books 2005: So Many Books, So Little Time, by Sara Nelson

[supercheesegirl]

Full title is So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading, so you see why I had to buy it. I enjoyed reading it--each chapter is short, just describing the book she read that week, so it was good to read on the T or whatnot. It was a very nonoffensive book, very pleasant, and it was nice to find that I have a lot in common with the author, who is the senior contributing editor at Glamour and publishing columnist at The New York Observer. It was like she was talking about me half the time. There's a chapter on borrowing books (when to give them back even if you haven't read them, whether to return a book a friend gives to you), and one on how good friendships can be made or broken depending on your friend’s book recommendations and what she thinks of books you’ve loved. Jorn's seen me make friends just by talking about books and finding that the other person (Farbs, Annie, Abby, to name a few) loved all the same books I love, and it floors him every time the way I can bond over books. There's also a chapter on organized childhood sports that cracked me up. I wrote down some notes on the book at this point in reading it, and the notes say "Sara Nelson is my kindred spirit. We even have similar ill-fated cheerleading memories from junior high." Sad but true. And I loved reading her descriptions of books I've also read, and finding that we have some similar tastes. Her description of The House of Mirth was spot-on, and she read Stranger Things Happen by Kelly Link, which I've been meaning to read ever since I heard Kelly read one of the stories back in Greensboro. Of course, the worst thing about this book is the fact that now there's a whole new list of books I have to read, because Sara Nelson read them and loved them. I hope our friendship doesn't suffer if I read them and don't like them. :)

Comments

[asciikitty.livejournal.com]

oh my gosh.

Icon love!

so! cute!

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

Glad you like. You hadn't seen it before?

[asciikitty.livejournal.com]

I think I have, but I just noticed wha it was of.

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

Books and Fred and Reading!! Yay!

[asciikitty.livejournal.com]

yeah. yay reading.

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

(Fred is a character from Angel. She's a bookworm and a physics genius and is totally cute.)

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

(Annie probably doesn't know who Fred is.)

[amedia.livejournal.com]

how good friendships can be made or broken depending on your friend’s book recommendations

So true. I know I've felt resentful when I've been steered to a book I didn't like. And humongously grateful when given/lent/rec'd a book that I loved!

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

It's totally true! If there's a book you've loved heart and soul and you recommend it to a friend who ends up not liking it, you can never quite trust her the same way again.