A motley collection

Having spent the morning cleaning (we have a half day every week doing all the cleaning jobs and then that's it), I indulged in a couple of hours this afternoon finishing Claire Tomalin's biography of Jane Austen. I have been entranced by it.

I have had the book a while, but had not got round to reading it, however, as I am starting a Jane Austen course next week, I thought it would be a good time to read it. I have been reading Jane Austen books most of my life and have probably read each one several times. But I realise now how little I knew of her life and it has been fascinating. I just need now for us to be able to travel about again and I will be off to Hampshire visiting her house and museum.

I then gathered all the Austen copies that I could find and what a collection. There are several ancient Nelson Classics, one of which I was horrified to find had my Grammar School stamp in it (it might be a bit late to return it now!) and one of which is a gift-bound one - I think relations used to buy me these for birthdays when I was quite young, as I have quite a few. One is a battered paperback dating from the 60s - I think I first had this at College. I couldn't even find 'Pride and Prejudice', which I have read several times - I suspect it will be in the family somewhere. 

I have ordered a new copy of each of the old ones and missing one and then I am going to read the lot.