Books, Books! (And More Books.)
Last week Lisa mentioned the book she was reading, Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko. It sounded so interesting that I immediately went to my library website, only to discover they don’t have it. So I decided to splurge, and on Wednesday went to Barnes and Noble. I LOVE the bookstore! I don’t go often these days, because I get most books from the library. But I love going in, getting a cup of tea, and browsing all around. It’s lucky I like browsing, because I can never, ever find a specific book easily. This trip was no exception. Despite my track record, I thought THIS time I would be able to find the book. It’s fantasy, right? But no- I couldn’t find it in fantasy. I looked all through the D’s and also the C’s and E’s in case it was mis-shelved. Nope. Okay… science fiction? No. I tried fiction, mystery, and even young adult, with no luck. Finally, I gave up (as I always do, eventually) and asked a bookseller for help. She couldn’t find it either, although on their website it said there were copies available at that store. She said she would ask her manager, and disappeared for about five minutes, during which I despaired of getting this book. And then! She returned holding one single, precious copy! She explained that it was in a special category called “dark fantasy” and gestured to a vague corner of the store. Um…. okay? That seemed odd to me- some books are so dark they need their own category? I’m intrigued! But first, I had to finish the book I was already reading: People seem to LOVE this book. I liked it just fine. Molly had a fascinating and odd childhood, and it was interesting to see how it shaped her as a performer. I didn’t even really watch Saturday Night Live during those years, and yet I realized I still knew her most iconic characters, like Mary Katherine Gallagher, which is a testament to what she accomplished. I would say this is a must-read if you’re an aspiring performer, or if you’re a fan of her work. Otherwise, to me it was an “I’m glad I read it but my life would have been complete even if I hadn’t” kind of book. I also recently reread two Agatha Christie mysteries. During my middle school, high school and college years I LOVED Agatha Christie. Sadly, I’ve read them all but every once in a while I’ll reread one, if I can’t remember the plot. I read these books the way I imagine people read romance novels- just for the fun of it, but not expecting great literature. I did have fun reading these; I love when Hercule Poirot gathers everyone together and reveals the murderer. Then there was Des’s book! This was a fun, quick read. I’m starting to feel like an a-hole here, because once again I didn’t love this book. I can’t even imagine the work it takes to write a memoir, and I know it’s a huge accomplishment to complete one and have it published. But I guess I’m comparing it to Deena Kastor’s Let Your Mind Run, which was an extraordinary book that I could read over and over again. Des’s book was good, and the behind-the-scenes look at her Boston win was interesting, but I can’t imagine wanting to reread it. Next up! I’m excited to read this… I’ll report back! What are you reading now? Do you ever buy books from the bookstore?