Book Nook

My cup runneth over. Yesterday it was the music. Today it's the books. The Brits (British School of Boston - they share the campus with us at work) are holding a used book sale all this week. All of the books are donated by students and their families, and the proceeds go to some school in Brazil or something. I didn't get the full details actually, because technically it hasn't begun. Since I work there and was constantly walking to and fro, hither and yon, back and forth past where they set the thing up, I finally stopped to ask what exactly was going on (Not like it was obvious or anything... let's see, a boatload of books being setup on tables... must be having a bake sale.) Once they filled me in, I asked if I might get a headstart on the procurement process, lest something disastrous suddenly befall their computer network. They graciously agreed, and when all was said and done I spent $8.50 and walked away with a whopping THIRTEEN volumes. These Brits are nothing if not trendy. Every Robert B. Parker (Spenser series), Sue Grafton (W is for Worn-Out), Dean Koontz (Dark *insert foreboding noun here*) and John Grisham (This is how we practice law in Memphis) novel ever published was seemingly available for purchase. There were, however, some diamonds to be found in da ruff. Among my less embarrassing finds were The Reader by Bernhard Schlink, Songbook by Nick Hornby (one of my FAVORITE books - duh), and five different Curious George storybooks (Who doesn't like Curious George? And the Man in the Yellow Hat? Oh, glorious youth! He's right up there with the star-bellied Sneetches - if not higher.)

I didn't need all these books. I've already got a stack to read through that's about as large as I am (and no bookshelf space in which to put them.) But I just couldn't resist. All of these titles were at rock bottom prices - I think the most expensive book I bought was a $2.00 hardcover - and someone somewhere will benefit from my purchase, even if I don't know who it is. Still, I did manage to exercise some restraint. When I went back a second time, I calmly reminded myself that the City of Boston has a library downtown - a very good one, actually - and that I have a library card for it, which I use... often.

Still, it's not everyday that Buck-A-Book decides to camp out in your lobby, so being the opportunist that I am I took full advantage. Now, if they could only start rummaging through their old DVD's.....