Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.
The rules are simple:
- Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want.
- Everyone is welcome to join but please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own Top Ten Tuesday post.
- Add your name to the Linky widget on that day’s post so that everyone can check out other bloggers’ lists.
- Or if you don’t have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.
This week’s topic is Books That I Refuse to Let Anyone Touch. I’m happy to let anyone touch my books (as long as they’ve clean hands) but part with them, that’s a different matter…
Click on the book title to view the book description on Goodreads or my review.
The Power-House by John Buchan – My lovely first edition found in a second-hand bookshop on the island of Iona of all places.
Beyond the Thirty-Nine Steps by Ursula Buchan – Staying with the John Buchan theme my lovely signed copy of Ursula’s biography of her grandfather. I was lucky enough to hear Ursula talk about the book at the Oxford Literary Festival and have a few words with her afterwards as she signed my copy of the book.
Transcription by Kate Atkinson – Another signed copy, this time one I treated myself to before Christmas. I haven’t yet got round to reading it but it’s on my list for the 20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge.
An Edwardian Christmas by John S. Goodall – Another second-hand bookshop find that has become a treasured possession and always makes an appearance at Christmas.
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson – A bit battered but it belonged to my Dad and, from the inscription, seems to have been a Christmas gift.
Corpus by Rory Clements – You’ll have worked out by now that I’m partial to my signed copies. I got this signed by Rory Clements when I heard him speak at Henley Literary Festival in 2017.
Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield – And while we’re on the subject of Henley Literary Festival, there’s my signed proof copy of Diane’s latest book that I got during her appearance at the 2018 festival, an event held aboard a boat cruising up the Thames no less.
In My Life by Alan Johnson – We’re still at Henley Festival 2018. My husband (who is a great fan of Alan Johnson and worked for the Post Office, as did Alan, many years ago) and I heard Alan speak at the festival. My husband bought me this lovely signed copy of Alan’s latest book as a souvenir of our trip. Another book on my list for the 20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge.
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway and Animal Farm by George Orwell – Finally, two lovely finds from second-hand bookshop browsing over the years. The first, cherished because it has a gorgeous cover in such good condition and the second, because it’s a first reprint of the 1945 first edition.
Which are the books you’d never part with?
What Cathy Read Next... 