This past weekend we headed up to Ithaca, New York so that I could go to the gigantic Tompkins County Friends of the Library book sale. They have the sale twice a year in October and May. The sale goes for three successive weekends with the prices getting cheaper each day. On the first day of the sale hardcover books are all $4.50. By the 4th day (the day we were there) hardcover prices are down to $2.50 a title. And by the final day of the sale you can get all you can fit in a bag for just $1.
We probably wouldn’t have driven six hours one way for just a sale, but since we have friends in Ithaca we hadn’t seen in a while, we decided to make a weekend of it. JoAnn at Lakeside Musings was at the sale about six hours after I was. It looks like she had good luck with trade paperbacks which I skipped entirely. Too many people in my way. Plus I was looking for older things that couldn’t possibly interest anyone but me.
Now, the books.
The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall
I have heard this one is a bit of a depressing snooze. But it is seminal work of early LGBT fiction, so I thought I would give it a go.
An Unsuitable Attachment and A Few Green Leaves by Barbara Pym
I am trying to get all of Pym’s books in these hardcover Dutton editions. I have five of them now. But this Green Leaves turns out to be a dupe of something I already have. I am going to send it to JoAnn to thank her for sending me an Angela Thirkell novel.
The Glory of the Conquered by Susan Glaspell
I keep collecting the works of this author, I think she has been reissued by Persephone, but I haven’t read any of them yet. I hope I like her work or I will have a lot of duds on my shelf.
The Railway Police and The Last Trolley Ride by Hortense Calisher
I know nothing about this book, but I like the fact that both novellas are train related. And the author’s name is Hortense. It must be fantastic.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos
There were several copies of this on the shelf each with a different pattern on the cover. Seemed like it was worth a go.
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Lady Anna by Anthony Trollope
I collect these little Oxford World Classic hardcovers so I don’t always need to like the actual work. I am ambivalent about Dickens but love Trollope. Only it turns out I already had both of these at home.
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| Although I only recognized Penelope Lively’s name, I thought this look interesting and whould go well with my Anglo-iana collection. But now looking at the cover, I realize I also know Helen Cresswell. She wrote a series of juvenile books that were favorites of mine gorwing up even though I only understood about half of the English (vs American) vocabulary. |
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| Too many people thing I am an a-hole for not liking du Maurier. So I am going to give this one a go. Many tell me this is their favorite. Hopefully third time will be the charm for me with this author. |
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| Another little Trollope in an Oxford World Classic edition. A lovely edition of Margery Sharp’s The Foolish Gentlewoman which I was so happy to find. Turns out I also have that one at home. Sheesh. And then a gigantic bio of ICB. |
While in Ithaca, we also stopped by the fantastic farmer’s market. One of the best I have ever been to. It has its own purpose built pavilion right near the foot of Cayuga Lake.
hogglestock 
Lovely photos of the farmer's market!
The Foolish Gentlewoman is the only Sharp novel I've read, although I have loads now. And I'd love you to tell me quite what the point of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is, because I feel like I just missed it.
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Whereas I loved Gentleman Prefer Blondes.
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I've not read Gentlemen Prefer Blondes but I also love those Oxford Classics. Our local second hand dealer had about 6 or 7 on a shelf last time i was in there. Thank you for sharing your weekend. The book sale and Farmer's Market all in one weekend….you're a lucky person. Will be happy when transport between countries is much faster, like Star Trek fast. Loved this post!
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GREAT haul!! I'm trying to collect all the Pym books in the Moyer editions. I'm currently very put out because I ordered a copy of A Glass of Blessings and it has water damage. It was supposed to be in Very Good condition and it is clearly NOT.
I haven't read that much du Maurier but I love Rebecca!! Most of her short stories are very good though I hated Jamaica Inn. My Cousin Rachel was pretty good though.
And I love the wee little Trollope! I have Sir Harry Hotspur of Humblethwait in that edition, I got it for $1 at a library sale. It's so tiny I'm sure I'll never read it but they're awfully cute.
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Is the book sale a uniquely American phenomenon? I have never seen or heard of anything like this in the UK and I am desperate to go to one! You got such a great haul and the farmer's market looks amazing too. This makes me miss America very badly! By the way you will love Susan Glaspell – she's one of the best writers I've ever come across. She's in the same league as Willa Cather in my opinion. Perhaps even better.
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What a wonderful book haul and the farmer's market looks beautiful too! What a lovely weekend.
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Just look at those old but goodie Pyms.
Great photos of your weekend exploits.
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Who knew that Ithaca would be so… charming! I am seriously agog by how nice the non-bookish aspects of this post are. Here I was thinking Ithaca would be dreary and gray, but it looks like you hardly needed that excellent literary haul to brighten your time there!
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Very nice haul indeed. And would love to shop at that farmer's market! The flowers are gorgeous and I could be quite content at the Fat Boy Bakery. :)
I enjoyed My Cousin Rachel, but I think my favorite duMaurier might be Frenchman's Creek – it's just got that extra bit of adventure to it. Looking at your cover of My England, Leon Garfield is ringing a bell with me – did he do children's Shakespeare stories?
I've got Some Tame Gazelle queued up and ready for Pym week, and I should be receiving A Lot to Ask: A Life of Barbara Pym by Hazel Holt in tomorrow's mail. I saw it and one other biography on Pym when I was browsing last week (the cover sold me this one), and thought it would be interesting to actually read about Pym herself, since I know so little about her. Have you read this one?
Happy reading to you – thanks for sharing the photos with us!
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Having a really good book sale to go to is one of the greatest fun in life, I'd say. Love those little Oxford World Classics editions of Trollope you've got there. And the gigantic bio of ICB looks like quite a catch! Do let us know if it's really good and worth the effort. Oh, and the farmer's market looks delicious!
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I was wondering where you'd gone and was missing your posts. But it seems you were off having a good time. Good for you!
Those little Oxford Classics are great, aren't they? I love them and also collect the older Everyman's editions. I hate the size of many new books – too heavy to hold comfortably and too big to lug around easily.
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Excellent haul! Wish I'd had more time to peruse the hardcovers and nonfiction. Thanks so much for the Pym – I'll email you my address.
Great photos of the farmer's market, too. Ours opened for the season last weekend, so it's time to get into our Saturday morning spring/summer routine.
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Gorgeous photos of the Farmers' Market!!!
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Simon: Yeah, I am not sure what I will think of GPB, I am ambivalent at best.
Hayley: Good to know.
Karen: Not good to get a bum copy of a book. I have gotten some recently that have actually been in better condition than I expected.
Rachel: You shouldn't have left America…
Amanda: It was a great time.
Diane: I am going to write about those old Pym editions during BPRW.
Steph: Having spent 2 years in Ithaca I can tell you that it is often gray and dreary, but I do love it there.
Susan: The Hazel Holt book is a good one.
Michelle: If I read that ICB bio, it will dwarf the number of ICB prose I have read (only two of her novels so far).
Joan: I am glad to know that someone missed me. I think I have a few Everyman's as well
JoAnn: Weird to think that the Pym will be returning to the Finger Lakes.
Protector: Glad you like them. John took them all.
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What a seriously beautiful farmer's market! When I lived in Raleigh, NC, there was a dedicated pavilion farmer's market that was open year round. It was amazing. I just went there for most of my shopping. Lovely pictures. Thank you for sharing!
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