Book Worm...Volume 3

Ok so I lied about my blogging hiatus. But I love Wednesdays because they are Book Worm days. And since I love books, I hate to miss sharing them with all of you. So today's topic?

Mom's books

Considering that I blog about books weekly, one would assume that I own a lot of books. Don't get me wrong, I have bookshelves of them. But weird thing about me...I am terrified of actually purchasing books. I walk into a book store and feel paralyzed. To me books are an investment of time and money and imagination. It is not to be entered into lightly. I usually only buy books that have come highly recommended by other avid readers--and then it is only if they won't let me borrow them. I am so upset if I buy a book and then don't like it. Take for example, the House of Mirth. I spent a week reading this book, in expectation that I would really enjoy it. SPOILER ALERT--but when I got to the end, and the main boy is going to tell the main girl that he wants to marry her and he arrives at her apartment and she has committed suicide--I am a little disappointed. I am a little frustrated that I spent all that time and effort getting involved only to be let down.

My mother however has no such handicap. She buys EVERYTHING. If Oprah recommends it, she buys it. If it is on the Today show or in the newspaper, she buys it. And for me it is GREAT. It is like having a library with no fees. I can go and browse and enjoy books that I am too scared to buy for myself. So over the last couple of years, here are some of my favorites from Candy's Bookstore.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time: Short novel from the point of view of an autistic boy. It was fascinating to read the thought process and see the story from the boy's point of view.

The Thirteenth Tale: I couldn't put this book down and have subsequently made most of my friends read it. I love it. It is the story of an aspiring writer/book nerd who is hired to write the memoir of a famous author. It ends up being a crazy mystery with lots of twists and turns. Fabulous!

The Historian: This is a not so short novel. It is not for everyone, but I really liked it. It is the story of a girl and her father in pursuit (through time) of the Vampire Dracula. I thought it was captivating!

A Painted House: I read John Grisham when I have nothing else to do. The novels are okay. I like lawyerly things, so it's fun. But this book is not a lawyerly book at all. It is set in the 50s on a farm from the point of view of a little boy named Luke. The scenes he witnesses and the life he is a part of are incredibly hard and sad.

There are a ton more Water for Elephants, Dogs of Babel, Life of Pi... Thanks Mom for not being afraid to buy books and always lending them to me :)