Books I Had to Have

Stefanie at So Many Books found a fun book meme. I know a few times I have absolutely had to have a book and then promptly put it on the bookshelf.

The Day the Universe Changed by James Burke. I absolutely loved this series. I think I caught reruns of it on The Learning Channel when it actually was an educational channel. That was a long time ago. Now it's a massive cess pit of reality TV. Anyway, I actually kind of waffled about whether to buy it until another lady at the bookstore asked me if it was the last copy, which sealed the deal (because it was). I didn't want the other lady to buy it and prevent me from owning it. I have no idea where this book is now. The other lady probably would have read it.
Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human by Harold Bloom. This is a very fat book. Harold Bloom. Don't get me started on that guy. I probably will never read this one. I don't know.
Nigel Tranter's The Bruce Trilogy . Bought during my Scottish phase. I did read and truly enjoy a lot of books about Scotland, but never did read this trilogy, and heck if I know where it even is now.
Bernard Cornwell's Arthur books. All of them. I absolutely love Arthurian legend, but for some reason I never read these.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Yeah, I know. And I've had it since 2005.
Who Murdered Chaucer? by Terry Jones. I actually have read part of this. And it's a gorgeous book about a subject in which I'm very interested. Maybe this summer I'll finish it.
Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt. Still will read it. I know right where it is on the shelf.
Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland. I just loved Girl in Hyacinth Blue and Life Studies: Stories . So of course, I picked up her new book. Yeah, it's been on my self since September 2008.
Same goes for People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks, which I ordered at the same time as the Vreeland.
How to Read Novels Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. Now I loved How to Read Literature Like a Professor . I just knew I'd dig into this one as soon as it arrived. Not so much. I've had it longer than the Vreeland and Brooks.

Of course I still plan to read some of these books, but I think the ship has sailed on others. What about you? You ever run out and have to purchase a book only to let it collect dust on the shelf?

[image error] photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Post © Dana Huff

Books I Had to Have