Used books sales are an addiction

| | Comments (2)

.....and I need to join a 12 step program.

I'm a classic abuser.

"OK, I'm not going this year. That's that. I have enough. No, MORE than enough books."

Time passes. And not much.

"Well, I need to go out to the post office anyway. The book sale is probably cram-packed full of people anyway."

Time passes. Again, not much. And I get in the car to go to the post office.

"Well, look at that. St. Stephen's parking lot is 1/2 empty. Hmmmm. Probably means all the good books are gone."

I drive over to the post office and drop off a letter.

"Well, let's see if business has picked up over the lunch hour. Wow. Lots of parking spaces. I'll just pull in and see what's up."

I walk around the book sale. Just to look, you know. I'm just looking!

OK, and buying one, just one book, FOR MCKID, you know, not for ME. Well, maybe two books for McKid. Who can turn down Understood Betsey?

One hour later I walk out with a sack of books. Not as much damage as I've done in the past, but still.

Crack cocaine, people. It's my crack cocaine.

Here's what came home with me:

Uncle Wiggly's Storybook by Howard Garis. I was looking at an ad for this in the Vermont Country Store catalog just yesterday, considering whether to order it. $1? Done.

Understood Betsey by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. To add to my shelf of kid books. My grandchildren better love to read.

Son of Dust by H. F. M. Prescott. I know nothing about this except that it has been reissued by Loyola Classics, so I'll probably love it. This one was printed in the '50s.

The Thanatos Syndrome by Walker Percy. Long on my to read list, now on my to read shelves.

The King's Cavalier by Samuel Shellabarger. Yee haw! I have hunted for this since I read the first Shellabarger, hoping I'd find it.

Pilgrim's Inn by Elizabeth Goudge. I liked City of Bells and Green Dolphin Street. I expect to like this, too.

All Things Bright and Beautiful and All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot. This purchase finishes the set for me. I'm so glad to have found just the two I needed!

Shades of Travis McGee by John D. MacDonald. This one contains three novels: The Quick Red Fox, Pale Gray for Guilt, and Dress Her in Indigo. I read all of John MacDonald many years ago. Can I tell you how much I admire his creation of Travis McGee, Meyer, and The Busted Flush? MacDonald's McGee and Parker's Spencer--two of my favorite fictional men of all time.

And finally, just for fun:

Calico Palace by Gwen Bristow. This was the first "grown up book" I remember receiving as a gift. It's been 40 years. Will I still like it?


2 Comments

your books are my smoked mozerella are both CRACK! lettuce pray...

There was a moment while I was covered in mud while trudging thru the flooded, straw covered ground under the the tent of our library's big sale last month that I thought, "What have I come to?" But even this miserable second trip through on half price day was not enough to be considered hitting bottom. No, once I bathed and was sitting in my cozy bed surrounded by my new treasures I had no intent of reforming my ways. But my husband may be planning an intervention...since the only pieces of furniture I am on the look-out for are MORE BOOKSHELVES!

Categories

Pages

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by MamaT published on October 23, 2008 1:43 PM.

smock's thinking "hmmm... high emotional stability? not so much." was the previous entry in this blog.

Speaking of Travis McGee..... is the next entry in this blog.

Find recent content on the main index or look in the archives to find all content.