I got this from an online seller, to be mailed directly to a wishlist-tag recipient.

It's author Susan Hill's look at her personal TBR shelves! It opens with her hunt for a particular book - Howards End, of course - on the shelf where she knows it should be, but it isn't there. Instead, she gets caught up in books she'd forgotten she had, either not having read them at all or having done so long enough ago that she wants to re-read them. And the book is about that "journey" through her own bookshelves, resonating with anyone who has stacks and shelves and boxes full of books.

I enjoyed her comments about the acquisition and shelving of books, and her thoughts on various titles and authors - even on the fairly-rare cases where I didn't agree with her. There's such a keen love of books and reading, of browsing and re-discovering, of re-visiting old favorites later in life to find an entirely new book... wonderful stuff!

She's hot for fonts, too, mentioning early on that "if you cut me open, I daresay that whatever is carved upon my heart will be in Ralph Beyer lettering". And she has a fondness for pop-up books, from some of the earliest commercial versions to the magnificent works of Robert Sabuda.

In books-about-books, I enjoy spotting references to my own favorites, and there were many here, from Sayers' "Lord Peter" books to Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals. And I also like to find tantalizing descriptions of books I haven't read yet, so as to expand my own collection.

There's a chapter on books she does NOT want to re-read - or indeed to finish at all. There's a chapter on "things that fall out of books", always an entertaining topic. And another chapter touches on "slow reading" - something that I seldom do, as my natural reading speed is pretty darned fast. But I do appreciate her comments on the ways in which some prose - and most poetry - amply repays a leisurely read, savoring the sounds and rhythm of the words as much as the subject.

A very enjoyable book on the love of reading!

I'm having this book sent directly to BCer mcsar in Canada, to fill a wish for the US/Canada wishlist-tag game. (Estimated arrival Aug. 16-Aug. 26.) Enjoy!

Thank you for the book. It came in great shape with no customs charges. I look forward to reading it.

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Promised as a tag forward to dutch-book. (for Tarya)

Loved it. There are so many parts that I identify with. A great book for booklovers.

A nice little musing on books and reading. Hope you enjoy this wishlist tag which has taken me so long to send. Happy reading!

Apparently I've forgotten to journal this book when it arrived. It feels like I've had this book forever. I'm sorry for not journalling earlier. I'm currently reading and enjoying this book.

I have enjoyed it. It was a fun read and it has led me to some fun Wikipedia holes. I also felt the urge to finally read some books that have been in my bookcase for ages.

Mee naar de meeting.

Thank you very much for this lovely book. This book has been caught at a very nice Bookcrossers meeting somewhere in summer 2022 held at the brand new Pathè venue in the city of Leeuwarden. I really regret not having the time to read this book. This book will continue it's journey hopefully soon, it will be released at the Paddy O`Ryans big bookcase in the city of Leeuwarden.