Books

[bertine]

You know what annoys me about books? That I read them so fast. I went to the library this morning and started reading the book I checked out at about 5:30pm. Now, at 9:30, I am 3/4 of the way done and I won't have time to get another one until next Saturday. I really don't have a stack of "to read" books since I try not to buy books anymore because they just aren't a good investment.

Comments

[patrickwonders.livejournal.com]

I enjoy buying books (good investment or not). So, if you like sci-fi or Nero Wolfe, come borrow a bunch.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

Well... I also made an effort to get rid of all my books because I rarely reread books. It took me four years to get down to just one bookshelf.

I have never heard of Nero Wolfe (which means I have never read them and that means I like them alread) and I love sci-fi. Right now I am reading "Glasshouse" by Charles Stross, which I like much more than I liked his other books.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

True, I am reading modern books, so they are easier to read but I have read most of the Russian classics and you know what? They are like TV shows now days, they are supposed to be long because it is a way to kill time. Seriously, did you know that Anna Karenina has 15 pages celebrating harvesting grain? Though to this day I think about some of the more exciting scenes (where things happened) I don't think I would want to reread it.

Someone recommend a polish sci-fi writer from the 50s I haven't read before. I forgot to see if his books were at the library today.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

OK, somehow I deleted seattleforge's comment "Stop reading Nurse Jane and dig into some Russian classics. That'll teach you. ;-)"

[purplesquirrel.livejournal.com]

I assume you've read Stanislaw Lem.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

Nope and that is who someone else recommended to me. I'll be going through that section of the library next week.

[jonthedull.livejournal.com]

I second the recomendation for Stanislaw Lem.

[emkachan.livejournal.com]

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! So many classic novels started out as serial stories. I was just explaining this to someone today. No one said, "Ooh, 400 pages of Dumas x 3 Musketeers books + The Count of Monte Christo and minor works." They said, "I wonder what D'Artagnan will be up to during my morning coffee for the next year and a half." It's like watching Buffy every day for six months vs. once a week for seven years. In principle, it was made for the latter purpose.

I like owning good books. I've been trying to pare down but it's hard because I have so many books I like and so many books that I haven't read yet. If you ever want to borrow books, feel free.

Two great books I randomly found at the library:
Red Land, Black Land by Barbara Mertz (who is usually Elizabeth Peters)
Growing Up in Medieval London

[purplesquirrel.livejournal.com]

I've done that! Sometimes a book is so interesting that I just can't put it down.

I don't buy books anymore either unless I intend to use them as reference guides.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

That happens to me all the time. This is why I don't bring books to read at lunch anymore, I would end up being late coming back from it.

I only buy them if I know I'll be making other people read them. :)

[emkachan.livejournal.com]

Then I buy copies whenever I see them.

I work in a bookstore.

[joeylemur.livejournal.com]

I could loan you my Discworld collection. :)

[bertine.livejournal.com]

:)

I have read about half of them. I am not hugely into fantasy though.

[perviepom.livejournal.com]

I love buying books and I read them and read them again. I have a complete bookstore fetish though.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

I used to but I decided to stop collecting books because I didn't have the space.

[jonthedull.livejournal.com]

You'll just have to visit the library more often.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

The library in Minneapolis has horrible hours. THough in June they will be open on Sunday (and maybe Monday!!).

http://www.mpls.lib.mn.us/central.asp

[jonthedull.livejournal.com]

Wow those are crappy hours. I'm surprised a big city library is so bad. The library where I work has better hours than that.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

That is our main downtown library too. Bah!

[misanthropoet.livejournal.com]

I will give you all the books I have after I've read them. Please.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

We will make a pully system! :)

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

I have the same problem -

[bertine.livejournal.com]

I love books and I love to read but I am cheap too.

I heard a rumor that the central library might get better hours in June.