Not more books....

'Not more books!' was a phrase I heard a lot growing up. My Mum used to say it every time I came back from the shops but if you love them, you love them and there's nothing you can do about it is there? So when I read this post last night on Jane's blog 'Things to Make & Do' I thought I'd share a couple of recent purchases. Perhaps it's because we're involved in

Postman's Knock that postcards are featuring large in my life at present. So when I saw this book by photographer Martin Parr, reduced to half price in the shop at the Fox Talbot Museum last week I just had to have it. If you're interested in social history there is nothing like the postcard to chart changes in society and culture. Parr has a collection of over 20,000. They start from the time when they were mass produced and when thrice daily postal deliveries meant one could be sent in the morning and a reply received on another by late afternoon. They were perfect for writing that short note. I suppose they were like early e mails, but made much more enjoyable by their choice of visual.

The book covers different themes and eras. I particularly loved the holiday camp postcards and had not realised there was such a collectable market out there. One of my favourites was the photo taken from the services at the Severn Bridge crossing. Living so close to it I remember being driven down there for a cup of tea to look at the view. It made me smile and brought back great memories. In fact the book also made me more aware of the postcard boxes at my local boot sale so when I went down there this Sunday I had a good rummage on one stall and bought about 15. They were only 20p each and then the stallholder said 'Have the lot for £2' so of course I am now hooked and want to go back again next week.... but my husband reminded me that I already have a postcard collection that I started a couple of years ago when I kept picking up cards of weddings. Oh dear,I thought he'd forgotten about those......

Anyway, moving swiftly on, let me recommend a book I read a review of last week. It's called 'The Lost Album' by Basil Hyman and charts Britain in the 1950's. Again, as a child of the 50's I had to have it and it has raised many a smile already. It is Basil Hyman's photograph collection of black and white film he shot all the way through the 50's as he grew up. He developed them himself and they have sat in a loft for years until someone persuaded him to publish this record of a fabulous decade.

The photo spreads are interspersed with photos of other memorabilia. Who knew there were 25 ways of serving oatmeal? But it has to be remembered that this was still a time of food rationing and the book has a facsimile ration book inserted into it as well as replica tickets and booklets put into pockets on the covers.

It is a fabulous record of the decade of change and coupled with my postcard book it has made me a very happy woman! Of course I also had the book by Peter Blake to read and that was wonderful too. There was a key line in the latter that came home to me.Peter Blake asserts that you only have to have two of something for it to be the start of a collection. It made me realise how many collections I must have! If you go back through Jane's blog you will also see that she was recently guest editor on a blog posting a daily photograph of some of her collections. Made me wonder if we shouldn't have a 'Collection Day' when we all post at least one photo (or more) of mini collections we are all hoarding. Anyone game? Shall I start with my collection of wedding postcards?......