A Trip to the Library

Although I am thoroughly engrossed in The Makioka Sisters and our yearlong group read of Clarissa, that hasn't stopped me from checking a few books out of the local library. For a small town, we're lucky to have such an excellent branch. If what I'm looking for isn't on the shelf, chances are it can be obtained through interlibrary loan. I've also recently become acquainted with Wowbrary, an email service that sends weekly updates on my library's newest acquisitions - books, movies, and music. I can reserve a book before it even hits the shelves!

Here are the books that came home in my library bag this week. Unfortunately, some may be returned unread, but I can always check them out again later.

And Then There Were None 
by Agatha Christie
I'm finally reading my first Agatha Christie novel! March Mystery Madness provided a little extra motivation to get started and, just a few pages in, I have a feeling I'm going to love it.

The Last Brother 
by Nathacha Appanah
Amy said this book could be a companion piece to The Sense of An Ending (one of my 2011 favorites), so I put in an interlibrary loan request. Luckily it's a short novel, just 164 pages, so there's a chance I may get to read it.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers 
by Katherine Boo
This is a nonfiction title I discovered through Wowbrary, and then spied on the New York Times bestseller list last weekend. Subtitled Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity, I may only get a chance to skim through this one and decide whether to check it out again later.

The Gathering 
by Anne Enright
I  loved Enright's writing in her most recent novel, The Forgotten Waltz, so decided to check out some earlier work. This won the Mann Booker Prize in 2007, but I'm afraid I won't have time to read it right now.

Brunetti's Cookbook
recipes by Roberta Pianaro and Culinary Stories by Donna Leon
Carol wrote about this last month for Venice in February  and I wanted to take a closer look. I've gotten into the habit of giving cookbooks a 'test run' from the library before adding to my collection. I'm making swordfish with savoury breadcrumbs (pesce spada al pangrattato saporito) for dinner tomorrow.


Have you been to the library this week?

Library Loot - Bad Timing?

After being at the top of the library hold list for the last two months, it finally arrived!

Over the weekend, I picked up Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel and, so far, have managed to read only one chapter. Don't get me wrong. It was a great chapter and I'm looking forward to reading more, but...

Could there be a worse time to pick up this dense, 532 page historical novel? There won't be much reading time until after Christmas, and Wolf Hall is due January 2. Will this turn out to be a "test read"? Will I get hooked, decide to keep it and pay the late fees? Will Santa bring me another book that I'll "need" to start immediately? Stay tuned...

Library loot is a weekly meme co-hosted by Eva and Marg.

Library Loot - December 4

Library loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva (A Striped Armchair) and Marg (Reading Adventures) that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. It's been a couple months since I have participated, but I'm excited about this week's loot.

Wishin' and Hopin'

by Wally Lamb

I don't remember where I first heard about this, but my name went on the list (along with many other library patrons) the day it was released. Two days ago, I was third in line. Yesterday, Wishin' and Hopin' was waiting for me! Wally Lamb is a great storyteller and I've enjoyed all his books, so can't wait to get started on this one. We're traveling to Massachusetts later today for Daughter #1's basketball tournament. Now I've got some holiday reading to bring along.

The Adventure of English

by Melvyn Bragg

Jill at Fizzy Thoughts reviewed this last week and I put a hold on it right away. Now I just hope that with all the holiday hoopla, there will be time to read it!

I've also been at the top of the Wolf Hall hold list for several weeks now. (What's taking so long, anyway?) As it gets deeper into December, my reading time is sure to dwindle, and I'm worried that this will arrive at the worst possible time. Did you find anything interesting at the library this week?

Library Loot - oh, no!

No new loot to share today, but I just went to my library's website to renew Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple and it won't let me! Seems that someone else has placed a hold on it. I've got until Friday.

So...no computer today. I'm a little past the half way point of this 400-pager, and thing are really getting good! See you tomorrow...

Library Loot - I surrender!

A large stack of books was returned to the library unread. Some had already been renewed a couple of times, others just came home on a whim last week.

I've really tried to curb my book buying this year (and it's been hard with all of your wonderful reviews that appear on a daily basis!), but it's so easy to click over to my library website and put a book on hold. This allows me the chance to take a closer look before deciding whether to read or buy... plus it's completely free. Lately though, it seems all of those holds have come in together and I want to read them all!

Today, I admit defeat and officially surrender.

My new system will be to keep a wish list on paper (I'm thinking moleskin notebook). In addition to title and author, I can also note how I became interested in the book ...much like Staci assigning blame in her recent library loot posts! Ideally, I will have this notebook with me whenever I venture into a library or bookstore.

So after congratulating myself on such a rational new approach to acquiring books, I immediately drove to Barnes & Noble and purchased Richard Russo's new book, That Old Cape Magic. Russo is a favorite of mine, and the list at the library was way too long. I'm already looking forward to hearing him speak in the spring as part of the Rosamond Gifford Lecture Series.

What did you find at the library this week?

Library loot is a weekly meme co-hosted by Eva and Marg. This week, you can visit Marg at Reading Adventures to leave your link.

Library Loot - July 17

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!

Here's what I picked up:
A Guide to the Birds of East Africa

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?

Death in Venice

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!

How to be Alone

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!

Library Loot - July 3

Library Loot is a weekly event hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share books they've checked out of the library.

In a show of considerable restraint, just three books came home with me this week. Two are possible challenge reads, and one is for a 'test read'.

The Solitude of Thomas Cave

by Georgina Harding

Fleur Fisher's review sounded so good that I just had to take a closer look at this book. It opens with an amazing first sentence! I'm focusing on some fun summer challenge books right now, so may not read this one immediately. It will get a 'test read' to give me a better sense of when I'll want to fit it in.

One Thousand Days in Venice

by Marlena De Blasi

I'm having such a good time in Italy with The Enchanted April, I may stay on for a little longer. This will be my second book for the Summer Vacation Reading Challenge.

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

by Laurie Viera Rigler

The Everything Austen Challenge started this week. I may choose to read this one, unless Daughter #1 gets to it first.

What did you find at the library? This week's links are at Marg's blog Reading Adventures.

Library Loot - May 29

Library Loot is a weekly event hosted by Eva and Alessandra that encourages bloggers to share the books they've checked out of the library.

My trip to the library, thankfully, yielded a number of slim, fast reads. This will hopefully allow me to stay on track with scheduled reads and enjoy a few diversions!

The Uncommon Reader 

by Alan Bennett

This book has been in my hands so many times at B&N, but a few mentions around the blogoshere this week prompted me to finally pick it up.  I read 20 of its 120 pages last night, and know I'll want to read the rest of this delightful book in a single sitting! 

At Large and At Small

Familiar Essays by Anne Fadiman

Her previous essay collection, Ex Libris, and her book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down were both wonderful.   I plan to read a couple essays from this book as part of the 2009 mini-challenges.  

Finally, a couple more graphic novels. Both of these were recommended by Claire at Kiss a Cloud. Reading these will complete my graphic novel experiment.

Aya

by Marguerite Abouet & Clement Oubrerie

This is Abouet's story of an Ivory Coast childhood set in the 1970's.

Kampung Boy

by LAT

Kamung Boy is about Mat, a Muslim boy growing up in rural Malaysia in the 1950's where traditional life in the village (kampung) is rapidly changing.

What did you bring home from the library this week?

Library Loot - May 6

My trip to the library yielded exclusively non-fiction titles this week! I enjoy reading non-fiction and, prior to this year, usually had one in progress at all times to complement the current novel. Lately short stories (and the occasional essay) seem to have filled the nonfiction slot, but I'll be rectifying that this month.

The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home

by George Howe Colt

This is the May selection of my bookclub.

Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China

by Leslie T. Chang

I wish I could remember where I first read about this book, but it sounded fascinating. My hold finally came in.

A Jury of Her Peers: American Women Writers from Anne Bradstreet to Annie Proulx

by Elaine Showalter

My short story reading has lead to the discovery of two new writers (so far) - Tillie Olsen and Susan Glaspell (author of A Jury of Her Peers). BookPsmith pointed me to this book via Dovegreyreader. So far, it looks like a book I'll want to return to over often...and may end up purchasing!

What did you find at the library this week? Library Loot is hosted by Eva and Alessandra.

Library Loot - April 23

At the library this week, I focused on short stories and essays. It's funny to note that until a couple months ago, I would never have dreamed of checking out a story collection. In fact, I was able to count the number of stories read since high school on my fingers! Then I began to notice the bright yellow button for Short Story Monday and read of some the reviews. A few weeks later, I decided to play along. I've read some truly wonderful stories (you can see the list and links in my sidebar) and now find myself searching them out.

Essays have never been a big part of my reading either, but one of Wendy's mini-challenges has us reading a couple essays from the same collection. These are two that caught my eye. Do you have a collection of essays to recommend?

Miss Marple - The Complete Short Stories

by Agatha Christie

Can you believe I've never read Agatha Christie? Book PSmith reviewed several of these stories and they sound like fun.

The Thurber Carnival

by James Thurber

I loved The Unicorn in The Garden and wanted to read more Thurber. This is a collection of stories and cartoons.

The Best American Essays 2007

David Foster Wallace, editor

This seems like a good place to start reading essays.

Due Considerations - Essays and Criticism

by John Updike
I wasn't wild about my last Updike novel, but loved his short story When Everyone Was Pregnant. Now I'll try his essays.

I won't be reading any of these books cover-to-cover, but I do look forward to sampling each of them. What was is your library bag this week?

Library loot is hosted by Eva and Alessandra.

Library Loot - April 15

There is some great loot from the library to share this week! I usually just run in to pick up a hold, but this week I had some extra time and came out with four books.







Tell Me A Riddle by Tillie Olsen

This was the hold I went to pick up. I read Olsen's I Stand Here Ironing for a recent Short Story Monday post and wanted to read more. The title novella won the First Prize O.Henry Award in 1961 and the stories have become staples in literature classes, but I was totally unfamiliar with her.





Novel Destinations: Literary Landmarks from Jane Austen's Bath to Ernest Hemingway's Key West
by Shannon McKenna Schmidt & Joni Rendon

I first heard about this book from BookPsmith. Now that I've had a chance to read through it, I can tell it's a book I want to own.






A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena de Blasi

Molly at My Cozy Book Nook is hosting a Summer Vacation Reading Challenge. I'm considering Venice as a possible 'travel destination'!










A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
by Ishmael Beah

I may be one of the only people around that hasn't read this book. It had been talked about as a book club selection, but didn't make the final cut.
I haven't read any non-fiction this year and I may start here.





Library Loot is hosted by Eva and Alessandra.