Slightly Foxed Secondhand Books

Slightly Foxed Secondhand Books We are a bookshop / bookstore in the Historic precinct of Oamaru in the South Island of New Zealand.

This week’s new arrivals
09/08/2026

This week’s new arrivals

Recently finished reading ‘Dr Thorne’ (1858) by Anthony TrollopeThis is the third novel in Trollope’s Chronicles of Bars...
06/08/2026

Recently finished reading ‘Dr Thorne’ (1858) by Anthony Trollope

This is the third novel in Trollope’s Chronicles of Barsetshire. Characters from the first two novels are mentioned but not part of the story.

Frank’s father has dissipated his son’s inheritance and Frank is told that, in order to save the estate and family name, he must marry money.

But he loves Mary Thorne.

There are lots of female characters both intelligent, thoughtful and giving as well as condescending, hypocritical and arrogant. Trollope gets a few Christian names mixed up but what is that between sisters?

In the day when a woman’s inheritance is given over without quibble to her husband and she is not informed of anything that is wholly her business, including her birth, relations and fortune, Mary Thorne is indeed a “good girl” and heroine of this story.

Hypocrisy is the theme of this Victorian novel. Good blood is everything except where money is concerned. A humorous well told story that stands up well against Austen, Eliot, Dickens and Gaskell, I enjoyed it very much.

Recently finished reading ‘The things we never say’ (2026) by Elizabeth StroutThis is a family story about a secret, one...
01/08/2026

Recently finished reading ‘The things we never say’ (2026) by Elizabeth Strout

This is a family story about a secret, one that some know and others don’t. It is set during an election in the USA and looks at the division it causes between family, neighbours and friends, people who used to “agree to disagree”. Strout writes such a depth to each character that it’s difficult to believe they’re not real. A very enjoyable read.

“Strout is a brilliant chronicler of the ambiguity and delicacy of the human condition “

Recently finished reading ‘On the calculation of volume’ (2020, translation by Barbara J Haveland 2024) by Solvej B***e ...
22/07/2026

Recently finished reading ‘On the calculation of volume’ (2020, translation by Barbara J Haveland 2024) by Solvej B***e

An interesting take on the stopping of time, similar but more serious in theme as the film Groundhog Day.

What happens if you become stuck in time? If the 18th of November repeats itself over and over. If nothing makes sense, all is disturbing and no answers given or accepted. What is lost, what, if anything, is gained. How does it affect relationships, identity and fulfilment?

I found it, predictably, a little repetitious but thought provoking. There are seven parts to the his speculative novel but I don’t think I’ll go any further.

Horse books, breeding, racing, care. Old and a bit newer. Including the beautiful 9 volume set on The Horse with gorgeou...
19/07/2026

Horse books, breeding, racing, care. Old and a bit newer. Including the beautiful 9 volume set on The Horse with gorgeous Talwin Morris bindings

Just finished reading ‘Land’ (2026) by Maggie O’Farrell My eighth novel of hers and now in my top three along with Hamne...
12/07/2026

Just finished reading ‘Land’ (2026) by Maggie O’Farrell

My eighth novel of hers and now in my top three along with Hamnet’ and ‘This must be the place’

Set in Ireland 20 years on from the Great Hunger of 1849 it looks at the fortunes and misfortunes of one family up until the early 20th century.

I loved it. Everything I could wish for in an absorbing historical novel, I keep thinking about the six main characters and their simple twists of fate, their humility, impulsiveness, sacrifice, stubbornness and loyalty.

Maggie O’Farrell has a talent for divining the role of fate in people’s lives and how a particular place can see many changes over the years. She likes moving around in time but it’s never confusing, she lets slip future occurrences in a casual way that belies the poignancy of the story and her minor characters are there to make the story work, and they do.

Highly recommended

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11 Tyne Street
Oamaru
9400

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Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
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