I am in love.
With my library.
There are those in Springville who shall remain nameless but nevertheless are very outspoken on their disdain for our library.
They ought to move to Tehachapi, CA where there is a truly sad library. Somehow, someway, when the library funds were allocated Tehachapi was shafted--BIG TIME.
I spent many hours combing those shelves in dire want of a good book. There were the occasional diamonds among the dirt but that was very seldom. I took to reading young adult books--Newberry's in particular. I read most of them and some were very good, but mostly I was still left wanting and they ran out fast. I had this weird lurking fear that I had read all the good ones, that there were simply no more out there. Someone thought of everything there was to write.
I took to buying books, but hate to do this unless I KNOW I am going to love them and want to reread or reference them. Plus living 45 min. away from the Barnes and Nobles put a damper on that. I did the Amazon thing quite a lot but I needed to hold a book (stroke it, smell it, thumb through it) to contemplate if it is worth buying. Besides, I'm not planning to open a library in my house and if people see the ridiculous amounts of reading I do they may get the wrong impression and assume I'm smart. That could be embarrassing.
Then I moved to Springville. The library here is also somewhat inadequate for the area, but do you hear me complaining? When I am searching for something a good deal of the time they actually *gasp* sputter sputter--have it! Row after glorious row of books just waiting to be read ( and cuddled, and smelled, and fondled) and it is all FREE!!! That isn't a novel (no pun intended) idea I know, it's just that with all the money that goes out so fast my head spins here is a true joy that costs me absolutely N-O-T-H-I-N-G. Nathaniel's best friend Cameron came out from California and we stopped off to do some book browsing at the library. We were there for 20 min. and Cameron swore he had never spent so much time in a library; what could I possibly be doing there for that long? No offense to you Debbie on your deprived child. I still love him--and you.
We are heading to a cabin in Yellowstone tomorrow and the girls and I went and stocked up on books and movies. I got five movies for a week and it cost me $1.25.
I almost cried.
There is going to be some kind of vote coming up about expanding our library here and you bet your boots I'll be voting thumbs up on that one, but in the meantime I'll reminisce about the first time I entered that beautiful building on Center street and be grateful for what I have.
My book picks for today
"The Great Divorce" by CS Lewis (supposed to be incredible and only 146 pgs. if it gets too mind-boggling for us simple-minders.)
"The Scarlet Pimpernel" by Barnoness Orczy (one critic says arguable the best adventure story ever published)
"Cry, The Beloved Country" by Alan Paton (South African history--maybe Peter will be interested if it ends up being good)
"Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stegner (historical fiction of some kind)
"The Patron Saint of Liars" by Ann Patchett (woman enters home for unwed mothers, only she is wed. Sounds juicy...)
"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith (had a heck of a time finding this one-- do you know how many Smiths there are? Story about girl coming of age living in Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn from 1902 to 1919. Privation and suffering--right up my dark alley!!)
7 comments:
My beloved April and fellow reader:
Thank you so so much for your suggestions on books. We are leaving for the lake tomorrow for a week and i have been looking for some good books. The only problem is that I have to visit the horrid Tehachapi library that you speak so fondly of to find any of these books. I let you know what I think of them, if I can find any of them!
APRIL-
I was just scrolling through your book list at the right of your page and saw the Stephani Meyer books and the comment that you just can't get into them. THANK YOU THANK YOU and more THANK YOU for saying that. Everyone here in Tehatch has read them and thinks that they are just the bomb. Me? Struggled to finish all three and then piped up and said that when everyone was talking about how much they love them. They all thought I was this deluded freak that didn't appreciate good literature. I am so happy to find someone that agrees with me. A true friend indeed!
That Tehach library is strugglin'. Everytime I wanted a book they never had it. Jim always had to request the books that he wanted and wait for them to be delievered to the library. Lame! I haven't checked out the library here yet. I just finished "The Other Boleyn Girl" about Mary and Anne Boleyn. Very interesting.
Yes, it is true. I think the Twilight books are completely juvenile and ridiculous. So there you are, I said it. But that said, my son almost died waiting for the last one to come out and we bought it first thing yesterday morning. He has not stopped reading. He informs me that Bella marries Edward and I told him that was ridiculous as I recall in my attempt to read the first that he was tempted to EAT her, so how can he possibly marry her?? Do you see why I don't do fantasy?! I'm a realist. I can't help it, I just am.
Oh and by the way, it is my opinion the Twilight series are not even very well written. Nathaniel insists I will like The Host better. I may give it a try--he tells me that the others were written for young adults and this is more catered to older adults. Don't hold your breath.
I am sure that I will end up reading "The Host" because i may as well finish out the series. Shelby was so mad because she preordered it like 5 months ago and she thought that it would arrive at her doorstep the day it was released. No, she had to wait like 3 days for it to be delivered. She was not a happy girl. Ha-Ha!
By the way, took "Harris & Me" by Gary Paulsen to the lake last week. LOVED IT. Hilarious. I am now about 1/4 of the way through "A Tree grows in Brooklyn" which I have to say, i am enjoying. Not the best read thus far but i still have a ways to go. And you will be happy to know that I found them both at the Tehachapi library. Amazing!
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