Tuesday, December 15, 2009

 

Speaking volumes

Ok, I feel I am making solid headway with the Diary - I finished reading Volume IV this afternoon and then went on to Volume V. I am also happy to report that after much searching I have located a very good hardcover copy, in a very good dust jacket, of one of the volumes my set lacks - VII. Now I only need to find VIII. So if anyone spots a decent hardcover in dust jacket, online or in the wild, please let me know. Volume VIII, covering the year 1667, Latham and Matthews, University of California Press, a first edition or early printing (late 1970s), bound in green cloth, in jacket so it will match the rest of my set. You wouldn't think it would be that difficult to find, but for some reason it is.

I do have options. 1: Softcovers are readily available. However, I really don't want to acquire one odd volume in softcover. In fact the thought of doing so goes against all my neat-freak instincts. 2: I know a nearby library has a complete set if I become desperate. I figure at the pace I'm reading, I've got a good two weeks ahead of me before I must resort to drastic measures such as these. So I'm not too worried. Yet.

Comments:
Volume 5 of the Diary? Interesting. Have you read Les Miserables? I just read it again recently and I'm wondering what books are as good as that one.
 
Not having read it I can't say how similar to Pepys's "Diary" it is or isn't, but I suspect not much! The "Diary" is a diary, so there is no real plot, you see. Just a man's daily life. All the boring bits and all the fascinating bits, all at the same time. I love it, but then, I'm kind of a freak. A book freak.

If you haven't already read them, how about "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas, or Rafael Sabatini's "Scaramouche," which I really love.
 
Oh that diary! I read an excerpt of it for a class in College two years ago!

And you ought to read Les Miserables! Its long, but I love it, and the Count is Good. I'm goint to have to look for Sabatini's book now!
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?