Joseph ’s Comments (group member since Jul 28, 2009)

Joseph ’s comments from the Book Buying Addicts Anonymous group.

If I can't get into a book, I just stop reading it. There are too many good ones out there for me to waste my time on the bad ones.

A couple of nice finds for me at the public library used book shelf:

Laura wrote: "Mary wrote: "Emily wrote: "i find i am reading so slow this year! i've only read 2 full books."

Just enjoy your self!"

Almost read that as "Just enjoy your shelf!" :D"

Works nicely read either way, doesn't it? :-)

Thriftbook purchase:

Thom, after seeing your post in the February Purchases I can understand why you were so eager to share. :-) Sorry you had to wait, but the sun does rise sooner for you than it does for me. ;-)

New month, new purchases. Share your February acquisitions here.

The same way I afford groceries, gas for the car, etc., I budget for it. Each paycheck I put aside a certain amount of money. If I run out of that set aside money, then I wait until the next payday before I buy any more books.

A friend was very nice and gave me a copy of Sideways Stories From Wayside School signed by Louis Sachar she found at a secondhand store.

Got used at the library, was delivered, and a friend was very kind and gave me an autographed copy of she found at a secondhand store.

Another two added to my collection today:

Today, I came across a great quote from Virginia Woolf's book "Street Haunting" that I just had to share:

“Books are everywhere; and always the same sense of adventure fills us. Second-hand books are wild books, homeless books; they have come together in vast flocks of variegated feather, and have a charm which the domesticated volumes of the library lack. Besides, in this random miscellaneous company we may rub against some complete stranger who will, with luck, turn into the best friend we have in the world.”

Moloch wrote: "I agree with a lot of them :-)

Can I use this list (translated from english to italian) in my group?"

Absolutely, be my guest. :-)

The last of my January Thriftbooks's order arrived:

Erin (Paperback Stash) wrote: "Of course, finding a band aide in used book one time wasn't cool...."

You think those are bad bookmarks? How about a cooked piece of bacon or a banana peel? ugh.

Some more Thriftbooks's deliveries:

Got another delivery from Thriftbooks.com :

16 and 18 are me. :-)

The other day I was in my favorite used book store when another shopper noticed the pile of old but still readable books I had, took a look at her pile of books, pretty much just as old and just as big, and she commented that it was like we were saving a species from extinction. I'd never thought about it that way before, but it is kind of a nice way to look at it. So many of those used books might just end up in the trash or maybe recycled, never to be read again, if someone like us didn't buy them.

Little acts of kindness just make life seem that much better, don’t they? Especially when they have a little bit of literary magic to them. Here are some top ideas for literary guerilla goodness.


1. Pay Off Someone’s Library Fines
Go to the library and pay off someone’s fines for late returns.


2. While You’re There, Leave A Gift Card Tucked Between The Pages
While you’re at the library, leave a gift card tucked between the pages of a chunky novel you really loved. Enough for a coffee and a slice of cake.


3. Leave A Great Book Propped Against A Random Mailbox
Really enjoyed your last read? Squirrel it away by a random mailbox as you pass for someone to find when they collect the bills and junk mail.


4. Write A Letter From A Beloved Literary Character
Write a letter to someone from a literary character they love and mail it anonymously.


5. Donate Your Favourite Books From Childhood
The slightly worn Narnia books and the old Goosebumps paperbacks that you haven’t had the heart to throw away. Round them up and leave them at a local children’s ward.


6. Send A Moping Friend Flowers From Their Literary Crush
Is a friend finding it hard to get over a breakup? Send flowers from their literary crush with a note that’s brimming with compliments and encouragement.


7. Leave Literary Quotes On Post It Notes In Random Places
You never know, it might be just the thing someone needs to hear.


8. Leave The Occasional Book For Someone To Find Too
Whether it’s on a bus, at the park or in a coffee shop, leave the occasional book behind with an inscription about what you hope the finder will get from it. You can leave your email address too, if you’re up for some book discussion.


9. Set Up A Miniature Mad Hatter’s Tea Party For Someone To Stumble Across
Head to a local park or woodlands early with a bunch of your old crockery, a cake or two, some playing cards and a copy of Alice in Wonderland. Leave it in a mild state of Mad Hatter’s Tea Party disarray for someone to stumble across. Just don’t forget to clean it up afterwards!

Thought I would share this list with my fellow book lovers. How many of these describe you? :-)

These Stereotypes About Book Lovers Are Absolutely True, And That's A Good Thing

From grade school onwards, avid readers get a lot of flak. This may be because reading is one of the most solitary pleasures; it's not an obvious means of bonding with peers (even though, duh, reading connects us with other people and cultures). Most sweeping generalizations about book lovers are completely untrue: We all wear glasses, our heads are always in the clouds, and we're usually overcome with crippling awkwardness when we're forced to socialize.

On the other hand, some stereotypes seem to be accurate: We're hoarders, we idealize the lives of authors, and, no surprise here, we spend a whole lot of time in bookstores. These qualities are nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, they should be embraced! Here are 31 absolutely true, and absolutely wonderful stereotypes about book lovers:


1. You never leave home without a book.


2. In fact, you may or may not have been known to show up at restaurants, movie theaters, and bars, with a book in tow.


3. The idea of moving is a profound source of stress, if only because you can't imagine sorting, packing, and lifting your stacks of prized hardcovers.


4. This might be because you have issues with letting go of your prized editions, and could probably be diagnosed as a hoarder.


5. In fact, you'd rather buy a new copy of a book for a friend than let her borrow your personal copy...


6. ...because everyone knows there's nothing worse than bent spines and dog-eared pages, that is, if you ever even SEE the book again.


7. But that doesn't stop you from being obnoxiously pushy and opinionated about your favorite books.


8. Holidays are just another excuse to share classics and hidden gems with your friends and family; never mind their looks of disappointment upon receiving War and Peace instead of the latest gadgets, or even, like, a cool tie.


9. Some people have favorite basketball teams; you have favorite translations.


10. In fact, if authors had trading cards, you'd collect them all.


11. Author biographies and Wikipedia pages are your celebrity tabloids...


12. ...although part of you may only be interested in how famous writers became so well-loved, because you secretly know that you yourself are only one page away from starting the Great American Novel.


13. Bad movie adaptations have the potential to ruin your entire summer.


14. Finding a typo in a book is the equivalent of hearing nails screech across a blackboard.


15. Forget freshly-baked cookies; your favorite smell is a musty, old book.


16. You have strong, unwavering opinions about e-readers versus physical books...


17. But regardless of your stance, you poured one out when Borders finally shut down...


18. And were on the welcoming committee when the new indie bookstore showed up in your neighborhood.


19. You cringe when you peruse airline bookstores. The trashy paperbacks! The terrible translations! The horror! (That doesn't stop you from buying a new book for the plane, though).


20. Packing lightly can be an issue; can you really be expected to pack all of your reading material in just two carry-ons?


21. Vicinity to a great bookstore or library is definitely a bigger real estate perk than exposed brick. Location, location, location!


22. Some of your favorite, happiest moments as a child were reading books with your parents.


23. Some people rescue stray animals; you rescue books. Stumbling upon a copy of a classic that you already own, abandoned on a stoop or thoughtlessly strewn on a garage sale table, inevitably leads to the "can we keep it? can we, can we?" talk.


24. You fantasize about meeting a romantic interest in a bookstore...


25. And you always judge your potential significant others based on their bookshelves. Atlas Shrugged is more of a red flag than bad manners.


26. You're shocked, confused and disappointed when your life doesn't follow a logical narrative arc. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way!" you sigh when your friend cancels dinner plans, and then proceed to hop into bed to read your favorite book for the eighth time.


27. "So, what do you for fun?" is an anxiety-inducing question. Apparently, most people don't really think reading is all that fun.


28. Look, carrying The Goldfinch around all day is good enough of a work out...


29. You think audiobooks are perfectly viable road trip soundtracks.


30. You took a personal day when the latest installment in your favorite series came out.


31. ...and your ideal Friday night involves wine, a comfy chair, and getting lost in a great book.