Many thanks to everyone who stopped by with Christmas/Holiday wishes! I had hoped to get to everyone on my blogroll, but unfortunately I didn't quite manage it, so I hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday and that you all enjoy the rest of the season!
I spent the day with my family and as usual they were very generous. I received a few bookish gifts, which I thought I'd share. A few were on my Amazon wishlist and a couple were surprises. From top to bottom: Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth and Society in Early Times by Elizabeth Wayland Barber. I've wanted this for a long time--I'm interested in anything to do with needlework and textiles. No Name by Wilkie Collins--more sensationalist literature--Wilkie Collins has become one of my favorite authors! In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower by Marcel Proust--because someday I want to read his work. I also got The Greatest American Speeches, which is a glossy, illustrated book with over 40 important speeches in American history. And my sister found a copy of Jane Austen's Complete Novels, which has lovely little engravings along with the text of Austen's six novels. I also received gift cards for two different bookstores, so I'll be going new book shopping this week as well. I already have a list of books (mainly mysteries) that I want to search for. It's been ages since I've been new book shopping, so I am looking forward to it.
My sister works part time at J. Crew and she spotted an unbrella with library/book motifs. I thought this was quite cool. It collapses down quite small, so it will fit nicely into my book bag. The nice thing is, it is well-made (even has a wooden and not plastic) handle--so much nicer than the cheap umbrella that I've been using that tends to hang limply in any gust of wind.
And because you can never have enough book bags, I also received two new ones. The one on the left is from my other sister (I have two). You can check out her I Resolve To... blog, and find the book bag at her Cafe Press store. Resolving to read isn't the problem so much as how I order my reading during the year (I'm not always very good at staying on track)! The other bag is from my mom. I'm not sure where she found it, but the quote on it is from Thomas Jefferson (to John Adams): "I cannot live without books." Both are quite nice--canvas bags, one with a zippered pocket inside. I'm sure they will be put to good use!
One last bookish item. Do you remember I joined in Library Thing's Santathing? I received two books from my anonymous Santa. They picked the perfect books for me--both by Elizabeth von Arnim, Elizabeth and Her German Garden and The Solitary Summer. The thing is--I already own both books (and read the former last year). What should I do? I can of course just keep them and have second copies of the books. I could pass them along to a friend who'd like them. Or I can exchange them for something else. I feel sort of greedy sending them back for something different, but it would be nice to have something I haven't already read. I hate these sorts of dilemmas. In any case I am very happy with all my gifts. I hope you received something bookish as well!