A Bristolian Weekend

I've just come back from a lovely weekend with my brother - and, very to my surprise, and the surprise of everyone who heard me moaning for the past seven years, I actually got a little into the Olympics, and was genuinely chuffed when Mo won the running thingummy.  Who'd have thought?  It'll fade, no doubt.

More importantly, I also bought some books in Bristol... and here they are, taken (rather obviously) on my bed, I'm afraid:

(Clockwise, starting top left)

Two Worlds and Their Ways - Ivy Compton-Burnett
I do already have this; I bought it to offer as a giveaway when I read it.  So, watch out for that!

No.3 - Lady Kitty Vincent
I was rather surprised to find this, since I thought nobody else read Lady Kitty Vincent.  I rather enjoyed her books last year, and have kept an eye out ever since, but this one doesn't seem to be available at all on Amazon or Abebooks.  Worth £2.49 of my money!

The Bottle Factory Outing - Beryl Bainbridge
Spurred on by Beryl Bainbridge Reading Week!

A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
I laughed my way through this brilliant tour de force, but didn't have my own copy - and it's definitely one I'll re-read.

The West Pier - Patrick Hamilton
I've still only read one Hamilton novel, but it was one of the best novels I've ever read, so I'm happy to add to the Hamiltons on my shelf.  I don't think I'd even heard of this one.

Herland - Charlotte Perkins Gilman
I've been meaning to read this Amazonian utopia (dystopia?) for years, and was glad to stumble across a copy.  And I had a nice chat with the bookshop owner (who, on a previous visit, had told me that he loved Persephone Books) - he, entertainingly, told me that he'd once painted his bedroom yellow after reading The Yellow Wallpaper.  A brilliant novella, yes, but not one which would lead me to re-decorate in yellow...

Brighton Rock - Graham Greene
My book group is doing this next month...

The Persimmon Tree and other stories - Marjorie Barnard
I don't know anything at all about this, but the blurb sounded intriguing.  And I'm not a person who leaves VMCs untroubled on a bookshelf...

So, there we go!  It's always great to spend time with my brother, and even better when he traipses after me around bookshops.  He even bought three books himself.  Perhaps he'll let you know what they were in the comments...

As always - thoughts?  Have you read any, etc. etc.?  I'd love to know.