Heywood HillI know what you are thinking...there cannot possibly be another collection of Nancy Mitford letters out there that I don't own. Well...maybe there is.
The Bookshop At 10 Curzon Street may just be my favorite of all the Mitford letter collections. The book features Nancy Mitford writing to Heywood Hill about BOOKS. Oh my! I was reminded of this title this week when I found Frognall Dibdin's Shelves being stocked by his Aunt Helen as Master Thomas is under the weather. (Do hope it is not contagious.) Aunt Helen wrote about Heywood Hill's bookstore which still, by the way, exists at 10 Curzon Street. By the by, if you are in London next week, Alex Maitland will be at the shop on 6th May to sign copies of, and talk about, his new book Wilfred Thesiger in Africa. Another "must have" at Lucindaville, but I digress...
Both Mitford and Hill have gone to that great cocktail soirée in the sky, but thankfully, we still have their letters. I say we pop open a bottle of bubbly this afternoon and have our own cocktail soirée in the library, with our first toast going to Mitford and Hill. Then we can play the Mitford drinking game -- one drink for every Mitford book you have in the library... perhaps not, for many of my gentle readers that could very well lead to alcohol poisoning. OK, just a single glass for ALL your Mitford books.
À votre santé.
Just given my business partner, the lovely lesley, my own copy of The Pursuit of LOve! For her 50th birthday. Higher compliment could not be made to book or person, because she's fab and u no the book is! She's not read anything by or about the Mitfords. So there's an introduction to end them all made!
ReplyDeleteBest Wishes
Robert
I just counted mine. I have 18 Mitford books. You win.
ReplyDeleteOh a drinking game, likely I would not survive, not that the Mitford books are so many,18? more?, but I am not a heavy drinker-seems all my friends are or were, and I have always been the designated driver (maybe this is why lushes love me so, come to think on it, but I digress) Their letters are certainly chronicled by Harold Acton. I have seen this book though and wondered just what you have said-Now MUST I get this one too? Aunt Helen is divine. pgt
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you have more info about this bookshop, it would be so interesting
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