Monday, March 30, 2009

Me and Carrie Bradshaw May Be the Only Ones Left...With a Library Card That Is

When you are poor and jobless, you quickly find yourself succumbing to the confines of your home.

Your friends want to meet up for a drink? Sorry, my $4 bottle of Merlot from Total Wine is cheaper.

Your man-friend wants to catch a movie? Can’t. Too pricey. Plus there’s a great Tori Spelling Lifetime movie coming on in a few.

In essence, luxuries are trumped by necessities and the survivalist instinct kicks in to preserve your precious pennies and prevent you from being reduced to a Mayflower box on the corner.

(Or a van down by the river. You get the jist.)

Subsequently, one of those luxuries that I deem “necessity” has taken a bit of a makeover in these, my unemployed days. I can no longer afford to pore myself over the aisles of Barnes and Nobles. I am fiscally banished from the plush chairs of Borders.

Why, you may ask, can’t you just go look? You don’t have to buy anything.

Au contraire, my friend. You must not know me very well. You see, I have what they call a compulsive personality. That coupled with the inability to budget my money wisely and walk away from temptation leavse me with a crippling disability when surrounded by so many hard-backed, manuscripts of pure bliss.

But seeing as I could never part ways with the bookworm in me, I have rediscovered a childhood love. The tax payer’s most incremental contribution at work.

The public library.

Over the past few months I’ve made quite a few trips. Each time loading down my arms with more and more than the visit prior. Excited and giddy I make my way to the checkout where the assured virgin of a 42 year old librarian deigns to mock me for my conspicuous nerdiness.

I care not. For I embrace my inner geek. Rushing home to start the first of many ink splattered pages. Anticipating the delicious act of devouring them quickly with intrigue and slowly with savor.

It’s something I’ll always love. Here’s what I came away with on my most recent trip…





(from left to right)

Nineteen Minutes – Jodi Picoult

Chasing Harry Winston – Lauren Wisenberg

The Quest for the Holy Veil – Kimberly Llewellyn

Here Comes the Bride – Whitney Lyles

Gold Diggers – Tasmina Perry

Caught – Lori Foster

Pink Slip Party – Cara Lockwood

Do Me, Do My Roots – Eileen Rendahl

A Hollywood Ending – Robyn Sisman

Remember Me – Sophie Kinsella

I’ve already finished Chasing Harry Winston and Here Comes the Bride and I’m almost through with Nineteen Minutes now (which I HIGHLY recommend).

What are you reading now??





23 comments:

Andrea said...

LOVED chasing harry winston!

Currently reading "Bitter is the new black" Jen Lancaster and in love with it. I wish I had more time to read cause I have been "reading" this book for 3 months!

Anonymous said...

B & N is a huge waste of money. Even with my teacher discount card, I find that I can almost always get books cheaper elsewhere. Free is even better! I use my public library pretty often, although sometimes I have a hard time getting newer titles. Let me know what you think of Nineteen Minutes. Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors but I haven't gotten around to reading that book yet.

Right now I'm reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.

Jennifer said...

Right now, I'm reading The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, and PS, I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. Both of which, I picked up at Barnes & Noble on Saturday when I attempted to go in and just browse (I never ever leave there empty handed)!

I finished Remember Me by Sophie Kinsela about 2 months ago, and really enjoyed it. Like Andrea (the first person to comment), I loved Bitter Is The New Black!

Kylie said...

I feel ya! I'm planning to hit up my local libraby this week. Just as soon as I finish Middlesex, which BTW I am LOVING!!! Great book!! I'll have to let ya know what I pick up this week!!

her said...

I LOVE reading and I've already started a reading list (and now i want to add all your books!) for when i graduate grad school in may because i can read again!
i did just finish middlesex and i've started 'zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance'...which sounds weird but someone is making me read it so i'm trying! :)

Unknown said...

I've heard great things about Nineteen Minutes. I have so many books in my "to-read" pile it's not even funny. I need to get on that.

Stephanie said...

I LOVE the library. A part of me dies when I have to pay full price, or even half price for a book. I always think how you can get it at the library for free and I hardly ever reread books, so owning them isn't in my best interest. Although, I will admit, I have tons and tons of books, mostly picked up from 50 cent sales though. The library is my favorite place ever. First thing I did when I lived in North Carolina last summer was make my boyfriend go to the library with me so he could sign up for a card and I could check books out.

Right now, I'm in school so I'm reading more for necessity than pleasure but:

Atonement - Ian McEwan
The Fire Next Time - James Baldwin

I also just finished reading The Face of War by Martha Gellhorn. She was a journalist and followed soldiers around during lots of wars. Her pieces on WWII are particularly awesome.

Anonymous said...

I love the library. I hate my local branch, but I can go online and interlibrary loan pretty much any book. Then, they email me when it's in, I go to my nearest location, check 'em out and enjoy.

For almost the past full year, I have been blogging every book I read. I am a book behind, but you can check it out at http://palenerd.wordpress.com

Wendy said...

I'm reading Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper (it was free!). It's funny. Then I have 3 in my immediate TBR pile. The same pile that I've had books on for months now, eek! I've read Foster before! Her books are entertaining.

And I have a few on mail coming to me - for free! Makes reading them ever better.

Unknown said...

I LOVED 19 minutes. Right now, I'm reading Anne Rice. I never read her, so I figured I would give her a shot.

Muppet Soul said...

I'm re-reading this crazy ass book about a woman who escaped polygamy called "Escape". This is after re-reading a similar crazy ass book about a woman escaping polygamy which I believe is called "Stolen Innocence".

I'm banned from going to Borders for awhile, too. they should put people's pictures up.

Must go to library... I miss that library smell.

miss rambles said...

i love Jodi Picoult am actually readin 19, i bought it ages ago but never got round to reading it.

Have read Remember Me(hilarious!!!) Chasing Harry Winston (loved it and got it free with some magazine cosmo probably), Gold Digger ( Brilliant-waiting for her latest one to go to paperback in the UK or me getting a job which ever comes first)

Melissa said...

I have a library Card!

I'm reading Blackeye by Dennis Potter and Dead Souls by Gogol

Casey M said...

Yay library. I work at a book store so I feel like a traitor when I go but sometimes even the discount isn't enough so I completely sympathize! Read on girly.
Currently reading: Lolita by Nabokov

Wendy said...

OMG, you have to read Chelsea Cain's Sweetheart and Heartsick books. They're SO sick but really awesome read. I think Sweetheart goes first, can't remember.

LWLH said...

I have a late fee so they won't let me check out anymore books till I pay it...*tear*

Mary Elizabeth said...

I love your blog. I understand about Border's. The place is like crack. There is def something incredible about the library. I am reading Here Kitty Kitty by Jardine Libaire and I love it!

Anonymous said...

You sound just like me. I absolutely love buying books, but I'm poor these days and the library is only three blocks (yep, three) away from my house. Makes more sense, doesn't it?

And I do the same thing when it comes to heading out for the night. Today, for example, I had leftover Olive Garden salad for lunch and I'll have leftover Olive Garden chicken for dinner (splitting it up saves me cash money). And there are three full and three half empty bottles of vino at my house in addition to a 12-pack of Miller Lite. Go out for a drink? I think not.

Emily said...

my little sister actually bought me "bitter is the new black" for christmas and i loved it. hilarious!!

Jacqueline - definitely read 19 minutes. it was AMAZING!! so good i dreampt about it for 2 nights in a row. it's one of those books that even after you finish it you keep thinking about the characters and what happened to them as if they were real. very powerful stuff. i got the boo to read it now and he even loves it.

yellaphant said...

I think the only reason I belong to a library is because I love the way they smell. Because if I end up liking the book, I go out and buy it anyway because I'm so anal that I need to have all my favorite books lined up on my bookshelves, lest I ever need to explain to someone who happens to be perusing my bookshelf, "oh my favorite books aren't even all there, they're at the library ..."

But right now I'm reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. DEFINITELY recommend it. And you bet it will be going straight to me bookshelf.

Anonymous said...

My only problem with the library is that I can't stack the books from there on a bookshelf. Anytime I'm bored or out of new reading material, I can always go to the bookshelves in my house and pick out an old friend to keep me company. I'm sort of weird about my books.

Right now I'm reading the Wheel of Time series. On the second book. It's so good!

Shoshanah said...

I loved that Whitney Lyles series, and thought I was the only one who read it. I'm glad to know I'm not.

At the moment, I'm currently reading American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld.

Leah said...

My current read is: YOUR BLOG!!!!....( a must read as well) lol Thanks for the laughs.


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