Books, Books, Books

This set me back $3.25

It's very satisfying to wake up on a Saturday and know you're headed to a used book sale. Walking into the sale - coffee in hand - and catching that first glimpse of all the tables loaded with books. Shuffling around the room with the other book types, everyone in their comfy weekend clothes. Bulging tote bags slung from shoulders, cardboard boxes spilling over as if with veggies from the farmers market. My path crossed with a woman who had brought a printed out list of all the books she already had at home. Impressive! That really appealed to my list-making nature, and I think I'm going to have to attempt to catalogue the madness of our booksheleves here at home.

In case you're wondering, here's what I came home with today:

• Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates - I read this book a few years ago and loved it. The more I think about it, this book has informed some of what I'm trying to accomplish with my Laura/Wren piece - in terms of exploring the insular world of a homelife, and an outside person who comes to affect the family in an intangible way. So I just had to make sure I owned a copy. The movie based off of this book is also excellent.
• This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff - I got a little confused when I first picked this up, as I was thinking this was the book that the movie The Basketball Diaries was based off of (ummm the book that the movie is based off of is also called The Basketball Diaries...guess my morning coffee hadn't kicked in yet). Then I realized that there is a movie based off of This Boy's Life and that Leonardo DiCaprio is in that movie and The Basketball Diaries movie. Whew! Then I realized I was still standing there with the book in my hand so I might as well get it.
• A Home At The End Of The World by Michael Cunningham - Michael Cunningham wrote The Hours, which I loved, so I'm excited to read more of his work.
• The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean - I have a sneaking suspicion that we already have a copy of this book, but I have wanted to read it ever since I saw Adaptation.
• Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding  - I read this back in high school? When I first started college? Either way, it's been awhile. It's a must have. Though I'm not a fan of the cover art on the edition I got today.
• The Fall Of The House Of Usher and Other Writings by Edgar Allan Poe - We watched The Raven (with John Cusack) recently, and while it's not the greatest movie, it did make we want to read some Poe. I'm pretty sure we already have various versions of collected Poe works hidden somewhere in our bookshelves.
• Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood - This was required summer reading for AP English my Senior year of high school. One of the main things I remember from this book is that when the main character was growing up, she had a compulsive habit of peeling skin off the bottom of her feet. It will be interesting to read this book now that 13 years have gone by (probably more than that, by the time I get around to reading it)
• It's Always Something by Gilda Radner - I'm a sucker for celebrity memoirs. I think this one will be heart wrenching.