too.many.books

Haven't we all said it at one time? Thought it? Considered buying the t-shirt? "Too many books, too little time."

Now I find myself living it.

I am continuously caught in the trap of reading two to three books at once. Or picking up a graphic novel or two on the side. Ordering books from ILL as I see them, despite surely NOT having the time to finish them before they're due. Suddenly the overdue notices spring up on you!
I am currently reading the novelization of Fritz Lang's film Metropolis by his wife Thea Harbou, a version illustrated beautifully by Michael Kaluta. I keep being torn from it by other things and life. I must focus on this one.
I had begun The Threepenny Opera but I think I'll drop it for now. I can learn of the play's plot later.
Recently author John Scalzi released a new book, and reviews of it (on one or more of the various blogs I read that would mention such things) mad me think that I should read Old Man's War first. I'm 50 pages in and I love it. Good sci-fi and humor - just what I need right now. Space travel is my favorite.
While at the public library looking for something completely different I stumbled upon the comic Marvel 1602. It's Marvel characters in the year 1602. Not a big X-men fan, so it's not doing too much for me. I can only pick out a few of the characters anyway. Not sure if I'll finish it or not. Depends on how soon the due date sneaks up on me.
Another sci-fi book is (perhaps) on its way to me via ILL. It JUST came out, so I'm doubting anyone will send it. Prolly better that way - gives me more time to read the above! TI's called Sly Mongoose and I can no longer remember what it's about. I read about it online (BoingBoing?) and ordered it two seconds later. Damnit, libraries will be the end to me, I swear! In addition, a book about food culture and growing, Animal, vegetable, miracle: a year of food life by Barbara Kingsolver was recommended to me. Depends on how the next few weeks go before I think of cracking the cover. I also want to read, at some point, the same author's Poisonwood Bible.


I've been thinking lately about my reading. I am always reading something - I often carry a purse that a book will fit in. But lately I think my reading has been taking my time, energy, and brain power away from other things in life. Important things. Like my future. I'm caught at the moment in a paralyzing fear and detrimental stasis regarding life and my future. I have been wasting my life away at a worthless job (albeit in a library, thus providing me with plentiful books!) and avoiding doing all that needs to be done to move on. This fear has, lately, truly come to mind and I think that I may be subconsciously distracting myself. Sink my brain in to wondrous other worlds rather than face reality.

Web Catalogs and book talk

I started a conversation about the perfect man. I mentioned a character from David Eddings's Belgariad series, and before I could explain the book series, she was disagreeing with me. I have yet to meet anyone, besides to person who first started me reading this author, who knew the series. And this woman has read them all! What a small joy to add to my day.

Usually I have no one to discuss these things with. I have considered utilizing the discussion boards on LibraryThing for this purpose. Also, I have just signed up on Goodreads. Not sure if I can use it differently than LibraryThing. On LT I have two catalogs - one of my reading since early 2007 and the other of my personal library. The latter is coming v. slowly - there are just too many other things to get done besides listing all my books. So, I think I'll explore Goodreads a bit. It may lead to the opportunity to talk about what I'm reading. I have no time for book clubs and pick up my reading in a v. helter skelter manner anyhow.

When I first learned of LibraryThing I was overjoyed. I have long excel schedules of books to read, books I've read. It's hard to keep track of things. And this links to Amazon and other catalogs to fill in all the information! I can catalog to particular copy I own, with the particular cover. Sometimes you need to input the information, but that is a small joy for me - knowing that my book is NOT in these other catalogs.

Readers are strange and wonderful people. Booklust drives us as much as the crave for information, imagination, or the warm fuzzy feeling of curling up with a good book. I like that these social networking/cataloging sites offer up the technology for us to talk to each other and discuss books, and revel in our obsessive need to organize and list our books! And share. I miss my freshman year of college when, in this one Japanese lit class, I had the most wonderful discussions on the historical nature of the readings, the characters, the plot, and all that deep, juicy goodness that makes up a work. I also remember the shear boredom and resentment I had senior year when I was forced through technicalities to take a freshman writing class with the most idiotic teacher they had. The man's depth of literary criticism was shallower than a puddle in the Gobi. I nearly threw an anthology at him one day. Did he not realize that taking the time to delve into a story is better than ice cream on a hot day? The discovery of something the writer wasn't even aware of, another facet of a character. Even to the non-English major these tidbits make the act of reading that much more pleasurable. And by not teaching this joy he was not encouraging his students to read, or read well. The discussion alone brings to light so much, expanding the breadth of meaning for the reader. It's fun, dammnit! I wanted to yell out loud in class.

Currently reading:
David Eddings - The King of the Murgos 9book two of the Mallorean)
Thea von Harbou - Metropolis (illus. by Michael Kaluta)