Keen Collector’s Sharp Eye

Keen Collector’s Sharp Eye

Hello,

I am just writing to say that I have enjoyed your Web Site on Elizabeth Goudge with its many interesting articles. I have been collecting her books for 10 to 15 years although I am mainly interested in her Children’s Book titles (I have a large collection of mainly Children’s and Fantasy titles). I was introduced to her books by a local bookseller and long time friend Kitty Nichols who loved to read and collected her books. She passed away a few years ago, but I still at times think, I wonder if Kitty needs this for her collection?  If I see an unusual Elizabeth Goudge title when I am out book searching. We always tried to keep an eye out for each other interests when book shopping and I am afraid the habit is hard to break. She introduced me to “The Little White Horse” which is still my favourite Goudge title, and I have slowly over the years added most of her Children’s Books to my collection as well as several volumes of short stories and a few novels like “Island Magic”, and “The Middle Window”. Most of Goudge titles in my collection are First American Editions, but I also have a few British First Editions. I am especially happy to find nice clean copies in Dust Jackets. The good copies of First Edition’s are getting so hard to find and expensive. I would love to be able to add “The Fairies’ Babies and Other Stories” to my collection but I doubt that I will ever get the chance to do so. It is the only Children’s Book by Elizabeth Goudge that I do not have in my collection. It was great being able to see it pictured with the article on your Web Page.

I very recently bought a signed photo of Elizabeth Goudge that appears to have been taken at the same time as the one on the front page of your Web Site. It shows her standing in her garden wearing the same dress that she is wearing in the picture you have posted. I had already followed the link on your web site to the posting about the movie release of “The Little White Horse”. I am also worried that the movie will not treat the book fairly. As a long time fan of J. R. R. Tolkien I was very disappointed in the movies made of “The Lord of The Rings”. The movies were quite good in themselves as adventure movies, but I did not think that they did justice to the books. I guess you can only expect little and perhaps you will be pleasantly surprised.