Booking Through Thursday- that book you’ll read….later
Okay–here was an interesting article by Christopher Schoppa in the Washington Post.
Avid readers know all too well how easy it is to acquire books — it’s the letting go that’s the difficult part. … During the past 20 years, in which books have played a significant role in both my personal and professional lives, I’ve certainly had my fair share of them (and some might say several others’ shares) in my library. Many were read and saved for posterity, others eventually, but still reluctantly, sent back out into the world.
But there is also a category of titles that I’ve clung to for years, as they survived numerous purges, frequent library donations and countless changes of residence. I’ve yet to read them, but am absolutely certain I will. And should. When, I’m not sure, as I’m constantly distracted by the recent, just published and soon to be published works.
So, the question is his: “What tomes are waiting patiently on your shelves?“
At first, I panicked, because my shelves are full of my somewhat-businesslike TBR pile- the shelves by my desk, that is. I’ve got book reviews to do for the paper, for the blog, and come to think of it, I’m overdue a couple blog posts elsewhere in cyberspace. (The day job got frantic at about the same time the writing life and the family life got eventful- and I’m still digging myself out from a few weeks ago.) But… this isn’t asking about that, as I’d originally, and guiltily suspected.
Let’s see- that book I’ve always meant to read. There are a few.
Tender as the Night- F. Scott Fitzgerald (may be overdue at the library! whoops!)
Time Patrol- Poul Anderson
Ring of Swords- Eleanor Anderson (borrowed from a college friend, never returned! eep!)
The Secret Life of Bees- Sue Monk Kidd (I will read it before the movie!)
Longitude- Dava Sobel
Three Musketeers.
Specimen Days- Walt Whitman
And in a separate category, poets I know I should read more:
Robert Frost, Walt Whitman, Frank O’Hara, Pablo Neruda, Adrienne Rich, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton
Oh, you’re able to list them by titles. You’re much more organized than I.
I loved Longitude; the politics and personalities really held my attention.
Don’t you hate finding library books or books that have been loaned to you that you forgot you had?
I’ve got to get through Secret Life of Bees before the movie as well. These film adaptations are coming out pretty fast these days, which compounds my TBR pile exponentially.
I’d always meant to read more poetry by Neruda, but a friend gave me a desk calender with assorted snippets of his work which solved this for me.
Here is a bit of my favorite so far:
“If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you”
I heard The Secret Life of Bees is a good book, not sure though as I have not read it myself yet.
You have a great list. Happy Thursday :>)
Tender is the Night is one of my favorites. I love Fitzgerald’s writing.