Alan_H's Blog

When I travel, I like to pick up books by local authors who write about the area I am visiting. These stories are typically fiction, and are set in the local area and it gives one a peek of the people and places and a taste of local flavors. I just bought one last week in New Smyrna Beach FL, called "The Turtle Mound Murders". The Turtle Mound is a local landmark, and I was able to visit many of the locales mentioned in the book. The non-fiction is typically history of the area. I stayed at a B&B in Leicester NC, and they had a book that was written by a local author who is now a professor at a school in Ohio. The book tells how the valley was founded and the history of the folk who lived there. It was pretty cool to see names on the mailboxes in the valley that represented the families in the book. Small Inns and B&B's are a resource for such books.

If you can read fine print, try James Michener's ALASKA (paperback)...Awesome!...don't delude yourself into thinking you're gonna knock it out on Labor Day Weekend, though...it ain't gonna happen!

My book club read Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen last fall and it is by far, my favorite read in a long time. I also recently read Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwartz.

For those of you who, like me, love to read but hate buying books only to end up selling them at a yard sale for $.25 - I stumbled upon a really cool website recently: www.paperbackbookswap.com

The site is basically a gigantic book swapping site and all you pay is the postage to ship your book out when someone requests it. You never get your book back, but at the same time, you can request books. Once you've read your book, re-list it and wait until someone wants your book. When they request a book from you, you simply print out the mailing label, add your postage and send it on it's way. I've enjoyed swapping books. It's not exclusive to paperback books either. There are hardback books and a swap a dvd site too.

Thanks Mom for the swap site info. TJ, I, too look for local authors when I travel (why my recent reads include two Louisiana subjects). Mayberry, I've tried to read Cormack McCarthy's "No Country," but think I need to be in the right mindframe. DW, Michener was one of my mother's favorite authors (second to Larry McMurtry) and Dara, I need to read more about "Miscelaneous." Thanks to everyone so far for the responses.

Here are some follow-up questions for the community:

1. Do you buy (or borrow) one book at a time, or do you have a stash of "next on my list" reads?

2. Do you read one book at a time? If not, how many titles can you balance at a time?

3. Are you interested in e-books, like Amazon.com's Kindle?

4. Do you ever re-read a favorite book? If so, what are they?

My answers:

1. I usually have 4-5 books that are "next on the list," but that doesn't stop me from buying new ones.

2. I average reading two books at a time, switching titles depending on mood.

3. Would like to test read one, but it's too cost prohibitive.

4. The only exceptions are Woody Allen's "Without Feathers" and "The Mason Williams Reading Matter."

I rarely buy brand new books. I typically use the library (a lot!) or purchase used books (Edward Mackay is one of my favorite used book stores). I also borrow books.

I have reading ADHD--always reading several books at one time. I failed to mention that in addition to 'The City and the Pillar,' I'm also reading 'Debating Race' by Michael Eric Dyson.

Why do I get the feeling that e-book question was written with me in mind? I sooooo want a Kindle but it could never replace a good old-fashioned book.

Some of my faves I've re-read: "Island of the Blue Dolphins," "Their Eyes Were Watching God," "The Autobiography of My Mother," "My Antonia," and "Siddhartha."

I just finished reading Breaking Dawn. I'm also almost halfway through The Count of Monte Cristo. I normally only read one book at a time, but I didn't want to wait until I was done with Monte Cristo to start reading Breaking Dawn.

I have several books waiting to be read. Madame Bovary, Vanity Fair, Anna Karenina, the Bourne trilogy, The Illiad, The Odyssey, The Kite Runner, Jane Eyre, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, The Silmarillion, etc.

I prefer fiction, but have read a few biographies. (Ava Gardner's autobiography was interesting. I've read it several times.) I also read and liked Band of Brothers.

Wow. Don't know why that showed up three times. I only hit the "Done" button once. Weird.

If you FINISH "Monte Cristo" in text form, you have my utter admiration....Good Lord, give me the movie anyday (rare exception!) -

JB has written several good books...easy, feel-good-about-it reading - I try to keep it for cool weather...

All work, and no play....(makes one bored as Hell)...