2 for 22

This morning I paid two dollars for twenty-two books.

Our local library often has used book sales, and today’s was a bag sale, which means that I could stuff a plastic shopping bag full of books and pay only two bucks for the whole thing. I came away with 22 books, and my bag wasn’t even completely full.

Ten of the books were children’s books, but the other twelve were not. Here is the stack I’m most excited about.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom – The author shares life lessons he learned from his former professor who is dying. I feel like the only person who hasn’t read this.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer – I read part of this at Barnes and Noble several years ago, and have been wanting to read the whole thing ever since. It’s the story of a well-to-do young man who hitchhiked to Alaska and died of starvation in the wilderness.

Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott – I’ve never read anything by Anne Lamott, but every time I read or hear a quote by her, I want to read her books.

Girl Meets God by Lauren F. Winner – I’ve actually already read this book, but I wanted to own it. I’ve heard her speak before, and also own another of her books, and she’s just as compelling in person as she is in writing. From the back cover: “The child of a Jewish father and a lapsed Southern Baptist mother, Lauren F. winner chose to become an Orthodox Jew. But even as she was observing Sabbath rituals and studying Jewish law, Lauren was increasingly drawn to Christianity. Courageously leaving what she loved, she eventually converted. In Girl Meets God, this appealing woman takes us through a year in her Christian life as she attempts to reconcile both sides of her religious identity.”

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows – I know absolutely nothing about this book except that someone recommended it to me once upon a time. (Katie, was it you?) So, from the back cover again: “January 1946: Writer Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And so begins a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.”

Perplexing Lateral Thinking Puzzles by Paul Sloane & Des MacHale – A short description of a scenario is provided, and you have to figure out how to explain the missing details.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell – What’s worse than buying a book you’ve already read? Buying a book you already own! And I even knew that we already have it. I guess that shows just how much of a fan of Malcolm Gladwell I am. “The Tipping Point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.” You’re welcome to borrow it; we have a spare copy.

Just Checking: Scenes from the Life of an Obsessive-Compulsive by Emily Colas – I just thought the title sounded interesting. When you’re shoving books in a bag for two bucks, the books start to feel like they’re free.

Marry Me! Courtships and Proposals of Legendary Couples by Wendy Goldberg and Betty Goodwin – The book tells the stories of 35 couples, including Martha Bernays & Sigmund Freud, Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz, Coretta Scott & Martin Luther King, Jr., Lisa Halaby & King Hussein I of Jordan, Hillary Rodham & Bill Clinton, and many others.

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin – I followed the author’s blog for a short time several years ago while she was writing the book. Happiness seemed to be so unnatural for her, and she had to work so hard at being happy that she seemed stressed out by the pursuit of simple happiness. I didn’t find it inspiring at all, and stopped reading her blog. But recently I’ve happened to see a surprising number of positive responses to the book on the internet, so I thought I’d read at least some of it. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Food Made Fast: Weeknight by Williams-Sonoma – I don’t really need another cookbook, but I collect them like some people collect new music or whatever else inspires them. Lime shrimp with coconut rice? Yes, please.

Real Simple Solutions from the editors of Real Simple – Eye candy plus good ideas.

All that plus ten children’s books (including the pop-up book Dinner Time by Jan Pienkowski) for TWO BUCKS!