Library Book Sale

The periodic Friends of the Library book sale took place this weekend at my local branch of the Suburban Selfimportantville Regional Library System. Over the years I've become more and more selective about what I pick up there - I love books, naturally, but if I'm going to lay down my $2 and give a volume space on my shelves, it has to be something I genuinely want to own, and it has to be a decent edition in good condition. Those two conditions, in combination with the typical selection, makes it easier to limit my purchases to a reasonable quantity than it might otherwise be.

What I picked up this time:

• The Scarlet Letter (a favorite - I didn't have a good edition of this)
• War and Peace (ditto)
• A Brief History of Time
• Seabiscuit (paperback - picked up to give to someone I've always thought would like it)

Friday at Big Box Books

I own a good number of books (though not nearly as many as some), but I don't buy all that many, at least not new. The abundance of library book sales in the Suburban Selfimportantville Regional Library System has plenty to do with that, I suspect. But on my way home this afternoon, I stopped by my local Big Box Books to reward myself for recently meeting a personal goal. I scored a great deal on nice editions of three of my early favorites, Gulliver's Travels, The Wind in the Willows, and a collection of stories and poems by Edgar Allan Poe. I'm looking forward to the rereadings, especially of The Wind in the Willows, which was one of the first novels I ever read, and which I haven't picked up in close to 15 years.

While shopping, I noticed several posters advertising something called, "The Paranormal Romance Book Club." Have to wonder...isn't all romance somewhat paranormal?