Although the last thing I need is more books, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to participate in a few bookish swaps for the holidays. It’s such fun to pick books that I think other book lovers will enjoy, and of course it’s also fun to find a bookish present in the mail.
Today is the day in which participants in the Persephone Secret Santa hosted by Claire. I got my book weeks ago but waited until last night to open it. Because the bookmark was on the outside of the package, I assumed that it was one of the books I most wanted, but I didn’t want to assume and have my hopes dashed.
So let’s take a look:
The book is The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, just as I had hoped! A big thank you to Carolyn of A Few of My Favourite Books. I’ve wanted to read this book about a 1920s couple with a homemaker husband ever since I heard about it on Simon’s blog. It may in fact be one of the first Persephone books I put on my wish list.
And that’s not all I’ve received. Just yesterday I came home to find a box from Amazon at my door. I hadn’t placed any orders, so after checking that it was in fact addressed to me, I opened it up and found this:
If you know my tastes at all you will know that a box full of Sarah Waters and Kate Atkinson books would make a perfect present. I’ve read and loved Case Histories and Fingersmith but didn’t own either one. In fact, both were on my mental list of books to keep an eye out for when I’m hunting book bargains, so I’m very happy to have them! And I haven’t read Not the End of the World, Kate Atkinson’s story collection, and I’m eager to do so. If it’s half as good as her other books it will be a delight. And topping off the package is a lovely bookmark.
The packing slip included a note that it was from my Book Blogger Holiday Swap Santa. The packing slip also includes her name but no blog URL. With a little strategic Googling I’ve figured out that my Santa is most likely Laurie from ReaderGirls. Thanks so much, Laurie! Your choices were perfect!
Shelf Love 
I received The Home-Maker too! From the lovely Thomas. I look forward to discussing it with you once we have both read it.
Thank you for joining in all the Persephone fun.
I’ll try to make a point of reading it on the Persephone weekend so we can compare notes.
Wonderful choices all! Well, I haven’t read Atkinson or The Home-Maker yet, but I’m fairly sure U0ll love them when I do.
And now is the time when I tell you again that you *must* read Kate Atkinson.
I’m just reading about The Home-Maker in Nicola Beauman’s A Very Great Profession (another Persephone book and very fascinating too!) and it sounds very interesting. It’s so wonderful to receive things in the post, isn’t it? Especially books!
I believe A Very Great Profession is on my wish list. It looks really interesting!
Envying you and Claire’s new Persephone titles. But then again, there are so many titles to envy today! Sometimes I think I would like nothing more than to make it to the Persephone store and then other days, I know that the purchases would be out of control. How does one choose given all the possibilities? I marvel at the few with all or most of the titles. And have read them all! Merry Christmas!
The shop is wonderfully unique, and if you buy three you get a break on the price, so of course you have to get three! And if you decide on four, you might as well get six. I just had remind myself that my suitcase could only hold so many.
I’m so glad you liked the book, Teresa, I actually picked it when I saw you liked Flora Poste’s organizing ways in Cold Comfort Farm and remembered that the woman in The Home-Maker also likes going to work. And then I checked that it was on your GoodReads wish list, just to make sure. :) Merry Christmas!
It was a perfect choice! And now I’m intrigued by the Flora Poste comparison.
The Home Maker is just wonderful. Thanks for the link to Simon’s blog, I’d love to read his review. Can’t wait to hear what you think about it also.
I’m glad to hear another good report on this one. Hooray!
Books are the best kind of mail!
I just wanted to thank you for being my Secret Santa and for choosing such a great sounding book. For some reason it’s not one I had noticed before but now I can’t wait to read it! Sounds like I’m going to have to look out for The Home-Maker too.
Wishing you a very happy holiday season!
You’re welcome. I read Every Eye during Persephone Reading Week last year (after visiting the shop with Claire the week before), and it is amazing. It sort of creeps up on you, but some of the writing is stunning.
Ahh–more Persephones going on my wish list! Happy holidays.
My wish list is heavy with Persephones. So many of them sound so good.
Oh, I love Kate Atkinson–what great books!
Atkinson was one of my favorite author discoveries this year. I’m excited to now have a couple of her books.
Fun! No matter how old we get presents are always so exciting. And literary presents even more so!
I do love seeing book-shaped packages at my door :)
I really enjoyed THE HOME-MAKER! I hope you do too.
Another good report on The Home-Maker. Excellent!
Enjoy your presents!
Thanks!
I’ve found only a handful of Persephones that I’m interested in, but The Home-Maker is one of them! Great gifts. :)
I’m the opposite when it comes to the Persephone catalog. Almost all of them sound good to me (except the cookery ones). But it does seem that The Home-Maker is especially well-liked.
Enjoy your lovely gifts!
Wonderful gifts! And the wrapping on the first one is very impressive!
That’s a Persephone shop’s wrapping. They do a lovely job.