Monday, February 14, 2011

First stockpile of the year


I am trying to limit my book purchases this year to a reasonable number. At various times over the last few weeks, that reasonable number has shifted from an upper limit of two per month to an upper limit of four. If you subtract the book on top, which was a freebie, and Swamplandia, which I preordered in 2010 and therefore doesn't count in this year's purchases, and add one-and-a-half-Kindle downloads (explanation for that down below), I'm restricted from buying anything else for, oh, a couple of weeks.

The book on top of the pile is a "free copy" (it says so on the front cover) of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. I'm not positive, but I think going to ALA in DC a few years back had something to do with it showing up in the mail. Someone recently recommended the Outlander series to me, so I suppose I ought to read it now that I have my very own copy.

Edith Pearlman's Binocular Vision. A collection of short stories by a North Carolina publishing house. I braved the mall to buy a marked-down calendar in mid-January, and this was my reward for making the trip.

Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time, second movement. Since I have yet to start on the first movement, I should not have bought this.

Rebecca West's Train of Powder and Family Memories. I don't feel guilty about ordering these one bit.

Karen Russell's Swamplandia! Gators and ghosts and good times ahead!

Jonathan Evison's West of Here. I'm probably the only blogger who didn't request it from the publisher, but I've got a  history of buying Algonquin's books that goes way back. I like supporting North Carolina publishing houses.

And for the Kindle: Connie Willis's All Clear and Eleanor Brown's Weird Sisters. I'm counting the Brown as half a purchase since it was my mother-in-law who wanted to buy it (I was happy being on the list for it at the library). I figure we can split the price, though.

4 comments:

  1. "West of Here" is indeed very good. It falls just short of biting off more than it can chew with a big plot and huge cast of characters.

    I'm also looking forward to "Binocular Vision" and "Swamlandia!"

    And any pile that's sprinkled with Rebecca West is a good one! (Though I haven't read either of these)

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  2. I do understand about the Powell. I've just decided to read through A S Byatt's 'Frederica Quartet'. I have not yet started 'The Virgin in the Garden'. I did not need to order 'Still Life' - but I did!

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  3. Anonymous3:39 AM

    I just started Swamplandia last night (like you, I preordered it in 2010) and it is Wonderful! Which was only to be expected. :-)

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  4. Dance has always scared me off by the share bulk of it and all those volumes.

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A bang, not a whimper

  Two months into L.'s retirement, and I'm finished with the stockpiling of books. No more book purchases! Or at least, no purcha...