Library Loot and a Birthday Surprise

Late last week I went to the public library and checked out more books than I can ever hope to read.  I'm going to try, though!

Here's what I nabbed:

• Among the Bohemians:  Experiments in Living 1900-1939 by Virginia Nicholson.  Written by Vanessa Bell's granddaughter (and Virginia Woolf's grand-neice) this work looks at the lives of the bohemians.  I'm primarily interested in this because of the strong reactions of the bohemians against the structure and rules of the Victorians.  I've been so immersed in everything Victorian, I thought this would interesting to look at.
• Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks.  I've never read any Faulks before, but he comes highly recommended.  This is a historical drama set during the first world war. 
• Black Plumes by Margery Allingham.  A murder mystery I'm reading for The Classics Circuit.
• The Castle on the Hill by Elizabeth Goudge.  I've never read a Goudge novel, but I've often looked through them at the library.  I read the first paragraph and it describes a young woman outside a library.  I'm sold. 
• Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris.  Private school, a classics teacher, and murder.  Sounds like a gripping novel; this will be my first Harris book.
• Nothing that Meets the Eye:  The Uncollected Stories of Patricia Highsmith.  I'm so happy with my renewed loved of the short story.  I've been reading at least 3 or 4 short stories a week.  As a huge fan of Highsmith's Ripley novels, I was especially excited to pick up this book.
• The Traitor's Wife by Susan Higginbotham.  I've had a library hold for two months and I've been eagerly anticipating this historical fiction work about the life of Eleanor le Despenser, Edward the II's neice.

A pretty nice library haul!

In other wonderful book news, Sunday I checked the mail (it was pouring on Saturday) and discovered a package of books from Thomas.  Yay!  The Brontes Went to Woolworths and Excellent Women!  I squealed and did a happy dance in the middle of the apartment parking lot.  Sam thought someone had sent us a large amount of cash.  I love the books and I'm so so so excited.  Thanks, Thomas!

This week I'm planning on revealing my haul of books -- 30 of them -- to take to the county book exchange for some book credit.  I'm positively swimming in books and my gosh its heavenly!