Wednesday, August 26, 2009

A proud book nerd

Word of the day: want (verb) To feel a need or a desire for; wish for.


I made a grievous error today. A huge mistake. A gigantic blunder.


I went to the bookstore at lunch.


I was strong and managed to escape without buying anything. (Bed bug infestations can put a dent in one’s discretionary income.)


But, my oh my, was I filled with an all-encompassing feeling of WANT. And I didn’t even venture to the children’s/young adult section.


Whenever I go into a bookstore, there are two sections I always have to check out: fantasy and mystery. While in the fantasy section, I didn’t see any new Terry Pratchett books but I did take the time to peruse Nanny Ogg’s Cookbook. (WANT) His next Discworld book, The Unseen Academicals, comes out in hardback in October which means another year before the mass market version is available. (WANT)


Over in the mystery section, I gazed longingly at the Reginald Hill books I still need to round out my collection. An Advancement of Learning, A Killing Kindness and Child’s Play all sat on the shelves, beckoning me to buy. But I was strong (read: slightly broke) and managed to walk away, but not before reading the jacket copy of the latest Hill masterpiece A Cure for All Diseases. It’s currently only in hardback but the mass market version will be released in October. (WANT)


Then I just wandered. Dennis Lehane’s books caught my attention. (WANT) Then I found a Sherlock Holmes book with this amazing cover:

(WANT)


I was also enticed by Gods Behaving Badly, The Gargoyle and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, as well as some classic titles like A Clockwork Orange and 1984. (WANT, WANT, WANT, WANT and WANT)


Oh books, why must I love you so?

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