Wednesday, 29 October 2025

Church Book Sale

Pouring rain early morning meant I didn't go to the last car boot of the season at Needham Market, there wouldn't have been many there if I had gone. Instead I journeyed to a village called Acton in South Suffolk after blog reader Jan told me the date of their book sale in the church. They hold this twice a year and I've always missed out before. The church pews and many tables were full of books, mainly fiction which I skimmed for grey Persephone books or old crime novels without any luck. 

But from among the non fiction I picked up half a dozen. I've chopped the top off the book at the back but its a 1990 facsimile of a book from 1899 called 'The Book of Shops' with illustrations by Francis Bedford and verses by E.V. Lucas.  


Two pages below from the Shops book





The one at the bottom on my windowsill  is called 'Suffolk Strange But True' chapters about odd happenings, lost villages and Suffolk mysteries and above that 'Tatterlegs for Tea' by David Woodward  is a follow up to his book about Suffolk dialect which I already have. This little book has Suffolk stories collected with a few verses. The Nature of Autumn and The Nature of Winter are both by Jim Crumley and share his love of the seasons and what he finds in them. The sixth book 'Four Walks in English Rain' is by Melissa Harrison who has written many books about wellbeing.

Blog reader Jan, who lives just over the Essex border and brought me snowdrops several years ago, somehow recognised me among all the crowd which was a surprise. I'm hopeless at recognising people only seen once! 
I couldn't do photos of Acton Church, much too full of books and people, I planned to visit Chilton church before going home but couldn't find it! (Turns out to be across a field behind Chiltern Hall and is closed at the moment anyway, a good thing I didn't find it as it was too cold for walking far) 
So I thought I'd call in at Great Waldingfield church on my way back but they were having a special heritage weekend so the church was full of people and display boards making that  a no - no too. But I did manage a visit to the church in Little Waldingfield on my way through, by which time  I was getting so cold and glad to go straight off home, especially as by then I was feeling very grotty again.
Back on antibiotics - doctor visit  booked for later in the week. 


Back Soon

31 comments:

  1. That's a good haul. Sorry you are not at your best. Like you, I am due to see the GP later in the week, regarding my ECG results . . .

    Meant to say yesterday, I love your new header - very Atkinson Grimshaw.

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    1. The header I found in picture file from a few years ago - full moon through olive tree. Must do a new one for next years Halloween

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  2. I hope that you feel better soon.

    Church booksales can be such a lottery. There can be nothing or there can be some amazing gems. The shops book looks amazing.

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    1. There were so many fiction but just nothing to catch my eye

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  3. Pity there wasn't any Persephone but you bought some interesting non fiction. Hope you feel better soon.
    Penny

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    1. I'm getting good at spotting the grey Persephone covers - not a single one among 100s of books

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  4. Get well son, keep warm! It's wet and windy round here .

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  5. Sounds like a day to tuck yourself up with a blanket, hot drink and your new books. Hope you feel better soon.
    Do you know about having live yoghurt when you are on antibiotics? To protect your gut. My midwife was ahead of the game when she told me this after my son was born 40 years ago!

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    1. I completely forgot about yogurt - must remember to put it on my shopping list - thank you for the reminder

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  6. If anything can perk you up is always books, hope you feel better soon.

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  7. I hope that you feel well soon,Sue. Some lovely,interesting books to keep you company. I too love Persephone books, I recently read Despised and Rejected by Rose Allatini(1918). Such a good read,luckily Norfolk libraries had it in their stock, I can't afford Persephone book prices,sadly. Carole R

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    1. I'm always looking for those grey covers in charity shops etc- never new, like you say - very pricey

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  8. Sorry to hear that you're poorly, get well soon.
    Those books look charming, I love things like that.
    Alison in Devon x

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  9. Happy finds. The 'season' books look interesting. Sorry you're not feeling well. I hope the antibiotics will sort you out.

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  10. Was nice to see you. I had no idea Chiltern church is now closed “due to vandalism” according to the website. When it does open again you can get there from the road and don’t need to walk over a field.

    Maybe see you at the NSPCC sale, though you might have gone by the time we get there.

    Hope the antibiotics do their stuff.

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    1. Not sure if I'll be heading down to Colchester after all - see how i feel on Friday

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  11. Another great haul of books. I borrowed Oaken Leaves from the library after you featured it on here. Very much enjoyed it. Arilx

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    1. Oh that's good to hear, I always worry that something I've enjoyed and mentioned others will think is rubbish!

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  12. Great selection of books from the sale. Sorry to hear you are needing antiobiotics again-I had them two weeks ago and my stomach has finally recovered. Catriona

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    1. I'm not sure antibiotics are the answer for me - will see.

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  13. You know, as the seasons change and life begins slowing down, I have been collecting a small pile of books. They sit on the under shelf of a bedside table waiting like a promise to myself.

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  14. I hope you are soon feeling better. I am terrible at recognising people, I have a mild form of face-blindness so I have to apologise when people I have met a couple of times come up to me. Not so many people recognise me these days now that I don't have our very distinctive dogs in tow, but it has happened a couple of times on our High Street with blog readers visiting town.

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  15. Grotty? I haven't heard that word before to describe feeling sick or under the weather. Hope what ails you passes on soon.

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  16. You found some great non-fiction.
    Antibiotics can be hard on the stomach. I was told not to have dairy when on antibiotics as it counters the antibiotic. I was taking doxy for Lyme disease.
    I hope you feel better soon.

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  17. Hope you are feeling better!

    I was at an author event last night that was very crowded. When someone urged me to sit in the front row with her, I politely declined before I realized it was the newest member of my book group - she lives an hour away and was so out of context, I didn't recognize her!

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