This was a good mail week, first my new Persephones, and then a box from Amazon! My newest finds:
- Incognita, William Congreve - Yes, Amazon does carry Hesperus titles! Congreve was a Restoration dramatist, writing mostly comedies. This was his only novel. It is "a hilarious tale of love and intrigue. With its masqued balls, mistaken identities, and fanciful deceits, it bears all the hallmark of his comic genius".
- The Go-Between, L.P. Hartley - And of course they have NYRB Classics. The go-between is a young boy who acts as a messenger in the illicit love affair of a friend's older sister. It is "a masterpiece--a richly layered, spellbinding story about past and present, naivete and knowledge, and the mysteries of the human heart".
- Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, Elizabeth Taylor - I've decided I need to read all of Taylor's books that I can get my hands on. This reminds me of The Ladies in Lavender. It's about an older woman falling in love with a younger man.
- Angel, Elizabeth Taylor - Another Taylor novel about a very young woman who writes a novel. The Guardian called it "a brilliant creation".
- The Dark is Rising, Susan Cooper - After reading Over Sea, Under Stone I knew I had to continue on with The Dark is Rising Series. This YA novel has different characters from the first, but I have heard some readers say it is their favorite in the series, so I am looking forward to reading it.
- Mademoiselle Victorine, Debra Finerman - And lastly I mentioned a review copy of a novel about Victorine Laurent, the woman who modeled for his famous painting Olympia. Soon I will be transported back to 19th-century Paris.
I'm afraid I am not going to have anything to look forward to next week in terms of the mail bringing anymore treats! I am looking forward to a day off, however, hopefully to be spent reading!