Musings from Brian J. Noggle: Good Book Hunting: March 15, 2008

Good Book Hunting: March 15, 2008

Beware the Ides of March, indeed. Not only did we attend two very disappointing school-based rummage sales, but it's also the annual Eliot Unitarian Chapel book fair. This little affair takes place in the library of a little church in the next suburb over, but its hardbacks are $3.00 and other books are also priced over what I tend to spend. Unfortunately, I had cash in the wallet, a mostly entertained toddler, and the pent-up urge to acquire. So I got a couple books.

Also, since I fancy myself a history writer now with my recent publication in a magazine of that genre, I was looking for idea books or reference material. So I bought some historical biographies that I normally would not have. Ides of March book fair purchases

I got:

Time Enough For Love by Robert Heinlein in paperback because I fear my shelves are low on the Heinlein, high on the Greg Bear.
Roadside America, a collection of old highway and small town tourist trapica. An idea book.
The Explainer, another Slate compendium.
The Life of Emerson, a biography of that transcendentalist.
Son of the Wilderness, John Muir, another historical biography. I read something about Muir not too long ago in a history magazine. Also, I have been to Muir Woods and wear the hat while walking said toddler.
Catherine the Great. Because I don't have many Russian history books, I guess. I don't know. I was pretty profligate at picking things up at this point.
Back to Basics, a Reader's Digest compendium of basic skills. Not the Foxfire series by any stretch, but will prove useful if civilization collapses. Or if I get into the Renaissance festival lifestyle, I suppose. I don't know which chance is greater.
The Dark Ages, which also might be helpful if civilization collapses, but mostly this is an idea book.
Journey to Cubeville, a Dilbert book to remind me of what it was like when I was a straight.
The Great Works of Mankind, a rather seasoned picture book of great buildings and whatnot. Also an idea book.
Son in Law, a movie with Paulie Shore. Which I have already seen. Take that for what it's worth.
The Eiger Sanction, a Clint Eastwood movie I have not seen. Still, it's only a buck, less than the DVD I would probably have bought eventually.

You can see Heather's single book to the right and the boy's book, Piglet's Night Light. One of the workers at the book fair played me by asking if the lad might like to look at a book while we browsed. She gave him this one, which he flipped through while we pushed him through the tables. As if I was going to take it away from him where we ended. As a side note, he's pretty good with the older children books, but we've begun the transition from board books by letting him flip through magazines so he could get the feel of the lighter paper pages and learn not to rip them or fold them. Helpful tip if you've got kids or books, I suppose.

So we spent like $25 dollars today, and I got 10 new books. As long as I only go to a book fair once every 2 months and stay away from the long science fiction novels or historical biographies, I'll keep even with my purchases. On the other hand, look what I'm purchasing.

- posted by Brian J. @ 8:11 AM