I don't know about you guys, but when it's winter holiday time, I hit the library. I imagine that looooong stretch of...oh, say three days where I can't browse the shelves, and I get antsy.
To remedy this, I open my library bag and toss in as many books as I can possibly carry. I try to get a range of things I might not normally read. You know, branching out for the new year and all that. I inevitably get 85% of the things I usually read, but you never know. Might be a shiny gem in the bottom of that bag.Give me a chair by the fire, a warm drink, a pet, and a book-and I'm happy! Any small pet will do, really-cat, dog, guinea pig, toddler...I like them all. By the way, rest in peace, Bronte Cinnamon Glittersheinz. You were fat, you were loud, you were German, you expanded to fit perfectly between my side and the edge of all chairs, and you had a lot of opinions. And I loved you dearly.
Grabbing from the top of the bag:
1.This is How-Augusten Burroughs
I've never read anything by this author, but I've heard good things about Runs With Scissors.
2. The Annie Dillard Reader-Annie Dillard
Again, love the brilliant snippets I come across, but have not read a complete book of Dillard's. I thought this might be a good introduction and point me in the right direction.
3. I Drink For A Reason-David Cross
Not my usual fare, but dang-this guy is funny. Note to self, find more.
Second note to self-What were you thinking? How did you not put two and two together and realize this is The David Cross. As in Arrested Development's Dr. Tobias Funke. Of course I love it. If you haven't seen Arrested Development, run-run, I tell you, to click Play on your Netflix account.
4. This is the Story of a Happy Marriage-Ann Patchett
I find her writing soothing, even when she's melancholy. Ah, the cumbersome baggage of the holidays! So far, it's a lovely portrait sharing moments in the life of a writer. It's interesting to see how her past has influenced her writing projects. Patchett is a charming narrator of her own life.
5. Do Not Deny Me-Jean Thompson
So far, this holds up as a satisfying, thought-provoking collection of prose. You could lick the icing off these stories and enjoy a quick treat, or take a deeper bite and chew them for a while. Either way, I appreciate Thompson's ability to be a shape shifter, slippery in her voice and character. She shows us the dark, raw underbelly of ordinary moments.
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