LITERARY GLUTTONY

I HAVE A PROBLEM. And I'll be the first to admit it, although I bristle when Mr. Bob suggests that I stop patronizing our local public library. After all, I'm supposed to be one of the two librarians here at the Manor. And our library here is full of interesting books, but here's the way my life works.

As an ex-bookseller (it may be like swimming and bicycling.... once learned, the process is never entirely forgotten) I try to stay somewhat aware of new books being published. When I read a review or hear about a new book that sounds as though it's within my interest range, I hurry to the computer and call up the local library site.  There I can request a book. Sometimes I'm the first to ask for it and more often I'll be put on a waiting list and notified when my turn arrives. So there's no sure way of predicting when I'll be notified that the book is waiting for me at the Adams Square Library branch. Sometimes I end up with more books than I know what to do with.

I suppose it could be worse if I didn't get them returned by the due dates. I've been very good about not accruing library fines although it's utterly amazing how quickly three weeks fly by and my time is up. Because so much of what I want is new, renewing the title usually isn't possible because other people are waiting for the book.










All of a sudden I found myself with all the books pictured on this page, while Mr. Bob suffered through his medical month. I always took a book with me to the hospital when I visited, but did I read it while there? No.













I enrolled in a Speed Reading class once, but all of the students, save myself, wanted to practice on technical reading, something I wasn't the least bit interested in. When my turn came to tell what I had just read, I'd open my mouth and nothing would issue forth. It didn't take me long to drop out of the class. I don't consider myself a slow reader, but I can't keep up with what the public library keeps me supplied with.

No doubt you can tell that I lean toward Non-Fiction. Our library at the Manor has a good section of Biographies and the most sought-after fiction category by residents here is Mysteries. Nadine and I have a small budget for purchasing books, but by and large, the library is made up of donated books. It's always interesting to see what comes in when people break up their personal book collections.



Even as I wrote this, I thought of something else I want to read. And I looked up James Michener's "Recessional", about a group of elders in a Florida retirement home. I'm sure it'll be right up my alley, if I'll just apply myself and get it read. I'm #1 in line to get it. My true confession is that all of the books pictured here were returned unread except for a page here and there. And Mr. Bob won't know about it until he reads this later today.



Another place that my greed shows up is in my large collection of bookmarks. I could and probably will do a whole web log entry on just that subject. The point of mentioning it today is to admit that I'll use anything within reach to mark my stopping place in a book. Recently I was aware of this fortunate selection of a place mark. At least I don't dog-ear pages.









Scottish library joke
A man walks into a Glasgow library and says to the librarian, "Excuse me Miss, do ye huvany books on suicide?" The librarian looks up and says, "Get lost! Ye'll no bring it back!"