Prizes

I am in the middle of a proper sort of my huge collection of novels, taking them all off the shelves in alphabetical order and making serious decisions about which ones are going back. 

I often have paperback editions of old hardbacks and I have to decide whether to keep both. In sorting my George Elliot collection, I came across these two - both given as prizes a long time ago. 

Ernest  was my great uncle, my grandma’s brother. I did not know him, as he died before I was born, but I have several items of furniture made by him - he was a master cabinet maker. Thinking that Adam Bede was published in 1859 and George Elliot died in 1880, I suppose that in 1897 she would have been regarded as a contemporary writer and was very popular. A strange choice for a boy though. 

Joyce was my mother. She always loved The Mill on the Floss - I wonder whether this was the reason. I don't think there would have been many books bought when she was a girl. 


As you can see, I am only up to E - it is taking a long time . . .