The week in books

So, I know it has been a slow week at From My Bookshelf, faithful reader, and for that I apologize. Life has a funny way of tripping me up lately. Not much of an excuse, but there it is.

I have nothing in the way of reviews because I haven't read much this week; scandalous, I know! However, I have had an exceptional week for book acquisitions!

My dear friend S found the following volumes for me at a used book sale:

• The Devil's Shadow: The Story of Witchcraft in Massachusetts by Clifford Lindsey Alderman
• By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie (a lovely vintage paperback)
• Revenge by Stephen Fry
• The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay
• P. T. Barnum by Anne Edwards & illustrated by Marylin Hafner
• The Death of Yorik Mortwell by Stephen Messer, illustrated by Gris Grimley (an ARC from her boyfriend who works for a book store)

Last night we went to a local library sale, where I picked up:

• The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (Signed! For $0.25! And to be fair, I more or less snatched this right out of S's hand...)
• Night by Elie Wiesel
• The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (part of my Literary Chicago reading)

Earlier this week I had the great opportunity to see David Sedaris live at one of my local bookstores, and got his new book, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, signed! His is extraordinarily funny and so generous with his time, and if you ever have the chance to meet him, I'd highly recommend it.

Today, I picked up The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder. I've been hearing such really good things about this debut author's steampunk adventure that I just had to give it a try.

Lastly, a couple of graphic novels that I got for cheap through various sources:

• Spider-Man: Torment by Todd McFarlane
• Uncanny X-Men: The Cruelest Cut by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis
• Uncanny X-Men: On Ice by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis

So, as you can see, a slow reading week, but a great book buying week!

Happy reading, everyone!