Over the short holiday break I dropped by my favorite used bookstore to do a little browsing. They have the best selection of books and are literally jam packed. You have to step over piles of books and squeeze through the aisles. It's not an especially large space, but they make use of every nick and cranny. I tend to just spend my time in the fiction and mystery sections scanning the shelves for some good finds and I came away with a few good titles.
Although they had several other Viragos, I came home with two. Antonia White's The Sugar House is the third of four books that are autobiographical which began with Frost in May (the first book published by Virago Press). This is set in 1920, the 20s being an era I'm really interested in at the moment. I hope to finally read Antonia White next year. The second Virago is one I had never heard of and had it not been a VMC I'm not sure I would have brought it home, just because it sounds a bit far out and not my usual sort of read. f/32: The Second Coming by Eurudice is called a "Rabelaisian romp" on the back cover. "More outrageous than Erica Jong, more sensational than Nicholson Baker's Vox". There are two quotes by Kathy Acker if that helps set the tone!
I came across a collection of short stories by Beryl Markham, The Splendid Outcast that sounded good. I read her West with the Night years ago, so this might be a good follow up as the stories are about Africa. The Glimmer Palace by Beatrice Colin is a book that was on my wishlist, so I was happy to find a cheap copy that's in good condition. This is set in pre-WWII Berlin.
Tillie Olsen is a Nebraska author and Yonnondio: From the Thirties is another book I was on the look out for. A few months back I came up with a list of Depression Era novels that I still am keeping in mind. After reading Dawn Powell I knew I wanted to read more books by her as well as books set in this period (yet more interwar period books). And since I'm reading a biography of Louisa May Alcott, she's been on my mind. When I spotted A Marble Woman: Unknown Thrillers of Louisa May Alcott edited by Madeleine Stern seemed a nice complimentary book. It looks like a fun read and I have a feeling there will be works in this collection that Harriet Reisen discusses in her biography.
I think I need to stop by the used bookstore more often! It's a nice way to stave off the desire to order books online plus help the local economy (and pay with cash rather than the dreaded credit card).