadly, not a dove grey copy).

I think I mind the new covers on Persephones even more than the new covers on Viragos. I just love those tasteful grey covers.

Deb I think the classics covers are exquisite and until I actually held the grey ones I thought them boring. But I agree they are lovely too and if you are into understatement, especially so. But what about the cover for Someone at a Distance and Cheerful Weather for the Wedding. These knock spots off most book covers.

I planned to order The Homemaker in Classic edition, which was available for pre-order on B&N. They then moved it up to Aug and now it has disappeared. Does anyone know what happened to that?

238> But then there's that atrocious new cover for Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day . . . and I believe that was the first new cover to come out. I was truly horrified!

Now I find that cover fun. The one I don't like is Mariana because of the wet looking young man. Years ago I bought Penguin editions of The Horse's Mouth, and The Plague Dogs purely for the covers. Covers can be make or break, can't they?

#328 romain, the Classic edition of The Homemaker was beautiful but the publication of it (and other classics, including Good Things in England) has been held back, indefinitely perhaps.

>331 bunnyb: How come? Are Persephone cutting back on new editions?

I just ordered three Persephones: They Knew Mr. Knight and The Priory by Dorothy Whipple (lovely dove gray covers) and The Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hodgson Burnett (new cover--at least it's pretty).

Deb, I read The Priory (I have a first edition copy, with a lovely DJ), and The Making of a Marchioness, and loved them both.

I figured I'd better snap up those dove gray covers while they are still available!

So . . . I ordered a new copy (dove gray) of The Home-maker. Figured I'd better snap it up since Abe's had only five copies listed, and one of them was $462!

$462 ?!?!?!?!?!?!

Yes--but I didn't pay that much! I don't quite understand the pricing, since there were several other new copies listed for about $20-25.

I went a little Persephone-crazy over the weekend. Also ordered Consequences and Good Things in England.

Deb - I ordered two greys from Book Depository in England who sell them for the same price as Persephone but without the postage on top. I did look at second hand copies and they wanted ridiculous prices which I couldn't understand given that they are all still freely available at normal prices through Persephone themselves. So what gives? I can't remember who recommended Book Depository but I recently paid $19.95 for a Bloomsbury book through Amazon UK and then found I could have had the same book $9 cheaper (because of no postage etc) from BD.

339> Yes, I ordered three of my recent books--new copies--from Book Depository. The base price was a little higher than Persephone, but the free shipping made the difference. I wouldn't trust surface mail with a book I paid around $20 for, and they charge 6 pounds (about $9) for the shipping, with no discount for multiples (since they package each book separately--but not many of us have mail slots in our doors here in the US).

Got one of the books today. It was, as you said, 12 pounds but it came air mail in less than 5 days and the same book from Persephone would have been - I think 2 pounds less in price but 4 pounds more to post surface and 6 pounds more to post air. So the savings - air - was 4 pounds total on each book? Book Depository do not have the complete catalog when you type in Persephone but if you type in individual titles a lot more show up. The Bloomsbury book was only $10 on BD - special sale or something - but I didn't discover it until too late.

I have a question for you all. Do only the books ordered directly from Persephone come with the matching bookmarks? I just got three new PCs--two dove greys and one new edition--that I ordered from Amazon, and none of them have a bookmark.

>342 Cariola: Cariola, as far as I know bookmarks are only included if you buy the books direct from Persephone. PBs I've bought from Book Depository don't have PB bookmarks.

You can also buy the bookmarks from Persephone for around 50p each including postage.

I registered with Book Depository and they e-mailed me to say they now have The Victorian Chaise Longue in stock so I ordered that and the Thea Holme book. I am stocking up here for my own Christmas presents :) and will not read them till after Dec 25th. I would like to order direct from Persephone as a way of supporting their business but the small savings at BD make it worth my while not to.

Jackpot in the mail today:

The Home-maker, dove-grey with bookmark!
They Were Sisters, dove-grey
The Priory, dove-grey
The Making of a Marchioness, new cover (but it;'s a pretty one).

Just pre-ordered Winds of Heaven from the Book Depository! :)

I recently downloaded a slew of free ebooks onto my iPad, so i felt entitled to order:

Manja by Anna Gmeyner
To Bed with Grand Music by Marghanita Laski
Consequences by E. M. Delafield
Making Conversation by Christine Longford
High Wages by Dorothy Whipple
The Priory by Dorothy Whipple
They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple

I have no idea which one I'll read first. Any recommendations?

347> Wow--I can't beat that!

But a lovely copy of Good Things in England arrived today from The Book Depository.

I can't afford Miss Buncle's Book at the price used copies are going for now (if you can find them), but I'm listening to a wonderful audiobook version read delightfully by Patricia Gallimore.

347: Dorothy Whipple is a favorite author of mine! I read High Wages last month and loved it. But They Were Sisters is a great one, too.

Tell it to a Stranger arrived in my mailbox today...

Four Persephones just arrived - two Dorothy Whipples, Marghanita Laski, and Christine Longford. Monday doesn't always suck. :)

My last purchase included High Wages and Family Roundabout by Richmal Crompton, and another.

I bought Manja on my previous visit to the shop.

347: The only one I've read was To Bed With Grand Music which I thought was great though it depends on how you feel about books with unsympathetic central characters.

Consequences by E. M. Delafield arrived this afternoon. Compared to her other novels, it's quite a tome.

I have bought 4 brand new Persephones (mentioned above, which are going away till Xmas) and then decided to try some second hand ones. I did this because a woman on NPR said that the best way to stay on a strict budget is to allow yourself regular small treats. Given that I don't smoke or drink or buy designer clothes, and lived on next to nothing the whole summer, I ordered 5 Persephones instead - based on price ($2.99-$7.00) and they have now all arrived. 4 are like new, one has a small rip in the cover but is in beautiful condition inside. Given that I bought on price alone they are a weird group title wise

A London Child of the 1870's
Doreen
Hostages to Fortune
An Interrupted life
It's Hard to be Hip over 30

They averaged out at about $8 each (with postage) and given their like new condition I am very pleased.

I really liked Hostages to Fortune and when I read it years ago (not in Persephone), A London Child of the 1870s.

I never did get my replacement copy of The Priory which arrived damaged. PB never sent it and I kept emailing them and being told to wait. After a few months I got fed up and asked for a refund. I will buy it from The Book Depository instead - cheaper and quicker and better service!

I picked up The Making of a Marchioness because it seemed wrong not to have it.

There Were No Windows arrived at my house today...

Oh GOSH! Just realised, I'm sure I've got a Persephone voucher left over from my birthday (in January!!) - in my defence, I thought I was going to visit the shop this year and could use it then, but I never did. OOOOH what to get? If you care to, I'm sure you can search my library for what I have got (tagged publisher - persephone) and tell me what I SHOULD get...!!

EDIT I can see what I've got from the ticks on the list by the thread, so:

The Shuttle
Greenery Street
The Making of a Marchioness
The Village
Miss Pettigrew
Saplings
Priory
They Were Sisters
Bricks and Mortar
Mariana
How To Run Your Home Without Help
Far Cry
Young Pretenders
Home Maker
Consequences
Very Great Profession
Few Eggs
Blank Wall
Family Roundabout
Miss Buncle
Round About A Pound
High Wages
House in the Country

#359 LyzzyBee, I would suggest three of my favourites: Little Boy Lost, Someone at a Distance or Still Missing. Alternatively you could treat yourself to the new Persephone Diary or one of the new Autumn/Winter titles.

I am envious of your gift token! Enjoy!

Does anyone have a list of the "50 Books We Wish We Had Published"?