Addictions!

Okay, so it’s only books, but an addiction is controlling no matter what!


In mid-summer I vowed (again) I would get my books under control. I weeded the office shelf and closet. I lined up ones I had saved for re-reads and started actually doing it. I did not allow myself buy books. Things were going well until I had an email from a woman I used to work with at the junior high.


The local schools had a program working with a book titled 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher; librarians and teachers had written a grant for funding to bring the author to town next month. The former teacher, now administrator, wanted to know what I thought of the book, as she found it a little intense for junior high. The subject is teen suicide.


I had faded away from reading YA novels, but the asking for my opinion was too much to ignore. I told her I would get the book and read it. So when DH made his lab work trip to Springfield, I urged us by Barnes and Noble for the book. Unfortunately two other bargain books jumped into my arms: The Wildwater Walking Club by Claire Cook who wrote Must Love Dogs and Claiming Ground, a wonderful memoir about woman’s experiences sheep herding in Wyoming.


The next day we pulled out for our trip West, and son only lives a few blocks from the famous Watermark bookstore, an independent that I love. I managed to walk out without a book since I had a whole bag in the car including the new YA. Things seemed to be under control.


Then on the trip we meet Napoleon Garcia in Abiqui who was selling his own little memoir. Brought his book home with us. Then when in Pagosa Springs, Colorado there is another very nice independent book store where the owner has lovely regional shelf. Home came Cowboys, Barbed Wire: the fence that changed the West, and House of Rain, a book that traces indigenous people of the pueblos.


Then when we rode the train to LaVeta and had that layover….I could not resist spending time in that lovely used book shop provided by the Friends of the LaVeta Library. Brought home a large WWII book called Liberators about the Black soldiers of that era, a book titled How to Read a Poem, and a Muffin cookbook. Oh, these were so cheap! But they still took up room in our expanding bookmobile!


Back in Wichita we made another stop at Watermark because they have a wonderful sandwich shop we like. One of their new sandwiches is called The Godfather and yum, it is on their homemade focaccia bread! DH had a meatloaf sandwich called The Great Gatsby on homemade sourdough. We both drank gallons of ice tea, as we were dried out from the West. Then can you believe it, but in ten days’ time there were more NEW books strewn about that store. DH went on to the parking lot and I quickly grabbed a small paperback titled Thunder on the Prairie about a murder and grandest posse of all time. I stuck it in my purse so I did not have to own up to my book sickness!


Last night we went to PSU to hear Jo McDougall read at the Visiting Writers Series. A five book poet, McDougall now has a memoir out about growing up in Arkansas on a rice farm. She was an entertaining speaker, but I should have left her book there. However—all proceeds went to support the writing program of PSU. Hum, I wanted to support that and of course, I should be willing to support a fellow writer. The book came home with us and rests on top of RODE from last month’s author (I haven’t gotten to reading it yet), and sits beside five books home from the library.


Meanwhile Thursday afternoon was my book club day where we discussed Unbroken, a wonderful read garnering ratings from 9.5 to 11 on a scale of 10. Highest rated book we have ever read, slightly ahead of last month’s Empire of the Summer Moon! We also exchanged with each other some good books, and I toted home a friend’s copy of Women’s Diaries of the Westward Journey. My office is FULL!


Remember that Shel Silverstein poem, "Sarah Cynthia Silvia Stout Wouldn’t Take the Garbage Out" and how the poor girl got buried in her own garbage as it piled up around her? Well, all I am saying is that if you miss me, please send a librarian to dig me out before it is too late!!!!