'A Bonde Bengali Wife' revisited

There was a little flurry of interest in A Blonde Bengali Wife over December and January - a bit like the Edinburgh snow in fact: the endless quiet, grey skies suddenly fill with snow, it falls, keeps us busy for a day or two but normal service resumes pretty quickly.

A handful of people, some I know well, others I don't, wanted signed copies for Christmas.  A couple more wrote to say they had downloaded it to their Kindle to read over the holiday period.  It's always a little thrill to know that someone, somewhere might be reading it... but even if they buy it and use it as a doorstop or wasp-basher, it still means an extra handful of rice for the children in Bhola.  Win-win!

I usually keep a few copies at home but suddenly realised I'd sent out the last one, and so I decided to go on to Amazon and buy one or two more - just in case.  Of course I should have paid the full price and bought new ones, but I was intrigued to know where the marketplace ones were coming from: 'good condition, with some markings on the spine'; 'condition fair, ex-library copy with evidence of use' were two of the descriptions.  In the end, I couldn't resist and bought three of them - the total postage cost more than the books.

It was fascinating to receive them.  Yes, the ex-library copy showed signs of use - as both doorstop and wasp-basher.  It was also shrivelled as if it had been in the bath.  The mind was boggling and infuriatingly, it was impossible to tell from the front plate and shelf-mark which library had discarded it!  I like to think that the one with 'some markings' had been lovingly read and passed on to the charity shop whose price sticker was on the back - several page corners were turned down and it looked as if it had been left upside down on a coffee table... And then, finally came the pristine, unread copy - which was signed by me, myself and I, dated October 2010.  Clearly, it had been bought at the original book launch and never looked at since!  Intriguing - who had had it?  Do I know them?  Was it a gift?  (If it's you, please do write and tell me)

I'm now trying to resist all urges to buy the rest of the second-hand copies listed on Amazon...

Not sure really, what this post is saying, other than it's the obvious prelude to a shameless plug: please go on to Amazon or LL Publications and buy a copy.  Or if you already have one (or did have one and gave it away) write a review of it, also on the Amazon site so that the ratings increase.  After all... the children in Bhola will benefit - and you can't argue with that (see, shameless!!)

And whilst you're on Amazon, an excellent read is the newly published E-book A Second Chance? Written by Lucy James, a friend and ex-student of mine, it's a sort of 'thinking chick-lit' and is currently doing really well.  And she's nearly finished her next one so you can look forward to a run of good reading...

Anne x

 
Christmas in Bhola
A Letter For Bhola

Comments 2

 
Guest - Emma Bolger on Monday, 09 February 2015 09:20

Our copy is safely on the "books by people we actually know" shelf (high up, away from mucky hands!) :) x

Our copy is safely on the "books by people we actually know" shelf (high up, away from mucky hands!) :) x
Guest - katie200 on Thursday, 05 February 2015 00:32

Hi Anne...I enjoyed reading your post, and have enjoyed reading your book too.... I hope you're well.... Take care- Katie-

Hi Anne...I enjoyed reading your post, and have enjoyed reading your book too.... I hope you're well.... Take care- Katie-
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