Books and books - and more books

Sorry for the long gap - the weather outside hasn't been conducive to much photography, and I've been feeling a bit under the weather too. I thought that I'd better post a few photos from a recent SCS photo challenge just to keep something ticking over here... No prizes for guessing what the challenge was!

Part of my cookery book collection! All three of my various editions of The Joy of Cooking are there - the one rebound with wallpaper is the most-used. Recipes of All Nations, if I recall correctly, is the book that started Elizabeth David on her culinary journeys.

I have no idea at all how this Irish bible came to be in the family. I do know some O'Briens and asked if they knew anything about the Charlotte in the inscription. She was born in 1845, and in 1849 her father was transported to Tasmania (I wasn't told why). He had returned to Ireland by 1863 when he gave her the Bible. The curious thing is that they weren't an Irish speaking family, but they would have been very supportive of Douglas Hyde and his work towards reviving the Irish language (use of which had been severely suppressed by the British). The same Charlotte O'Brien must have been in Canada at some stage, because she was involved in setting up hostels there for emigrant women.

(For non-Irish readers - until about the middle of the 20th century the Irish language used a slightly different alphabet, as shown below).

A long-time Peanuts fan I was delighted when Fantagraphics started issuing the Complete Peanuts. It's a 12 1/2 year project with two issues a year - they're now over halfway. I think it will fill more than one shelf when it's complete. The box are indexed which can make it easier to find certain favourite strips, but unfortunately the indexes (yes, the language nerd in me, see following photo,  had to go and check if indexes was as valid as indices :D), aren't as comprehensive as they could be.

Our language/reference shelf. It has just had Origins of the Specious added to it, part of a buy with an Amazon.com gift voucher. As all my other English usage books are written by English writers and grammarians, it's very interesting reading one by an American with a corresponding transatlantic flavour.