Yesterday was library day. Many of you may remember that our 16 year old twins are learning to drive this summer, and it was Twin B's day to act as Mom's chauffeur. We made it to the library without incident, successfully navigating the two traffic lights in the village. (It's a small village and the second was just installed last year!) Three holds had arrived, so there was no additional browsing. My tbr pile is looking a bit overwhelming at the moment!
by Nicholas Drayson
Staci's excellent review convinced me to order this one. The back cover says it's "a book of immense charm: a sort of P.G.Wodehouse meets Alexander McCall Smith."
How can I not love this?
by Thomas Mann
I've been wanting to read Mann for some time now and recently listened to a Teaching Company lecture on this novella. Since I'm spending my summer vacation reading challenge in Italy, the time finally seems right. Last night while reading A Thousand Days in Venice, the author mentioned her routine of reading this book in bed each morning. Reading synchronicity!
by Jonathan Franzen
This is an essay collection by the author of The Corrections. I loved that book and have been thinking of reading this one for years. I still need to read essays for the 2009 mini-challenges. I've only read one from the last couple of collections I checked out, and the challenge calls for two. Hopefully, I'll be in an essay-reading mood sometime before this needs to be returned.
That was it for the library. After a quick stop at the post office and bank, Twin B drove me home. What did you find at the library this week?
Library Loot is a weekly meme co-hosted by Eva and Marg. Visit Marg at Reading Adventures to see who else has loot to share this week, or post your own!
I love reading synchronicity. Enjoy your loot and happy driving:)
ReplyDeleteGlad you all made it to the library without incident. I remember reading about A Guide to the Birds of East Africa and it did sound really good.
ReplyDeleteGreat loot. I too am trying to limit my library loot so I can actually finish reading all my library books!
ReplyDeleteThe Birds book sounds lovely, I'll have to check the review right away, thanks!!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I've been thinking of reading How To Be Alone for quite a while. I always see it in the library but never pick it up. So I'll be interested to see what you think of it (and eventually get hold of a copy myself?)
ReplyDeleteThe Drayson book again, i walked past it today. I must pick it up one of these days
ReplyDeleteMy TRP pile is languishing and collecting dust, I've had baby on the brain for a few weeks now. Hopefully I can get back to reading and taking pics for work:)
ReplyDeleteI must confess that the idea of A Guide to the Birds of East Africa is very tempting. I don't recall hearing of it before.
ReplyDeleteBookPsmith - That synchronicity doesn't seem to happen often enough - I just love it!
ReplyDeleteDar - The driver education class seems to be helping, but Twin B still makes me nervous sometimes!
Linda - I'm trying really hard to break that habit of bringing home more books than I can possibly read! Three has been my limit lately ;-)
Claire - I'm looking forward to that one!
Olduvai - It's funny that How to be Alone has been on my radar for so long, but I've never done anything about it. This copy came through interlibrary loan.
ReplyDeleteBlodeuedd - If you read Staci's review, I'll bet you won't be able to walk by without picking it up again ;-)
Bookbabie - I can't think of a better reason to let your tbr pile collect dust. Enjoy that beautiful grandbaby!!
Marg - I'd seen it a couple of times, but Staci's review convinced me to finally bring it home.
Staci definitely made me want to order A Guide to the Birds of East Africa as well!
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to read Jonathan Franzen for quite a while, and I love that title. I look forward to your thoughts on his essays!
Oh, man(n)! Good luck. :<) There's a movie, too if you are interested.
ReplyDeleteNymeth - Can't wait to get to Franzen! I read the intro and browsed through the essays last night and they look great.
ReplyDeleteNan - LOL! I didn't know there was a movie, but I'll have to check Netflix. Glad to see you had a library loot this week, too :-)
I enjoyed A Guide to the Birds very much and reviewed it too, if it interests you to read it:
ReplyDeletehttp://freshinkbooks.blogspot.com/2008/11/guide-to-birds-of-east-africa-by.html
I liked Death in Venice, though my favourite by Mann is the Magic Mountain. I'd be interested to know what topics Franzen's essays cover. Enjoy your loot. I haven't written a LL post in two weeks, still reading all those from three weeks ago and no new ones have come in. They tend to come in by the bunch it seems.
I was impressed with Franzen's writing in The Corrections, but I didn't feel engaged with the characters, so I ended up feeling lukewarm about the book. The title How to Be Alone intrigues me, however, so I'll keep that one in mind.
ReplyDeleteSandra - I'll be over soon to check out your review. I have Mann's Magic Mountain on my shelf, too, but it seems more of a winter read to me. Franzen's essays look very interesting. He has some personal (his father's struggle with Alzheimer's), some about reading and writing and I think some may border on the political. I'm not sure on that one, but hope to find out soon!
ReplyDeleteCharley - There was very mixed reaction to The Corrections in my book club, too. I hope to start How to Be Alone this week.