I finally figured out that our library lets you reserve books online, so I can put myself on the list and then Paul can pick up the books for me on his way home from work and I don’t have to try to manage small children at the library.
Well, but I got a little carried away, because I thought I’d be way down the list on some of the new releases, and that did not turn out to be the case. So when the library said they had some books for me, this is what Paul came home with:
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell
Screamfree Parenting, by Hal Edward Runkel
The Blue Cotton Gown: A Midwife’s Memoir, by Patricia Harman
When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People, by Leonard Felder
The Duggars: 20 and Counting!, by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar
Certain Girls, by Jennifer Weiner
The Guy Not Taken, by Jennifer Weiner
American Wife, by Curtis Sittenfeld
So, um, see you in a few months. Well, or in two weeks, because that’s when they’re due, and most of them are on a Hold List and can’t be renewed. (Also: Paul says he thinks he should get MAJOR POINTS for having to pick up some of those titles, particularly The Guy Not Taken.)
Speaking of stacks of paper, we were out of printer paper. Usually I buy the recycled kind, simultaneously wincing and preening as I spend nearly twice the price to get it. But the shelf space for it was empty. Then I saw this:
Non-recycled paper—that COMES WITH A PACKET OF TREE SEEDS. Ha ha ha ha ha! Is that the cutest/silliest? Of course I bought it. The seeds are planted as of this morning. I’m going to have a whole FOREST in our back yard.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who wants to read the Duggars’ book.
K. brought home a seedling from school for Earth Day. We have a ridiculous amount of trees growing in our small yard. Oh well!
This always happens to me too. All of my reserved books will be ready at the library at the same time and I end up with a huge stack on my night table & no time to read them all.
I went to the library by myself this weekend. I stayed for an hour because having one hour of quiet time all by myself to read – how could I resist?! I am in the middle of The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld. It’s really good so far.
I read Jennifer Weiner as well. I am not going to give anything away but let me know what you think if Certain Girls. Enjoy the reading.
The three bottom ones are great. Had a hard time putting American Wife. Excellent choices!
I’m jealous! I’m like 554th in line for Outliers. Bah.
And last week, I went to pick up my reserved book and someone else had apparently grabbed it from the reserved section and then misplaced it elsewhere. Grr.
The books look great! I’ve read several of those, and enjoyed them all. Have fun!
“Outliers” was excellent! And I love Jennifer Weiner books! You picked good ones. “When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People” sounds like something I should read too! You are going to be busy.
Jennifer Weiner is glorious. I believe I’ve read both of those and they’re both v. good.
And now you’ve given me titles to add to my wish list at the library … thanks.
Book stack = stack o’ fun. Hope they are good!
Funny! I just picked up Outliers yesterday. And now I’m eyeing the “Difficult Relatives” book… Also – if you’re looking for a good read (although probably somewhat depressing) I could NOT put down “Still Alice”.
And you’ll be making paper out of those trees?
FYI: I don’t regularly read, but I happen to own The Perks of Being a Wallflower. When I read it the first time, it only took about an hour. It’s an entertaining read that’s extremely quick! Enjoy!!!
ooh, i made my sister get me “outliers” for xmas this year. GREAT book!
the midwife memoir sounds fascinating.. will you review these books for us?
I enjoyed the Outliers – but I think I kinda missed his “big picture” point if he had one… This is the first I’ve heard of When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People and I am so putting it on hold at my library!!
I love the library but since I pay more than the cost of the books themselves in overdue fines, it kind of defeats the purpose for me. And out library has a DRIVE UP book drop. Oh, the shame.
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on American Wife.
Reserving books online to be picked up at the library is the only way I can ever get books. I try to just do one or two at a time though! I am interested in some of your titles so you will have to say how you like them. Also, if you don’t do Goodreads you should! I can keep a list there of books I want to read (made up quite a bit of books my goodreads friends are reading) and then I open up another window with my local library database and I can look for my books. Love it.
Ditto! I finally got into the darn Twilight series during a weekend camping trip and I am a woman obsessed. All internet time (except minutes at work where I can’t read anyway) is now completely devoted to finishing the series in less than a week. I was three posts behind on your site and laughed when i saw this title.
I ran into the same problem at my library when I discovered the book holding! Most had dates they were reserved until (some a few weeks away), little did I know that they can trasfer books to reach you sooner. I had a pile just as big as yours, and then got an email 2 days later for another pile. Oops!
I love the seed packet, what a great idea!
I LOVE the ability to reserve online with my library too. The librarians know me so well that they don’t bother with the whole spiel about when to pick up/what their hours are when they call me.
Scream Free Parenting is great. I got the chance to hear Hal speak a few years ago at a mom of multiples convention. Good stuff.
I love the rest of your list. I’ve even been more interested in the Duggars ever since I used Michelle’s recipe to make my own laundry soap – 10 gallons for $3!!!
Humph, I call myself a Weiner fan but I haven’t read those! I have read American Wife (couldn’t put it down!) and Outliers though. Is it just me, or was Outliers not quite as mind-blowing as his other books? You’ll have to let us know what you think.
Can’t wait to hear some book reviews in a few weeks. I have had several of those books on my list of TBR forever now. Especially the midwife memoir one- anything with babies/birth/potential controversary is a guaranteed hit with me!
I’m reading American Wife and find it well-written and quick. Did you know it’s modeled loosely on Laura and George Bush?? I had no idea until I started reading it and then I got halfway through and thought, WELL THAT’S BOLD. But I like it.
I just finished “American Wife” and I thought it was really terrific. Sound like a lot of other commenters have read it too. Perhaps we should have an online book club!
I love having a good stack of books waiting. It makes it a little easier when you have a great one you are dying to finish but hate to see end . . .
Im reading my first Jennifer Weiner book, Goodnight Nobody. So far, so good. Ive heard a lot of people say great things about her writing! Have you read others of hers?
That looks like my weekly trip to the library! I always say “just a few books”, but then I’m walking around all hunched over with this huge stack of books. I’ve read a few of those and was surprised to see myself pick up “American Wife” as it’s not my normal kind of book. But I couldn’t put it down. It was great! And Jennifer Weiner? Love her.
I go overboard with the online reserve system at the library too. I loved Outliers and both Jennifer Weiner books.
I hope I wasn’t the only one squinting to see the titles in the picture you put up – only to realize you typed out all of the titles! LOL
I LOVED the Jennifer Weiner books. Have you read Good In Bed? (In case you havn’t it takes place before Certain Girls – not required reading but it helps to know the back story. It is also hilarious and heart wrenching.)
Also, I want to know all of scream free parenting. Please post a review when you get finished.
I totally just requested Certain Girls and The Blue Gown from my library. I already have a stack of books beside my bed to read, but they’re MINE so they can wait. :)
Will you PLEASE let us know what you thought of them? I LOVE book recommendations!
That stack of books made me laugh and laugh and laugh.
I am glad that I am not the only one who ends up getting a MOUNTAIN of books from the library all at once. Our library has a hold feature on requests, so I try to make sure that I have things staggered enough that they don’t all come at once. Which, of course, almost never works.
Happy Reading – you’ll have to let us know your favorites!
Perks of being a wallflower is one of my all time favorites! a little depressing though, just so you know.
Those are great! I want to read some of them.
Have you guys gotten in Twilight? I am on book III and love them!
I’ll also be looking forward to some reviews. I’m a huge Jennifer Weiner fan and I can’t wait to hear what you think of Certain Girls.
I’m also interested in your Perks of Being a Wallflower review. I read it because one of my library media professors, who is very anti-censorship, THREW HER LIBRARY’S COPY AWAY when she read the first few pages. So of course I ran out to get it immediately.
I also enjoy the fliers I get in magazines or the junk mail with “tips for being greener.”
Um, how about NOT PRINTING FLIERS?!?
I love Jennifer Weiner. You need to do some book reviews once you’ve read these. We dont get TLC (or whatever channel had the show about the Duggars) but I think I’d probably like that book too.
Isn’t the library a great thing? Ours also lets us request books online, and designate which branch we would like to pick them up from, and then sends an email when they are ready. Love it. I have read both Weiner books and the Sittenfeld book. All enjoyable.
Oh, I couldn’t love that combination of titles ANY MORE.
cute paper idea!!! i know how good you are at growing trees from seeds . . . I remember the little christmas tree! :)
I love to read. My latest kick is getting books that have been reviewed in People magazine. So far, 1-1.
After you read the no screaming parenting, please let us in…I have an 18 and 19 year olds, and I find that I still.scream.
Ooh, Outliers is really good. I took his big picture message to be that the idea of pulling oneself up by one’s bootstraps is utter crap, unless you happen to be in the right place at the right time with the right set of skills.
OK, because this isn’t on my blog but is just a comment, I will share this possibly identifying tidbit about myself: one of my fellow editors on my college newspaper is married to her. And based on what I knew of him, the guy Rose ends up with in In Her Shoes is EXACTLY my college friend. Which is, frankly, really startling when you’re reading a book and a real-life person is in there. Loved it, though — as I did Outliers, although that one has me kicking myself for having birthed my child in June (you’ll see).
Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of my very favoritist books. Ever.
I must delurk to tell you how very much I enjoyed American Wife. And Certain Girls. Have fun! :)
I do that same thing – as soon as I like something, I flip over to the library page and request it. Sometimes they trickle in, and sometimes, like you, I get a pile a mile high! I love that, though, knowing that I have a huge stack of pleasure waiting for me when I finish the book I’m reading already.
Yeah, I have me a stack or two of books lined up…for when I’m not bloggin of course.
{turn the page}
Love Jennifer Weiner. If you like her try Meg Cabot too.
Also Jane Greene and Sophie Kinsella…but they are more Brit Lit so you may not be into that.
Enjoy! I have the Duggars book on my list too. I love that show! It makes my mouth fall open with amazement everytime!