Happy July, everyone.
What books found their way into your hands, home, car, bike basket, shopping bag or office today?
Well today, 6 Romanian books came in. I am still trying to get them all added and the touchstones will never work on these. ;) I also have several other books that should be coming in tonight.
I was lucky to score a copy of
The Wood Wife by
Terri Windling from an online seller! This book is impossible to find here, and I never thought I'd come across this. =)
>7: cestovatela, that's a great set! Welcome back!
--> Welcome back, cestovatela!!!
#9 Demiguise I am almost finished
MIddlesex. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope you do to.
I just picked up
First Drop by
Zoe Sharp. It's a possibility she'll be doing an author appearance at our library in September, and I want to check out her book.
I buy a lot of books, but I also read a lot, so I guess there's some kind of cosmic balance being maintained.
This month, so far I've bought Fury becasue I think I should read something by
Salman Rushdie. I also got Belle Falls because it seemed interesting and
Promise Not to Tell because the title grabbed me. I then realized that the "Buy 3 get one free" offer only applied to "pocket books", not all paperbacks, but decided to keep those three anyway.
I also ordered and received
Mexico Days which was recommended by someone on LT, and
Time Traveler for the same reason. I've just started reading that one.
I have three more on order from abebooks. And it's only the 6th!
Message edited by its author, Jul 6, 2007, 9:48am.
I SHOULD be saying "none." But I was walking through Harvard Square and there's this homeless guy who sets up "shop" out there with big piles of books and a sign saying "any book, $2." Who can resist??
So I picked up
A Play of Isaac by
Margaret Frazer -- an author and series I'd never even heard of. It just caught my eye because Isaac is my son's name and the two bucks were burning a hole in my pocket. d'oh!
Curses on you, Half-Price Books! I am defenseless to your wiles!
I got
The Memory Keeper's Daughter for a $1. I hope that is not a reflection of the book. I also got
Immortality by Kundera. Now I have to finish my library books so that I can START on my summer reading that I have bought.
From a BookCrossing meeting at a Panera in Waldorf, Maryland, I received a copy of
Delusional Democracy from a fellow BookCrosser.
At the Day of the Book Festival in Kensington , Maryland, this past April, the author,
Joel S. Hirschhorn, kindly donated a copy of his book to be circulated among Bookcrossers. I am happy to have the opportunity to read this book.
Message edited by its author, Jul 8, 2007, 9:27am.
It's been a slow start on the book buying front, but it's still early.
Angels Fall by
Nora RobertsI decided that I need something a bit light this week.
I received a lovely gift from a friend across the ocean: The Wild Places by
Robert Macfarlane (book touchstone not loading).
My boyfriend spent the weekend throwing out his ex-wife's stuff (she's been gone for five years so it's about time). From the garbage pile I rescued
The Unicorn by
Nancy Hathaway.
Dulcibelle,
I'm a bookcloseouts.com addict, too! I ordered about 40 or so books in about three months! I go for the hardcovers--classics and wish-list books. When I missed out on the one copy of
The Other Boleyn Girl I decided it was time to take a break. I ordered a few more books from Overstock -- along with my book club read
Stealing Lincoln's Body by
Thomas Craughwell and have now sworn off until I bring the TBR pile into check. Now just what does "into check" mean? Durned if I know!
CEP - I have NO idea what an "in-check" TBR pile would be. Take a look at my catalog. There are almost 150 books labeled TBR and that's only the books I actually own. My list of "want to reads" is at least as long.
I keep promising that I'll buy no more books until I cut down drastically on the TBR pile, but then my hubby takes me on another "hot date", or the window display at the bookstore I pass at least twice a day will catch my eye, or I check bookcloseouts.com "just to look", or someone on LT suggests a book that sounds too good to be missed - and my promise goes straight out the window. Ah well, there are worse habits.
I just picked up Keeping the House by
Ellen Baker. Looks promising.
Just bought (!)
Simon Says by Lori Foster as I'm on my 5th day of a 9 day vacation and have already read all the books I brought along. No bookstores in this small NC town (well, one, but it's only open Wed. through Sat.) so I had to make do with what I could find at the local supermarket. Tomorrow I'm going to a bigger town which will no doubt contain a number of bookstores and hope to find books 2 and 3 of the Dresden Files series.
Oh, ellevee, it all sounds so lovely---there's a short story in this at least . Enjoy the books, find out who the reviewer is, and let nature take its course! I'm in bed with
Saturday and LT.
On another note--I was raised to use the library. I support it with every budget vote. I seldom (okay, it's been years) check out a book. What compels us to buy instead of borrow?
edited for late night lack of syntax and again for the flying apostrophe that was in its.
Message edited by its author, Jul 11, 2007, 12:26pm.
At the weekend I got
Cupboard Love, a recipe book and one of the Ripley series, by
Patricia Highsmith, can't quite remember which, duh- after watching "Ripley's Game" and thinking it was really silly
#43 Yeah, he'll end up being a 95 year-old serial killer who likes Britney Spears. The story will resemble something written by
Kurt Vonnegut in a particularly mean mood, without the humor. Or maybe
Amy Hempel.
I need to own books. NEED to. Blame it on OCD, or being greedy.
CEP & ellevee: I agree - I too NEED to own the books I read (and many many that I haven't yet read). I even still have all my textbooks from college (even the Biology ones whose pages will never again see the light of day). I can not part with my books and I dislike reading books that I can't then keep. I guess I think that my books are a sort of record of my life and who I am. I frequently just go into my office (both at home and work) and look at them. Just look. Or run my fingers over the bindings. If that's crazy, well, then, I'm crazy. But I love my books. Ellevee, it's not greed; it's love.
one of the hardest things i had to do recently was give away a lot of my books- im movind to a smaller place and there wont be enough room to keep them all- i couldnt believe how much it hurt but it did ---heavy sigh
To scaifea, CEP & ellevee, I feel the same as scaifea I have to own my books to read them. The library books just don't cut it. I too have sooo many its mind boggling and I very frequently go and just look at them, touch them, open them and read snippets, smell them. It makes me feel so good to look at them and say these are my books. So no you are not crazy--or maybe we all are crazy. I'm so happy to know there are others out there like me when it comes to books. Oh ellevee this man sounds wonderful!! By the way I purchased at Borders yesterday
Nefertiti by
Michelle Moran and
Talk Talk by
T.C. Boyle. Add them to the every growing TBR pile. Here's to our love of books!
Oh booklovers, to look at my books and see them all lined up or stacked in piles or open on a table is a strong feeling for me too. I am turning a room into a library so I can sit and just look at the shelves of books. A while ago there was discussion on the use of old encyclopedias--make them into footstools etc. However, there was also a respect for preserving them and my 1960 World Book--white and green gilt leatherette binding--will go into my new library too!
Pulled off a shelf today, and started, a book I bought at Barnes & Noble then left in my car then found again a couple weeks ago and now finally starting to read...
Virtually HIS by
Gennita Low The use i used to live in had a library but the one i live in now doesn't have one :(
> 43: CEP
"What compels us to buy instead of borrow?"
For me it's a combination of things. I love being able to lend books out, reference books I've read and have a wide variety of unread books at my finger tips to choose from when I'm ready for my next read.
I love growing my own library because once I read the book, unless it's horrible and sometimes event hen, I feel like it's a part of who I am and how I view the world. We are all hopeless bibliophiles.
>55 bookworm12
I love having the books available to browse for myself. I look at the books I own and see the potential to transport myself through literature and solve problems by learning new things. I do not like lending books out. I obsess when a book isn't returned and I want to get the book back in the condition it was borrowed. I once loaned a book to someone at work, it was
Middlesex. The borrower was an angel, she got a tiny spot on a page she told me, so she bought me a new copy! Well, someone else heard how much we enjoyed the book so I loaned it to her. Never saw it again. I am thinking about putting bookplates in my books. I do inscribe professional tomes but don't do it with my "regular" books.
I don't usually mind lending books but...my younger sisters have a tendency to take books when i'm not in the house and then i find them in their closets covers torn off and inexpertly taped on...pretty much completely destroyed. They then tend to go out and buy a nice copy for themselves....Really, really not cool!!!!!!!!!!!!! My whole family likes to read (except for 1 sister out of 5 kids) but my mom doesn't keep anything. She can't understand why the rest of us can't stand to get rid of any and we can't understand why she wouldn't want to keep every book she's ever read. My dad has kept his since childhood and as such has thousands...I'm on my way...I like to keep them cuz i'm a huge rereader of favorite scenes, characters etc i can usually find something i've read lik 20 times already whatever mood and whatever i'm looking for
My mom is the same way. She wants to borrow my copy of
A Thousand Splendid Suns when I'm done reading it, and she's apparently already promised to loan it to three other relatives - all famously slow readers *clutches book to chest, whimpering*
I rarely lend, not that I'm ungenerous, but I've had several bad experiences beginning in about the 8th grade. I scrounged up enough money to buy
Dracula from the Scholastic Book Club. A neighbor girl begged to borrow it and when I asked for the return a few months later claimed it had been stolen from her desk at school. Skip forward twenty years, my ex-husband's business partner and his schoolteacher wife asked to borrow a few history books. After repeatedly asking for their return with no result I finally showed up on their doorstep after five years to collect them and to find their dust jackets were gone and they had been basically brutalized. Now last year, my best friend's high school daughter was writing a term paper. Since I had a lot of books that I didn't appear to be using asked if they could borrow some early American histories and mythologies. I recall one was
Barbara Tuchman's
First Salute and also
The Sage of Montecello. Of course I loaned them out. Since the kid graduated last spring I'm still waiting for them to come back. Am I being too difficult?
I'm the same way with loaning out books, ridiculously possessive. That's why I buy second copies of books I know I'll loan out. I only buy second hand, cheap copies because I couldn't afford to do anything else. I won't loan anything out that I am attached to, or that I definitely want back. That way I don't stress out.
To Cep, Ellevee & everyone else who can't part with their books. I too like the sight of neat stacks, bookcases overflowing * little piles of books hidden in corners or boxes under the bed. I like to touch books, feel them, run my hands over them like in the comics Uncle Scrooge McDuck fingers his piles of money - I am a book-miser. I have been this way all my life & when I loan a book or give one away (usually one I don't care that much for) it is with a pang in my heart.
Yesterday my order arrived from Ed. Hamilton Books. 15 remainders plus postage for $68.75. What fun re-arranging my shelves. I have a shelf for history another for nature, science, medicine, memoirs, 2 big ones for fiction, my grief books & religious inspirational near my bed also some, that I read more than once -
Kristin Lavransdatter & new
Maeve Binchy booksI haven;t read yet &
Barbara Kingsolver that I won't let out of my sight ... well, there are those of you out there who understand...
The #$%^& issue that many of us seem to face is that there are too many people out there that figure once a book is read, it's read. The desire to re-read or just possess a book is beyond their ken.
Now, I'm a lunatic on newspapers--raised to leave the paper pristine for my father, I do not like anyone to unfurl my paper before I do. It was a tough time explaining this to someone who took it out of my tote bag at work. What was the big deal? After all, she didn't read the words off the page! (And, FWIW, I will never give up my papers for the on-line editions. They are only a supplement to me.)
>62: CEP, glad to see another newspaper lover! I too still subscribe to a daily paper. I'm not too bad about others "unfurling" but I am obsessed with reading the sections in order (Front Page, Local, usually skip the Sports, then the "Fluff" section with food, comics, etc.)
I guess I'm in the minority here - I don't keep most of my books - lack of space, for one thing. I suspect I am older than a lot of you - could be an aging thing... I used to hang on to them.
I do have one that I bought in 1980 by Iris Murdoch - it's on my summer read list!!
I also lend books out though recently have had some bad experiences - thinking I might limit it to people I KNOW will return them.
I'm a teacher so it's in my nature to share and want others to read.
I picked up some library books today
A Stain on the Silence by
Andrew Taylor (summer always puts me in a Brit-crime reading mood);
Lost in the Forest by
Sue Miller and
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by
Kim Edwards.
I finished
The Other Side of the Bridge by
Mary Lawson last night and highly recommend it. It was great!
Started
Song of Solomon by
Toni Morrison last night - another one that was on my must-read summer list as it has been on my shelf for too long.
lindsacl and CEP- That's great to hear. I actually work as a reporter at a daily newspaper and it's encouraging to know that people still cherish reading a hardcopy of their news. I know I'm that way, but so many things are digital nowadays I would hate to see newspapers go the way of the 8 track.
#58 & 59 ellevee and varielle, I'm the same way w/ books. I only have a select few I loan to because they have proven themselves worthy by returning the book in good condition and within a reasonable length of time. I won't even loan to my mother anymore as she takes way too long to read them. There are some books I don't care about and will loan out, but for the most part I hang on to my books as well. My co worker wants to borrow my auther signed, advanced reader copy of
A Thousand Splendid Suns--I told her she had to guard w/her life under penalty of death if I didn't get it back (LOL).
#65 - You're a reporter! I'm so jealous. I've been trying to get work as a journalist, with no success. I still buy the newspaper too (when I can afford it!)
A Long Way DownAbout a BoyDeath du JourI was dropping off insurance claims, and right next to where my car was parked there's a bookstore, which had a table of heavily discounted books outside. I also went to the Salvation Army. I've been going through a longish real literature phase, so I think it's time for me to switch over to some fluff! :)
>67: ellevee
Keep trying in the journalism field. I've been a reporter for a little more than a year now and I love it so much. For readers like us it's the perfect job.
All day every day it's my job to find about and learn about new and interesting things, hear people's stories and then write about all of it to share with more people.
I absolutely love it.
In the past year I've had a chance to visit someone in prison, sit in on the recording of a radio talk show, interview Michael York (as in the famous actor), interview a WWII vet who was there when the flag was raised on Iwo Jima, and countless other awesome things. It's been amazing.
I just picked up
Alice Cooper Golf Monster by Alice Cooper, of course. It's a great read. 1/3 is on golf tips and the other 2/3 is his story.
#69 I'm trying. I really am, but so far I'm coming up empty. Stupid people with better resumes than me.
it's re-reading week for me
timbuktu, Paul Auster
snow crash, prior to putting it up on bookmooch
but when it comes to new books I have just ordered the latest ken macleod,
the execution channel and a whole bunch of books from PS publishing. Oh and I finally ordered
forests of the heartMessage edited by its author, Jul 14, 2007, 7:53am.
Just got a package from amazon.com today, which included:
The Drawing of the Three,
Stephen KingThe Hound of Death,
Agatha ChristieIt was a nice surprise, since I'm stuck at home today with a bad ear infection, hopped up on pain medicine, although I'm too dopey to read (hopefully this post makes sense to all of you - it does to me, but I'm wondering if it's just the medicine talking and I'll look at it later and it will all just be gibberish)...
iam reading In Cold Blood. It scary,because it prove that living in the country,you are no safe
I picked up a copy of
The Canterbury Tales in the oringinal spelling. This replaces a copy which sprouted legs a while ago. Suffice it to say, no one will be getting hold of this copy!
#82 Boudleaux - Welcome to LibraryThing!
welcome boudleaux!!!!
Today I picked up
Red Handed by
Gena Showalter. I always get excited when my local indie store has a book I'm looking for!
Got
Mayflower from work. I have to edit some version of it tomorrow, so they gave me a copy.
I checked out
On Chesil Beach by
Ian McEwan from the library today - it's the speed read deal, so only have it for a week, but it looks like a 1-day read.
Yesterday and today I sent out my first MoochBooks - 5 books in all. Can't wait to get some in the mail for myself!
I had two requests come in at the library today:
-
Gate of the Sun, a 2006 NYT Notable
-
The Lizard Cage, a book group read
I have one other book in transit, and might as well post "what books will come into my home on Saturday":
-
Watching the English, the aforementioned library request
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, after the midnight crush at Borders. What, no touchstone?
Oh. Dear. God.
The Queen's Own Fool by
Jane Yolen(from work)
Girl With A Pearl Earring (from work)
Teany by
Moby(from Dad)
Yiddish Policeman's Union by
Michael ChabonWater For Elephants
Possible Side Effects by
Augusten BurroughsSex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by
Chuck KlostermanSmoke and Mirrors by
Neil GaimanYes, I am sick. But the books, they CALLS to us!
*twitch*
Message edited by its author, Jul 20, 2007, 5:46pm.
Ooooo, lindsacl, great scores!!! I loved House of Sand and Fog (though it was rough going in places) and Blessings too. Zorro is just plain fun and Allende is one of my all time favorite writers. You've made quite the haul this weekend! And it's only Saturday morning (well, in my corner of the world anyway).
>111: mrstreme, I had the same thought on
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, I'd passed it by in a used bookstore recently. The $2/bag deal made it almost free!
>112: teelgee, I also love
Isabel Allende. I've read a few of her books and am looking forward to
Zorro ... whenever.
Is it too obvious to say Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?
I got a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble for my birthday so froliced sp? through today and gathered up Langenscheidt's
Russian-English English Russian Dictionary (you never know when you might stumble across a Russian who needs a good talking to),
46 Pages: Thomas Paine, Common Sense, and the Turning Point to Independence which the Liberal and Progressive Group pointed me to,
Ella, Minnow, Pea which the Deep South group pointed me to,
Honeymoon With My Brother because I saw the interview with the unlucky or maybe lucky groom,
Guns, Germs and Steel also a favorite of several groups on LT. You people are bad for my book habit. Also from Bookmooch I got today
Water for Elephants and
Jarhead.
Message edited by its author, Jul 21, 2007, 7:49pm.
This message has been deleted by its author.
I really enjoyed Caramello. Sandra Cisneros is one of my favorite authors.
like so many others here harry potter and the deathly hallows found its way into my home this weekend
This message has been deleted by its author.
Crooked Little Vein. First day it was released. The Strand didn't have it, and I lost faith in the universe. But Barnes & Noble did. In conclusion, the universe likes to screw with my head.
Today I received my ARC of
Tipperary by
Frank Delaney for the Early Reviewers group here on LT. I also received a copy of "A Hidden Life" by
Adele Geras from the publisher.
#136 - I'm glad you received your ARC! I hope mine arrives soon!
In today's mail:
A Fete Worse Than Death by
Iain Aitch. Sounds like it should be a murder mystery, but it's actually a non-fiction about travelling around England.
Message edited by its author, Jul 26, 2007, 2:22pm.
My order from Powells Books arrived today, an order where you get free shipping on $50.00 or more. I received
Jane Austen's Emma, Sense & Sensibility, & Persuasion.
The proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman,
The Shadow of the Sun by A.S. Byatt, & 4 mass makt. paperback Brother Cadfael mysteries by
Ellis Peters.The Road by
Cormac McCarthy.
Got it at Costco. A store that I have to drive to since I also spend $100 plus whenever I'm there - lol.
Dihiba -- what a great find. At least 4 of my favorites,
Charming BillyUnlessWhite noise &
1.000 acres & short story collections by Alice Munro, Maeve Binchy & AnnProulx. Where is this library? Do they take US $?
Dihiba -- what a great find. At least 4 of my favorites,
Charming BillyUnlessWhite noise &
1.000 acres & short story collections by Alice Munro, Maeve Binchy & AnnProulx. Where is this library? Do they take US $?
MarianV - it's in Ottawa, Canada. They might take US if you showed up! Apparently they have these sales quite often but this is the first "mini" one I went to - the massive one was in April just a couple of blocks from me - it was fun, but I did better today. Can't wait for the next one in August!
So far July has been silly!
Bought
humble pie,
Can't Wait to Get to Heaven,
Lisey's Story by Stephen King,
The Execution Channel by Ken Mc Leod,
Forests of the Heart by Charles de Lindt,
How the Other Half Lives by
James Lovegrove,
Leningrad Nights by
Graham JoyceJust picked a pile of books in a charity shop
The Shadow of the Wind by
Carlos Ruiz Zafon - its about books, i had to grab it
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by
Mark Haddon - hadnt read it, might read it now
Water Lily by
Susanna Jones - pure curiosity
The Hounds of the Morrigan by
Pat O'Shea - never heard of it before but looks good
Regeneration,
The Eye in the Door,
The Ghost Road by
Pat Barker - looks interesting
Blue Shoes and Happiness by
Alexander McCall Smith - never read any, worth giving it a shot
The Ninja by
Eric Van Lustbader - pure curiosity
And received the following via bookmooch in the past weeks:
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by
Fannie Flagg - having a fannie flagg phase
High Rise by
J.G. Ballard - been wanting to reread that one for a long time
Hominids by
Robert J Sawyer - its been on my list to pick up for over a year, as has
Katastrophe by
Randall Boyll and
The Ballad of Billy Badass and the Rose of Turkestan - bookmooch is finally letting me get my hands on these quirky books no book sale ever has :D
A Deeper Shade of Blue by
Johnston, Paul I enjoyed his Quint books now want to try this new series of his
Ill Wind - i hadnt tried them, quite lightweight but entertaining. wont keep it and probably will only get the others when i want a light read
Angry White Pyjamas: An Oxford Poet Trains with the Tokyo Riot Police - that was very different!
The Coming of the Quantum Cats by Federik Pohl,
Chanur's Venture by CJ Cherryh,
Black Dogs by
Ian McEwan and a few bits of non fiction
All in all, more than a book per day.
Thankfully i also gave some 30 books away on bookmooch and amazon, so i can claim its all under control
Message edited by its author, Jul 28, 2007, 7:53am.
"The Worst Hard Time", by Timothy Egan. I'd seen it recommended by so many people on LT, I decided to reserve it from the library...I often by books so I can read them at my leisure. I can't say I'm enjoying it, because it's really hard to imagine the desperate times of the The Great Depression, no matter how many accounts I read or hear. But Egan crams the book full of amazing information., and his writing is fab..this is great for book clubs.
From the library yesterday, "found" on the shelves as opposed to picked up from the hold shelf:
A Rose for the Crown by Anne Easter Smith and Michael Connelly's new Harry Bosch
The Overlook. Life is good.
#43 CEP: What compels me to buy a book instead of borrowing?
Convenience. I don't like time limits on books. I will go to the library and find 6 books I want to read one week and then none the next week. I live in the central zone of a city so it's quite a competition to get some books. My favourite book shop has a club in which it emails a newsletter every Friday and includes 3 or 4 coupons. This week it was 40% off any book and 40% off any DVD - quite good! I also live near a second hand store so I get a lot of books that way. Unless I think a book is really good (I do have quite a few books that I re-read all the time) I won't keep it but trade it in for another book instead.
I also read the newspaper every day. Love it. It's a recent thing that started when I finished uni and got my first job. This year our TV died and we went for 3 months without a TV before getting around to buying a new one because by reading the newspaper I didn't actually miss TV or 'the news'.
I kept my promise that I made in June not to buy any books except HP7 or if I got a significant voucher to use (In June I bought about 20 books and only read 4). So for July I have bought HP7 and with the voucher mentioned above I bought
March by
Geraldine Brooks.
Went to the used bookstore and flagrantly disregarded my vow not to buy anything that wasn't already on my wishlist. ;)
When the King Comes Home (author on my wishlist, but not this book)
Child Garden (ditto)
The Warrior's Apprentice (favorite author)
Shadow and Claw (actually the first half of this was on my wishlist)
I'll blame the printer that broke down and refused to print out my BookMooch wishlist for me to reference in the store. ;)
Only book that showed up today were several bound copies of my thesis: Identification of psychological stressors for long duration space missions
>160 celestria
Congrats on your thesis. Interesting topic, particularly in light of the recent news about astronauts flying drunk.
Oh, man. Yesterday was the last day of the Newberry Library Book Fair. Everything half-price. I could barely get the load to my car.
I can't sit here and touchstone them all! If you really want to see them all, go to my library and sort it by entry date (most recent first).
A couple of favorites, though:
There once was a world : a nine-hundred-year chronicle of the shtetl of Eishyshok, by
Yaffa Eliach. I've been wanting this one, and there it was: a $50 book for $6.25!
I found Dover's edition of
Canaletto's
Views of Venice, Proust's
On Reading Ruskin, and the utterly gorgeous
Opulence: the kimonos and robes of Itchiku Kubota*. Just about everything I bought was either art or literature.
*When I try to touchstone that, it gives me
Flavius Josephus'
History of the Jews. Strange, very, very strange, indeed, are the ways of the touchstone!
Message edited by its author, Jul 30, 2007, 9:25pm.
Today
Guilty Parties: A Mystery Lover's Companion by
Ian Ousby arrived by mail from a third-party Amazon seller. Cover says, "A Criminally Enjoyable Dossier of Gunsels and Gun Molls, Private Eyes and Femme Fatales, Lock Ups and Locked Rooms, Butlers Who Did It and Mobsters Who Didn't." So far I've only looked at the illustrations, and they're great. One little problem - this book smells funny. Reminds me of a consignment shop I used to frequent that had an oil spill of some sort, and the clothes stank for months.
That was this morning. Then I went out for lunch (I'm in week 7 of an 8-week vacation) and took
A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder by
Peter Abrahamson and David Freedman with me. How many of you love to eat and read at the same time? Had a great shrimp teriyaki bento box (okay, I didn't really consume the box) at a Korean/Japanese restaurant. But then I absolutely had to have some American-style dessert and coffee, so of course I had to stop at Barnes & Noble for a 20oz. brew and a raspberry lemon bar. My ritual is to cruise the store, gather an armload of books, plunk them on a table in the cafe to reserve a place, buy my food & coffee, then once again settle in to read and eat. Only purchased one book at B&N today: Lifehacker by
Gina TrapaniNow for yesterday. (If your eyes are glazing over, feel free to scroll right out of here). I was going out to lunch (same story, different day) and taking with me
Field of Blood by
Denise Mina. However, I open the door and there at my feet is a package containing a copy of
Midnight Plague by
Gregg Keizer, so I trade books and head for Dave's Diner. Dave serves a smashing bacon blue cheese burger. Was just starting in on it when I read: "...She moaned, whispered, and finally turned her head to vomit. In seconds, the flies that had been stalking her mouth left it and made for the new pool. Brink tried to breathe through his mouth to keep the stink from making him gag, but the thick Dakar air was oven hot in the tin-roofed shack."
What was that I said about loving to eat and read at the same time?
Kathi
Message edited by its author, Jul 31, 2007, 7:16pm.
The Year of Magical Thinking by
Joan Didion - picked up at a local Bookcrossing Zone while dropping off a few books I'd finished.
A new thread for August is now up. =)
161 - Thanks, this was completed long, long before the drunk astronauts hit the news. According to a couple friends over at mission control that I spoke to this week, drunk astronauts are nothing new. ;)
The Nowak situation is what effectively ended my data collection though. And not a single NASA astronaut responded.
I made another trip to City Lights today; this time I *only* bought five books:
Like Trees, Walking by
Ravi HowardNada by Carmen Lafloret
Isolarion: A Different Oxford Journey by James Atlee
Amulet by Roberto Bolano
The Faith of Olive Avenue by Manuel Munoz
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