I did it again! I went to Dollar Tree for approximately five items, and came home with twenty eight...SEVEN of those being hardcover books! (I just blogged about this same topic on February 8th)
I just cannot resist books. I almost walked right past the aisle, but then noticed the book section seemed to have expanded since my last visit. So, my cart was magnetically pulled to the left. What could I do but hang on and go with it?
I've never been one to completely "judge a book by its cover," but if it's obvious it's something gory, zombie-like, science fiction, etc....I know I won't read it. Out of these seven books, I'm aware of two authors and their genre: Bill Geist and William Least Heat Moon, but the other five I chose for either or all of the following reasons:
1) I liked the title
2) I read a few of the blurbs on the back covers
3) I read the first few sentences of Chapter One
4) The cover did catch my attention
So...which book to read first?? What a decision to make...although I knew if I didn't like it, I'd try another one. I chose One For The Books, by Joe Queenan. I mean....look at that cover! A book, about the love of books, with lots of colorful books on the cover! One of the reviews on Amazon, by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, says this: "A passionate, at times hilarious, account of a life spent reading and rereading."
Mr. Queenan is definitely a fabulous satirist and humorist, and a true bibliophile! I've read about the first 50 pages and I'm loving it. Some of his opinions and experiences pertaining to books are laugh-out-loud funny. A few I agree with...and others I don't.
I'll post my final thoughts when I finish reading it.
~~~
What about you? Do you buy books very often? Where have you found some of your best buys? Did any of these random purchases make a huge difference in your life? I have one that immediately comes to mind:
I bought this at the Army PX in a small German town in the 1970s. It changed my life!
You got a great bundle here. I have done similar things in Big Lots. I see a book here I am going to pursue right away...William Least Heat Moon...love him and did not know about this title!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Claudia! I know William Least Heat Moon is from KC, Missouri and I know just a little about him. You mentioning the title reminded me I meant to list all the titles and authors. I'll add that later, I guess!
DeleteI have been reading like crazy. Have fun with your bargains.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great to have the time to read?? I've been reading like I did during summer vacations when I was a child and teenager! I also read a lot in Germany, too...a big reason why was because we had to TV to waste time watching ;)
DeleteDave and I love to roam through used bookstores, and the best one is connected to our library. Most books are a dollar or two, even the hard backs! Love it.
ReplyDelete=)
Our little library had one of those too until they expanded the library into a huge one....but got rid of the used book store :( I heard they couldn't get volunteers anymore.. I LOVE used book stores, too!
DeleteMmmm books.
ReplyDeleteI buy lots of books. Too many books.
Second hand bookshops and bookfairs are always a temptation. And I fail every time.
We book lovers just can't help ourselves, can we??
DeleteI don't buy as many books as I used to, but I do buy quite a few at a time when the budget allows it. Mostly online, from a free delivery site, since I'm unable to carry too much weight and books do weigh a bit when you buy more than one.
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of One For The books and think I'll look for it at the library next time I go. I love browsing through secondhand bookshops and market stalls.
Hi River ~ I'm having deja vu. I feel like I've already replied to your comment...Hmm...maybe I dreamed that last night. My husband said I laughed out loud in my sleep and did some talking, but he couldn't understand what I said! Anyway....I think you'd like One for the Books, too!
DeleteHi Becky....I buy a lot of books at Friends of the Library book sales. They are fabulous sales and held three times a year. Glad you found some new ones yourself. Enjoy! Susan
ReplyDeleteHi Susan! Yes...Friends of the Library...that was the name of our little library store, too. But it closed...couldn't get enough volunteers :(
DeleteHi Becky. I buy far too many books and I have books for all occasions. Eclectic tastes. I try to buy blogger books to support my fellow bloggers, but I too love browsing second-hand books. A pity the author is getting no royalties. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Denise! I've purchased quite a few friends' books, both local and bloggy-far-away friends, and I need to start doing that again. (for quite a while, the old pocket book just wouldn't allow that) I feel bad too for the authors not getting royalties. But at the same time I thought to myself...heck, I wouldn't mind having my book on ANY store shelf, even the Dollar Tree :)
DeleteWhat a great haul! I love love LOVE thrift store book sections because where else can you find bargains and variety like this? I have a weekly routine of scoping all the bargain shops in the area to see what's come in and regularly find some real keepers. And, hey, if they turn out to be only so/so then I don't feel bad passing them along to someone else or just donating them back. I love the sound of that Joe Queenan book! I'll have to do a search...
ReplyDeleteHi Trish! Great to see you. Bet you were surprised to see me on your blog, too, huh?! I'm working on doing better getting around and commenting! Hope you can find the Joe Queenan book, too. It's a good one! Oh, and I've donated lots of books to Goodwill. I think I said that in an earlier post...only paying One Dollar for a book, if I don't like it ...it's off to Goodwill for someone else!
DeleteYes, it's hard for me to resist buying books. I've got a stack next to my bed right now. What a great feeling!
ReplyDeletePat
Critter Alley
Hi Pat ~ I agree....nothing like books, books, everywhere! :)
DeleteYou have one great Australian author there, Thomas Keneally. There is a name for people who buy books by the the car load while they still haven't read the last carload. I'm one of those people. It comes from being poor as a child and a book was a luxury so I'm always afraid of getting down to the last book in the pile not that that's going to happen ever. I'm even ready for the nursing home, a boxed set of Harry Potter and boxed set of Lord of the Rings and that's also in case of a Zombie appocalypse, I can carry them as I run.
ReplyDeleteHello Jah The! Thanks so much for stopping and commenting...it's nice to meet you! I didn't realize that Keneally was Australian...haven't really look in the book much yet. Thanks for telling me. I didn't know there was a name for book lovers until a few years ago when one of the blogs I started to follow was named Bibliophilic Blather! http://karenwojcikberner.blogspot.com/
DeleteJah, I apologize for the spelling of TEH. BlogSpot would NOT allow me to spell it correctly until I found out just now, it WILL if I type all caps!
DeleteYou are quite the bargain hunter. I'm with you: It's hard to pass up a good book, even harder when it's so inexpensive. I never leave the Dollar store without checking out their books. Like you, I've bought some gems there.
ReplyDeleteYep, I think we'll always be that way, too. Like Jah in above comment, I think we'll even be prepared for the nursing home! LOL
DeleteOh, I've found these last two bunches of books at Dollar Tree on Hwy K by the new Hobby Lobby.
I forgot to mention that William Least Heat Moon will be at the Unbound Book Festival in Columbia April 23.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info! I hadn't heard of that book festival. I'll have to check into it!
DeleteI enjoy buying books too! Although the last books I bought at Dollar Tree were for my nieces (age 4 and 5). But that still counts, for they are books, right? We love to go to Half Price books, which is a chain in our area. Great place to buy new and used books. My favorite places to explore there first are the clearance shelves. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Karen! Thanks for stopping by. We have Half Price stores here, too, I think...just not very close to where I live.
DeleteI am a hopeless case, I can't go in a bookstore without coming home with a few new books. My weakness now is e-reader books, I am hooked on Bookbub, free books, who can resist free books. One day my husband walked into my reading corner, and I had just bought a few books on Amazon, I told him... I should not be left alone with a credit card and access to a bookstore, I go crazy! He just laughed and said: "How many did you buy today?!" My favorite brick and mortar store is B&N. Enjoy your reading....
ReplyDeleteHi Ann! I just cannot get into e-books, and I don't think I ever will. They just aren't the same, obviously, and I have no fond memories of them from my youth ;)
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