The Next Dark Age
We're in it Now
BTT: Something Old, Something New
The question was:
All other things being equal–do you prefer used books? Or new books? (The physical speciman, that is, not the title.) Does your preference differentiate between a standard kind of used book, and a pristine, leather-bound copy?
I have often discussed my affinity for used book stores. Half Price Books, library book sales and my own library’s used book operation are frequent haunts.
I love that they are cheap. I love that you never know what you are going to find – both the titles and the notes inside. At the same time, I don’t often buy used books that are really beaten up. I can’t stand creases on the spine, so I rarely buy mass market paperbacks. I won’t knowingly buy a book that is underlined or highlighted. Because I have so many books in my queue, I can be very picky about what I am buying. I am never at risk of not having something available that I want to read.
Last year, I read E.L. Doctorow’s Ragtime. I didn’t check the copy well enough, and there were underlinings and notes at the end of each chapter. They were very distracting and a fabulous book was marred by the thoughts of someone..not that bright. But the book is good enough to keep in my collection! So I am on the lookout for another copy. A nice one. For a dollar or less.
Drive
Weekend Assignment # 358: Drive
Is driving something you actually enjoy doing, or is it merely a means to an end? Do you ever go for a drive for fun, or revel in certain kinds of driving?
Extra Credit: If time and money were not at issue, and you wanted to go somewhere 500 miles away, would you prefer to drive, be driven, take a train or fly? (Okay, you can also choose to go by boat.)
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity, by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=leartojugg-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0307387097&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifrBook 10
I swiped Half the Sky from my mother, who received it as a gift. Kristof and WuDunn report the stories of women in Africa and Asia that are overcoming some really scary stuff. The subject areas are human trafficking, maternal mortality, rape, honor killings and microfinance. So yeah, it might not be for everyone. Here is their web site:
http://www.halftheskymovement.org/
The authors make a point of saying that statistics are not likely to move people, so they tell us the histories of women and their families. It is a call to action and it might be a bit preachy, but it makes some pretty good arguments that the best way to end poverty and empower communities is to educate their girls. Cable TV coming to rural villages helps. It also analyzes the work of many charitable groups and came to the conclusion that the most successful programs are the grassroots programs that are locally owned. Finally, it notes that the best way to start to get involved is to visit these developing countries.
I think I will do that. Over my mother’s dead body.
I am happy to say that two groups my family supports are highlighted: Heifer International and Kiva. While our volunteering has been focused very much in our own communities, these are our favorites for making a difference internationally. Maybe I will look into one more.
About Borders
I own the fact that I am a book vulture. Library book sales, clearance section at Half Price Books..I even stop at estate sales sometimes, just in case there are books. So I went to my local Borders today. Two of my three stores are closing.
It was a bit sad in that I spent a lot of time in that store when I was in college. My friends are all readers, so we were there at least once a week, after dinner. We’d all go wandering around shopping and then meet up in the cafe for coffee or whatever. It is also sad in that when even the big box booksellers are having this much trouble, we might all have a problem and it is our own fault.
Borders lost me to B&N for several practical reasons even before I became a used book junkie. First, I did a lot of online ordering. B&N is perennially playing catch up with Amazon, but at least they were in the game. Borders was too little, too late. Because of the online ordering, the B&N membership was worth the $25 fee to me. And when you have paid money for a discount card, you don’t do your idle book shopping with the competition. Borders didn’t offer anything comparable until very recently.
Starbucks helped, too.
So I went over this morning and discovered another reason that I like B&N better. Borders doesn’t open until 10am. And not even 10am on Sundays. 10am everyday.
I may have mentioned that my day is half over by 10am.
The clearance was only 20% off this weekend, which isn’t enough to impress me on the average day. But I picked up a few things that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I hope this reorganization helps Borders, but they aren’t likely to win me back.
The Poe Shadow, by Matthew Pearl
. It has been on my bookshelf for about ever, and I checked out the audio version from the library.I am Home
And today is travel recovery day.
While I am on rants about travel and cities that can’t deal with weather even though it totally happens. Here is what I learned on this trip:
San Francisco’s airport does not have de-icing equipment.
My flight was delayed an hour after a storm passed through because we were waiting for the slush to melt, or fall off the wings. After awhile the pilot called in said, “Can someone just bring a broom over here?”
That worked, so perhaps SFO doesn’t actually require expensive de-icing equipment. But they certainly require more guys with brooms.
Packing Light, Sort Of
Weekend Assignment # 357: The Art of Packing
Extra Credit: What’s the most important thing you ever lost, broke, or forgot to bring on your trip?
BTT: Ground Floor
Um..
I’m not interested in getting in on the “ground floor” of a writer’s career. Harry Potter 7 may have been the last book that I pre-ordered. I like reading the authors that have a huge number of books out there that are just waiting for me to find them. And even then, I am kind of doing a one-book-for-one-author each year.
Margaret Atwood, Philip Roth, E.L. Doctorow, Ward Just.
And the historians: McCullough, Ellis, Schlesinger
And do you know how happy I am to have been late to the Sookie Stackhouse books? I think there are 10 out there and I have only read three. I like that there is so much more to read.
If I “discover” a writer, I am back to waiting for (and paying for) new releases! Forget that, man.
Winter Vacation: Day 2
This was my tooling around doing nothing day, as Tammy and Holly are flying in as we speak. I was up before dawn and sat around reading a magazine and the Blackberry for a few hours before heading out to get. My. Papaya.
I am sorry to throw a consumer rant in here, but it has to be done. I am not much of a sandals person. I just wear gym shoes when I am really going to be walking. But it is so nice outside that I went into The Walking Company at the shopping center up the street and dropped $50 on a pair of slides that the lady had confirmed she tried herself and it was “like walking on air”. I had blisters all over my feet in two hours. FAIL.
I had lunch in a little tapas cafe. As I started to eat my pasta and pitas and hummus and Tahitian limeade it hit me: I ate here last year and had ordered the exact same thing.
And here is How Spoiled I Am. There was too much noise in the open air lobby where I like to read (Note to the Marriott – if you put the free wi-fi in the sleeping rooms, the working people might not sit outside and tick us all off with their cell phones. You lost my bar bill, anyway.) so I went back to my room. Housekeeping was there. So I checked Tammy and Holly into their room and sat on their balcony for half an hour. Then I felt bad and went to the little grocery and bought them water and banana bread.
I have taken no pictures today, as I barely set foot off property. But I have two more magazines down and I a good idea of where to go for Happy Hour.
The Secret Adversary, by Agatha Christie
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=leartojugg-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0553122479&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifrBook 8
So I was on the plane, not sleeping. I took out the Kindle, but The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Post WWI, London. Two old chums, a young lady and young gentleman, lament their lack of fortune and resolve to be adventurers. The are overheard and offered a job that envelopes them in matters of international espionage that dated back a few years to the Lusitania. There is a stereotypical rich, dumb American man. And Communists. Scary, scary Communists.
I am happy to say that I had identified the Big, Bad Guy. Until our heroine followed a red herring -which I totally would have done – and the terrifying truth was revealed.
So this wasn’t your typical whodunnit Christie. But it was fun.
The Next Dark Age 