Book Haul!

Usually, while I'm on holidays down the coast, I buy up big at the markets and enjoy the massive bargains.  Then, I arrive home and have to reorganise my bookshelves to make room for the new arrivals; and believe me, it's not easy!  This year, I stayed home again (and this time not because of the floods) and Mum took the opportunity and went to the markets for me.  I thought this was a sweet gesture; even though I didn't ask her to and wasn't expecting her to.  She had the best fun finding the most unexpected bargains in the most unusual places.

The first books we'll look at are 'The Chronicles of Naria' by C. S Lewis.  This is an unabridged edition of all the books which was published in 2001; well before the edition that was put out with the movies in 2010 - which came with a poster in the back.  Both editions I have are unabridged and both are worthwhile.  The next book was one that Mum didn't buy, but found at the laundry.  Now, at the holiday park laundry, people leave books in the laundry and they're picked up and replaced by others - a little like Bookcrossing but not - and yet it's a great way of everyone sharing their reading material around the place; so long you have a book to replace the one you've taken.  Mum picked up 'Court & Country: Studies in Tudor Social History' by A.L Rowse.  This is a non-fiction book studying the history of the Cornwall area of England.  Very interesting time of English Society.

Then, Mum found me some wonderful Stephen King books.  She was so excited about one that she called me on her mobile and told me about it at the market, then called me again once she got it back to the caravan; and little wonder it was a First Edition from the UK!  This particular book is 'Song of Susannah' from The Dark Tower Series.  What a find!  It's got a brilliant set of coloured plates inside, a beautiful dust jacket and it's never been read; as the attached bookmark is still folded up inside the book!  What a find!  Mum is so proud of it - and I am too.  You just don't find a book of this caliber anywhere anymore; especially from this series.

One of the plates that depict Sai King's character in The Dark Tower Series.

On the opposite page from the Sai King plate.

The next book of Stephen King's Mum found was 'Lisey's Story'.  I've been wanting to read this book for some time; however the price of it hasn't really gone down all that much.  So, each time I've seen it, it's been a little out of my reach.  When she told me she had seen it for a great price, I jumped at the chance of owning.  Mum told me that there were many titles of his where she was standing at the market.  And so, we went through a lot of them and she found I had most of them - to her amazement - and she decided to keep just the two she had picked up.

When Mum and Dad arrived at my place for coffee yesterday, I knew that 'Songs of Susannah' was going to be a big book, however I didn't know that 'Lisey's Story' was going to be an oversized paperback - nice and big to read.  I'm so pleased about what my Mum bought me (even though she didn't have to buy these books).  Now, just to find a spot in my overcrowded library for them!

So, over these holidays, have you scored a great book haul?  Did you personally oversee it or did somebody do it on your behalf; like my Mum did for me?  Until my next post, happy reading!