Book Stress/Miss Buncle's Book

Well, since I started reading book blogs again about a week ago, my Amazon wishlist has grown and grown and is now at a very healthy 379!

Last summer I was reading almost a book a day sat up the hospital - Amazon Marketplace was a Godsend with used books at just 1p and £1.25 postage. Alas, in the last fortnight the postage has more than doubled and is now £2.80 which makes a big difference. *sigh* Not that it stops me though. :-) When you think about it £2.81 is pretty much the price of a cup of a large cup of coffee which is gone in ten minutes ....... if you are reading this blog though the chances are that I won't have to justify myself to you!

I am one of those bookworms who panic at the thought of missing out on a great book. Incase Amazon should fail me I also keep a manual list of books I need to check out. If I am out reading a newspaper I keep a list on my Blackberry to jot down books, music and films that I like the sound of. I hate the thought that somehow a book that might totally captivate me might jump through the net somehow.

I am very excited as tonight "Debo" Devonshire is on "My Life in Books" - the only downside is that it is presented by the ghastly Anne Robinson. I cannot abide this woman - and not just because of the comments that she made about the Welsh a few years back! I just don't find her a good interviewer - her voice is brash and has no sincerity in it and she just isn't nice to look at. However, I am going to bite the bullet and watch it tonight. The other guest is the lovely Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey) whom I saw at The Anne Frank Lecture in the 90's, she read an excerpt from the diary and was tremendous. If I can cope with the show tonight I will check out the rest on Iplayer.

I finished "Miss Buncle's Book" last night and adored it. I am thrilled to see that "Miss Buncle Gets Married" is being reprinted as I simply must find out how married life treats her. If anyone hasn't come across it yet, it tells the story of Barbara Buncle a 40ish spinster living in a 1930's English village with her maid Dorcas. Money is tight so Barbara decides to write a book - she writes,using a pseudonym, about what she knows best, life in her village . She sends it off to a publisher, Mr Abott, who was first on the list alphabetically. He accepts the manuscript straight away (lucky girl) and Miss Buncle's book quickly becomes a best seller. The locals are flabbergasted when they realise that the book is based on them. Those that are written about in a less than flattering way, a selfish, cruel husband, a Hyacinth Bucket type and a gold digging young widow, are especially keen to find the author. Miss Buncle manages to keep mum and starts on a sequel. I don't want to spoil the story so I won't give anymore away but if you enjoyed "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" then you will love this. I admit that I hadn't heard of D E Stevenson before The Persephone Catalogue arrived but now I am really eager to read more especially "Mrs Tim of the Regiment" , which might just be my next purchase!