TLS

Following the advertisement at reference 1, I continue to ponder about whether or not to renew my expiring subscription to the NYRB, so happening to be in Waitrose the other day, I thought it right to buy a TLS and take a peek at the opposition. Half price really, because adding it to my basket took my total above the magic £10 at which the Guardian, £2 worth, becomes free.

A lot of stuff like poetry in which I was not interested. But two expensive treasures caught my eye, and I actually fell for one of the books reviewed.

First, the atlas of ancient Rome at reference 2, which I felt sure I had noticed in its first Italian edition, but cannot now trace, although I did turn up the fitting companion volume noticed at reference 5. With this new atlas being its first English edition, which I expect has been beautifully produced by Princeton. University presses in the US are good at this sort of expensive picture book. Sadly far too expensive for what for me would be a coffee table book, glanced at in the advertising breaks of ITV3. Maybe it will turn up in some remainder house.

Second, the entertainingly reviewed book about portable sundials from ancient Rome at reference 3. It seems that ancient Romans poured a lot of ingenuity and money into what were not really much more than expensive toys. Things to be shown off to your dinner guests. I was very tempted, but Bing failed to get the price down from the £40 odd pounds advertised so I desisted.

Third, the book about the chap who brought us Conrad and D. H. Lawrence, amongst others, at reference 4. A studious looking chap, married to the notable translator of Russian fiction of the same name. Bing managed to get this one down to under £20 including postage, so I fell for it. I shall be reporting further in due course.

Retail price maintenance is clearly not very alive in the world of books. For which we have to thank one of the last acts of Edward Heath, as President of the Board of Trade, before the arrival of the white heat of government, in the form of Harold Wilson, in 1964.

PS: oddly, despite my extensive holding of 19th century Russian novels in translation, the only one I found which mentions Constance Garnett is 'The Idiot' by Dostoyevsky, with one runner up, 'The Golovlyov Family' by Shchedrin, introduced by Edward but translated by a rival. Both probably fully read by my father, quite possibly several times each, but only half read by me.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/nyrb.html.

Reference 2: The Atlas of Ancient Rome: Biography and Portraits of the City Hardcover – Andrea Carandini - 2017 - £148.95.

Reference 3: Roman Portable Sundials: The Empire in your Hand - Richard J.A. Talbert - 2017 - £41.49.

Reference 4: The uncommon reader: a life of Edward Garnett - Helen Smith - 2017 - £30.00.

Reference 5: http://pumpkinstrokemarrow.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=lexicon+of+ancient+Greek+names.