The Sunday Haul (on 12-03-2023)

 However it is the rest of the week, on Sunday I am at my luckiest best. I found four wonderful titles that left me feeling on top of the world. The first title I found was a copy of ‘Bike Ride’ by Anne Mustoe that was obviously a travel title, an account of a trip by a middle-aged woman on a bike to several countries including India. Naturally, I was compelled to buy it since I cannot resist any travel title. 

The next title that I found also turned out to be a travel title but a different kind of travel title, the type I like very much. I spotted a beautiful copy of ‘Out of Poverty’ by John Stackhouse, a Penguin title that I picked up without hesitating a moment. It is about the lives of the poor in different countries and how they go about their lives. The copy I found seemed to have an interesting journey. The original price according to the sticker is Rs.395, and the price on another sticker of Blossom Book House of Bengaluru is Rs.250. I got it for Rs.100!

I like to find and read all the titles by William Trevor, a writer I am in awe of because of the stories he narrates in a language that is unmatched. I have ‘Love in Summer’ but last Sunday I spotted a copy of ‘Death in Summer’ by William Trevor that I almost missed. I got this title also for a hundred rupees. 

Only a few days back when I saw a Tweet about Thomas Bernhard’s titles and how good a writer he was I wondered when I would find his books, and certainly didn’t expect it to find one in Hyderabad at least not a second hand copy. But that’s exactly what happened last Sunday making me feel that I was one lucky bibliophile. On the way back from Abids I usually stop at the three sellers at Chikkadpally and last Sunday I almost did not stop because I had bought three titles at Abids, also I was getting late for lunch as my family would be waiting for me. But I thought I’d stop for a moment and take a quick look at one of the sellers. This was one lucky decision since I spotted a copy of ‘Gargoyles’ by Thomas Bernhard, my heart almost stopping when I saw the name ‘Thomas Bernhard’ on the cover. It was an unbelievable find and to top it the copy was a brand new one that I got for just a hundred rupees. I couldn’t wait to get home to take a good look at it.