Saturday, August 8, 2009

The Stack Grows

At this rate, my TBR stack is large enough that I could abstain from purchasing another book for two years and still have plenty to read. Yet, today, I found myself with a 40% off coupon from Borders in my hot little hand. And I thought to myself "Self, you know you have signed up to read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami for the Japanese Reading Challenge. Now is the perfect time to buy it." So off I go, with my kids in tow, promising them it will be a five minute stop. In and out, easy peasy.










Well, not quite THAT easy. You know what's coming. There was a $1 bin in the lobby, which is where I found "A Beautiful Place to Die" by Malla Nunn. Reviewed well by EW, and about a murder mystery in South Africa, if I recall. For a buck, how can you walk by?










So then there was the "Buy One Get One Half Price" table. This table and I have a history. I walk up and give it the attention and love that it wants. I find:


"Benny & Shrimp" by Katarina Mazetti. Of course I didn't write down the bloggers that penned their lovely reviews of this book, but I do remember the plot and the warm fuzzies that tip-toed out of my computer screen and onto my TBR list. A widowed librarian and a farmer find love in middle age. I needed it.










"Unaccustomed Earth" by Jhumpa Lahiri. As I finished her amazing collection of short stories (Interpreter of Maladies) a couple of weeks ago, I vowed to read more from this talented author. And here it sat.











When I arrived home and started going through my blogroll, I read the most amazing post on the blog My Friend Amy. It was a guest post by a woman by the name of Pam Ripling, talking about her love affair with lighthouses, and how she incorporates them into her fiction (she writes under the name of Anne Carter). She perfectly expresses the reasons why we love these structures...for their protection, guardianship, strength, mystery, loneliness, romance, intrigue, history, the past. AND...it is National Lighthouse Day. The moons were aligning. Would you like to guess how many seconds it took to download her latest book, Point Surrender, on my Kindle?










Am I the only one who allows herself to surrender to such temptations, then break out into a cold sweat when I see how high the stack grows? Nah, I didn't think so.

26 comments:

Serena said...

You are not the only one that allows herself to surrender to the desire for more books. That bargain bin usually gets me every time at Borders...and my Borders in the summer has two-four shelves outside the store filled with bargain books---one side of the doorway is children's books (guess who's kid gets those--The Girl naturally from Diary of an Eccentric) and the other side is adult books.

oh so tempting

Unknown said...

Great selection! I'm planning to read Wind up Bird Chronicle as soon as I have finished the Booker list.

I also plan to read Unaccustomed Earth soon.

I can't resist a bargain either!

Jeane said...

I can never resist getting more books. My TBR is staggering, and it delights me! (I didn't know there was a National Lighthouse Day- what do they do? Light them all at once?)

JoAnn said...

My tbr is getting out of control, too! I was so proud of myself for not using that border's 40% off coupon yesterday - lol! Unaccustomed Earth was wonderful. I liked it even more than Interpreter of Maladies.

Sandy Nawrot said...

Serena - I knew I was amongst people who understood. Borders has been really discounting. There's some good stuff in those dollar bins!

Jackie - Wind-up Bird is a bit long, so I'm not sure when I'll get it squeezed in, but hopefully within the next month or so!

Jeane - Usually for National Lighthouse Day, they open up lighthouses that are usually closed to the public, have picnics, historians on hand to answer questions, photo exhibits, etc. Pretty exciting for us lighthouse nuts!

JoAnn - I can resist the 20% ones pretty easily, but when the bigger ones come along, and there is something specific I need, I lose my willpower. Then when you walk in, they get you!

christina said...

I easily cave under book pressure. Perhaps my only weakness (I've managed to reign in my purse purchasing habit!)

Ah and those Border's coupons that fill the inbox. Aren't they terrifically horrible? You know it's a conspiracy, scanning that little borders card to receive more coupons. They've gotten us! LOL.

Looks like you got a great selection. Yay!

Frances said...

I can go out for toothpaste and come home with books. Not sure how this happens. Not sure when I will read all of these, but have started to care a little less and put a lot less pressure on myself. Embracing random reading. Maybe it is a summer thing? Enjoy those books! Unaccustomed Earth is fantastic.

Beth F said...

I never, ever buy books when I still have books in the house to read. I am totally disciplined and never sign up for challenges or find myself swayed by my blogging friends.

* * * * *

It's a common disease; there is no cure. I have been following Pam's guest posts this week. She is a really nice person and I love her perspective on photography and lighthouses.

Baba said...

You are most certainly not the only one who succumbs to book bargains. I find those coupons dangerous. I promise myself I will pop in for 5 minutes and get 1 book. And then 45 minutes and 5 books later, I leave. How does that happen? If I were to work at a bookstore it would be very dangerous! Who knows the gems I would find and how many books I would be coming home with every week? Love your blog!

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I have a huge pile of books in the TBR. But yesterday I decided there weren't any that were exactly the right *weight* to take in my backpack on an airplane. So of course I had to remedy that....

And Border's not only sends those coupons, then they have those "buy two, get one free" sections that are pretty lethal too! Who can resist?!!

Molly said...

Oh my goodness --- your Borders visit sounds exactly like me. My daughter and I went to Borders last night because we each had that 40% coupon burning a hole in our pockets -- and I simply cannot pass up the "buy one get one at 50 off table"

Thanks for sharing your fun shopping adventure with us (oh, and by the way, I am pretty sure that I can go about 5 years without buying another book and still have books to read, but that won't stop me from finding the next book bargain).

ds said...

Tee-hee! I live for those 40% coupons! And we share a "history" with the 3 for 2 table...sigh...

I think you will like The Wind-up Bird Chronicle. I hope you do. Be prepared to become hooked on Mr. Murakami.

Am now writing down your other mentions for future bookstore raids. Thanks!

Legendary Lights said...

Sandy! Thanks for your support! I hope you love POINT SURRENDER. I tried to reach you through your email addy but it was returned. Wanted to let you know I blog about lighthouses almost every Monday and a mish mash of other things the rest of the time. Stop by and say hello!

Pam
http://beaconstreetbooks.com

Sandy Nawrot said...

Christina - yes they are evil little marketing demons. The higher the percentage, the harder it is to pass up. Then they ensnare me in their web once I walk in the door!

Frances - I'd heard that about Un. Earth, and so how could I not accept this as cosmic karma? Ha! I love it...go out for toothpaste and come back with books. You see, my husband needs to know these things, so he can appreciate I am of a certain breed, not a lone weirdo.

Beth - NO! You are totally pulling my leg, aren't you? That can't be! I would be worried if this were true! I need to connect with Pam. For some reason, my Explorer won't open her site. I'm having a mini-fit.

Baba - Thanks for coming by, and commenting! I love comments. Damned coupons. I think we are all born this way, by the way.

Molly - we were all hit by their sneak attack. I find it very comforting that you were sucked in as well. I am not alone!

ds - Borders has our number. I'm excited to read Wind-Up Bird, although it is a little long. I've heard that Murakami is hard to resist!

Sandy Nawrot said...

Pam - I am so pleased you came by! I have tried to go to your site, and my Windows Exporer aborts. I don't know what the problem is, but I'm distressed. (Maybe this is why you couldn't leave me an e-mail?) I need the weekly lighthouse fix. If I were ever to have a muse to help me write, it would be lighthouses. I will keep trying to log on to your site...maybe I will try my husband's computer.

Unknown said...

I went to the Friends of the Library book sale Thursday and walked away with a bag full of books. All of their books are one dollar so you know you're in trouble when you walk in the door.

Admitting you have a problem is the first step. ;-)

Carrie K. said...

I was reading Beth's comment and going, "but, but, what about..." until I realized it was tongue-in-cheek.

My TBR stack is tall enough to kill a small child if it toppled, at this point.

Sandy Nawrot said...

James - oooh, I LIKE those library sales. Unfortunately, I usually end up bringing home something I already have. Luckily it only cost a buck. And I'm admitting, here in front of God and bloggers, that I do have a problem!

Carrie - I'm-a-spittin' out my wine! I did the same thing with Beth. That Beth! Then the crushing of a small child comment. You just made my day. Even though now that I say that, it makes me sound twisted.

Jeane said...

That does sound pretty cool. I've always loved picturesque photos of lighthouses but I've never been inside one.

Book Chick City said...

I hear ya! I have so many books to read that I wouldn't need to buy another book for years but I can't resist their shiny covers, and I'm sure I hear them calling my name.....

Amy said...

I think you got some good picks! I also succumb to temptation...we have a used dollar bookstore not too far and I went today and got nine books. I mean really. WHEN am I going to read them? ;)

Lauren said...

"Unaccustomed Earth" is currently in my email, thanks to DailyLit. I'm definitely excited to read it as well.

Darlene said...

lol-This happens to me every time I go on a book buying frenzy and then try to find somewhere to put them.

Melody said...

What a lovely haul!
I can't resist buying books too, no matter how high my TBR stack is! Happy reading!! :)

Melissa said...

My stack grows like that too! Even why I try to cut back, it just keeps multiplying. :)

Anna said...

I don't think any of us have a stack. It's more like stacks. I think we need a 12-step program. :P

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric