Two Hauls, Two Gifts and A Bit of Good News

I sometimes wish I could be the only visitor to any sale of second hand books and also have enough money to buy all the books I want to read. It is with great difficulty I leave behind a few books without purchasing them mostly because of budgetary problems. At the sale by Best Books at YMCA I had not bought two books that I now wish I had bought. One was a collection of poems by TS Eliot and the other title was a collection of short stories by William Faulkner. Last Saturday I was there again and couldn’t find these two titles. Saying that I felt bad is only understating my actual reaction. Instead of the thousand rupees or so that I budget for books every month I wish I could keep aside five thousand rupees. There are still so many books that I have to read. Luckily for me, VS Naipaul’s ‘The Overcrowded Barracoon’ was still on the shelf. I bought it though it was priced at hundred and fifty rupees. I had also seen AJ Ackerley’s ‘Hindoo Holiday’ on my first visit to the sale but now it wasn’t to be seen. The guys at the sale told me they would be bringing in newer stocks this week but I haven’t yet found the time to make another visit. I plan to go there today (Friday) since Sunday is the last day of the sale. Uma was with me and he picked up Salman Rushdie’s ‘Imaginary Homelands’ that I plan to borrow from him and read one of these days. The next day was Sunday and time to go to Abids. On my way to Abids I stopped at one of the sellers in Chikkadpally. The guy had Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni’s ‘Sister of My Heart’ that he offered to sell at fifty rupees. I hesitated for a while before buying it since I plan to read at least half a dozen books by Indian writers before the end of the year. I couldn’t find anything else at Abids but I saw a book on cats by Doris Lessing. It was in a good condition and lying in a heap of books that sold for twenty rupees. But I did not buy it. I also saw a not-so-good copy of PJ O’Rourke’s ‘Republican Party Reptile’ that I might buy next Sunday if we are able to go out on the streets. Two Gifts Uma gave me a wonderful gift of a box containing a collection of hundred postcards having a picture of a prominent writer on the back It was ‘Postcards from Penguin Modern Classics-One Hundred Writers in One Box’. It was fantastic because at last I could get to see the faces of some of my favorite writers. After taking the box home I went through each and every postcard in the box with my kid. I was surprised to see Carson McCullers’ picture because the cover of her book ‘The Heart is a Lonely Hunter’ also had the picture of a rather sad looking girl. I did not know then that it was the writer herself on the cover. I was surprised Maugham, Gore Vidal were not featured in the collection. It was an unexpected and wonderful gift from Uma to whom I owe many thanks Another wonderful birthday gift I got was a Parker Vector fountain pen from Raj, my friend of more than twenty five years. My birthday was in February but the only thing I can think is that Raj certainly took his time to find the perfect gift for me. The blue colored fountain pen was exactly what I needed to do my daily writing in office so I have started using it right away. Thanks, bade saab. Talking of pens, the other day I read in the papers that Lawrence & Mayo is coming out with pens too apart from their usual glasses and frames. I read that they are bringing out hand-made granite pens in a range that starts from Rs 1000. I wonder how a handmade granite pen would feel in the hand. The Bit of Good News But what had me excited was the news about Sidin Vadukut’s last book in the Dork trilogy. I read in the papers that the book is on the stands and is priced at Rs 199. The title of the third book is ‘Who Let the Dork Out’ which is funny in itself. The first two books in the Dork trilogy- ‘Dork: The Incredible Adventures of Robin Einstein Varghese’ and the second ‘God Save the Dork’ I found to be incomparably funny and I expect the last book too be the same or funnier. This is one book I am going to buy from the bookstores right away and start reading the minute it is in my hands.