Sundays on the Acre, Take 5

With 275 posts on the old thread, I thought it was time to start another. After all, the last one lasted all of a week :)

For the masochists among you, Sundays on the Acre begins here:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/78996
http://www.librarything.com/topic/82207
http://www.librarything.com/topic/83662
http://www.librarything.com/topic/84472

Books Read from My Personal Library in 2010



Pages Read 2010



Memorable Reads for 2010:

Nonfiction
The National Parks: America's Best Idea by Dayton Duncan & Ken Burns
Larry Burrows: Vietnam by Larry Burrows
The Morville Hours by Katherine Swift
Waterlog by Roger Deakin

Fiction
Salvation by Sholem Asch
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry
The Party by Rudolph Von Abele
The Egyptian by Mika Waltari
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

Young Adult
Genesis by Bernard Beckett
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

A note about my memorable reads: I am not a book critic. My memorable reads list is just that: books that are memorable to me - that for some reason or other resonate with me. I do not review books as many people here do for the simple reason that I am a terrible book reviewer!

OMG I think I'm the first one!

second ;-)

Good news re: job, Stasia! *cheers*

Congrats, good luck and much success on your new job Stasia. My, it did not take you very long at all to find new employment, maybe you used us LTer's as references ; )

Wishing you all the best on your first day at work. Your new boss is so lucky to have you! :)
--BJ

Congratulations and good luck for tomorrow.

Stasia- Hope the new job goes well!!

Congrats on starting a new job. And from the book point of view, I've added Biblioholism to my wishlist.

Hi Stasia-- My 1st time posting on your thread. I'm glad to hear you have a new job!! Being unemployed is really not fun!! Good Luck!!

Best wishes to you, Stasia, on your new job! I hope you enjoy what you do!

Congrats and good luck with the new job.

Starring you yet again - and a big congrats on the new job.

I really enjoyed the Barbery and the Murakami books you just read, but have not read any of the others.

Thanks Richard, Lynda, BJ, Luci, Mark, Kerry, Tammy, Joanne, Landshark, and Karen!

#13: Karen, I am glad you enjoyed the Barbery and Murakami books. Have you read any others of Murakami's?

Starred! Oops! I forgot I wasn't supposed to star your threads... :)

#15: I guess I can forgive you this one time, Madeline :)

hope the first day went well :)

I do not go into work until 10pm my time on Thursday, Jess, but I appreciate the thought :)

Hi Stasia - just to reiterate all the congratulations on your new job - and I hope your first day goes well!

Thanks, Fliss!

Congrats with the new job:)

Thanks, Apolline!

Same again from me! Hope it goes/has gone wonderfully well and that you settle right in, x

Congratulations on the new job. It sounds like you don't have to adapt your sleeping hours either. :)

Dear Friend

I admire you. The stress of losing a job and finding another is very difficult. It is very stressful to search, apply, interview, hoping to be selected, and then to start a new job all over again...

Hugs and good wishes.

Thanks, Linda. I am home from my first night at the new job. Everything went well - dead boring as a matter of fact.

"Dead boring" on the first day of a new job. Well...boring isn't good...but I can think of worse things...so I'd be happy with a boring first day! :) Yay for you!

Am I still not allowed to post on your threads?

"Dead boring"? But doesn't that mean time to read? Sounds perfectly lovely!

Thread FIVE??? If the threads for today were to end right after me, I calculate that at the rate of 275 messages per thread this one should be old news in another 9 days or so - or around February 28th. Sheeesh! Oh yes - congrats on the new job. Didn't know you'd lost the old one. Must have missed that somehow or other. Perhaps it is in the last "old" thread that has 49 unread messages on it. I was just waxing nostalgic today, remembering how swell it was just about a year ago when I got called back to my old job. Nothing better than knowing you are wanted somewhere.

#27: Thanks, Angela.

#28: I guess you may begin posting again, Jenny - but behave yourself :)

#29: Yes, it did. I finished 2 books and started a third.

#30: Thanks, Charlotte. I am glad you finally caught up to me. Now that I am working again, I am hoping I can finish up February without another thread!

But............but..........but...................

It's impossible for me to behave myself!

>31 alcottacre: I snorted ginger beer through my nose at your injunction to "behave" aimed at Jenny. It wasn't a lot of fun. Ginger beer is *spicy* and it hurts when emitted from places that have tender skin. Keep this in mind when being silly and asking the Perniciously Young Set to...a-hahaha...behave.

#33: You have a point, Richard. On the other hand, I am 47 and still do not know how to behave.

Stasia

Next month you will be 48 and perhaps then you can learn how to behave.

Nope, not even then. I am aspiring to be Grandma Mazur when I get older and heaven knows she has never grown up!

This week's reads:

77. A Season for the Dead by David Hewson - the first book of a mystery series set in Rome and a pretty good start to the series - definitely more Donna Leon than Dan Brown, IMHO; recommended

78. Stones Into Schools by Greg Mortenson - nonfiction; Having loved Three Cups of Tea when I read it a couple of years ago, I was anxious to read this one and it was definitely worth the wait, although I must comment on some atrocious editing throughout the book (captions and text not agreeing, misspellings, that kind of thing); highly recommended

79. Small Wonder: Essays by Barbara Kingsolver - nonfiction; thanks Amy (porchreader) for the recommendation of this one, a book of Kingsolver's essays, mainly on (but not limited to) ecological and conservation issues; highly recommended

80. Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ronald J. Sider - nonfiction; Sider's statistics are way out of date, but I suspect they are still in-line with the situation today unfortunately; "But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brothers in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" What do the words mean for Western Christians who demand increasing affluence every year while Christians in the Third World suffer malnutrition, deformed brains and bodies - even starvation?; highly recommended, despite the out of date statistics

81. Curious Myths of the Middle Ages by Sabine Baring-Gould - nonfiction; more legend than myth, IMHO, and legends that Baring-Gould seemed to take pleasure in 'myth-busting'; a bit dry and verbose by turns, but still an interesting read, especially for the legends of which I had never heard (Cornish men have tails? Who would have guessed!); guardedly recommended

82. Peking Picnic by Ann Bridge - this was my Writer's Choice selection for the week, a book that was already in the BlackHole after Cushla's recommendation last year; it is the story of Laura Leroy, a woman trapped in 2 worlds: that of Britain, where her children are in school and of China, where she serves as hostess for her diplomatic corps husband; My review can be found here; recommended

83. Astrid and Veronika by Linda Olsson - a quiet book, the story of 2 very different women's friendship and the forces that shaped their lives; recommended

84. The Egyptian by Mika Waltari - a huge "thank you" to deebee, who 'gave' me this book last year as a 'virtual' Christmas present; I absolutely loved it - I was drawn into Ancient Egypt from page 1 until the end at page 503; highly recommended, and on my memorable reads list for the year

85. Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill - nonfiction; TIOLI challenge; I wanted to like this book more than I ended up liking it for some reason, and I am not sure why; Hill expanded the BlackHole some more with books she recommends; I enjoyed the picture in my mind of her wandering through her house picking up books and the anecdotes she shares about the book and/or the author, so no idea why I did not like the book more; guardedly recommended

Sounds like you had a good reading week. I have added all those except Curious Myths (I'll pass on the dry one) to the wishlist although I need to read Three Cups of Tea first.

All of them, but one? Wow! I hope you enjoy the books, Heather.

oooo Stasia, you're gonna make me cave and finally become a lifetime member on LT. It would be so much easier to just click to wishlist rather than write down 6, hear that six!, of this weeks reads plus the precursor to Stones into Schools. Off to locate credit card

#40: You are not a lifetime member yet, Lynda? What are you waiting for! lol

Six this week, huh? Makes up for those weeks where I did not get you with anything.

Stasia- Of course, Stones into Schools is all-ready high on my list, after recently completing Three Cups and The Egyptian sounds very good! Have a great Sunday!

#42: You too, Mark!

The Egyptian is already on the wishlist, but I have added A Season for the Dead and Astrid and Veronika. I might yet add Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger as well.

#44: I am glad you found something you liked in this week's list, Caty.

I had never heard of Greg Mortenson before, but after so many comments about them, I have added Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools to my list - my first ones from LT, thanks!

#46: You are quite welcome, Janet. I hope you like the books.

It looks like it was a pretty rewarding week! I'm pulling several from your list.

Cool beans, Luxx. I hope you like them.

ahhh that's better! Nice list for this week :)

Glad you found me over here, Kath.

Appreciate the Heads up on the Susan Hill... I have been eyeing that one ....

Glad you enjoyed Astrid and Veronika. One really great thing about your black hole is that you eventually do get to quite a number of the books you fling in there ... great going, Stasia! I'm adding The Egyptian to my list. Thank you.

You hada great reading week! I'm templed to add so many, but for now, I'm adding The Egyptian by Mika Waltari

>37 alcottacre:: The Egyptian would be a good candidate for a challenge read: Book That Were Insanely Popular and Have Now Vanished Into Oblivion. Back when I read it, it seemed liked you found a copy in every second hand store. Now, I never see it.

I picked up his The Roman back then and it's been sitting on a shelf ever since. I ought to dig it out and give it a try.

Stasia, I added Astrid and Veronika and A Season for the Dead. They both sounded very intersting to me. I have so many on my wishlist now I don't think I will ever get to them haha. Hope the new job is going well for you. :)

I've had Astrid and Veronika sitting on a shelf for a long time. My wife read it and liked it. Somehow, it's never the one I reach for when selecting a next book.

I read The Egyptian years ago. Thank you for reminding me about it. There was also a very bad movie made based on the book- i think that it starred Victor Mature. I remember seeing it on television.

Well, after several weeks of dodging the bullet, you finally got me this time. I've added only 2 books SO FAR, but might have to cave in and add a couple more. Hope you're happy!

You had a great week of reading Stasia and I'm adding the Barbara Kingsolver book to the pile.

I want to read the Mortenson book, having read the first earlier this year, and I still want to try Howard's End is on the Landing because the premise is so interesting. I didn't get any sense of what The Egyptian is like from your brief comments--is it fiction? I guess I could go look at the book page, couldn't I.

I'm sulking. And ignoring you. In equal measure.

Just wanted to make that clear :)

I've added The Egyptian to my TBRsoon list; I'm sure it's another of the terrific reads brought my way by your recommendations! Thanks!

Karen O.

Now that is one enticing reading list for the week. Woe is me. I only have Stones Into Schools in my teetering TBR tower and Howard's End on my wishlist. I'm now going to have to add Peking Picnic, A Season for the Dead, Small Wonder, The Egyptian and Astrid and Veronica onto my morbidly obese wishlist.

Thanks for my welcome home present ...... arrrghh. :-O

Finally caught up with your threads!

Stones into Schools is already in my house waiting its turn and The Egyptian is on my wishlist. I've added A Season for the Dead by David Hewson to my wish list--I really seem to be in a mystery mode this year!

#53: Regarding my BlackHole - you should have seen my musing in the middle of the night on my wiki as to whether or not I should keep it up! Anyway, I hope you enjoy The Egyptian.

#54: I hope you like it, Linda! Thanks for stopping by.

#55: Having enjoyed The Egyptian so much, I will have to give The Roman a try. It looks as though my local library has it. Thanks for the recommendation, Tad.

#56: Monica, thanks for the good wishes on the new job. I hope you enjoy the two books from this week that you chose - if you ever get to them!

#57: Well, Tad, next time you reach for a book, reach for that one :)

#58: I will have to add the movie to the Common Knowledge page. Thanks for the info, Cyrel. (I went to add it and the info was already there.)

#59: This is me!



Glad I finally caught you!

#60: Hey, Bonnie! I hope you enjoy it. I am picking up another book of her essays this week at the library.

#61: Yes, The Egyptian is very good historical fiction, Roni.

#62: Well, thanks for coming by and sulking on my thread, Jenny! (Why are you sulking anyway? - oops, I forgot you are ignoring me, too.)

#63: Enjoy, Karen!

#64: Welcome home, Caroline! I am sure you will get to the books eventually.

#65: I look forward to seeing what you think of A Season for the Dead, Carolyn. I have already gotten the next 2 in the series through PBS. Good job on catching up with the thread, too. I hope you took a nap afterwards!

*eeek* It's Sunday!! RUN!

Nice reading, Stasia. I will look for A Season for the Dead and The Egyptian (I almost read that book last year). :)

Re: Stones Into Schools: I can overlook misspellings; it was the poor writing by Mortenson's co-author that turned me off in Three Cups of Tea, although I finished it because of the story itself. I'm looking forward to reading more of Mortenson's own passionate voice this time.

I liked Three Cups of Tea and Stones Into Schools is in my TBR pile - getting nearer to the top. I am adding The Egyptian. It sounds intriguing. I love good historical fiction.
I've seen three lukewarm reviews now for Howard's End is on the Landing and I think I will spare my TBR pile for today.

#64 - Love the "morbidly obese" TBR pile. A perfect description. No diets here.

#69

Cos you got me this week. It shouldn't be allowed. I shall continue to sulk for the rest of the week, or until you redeem yourself in my eyes.

What a good week of reading you've had! Thank you for reminding me that I have Small Wonder lanquishing on my iPod. I need to get back to her!

#74: I will be interested in seeing what you think of all 3 books once you get a chance to read them, Jennifer!

#75: I will try extremely hard not to get you next week, OK, Jenny?

#76: Yes, do get back to Kingsolver, Joanne! The book is good.

#66 Regarding my BlackHole - you should have seen my musing in the middle of the night on my wiki as to whether or not I should keep it up!

Reading this reminded me to check out your wiki page again and (after I'd figured out how to find it) I wanted to say don't feel subdued! In a way I would feel quite lost if I ran out of books I one day want to read. One of my favourite authors has said (badly paraphrased because I have no idea which book this quote is in) that he firmly believes that in heaven there will be a garden where you can sit and just read. And there we will be able to read all the great books we never had time for here.

Hope your subduedness ended - hugs!

#78: I still have not figured out how to get to my wiki other than through my original message :)

Yes, the subduedness is over and the BlackHole still lives!

BTW - if there are not books in heaven, I will be firmly convinced I am in the other place.

> 79 I love your books in heaven quote. For me, books and pets. If those things aren't there, I ain't goin'.

When I finally created my wiki page I put a link to it on my profile because, like you, I can't find another way to consistently find it.

I like your reading goals/diary on your wiki. Yes, the BlackHole TBR overwhelms at times, but then other days it provides direction and inspiration. I'm glad you kept it.

#81: Good idea, Laura. I keep all the thread links on my profile page, so it makes sense to keep my wiki link there too.

Thanks for the compliment about the reading goals. If I do not keep up with the books, they tend to overwhelm me, so I have been setting reading goals every day for years now. The wiki just gives me a place to keep them, lol.

*saunters through, waving to all and not risking adding books by looking at any blue text*

Can I take my knitting needles to heaven too?

#83: You and Richard are ruining all the fun on my thread, Kath :)

#84: As long as you promise not to poke me with them, Jennifer!

only one book to add not painful at all!

I think we as in every reader must pact that if there are no books heaven we will chain ourself to the pearly gates and demarnd books many many books!

Wow! What a good reading week, Stasia. I'm definitely adding The Egyptian to my TBR.

I gave Stones into Schools to my dad for Christmas, and he just finished it. Once my mom has had a chance to read it, I'm next on the list!

And I'm so glad you liked Small Wonder. Kingsolver is one of those writers who can write anything - fiction, nonfiction, essays - in my opinion!

#86: I think we as in every reader must pact that if there are no books heaven we will chain ourself to the pearly gates and demand books many many books!

I agree, Bryony.

#87: I hope you enjoy The Egyptian, Amy. I agree with you about Kingsolver. I am picking up another book of her essays, High Tide in Tucson, at the library tomorrow. Have you read that one?

Heaven couldn't possibly be heaven without books (or dogs or cats or horses or a sandy ocean beach, to name a few) therefore it wouldn't be heaven unless they were there....just sayin'.

Of course my heaven would not be everybody's idea of heaven.

#89: I want a lovely English garden too, myself. Perhaps God configures everyone's heaven according to their own loves. That would be kind of cool, now that I think about it. An English garden with an English-style library (you know the kind I mean - tons of bookshelves, fire going in the fireplace, deep chairs next to said fireplace . . .)

Hmm, winter heaven!

tried to post a message on your profile page--but it didn't seem to work. I'll try again before I shut down.

In case it still doesn't work--I read 9 chapters today.

Looking at your list of books read, I agree about the Olsson book. Alot of readers really loved this book, but I was quite lukewarm about it.

Too bad you didn't like the Hill book more - I have that one waiting as I really enjoyed her fiction in the past. I will still give it a go.

I have read several Murakami books, all quite different, but I cannot even recall the titles any more!

#92: Thanks for the update, Carolyn. I will catch up to you. I need a bit of a breather though. I just finished Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov and must say it is one of the weirder books I have ever read.

#93: Karen, you may enjoy the Hill book more than I did. Plenty of people do! I have never read any of her fiction, but I do have the first book in her Simon Serallier series on tap to read this year.

Wow you had a great week of reading - and congratulations on the new job. I'm going to look for A Season for the Dead.

I read Peking Picnic last year and enjoyed it, but didn't adore it. I liked it enough to look for her other books, though.

Do you think Stones into Schools would be good to read without Three Cups of Tea first? I've seen both here. Ugh, I hate bad editing though... what are they getting paid for if not to fix up problems like the ones you mentioned?!

Cushla, I did not adore Peking Picnic either, but thought it was pretty good. I will probably look for more of Bridge's books, too.

I see no reason why you could not read Stones into Schools without having read Three Cups of Tea. The book stands on its own fairly well - he does give a bit of the backstory on how he got started, although obviously not as detailed as in the first book.

Thanks for the congratulations on the job!

#79 I still have not figured out how to get to my wiki other than through my original message

If you click on the WikiThing link at the bottom of the LibraryThing page this will take you to the WikiThing homepage. Then in the left hand menu under 'Toolbox' there should be a link called 'Your WikiThing page'. Still not very fast though..

#90 I think I want exactly the same, with the addition of a wooden shelf ladder on wheels in my library and some dogs curled up in front of the fire. And an endless pot of fresh tea and some chocolate (sorry Stasia).

#97: Tea for me, yes. Chocolate most definitely, no.

Thanks for the info on how to get to my WikiThing faster, Heather. It beats having to go to my profile page all the time.

#90 - regarding the lovely English garden - could we get a lovely English gardner to go with that? Don't have the patience myself to make that puppy happen. Also don't have the sun in my yard to make it happen, but I figure the lovely English gardner will know how to deal with that.

I'll be interested in your take on Pale Fire as I am working my way through Nabokov this year and that one is on my shelf along with Speak, Memory and Ada or Ardor. Last year I read Lolita (wonderful) and Pnin (delightful) so "weird' doesn't really fit.

#99: Well, since it is our idea of heaven, I see no reason that the English gardener could not be included, Charlotte!

#100: My take on Pale Fire - it is one of the weirdest things I have ever read and I think in the hands of someone other than Nabokov, it would not work. I have no idea how familiar you are with PF Bonnie, so forgive me if I am telling you things you already know: Pale Fire is a poem, written in 4 cantos, that is analyzed by the author's friend. The analysis is something else, to say the least. I do not want to tell you too much for fear of spoiling it for you, but that is the gist of it.

Pale Fire is the only Nabakov that I have read and I also thought it weird. Interesting, though.
--BJ

Sorry, don't mean to ruin your fun, but i have to ignore the blue just to visit..
for now...........

Stasia
Congratulations on your hot review listed on today's home page!

#103: I understand, Kath. I am glad you take time to drop by.

#104: Thanks, Linda!

Oh! Ann Bridge and Mika Waltari! I think I'm 15 again. My mother made me read The Egyptian Waltari in 1973, saying I could have a $5 credit at the used bookstore if I didn't like it. I lost. But I liked it a lot!

And Ann Bridge's Illyrian Spring was my first of her books. I was completely transported. I wonder if I'd love them as much today.

And also, if anyone's so inclined, there is a group read of Mrs. Dalloway formed, to start on or about 2/28, over here.

No firm schedules or such, since it's a very short book; just a place with some questions, some nice people (clearly they're all new to LT), and a chance to discuss a fascinating book with interested parties.

Come one, come all! I know Stasia won't...she hates every book I love, just to be contrary....

#106: Stasia has already read Mrs. Dalloway and does not hate it, contrary to Richard's contrariness.

>107 alcottacre: I just bet! Ha! Prove it...join the group read.

Double dog dare ya!

#108: Do you have any idea how many group reads I am already doing, Richard? If I can lay my hands on the book, I will consider it, depending on how many library books I must have due back.

So there!

>109 alcottacre: *snort* I'd feel sorry for you if I didn't have evidence that you can read six books simultaneously, using your supernatural powers to absorb the meaning and the message of each one whole and entire in sixty seconds or less.

Can't fool me...I seen yer readin' list....

#110: What reading list? I know nothing about any reading list. I have no supernatural powers (wish I did!)

>111 alcottacre: Mmm-hmmm...whaddaya call them things you publish on Sundays? Atomic formulae? And as for the "no superpowers" thing...I laugh. Heartily. The evidence doesn't support this denial.

#112: Oh. I do not think of it as a reading list. I still deny the superpowers thing, though, unless it is the ability to get by on very little sleep. Like say, the 2 hours I got last night, lol. (I will pay for it later though.)

>113 alcottacre: Y'know what they say..."Denial" isn't just a river in Egypt....

#114: You can just call me 'Super Sponge' then. That is the way I think of myself - as a sponge, I mean.

Just finished Never Let Me Go. Going to let it simmer for awhile. I found it hard to put down, hard to read, beautiful writing. OK - back to simmering.

#116: Never Let Me Go was the first (and to date, only) Ishiguro I have read. You are right - it does need simmering.

#117 Never Let Me Go was my first (and to date, only) Ishiguro I have read, also. I am currently working on his collection of short stories Nocturnes, and unfortunately, at least as far as the first two stories in the collection are concerned, it is not living up to the expectations set forth with Never Let Me Go.

#118: Sorry to hear that about Nocturnes, David. I have The Remains of the Day set aside to read later this year. I know I will not be disappointed in it.

#118 Nocturnes is sitting in my pile of library books. Hmmm. Curious why they disappoint?

Stasia, The Remains of the Day will definitely not disappoint. I loved the movie too, which is not generally the case with books I love. Usually the movie greatly disappoints.

#120: I have seen the movie although it has been a number of years. I may revisit it after I read the book.

Ishiguro's gift, it seems to me, is for noveling. His short stories are...hmmm...foreshortened, somehow, things that need tricks of perspective to appear whole.

I feel the same way about Eudora Welty's novels. Just not that good. Her stories, now, they gleam and glow like finely polished sterling. Some writers are equally facile in both mediums. A.S. Byatt springs to mind. Most, it seems to me, are one-or-the-other creators.

What about Annie Proulx? Shipping News is a great book, and her short stories are great, too.

Commenting on stuff way up the thread. I first saw the movie for The Egyptian and then read the book when I was a teenager. I thought the movie was excellent. Or, at least, good enought that I searched out the book. My parents had bought it when they were members of a book club before I was born or when I was a baby so it was actually sitting on a shelf at home when I went looking.

For some reason, I have The Roman and The Etruscan in my LibraryThing but not The Egyptian. I'll have to look for it when I next go home. My brother still lives in the house my parents built in 1950 (and he doesn't throw anything away).

>123 JanetinLondon: EXCELLENT example, Janet, and Proulx's short fiction is life-changingly good. I think immediately of Brokeback Mountain, which made me, in its short-story form, cry...the movie too.

>124 kmartin802: Kmartin, I loved The Etruscan Waltari! It was the first time I'd ever realized that "Tuscan" and "Tuscany" came from "Etruscan." Take THAT, you mean ol' Romans! The Tuscans were there before you yah boo!!

OK, I just checked out your wiki reading listy thing, and I have to say I'm with Ricardo on this one - you must be a supernatural creature. Not a human bean at all. How on earth do you manage to read so much and fit in, y'know, moving around and eating and breathing and stuff round the edges? Even WITH the insomnia?

I am actually genuinely curious (unless it's a national secret and if you told me you'd have to kill me!) - I can read flat out on a day off, through mealtimes as well, and not read that much! Very impressive...

*stretches and wanders off round the empty shop, wondering if this relentless rain might ease up so no one else tramps muddy prints across the floor*

>126 elliepotten: I believe the words on the page enter Stasia through osmosis, as in a continual non-stop stream, enabling her to absorb an unbelievably, embarrassingly enormous number of books on a daily basis. What else could account for it?

Okay, sorry Stasia, but I'm skipping over a boatload of good stuff and just picking up with you again here. :) Bless you and happy reading!

I believe I have a copy of Never Let Me Go.. have to check that out..

*waves*

I just got Biblioholism in the mail today. Doing a little happy dance. I've already peeked at the test. I can answer "no" to a few so far. For example: I've never told my husband I was in a bar rather than tell him I was in the book store again. However, we have definitely had "discussions" about book buying habits. They usually begin with "do you know how much money you spent at (fill in Amazon.com, Powells.com, Tattered Cover) this month?"
Can't wait to read it.

**stops, looks around, scurries off to get Biblioholism from fill in Amazon.com, Powells.com, Tattered Cover) **

Ha Ha nitnut and brenzi you are in for a treat. I did end up admitting I'm a biblioholic but I'm not at all ready to do anything about it.

I'm currently reading Never Let Me Go..You all (or youll in Texas talk) are right...it is a great book.

#126: Boy, Ellie, not really sure how to answer that one. I just have been reading this way for such a long time now that it is second nature for me.

#127: Uh, Bonnie, you have way over the top view of my capabilities. Come back to earth, dear.

#128: Hey, Susan! Glad to see you stopping in. Do not worry about trying to catch up - that could be a full-time job.

#129: Kath, maybe some Ishiguro will get you out of the reading funk. Here's hoping!

#130: Have a wonderful time with the book, Jennifer. I think you will love it!

#131: Go get it, Bonnie!

#132: I am not willing to do anything about it either, Deirdra. We biblioholics must stick together!!

#133: I hope you enjoy it, Linda. BTW - Stasia does not ever use "y'all" - she is from PA and proud of it :)

Quote for the day (a short one this time):

"I have long loved the written word, and come to see in it the power of the sleeping lion." - Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

Posted to the Kitchen too.

Re: Biblioholism Just went through the tests with the husband - he's laughing his head off. What do they mean by at least 6 books by the side of your bed? Six seems like a small number...and in the style of brenzi, scampering upstairs to count.

#137: Only 6 by the bed?! - my thoughts too. I must have 50!

maybe it means 6 books in each stack by the side of your bed -- but is there a limit on how many stacks (on the nightstand, by the nightstand, on the other nightstand, etc.)?

I have only one nightstand and it has about 50 books on it. Inside that nightstand, I have about 50 more, and on the floor beside the nightstand probably another 25. Nope, I do not have a problem :)

To those in the British Isles: Could someone explain to me what a 'lilo' is? Roger Deakins mentions the word several times in his book Waterlog and I have checked Merriam-Webster and it is not there. Any help would be appreciated!

Posted to the Kitchen too.

A lilo.

Now I'm curious as to what they're called in the US.

Thanks, Caty. I would call it a 'float' myself.

#140 - that's one impressive nightstand. :-)

I've taken control of my non-problem. I have sub-piles strategically placed around the home. The nightstand is only for books I'm currently reading. The main bookcase in the bedroom is the primary staging area for books-to-read asap, of which there are 4 piles (ARCs, History/Biography, True Crime/Trash, and work-related). A system of organization gives the illusion of being in control.

Okay, got done counting...seventy-one books by the bed. None on the (teensy) nightstand, just piled on the floor.

Oh wait...forgot the *other* side of the bed...hang on....

That would be thirty-seven, making...108!

I'm with Richard. I kind of thought books were supposed to be the nightstand!

Well, I have 60 - next to my bed. And I was thinking, that's not so bad compared to some...

But then there are 14 in the kitchen, 4 (of mine) on the stairs - I won't count how many the 11 yr. old has on the stairs but it's definitely more than your life is worth to attempt our stairs in the dark. 2 in my bathroom 17 in the sewing room downstairs (a whole series of books on a singe subject comes to mind). And I have 49 currently checked out from the library, residing under the table in the family room.

Wait a minute! Just counting these may reflect some kind of obsession.

I have no books at the nightstand...
I rarely read in bed because I sleep the moment I lay down in bed.
Only two piles:
- a pile with 3-4 public library books, to be read or to be returned
- a pile with books that are recently bought and will get their place between the others when I dust the bookcases

Now... will I be excommunicated from this group?

All I'm saying is, after reading about your book piles, I clearly need a bigger night stand! I can only fit about 15 books on mine before they topple over (*ahem* what I mean is, before the cat knocks the over), and hubby has his own pile on his side. I have to find other spaces in the house to stack my books most of the time...

#148: Not excommunicated, just required to provide therapy to the rest of us.

Notice I didn't even attempt to place a number on the various piles at my house ...

> 150
...sigh....

Well for a start: it helps to be a bit OCD and having a husband who loves books, but is servere allergic to dust mites....

>147 nittnut: Just counting these may reflect some kind of obsession

No, absolutely not, never.

I'm lucky. The bookshelves holding the tbr books I own (over 400) are against the wall parallel to my bed about 18 inches away. Even so, I sometimes end up with piles on the floor by the bed--I can always find something to read, the problem is deciding.

#153 We share a similar problem. I'm forever adding books to my Amazon wishlist, adding sample chapters and books to my Kindle and adding books to my home so there's never a lack of books. It's choosing which ones to read that's the challenge. Sometimes I go on topic binges: four or five books on a broad topic (like my current self-seminar on the 1930s and the Great Depression) and I always have a mystery or a true crime book in the rotation.

Then there are the books that simply must be reread. They sit on my bookshelves luring me like sirens.

Has anyone else here found themselves rereading a book multiple times? In more than one format?

I have read Little House On The Prairie, Gone With The Wind, some Stephen King over and over. Right now, I have so much to choose from I can't re-read. But I save books that were so good I can't part with them. I am also a big believer in sharing good books because I want other people to get the same buzz I do from good books. Then I go out and get more books! LOL.

"Then there are the books that simply must be reread. They sit on my bookshelves luring me like sirens. "

Oh my, yes. I know exactly what you mean.

Just off the top of my head - books I re-read regularly:
The Count of Monte Cristo
Angle of Repose
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Eyre
The Princess Bride

Authors I re-read often:
Pearl Buck I love her novels about China
Georgette Heyer kind of like comfort food, but books

I could go on and on, but it's not my thread. Anyway, the point is, YES!

There were books I used to read on an annual basis, but since LT and my discovering a ton of new books that demand my immediate attention, re-reads are pretty much a thing of the past for me. It does not mean that those books are going anywhere, however.

I must say that I have had a terrific reading week. I have added 3 books to my memorable reads list for the year, 2 of them being read back-to-back. My best reads for the week were of the 'quiet' variety - you know the kind I mean - the ones that take you inside yourself.

This week's reads:

86. Typhoid Mary by Judith Walzer Leavitt - nonfiction; I did one of the fancy reviews, since there were none already posted for the book, and it can be found here; recommended

87. Plant Dreaming Deep by May Sarton - nonfiction; the second of Sarton's journals, about her purchased of an old farmhouse in New Hampshire and how she comes to love both the place and its people; recommended

88. Izzy's Fire by Nancy Wright Beasley - nonfiction; this is nonfiction that reads like fiction because the story is just so amazing - a couple and their son hide in 'potato holes' along with 10 other people to escape from Nazi persecution in Lithuania; a big thanks to Missy for this one; recommended

89. The Morville Hours by Katherine Swift - nonfiction; Suzanne loaned me this book (LTs version of interlibrary loan according to her), which I had in the BlackHole since Tui read it last year - it was worth the wait!; part philosophy, almanac, gardening, all good; Highly recommended and on my memorable reads list for the year

90. Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov - this has got to be one of the weirdest books I have ever read, honestly, and I do not think anyone other than a writer of Nabokov's caliber could have pulled it off; an exposition by a not quite sane man of a nonexistent author's poem - the entire text of the poem is included (BTW - if you look on LT's 'announcement' section for today, you will find a direct quote from Pale Fire and it is the first statement in the book that really leads you to believe that something is amiss); recommended

91. The Magician's Guild by Trudi Canavan - enjoyable enough fantasy, although I thought the search for Sonea took a bit too long in the book; I did enjoy the growing trust between Sonea and Rothen - I will be reading the second book to see how that develops; guardedly recommended

92. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling - audiobook; my absolute favorite of the HP series; highly recommended

93. The Illustrious Dead by Stephan Talty - nonfiction; Talty's premise is that typhus did more to defeat Napoleon's army in Russia than any battle or weather ever did; I thought it an interesting book; recommended

94. Antiques Bizarre by Barbara Allan - this was my ER book from November that I finally received in January and if I had known it was going to be as bad as it was, they could have kept it; the book started off on the wrong foot with me on page 10, where a factual error that should have been caught in editing was missed and then the same error repeated some 5 pages later; anyhow, I did a proper review here; not recommended for anyone Mine

95. Collected Impressions by Elizabeth Bowen - nonfiction; this was my Writer's Choice book for the week and I really enjoyed it; the review is posted here; recommended

96. Waterlog by Roger Deakin - nonfiction; dcozy first mentioned this book on his thread last year and the clfisha reviewed it as well and I am so glad I finally took the time to read it (thanks to Madeline's TIOLI challenge); Claire did a terrific review here; Highly recommended and on my memorable reads list for the year Mine

97. Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill - A 2009 Canada Reads winner and I can see why - terrific historical fiction with a memorable lead character, this telling of a slave's story is just wonderfully done; Highly recommended and on my memorable reads list for the year

I just discovered I missed one!

98. (it should actually be 95, but oh well) Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve - young adult; I enjoyed this more than Carolyn and TadAD did; I liked the world building, I liked the two protagonists and watching the growth of that relationship; recommended and I will be continuing on with the series Mine

Wow, you've had a fantastic week and I've added 4 to my wishlist - 86,89,88,and 97. But not Antiques Bizarre!

#159: Cushla, the skip of Antiques Bizarre is a very wise move. I hope you enjoy the books that you did choose!

Hey Stasia, I've added Izzy's Fire to the wishlist, sounds like an amazing story. Also added The Morville Hours and Plant dreaming deep because just reading about gardens brings me closer to spring.

#161: I am glad you found something to like this week, Lynda!

For some reason I'm not really in the mood for much non-fiction reading lately so book bullets mostly dodged but Typhoid Mary sounds really interesting so that's one gone onto the wishlist.

You read 13 books this week!! I think that was my entire January reading...

#163: You read 13 books this week

I did not realize it until you said it. That's a pretty good reading week, right?

Morning Stasia- Another good reading week! Waterlog sounds very interesting and Someone Knows My Name is sitting patiently in my tbr! I plan on reading a Nabokov later this year, maybe this one?

Since my non-fiction stack is quite large already, I'm ignoring all of these! :-)

#165: Mark, I do not think Pale Fire is where I would start with Nabokov. I would start with his first book The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, to kind of get a feel for his writing, or his autobiography Speak Memory, which is absolutely terrific.

#166: Thanks for dropping by anyway, Tad. Sorry I could not tempt you with anything this week.

Oh, you tempted me. Plant Dreaming Deep and Someone Knows My Name should both go on my list. But I have to whack down this pile I have somehow!

#168: Why? You know it is just going to grow again any way.

*sigh*

#170: You are sighing at a person who has a BlackHole for a TBR list?!

#158 - Concerning Plant Dreaming Deep - I'm glad the you enjoyed this latest journal, Stasia. A little history on the house in Nelson, NH - while in her final years, Sarton lived in York, ME, she always felt attached to Nelson, NH, and decided to be buried there, and once said something along the lines that only those who really cared would make the journey to Nelson for her memorial. I went to the memorial there in 1995. I frequently visit my sister out in Maine, and on occasion she will drive me over to Nelson so that I can pay my respects. It's a quaint adorable little village, and I can understand why she love it there.

#172: The way that she writes about Nelson in Plant Dreaming Deep her love of the place really comes through. I wish I got up that way so I could see it in person. You are very lucky, David.

I already have Pale Fire, I think, and Someone Knows My Name. Typhoid Mary is interesting, so I'll add it ti my wish list.

Hi stasia -- You are so kind to stop by, so I am returning the favor. I have to have bookshelves by the bed..... I try to organize them by a few categories (fiction, non-fiction, fantasy/sf and rereads....) I try not to let things expand out of the space I have.... and yet and yet there is a paper bag full of books at the moment..... Howdit get there???? Hmmmm that bag appeared shortly after I joined LT..... must have been one of those free 'gifts' for joining. Can't say you didn't warn me!

I too re-read. Not as much since LT, since I am always adding more books..This is partly Stasia's fault.......but there are books I have read a dozen times or so...

I am skipping the latest again Stasia.. I have too many already on the list to dare to look today.. forgive?

I just orderd Small Island

I placed Typhoid Mary on my wish list. Considering adding Izzy's Fire and The Illustrious Dead to the wish list as well.

I'm safe this week Stasia. Pale Fire is on my shelf and I hope to get to it soon because you really have me interested now. Speak, Memory is winging its way to me right now so I'll get to that pretty soon too. Someone Knows My Name is already on my pile but you have managed to make me wish I could get to it immediately.

>165 msf59: Mark, I started my Nabokov reading with Pnin wich was a light, delightful read.

>>142 Eat_Read_Knit:/143 In Pittsburgh, we'd call the lilo/float a raft.

I'm delighted to see folks reading and liking May Sarton. I adore her and would love to visit Nelson one day. I particularly love the journals, but The Education of Harriet Hatfield is lovely as well if you haven't tried her fiction. I have As We Are Now, but I keep putting it off because I know it will be too sad.

Stasia

What a great reading week. Many are already on the tbr pile, but I'm going to add some that are not already there.

As always, I'm impressed.. very impressed!

Mortal Engines sounds decent, I'll give that one a go! Too bad about Antiques Bizarre though... yikes... at least you didn't spend any of your own cash on it, so that's a relief. But what a disappointment when a free book isn't worth the excitement and energy invested!

So clearly the new job does not seem to be hampering your reading volume... here I was traipsing through the labyrinth of posts on your ever popular thread and I find I am unable to leave without adding The Illustrious Dead, Someone Knows My Name, and Plant Dreaming Deep to my wish list.

*sigh... needs to speak with Stasia's boss to up her workload!*

Stasia & Bonnie- I failed to mention that I have read Lolita and loved it but maybe Pnin might be a better choice for a second read! Thanks!

Good reads this week! Typhoid Mary goes on the list...

Grrrr...your nonfiction recs are my weakness. I'm adding Typhoid Mary, who got a brief mention in The Deadly Dinner Party which I just read. I had planned on looking for more info on her. I'm also interested in The Illustrious Dead and Izzy's Fire.

I was going to wiz to the bottem and just say hi passing though bye bye blue... but then I saw the magic word HARRY POTTER and had to stop and read POA IS the best potter part of the reasion I on my 5th copy! Go to see you have started the Magians Guild the books do get better just keep reading!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is also my favourite HP book.
I'm a fan of the Mortal Engines books, I really loved the chaotic world Reeve created, and those hungry traction cities are just food for the imagination. He also illustrated many of the books in the Horrible Histories series.

Not adding anything this week, but have already added two that you recommended on my thread.

Hi!

That is richard for you, monopolizing the discussion as always...

I'm adding Typhoid Mary to the list.

Funny, I was sure I saw a book about her (don't recall which one) at our public library, but I can't find it in the catalog anywhere. Maybe it was an ILL passing through. . .

Crikey. I can't believe how many unread messages there are on here for only 10 days since I last browsed through. Eek!!!

>78 souloftherose: re. Stones into Schools, I'm so sorry to hear about the editing issues - that sort of thing can really ruin a book for me. Hoping the UK ed for Penguin has been re-edited (but this is probably a long shot).

I'd say a lilo was an "airbed". Although it tends to be one that's used in a pool, it's true.

I have a copy of Pale Fire and it sounds right up my street. I love books like that. Thanks.

Thought I would get out of here without adding anything but Typhoid Mary snuck onto my list!

#187 Ditto on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban it's my favorite of the series and the one I've reread the most. If you ever need a detailed compare and contrast between the US and UK audiobook versions, I'm your girl.

Other frequent rereads:
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Jane Eyre by Charlottle Bronte
Very Much a Lady by Shana Alexander
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carre

Typhoid Mary just joined my TBR mountain too.

#174: Darryl, Typhoid Mary is less biography and medical history than it is social history, so I am not sure if that is what you are anticipating. Just to forewarn you. I do hope you read it so I can see your thoughts on it though as someone in the framework of the medical establishment.

#175: Thanks for stopping in, Lucy! If your TBR stacks manage to just stick by your bed and not invade the rest of your house, you are doing better than I am!

#176: Kath, I would forgive you anything :)

#177: Do add them, Deirdra, although if you must choose between the two, I would take Izzy's Fire over The Illustrious Dead. BTW - I love the mask shown on your profile page. It is gorgeous!

#178: Sorry that I could not tempt you with anything new this week, Bonnie. Pnin is the next Nabokov for me in the upcoming weeks.

#179: Another Sarton fan! I am thoroughly enjoying the journals, but I will look for the fiction book you mentioned as well. Thanks for stopping in, Nancy.

#180: I love that graphic, Linda! Thanks for posting it. As always, glad you took time to stop by the Acre.

#181: Faith, I think you will like Mortal Engines. I hope you give it a try and let me know what you think. As far as Antiques Bizarre goes, at least I finished that one, which is more than I can say about my last ER book, and now that I have read it, I do not ever have to read it again.

#182: Caroline, my boss' phone number is 903-892-5959. His name is Jon. I will let him know to expect your call :) Glad you found something worthwhile on this week's list!

#183: The one Nabokov I will not be reading is Lolita. I do not care if it is considered to be his masterpiece. Honestly, Mark, I have not read one of his yet that I have been disappointed in (and I am up to 4 now) - the man's mastery of wordplay is just incredible. If you do not have his autobiography Speak, Memory on your list of his books to read, you need to add it.

#184: I hope you like it, Jim!

#185: Sherlyn, I will have to look for The Deadly Dinner Party now, you know that don't you? You should be ashamed of yourself!

#186: I am glad to know that The Magician's Guild books improve, Bryony. I picked up the second book the other day. Thanks for flying through!

#187: Kerry, I think the original recommendation for the Mortal Engines series came from you and I appreciate it. I have the rest of the series set aside to finish over the course of the year.

#188: *shaking head at Richard*

#189: Isn't that the truth?

#190: I hope you enjoy the book, Terri. Thanks for stopping in.

#191: Rachael! Lovely to see you here, my dear. I hope you enjoy Pale Fire and I look forward to your thoughts on it.

#192: Sorry about that! (ok, not really)

#193: I am glad to see that several other people think that POA is the best of the HP books and I am not alone. I love your list of frequent rereads, Maryann, although I am not a fan of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy myself. I have not heard of the Shana Alexander book, so I take a look and see if it piques my interest.

You got me with Typhoid Mary, and perhaps unintentionally with Speak, Memory. I have not read Nabokov, probably because of Lolita. I read Reading Lolita in Tehran - which was a great read - and I don't think I can read Lolita.

#185 - The Deadly Dinner Party is a great name for a book. I'm considering...

I finished Nocturnes, Strength In What Remains, Never Let Me Go and Juliet Naked this week and was feeling pretty good about it... ptooey.

My Dad had a book of Mary Sarton's poems--I haven't read any poetry yet this year so I think I will take it home with me to read in March.

POA is also my favorite but when I reread I always have to do the entire series--it's like one very long book for me. On my current reread POA is next and I'm looking forward to it.

#200: I am with you on Lolita, Jennifer. I am not even going to attempt it, even though I know it is supposed to be Nabokov's masterpiece. I have enjoyed all of the others of his I have read though.

What is the 'ptooey' for exactly? Looks like you had a very good reading week to me!

#201: You will have to let me know how Sarton's poetry is, Carolyn. Unfortunately, I am not a big lover of poetry, probably because I wrote so many bad poems myself when I was younger, lol.

I am re-reading the HP series, too, and in order. Book 4 is up next for me although it will be at least 6 weeks or so before I get to it.

Oh just a little ptooey for people who (most likely) don't have 3 yr olds pulling on their books and saying "no read that mommy, no - play Mighty Knights with me." It really was a good week for me.

#204: Nope, it has been a while since I had 3 year olds, you are right :) Still, I would take playing with my daughters over reading any day of the week, so enjoy it while you can!

#179 - All this talk of May Sarton's work almost makes me want to set aside everything that I'm reading and just work my way through her library. The Education of Harriet Hatfield really is quite charming, and I agree that As We Are Now can be sad, but I see it as the enduring strength of the human spirit against obsticals that may seem overpowering.

Adding As We Are Now to the BlackHole now, too.

#185, 197, I bought The Deadly Dinner Party after reading a great review of it; it sounds like it's a modern version of the wonderful Berton Roueche books that my mother and I read many years ago.

#208: The Berton Roueche books look like ones I would like as well. I will have to see if I can track some of them down.

They are probably out of print, but the collections I remember from the 60s are Eleven Blue Men, The Incurable Wound, and A Man Named Hoffman. Much of Roueche's work appeared originally in "The New Yorker." I think you would enjoy them, Stasia.

#210: I looked at the list of titles and they pretty much all appealed to me, so I will check ABE and some other sources to see if I can find them. I appreciate you pointing me in Roueche's direction, Rebecca.

I'm glad you liked Someone Knows My Name I thought it was an amazing book. It was published outside of the U.S. as The Book of Negroes but U.S. publishers were fearful that it would be too controversial.
The Nova Scotia Archives has a digital copy of the British Book of Negroes (the original, not the fictional):
http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/africanns/BN.asp

#212: Yeah, I saw Hill's resources listed in the back of the book. I thought it was very interesting.

Haven't read Pale Fire in years...not since my big Nabokov kick...and i think Nabokov weird/even mediocre...trumps most folks, hands down.....in my opinion..

I'm almost finished with Girl With the Dragon Tattoo....finally. The slowness was mine, not the story's...Will be a tough bird to follow. have you read any of Carol O"Connell's MALLORY books...I am acquiring them slowly..haven't read 'em for a long while...but i was terribly fond of that Wild Child..

oh well, just stopped by to check out the "...acre"

;-}

#214: Thanks for stopping by, Jude. You are always welcome here.

I have read several of O'Connell's Mallory books and own quite a few of them, but have never made it all the way through the series.

Are you going to read the other two books in the Millennium trilogy?

I completely agree with you about Nabokov!

> 197, 208 The wonderful review of The Deadly Dinner Party wouldn't have been mine, because I was a little disappointed with it. It was more medical case study and less exciting mystery than I was expecting. The stuff about Typhoid Mary was interesting though.

Drat! Ptui! Heck and darn!

I *almost* made it out of this Sink of Sin without a new wishlist item...then all y'all acolytes of awful temptation, book brigade, threw StasiaSatanne's Typhoid Mary at me! I *cannot* resist books about disease and its social effects. Powerless. Weak-kneed. Noodle-like.

#217: Got ya!

I own the other two Larsson/MILLENIUM books..one on my Kindle and the most recent i found as a used Import..and yes, I will read them..but one-after-the-other??? Oh Overload!!! I'll cut myself a wee break.

I got the Mallory books..because i had a lot of Book Mooch points that were burning the proverbial Hole...otherwise i was going to wait (yeah sure, if you believe that!)

I'm going to have to stop by here more often, if only to hear Richard whine...about the riches you offer. I think I'll bring some cheese the next time!!! Anywho, you do good, girl....Keep it up.

;-}

Oh, Richard..if you like *disease* books (diseased books?) try Flu:The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus that Caused It by Gina Kolata........of the many FLU books out there this is the one i read...and i bet you have read it too...oh well, i try.

#219: I cannot blame you for giving yourself a break in between the Millennium books. They are a lot to take in.

Yeah, I believe you about the Mallory books, uh huh.



Do stop in more often! It is nice to see you around the Acre.

#217 - Is ptui French for ptooey?

#219 - I loved that Flu book. It was fascinating. When I was taking genetics and ethics awhile ago I went through a bunch of Flu books. I thought it was one of the better ones.

I also really liked The Speckled Monster. The Amazon review is pretty good - http://www.amazon.com/Speckled-Monster-Historical-Battling-Smallpox/dp/052594736.... It's older, so perhaps many of you have read it.

#216, No, the review was in the New York Review of Books.

I would like to announce that my week's mission is to force you to start another thread. However, I am away from wednesday afternoon until saturday evening, and working up until that point so I think I have set myself an impossible challenge.

Impossibility also refers to my tbr shelves and my wishlist.

Perhaps I shall renounce my mission and go and eat welsh cakes instead. After all, it is St. David's Day and I was born in Wales.

Da boch chi

> 219 & 221 I have the Flu book on physical TBR, but haven't read it yet. Also, The Speckled Monster sounds like one to add to the pile as well.

I'm #12 on the list at my local library for the Typhoid Mary book. It must be a very popular one!

*la li la li laaa*

*skipping through Stasia's Sink of Sin, not reading all the pretty blue words lest he utter ugly blue words in frustration*

Hmmm.... the Speckled Monster sounds interesting. I was tempted enough to check out the link and ...*sigh* I can't even blame Stasia for adding this to my wish list. drats!

#223: Good luck with that, Jenny! Go eat the cake instead.

#226: My thread is not a Sink of Sin - that would be your thread to me.

#227: Ha! I get out of one (finally!)

>221 nittnut:

i was going to add The Speckled Monster (which i might actually own...if I do it must be upstairs...) but all I could think was The Speckled Band..and that's Sherlock Holmes (the brain rattles at that faux pas)...Anyway..both it and Flu are on my To Be Acquired List (one bump above TBR, dontcha know).

>Hi Richard!

;-}

No welsh cakes for me, rubbish!

I'm so hungry right now and welsh cakes would be absolutely fabulous. Perhaps I should go and look up a recipe. But that would require getting up.

I'll just sit here and THINK about all the yummy food I could have if I got off my backside and did something about it. That's almost the same, right?

I would fill your thread with talk of books but I'm in a funk and don't even want to read anything, much less what I have on my shelves. I bet you never get that Stasia.

#231: I bet you never get that Stasia.

More often than I care to, but I do not have time for book funks - my reading schedule is pretty tight. I normally take 1 day a week where I do not schedule anything just to give myself a bit of a break, but I do not ever stay away from the books too long, perhaps 8-12 hours at a stretch.

Aaaallllllll the way back to #148 (!)--Anita, I love you! I was beginning to wonder about getting kicked out myself. I also have no books on my nightstand (okay, one, a meditation book). I just can't get comfortable reading in bed. However, outside of the bathrooms (don't want my books to accidentally get wet!), my bedroom is the only room in the house without at least one bookcase in it. I read in my living room recliner after I'm jammied up, with a big afghan, an end table with easily 50 books on it, a clock, a booklight (in case the light timer goes off before I'm ready!), a candle, and a coaster for my tea (or wine, or water, or cocoa or whatever). So I sort of have the concept of reading in bed, without really being in bed. Can I stay? Even though I'm not going to read Typhoid Mary because I saw a wonderful documentary on her on PBS once that I think covered just about everything?
Please?

Terri

I'm having a difficult time obtaining the book, but my local library has the PBS documentary dvd and I'm heading there after work. Thanks for noting this.

I am certainly not kicking anyone off my thread for not having books on their nightstand! Of course you may stay!!

BTW - It appears my estimate of 50 books on my nightstand was a trifle low: there are 46 just facing the bed. I did not bother counting the books double stacked behind. Yikes!

I'm now at the point where I am sneaking books into the house..Sunday afternoon I strolled around Barnes and Noble to discover two tables of sale books -- $1.00 or $2.00 each. Naturally, I could not resist. After paying for a bag full, I then wondered how I was going to go back on the promise to Will re. reading what I had and not added more................

I felt like an errant child.

I am not even going to talk about how bad I was in February, celebrating my new job by buying books :)

#236

Don't worry, I sneak books into my house as well.

>236 Whisper1: Yeah, I'm pretty tired of shipping my books to my work address.

It's wonderful to have no one to answer to except a 20-something son who wouldn't DARE say a word to me about my book purchases (Mr. $2000 Computer)!

#240: Lucky!

I used to have to sneak book's in too. Now that my hubby left I don't have to worry about it but I have to worry about money now.. Sigh......

Lol to so many people being sneaky!

If I want to get books into my vicinity or have a large number sent to me, I have them sent to my mum's, as she is as much of a bookaholic as me. As of tomorrow, for 3 days, the book buying ban is dropped and we are on a mission of second-hand book shops. Last year we did this and came back with about 100 books apiece, but we are setting more limits on our buying this year!

Still going to be a good few days though :)

I just cleaned up my room, and behind the nightstand I found 4 books, and in an innocent looking brown paper bag, another 7. I'm afraid to clean any further.

#244

Sounds fabulous, a room producing books out of thin air.

>244 nittnut: That's really a sign of stealth, when the books are in a plain brown wrapper. LOL.

#246

It's when they start to come disguised as other things that you need to worry. Bunches of flowers, bowls of fruit, new pair of shoes.....the list is endless and concerning!

I am another one who doesn't have to sneak books into the house...as I live alone and my cat can't read (yet). My problem is finding space for them once they are here. I have one bookcase to assemble....tomorrow....which will fill pretty quickly. But i have been weeding out a bit..old College textbooks that I'll never read again.....titles i'll never read again...But still....too many books (None by the bed..unless you count the bookcase next to it)

;-)

My husband's away this week .....la la la ... i get to bring books home boldly and not even have to bother trying to hide them under the groceries, in my laptop case or (once) in the dry cleaning bag.

Auntie grumbles and The Divine Miss frowns, but the books keep a-comin' in...of course, I've convinced them both that LT is made up of the most *extraordinarily* generous people who send me suuuch lovely gifts...!

Unless we're at the charity shop, in which case The Divine Miss's mutters are confined to, "Whereinahell are we gonna PUT this crap?" which I Do Not Deign To Notice.

#250: I've convinced them both that LT is made up of the most *extraordinarily* generous people who send me suuuch lovely gifts...!

LT is made up of the most extraordinarily generous people, including you, Richard - you old curmudgeon you!

Yes Yes Yes..Richard

We are the Extra-Ordinary....and I am grateful for that...and you should be as well, you curmudgeon you...

Jude (over & out)

...and any person what calls Books "crap" should have to walk the plank..and i say that 'cause i got the latest 2 volumes of Louis A Meyer's wonderful JACKY FABER series....arrrgggh

;-}

#233 OK, I'll admit it now, I don't have books on my nightstand, either. (Except my mother's Bible.) I rarely read in bed. My hubby tolerates my books quite well, all things considered; but he wouldn't if I kept him awake by reading in bed, as he is not the night owl that I tend to be. I do the bulk of my reading in comfy spots in the living room or den -- or on the porch swing (in better weather than this, of course).

When we bought two new bookcases inside of 6 months I figured I had the all clear for a little book buying. But sometimes I do have Amazon ship to my work address.

#253: Because of our work schedules, Kerry and I are almost never in bed together - he works days and I work nights - so the reading in bed is not a problem, although I tend to forget and leave books on his pillow all the time. I just tell him the book fairy was visting :)

I usually read myself to sleep. The first thing I do in the morning is find the book I dropped and re-find my place to get my book ready for next time. I find it comforting to sleep with a book in my hand. The stack on my bedside table is reassuring to.

My husband tolerates my reading in bed ..and bought me the cutest little night light just for book reading .... but he throws a nitty fit if I leave my books on his side of the bed or on his pillow ... he's a bit of a germ-ophobe and thinks that books that have gone through the mail, touched other people's hands or been on other surfaces must carry a gazillion germs all standing poised to crawl into his ears, eyes, nose and mouth. So i just pile them all up on my nightstand and occasionally on his too. It is at least not on his pillow so he doesn't complain. :-)

#256: Even when I am at my tiredest coming home from work at 8am, I always read before I go to sleep. Just a habit now, I guess.

#257: Kerry really does not complain about my leaving books on his pillow, but he does sometimes complain about the items I use for bookmarks - his combs, his socks, etc.

Socks for bookmarks...LOL!!

They work great!

Socks for bookmarks :O
Thats what old unused visiting cards are for!

I also do not have any books on the nightstand. I have been able to confine most of my books to the many, many bookcases in the house - including the 3!!! in the bedroom. I won't claim that those bookcases are neat and orderly though. I have two bookcases in the living room (those are a bit neater than the ones in the bedroom) and three in the basement. The basement ones are a complete mess and there are also about 5 or 6 boxes full of books on the floor next to the bookcases down there. I do have a small stack of books on the floor in the living room but as they are nearly hidden by the recliner and the table, I don't have a problem with that!

I don't do much reading in bed either. I read in my recliner with my blanket or, when it is much warmer, out on the screened in porch. I can't wait for the first day that it is warm enough to do that!!!

I do not have any bookshelves in my bedroom. I am lucky I have any in my library - and even those are just boards and cinder blocks. One of these days I shall have some proper shelves.

You know, all of my kids have bookcases in their rooms, and books on their bedside tables. I was just noticing this last night as I tucked them in. I truly haven't counted (I'm sure I will though) but I am sure none of them have fewer than 30 books in their rooms. My daughter probably has the fewest. She's five and prefers books on CD right now. My 11 yr. old has run out of room on his bookshelves. Yikes, I'm raising a whole new generation of biblioholics!

>264 nittnut: Yikes, I'm raising a whole new generation of biblioholics!

That's a good thing!

Happy news! Way to go, nittnut!

#264: Congratulations, Jennifer! Biblioholics rock!

Stasia dearest...new thread time...and Leviathan Westerfeld is scrumptious...more soon....

#268: I am glad you are enjoying it!

My seven year old grand daughter has a wonderful first grade male teacher. Yesterday in honor of the birthday of Dr. Seuss, the children read the book Green Eggs and Ham and they actually made green eggs and ham during school. Each child came home with the book. We had such great fun reading last night. She had such a wonderful day that she slept with the book.

270 Oh, that's so nice!

Years ago, my son's class made Oobleck in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday! (I think the green eggs and ham sound better, though.)

Since I've spent almost as much time counting books as reading them lately, I thought I'd blog about it.
For photographic evidence of our addiction, go to my blog... http://mylavenderave.blogspot.com and look under Biblioholism. Try to ignore how obvious it is that my 11 yr old does not clean his room. It's shocking, I know, but it would be hypocritical to mention it to him, seeing as how I just found 11 books in my room - which is spotless I tell you.

#270: That is so cool!

#268: Just for you, RD, here it is: http://www.librarything.com/topic/86242

Please join me on the newest Acre!