I'm such a book geek. Here I am all excited about the great haul I made yesterday at our local library used book sale. For $16, the price of one new trade paperback, I bought the following books, all hardcovers but two:
[I've read this before and liked it and since it's set in the 16th century, I wanted to own a copy.]
Depths of Glory: A Biographical Novel of Camille Pissarro by Irving Stone
Those Who Love: A Biographical Novel of Abigail and John Adams by Irving Stone
[I read The Agony and the Ecstasy as a teenager and loved it, so I thought I'd try more Stone. Plus, I've always wanted to know more about Pissaro.]
Somewhere in France by John Rolfe Gardiner
The Rossetti Letter by Christi Phillips
Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
[Always wanted to read this memoir.]
Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier
[Cold Mountain is one of my favorites, so I'm looking forward to this one, although I hear it's quite different.]
Vivaldi's Virgins by Barbara Quick
Shadow of the Moon by M.M. Kaye
[Read this in high school, but I think it's worth a re-read.]
A Song of Sixpence by A.J. Cronin
[Have never read any Cronin before.]
The Fool's Tale by Nicole Galland
The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason
[This is one of my favorite books, but I didn't have my own copy.]
Prince of Foxes by Samuel Shellabarger
[Members of Historical Fiction Online always mention Shellabarger, so I thought I'd try one! This one has a lurid 1970's cover.]
Plainsong by Kent Haruf
Paint It Black by Janet Fitch
[I loved White Oleander. Janet Fitch is an instructor at the Squaw Valley Writer Community of Writers, which I've attended twice, and I've always found her talks to be inspiring and full of practical advice.]
So, while I feel slightly guilty to have bought all these books used and thus cheated the authors of royalties, I'm excited about my finds. I realized while I was skimming the spines on the display tables why it is I write--I want someone to feel the same thrill on finding my book that I feel when I find a book I've been wanting to read! It's not the fame, not the money (good thing!), but the thought that I could bring a few hours of enjoyment to someone by doing something I love to do. I want someone to rush home someday with my book in her hands: "Look, I found the latest Julianne Douglas!" (And, shhhh, don't tell my agent, but I won't even mind not getting the royalties for it. *smile*)
Now, someone please tell me when I'm going to find the time to READ all these books, never mind where I'm going to put them!
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6 comments:
Like I've said before..NEED MORE THAN 24 IN A DAY...Never a bad idea to take a mental health moment and relax with a mini-vacation to another TIME and place, hence my love of historical fiction! And fantasy :)luvs, Renee
I LOVE library sales...there's a Spring sale coming up this week and I must prepare to fight the crowds =) Those old ladies better get outta my way...haha...just kidding!
Nice haul though...and I am so not the person to ask about where to put books...I cleaned my bookshelves this weekend and they are double-stacked and about to burst! My poor hubby feels like he's living in a library. I just tell him "sshhhhh" =) get it? library....sshhh...haha...is it 5:30 yet?
That is a nice haul! My collection is partly in the garage, I'm afraid. I love our library's annual sale--I volunteer to unpack books and thus get first dibs on them!
Oh I wish we had such decent library sales in Hobart - the last library sale my local library had was very meagre and the only HF novel was a Diana Galbaldon whom I have not been able to get into. I can highly highly recommend The Depths of Glory - I loved it. I too read Agony and Ecstasy as a teenager and was enraptured. Depths of Glory is not quite as intricate or political but a fine read and a brilliant way to get a snapshot of the birth of the impressionist movement !
I'm so lucky because our library has a huge booksale every six months. The finds are incredible! I can't believe how people purchase new hardbacks and then donate them a few months later.
I'm definitely going to volunteer next time around, too, to get first dibs. We used to go to "Members Only" night the first night (for paying members of Friends of the Library), but it's a mob scene recently. Used book dealers come in and snatch up mountains of books for resale and can get very nasty if you get in their way. At least the money is going to a good cause--more new books and services for the library!
Lucky you! I'm in the middle of The Gargoyle, in part on your recommendation --- it's wonderful!
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