Yesterday felt like Christmas for The Bookman

Books, I love 'em. They are my most favourite things. I love reading them, looking at them, feeling them, and smelling them, getting lost in them, cooking from them; they bring me joy; I can never have too many of them.
And yesterday there were eight wonderful books in my post office box. My cup runneth over. It was like Christmas Day.

Two I read immediately and have written about on the blog this morning, the rest I will work my way through and write about them as I do.

THE FORRESTS - Emily Perkins - her latest novel - publication 1 May. Can't wait to read this, it has already created much interest from early readers in the UK.

BRILLIANCE - Anthony McCarten - the man the International Herald Tribune described as "one of New Zealand's most exciting literary exports", and who is in the news presently because of the movie edition of an earlier novel, Death of a Superhero, and also because he will be at the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival next month.

ANTONIA & HER DAUGHTERS - Marlena De Blasi - sub-titled Secrets, Love, Friendship and Family in Tuscany, this from the author of A Thousand Days in Venice, Tuscan Secrets and others.

LOVE & HUNGER - Thoughts on the gift of food - Charlotte Wood. Maggie Beer says "that love oozes from every pore in this wonderful book." This might be my weekend read!

PARIS - a guide to the city's creative heart - Janelle McCulloch - an insider's guide to the city's most creative and inspiring destinations. I'll have to hide this from Annie until I have read it.

ANTONIO & LUCIA - recipes and stories from my Australian-Calabrian kitchen - by Riccardo Momesso. I daren't even open this one yet!

VOLCANIC KITCHENS - Gerhard Egger - an exciting photographic recipe book celebrating New Zealand's Volcanic Plateau. reviewed on blog this morning.

DAYS LIKE THESE - Kristian Anderson with Rachel Anderson. Had me crying into my cup of tea last evening. Reviewed on blog this morning.