Monday Mailbox #21

Monday Mailbox is hosted this month by Amused by Books.

I did some pre-emptive Amazon shopping this week... bought some books that I'm planning to read in the next few months. And while I love Alibris for some things, it was cheaper to get all 8 books used from Amazon, especially with the free shipping (yay!)

So, from Amazon, first: The Christmas reads. I think I've explained previously what my family is doing for stockings this year. I already have my mother's favorite (Scarlet, by Alexandra Ripley), and now:

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Yeahhh I've never actually read it. I think I've seen the film...but I could be confusing it with any number of other things. In fact I think I know what I just confused it with in my head... and it was not this. Anyway, this is what my father claims as his favorite book, so now I have to read it. 

Confessions of a Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella

I thought the movie was cute, but I only saw it in theatres. I haven't really watched it since. This is what my sister claims as her favorite book, so it's on the list.

And then I bought some more Stephanie Barron for my reading challenge:

Jane and the Man of the Cloth 

(Being the Second Jane Austen Mystery), 

by Stephanie Barron

Jane and the Wandering Eye 

(Being the Third Jane Austen Mystery), 

by Stephanie Barron

Jane and the Genius of the Place 

(Being the Fourth Jane Austen Mystery), 

by Stephanie Barron

And to wrap up my Amazon purchase, I bought some books for the Sense & Sensibility Bicentennial Challenge:

Willoughby's Return, by Jane Odiwe

Werein the rake looks awfully dashing.

Brightsea, by Jane Gillespie

Out of print. My copy belonged to a woman upon whose death, the book among others was donated to a public library. The library must have closed, or must have been weeding out some less than popular books. The date-stamped check-out cards are still glued inside. 

Eliza's Daughter, by Joan Aiken

...yeah the cover had something to do with me getting this one, over some others. But I also find the subject interesting. You who know Austen will recall that Eliza was the first love of Colonel Brandon's life, and he raised her illegitimate daughter (Beth), who is later knocked up by Willoughby. 

Oh. I'm sorry. Did I ruin that for someone? I'm sor-- NOT. Sense & Sensibility is 200 years old. If you haven't read it by now, you've got it coming to you.

And finally, a review copy from LibraryThing:

The Rape of the Muse, by Michael Stein

Due out October 1, 2011 from The Permanent Press.

While I was searching for an image of the cover, I came across a post about the cover at she reads and reads. Check it out - I happen to think this one is the cleanest and most classic of the four covers, but to each his own.