Books Bought Feb 29th

63) The Real Life of Sebastian Knight - Vladimir Nabokov (new, paperback)

Where? Hodges Figgis

Why?
Okay, so, I really want to read Paul Russell's latest book, The Unreal Life of Sergey Nabokov.
About a month or so after deciding I wanted to read it, and checking if I could find it shelved locally (no), or digital w/out drm (no), I was working up to deciding who I'd order it from and realized that I already have a book by Paul Russell on shelf that I hadn't even started. So I made myself read it before I committed to buying any more books by him. In case I didn't like it. Save myself some money, savy?

So far so sensible. But while I was doing that I found the time to read the Lev Grossman article about Nabokov's younger brother, which inspired Russell to write The Unreal Life of Sergey Nabokov. (And it is really worth reading).
After that it became clear to me that to put it in the proper context I really ought to read Nabobov's own book about his brother first. It's just sensible.

Sensible, and illustrative of why I will never make it to the end of my reading list and will die a pauper, surrounded by paperbacks

The Damage: €15.10 (is that a sick price for a classic paperback or what?)


64) Grail - Elizabeth Bear (new, paperback)

Where? Hodges Figgis

I got HF to order this in for me. They send a text when the book comes in, which is better than being rung because I always miss the call and have to ring back.

Why?
Anyway, final book in Bear's Jacob Ladder series.
I think when I started reading Bear back in September I made some sort of deal with myself that I would not race through her backlist like some sort of demon bookslut but instead space them out slowly.
Aaaand in the intervening 6 months I have read 14 of her books. When I finish Grail I will only have one trilogy and her two stand alones left to finish her backlist and have to start waiting on her new publications (which, thank god, are frequent).

The Damage: €7.40

Total Spend: €584.79