Space Station Mir

I've had some wonderful bookish adventures lately! A family friend was downsizing her collection... I browsed the aisles at Barnes & Noble with birthday gift cards... and I absconded to the library for a lunch hour or two this week.

Day 6 of NaNoWriMo (really, Day 8, for me), and I'm up to 11, 112 words. I'm writing in bits and pieces, and I don't know what's coming each day, so it's a much more nerve-wracking process than the first time around, but it's working so far. Below is a picture of my research books, all nonfiction from my novel's time period, with the exception of The Book Thief , which I've meant to read for years, and now turned out to be the perfect moment. My favorite of the nonfiction so far is Victims and Neighbors, a study of the surviving Germans and Jews from one small town in Germany: the author's grandparents' hometown. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in the subject.

Found myself drawn to the poetry section on a recent trip to the bookstore, and armed with gift cards and this year's goal to read more poetry , I decided to treat myself. The Dream of a Common Language by Adrienne Rich (because of Wild ). Faithful and Virtuous Night: Poems by Louise Glück The Elder Edda by Anonymous (We've been watching Vikings , but this has me interested on its own.)

Took a quick jaunt to NYC during my spring break, and paid a visit to the Strand. The selection was incredible, better than any bookstore I've ever been to, including Barnes & Noble. They had literally every book I've ever looked for. Night Watch and Dispatch from the Future are two I've been looking for quite a long time, so I snatched them up, along with some discounted Ursula K. Le Guin books (already read The Dispossessed , but don't have my own copy) and the hot debut Seraphina . The sequel was available too, but didn't want to get ahead of myself.

Inspired by this lifestyle-affirming video , I went out and bought some new books the other weekend. Just because they make me happy.

My friend came in from Boston last weekend, so we naturally went to explore all the bookstores around my newish domicile. I'd noticed Gramp's Attic Books before, but never had occasion to venture inside. What a treat I was missing! Gramp's Attic Books is an apt name, if your grandfather was the sort to value really fine editions of classic novels, or the type to gather vast collections on rifles, American history (emphasis on the Civil War and World War II), bookbinding, and London, respectively. Although relatively small, Gramp's Attic Books boasts an extremely well-curated stock. Most of the books in the store itself (there's a couple shelves of mere paperbacks in the anteroom) are hard covers, and all are in excellent condition. I would not be surprised if there were a majority of first and second editions. If your tastes run to classics and the aforementioned collections, you might never want to leave. There are handsome caches of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, ...

My friend was in town for the weekend, and we traveled to Second Story Books . I'd been there before, but not in many years. Second Story Books almost feels more like a warehouse than a bookstore. This feeling was exacerbated as, while we were there, a loading dock at the front of the store was open, letting in air. This was more than an aesthetic choice, as we found ourselves (and other customers) continually sneezing in the midst of the rather musty collection. Mustiness aside, however, the selection was quite impressive and reasonably well organized. I did come across a few grab-bag boxes in the sci-fi section, but they rather added to the sense of adventure and exploration that often accompanies used bookstores (for me, at least). In addition to generous fiction selections, Second Story Books really shined in the non-fiction, references, and antiques sections. Unfortunately, the latter means many of their wares are more expensive than in your average used bookstore, but extra...

My university's library held a book sale last week. On the final day, hardbacks went for $1 and paperbacks for 50 cents. Not to miss out on the bloodbath, I braved the musty stairs into a dimly lit room. I came across gems, such as a book of Saxon Medieval Poetry, a compendium of the works of sixteenth-century Spanish composers, and a tempting biography of George Sand. While I made it my mission to find the lowest-brow possible fiction, others squabbled over a copy of Orlando Furioso (Nah Nah Nah Nah Nah, I all but heard the winner exclaim) and required boxes to cart out their loot. I emerged with: 1. Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran I hope I like it better than her other book, but man, she does a great job choosing subjects I'm interested in that hardly anyone has written about. 2. Jane Austen: A Life by David Nokes Okay, it's kind of academic, but it's not in my super-specific area, SO it counts as pleasure reading. 3. Scarlett by Alexandra R...

My recent book acquisitions include a few books that have been on my mind for a year or more, as well as a few that were completely unexpected! From Bookmooch, the online book swapping community in which I partake, I received: The Last Boleyn by Karen Harper I received for review from Tor: The Inexplicables by Cherie Priest Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone The Rise of Ransom City by Felix Gilman For Hanukkah, my dad gave me: This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz The Joys of Love by Madeleine L'Engle Looking at them together and knowing what I know of both authors, they look like a delightful juxtaposition. Finally, I had the opportunity to visit The Book Bank in Old Town Alexandria. The used book store was impeccably organized and boasts an impressive collection both of antiques and recent releases. I was actually surprised at the quality of the latter, since I saw several books I thought people would have wanted to hold onto! They also have an excellent sele...

Ever since I moved here, I've been overwhelmed with events; academic, artistic, community, personal. But when I saw there was a used book sale this weekend, I couldn't resist. And when I saw that it was $1 for a paperback and $2 for a hardback, well... Some of these are old favorites that I didn't actually own, like Certain Women by Madeleine L'Engle, Gloriana's Torch by Patricia Finney, and The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares. Others are from known and beloved authors such as Philippa Gregory and Alexander Pushkin. Similarly, the Allende and the Erdrich are sequels to books that I've already read. I saw the Barbara Pym book and thought I'd try it out, since I know Boston Bibliophile is a fan. The MLA Handbook I thought might come in handy; A Passage to India is a classic I've wanted to read for a while. A Traveler in Time , however, is my big gamble. I've heard neither of the book nor the author, but the title and cover...

Yesterday was my last day as a bookseller-at least for a while. Shortly, I will be on my way to Chicago to get my MA and, if all goes well, on the path to my PhD and cozy tenured professorship (one can dream right?) I'd been gathering a stack of perspective buys in anticipation and an attempt to ameliorate the specific brand of torture that is the constant passing and shelving and handling of books that you would love to own, but shouldn't buy if you want to keep within your budget (not to mention bookshelf space, but I passed that bar a while ago and never looked back). Anyway, for my last chance to use my employee discount, and with the aid of birthday gift cards, I decided to splurge. A digital portrait of my loot: 1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 2. Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger 3. The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Conner McNees 4. My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares 5. Insurgent by Veronica Roth 6. The Girl Who C...