I had a wonderful opportunity yesterday morning to stop in to our book sale space at the local mall. Our Book Sale team has worked HARD this past year with moving the sale location twice, and coming up with unique ways to still accept the gently used books that are donated as well as connect people to great reads.
It started out with coming up with ways to “shop” on line through our website. Then more recently, they opened up the sale to people who schedule a time to come in – by doing this they are able to control how many people are in the space to shop through the books. The steps they have taken have helped our sale not become overrun with books coming in as donations and nothing going out.
What you are seeing above is my findings while at the sale space yesterday. I could have done more damage – but this was on my way to work. Before they go on my shelves I thought I would share my reason for these books in particular as I am certain you are seeing some familiar titles there.
So… this is my book room. On that antique desk you see is where I do most of my writing, working, etc… I love this room and love being surrounded by books. If you really investigated my shelves, you would definitely find duplicates. I call this “Book Rescue”, when you see a title you have read and loved and want to either
A) have it on our shelves or
B Have it or a duplicate of it available if anyone is looking for a good read.
I love having an extra copy that I can just give someone and I love being surrounded by books that speak to me. Often I think this library is not only for me, but for everyone… and isn’t that what a library should be?
So… the Meg Wolitzer book, The Interestings, I picked up because I LOVE LOVE LOVED her book, Belzhar.
Left neglected by Lisa Genova – Genova is an amazing author and I recommend everything she writes. Yes I have a hard cover copy of this one on my shelf… now I have a soft cover copy as well. Book Rescue. 😀
A Woman Alone by Nina Laurin – so so good. I listened to this on audio for a book club discussions last year. I did not have a book copy.
A Certain Age by Beatrice Williams – Beatrice Williams is another author to watch. I have read Along The Infinite Sea and A Hundred Summers and enjoyed them very much. I listened to Overseas on audio and now see I missed reviewing it… hmmm, may need to listen to again. 😀
Last Words by Shari J Ryan – you were probably starting to wonder if I grab a book that has no connection to me already….i.e. I have read the author before, already read it,; the answer is I do. The cover and synopsis grabbed me here.
Leota’s Garden by Francine Rivers. I read Rivers a long long time ago. I see I reviewed The Atonement Child, but did not review Redeeming Love which is INCREDIBLE. Seriously – check out the review count on Goodreads!
77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz – Back in my early 20’s when my author pool was set to certain authors – I read everything Koontz wrote. I couldn’t wait for his next book to come out! I think my first read of his was The Funhouse and then there was no turning back. I have reviewed many Koontz books here, yet not the early ones before my blogging days. I still enjoy most of his books and I am excited for this one.
Artemis and The Martian by Andy Weir. I have read and reviewed both of these books. I did not think I had copies of them as I completed both on audio. Turns out I do have a copy of Artemis. Both excellent reads.
The Art Of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein. Now a movie I don’t think I can watch, the book was fantastic. I don’t read a lot of dog books because honestly… they can be sad. This one – well, it is sad. And its also brilliant. I listened to it on audio in 2011 and I can still recall bawling in the bathroom as I was getting ready for work (fruitless really, I was crying so hard). I do have a copy of this book. Now I have two. Absolutely read or listen to this one. So so good. Book Rescue.
When You Are In Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris. I started listening to Sedaris on audio in 2013 while painting this very book room. I laughed so hard and then went on over the next few years to continue to listen to him. Dry humor and so so funny. Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, Me talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Naked and Theft by Finding.
Almost Missed You by Jessica Strawser. New author, new book to me. Picked it up on cover alone… then synopsis.
Beneath A Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan – This is our May Discussion book for Books, Burgers, and Brews. Gorgeous cover.
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. I could go on and on about Sarah Pekkanen. I won a trip to the Book Expo with her in 2010. When I looked through my archives here, I had to go back 4 pages of posts that I mention her in to get to the info about that win and to verify the year. I love her books and her partnership with Greer. For the life of me I thought I had listened to this one on audio and se it in my audios however I cna not recall. Ahhh well, I have the book now. Opposite of Me, Skipping a Beat, These Girls, The Best Of Us. And now I feel like I am missing reviews. Need to catch up!
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I know I know. I have read it. I have written a spoiler page to it so I could rant and rave (with almost 400 comments I think that is my wildest spoiler page). I compared the book to the movie.I created a fight club pitting Amy from Gone Girl against Rachel from Girl on The Train? Guess who won? It wasn’t a fair fight. Yes I already have a copy. Now I have two. Fight me. 😛
So that is my haul. Curious – are you a book reader and returner? A Library user? A gifter? A keeper of books and if so, what books qualify for the keep worthy? I always say – there are worse things I can do with my money….
~Sheila
Book Journey 
Great recommendations, and I love that antique table!
I also enjoy just gazing at the shelves filled with books in your book room!
LOL – who knows what is on these shelves! And thank you, the table has an amazing story.
When we moved 60% of our books were donated to various programs…and we STILL have five 6′ tall bookcases. Almost all my “Theological books” were gifted to the Conference Office, which as since gone virtual….wonder where thousands of dollars of books ended up….hopefully used still. but that isn’t my problem. Fiction and non were donated to a parents’ post prom program and sold as a fundraiser. Over 100 cookbooks went to the Library’s sale and others have been donated to Give one Take on shelves on college campus . The last 3 boxes here are waiting until we can physically get them to the “Little free bookcase” at the doctors office.I get a lot of physical books to read/review and I win another mess of them, that’s the boxes on the way out to the doctors.
I keep on the lookout for books on my wish list: Ken Follet, Jan Karon, Amber Foxx. Sometimes I get them from the library and then review them.
other people want to travel when the new normal appears….I want to go to the indie bookstore in the next town
I love all the places you donate books to! That is wonderful!
Holy cats! That’s a beautiful book space/writing space/library. Just lovely. I can see why it’s your favorite place to work, and why it’s conducive to generating fine and interesting blog posts and other efforts.
For a book to make it on my permanent shelves, it only needs to satisfy one criteria: it must MOVE me. And I’m open to how it might do so; humor, passion, anger, tears, the hair rising on the back of my neck. I need visceral reaction. So, for instance, Hemingway’s Nick Adams stories or For Whom the Bell Tolls, Kent Krueger’s Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and so on. And there are many non-fiction books on my shelves as well. Just about anything by Jon Krakauer or Elizabeth Gilbert. Bottom line: illicit such a strong visceral response I MUST keep reading.
LOL yeah. My book room is a little insane but they are alphabetized by author and I can find anything at any time. I love that a book must move you to make the permanent shelf list. Admittedly, I have not read all of these. These are the ones who have made the cut and stood the test of time from my days of going to the book expo every year, and my heavy reviewing days when 10 or so books showed up in my mailbox every week from publishers and authors wanting me to review their books. Sometimes I miss all that great book mail even though I have nowhere near the time to read as I did then.
Ok. That book room? Stunning. I’ll bet you feel good every time you walk in there. It would make me smile.
Thank you, Helen! I do smile. I love sitting among the words.
What a library!
Thank you, Rae!
I’m going to have to start grabbing extra copies of books I love. I have several favorites I loaned out and have never got them back.
Same here. I had a few people request books during early COVID and I was happy to help and loved choosing books I thought they would enjoy. Most of these books have not come back (yet) so now I am trying to recall what I sent out to replace if needed… (the beauty of the used book sale).
I really like your book room, and I agree that seeing the movie of The Art of Racing in the Rain would be very difficult. I sobbed at the end of the book, and my cat — who was asleep up against me — turned over to see what in the world was the matter with me. I did capture a photo of my cat, and here’s what I wrote about it:
https://bonniesbooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/art-of-racing-in-rain-by-garth-stein_13.html
I will have to read that review, Bonnie! I love and recommend the book however personally don’t think I can do the movie. Funny, I used to be able to do things like that but now I really am conscious of what certain events/movies/ tv shows/situations will do to me and make sure to proceed with caution to avoid living in a world of grief.
Your book space is amazing and I LOVE the idea of the duplicates! I always want to rescue books that I love from the shelves of thrift stores and Half Price Books, but i already own them, so I never do. Of course, I don’t really have a book space, so I can’t really make that dream a reality right now (our shelf space is quite limited until we can get a better setup!). But I love that idea so much.
I miss in-person book sales. Our library system has not been taking donations for the last year. Even the library books that are turned in go through a 96-hour quarantine before the librarians touch them. I’m sure they’re missing the revenue in addition to everything else a book sale brings to a library!
I hope you like the Koontz book more than I did.