…and there began a long period of numerical agonizing …and so many books in the boxes, stacks, and shelves of the thrift stores and library book sales. This week’s thrift store books scores include: Catch-22 a novel by Joseph Heller. “There was only one Catch…and that was Catch-22.” A lovely but battered old copy with a perfectly centered “discard” stamped inside the cover. Biggest Riddle Book in the World by Joseph Rosenbloom and illustrated by Joyce Behr.  I bought this as a present for Fallie’s birthday later this month, but I am constitutionally unable to withhold presents until the appropriate time. Surprise presents are better anyway. Fallie loves the book. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. Atonement by Ian McEwan. Atonement and Gilead have been on the shelf for a month; I am not really sure why I didn’t buy them earlier.  The premature best-of lists for the aughts that have sprouted up lately feature both of these prominently. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. A pristine paperback with a Peter Sis cover. The Lord of the Rings: One Volume Edition by J.R.R.R. Tolkien. An Infinite Jest sized paperback containing the entire trilogy and featuring a Peter Jackson cover. I bought these two Tolkien books because the blond monkeys loved The Edge Chronicles, and sooner or later they will be seeking them out. Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. This is a cute little British paperback edition that originally cost 45p. It is my second copy of Franny and Zooey this month, but it was tagged with the color of the day so fate had spoken. “As nearly as possible in the spirit of Matthew Salinger, age one, urging a luncheon companion to accept a cool lima bean, I urge my editor, mentor, and (heaven help him) closest friend, William Shawn, genius domus of The New Yorker, lover of the long shot, protector of the unprolific, defender of the hopelessly flamboyant, most unreasonably modest of born great artist-editors, to accept this pretty skimpy-looking book.” The Gatefold Book of the World’s Great Warplanes. Featuring kick-ass four page centerfold style pictures of fighter planes.  I will probably give this to one of the boy neighbors eventually, but for now I get to play with it.

…and there began a long period of numerical agonizing

…and so many books in the boxes, stacks, and shelves of the thrift stores and library book sales. This week’s thrift store books scores include:

  • Catch-22 a novel by Joseph Heller. “There was only one Catch…and that was Catch-22.” A lovely but battered old copy with a perfectly centered “discard” stamped inside the cover.
  • Biggest Riddle Book in the World by Joseph Rosenbloom and illustrated by Joyce Behr.  I bought this as a present for Fallie’s birthday later this month, but I am constitutionally unable to withhold presents until the appropriate time. Surprise presents are better anyway. Fallie loves the book.
  • Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.
  • Atonement by Ian McEwan. Atonement and Gilead have been on the shelf for a month; I am not really sure why I didn’t buy them earlier.  The premature best-of lists for the aughts that have sprouted up lately feature both of these prominently.
  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. A pristine paperback with a Peter Sis cover.
  • The Lord of the Rings: One Volume Edition by J.R.R.R. Tolkien. An Infinite Jest sized paperback containing the entire trilogy and featuring a Peter Jackson cover. I bought these two Tolkien books because the blond monkeys loved The Edge Chronicles, and sooner or later they will be seeking them out.
  • Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. This is a cute little British paperback edition that originally cost 45p. It is my second copy of Franny and Zooey this month, but it was tagged with the color of the day so fate had spoken.
  • “As nearly as possible in the spirit of Matthew Salinger, age one, urging a luncheon companion to accept a cool lima bean, I urge my editor, mentor, and (heaven help him) closest friend, William Shawn, genius domus of The New Yorker, lover of the long shot, protector of the unprolific, defender of the hopelessly flamboyant, most unreasonably modest of born great artist-editors, to accept this pretty skimpy-looking book.”
  • The Gatefold Book of the World’s Great Warplanes. Featuring kick-ass four page centerfold style pictures of fighter planes.  I will probably give this to one of the boy neighbors eventually, but for now I get to play with it.
Tags: thrift store used books books catch twenty two joseph heller jrr tolkien the hobbit the lord of the rings biggest riddle book in the world joseph rosenbloom joyce behr gilead marilynne robinson atonement ian mcewan franny and zooey jd salinger the gatefold book of the worlds great warplanes often an appearance on a top ten list will make me avoid a book i am not sure what was different this time gravitas is his shtick gravity gravity won't get the best of me graveyard thighs |
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