Random books from abbottthomas's library

Michelin Green Guide: Alpes du Sud / Haute Provence (1988) by Pneu Michelin

Target: Germany. The U.S. Air Forces' Official Story of the VIII Bomber Command's First Year Over Europe by H H [foreword] Arnold

Alien 3 by Alan Dean Foster

Sharpe's Trafalgar by Bernard Cornwell

Sonnets from the Portuguese (Dover Thrift) by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Two Fat Ladies by Jennifer Paterson

The Birthday Boys by Beryl Bainbridge

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Interesting libraries: ericandsue, hinkley, imhm, kitchengardenbooks, Rache, red_guy, thorold, xtofersdad

LibraryThing authors: Peter Johnson (GrantsIndian), Alan Furst (afurst), David Mitchell (davidmitchell), Robert Hartman (hartmanr)

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Member: abbottthomas

CollectionsYour library (3,893), ROH Programmes (96), Other opera programmes (27), Penguin Firsts (main series) (525), Penguin Firsts (other series) (214), Penguin Collecting (40), Penguin Illustrated Classics (10), King Penguins (orig. series) (18), Penguin 60s (64), Folio Society (49), Childrens' book archive (144), Maps (144), Non-book items (8), Currently reading (4), Removed but reviewed (or remembered) (2), All collections (4,190)

Reviews38 reviews

Tagsfiction (1,016), pfst (613), G (484), ultb (416), first (235), humour (224), poetry (220), crime (179), K (178), children's fiction (177) — see all tags

Cloudstag cloud, author cloud

GroupsBaker Street and Beyond, BBC Radio 3 Listeners, Best Covers, Book Care and Repair, Bookcases: If You Build/Buy Them, They Will Fill, Brits, Build the Open Shelves Classification, Combiners!, Cryptic Crosswords, E. F. Benson — show all groups

Favorite authorsJohn Le Carré, Raymond Chandler, Bernard Cornwell, E. E. Cummings, Elizabeth David, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Patrick Leigh Fermor, Graham Greene, A. E. Housman, M. R. James, P. J. Kavanagh, John Mortimer, Axel Munthe, Pablo Neruda, Patrick O'Brian, Anthony Powell, Simon Raven, Saki, Samuel Shem, Dylan Thomas, James Thurber, Peter Tinniswood, Evelyn Waugh, James Willis, P. G. Wodehouse (Shared favorites)

Favorite librariesThe Saison Poetry Library

About meDespite being rather old, I am still buying books faster than I read them. I gain a little comfort from the thought that time will run out before the books do!

My strange picture is a lithograph by Charles Keeping from The Treasure of Abbott Thomas in the Folio Society edition of the Ghost Stories of M R James.

About my libraryVaried but heavy on poetry, Wodehouse and Napoleonic war novels. Residue of my professional library from my working life. Included are my wife's books as well as those of my grown-up children that they have left in my care - along with all the other juvenalia ;-).

Looking at my favourite authors reminds me that I tend to escapism rather than serious literary study. I like romans fleuves but, despite owning two versions of Proust, I haven't got past Swann's Way.

Collections
Pending a more embedded labelling of Collections, I should make it clear that 'Your Library' contains all the books I actually own and no others. I like the opportunity given by Collections to define and display more clearly than with tags groups of books of particular interest to me. The various Penguin collections and the Opera programmes are in this category and are sub-sets of 'Your Library'.

'Non-book items' and 'Maps' are not included in 'Your Library' and are not checked for Connections or Recommendations. I have also isolated those children's books for which I have no particular feeling, despite storing them, in a 'Children's Books Archive' collection, again not participating in Connections or Recommendations.

I do not list any read-not-owned books - I think it would be pretty meaningless after 60-odd years of reading - and I don't keep a wishlist here. Another small, free* account as 'theabbottsdesires' is my wishlist in embryonic form.

*Yes, I do feel a bit of a tightwad!

Membership LibraryThing Early Reviewers/Member Giveaway

LocationEsher, Surrey, UK

Account typepublic, lifetime

Connection NewsConnection News

URLs http://www.librarything.com/profile/abbottthomas (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/abbottthomas (library)

Common KnowledgeSeries (368), Awards (310), Characters (4982), Places (907)

Member sinceApr 11, 2007

Currently readingLucia Victrix: Mapp and Lucia; Lucia's Progress; Trouble for Lucia by E.F. Benson
When the Lights Went Out: Britain in the Seventies by Andy Beckett
Slightly Foxed: No. 22: Don't Give Up the Day Job by Gail Pirkis
Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban

Most recent activity

abbottthomas reviewed:
Maigret travels south by Georges Simenon (read review)

abbottthomas reviewed, added:
Dorset, Somerset : parish registers, nonconformist registers, marriage licences by Neville C. Taylor (read review)

abbottthomas reviewed, added:
Dorset contiguous parishes by C. E. Allen (read review)

abbottthomas added:
Glyndebourne on Tour Programme - 2009 by Glyndebourne

abbottthomas added:
Our Times by A.N. Wilson

abbottthomas added:
Amsterdam by Ian McEwan

There is a theory that you cannot die until you have read all the books in your collection. I take comfort in this idea a cling onto this as a theory of live. It makes as much sense as anything else in this world. I do admire the scope and depth of your library.

posted by Barton at 12:51 pm (EST) on Nov 4, 2009

Thank you for posting the link to Eric Barton's obituary. He was a friend of my bookselling late father and I had not thought of him for over a decade. I remember him and Charles Skrimshire being particularly rich sources of anecdote.

posted by TheoClarke at 6:10 am (EST) on Nov 3, 2009

I think we have that library disaster plan at work, but frankly, if I ever need the books in the Off the Grid collection, the library will be the least of my worries. LOL
Nah, I just like being prepared, but the tin box does take it a step too far. I just read them. Who knows, if I ever make a 72 hour kit, some will end up in there. :) I'd be the only person in a bunker with lots of reading materials.

posted by kaelirenee at 12:17 pm (EST) on Jul 18, 2009

When is one too old to buy books faster than one can read them? I'm 72 and the only reason I've stopped buying books is that I've run out of money. Not to mention space for all the ones I've bought, begged, borrowed or stolen that I have indeed not read - yet.

posted by jisabellam at 2:53 pm (EST) on Jul 10, 2009

Thanks, I'm sorry that happened to him. About the pic, yeah that was captured right before the cat went ninja and tore the guy's face off, the tipping point between zen acceptance and postal rage. Or something. I got it from the Web and it cracks me up every time I see it. That, and the picture of the Pug dressed like Darth Vader were my two contenders. Simple mind.

posted by SomeGuyInVirginia at 3:02 pm (EST) on Jun 25, 2009

OK, you can't post a comment like the one you left in TPBM and not expound, unthinkably cruel. Died in a US motel. Let's hear it.

posted by SomeGuyInVirginia at 2:31 pm (EST) on Jun 25, 2009

Inviting some people to the thread I just started. Thought it might be of interest to you.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/66785

posted by callmejacx at 10:08 pm (EST) on Jun 13, 2009

Dear abbotthomas,
I took the liberty of peeking at your site and I see you are a fan of M.R James - he is also one of my favourite ghost story writers. Have you ever read anything by H.R Wakefield?? A worthy disciple if ever there was one.
Regards
Unorna.

posted by unorna at 12:37 pm (EST) on Jun 7, 2009

Sorry, your "Classified List of Penguin Books 1962" is no longer a ultb. It was so pretty I couldn't resist getting my own copy!

posted by ladycassilis at 8:24 am (EST) on May 14, 2009

Noticed you liked Trainspotting, and I was wondering if you'd be interested in reading my new novel and posting your comments here (as well as on a few other book-related sites). Thought you might like my novel since it's also about a group of disturbed kids and a bit dark (like Trainspotting). I could e-mail you the novel in an e-book format if you'd like. Let me know if you're interested. Here's a link to a summary in case you're interested:

http://christophertusa.com/

Thanks,

Chris

posted by cmtusa at 12:05 pm (EST) on Apr 2, 2009

abbotthomas, I've just started reading 'The Leopard', which I remember you recommended to me a long while back on one of the game threads. Just wanted to say, 'You were right!' ... what a great book! So glad you pointed it out.

Claire

posted by klarusu at 1:41 pm (EST) on Feb 15, 2009

abbotthomas

Wonderful!

Thanks so much for the Penguin SF list. I very much appreciate your having helped me.

posted by Diamat at 12:27 pm (EST) on Jan 14, 2009

Thanks for your help re: Groupings of Books.
I guess I can retrieve the books I want by going to the tags and printing up the list that way! Seems the easiest way using the existing system. I was hoping otherwise since all my Art books are in a different building and I would have liked a separate listing for them there. I guess that could be done by starting THAT list by using a different name!! Again many thanks!!

posted by michelarch at 11:59 am (EST) on Dec 13, 2008

My HTML information is gathered through trial and error, and is in no way authoritative. I haven't updated my profile for a month or two, so some of the information may be out of date, given the pace at which LT moves.

I see you're from the next county over: I live just about on the Hampshire/Surrey border.

I also note that you have quite a few duplicates in your library - although I can fully understand that having one copy of Brewers' isn't enough!

posted by Noisy at 5:39 am (EST) on Dec 13, 2008

Hello abbotthomas,

Amused to see that you, too, have abandoned the Silly Game. I left some time ago (when all the rules came in). If there's no room for a bit of anarchy there's no room for me! I look in from time to time and am tempted to post just to annoy schmerguls!

posted by Thrin at 8:27 pm (EST) on Dec 11, 2008

Hey, abbotthomas,

Just wanted to say, don't desert the Silly Game group. Sometimes newcomers need a little guidance and I really don't think anything significantly negative was intended. It wasn't a particularly tactful statement, but don't judge us all! Come back and give it one more try!

posted by hemlokgang at 4:11 pm (EST) on Dec 10, 2008

Welcome to Unique Library Thing Book Group. This should be interesting to see if anyone dislikes the programmes. It is a really great idea and I am impressed by the work to which you went. I have several programmes to plays and musical I have attended still tucked in my shelves.

I notice you like mystery writers. I would like to suggest Tony Hillerman to you. His books are fairly quick reads but cover many ideas. Further more they are an excellent overview of the American Southwest.

Any way welcome to Unique Library Thing Book Group.

posted by misericordia at 3:46 pm (EST) on Nov 12, 2008

Always nice to find other fans of Cornwell. He is my favorite author at the moment. I'm currently finishing up the Saxon Chronicles. Still have Lords of the North and Sword Song to read. What's your favorite series by Cornwell?

Steven
http://steventill.com

posted by StevenTill at 2:47 pm (EST) on Sep 25, 2008

Hey there abbottthomas. Good afternoon from Florida. Thanks for writing about the Mary Frances Cook Book. It IS a "facsimile" signature in both the English and American editions. That book came out in several different titles for the same book. Are you familiar with them?

posted by kitchengardenbooks at 3:48 pm (EST) on Sep 6, 2008

Thanks for joining, and good luck with the Times crossword – I think that would count as a 'Premiership' puzzle in most circles! If you haven't already seen it, you might be interested in Seven Hundred Penguins.

posted by brunellus at 11:36 am (EST) on Mar 13, 2008

Well, I've just bumped into you in the BBC Radio 3's group! You might like to explore the varied programming on 2MBS-FM - a volunteer-run radio station in Sydney. In order to stay viable they must broadcast some advertisements unfortunately, but these are infrequent and low-key. It was your eagerness to hear Lucia that prompts me to mention this, because 2MBS broadcasts an opera every Wednesday evening at eight (our time). This coming Wednesday is La Boheme. Of course it will be at morning-tea time for you and might not be what you want to listen to then. The station broadcasts mainly "classical" music, but has a smidgin of blues, folk and a nice slice of jazz too. Anyway - have a look/listen if you're curious:

http://www.2mbs.com

Regards,

Thrin

posted by Thrin at 4:13 pm (EST) on Mar 8, 2008

Coincidence indeed! After Elm Park Gardens I lived variously in Holland Park (well, not actually IN the park) - on the wrong side of the avenue, and then in Camden Town; also spent a little time in a bed-sit in Kensington Church Street. Don't suppose you happened to live in any of those places too? :) All in all I lived in London for ten years. Sometimes I miss Europe and the big cities, but am settled happily in this small town in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales now and enjoying the slow pace of life here. I've re-visited the UK, Ireland, France and Italy, but find the teeming masses of the cities a little overwhelming.... Still interesting though!

Regards,
Thrin

posted by Thrin at 8:52 pm (EST) on Mar 6, 2008

No, abbotthomas, I didn't live in Earl's Court... was determined to "go native" as soon as I could, and did (as far as a foreigner could). I lived at 63 Elm Park Gardens, SW something. An exciting time.. The house was populated by musicians and artists of various kinds.
The landlady didn't think any other sorts of folk were "respectable"! We weren't far from Chelsea's King's Road, and it was just before the boutique culture began there. A more interesting time I think. Many a tale could be told, but perhaps this is not the place. Thanks for the memories.

posted by Thrin at 6:16 am (EST) on Mar 5, 2008

Just a note to thank you for your kind words in the Site Talk thread. I also noticed, looking at your profile, that there is another Penguin group that I wasn't aware of. LT also has a "Penguin Classics" group, but not much in the way of discussion on it. Maybe I should have a look at your group.

Your picture looks like a demented clown. Something decidedly unpleasant about it, but I suppose that's the point, isn't it?

Cheers!

posted by Makifat at 12:04 am (EST) on Mar 3, 2008

Just had to tell you how your recent catalogued item - Katherine Whitehorn's Cooking in a Bedsitter stirred many happy memories of my first experience of independent living as young Australian in London in the early '60s. Living in a large airy room and cooking on a gas-ring with Whitehorn's book close at hand.... Couldn't have been happier in a castle!

posted by Thrin at 3:04 am (EST) on Feb 28, 2008

Never got past Swann's Way myself, either. Book mark still left in place for next attempt. As my catalogue grows your library creeps up my similar-library scale. Initially, it seemed solely a Penguin 60’s phenomenon: but the trend has survived. At the very least, we both share the acquisitive habit.

Gerald
Sintra, Portugal

posted by botanica at 5:09 pm (EST) on Aug 27, 2007

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