For twenty-eight years Paul has kept track of the books she's read in a notebook she named Bob. Those books track the different stages of her life from high school and college, to living abroad, different jobs, marriage, divorce, children. All of it. Books and reading helped shape her life; in turn, her life experiences influenced the books she chose to read. As a lifelong reader myself, I related.
I laughed when she wrote: "There was a shiftiness to kids who secreted themselves in a corner to read instead of what they should have been doing.... I did everything I could to read my way out of doing anything else. It was the one thing I was good at."
And I nodded my head in agreement when she said: "...lending a book to an unreliable reader inevitably leads to regret. It is lovely to share books, but they need to come home. I have known people to maintain years-long grudges over unreturned books. Who can blame them?" (I admit, I still remember the name of the girl who borrowed my copy of Something Wicked This Way Comes in high school and never returned it; and I still haven't quite forgiven my uncle who lost one of the books he borrowed from me...mostly because he was so unapologetic about it.)
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. But then I do tend to like reading books about books and reading. Paul's a likable person, and her musings on reading made me smile. And I agreed with many of her sentiments, though not all of them. Some of the chapters were less interesting to me than others, but that's typical in any biography. And while this one won't make my favorites list at the end of the year, it's a solid 3-star read. Now I'm off to choose my next book. Because as Paul writes, "There (are) lots of books needing to be read."
Happy Reading!
That sounds like a book for me. " I did everything I could to read my way out of doing anything else." That was so ME.
ReplyDeleteThat quote totally made me laugh. Reading never did get me out of any of my chores when I was growing up; and it still doesn't. But I love the sentiment. :)
DeleteSame for me, my parents were both readers but there was no way I could excuse myself from any chores, especially as the elder sister of three younger brothers.
DeleteI'm the youngest in my family, but my mom still shooed me off my bed and put me to work with my two older sisters. :)
DeleteShe did well. As an older sister, I saw how most of the housework went to me and especially my youngest brother always was exempt from the "hard" tasks. That's how it often was and still is. Not good for anyone. The youngest also have to learn how to get through life.
DeleteI'm making of note of this one because I'm a 'book about books' person too. Though I will say that I don't always love these types of books because my way of reading, etc., might be different. I've kept track of my reading since 1993 - almost 30 years now. I suspect I'll never write a book about that reading journey though - oh, wait - our blogs are sort of 'books' about our reading, right? LOL
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about it, but you're right. Our blogs do count as a type of reading journal! :D
Deletei deeply sympathize... while working on an oil rig one of the $ men insisted on "borrowing" one of my geology texts; i knew i'd never see it again and i was right... still rankles...
ReplyDeleteRight? It's made me very leery of ever loaning out any of my books again except a very few trusted people. :)
DeleteI love books about books. And I have to agree about lending books to unreliable readers. I'm still waiting for my uncle to return the Hank the Cowdog books he "borrowed" 20+ years ago. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, you're never going to see those again! :)
DeleteI've seen a review of this one somewhere else, and it does appear to be something most readers would enjoy. Perfect? Maybe not, but I did love the quote you included! I'm always intrigued by the opinions of other readers about what they choose, what books they enjoy, what bothers them about particular books, etc.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to see what books she chose to read, and why. And she had some very strong opinions about The Fountainhead, which made me both laugh and shake my head.
DeleteIf you lend a book, you have to accept that you will never see it again, which is...hard.
ReplyDeleteI also like books about books, so this does sound interesting.
It's a fun read for the most part. I didn't love it, but I did enjoy reading it. But then it is about books... :)
DeleteWould you recommend it? I think it sounds interesting as well. My library doesn't have it and I know I won't buy it :)
ReplyDeleteIt's not a book I would buy, but it's a good library read, if that makes sense. For me, it was a 3-star read, good, but not great.
DeleteIndeed there are "lots of books needing to be read." And I'm willing to give it my best shot.
ReplyDeleteMe, too! I think that quote will be my new motto. :D
DeleteI like books about books as well and it's an interesting idea, write a memoir about the various stages of your life and the books you were reading at the time and how they may have helped you. It could make for a fascinating memoir.
ReplyDeleteAnd parts were really fun to read about. Other chapters I found a little less interesting, but that might have just been me. :)
DeleteAs readers it's hard to resist these types of books right? This does sound like a lot of fun. And, I also remember books that I loan and were never returned! Haha...
ReplyDeleteI do find these kinds of books hard to resist! :)
DeleteI was big into The Man From Uncle as a teen and a friend gave me one of the books, The Vampire Affair, (my gosh, I even remember the title) for Christmas. After I read it she then borrowed it and it took me over a year to get the thing back off her after constant reminders. Our friendship was never the same after that, boy did I resent her for that. LOL!
ReplyDelete:D Well, it's clear she didn't truly understand the value of books, or how much they mattered to you, so I can see where that would dim the friendship a bit.
DeleteI also love books about books! Nice review!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI enjoy reading books about books and other readers too. I admit I still remember well the people who have not returned books I have loaned them. Haha.
ReplyDeleteThose people sort of linger in the mind, don't they? Especially when you want to read that book that they never gave back. ;D
DeleteI can agree with some of those too. :) And I'm very careful about loaning books- which makes me feel bad, but I can't help it. :) they need to come home ha ha!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean! About the only people I loan my books out to any more are to my mom and my two sisters, because I know they'll be careful with them, and more importantly, I know they'll return them. :)
DeleteThis sounds like a book I would be nodding my way through as well! It also sounds somewhat whimsical in some parts — which is always a good thing!
ReplyDeleteThere are parts that definitely made me smile. There's a lot to like about this one.
DeleteThe book is not available in my language, but maybe I will try the English version because it interested me.
ReplyDeleteHope you are able to get a copy, and that you enjoy it. And thanks for commenting! :)
DeleteI feel like I would relate to a lot of this book. It is fun to connect the books and genres I read during different moments in my life. Having a blog with my reviews over the last 10 years really serves as a kind of timeline to my life.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how books can play such a large role in your life; they really do act as a timeline in many ways. :)
DeleteAbout ten years ago, I let someone borrow a special book and I still didn't get it back even after reminding them several times, which is why I never let people borrow my books anymore. I'd rather gift them. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't loan out the books that really matter to me any more either. I like your idea of just gifting them the book instead. :)
DeleteThere are lots of books needing to be read. That's so true.
ReplyDeleteI think that's my motto in life. :D
DeleteYes, there are a lot of books that need to be read, lol! It's funny how we keep book grudges, right? I lent a few of my nicer hardbound Agatha Christie's to a friend and she never returned them. She lives in another state. I still can't forget. Oh well, what can you do?
ReplyDeleteApparently you can't ever get back the book you loaned out. ;D It definitely takes a book person to hold a book grudge. And I am one.
DeleteThis seems like a good guide of her life. I enjoy her on the NYT podcast each week. She seems likable. And Bob as good a name as any .... for a notebook
ReplyDeleteI think it's an acronym for her "book of books". Not super creative, but certainly easy to say. :)
DeleteThis seems like a fun one. And I do love books about books.
ReplyDeleteThere's something enjoyable about reading a book about books and reading. :)
DeleteThis is right up my alley, and I've added it to my Need-to-Read list. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Happy reading! :)
DeleteI absolutely loved this book when I read it a while back, and felt a real bond with the author. I've kept a similar list that will be 52 years old on February 1. Hers is a bit more detailed than my own, but even mine allows me to rekindle memories of the times that I was reading the book.
ReplyDeleteI have a notebook where I list all the books I read, too. I haven't been doing it as long as you, though, but it's fun to look back and remember what I was reading five years ago.
DeleteI tend to love books about books so this sounds like my kind of read. :)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy reading books about books, too! :)
DeleteOh, this sounds like a wonderful memoir of a bookish life, and right up my alley. Makes me wish I had kept a list or journal of all the books I have read. I have tried to recreate it on Goodreads, but going from memory, it lacks dates and is no doubt missing a lot of titles.
ReplyDeleteI've been keeping a list of books for the last ten years, or so, but my list would never make for a good memoir. :)
DeleteI love books with a bookish theme and this one sounds like fun!
ReplyDelete