Fabulous Finds, Part IV!!!

Let me try this again since LT (or the Office of Homeland Security) apparently ate my last attempt. I thought I'd start a new thread since the last one was getting a bit long and unwieldy for those of us on dial-up connections.

The Overlanders by Dora Birtles (Amazon Marketplace).

Liana by Martha Gellhorn (PaperBackSwap)

Ooh, I had a good day yesterday. Despite narrowly avoiding a discussion about religion with an excitable Russian man (I blogged about it), I did clear his shop of Virago stock.

+ Miss Marjoribanks by Mrs Oliphant
+ Open the Door! by Catherine Carswell
+ The Clever Woman of the Family by Charlotte M. Yonge

Three new authors for me!

LOL, Sarahsponda, your blog post made my day!!!

Mine too, marise. Once again proving the efficacy of Jane Austen as armour against importuning Russians (I'm sure this must have happened before)(although I'm not as sure that importuning is a real word).

Boy did I enjoy your blog post!!!!!!
Fantastic!!
:-))

Thank you!

I almost didn't add the link; I'm glad you all got a kick out of it.

(Truly, I would put up with a lot more to bring Viragos home!)

And "importuning" is an excellent word, tiffin. I'm going to add it to my Wordie list.

Well, I knew you could importune but I didn't know if you could be importuning. Sounds like someone with a badly strung guitar. But you do win the blog of the day award. It's unanimous.

Huzzah! Today in the mail I received Elizabeth and Her German Garden -- many thanks, englishrose60 -- it looks brand new!

Then on the free shelf I found non-virago copies of A Lost Lady by Willa Cather and Staying With Relations by Rose Macaulay.

A capital day for my library!

eta:I see on my home page that it is also Rose Macaulay's birthday.

#10 Glad Elizabeth arrived safely - the book is brand new - the Book People had offer of 10 VMC's for 9.99 pounds and I already had a copy of this one.

Received today from Amazon Marketplace:
Aleta Day by Francis Marion Beynon
At the Still Point by Mary Benson

>10 aviddiva: aviddiva, Elizabeth and her German Garden is a lovely, lovely book. I hope you enjoy it!

Though I'm not quite sure what I've done to deserve them yet, I treated myself to four Viragos this weekend. I think I'm borrowing against being virtuous for the rest of the month!! :)

I bought:
Christine : SOE agent and Churchill's favourite spy by Madeleine Masson (VMC)
Julia Margaret Cameron by Amanda Hopkinson (Virago Pioneer)
A Train of Powder by Rebecca West (non-Virago edition but the book was once published as Virago Non-Fiction)
Christina Rossetti by Frances Thomas (VMC)

I'm quite pleased!

Excellent, christiguc!! You deserve these and more!!

I bought Love Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister by Aphra Behn from Amazon Markeplace - a bit pricey but it is green and in very good condition.

I got two in the mail today:

1 VMC: Travel Light by Naomi Mitchison (PaperBackSwap)

1 Traveller: Unbeaten Tracks in Japan by Isabella Bird (Bookmooch)

Sarahsponda (#4 & #8). I'm going to have to add you to my blogroll. That was terrific. And you're a fan of Buffy. A woman of wit and taste!

After having had an absolutely horrid two weeks, the most wonderful thing happened today. I found a lot of Viragos, but that's secondary. The wonderful, magical surprise came in a non-Virago book. I going to tell the story here because I think this group would be the most sympatico. But anyway, on to the story. One of the books I purchased was a collection of Puerto Rican short stories The Youngest Doll by Rosario Ferré. When I was cataloging the book this evening on LT, I noticed that the book contained a letter. The words speak for themselves

20 May 1997

Gentle Reader,

Sharing this book among family and friends is perhaps one of the ripples emanating from our remarkably joyous family reunion at Oak Ridge. Not because it's a cheery book, it's not. It has wonderful writing, and curious insights into families of another culture.

Rosario Ferré is the daughter of a wealthy and powerful family in Puerto Rico; her father, Louis A. Ferré, was the governor of Puerto Rico in the 60's, a Progressive Party leader - pro-statehood. Her aunt (his sister) was a nun and ran a school on Poncé for poor children. I have meet people who went there in my Literacy tutoring group; they regarded her in the way people do Mother Teresa.

Ivonne Mercado, at Union of Texas, did her master's work on Ferré and Anna Lydia Vega, another Puerto Rican writer who is very good but not translated into English yet. Maybe Ivonne will do it.

Each one who reads this book ought to sign it and then see that another signs it - pass it around - use this as a bookmark. And Happy Reading.

with Love-
Ruth Tomlinson

The book is signed by Ruth Tomlinson 1994
Karen Tomlinson 1995
Ursula Freymouth 1997

Isn't that the coolest thing.

So my other fabulous finds, Viragos, are as follows:
Miss Mole by E. H. Young Green Virago with the apple
The Misses Mallett byE.H. Young Green Virago with the apple
Rumour of Heaven by Beatrix Lehman - sister of Rosamond Lehman Green Virago Penguin
Adam's Breed by Radclyffe Hall Green Virago Penguin
Jenny Wren by E.H. Young Green Virago Penguin
The Happy Foreigner by Enid Bagnold Green Virago Penguin
Taking Chances by M.J. Farrell (Molly Keane) Green Virago Penguin
Beyond the Glass by Antonia White
The Getting of Wisdom by Henry Handel Richardson Dial Virago
Hunt the Slipper by Violet Trefusis Dial Virago

So that's my day. I hope all of you had a beautiful day!

>18 urania1:, urania1 So sorry to hear you have had a difficult time recently. What a wonderful story and some truly fabulous finds too. I see you picked up a couple of titles by E.H Young, who was sorely neglected by me until I joined this group. Happy Reading :)

E. H. Young was a wonderful discovery for me as well!

urania1, I see you've picked up The Happy Foreigner which is on my soon (I hope) to-be-read stack. That letter is a treasure! I love to discover "extras" like that in the books I buy!

Urania1, what an interesting letter/bookmark! Glad you had that and the fab finds to lift your spirits.

Urania, the wonder is that YOU were the one to find that book. I love those "meant to be" moments. That letter is a delight. And what a haul: I adored Miss Mole and have just finished Jenny Wren, which I also loved. Thanks for sharing this.

Sarahsponda, I belatedly enjoyed your blog post, very funny.

Urania what a wonderful discovery. I have a couple of booksale books that I bought for the letters in their pages. I hope whenever my books find another home the leaves and bookmarks and letters and other detritus of my life are cast out into the world with as appreciative an audience.

It reminds me that I once found a new bookmark in an edition of Milton's Comus (it is another story that in a dream I decided I needed to read Comus) for the European mystery school. It has a crest and phone numbers in New York, London, Chicago, Buenos Aires, and Munich. So I reverse looked them up but they were all private numbers. If there had been an address I might have tried to stake out their secret meeting. A more adventursome friend called the number and found a website with images of Preraphaelite paintings and some bland writing about a school of esoteric knowledge and I was deeply disappointed.

Still, I saved the bookmark as a reminder of the mysterious things we find in books.

Oooh, I love letters found in books! Lucky you!

I nabbed quite a treasure myself...The Brontes Went to Woolworths by Rachel Ferguson for $12!!! It is an old penguin (the inscription reads 1940) and it's got the old war-time wrappers on! I'm so excited! ;)

Congratulations, hjelliot! Such a steal!

Oh, hjelliot!!! Incredible! Grand job.

Christina - you are kindness, itself. You deserve your books. :) (Besides, Rebecca West is worth it, and that on a spy in the S.O.E. looks fascinating.)

Urania, felicitations on the good book day! May it signal new beginnings. I must join the chorus, as another ardent E.H. Young fan.

Not a Virago, but today I found a lovely old Penguin copy of High Wages by Dorothy Whipple -- rather a scarce title -- on the free shelf! Haven't seen The Brontes there yet, but I keep hoping ... meanwhile, there are always new treasures to be discovered.

Very envious, aviddiva!!! Whipple is so hard to find in the U.S. it seems.

Painted Clay by Capel Boake from Amazon Marketplace.

Yesterday I received two VMCs in the mail: The Dud Avocado and Kinflicks--the latter thank to our dear mrspenny. These make numbers 250 and 251 in my collection. Not bad for less than a year!

Thanks to someone on this or the previous thread ,a parcel arrived from The Book People with a bargain pack of ten Virago's for £10 the following are duplicates and I have listed on Bookmooch (same ID there)
The Return of The Soldier by Rebecca West

A Lost Lady Willa Cather

All Passion Spent V. Sackville-West

My Brilliant Career by Miles franklin

Union Street by Pat Barker

and last but far from least

Blaming by Elizabeth Taylor

Thank you whover it was - I can't find the post just now

Cariola, that is quite an accomplishment. I think it merits a very special little happy dance.
The Virago Happy Dance: put your feet close together and move rapidly foot to foot lifting your knees slightly as though running on the spot. Now give your bum a wiggle, while flapping your arms as though you are trying to take off. Finish off by raising one arm and pulling as though you were pulling the emergency cord on a train, while saying "YES!" very happily.

Cariola, congratulations! Please post a video of you doing the happy dance!

:)

#31 That might have been me. I mentioned this in #11 on this thread. *bows*

Cariola - well done! I need another 4 for 100.

There's an algebra word problem in all this: "Englishrose60 has twice as many Viragos as lindsacl. Cariola has 5 times as many as two more than lindsacl's..."

In other words, I'm at 48.

lol!!

If englishrose60 reads at 3 pages per minute, cariola reads a book a day, and lindsacl reads one chapter every hour (but stops for tea), who will run out of new virago reading matter first?

I give up!!

Don't think I am mathematically challenged folks - it's just I do not have time to count all the pages and chapters. :-))

I have 45 of the things I can cheerfully hurl at the next person who comes up with an algebraic problem.

I found a copy of I'm Not Complaining Dial Virago for $2.00 this week. Since I have been complaining (sort of), I decided that I should take a look at this book, especially since I've gone around prefacing my complaints with "I'm not complaining, but . . ." Don't you hate it when people do that? I refer to it as the Southern Matron Martyr Malaise. Generations of Moss women have perfected its use. In fact there's probably a Southern Matron Martyr Manifesto out there somewhere. If not, I think I could write it ;-)

You can't complain about that price either, urania. I like the Southern Matron Martyr Malaise - it sounds faintly like the Guernsey Literary and potato peel society. Maybe you could make it into a book!

>38 aviddiva:: aviddiva, I don't know, but I'll have to pee more often.

>41 tiffin:: tiffin wrote, things I can cheerfully hurl at the next person who comes up with an algebraic problem.
* ducks and covers head *

#41 and #45,

Even if tiffin does hurl 45 "things" at #45, thereby sparing #46, we still have an unanswered question: If 2x2 (i.e, 2 multiplied by x squared) - x = 45, what is x? Further what number divided by the square root of x will give us the number of Viragos in aluvalibri's library? And finally, having hurled her 45 things at #45, how many "things" will tiffin have to borrow from aluvalibri in order to hurl a sufficient number of things at urania?

x=5, if I've done the quadratic equation correctly! Of course x= -4.5 is another valid answer. It's sad that I read #46, moved on to some other LT threads, and came back because I couldn't stop thinking about the math problem!

And if we catch tiffin's "things", can we keep them?

Anything of value - keep!
Anything of no value - hurl back with quadratic equation attached!

arrrrggghhhh!!! You are bringing back high school nightmares of algebra and calculus! I used to answer those kinds of questions by making up answers. Q: if John leaves Stirling at 3 p.m., walking 4 mph and Mike leaves Tweed at 3:30 pm walking 5 mph, at what time will they meet in Campbellford? A: well, actually they don't ever meet because John's wife told him (just as he was about to leave the house) that she wanted a divorce so he's still at home arguing with her. Gosh knows what happened to Mike.

So if you're going to keep my Viragos when I hurl them at algebra posts, I'll have to find something else to throw. *eyeing War and Peace*

whoooooooooosh - heading to the bunker! ;-(

actually er60, you are perfectly safe. I wouldn't throw a thing at anyone except words and then only if really pushed.

I loved algebra and calculus (can you tell?!) and am happily reliving those days through my children !!

tiffin, thanks for letting us know we shouldn't really be scared of you :-)

Creeps back cautiously.

Saraband by Eliot Bliss
New York Mosaic by Isabel Bolton

Oh dear! I am away for a weekend and look what happens algebraic violence and post throwing. I am not complaining . . . ;) but I still don't have home internet since the move.

I have unpacked my books however and now have a nice shelf of green. It seems a bit skimpy compared to Cariola and englishrose. Like a the miniskirt of virago collections. Hmm I wonder if I am still a bit punchy from unpacking and waiting for customer service representatives to not pick up?

You look great in that miniskirt, Marensr! VMCs even look great in fig leaf form.

Sleepless Nights by Elizabeth Hardwick - thank you mrspenny for your generosity.

Luminous Isle by Eliot Bliss from Amazon Marketplace

That makes 100 *smug grin*

Nicely done, er60!
I'll need to think up a new algebra problem now :-)

Tiffin will be pleased!!!

Fraulein Schmidt and Mr. Anstruther by Elizabeth von Arnim from Amazon
(that makes 345).

aluvalibri,

You sound even smugger than englishrose60. I may have to leave algebra and move on to physics problems :-) Alas, most of my VMC titles are in non-VMC versions.

The problem with me is that it is getting more and more difficult to find Viragos I do not have; the titles I do not own are more rare to come across and, as a consequence, more expensive. I got this from the UK and it cost me a pretty penny (considering the lousy exchange rate dollar vs pound).

While I've been savoring Excellent Women, in a 30th anniversary edition sent by an amazingly thoughtful friend, I've also acquired:

Ruth Adam, I'm Not Complaining (Amazon Marketplace)
Edith Wharton, Twilight Sleep (Thank you, mrspenny!)
Kate O'Brien, The Ante-Room (Thank you again, mrspenny!!)
George Eliot, The Lifted Veil (library book sale)

and a Washington Square Press edition of The Enchanted April (library book sale)

Now I just need a few more months of summer to read through them all!!

I still hope that they'll soon release the books that were published in the 30th anniversary edition in paperback - I can't afford the hardbacks for now but I'd really like to read them :(

Anyway, I've just ordered the following :

Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor (I read Angel (very good!) and Blaming (not sure I understood it, it may take another reading)
Dusty Answer by Rosamond Lehmann (I read The Weather in the Streets, which was superbly written and I'd like to read her most famous novel, and then move on to Invitation to the Waltz which chronologically comes before The Weather in the Streets, oh well)
Tipping the Velvet by one of my favourite contemporary authors, Sarah Waters (I saw the miniseries and read Fingersmith and The Night Watch, both excellent !). It's not a modern classic but it's still a Virago :)

I bought a lot of other books that have nothing to do with Virago as well (two Noel Streatfeild, one Thomas Hardy, one E.M. Forster, His Dark Materials, one Elizabeth Goudge and three Penelope Fitzgerald, this should bring us to October !)

I've had a bit of a run of luck lately with Virago-hunting.

Having been recently gifted with a particularly paltry amount of birthday money, I did the smart thing and invested it in nice green VMCs:

The Salzburg Tales by Christina Stead
At the Still Point by Mary Benson
Susan Spray by Sheila Kaye-Smith
Ordinary Families by E. Arnot Robertson
Sunlight on a Broken Column by Attia Hossein
One Fine Day by Molly Panter-Downes
The Squire by Edith Bagnold (still in the mail)

Completely independently of this, the copy of Dorothy Richardson's Journey to Paradise that I'd mooched arrived from across the pond, as did a long delayed mooch of a non-virago edition of The Getting of Wisdom from California.

And then, while visiting my my Dad in the middle of nowhere, I came across a non-US edition of Daphne du Maurier's Vanishing Cornwall, which she wrote with her son. In it was an old bookmark, from a store in Dallas which must have closed at least 15 years ago, promising "books of all publishers" and "personal attention to special orders". Certainly not the kind of service you can get at most bookstores anymore.

Was it Taylor's Bookstore in Dallas?

Today I got The Thinking Reed by Rebecca West, from Amazon.

I just received today, from a fine member of this group, one of my "Top 10 Wishes": The Constant Nymph, and there was also a bonus extra book, Cindie !

This takes me to an even 50. Yea!
THANK YOU DEAR FRIEND!

I scored SIX new Viragos on e-Bay a couple weeks ago. They arrived today. I bid on a lot of 10 books, listed as "mixed 19th and 20th century classics"; the titles were all listed, and there was a good photo. There were five Virago's in the lot. When I opened the box today, there was a sticky note attached to one of the books, which read "I'm sending this as well--the movie was great--hope the book is too." The book it was attached to was Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, not one of the listed titles, but one I've been dreaming of finding since I saw the movie, and got the Virago bug. Needless to say, I left the seller a GLOWING feedback.
The other titles I received today were Family History by Vita Sackville-West; Travel Light by Naomi Mitchison, Liana by Martha Gellhorn, Precious Bane and Gone to Earth both by Mary Webb. I now own a lucky clutch of 13 Virago's, and I think it's time I joined this group!

Welcome, lw3rd! What luck getting such a generous seller!!!

Marise: No, it was Century Books, which was (apparently) on Mockingbird, not Taylor's (which was a big favorite at home before it closed). Dallas lost almost all of its independent bookstores in the early to mid-90s, which is how I estimated the Century's closing date, despite having never heard of it before. Now Half-Price Books is really the only one left (if that can even be considered a real independent anymore). It's a bit like living in a bookstore-wasteland.

Welcome, lw3rd! Great to see you here.

HA! I knew it was only a matter of time before you joined, lw3rd!!!!!!!!
:-))

#71 I thought maybe she just didn't know that Virago editions incited such frenzy among collectors...

#74, Yeah, Paola. I knew it too. I was really just waiting until I thought I had enough in my collection to qualify for this elect company!

>72 inge87: inge87 I used to get a paycheck (back in the 70s) from Century Books, though I did not work at that location!! Yes, they are long gone, I believe. Glad to hear Half-Price Books is still around., it's better than nothing. Have you ever been to the used bookstore on the square in Denton, Recycled Books? (I hope it is still there.)

I mourn the lack of independent bookstores everywhere!

#66 Inge87: I loved Sunlight on a Broken Column but there's a bad print run out there. The pagination in the first copy I bought was off - it went 97-97-99, I believe. No page 98, and for years every subsequent copy I found was like that. I finally tracked down an Indian edition that's complete, so if you're missing a page, I can send a copy.

#56 lindsacl, Ha ha, yes even in figleaf form viragos look good!

My books are unpacked but I find myself stymied that they don't seem to all fit on my shelves. It is as though they multiplied in the moving boxes. My husband keeps reminding me that I had stacks all over the old place as well.

With any luck I'll have internet access restored by tonight- possibly.

Welcome to the newcomers. Congratulations on so many good finds.

Now that I am unpacked I am already making a new list of most desired viragos.

#77 Wow, that's curious. I'll have to go check my copy.

Laytonwoman3rd, nice to see you here! Like many another older LT member, you're a familiar 'face'. I find it a most welcoming group, in which no number is too few - and there is always more in the dream collection.

Inge, welcome! It's been a pleasure seeing some of your books go up, in my "virago" tag-watch!

Marise, and Inge: here in Houston, Half Price Books locations have always been one of my standbys. (And a blessing, with the variation between branches, in different parts of town). Not all one could desire, but much, much better than nothing!

Aurora Floyd by Mary E. Braddon from Amazon

marise: Recycled Books is still around; it's high on my list of things to do, but I haven't made it up there yet. Denton has a "little Austin" indie scene going on right now, which, along with its relatively remote location, may have helped things.

aguntherc: Yep. It's 97-97-99 here too. I would really love it if you could get page 98 to me. It's weird that no one ever caught that.

eurydice: Thanks for the welcome!

Thanks, Eurydice. It feels good to admit I'm hooked!

It feels good to admit I'm hooked!
That's the first step of any 12-step program: Hi, I'm Laura, and I'm a Virago-holic.

And I don't think there is ANY cure for that.....

And why would you want to be cured????

I don't want to be cured!!!!!!!

#84, I almost used that line myself, and then decided, as subsequent posters have pointed out, that it implies I might want to get over it. And I don't. But I can stop whenever I want to, of course.

Oh, I don't want to get over it either!

Received 4 lovely green Viragos from Amazon today:

Two Serious Ladies by Jane Bowles
Year Before Last by Kay Boyle
My Next Bride by Kay Boyle
Plagued by the Nightingale by Kay Boyle
Peking Picnic by Ann Bridge

That qualifies as a haul! Congratulations.

Ms englishrose, not to be contrary, but that is five. Is one of them not lovely? :)

Good job on the excellent haul!

#92. Oops! I added one I received today. LOL.

#91. Thank you for your congratulations. I like to give myself a Virago treat every month from Amazon. (Hubby thinks I've mooched 'em. Sssh).

englishrose, it seems to me you give yourself a Virago every week, not every month!!!!!!
Congratulations on the excellent job!
:-))

#93 What an excellent idea!

#94. I like big treats - would you just eat one chocolate out of the box? :-))

#95. Sometimes you have to stretch the truth a bit - keeps us both happy:-)

I discovered a new used bookstore in East Dallas, which had a nice selection of pretty green Viragos:

VMCs
Hester by Mrs. Oliphant
The Way Things Are by E. M. Delafield

Non-Fiction
The Selected Letters of Edith Sitwell
Pepita by Vita Sackville West

The store also had copies of two VMCs I already had: A Fine of Two Hundred Francs and of The Rising Tide (which based on the number of times I've run into copies must have been the most popular Virago in Dallas at one point). It's definitely a keeper.

A copy of A Saturday Life by Radclyffe Hall from PaperBackSwap was waiting for me in the mail when I got back home.

Well perhaps not fabulous since its an updated Virago, but I just received Devoted Ladies in the mail. It is as appropriately gruesome as the other Molly Keane novel I have read. And to think, I have two more awaiting my attention when I finish this one.

And, my dear urania, another one coming in the mail!

P.S. I FINALLY got to mail all the Viragos I promised to some of you. Once again, I apologize for the shameful delay.

urania, I just finished reading Devoted Ladies (thank goodness for interlibrary loan) and gruesome is certainly an appropriate word.

Indeed it is.

94: If you want to get over it, you deserve to.

(Nor, I stress, is sanity completely incompatible with addiction. ;) )

It's a little large, but thanks to lindscal's instructions, it worked! Himself came home yesterday with this Virago Omnibus I edition. I've never seen it before, has anyone else?

Wow! Am I envious, fabrile-heart!! I didn't know there were Omnibus editions!

Looks like a BIG read! :-)

There are 3 of the Omnibus editions - Omnibus 1 as in fabrile-heart's post;
Omnibus II - published in 1987 and contains

All Passion Spent - Vita Sackville-West;

The Return of the Soldier - Rebecca West;

Two Days in Aragon - M.J.Farrell (Molly Keane).

Omnibus 3 - published in 1994 - contains

The Weather in the Streets - Rosamund Lehmann;

Frost in May by Antonia White;

All Passion Spent - Vita Sackville-West.

Omnibus 3 has the same cover painting as Omnibus1. Omnibus 2 has a copy of painting "The Dream" by F Wacik on its dust cover.

All the editions are hardcover and I don't think they were ever published in Paperback.

Omnibus 3 is a selection of some of the novels published in the 2 earlier editions.

Oh my, more volumes to collect. Yippee!!
Nice job with the photo fabrile-heart!

fabrile-heart! What a guy you have! These omnibuses are new to me as well, and thank you mrspenny for the complete list.

Resurrecting an old thread (from 11/06!), staramber found a Virago Birthday Keepsake. My research lead to the following from www.antiqbook.com

ANONYMOUS (EDITOR) A Virago Keepsake to Celebrate Twenty Years of Publishing London, Virago 85381. 1993, First Edition. Stiff Card Wraps, Small Octavo -- from 7.75" to 9.75" Tall. The publisher compiled this collection of material from writers who contributed to the success of its first twenty years. Included is work by Maya Angelou, Margaret Atwood, Nina Bawden, A.S. Byatt, Amanda Cross, Kathleen Dayus, Lyndall P. Hopkinson, Janette Turner Hospital, Alice Miller, Kate Millett, Grace Nichols, Michele Roberts, Lynne Segal, Elaine Showalter, Gillian Slovo, Deborah Tannen, Barbara Taylor, Tatyana Tolstaya, Marina Warner, and Elizabeth Wilson. 120 pages (including "Virago Books by the Keepsake Authors")

Yet another Virago to pursue!

bleuroses, it is strange that you mention the Virago Birthday Keepsake. I have acquired a copy recently and, as we seen to have very few copies between us, I have been quietly formulating a plan.

I should very much like to send this slim volume out into the world as a Virago Traveller, passed between us and with and with us all recording a message as we send her on to her next port of call.

(Thank you Urania for your post a few weeks ago that planted the idea in my mind.)

If anyone is interested I will set up a new thread to track progress.....

What a lovely and generous idea, FleurFisher.

Fleur, that is a lovely idea. I know this group would honour it and keep it going until it returned to you again.

I love that idea Fleur!

I love it too. How would we decide who gets it next each time it's ready to travel again?

What a wonderful idea Fleur!

Excellent idea FleurFisher! I'd be happy for her to pay a visit as she tours the continents!

I've got Omnibus 2 but it's a bit unwieldy to read!

#109 - I hope you will consider sending the Keepsake "down under" for a message also.

I think that is a marvellous idea Fleur!

LyzzyBe, it is a bit unwieldy isn't it!

>109 BeyondEdenRock: I think it is a lovely idea, Fleur!

Jane, what a wonderful idea!
:-))

Jane, I agree with 110-120. Marvellous idea.

Illyrian Spring by Ann Bridge (Amazon)

Fleur,
I think that idea is cool!! It reminds me of a house that some friends of mine used to own. The first owners collected photographs an plans for the house back when it was built at the end of the 19th century. They then passed the scrap book on to their children, who wrote memories and added photographs. They, in turn, passed it on to my friends, who did the same and passed it on to the current owners.

Love Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister by Aphra Behn arrived in today's mail, a gift from a dear LT friend!!! Thank you so much!

Everybody's Autobiography by Gertrude Stein, which came all the way from Finland thanks to Bookmooch.

I am late to the party but I agree. It is a wonderful idea fleur. It makes me think how I have kept the little notes from our various viragoites in the editions that have been sent to me but this would collect us all in one book!

I too am glad to know about the omnibuses.

One of my Top 10 wishes, Lady Audley's Secret, arrived via Paperbackswap today! Hooray!

Everything Is Nice by Jane Bowles (Amazon).

>127 lauralkeet: Lady Audley is in one of my stacks here. Must pull her up closer to the top!

109:

Even later, I agree it's a marvelous idea, Fleur, and one I should be glad to take part in.

Loving Without Tears by Molly Keane - thank you so much, Julie.

Harriet Hume by Rebecca West - many thanks, Louise.

From Amazon:
The Dark Tide by Vera Brittain
Honourable Estate by Vera Brittain
Hackenfeller's Ape by Brigid Brophy
Belinda by Rhoda Broughton

The landscape around here is strangely denuded of Viragos these days. The only one I've run across is The Devastating Boys. I read the first story while I was in the bookstore. The title story's racism turned my stomach, mostly because I couldn't detect any real awareness from the author indicating real criticism of the smarmy, do-gooding, "let's have the natives over dear" attitude expressed. The "sweet," "redemptive" ending of the story was even worse. I hate that kind of self-congratulatory "haven't we done a good thing by opening our lives to Anglo-African children" attitude. I find myself wanting to say so many bad words here that I think I need to stop. I didn't buy the book. I haven't read any other Elizabeth Taylor yet. Is this typical of her work?

No! Not in the books I have read so far, at least. I'll avoid that one.

I haven't read "The Devastating Boys," but it sounds like Taylor was a bit out of her element.

Perhaps Flannery O'Connor's "Everything That Rises Must Converge" to cleanse your palate? I think that's such a powerful story, and a good antidote to a self-congratulatory attitude.

Thanks Rob. An excellent suggestion. I was really seeing red for a while.

I received one of my Most Wanted in today's mail: Yonnondio by Tillie Olsen.

I love Yonnondio. I got to take Tillie Olsen out for coffee when I was a wee young undergraduate. She came to UNC-Chapel Hill to give a talk. I got to be her student escort while she was there.

In the mail today from aluvalibri came On the Side of Angels by Betty Miller -- a lovely birthday gift -- thank you, Paola --

I am so glad it arrived safely, Jane, and a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!!!!!!!!
:-))

Cecilia by Fanny Burney (Amazon) - WOW this is a big book (919 pages).

Enjoy Cecilia englishrose 60. She, too, is an an English rose.

P.S. I noticed tiffin added The Virago Book of Witches. It sounds interesting. Tiffin are you out there? Has anyone read this book? I think I want it. Do you think the book mentions me ;-)

urania1, good morning!
I think The Virago Book of Witches mentions many of us. I am in there for sure!
:-))

aluvalibri, you illustrious and lucky woman :-)

Thank you, thank you....it takes one to know one!

You're welcome dear aluvalibri.

Thanks urania1 - I am sure I will enjoy Cecilia when I have a week or more to spare! :-)

er60, I also have a copy of Cecilia and it is rather daunting to look at, especially since so many of the VMCs are much shorter works. I'm not quite sure when I'll get around to reading it either ... !

Hi Urania: re the Book of Witches, I have had it for yonks now but didn't realize I hadn't added it until teelgee got a copy and jogged my memory. I've read about three of the stories in it and loved what I've read so far.

#147. Maybe a chapter per day in between other readings. (thinks...if I start Sept1 ...and there are 102 chapters....I should finish Dec 11... that leaves plenty of time for Christmas shopping). Problem solved without a quadratic equation in sight.

>149 englishrose60:: LOL! Actually, a chapter a day is a great idea.

#132 Mary, do you ever get to McKay's in Knoxville? My daughter is supposed to keep her eyes open for me when she goes there, but she doesn't have Virago-radar, or maybe you're right and there just aren't any in that neck of the woods. I have yet to find my first one "in the wild", so to speak. Everything I have was either a gift or an internet purchase.

I only "discovered" this LT group a few days ago, and I already scored two Antonia Whites on a library's sale table. And, tomorrow through Sunday, that same library is having its annual used book sale. It's advertised as 'huge.' My fingers are crossed, and my wallet is ready!!

The two I bought are The Lost Traveller and Beyond the Glass. Of course, I know I have to save these till I can get my hands on a copy of Frost in May, and I'll need to squeeze in The Sugar House, too! (I'm assuming it's best to read them in sequence?) Experts, please advise!

The covers of these have a black border, rather than what I thought of as the usual dark green. I hope this doesn't make these frauds or something!

>152 TerrierGirl: TerrierGirl wrote, The covers of these have a black border, rather than what I thought of as the usual dark green. I hope this doesn't make these frauds or something!

No, they're just different editions. Dial Press published black-cover VMCs in the US. Green covers are either Penguin or original Virago Press (with an apple logo).

In this group, we collect them all!

ETA: and you snagged the two Antonia Whites that I am still seeking -- lucky you!

#152 and 153: I know that there's some Antonia Whites (in black Dial editions) at the bookstore around the corner from me. I might be able to come up with The Lost Traveller and Frost in May. I'll check and follow up here.

Yes!

TerrierGirl (#152), if you would like to leave your mailing address as a private message on my profile page, I can send you Frost in May in a black cover (i.e., matching the two you already have) as a little "welcome to the group" bonus!

Laura (#153), I can send you The Lost Traveller either in black (good condition) or green with apple logo (poor condition, held together with tape). I don't mind keeping the poor green one, since it's the one I read, but I offer it in case you're a purist! I believe I have your mailing address on the spreadsheet, but let me know which copy you'd like.

rbhardy3rd #154/155, Yes, yes, and thanks so much! I've just posted a private message (I think--it was my first attempt at a comment on LT!).

#153, I hope perhaps I'll have some good finds this weekend to report--and get started offering duplicates!

>153 lauralkeet:

lindsacl, Beyond the Glass seems to be almost commonplace (for a Virago) in my little corner of the world. I have some time off coming and I plan to go Virago hunting in the University district. If you don't mind the black Dial or Lester Orpen Dennys editions (that's a Canadian edition that looks like the Dial), I'll look for a copy for you.

This was a good VMC day on my swap sites. I snagged Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier and My Antonia by Willa Cather.

This group is amazing!!

>155 rbhardy3rd: Rob, I'd love the black copy please ... no purist here. And yes, my address is on the spreadsheet.

>157 sqdancer: sqdancer, that would be quite sweet of you. Just let me know if you are lucky enough to find it!

I'll be delighted to round out my Antonia White collection. Thanks to you both!!

P.S. I also snagged a couple on Paperbackswap today: Note in Music and Open the Door!

I'm done for 14 hours and look what happens.

#148 I must put The Virago Book of Witches on my wishlist, that is if Paola doesn't beat me to it. But "I'm not complaining" because I received The Wedding Group today from dearest Paola.

#151 laytonwoman3rd, your daughter has been falling down on the job. Most of my recent Virago acquisitions have come from McKays. There are still some there. Do you want me to pick them up for you on Sunday. If I remember correctly the titles are as follows:

Either the Return of the Soldier or The Judge; Beyond the Glass Dial version I think, Hunt the Slipper, Crossriggs, either The Curate's Wife or Jenny Wren or both. Do you want me to get them for you this weekend? I'll be in on Sunday, my usual McKay day.

A dear LT friend sent me three which arrived today:
The Semi-attached Couple & The Semi-detached House by Emily Eden
The Ante-Room by Kate O'Brien
That Lady by Kate O'Brien

I am glad it made it there safely, Mary!
:-))

P.S. I am sure there is more than one copy of The Virago Book of Witches so....no fear, Paola will not beat you to it! ;-))

#160 Mary, I would love either The Curate's Wife or Jenny Wren. I have Beyond the Glass. I've been to McKay's a few times, but it was before I had the Virago madness--there isn't a separate section for them is there? As you're prowling the shelves just whisper "lycomayflower?" from time to time, and see if anyone looks startled. That would be my daughter. She might even be wearing an LT T-shirt. If you do run into her, make her buy the Viragos. She knows I'm good for the reimbursement!
Her profile is here

161 - the Emily Edens are 2 of my favourite books and favourite Viragos. They are just *wonderful*

Re Antonia White - yes, you need to read them in order, really.

Oh, my copy of Emily Eden's book is moving up my Virago TBR stack!

Well, the "huge" used book sale at the Evanston library was a little disappointing vis-a-vis Viragos, but it could be my own fault--I didn't get there 'till the morning of the second day. I got a copy of Margaret Atwood's Dancing Girls (green with apple) and one of Rose Macaulay's Told by an Idiot (black). Those were the only ones I found. But, still, that's two I didn't have before!

I've gotten two new non-green viragos from bookmooch in the past few days:

The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West (thank you Wendy!)

and

Good Behaviour by Molly Keane

The mail brought me My Career Goes Bung by Miles Franklin this afternoon -- thanks so much, Christina.

#166: snagging an Atwood in Virago would be worth the price of admission alone, TerrierGirl! You had splendid success at that sale.
Tiffin, a non-virago shade of pea green here

The King of Rainy Country by Brigid Brophy
Her Son's Wife by Dorothy Canfield
The Brimming Cup by Dorothy Canfield

All from Amazon Marketplace.

Hope you enjoy those Canfields as much as I did when I first read them, englishrose60!

Thanks marise. I had not heard of Canfield until I started collecting VMC's.

Oh, Dorothy Canfield wrote one of my favorite children's books, Understood Betsy. In fact that's why I bought one of my first viragos, The Brimming cup. Hope you enjoy it!

And Persephone Books publishes Dorothy Canfield's The Homemaker, which (as a stay-at-home father for eight years) I absolutely adore.

Understood Betsy was one of my favorite books as a child -- I probably read it 10 times. I never knew Dorothy Canfield wrote adult fiction -- I guess I'll have to hunt some of her books down.

I loved Understood Betsy as a child! That's why when I came across her name on a Virago, I just had to have it - and an addiction was born, I guess...

Troy Chimneys by Margaret Kennedy (thank you Paola!)

So glad it arrived safely. Enjoy!!!
:-))

I'd never heard of Dorothy Canfield before today, but now she's on my list. As always, thanks for all the good hints, tips, and leads!!!

I also loved Understood Betsy but never thought to see if she wrote adult fiction. Good to know!

oh! Silly me. I have The Homemaker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher - she added another name - confused me, but then that's not difficult to do.

During her lifetime she wrote fiction as Dorothy Canfield and non-fiction as Dorothy Canfield Fisher, her married name. Somehow the Fisher seems to have been added onto everything reprinted in recent years.

Thanks for the info marise.

After I found out that Virago has just released a new edition reprint of The Tortoise and the Hare earlier this month, I couldn't resist ordering it! Now I'm looking forward to reading it.

In my mailbox, nestled between the bills, The Curate's Wife by E. H. Young Thank you Christina!

I guess I should read Jenny Wren first.

I received two from Paperbackswap today:
Open the Door! by Catherine Carswell
A Note in Music by Rosamond Lehmann

Not a Virago, but Someone at a Distance arrived this afternoon.

I have read only one Whipple, Because of the Lockwoods, and I will be very interested in what you think of Someone at a Distance, aguntherc! Please let us know! She is so hard to find in the US.

A lovely copy of Olivia by Olivia has just landed on my desk courtesy of Amazon Marketplace.

I had it sent to work because it has been very stressful there lately and it has really brightened my morning.

No Virago, but Maren mentioned Penelope's Progress on bookcases for the Virago drawing room. I received an early edition (late 1800s I think) with a lovely plaid cover and thistle endpapers.

Cotters' England from dear Jane, along with "Miss Keepsake'' (who already told me that she likes it here!)
Thank you Jane!!!!
:-))

Three lovely new viragos from two lovely virago friends --

Cindie by Jean Devanney
Travel Light by Naomi Mitchison
The Winged Horse by Pamela Frankau

Many thanks, friends!

Marise, the first five or so pages of Someone at a Distance were promising enough for me to put it in the TBR pile, something I rarely do with new arrivals. Ms. Whipple is on the short list with Ann Bridge, Pamela Frankau, Daphne Rooke, and Stevie Smith.

Thanks, aguntherc! I read Frankau's three Virago titles earlier this year and really liked them.

Thanks so very much to dear Cate - for Hunt The Slipper by Violet Trefusis not to mention the delightful little card that arrived today. What a joy to receive it today of all days. I spent two and a half hours waiting for my dear husband Keith as he had dental surgery today. He is having implants as he suffered tooth damage when he was assaulted by a student at his school back last December. I will let you know when I start Miss Trefusis ... come to think of it I could start this very evening. I have just finished East of The Sun by Julia Gregson - all about three women journeying to India in the 1920's - I rather think many of you would like it - not a Virago - but lots of women themes and wonderfully evocative writing of India in the 20's. I was going to read the German garden but no ... I am beguiled by the introduction to Hunt The Slipper!

ETA touchstones.

I just got The True Heart by Sylvia Townsend Warner from a dear dear dear Virago friend!
I am really happy, just like a kid in a candy shop!
:-))

I'm not a member of this group, but thought of it last week when I spotted nearly a whole shelf of Virago books in a used bookshop that I visited... I thought that someone here might like to know about them.

The shop is called Much More Books, and is in Much Wenlock, in Shropshire, UK. Can't remember the titles but the books were mostly the old, traditional design with the green covers, and gorgeous.

Much More Books sells through Abe Books, so you might find them there--if the books aren't listed, you could always email them for a list.

>195 juliette07:, Juliette, I hope your husband's surgery goes well? What a terrible tale. East of the Sun sounds fascinating, I shall have to look out for that.

Thanks Louise - much appreciated. It has been one of the most challenging years of my/our life. His mouth is extremely swollen and he is in a lot of pain, but this will pass. For the next two weeks it will be 'baby food' .... poor thing.

My daughter just called to tell me she found me 3 green Viragos in McKay's...The Curate's Wife, Rumour of Heaven and Crossriggs. I'm dancin'!

Thank you, JaneSmith!! You are very kind in letting us know about the Viragos.
:-))

Open the Door! by Catherine Carswell from Amazon Marketplace.

I found three viragos in Northampton today:

The Solitary Summer by Elizabeth von Arnim
The Last of Summer by Kate O'Brien
Willa Cather: A Life Saved Up by Hermione Lee

>203 inge87: inge87, excellent! I keep seeing your name pop up in my tag watch (with 'Virago')--you must have quite a collection already!

>202 englishrose60: englishrose60, I don't believe this "once a month I treat myself to a Virago from Amazon" thing! Do you place a huge bulk order and schedule the shipping so you get one every-other day? :)

Christina most of the Viragos I buy from Amazon Marketplace only cost 0.1p so yes I do a bulk order about once or twice a month and receive the books from various sellers which means they do not all arrive at once. Even with postal charges it's still cheaper than buying new and most of them are in good to very good condition. When my husband retires I might only be able to manage to buy one now and again so I'm making hay while the sun shines

... creeps in

The Wild Geese by Bridget Boland

.......creeps out

195 Oh Julie, I hope Keith will be well soon. What a horrible thing to have happen. I worry about my educator friends in this changing world.

East of the Sun does sound extraordinary.

Thank you dear Maren - so much appreciated. East of The Sun will be yours!

Oh dear. Well then it will be a trade. I will bring you something green!

Today, from Amazon marketplace, Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather, Where the Apple Ripens by Jessie Kesson, and Julia Margaret Cameron by Amanda Hopkinson, (a Virago Pioneer). I am quite satisfied.
:-))

I received two from Betterword: I'm not Complaining, which was actively discussed in this group recently, and The Three Miss Kings.

lindsacl - Ada Cambridge is another of my favourite authors - I hope you enjoy both of your new Viragos.

If you find you like Ada Cambridge, you might like to check out the writing of Rosa Praed who was unfortunately not published by Virago.

Patricia, I have only one book by Rosa Praed: Lady Bridget in the Never Never Land, which I still have to read.
I like Ada Cambridge too.

>212 mrspenny:: thanks mrspenny! So many books, so little time ...

#213 aluvabri - I have Outlaw and Lawmaker and The Bond of Wedlock written by Rosa Praed and published by Pandora in the late 1980s. Pandora also published "Australian Women Writers - A Bibliographic Guide edited by Debra Adelaide which is an excellent quick reference book. The guide lists all of her works, of which there were many. She spent most of her writing life in London and is not very well known here. I have enjoyed both of her other novels as she dealt with issues that the early colonists would rather have left hidden. I discovered Praed's writing in the late 1980s when I was on holiday in the area where she grew up in Queensland. I made a visit to the historical museum in one of the surrounding towns and had a conversation with a very old museum attendant who knew the family.. 3 hours later I left the museum much more informed about Rosa Praed. That was my good fortune.

Back to Virago. Ada Cambrige took the opposite path to Rosa Praed. She was born in England and migrated with her husband to the colony of Victoria. She published her autobiography in 1903 called Thirty Years in Australia which I found a very entertaining read if you can find a copy.

#195: what a grim situation, Julie. Hope Keith is mending well and the implants are successful. marensr, I echo your concerns about my educator friends.

Thank you so very much dear marensr, tiffin and friends - it has been a tough year for him. Grim is the appropriate adjective tiffin, but we are living in hope.

#215, thank you for the interesting and useful info on Rosa Praed. I will try to locate copies of the books you mention, including Ada Cambridge's autobiography. As you know, I am VERY interested in Australian women writers, be they Viragos or not.
:-))

#215, Oh poor me *fluttering fan coyly*, two more writers that I must add to my wish list.

#219, if you don't have enough writers in your wish list, I can always add a few more....;-))

#154 rbhardy3rd: Thanks so much for Frost in May! It arrived last week, but I had a hard time figuring out which thread we were "talking" on. (!!) And, you really should have kept the nicer copy for yourself--sending it to me was really too generous!

Thanks again!

Bless your heart aluvalibri.

Thank you thank you.

Juliette! I'm terribly sorry for not responding to your post about Keith sooner! The horror of the attack! I'm hoping he's much better this week and perhaps eating solid foods.

I'm glad Hunt the Slipper arrived safely. East of the Sun looks like a must read, without a doubt.

Dear Cate - thank you ... he is gradually recovering from the surgery. I am so enjoying Hunt The Slipper especially all those french references and nuances. I am also finding the most wonderful quotable bits - the bits that give one so much food for thought.

Two Worlds and Their Ways by Ivy Compton Burnett. Thank you so much LizzyBee!

I have just received
The Lifted Veil by George Eliot
Year Before Last by Kay Boyle
On The Side of Angels by Betty Miller

I am so thrilled to receive these gifts - thanks to my dear Viragoite friend who arrived at Heathrow this morning and is now safely ensconced on Oxford.

Marensr is already in the UK??
Lucky girl.......

#228 Paola- she is indeed in the UK ! I trust she is tucked up safely in bed now and ready for her sojourn here in the UK. It was truly a delight to meet these dear friends.

Lucky you, Julie! Hopefully, I shall be able to meet her one day here, in the US.
In the meantime, I look forward to seeing urania1 in NY, in October (hope she does not change her plans)!
:-))

Do I understand that Juliette and Marensr have already met! Pictures please!!

The Short Stories of Willa Cather by Hermione Lee (ed) from Blackwells.

Dearest friends ... a little patience please .... I have much to report yet must take care as I do not wish to steal Marensr's thunder. I also need to 'do' technical things to display the photo!

To meet my first ever LT friend meant an early wake up - 3.45 am - due to the very strong tail wind from the States. The plane was due almost a whole hour later, that is 4.58 instead of 5.55! How wonderful - they had a whole extra hour here in England!

I envisaged crowds of throbbing people meeting their loved ones at Heathrow. To this end dear Keith made me a sign or should I say a placard to welcome our friends - just in case we did not recognise one another! Well, her plane was the only one landed so I waited patiently. A few variously attired men straggled through the 'exit' but no ladies! The trickle of men continued and then joy of joy a lady - and I recognised dear marensr straight away! Who needed a placard ? However, it was such a splendid placard I will display it for all to admire ... and maybe emulate for future Virago meetings !!

Here is the placard in case we failed to recognise each other!



Here we are at lunch time ... having been to Windsor Castle, Eton College, Eton Chapel, etc. etc. ....

Oooooh, LOVELY! How exciting!

How wonderful!!!!!
Oh, please Julie, give her a hug for me!!! And you, Maren dear, give Julie a hug for me!!!
Hopefully there will be more of these meetings as time goes by.
:-))

Isn't it lovely to see friends meet and be part of the extended meeting.

One day we shall come and meet YOU (with consequent hugs etc.), Patricia!!!!!!
:-))

I look forward to it Paola:-))

I do too!
:-))

Summer is a lovely time to visit - pleasant warm coastal climate and plenty of bookshops to visit - have I convinced you yet?

I was there once already, Pat. In august 2000, and I just LOVED it! Now, that is a place I would be happy to live in.
In fact, one of my dreams - if ever I hit the jackpot - is to buy an apartment in Sydney and spend half of the year there.
By the way, your winter is way milder than North American winter, so I would be happy to come at any time!

Did you visit for the olympics in August 2000?

No, I left before they started.

Love the photos Julie! Hugs to you both!

How lovely!!!! I hope I can meet some fellow LT Virago-ites one day. Some of my dearest friends were met through various booky sites...

How fun!! Lovely pictures!

Oh Maren and Julie, you both look so lovely. Maren, I would have recognized you anywhere:-) And yes, Paola, I am coming to New York in November. I think I'll be there on November 1. My cousins from Sweden will be running in the New York Marathon (Nov. 2nd?). We won't really see anything of them until the 5th of November when we leave to come to Tennessee with them. They're with a tour group until then and all their time is arranged for them. So . . . I'm footloose, fancy-free, and saving all my book money for November. Robbie, says he wants to meet you too. He loves the funny emails that you send. If you think you can put up with a big flirt and a horrible tease, I'll bring him with me when we meet; otherwise, I'll send him to a museum or some place where he can cause relatively little trouble.

I feel so out of the LT loop. I had to go to Charlotte to take care of my father. I still haven't caught up on tasks at home. Hugs to everybody!!!

Lovely photos!!!

eta: So sorry to hear about your dad, urania1. Take care!

Oh yes, Mary! I would love to meet Robbie!!!! As for "big flirt", my life is tied to another one, so I am used to it (and find it quite funny). Perhaps I will persuade him to join us...;-))

I am sorry to hear about your Dad, and I hope he is doing better. How old is he?

Paola,

Robbie will be so pleased. My Dad is 76 (almost 77). He's fine for the moment. A lot depends on how willing Dad is to be proactive in his own health interests. He tends to be passive and lets health problems go until they reach a crisis, at which point he ends up in the hospital on death's doorstep (literally). This situation has been going on for years as has his reaction to it. My trip to Charlotte was a proactive one: head off the crisis before Dad ends up in the hospital again. And of course, fathers never believe that their daughters might be right (even when those daughters are ALWAYS RIGHT *yells loudly* about their parents' health problems).

Yeah, tell me about it......I guess they think we ALWAYS are children.

We did have a lovely time but it was all over too quickly and our dear friends have now moved on - driving on the wrong side of the road!! She and I included the chaps but I didn't like to post pictures without 'permission' so as to speak. Of course marensr is on her own profile so I think that is fine.

Marensr was just as lovely in the flesh as her beautiful profile picture.

Yes, lindsacl, it was exciting and so very interesting as we explored and chatted ... nonstop as you may imagine.

Just lovely Julie and Maren! I want to give you both a hug!! Thank you Juliette. Looking forward to Maren's tidings!

urania1 - good work good daughter! By the way, my Philip was completely charmed with Paola and that was just in a phone conversation! He calls her 'the exotic one'. I can't wait for you and Robbie to meet her in person!!

Hey, perhaps we should start a thread for Virago meet-ups where all the pictures can be posted in one place.

What a great idea bleuroses. I just don't think we should do it in the Cucumber room. We're not that kind of group. Are we? ;-)

By the way, Paola has already charmed Robbie's socks off without exchanging so much as a direct email with him, let alone a telephone conversation. Paola, you're one powerful woman!!!!

WOW! That made my day!
:-))

I'm so glad. You deserve a lovely day :-))

Thank you. I am a bit under the weather and this boost was really appreciated.

You're welcome.

And I think I'll call this the little thread that would not quit (or is that "The Little Thread that Could"). Whatever is going to happens to Fab Five and Faux Fab Five if we refuse to quit posting to Fab Four? Perhaps we'll simply leapfrog to Fab Six. Do you think Virago Rob (as opposed to my Robbie) will be bitter? Rob? Rob? Are you out there? ;-)

"This is the song that never ends...yes it goes on and on my friend. Some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll go right on singing it forever, just because...this is the song that never ends...yes it goes on and on, my friend..."

I'm here. I'm just sitting in a corner pouting, that's all. At least Justine Picardie is nice to me.

And how lovely that Julie and Maren were able to spend some time together!

Rob, I'll treat you to tea, scones, and a book when we meet. I also promise to be polite and demure. At least I look demure, if that's any solace. My own darling Robbie and my other dear Rob, son by marriage, say my treatment of Robs is shocking.

Rob/Robs, perhaps we should organize a Midwestern meet-and-greet. I'm in Chicago, and I believe you're in Minn. Are there others?

Perhaps, if we can wait until next year, I might be able to make it too. I have never been in Chicago or Minn., so that would be interesting (especially if I get to see some of the Frank Lloyd Wright's houses).

#263 TerrierGirl, I come to Chicago frequently. My husband grew up there. In fact, Maren and I meet this summer on one of my trips to Chicago.

Let's plan something--next year is practically right around the corner! And, urania1, if you're in town in the meantime, please let me know. It would be fun to meet. (What part of town is your husband from?) I've lived here about 20 years, first in Evanston and now on the north side of the city.

Also, aluvalibri, I have a good friend who's a docent with the Chicago Architecture Fndn, so I'm sure I can get lots of info for us re: architecture tours, etc. It's probably been 15 years or more since I visited the Wright Home & Studio in Oak Park, so I'd love for that to be part of our plan.

And, you, Rob . . .?

We were actually thinking about a trip to Chicago this December to visit a friend who lives right across from Lincoln Park. So, it's possible...

Oooooh! That sounds so exciting!!!!!!!
Perhaps Rob and urania1 can come to Chicago next year too???
:-))

We can come. Rob, we might even be there sometime in December to visit Robbie's Dad. TerrierGirl, Robbie was born in Burwin, moved to Chicago and lived on the Montrose-Pulaski block. Later his family moved to Brookfield. After he left home, his family moved to Hinsdale.

How absolutely wonderful - just chipping in to say, don't forget Maren who is also in Chicago. Actually, she will be in Wales or Hay on Wye now, so she won't 'know' about this meet!

We won't forget Maren. Maren and I met earlier this summer. I think we should all meet at TerrierGirl's bookstore.

Wow, you go away for a little while, and look at all that has happened!

When I saw your post, Deborah, it made me realize that I haven't seen you in some time! Hope all is well and it's great to have you back. BTW, this group needs to be committed.

edited to add that urania1 has been dubbed Le Reine de Cœur. Queen to Alan Bates in The King of Hearts.

273> Just going slightly crazy with the start of the new semester and being part of a three-person team planning a big conference.

Hee Hee what a lovely thread. I do have pictures to post too. That will come later I am afraid. I still need to upload them.

I feel quite spoiled having met both Mary and Julie in person.

Julie and Keith are charming and sweet and wonderful and all around delightful company. Few people would come to Heathrow at 5:00 AM. (And should anyone show up at Chicago O'Hare I will feel quite obliged to come and get you at whatever hour of the day or night) We couldn't have asked for a warmer welcome and indeed many hugs were exchanged!

We had a great day and it was too short but the perfect way to start our visit. We saw windsor and 6:00 in the morning and I think we definitely broke some rules at Eton college but no one was awake to see us driving into secret back gardens.

We saw wonderful thatched roofed cottages, and Norman churches, and ancient yew trees and everything was simply awash in history.

I got to see their lovely home and Julie's childhood books and we had a fabulous lunch and then they took us to Oxford.

Rom and I did okay driving on the left. I am glad we had a very tiny car though. We got onto some terribly narrow winding roads lined with giant hedges coming back from North Wales and heading to Hay on Wye, not to mention the very narrow openings in the medieval walls of Conwy.

I'll post some of our pictures and our itinerary in another thread.

I am just barely over the jet lag and already longing to go back.

I am all for a Chicago meet up. TerrierGirl, how have we not already met. I'll come see you at your bookshop.

I can tell you when you meet a fellow Viragoite it definitely feels like seeing and old friend rather than a new acquaintance.

Blush - thank you and how lovely to hear that you had such a wonderful time. I am sure that you know that a warm welcome will always await you here dear Maren.

'Happiness is meeting a stranger, who turns out to be a friend that you hadn't met' .... according to Keith. Says it all in the virtual and the real world - especially here in Virago land.

Yes indeed. Well put Keith! I am feeling warmed to the bottom of my heart.

Oh! That sounds just wonderful!!!!!