Half-price Books

I toted a bag full of books to sell at Half-price books as part of my spring cleaning efforts today, and then walked out of the store toting a bag full of books. Same bag. Different books. All treasures from clearance aisle. I was happy, even if it didn't do much for my decluttering efforts. I even came away $4 richer! My finds?
a $1 copy of Angela's Ashes (read it years ago, but it's the May selection for the non-fiction bookclub I belong to).

a $1 copy of A Monk Swimming by Malachy McCourt because I figured that if I was going to reread Frank McCourt's memoir, I'd want to read Malachy's book too.

a $1 copy of This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff. I've never read it but I absolutely LOVED Old School, his 2003 novel.

a $2 copy of The Lambs of London by Peter Ackroyd - "a masterly reenactment of London life" and a novelization of Mary Lamb and Charles Lamb, her brother and the famous essayist. Ooh, I love historical fiction.

a $1 copy of Henry and the Clubhouse by Beverly Clearly. Graham's Boys' Book Club is discussing the book tomorrow. We read a library copy but I figured we needed our own. At 98 cents, I'd say so! So technically, I came away $4.02 richer.

a $3 copy of A memoir of Jane Austen by James Austen-Leigh - he was her nephew, and yes, the title is correct, memoir with a lower-case m.

a $3 copy of Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X by Deborah Davis. Maybe you know and maybe you don't, but ever since my 1999 visit to Elizabeth in D.C. and my joyous hours spent at the National Gallery of Art, especially at the brilliant John Singer Sargent show, I've been fascinated by this American master. Gorgeous, gorgeous paintings. One of my all-time favorite artists. Behold Madame X. I had no idea there was a downfall.

a $3 copy of Mr. Darcy's Daughters by Elizabeth Aston. Readers of this blog have already read my guilty pleasure confession: I enjoy Jane Austen sequels, especially when they introduce us to Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's five daughters!

a $1 copy of The Fountain Overflows by Rebecca West. I've never heard of this book before nor of the author (to my recollection) but the book jacket is beautiful, a kind of muted red, and that same book jacket promises a novel that "weaves a curious and absorbing tale of a family in the London of some fifty years ago." The book was published in 1956, so that puts the story at the turn of the century. One of my literary pleasures, not guilty at all, is stories of British life before, during and immediately after the Great War and World War II, so, basically, the first half of the twentieth century.

Oh, how could I forget my $1 copy of Wearing of This Garment Does Not Enable You to Fly: 101 Real Dumb Warning Labels by Jeff Koon and Andy Powell. I pulled it off the shelf as if to hand it to Becca, who, sadly, is many states away. The book's gems include the warning for a Weber Genesis Silver C Gas Grill: "Caution: Surface will be warm when in use. Do not use matches, lighters, or flame to check for leaks," and this informative label for 9 Piece Super Bouncers Bouncing Balls: "This toy is a small ball."