Last year I wrote about all my book buying adventures between May and September. One of the used book stores (Endless Shores in Bridgetown, NS) is one that we go to most years when we are camping in our favourite spot. It’s located very near the laundromat, so we browse the book shelves while waiting for the laundry (my husband is kind enough to go back and forth to switch over the laundry, while the rest of us stay with the books – we are often there for about 2 hours).
I am always impressed with the number of books there that I want to buy (and that I don’t remember seeing there the year before), and with how well organised it is. I have never been disappointed. So, all my Nova Scotia friends – go visit if you can!
This year I came away with:
Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh (Robert at 101 Books recently read this one and highly recommended it.)
The Devil in the White City – Erik Larson (I read my first Erik Larson book a few months ago – Dead Wake – and loved it. Maybe this one will be next.)
Liars and Saints – Maile Meloy (I’ve never read anything by Meloy yet, but now I can!)
Weeds of Nova Scotia (Yes, my husband and I are nature nerds.)
You Can Too! – Elizabeth Peirce (This is to encourage me to start canning things instead of just throwing them all in the freezer. But, the freezer seems so much easier.)
Latitudes of Melt – Joan Clark (I have her most recent book on hold at the library, but haven’t yet read any of her older books. This is one I’ve heard is good from the Literary Hoarders.)
Practical Jean – Trevor Cole (This has been on my list for a while, so I was happy to grab it up. Has anyone read his new book yet?)
Prodigy – Nancy Huston (I read Fault Lines years ago and loved it, but I haven’t read any of her others.)
The Book of Secrets – M.G. Vassanji (This man has won the Giller Prize twice, among other prizes, but I haven’t read any of his books yet.)
Has anyone read any of these, or other books by these authors that you would recommend?
Consumed by Ink 
Latitudes of Melt is a very good read
Also, AN AUDIENCE OF CHAIRS
An Audience of Chairs was also there – I had to make a tough decision. Maybe I’ll get that one next year. 🙂
I didn’t know about Endless Shores — sounds wonderful! The only book I’ve read from your list is Brideshead Revisited and I too would recommend it highly. I’ll be keen to hear what you think of the others on the list (because there’s a good chance my book group will want to read at least one of them, and probably more, given all the recent similarities in our choices!)
I was wondering if you had been there (since you are the only other book blogger I know right now who is pretty close by). Next time you’re down in the valley, go check it out!
I will, for sure. My book group has done one road trip so far, to Lexicon Books. Maybe they’d be interested in another trip, this time to Bridgetown.
I haven’t heard of several of these books, but The Devil in White City is excellent! I read Brideshead right after the 70’s series and it didn’t stand up to the contrast, but I probably would think differently about it if I read it now. You’ll have to let us know.
I was pretty happy to find The Devil in the White City after reading Dead Wake and receiving so many recommendations for it!
Yes, anything by Larson is good, but that one is one of my favorites.
I agree with Robert about Brideshead Revisited, but it’s been so long since I read it I’m not sure if it’s as great as I remember or if it’s just a general feeling. I also will be interested to hear about Devil in the White City as I’ve heard it come up in conversation quite a few times in the past few months.
I’m curious about them both! Have you read any other books by Waugh? There were some others there, but I grabbed this one because it was fresh in my mind.
That’s the only one I’ve read. I never felt the drive to read any others.
Brideshead Revisited is good. Kind of melancholy, but good. The Devil in the White City is fantastic. So messed up and terrifying. What this man did! Erik Larson is the best at telling this kind of story. I hope you love it!
Lots of votes for Waugh and Larson! Hmm… most of the others on the list are Canadian – let’s hope they just aren’t as well known. 🙂
Add me to the chorus of praise for Brideshead Revisited. Of the books in your list, it’s the only one I’ve read. I hope you enjoy it!
I’m sure I will – let’s just hope it won’t be years before I get to it (but it could be)! 🙂
Wow…I’m only familiar with three of these and haven’t read any of them! Thanks for expanding my bibiophile horizons!! I’m certain the Larson is excellent, as you and all others say. I’ll look forward to your reviews!
Liars and Saints is a lovely read and that sounds like a lovely bookshop (and a very accommodating husband!)
Good to hear that about Liars and Saints. And, yes, my husband is good about it – he doesn’t need as much time in the book store as I do. 🙂
I remember this bookstore from last year’s post. 🙂 I’ve read Brideshead Revisited back in January, and it was good. It is a bit melancholy. And I agree with all the praise for the Larson. I don’t know any of the other books, but they all look lovely. Enjoy!
I enjoy just looking at them. 🙂
No recommendations on where to begin with your new stack, but three cheers for finding such an excellent bookstore! Your camping gear must weigh quite a few extra pounds on the journey home. 😉
Yes, it did! But we had the trailer for this trip, so it was okay. 🙂
I read Brideshead Revisited last year! AND watched the movie. I need to get to more Evelyn Waugh actually, because I have heard (but could be wrong?) that he can actually be humorous. Brideshead was NOT comic, just so you know.
I haven’t read any of his books yet, so I don’t know. But, I have heard most of them are good!
Brideshead Revisited! One of my all-time favorites. It’s so, so good. I wrote part of my undergrad thesis on it. Love the picture of the bookstore!
Ok, it is now in my (most urgent) TBR pile! 🙂