A Season for Everything

I’m a freakin’ book addict if the truth’s to be told. I cannot walk past a book store, a shelf of books at Wal-Mart or even a box of books at a garage sale without bringing one home. And one book always leads to another. I love the heft and feel of hardbound books, the portability (and inexpensiveness) of paperbacks. I love the smell of a new book and the mustiness of old books. I like bright, graphic covers and boring old cloth and leather covers. I love edgy new fiction, quaint fiction from long ago, classics and pure drivel (i.e., romance novels). I love biographies and autobiographies and journals. I collect antique children’s books with beautiful illustrations, books that the giver signed an interesting sentiment in and first editions. I suppose some of my appreciation comes of having a librarian for a mother, but my love of books goes waaaaaay beyond hers. My son is becoming the third generation of book lover, but he has a way to go to catch up and I’m afraid the computer is a mighty draw for him, but maybe online books are the next wave? I admit I’ve read a few. I just prefer the sensory experience of a real book.

That said, not that there was really any point (I just knew you were all dying for the information), here’s an update on the reading I’ve been doing lately. I bought all those books at Barnes & Noble a couple of weeks ago. So far I’ve read A Trip to the Beach by Bob and Melinda Blanchard and their follow up book, Live What You Love. A Trip to the Beach was a nice easy read. The Blanchard’s painted a very vivid picture of life on the Caribbean island of Anguilla and it was interesting to follow their story of giving up their life in Vermont to open a restaurant on the island. It made me want to go to the beach. It also made me want to make something happen in my life. That’s where Live What You Love comes in. In it, the Blanchard’s share more of their amazing life story. There are some questions for reflection at the end of most chapters to help you evaluate your life and dreams. I’ve also found out that the Blanchard’s have written two cookbooks that I’m now on the lookout for. (See how the books just connect and keep leading to more?)

Yesterday I was at Target and picked up The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble and Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner. I’ve been meaning to read Good in Bed for a long time. I just kept getting sidetracked. I’m already five chapters into it. Ms. Weiner writes beautifully and god, is she funny! This is a laugh-out-loud book. The main character is a “larger woman” who following a really crummy period sets out to chart a new course for her life. I can identify with that. A lot. And in the game of connect-the-dots or books, I now have to add Weiner’s other two books, In Her Shoes and Goodnight Nobody to the must read list.

Grace, if you’re reading this, I know you’re waiting to hear what I think of Misquoting Jesus. I SWEAR TO YOU IT WILL BE THE VERY NEXT BOOK I READ.