Wednesday, November 13, 2019

I am a confessed bookaholic, new purchases finally allowed



Yes, I have rather happily admitted to being a bookaholic for decades, along with my darling husband, Will. I tested my will power recently by declaring a book buying moratorium for all of October and I sort of succeeded. My rules were no online book buying and no going into a book store and buying.

I did let myself get free books from my near by Little Free Library, buy cheap books from the Goodwill book store and buy inexpensive ebooks that BookBub offered to me. After all, I AM hooked on books.
So today in this new month I went to our local book store, spent my $11 buyers club credit there and bought two books in mystery series. Dying Fall by Elly Griffith, I read the first four in the series. Murder in the Marais by Cara Black. I got three free novels in this second series from a Little Free Library but wanted to start with the first in the series.

Then I ordered Elizabeth Berg's Still Happy : Includes The Book of Homer (collection of her Facebook posts and Homer is a tribute to her beloved dog who recently died) and Funny Side: 101 Humorous Poems, edited by Wendy Cope. From what I can tell she wrote all the poems which is what I am hoping, as I read about Cope on Weaver of Grass' blog.
Two on my next buying spree are Leif Enger's Virgil Wander (I love this author) and The Second Coming by Walker Percy (I've read good things about him.). Also I will buy Anthony Trollope's The Bertrams. I have read about 28 of his fabulous novels.
I think my career choice of librarian suits me!
Do you ever self impose a ban on acquiring more books? Or other things you like?
What are your favorite recently purchased books or favorite new item?

27 comments:

Susan said...

I have recently begun reading your blog and am enjoying it immensely, we seem to have a lot in common. Having said this I am actually cutting back on reading blogs for the month of November. I decided I needed to concentrate on my real life for a while. I still have peonies to move, a bunch of volunteer commitments, and the house could do with a good refresh. I won't be giving you up though, tee hee.

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

I would have to say that I am also a bookaholic, hubby was too. Happy Reading ~ FlowerLady

Patti said...

I am a bookaholic as well and, in fact, wrote about books myself yesterday.

I firmly believe one can never ever have too many books. My husband disagrees, though. We have moved several times, and books weigh a lot. If you've packed your boxes too full, they can be backbreaking to move.

Blessings,
Patti @ This Beautiful Life

The Weaver of Grass said...

We always seem to have some Wendy Cope in our monthly poetry gatherings. A lot of her poetry is humorous.

Lin said...

I read a lot of books on my Kindle now, so I ask for Amazon gift cards for christmas. That way, I never feel guilty about uploading a new book AND they don't take any space in the house! :) Is being a book addict a bad thing??

Ann said...

Well you did good and no harm in getting books that are free. These days I only read books on my kindle and I only read ones that I can get free

Cynthia said...

I do, but I usually fail! Fortunately I don’t buy many as I am always getting free ones on my Kindle or from the library but I’m sure I could read for at least three years without bringing another new book into the house!

Rian said...

Hi Terra! I too am a book lover... and read almost everything, but do have my favorites. However, since retirement, I tend to depend on 2 friends who are also ardent readers and keep me supplied with both regular books as well as e-books. So yes, I guess that I have not so much as declared a ban on acquiring more books so much as limiting my access to these 2 sources. Although I must admit to giving in occasionally to check out Barnes and Noble physically or Amazon.com online.
And I too just self-published my own book recently. The Title is "Time After Time" by D'Arcy Regan Hart. It's on amazon.com at the moment, but I hope to put it on Kindle as an e-book soon. (When I run out of something to read, I tend to write...)

Granny Marigold said...

I love to read and have a stack of books ready so I won't run out. Also like to reread my favourites. I rarely buy my books new; we have 5 or 6 good thrift stores plus 2 used book stores in town so I mostly find what I want ( Plus 2 libraries).

I don't keep myself from buying what I really want because I figure the age I am I might as well have whatever I want ( within reason, of course).

Mari said...

I love to read too, and buy a lot of books on my Kindle, but there is something about wandering though a book store that is so fun!
I just finished The Kitchen House - about a young white girl whose parents died coming over and she was bought and taken to a plantation. It was so good!

Linda said...

No, but I obviously do not read as fast or as much as you do!
I was into a book I started right before we came down here to the ranch....I can't remember tthe author but I think it was Lindsey someone....and I think the title was All I Need is You.
Anyway - I was really getting into it and then - I can't find it!! How can I lose it in a 31 foot camper and a longer than that front room?
So I picked up a favorite that a sister blogger wrote and I am re reading that!!

Kay said...

I'm afraid I read all books on my Kindle Paperwhite now. I like being able to enlarge the font.

Betsy said...

I have a stack of books that I still haven't read. My self-imposed no buy item is usually yarn. I don't always make it through an entire month but I make a good attempt.
Blessings,
Betsy

Blondie's Journal said...

I get you on the bookaholic vibe. I get suggestions from bloggers and Instagram, and I've never met a bookstore I could pass up. I'm very guilty as I used to read several books a month. I always had one going. Now it's maybe two chapters a day, often long interludes. But I still keep buying thinking one day I will read for several hours. Is it television and the many channels and On Demand streaming? My writing from home has many distractions as opposed to an outside job. I don't have much structure in my day.

So....The consensus is, I need to read more and buy less! And never feel guilt on being a bookaholic, we need more of you in this crazy world!

Jane❤️

Pam said...

I read lots of diaries and letter collections. Most recently I've bought Elizabeth Strout's "Olive Again" since I enjoyed "Olive Kitteridge", but I gave it to my husband to give me for Christmas so haven't read OA yet.

Arkansas Patti said...

Looks like you have some good reading ahead. I have become a Kindle addict and there are so many free ones to choose from that I have over 300 in the to be read pile. Many established authors will offer an early book to get you hooked. I keep saying that 300 is enough but I keep adding. My library will also lend me a Kindle book from their stock. So many books, so little time.

Sheila said...

I have a self imposed ban on buying any craft books at the moment. There are so many here that I have bought and barely looked at.
Where I can I buy books from charity shops but I will have a yearly splurge when The Works has their 3 for £5 on Christmas books as I just can't resist them.

Just wanted to say Thank You for your visits to my blog and your lovely comments.
Hugs-x-

Annie said...

You got a lot of good books there to read! I like how you got them for free too. Not bad. I haven't bought books in a few years and just keep re-reading the ones I have over and over. I enjoy some of them so much.

Wanda said...

Wow...you are a book worm. But I hadn't realize you were a Librarian. I have a dear friend that loves to read, and passes her book on to me. Lately only have time to do my Women's Bible Study book and my lessons for the children on Wednesday nights. But you have a wonderful list there...so happy reading!!!

Laurel Wood said...

Hi Terra, Thanks for the well wishes. How nice that you have a Little Free Library near. I love those!!! I buy books at the thrift store usually. I really appreciate you listing what you are reading. I will be on the lookout for these books/authors. As we have drastically downsized, I will not let myself buy dishes/china etc. I already have too much! Have a blessed weekend. xo

Vagabonde said...

Ah books! It’s a hard addiction to get rid of. I’m going back to our house in Georgia where I have to keep clearing all our books – I just can’t take that many to Nashville. I have already given at least 800 to the Goodwill and the library, but there are at least 5,000 to 6,000 left of more – bookshelves in each room. Last month I had gathered 200 of my late husband’s westerns to give to a friend but he decided he did not want them, so now I’ll give those away too. But, still, yesterday I went to an estate sale, and do you know that I did purchase 3 books? They looked interesting and were $1 each, but I should not have…

Carola Bartz said...

Not buying books - whether "real" ones or eBooks - sounds really tough to me, and I don't think I would succeed in that. I'm not a shopper anyway, but I'm drawing the line at books. I cannot not buy books. My latest purchase was "In the Shadow of Power" by Viveca Sten; I like her Sandhamn Murders series.

kath001 said...

I will never have the time to read all the books I own, either on the shelf or on my Kindle. But I did manage to finish the last book of my 2019 reading challenge yesterday. And have started on Miss Hargreaves...after your glowing opinion, I had to purchase it, of course! :)

Margaret D said...

Interesting post, so you did well then.
Not a great book reader myself.

Melinda said...

Nope, won't happen. :)
Love, love, love books and magazines.
Contemporary Romance are my favorite reads
and being a teacher, I love kids books too.

M : )

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

I read every minute I can fit in, always have a book at hand - since I can remember. Thanks for visiting and reading my post. My grandson was given a Kindle a month ago because the cost of his books were going sky high - portable, he has a budget for loading the next books he wants to read and his is pretty happy.
Joy

Liz Hinds said...

How many books do you get through in a week? My to-be-read pile on my bedroom table is in danger of toppling and knocking me out in my sleep. I love the way you managed to get around the moratorium!