Monday, March 05, 2007

Transformation and evolution

My Robert built me two beautiful mission style oak bookshelves this winter. It is the first time in three years (at least) that books are not stacked on the floor.

I have purchased so many books lately and filled in the holes of collections that my passion for collecting has slowed a bit. I am beginning to look critically at what is on the shelves and to consider a bit of restraint and pruning.

The books on my list tend to be more obscure and expensive so I will buy fewer when A and I go to Borders later for the educator appreciation sale.

I went to Bookaholic yesterday to look for a world atlas - since I am reading a geography primer. The only one they had was not bad - being a National Geographic edition, but I was not prepared to spend 32.50 on a used half-price volume. I was also annoyed because they are evidently overstocked and would only take about a third of the books I brought in to trade. Guess I will see if I can trade online or donate at Christmas.

Current reads: finished L.R. King's Keeping Watch, now reading Why Greenland is an island, Australia is not and Japan is up for grabs, the aforementioned geography primer. In the meantime I need to read the latest Jane Austen mystery before we go to Springfield. A started it and left it behind so I should get it to her. Next in the queue is a bio of Martha Gelhorn.

Great online find: bookcloseouts.com Not as focused as Daedalus or inclusively trashy as Hamilton but some great finds - I spent 35.00 on 7 books - some that were flat hard to find new or used, some surprises. True, you can find a great price on used copies of almost anything through Amazon, but unless there is a pressing need I do not usually go that route.

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