Time for another round of Bookshelf Traveling in Insane Times which is being hosted by Judith at Reader in the Wilderness. The idea is to share one of your neglected bookshelves or perhaps a new pile of books. Yes, I have hundreds of unread books in this house but hearing some of my library holds were ready made me do a little jig!
I was so excited to drive to Newton for Library-to-go curbside pickup yesterday! In addition, as I drove past a small library in a nearby town, I saw a rack of books they had put outside, presumably as discards to compensate for not having their curbside pickup up and running. Naturally, I stopped to investigate! I helped myself to copies of An Old-Fashioned Girl (one of my favorite Alcotts) and an entertaining YA I read several years ago called The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You (a retelling of Much Ado About Nothing) which I think my nieces would enjoy.
Each library is doing this differently, and in Newton, where I grew up, you put books on hold and eventually the library emails you to make a pick-up appointment – if it has the book on hand and once it has time to retrieve them from the shelf. Then you actually walk into a room at the library where the staff has a shopping bag of books already checked out to you. One has to be grateful for anything but Newton took so long to fill some of my holds that I got the books I’d requested on libraries several days after my summer school paper on The Public Library’s Mission was due! Still, there are several more assignments before the end of July, so I will hold onto them.
Alas, the book I need for my book group, The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson (2020), is in such high demand that I am still on the waiting list since February. Unless I buy it tomorrow I don’t think I will get to read in time for my book group on Wednesday.
However, I was pleased to see a new-to-me Jenny Colgan, The Boy I Loved Before (2004); The Stranger Diaries, a standalone by Elly Griffiths (2018) whose Ruth Galloway books I enjoy; and The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol (2016) which someone must have recommended. I wanted the eighth Louise Penny, The Beautiful Mystery (2012), and had to settle for the CDs instead of a print copy but can start listening tomorrow as I am driving to historic North Easton. Finally, there was a CD of the musical She Loves Me. I put that on hold so long ago I don’t remember why but I am sure I will enjoy it.
Did you see this funny video that the Nashville Public Library put out? I love their creativity.
OH! Elly Griffiths' The Stranger Diaries was just about my favorite book read in 2019!!! So good from her. With the wonderful gothic touches she added! Everyone I know loved it. Keeps you guessing, and I will say I never guessed who dun it, but sometimes I think I am a bit retarded in the guessing department. But I was completely surprised, which made it really fun.
ReplyDeleteGosh, now that I'm commenting, I'm not able to see your post, so I'd like to post more after I have another look.
Oh, again! The Newton Free Library! Actually, I was born in the city of Newton, and my husband and I lived in Canton for many years before transplanting ourselves to the Adirondack wilderness, but because I grew up in Natick and Wellesley, Newton was a well-frequented place. How nice to think of you living there! An Old-Fashioned Girl by Alcott--I just bought a paperback copy, which should have arrived to my post office by now. Will go tomorrow to check.
ReplyDeleteI recently re-read Eight Cousins, and then purchased A Rose in Bloom, which I read as a very young teen but not since. So am looking forward to reading both Alcott novels.
I have An Old-FAshioned Girl on my 20 Books of Summer list, I haven't read it before but was recently sent a copy by a friend in the US who loves it. I loved the video.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely that your library is open for pickup and you could pick up requested books. That sounds like Christmas. And it is funny how we forget why we were previously interested in books.
ReplyDeleteSorry that you did not get The Splendid and the Vile. My husband has enjoyed many of Erik Larson's books, so he got that one shortly after it came out and before things shut down. He is reading it now.
I am not as big a fan of Elly Griffiths as many people are; I am reading through the Ruth Galloway books slowly. But I do plan to read the Stranger Diaries someday. I hope to hear what you think about it. I will be reading the 7th Louise Penny book -- A Trick of the Light -- this summer sometime.