I have a weakness for books. I have an even deeper obsession with used-books stores. I’ve often joked that if I was still dating, I would start all my first dates at a used book store. See how he fairs in the narrow, musty, dingy, corridors of a store piled high with books on everything to talk about in the world.
This past Wednesday I decided to (skip my track workout and) pay a long overdue visit to Friends of the Library off of Rockville Pike. I have a stroll strategy to make sure I don’t miss anything. I first scan their new arrivals right by the entrance, then the humor section (for Bill Bryson and David Sedaris mainly), then the travelogues, then cookbooks, saving fiction and classics for last. I also try to go an hour before closing to ensure that I don’t spend all day there.
Books that I bought from the most recent visit include:
- Miguel Street – V.S.Naipaul
- A Bend in the River – V.S.Naipaul
- In half a life – V.S.Naipaul
- Geographer’s Library – Jon Fasman
- James Beard cookbook
- Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress – Dai Sijie
- Slaughter House Five – Kurt Vonnegut
- Jailbird – Kurt Vonnegut
- Mother Light – Kurt Vonnegut
- Comfort me with Apples – Ruth Reichl
I feel like I am missing a couple of others. Regardless, the total for all these books was less than $20.00. It’s crazy.
Sure I’m trying to finish two other books at the moment. But I couldn’t help starting a new one from my loot. I am almost done with Comfort me with Apples; a result of reading it till almost 2am last night.
What about you? Have you ventured out to a used books store lately? Are you addicted yet?
I think you're going to open your own used book store eventually… heheh…