Happy Sunday! This week was one of my favorite bookish events of the year — our university library book sale. The selection at this sale is always extensive — and with paperbacks at $.50 and hardcovers at $1 — it’s hard not to leave without several books.
Here are the books I snagged (sorry for the crappy cell phone picture — I’m too lazy to pull out my good camera this morning):
I loved to use book sales to pick up books by authors I want to read but haven’t made the time for — Zadie Smith, Tom Wolfe, and Oliver Sacks — or books that I’ve heard good things about but haven’t made the time to read (The Glass Castle). The other picks, Amsterdam, Moby Dick, and Small Town in Mass Society, were impulse buys, but I’m optimistic they’ll be good reads.
In other news… last week was crazy-busy at work. We have quite a few local elections this year and a couple of big state-wide constitutional amendments, so I spent a lot of time working on a voters guide and editing many (many) letters to the editor. I think this week will be just as busy, but then think should hit a bit of a lull the week after… one can hope, anyway.
I’m hoping to get a lot of blogging done today so I can schedule posts out for the next couple of weeks and get caught up responding to comments. And if I have time, I’m in the process of reading a couple of books – Art and Politics Now by Susan Noyes Platt for a book tour this week and Consider the Fork by Bee Wilson. J.K. Rowling’s new book, A Casual Vacancy, finally arrived at the library for me, so I might take a break and start that one tonight too.
What are you reading this fine Sunday?
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I’m hoping to get some blogging done today as well. I’m reading A Casual Vacancy and Blackberry Winter. Enjoy your new books!
How are you enjoying A Casual Vacancy? That’s what I’m reading this week, and so far I really like it!
Ooh I know you’re going to love The Glass Castle. Hope you enjoy all the other books too and have a great Sunday. I’m about to start 11/22/63 0 I’m intimidated just looking at the size of it!
That one is big. I really need to get over my fear of chunksters and just read some of them! I have heard lots of good things about The Glass Castle.
I loved The Glass Castle!
I’m reading “The Grand Tour: Around the World with the Queen of Mystery” – letters and photos from Agatha Christie’s 1922 trip around the world. It’s funny how she really and truly talks the way I thought only book characters talked. “Darling Mummy”, “it was simply beastly”, etc.
Oooo, that sounds so awesome! I can’t wait to hear about it.
Happy Sunday! I’ve been meaning to read something by Sacks. Today I plan on continuing Stardust by Neil Gaiman and get some blogging done too. Enjoy your day.
Sacks is on my mental list of “authors I should read,” so I’m glad I finally have a book on my shelf as a reminder.
great finds! I just finished reading a wonderful memoir called ‘Holy Ghost Girl’ so now I’m off to read ‘Louisiana Hayride Years’ –which is research for my new book
happy sunday!
Both of those sounds fun, happy Sunday!
It looks like you picked up a good stack. I liked both Amsterdam and White Teeth in your pile & need to get to the rest, particularly The Glass Castle. cheers. http://www.thecuecard.com/
I want to read Zadie Smith, but she’s an author I never seem to think of when I’m browsing for new books. I’m glad to have a book on my shelf now.
You snagged some great books! The Sacks book is one that I would love to read, so I’ll be looking forward to your thoughts.
I hope I can read it soon!
Happy Monday now! I’m excited for you and Moby Dick! Fantastic book but I guess you already know that.
I’m reading Teach Us to Outgrow Our Madness by Kenzaburo Oe and Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier, polar opposites. One aggresively passionate, the other tender and slow. But loving them both. Have a great week!
I’m trying to listen to the chapter-a-day Moby Dick podcast, but wanted to have a copy of the book to refer to if I need to. I’m glad I found an inexpensive copy.
As a matter of fact, I’m reading The Casual Vacancy. And loving it.
I’m really enjoying it too! I have many thoughts for a potential review.
Nice haul! I love library book sales..they are dangerous fun
White Teeth and I Am Charlotte Smith are both excellent books – enjoy!
I’m really curious to read Tom Wolfe. I have all these ideas about him as a writer, but have no idea where they came from since I haven’t read his book.
Good stuff. I have Amsterdam on my stacks now and a few of these others in storage. I hope you enjoy them!
I like McEwan when I’m in a certain slow and contemplative mood.