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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Purging my bookshelves

It's painful for me, but I really need to give away some of my books to make room for the many, many, many that I have bought over the last six months. Most of the new-to-me books have been found at Goodwill and the library's discard shelf and they're stacked fifteen deep on top of my desk. I don't have room for more bookshelves, so some of the old ones have to go.

 
So, I'm stealing borrowing an idea from Stacy at Stacy's Books. This stack of books is the first to go, and it's a first-come, first-serve basis. So let me know which one you want and I will get it to you. One per customer, please!

 
 
From the top:
 

1The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer. This is actually a NTM book, but I forgot that I already had a hardback. How much loyalty do we owe the ones we love? Would you stay or walk away if your fiance' was suddenly rendered helpless. What if you were only twenty-three?

2. Coastliners by Joanne Harris, the author of Chocolat, which I also bought. After living in Paris for ten years, a woman returns to the island where her estranged father lives in hopes of reconciling with him.


3Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Sorry, couldn't get into it.


4The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian. I've read four or five of his books, including The Midwives which was made into a TV movie starring Sissy Spacek. This novel is about a woman who is attacked while riding her bicycle through Vermont's back roads. Her life is forever changed. This story is very twisty-turny and totally captivating.


5Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama. Young women who work in the silk factories in China in the mid-1920's. Fascinating.


6"And So It Goes" by Linda Ellerbee. The story of Linda's life and career in the news bidness, up to 1986, that is. Had this one a while.


7Mirror, Mirror by Gregory Maguire, the author of Wicked. In his ongoing quest to retell every fairytale in a skewed way, he relates the real story of Snow White who hooks up with the Borgias. Fractured Fairytales, for sure.


8Mostly True: A Memoir of Family, Food and Baseball by Molly O'Neill, former food columnist for the New York Times Magazine. She also happens to be the sister of Paul O'Neill, retired right-fielder for the New York Yankees. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio in the fifties and sixties. I loved it.


9Clear Springs by Bobbie Ann Mason. Memoir of her life growing up in central Kentucky. She's the author of In Country, about a wacky, messed-up Vietnam vet which was made into a movie starring Bruce Willis. Good movie, great book.


10The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank by Ellen Feldman. Ever wonder what happened to Peter van Pels after World War II and his incarceration in a Nazi concentration camp? This is his supposed life.


11Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler. I've read 8 or 9 of her books and never been disappointed. This one, not so much. I only made it to Chapter 3, but maybe it will be your cup of tea.

19 comments:

Deborah said...

What a cool idea! What's more impressive, though, is that you can actually remember what these books were about. Ask me the plot of a book more than 2 weeks after I've read it, and you won't get much.

Ruth said...

Oh, I need to do something like this. I have so many stacks around the house - especially on my dresser - that they are threatening to topple and bring down the house.

So I will decline your offer. :)

Susan said...

That's why they make book blurbs, Deb! My memory isn't that good, although I did use my own words. What? No requests? You're not playing the game right! LOL

Susan said...

Maybe we should do a book exchange, Ruthie. I'll bring 3 that I want to get rid of, and you can bring 3. We won't have any less, but they'll be less familiar. ;)

Anonymous said...

This is a great idea. I get many of my books at Goodwill too. I just returned a bunch of them. Recycle, recycle!

Cora said...

A super great idea Susan! An awesome way to share with others.

Sandy Nawrot said...

You are so kind! But I must resist. I just got home yesterday, and arrived to an absolutely HUGE stack of books that had arrived in the mail over the last three weeks. Argh! Plus I have to play catch up with home stuff and have no time to read. I'm having an anxiety fit!

BTW, I couldn't get into Love In the Time of Cholera either. I think I dropped it after 40 pages.

maggie said...

Great idea. My choice would be: Women of the Silk. Can I send you one also? It could be a surprise.

Susan said...

Now, come on people! You're not playing this game right...you're supposed to be jumping up and down with your hands in the air, fighting over these books!!! What am I gonna have to do? Stalk you and make you take them? bwahahahaha!!

Maggie, great choice! Send your address to my email and I'll get it out to you. An exchange would be lovely, thank you.

susandroh at gmail dot com

And thank you for visiting.

GailO said...

Oh no! I just bought three books at the flea market that I absolutely don't have time to read...so I will participate in an exchange only:)

I loved Bobbie Ann Mason's books In Country and Crown of Feathers...I would love to read her memoir even if it will probably sit on my TBR shelf for quite some time...:

Char said...

maybe we need to all start a central 'pass it on' lending library. we could all come up with five books and put them on a list. as we take one from someone we would have to mail one out to someone else. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The Bumbles said...

Well, since you recommended Ms. O'Neill's book to me earlier this week, I'll take that one off of your hands.

Deborah said...

Well, I CAN'T play the game, for two reasons. The postage over here would kill you, and secondly, I have to get through the 56 second-hand books I bought a few months ago!

Forgot about book blurbs. You should have left me with my illusions.

Kathryn said...

Ooh - the 'double bind' sounds good...but only if I can send you something in return.
As for Love in the Time of Cholera:
Agh - like wading through an endless Ikea ballroom, and the balls are sticky. do you think I will ever be hired as a book critic?

Kathryn said...

PS. sorry to use your blog for this Susan, but it's on topic...
Deb: Where is that book you were going to loan me, but didn't finish in time? You got me all hot and bothered, and then left me in a state of excitement. There's a name for people like you, and it's "Book-Tease". Harumph.

Susan said...

I should have known this would be a hard sell...all of you are in the same boat as I am! I promise not to do this again, although I really did like the picture and the mini-synopses were kinda fun. But anyway...

Gail, Molly and Kathryn, shoot me an email where to send them and I'll get them out ASAP.

susandroh at gmail dot com

Sandy aka Doris the Great said...

Okay! I'm jumping up and down! I'd love to try Women of the Silk please.

And as for Love in the Time of Cholera, I loved it. But only because I saw the movie first and therefore knew the story. But I tried another of his books and tossed it after 3-4 chapters.

Life is too short! Thanks.

Susan said...

Hi Sandy! I'm infected by your enthusiasm! Only...Maggie already requested Women of the Silk...can you please choose one that hasn't been spoken for and I'll be more than happy to spread the joy! I might even throw in a little lagniappe. :)

XO

Anonymous said...

Well, you got rid of a few books! I only try 3 or 4 a month and international shipping is very expensive. I keep telling myself I won't do it anymore, but I do.
Did someone claim The Double Bind? I'd be willing to take that one off your hands.