Monday, March 9, 2009

Thrift Store Books

I like looking through the books, always surprised at the things I find. Want to take many books home with me, but limit myself to spending a dollar or less. Sadly, if I'm on foot I will pass up a huge volume of something I want, only to go back and find it gone. (Now I know to just buy it if I really want it, and leave it at a friend's office directly across the street from the store.) In the case of the old hymnal above, a photo was enough--but if I found a hymnal in really bad shape in the trash, I might take it for collage purposes. recycle, right?


I have not read any of the books pictured above.

Another blogger sent me a news item that revealed that many British peeps pretend to have read certain smartypants books to impress others; 1984 by George Orwell topped the list I think.

I'm embarrassed to reveal that I've read Down and Out in Paris and London by Orwell three times in the past twenty years. I'm never embarrassed to reveal that although I gave it a half-hearted try years ago, I could not get into reading 1984. I don't feel bad.

If a bunch of smartypantsers were discussing 1984 at a cocktail party, (the British ones all pretending they read it...) I could just enjoy listening in, and if asked anything, I could mention some of his other works and/or simply say I haven't read Nineteen Eighty Four ... (maybe adding a yet as if I was planning to, or maybe ask why I should read it --but so far I've never been to a party where it was brought up.)

In the thrift store, I did find a good book by Ignazio Silone (who has been compared to Orwell, so that's something, right?) and find it highly readable so far--(more on Silone once I've finished the book )-- Bread and Wine.




A quick film of my visit to the thrift store, with the easy listening station they play supplying the soundtrack.

7 comments:

R.L. Bourges said...

1.collage - sounds like a great idea.

2. And neither have I.

3. re smartypants (how to deal with) You have got the perfect out, A R. You nodd knowingly while they do their pretend number on 1984 and casually segue with something like: "But how did you like Down and Out in Paris and London? The passage on page (whatever) was really a hoot (or whatever else, Ihaven't read it even once to your thrice.)

4. I've never read Silone but the blurb on wikipedia certainly suggests a complex personality

5. vid: I saw that! (by the way, in French we use the M word the same way you use 'Break a leg' in English.) As for John Denver, well... it's easier to browse to than AC/DC, yes?

JGH said...

It's fun looking through old sheet music in thrift stores, too. I think one hymnal is enough for my collection though.

I think I did start 1984 at one point, but did not finish it (and also not afraid to admit it) A book came out a few years ago called "How to Talk About Books You've Never Read." Even reading that would feel like a cheat wouldn't it? Tempting, though.

Anonymous said...

Next time the snooties discuss 1984tell them you read "496" - the Readers Digest condensed version...

Anonymous said...

Oh you are funny! I can just imagine you at the next party...bringing up the subject of George Orwell just to get one over the smartypants!

I am British- and not ashamed to say that I have never read any George Orwell!

e said...

Great vid, although that music would put me out. As for 1984, I read it as a teen and had no "snooties" of my own at the time with whom to discuss it. I don't think I've missed much in that regard. Thanks again for writing and I do hope you feel better.

Mickey's Musings said...

I am not embarrassed to say I have not read a book. I read what I like and that is not always trendy ;)
I love thrift stores and books at yard sales :) I love looking at books.
In the cooking section of your video,I saw a microwave cookbook that I have. Bought way back when micro's were a novelty ;) hahahahahaha

Patrice said...

I came over to read your "animal" post - but got sidetracked by quotes from Craig - who I think is the funniest man on late night television.

I completely agree about creative cussing - it's an art form for the bold and articulate...

My Classic Fiction Book List -Partial List

  • Austen, Jane: (Complete Works)
  • Balzac: Cousin Bette/ Eugenie Grandet / Cousin Pons
  • Best Russian Short Stories
  • Boyle, TC: Short Works
  • Brennan, Maeve : Short Works, 1 Novella
  • Bronte, Emily, Ann, Jane (Complete Works)
  • Brookner, Anita ( Complete Works)
  • Cather, Willa (Complete Works)
  • Chekov: Short Works
  • David Copperfield (Dickens)
  • Dickens:A Tale of Two Cities
  • Dickens:Great Expectations
  • Dickens:Nicholas Nickelby
  • Dickens:Our Mutual Friend
  • Dickens:The Old Curiosity Shop
  • Doyle, Roddy (some novels, memoir)
  • Drabble, Margaret (4 Novels)
  • Drieser, Theodore (Complete Works)
  • Fitzgerald, F.Scott (Most Novels & short works)
  • Hardy, Thomas (Complete Works)
  • Hemingway, Short stories
  • Hemingway: The Old Man in the Sea
  • Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises
  • Hugo: Les Miserables/Hunchback Of ND
  • James, Henry: Daisy Miller
  • James, Henry: In The Cage
  • James, Henry: Portrait of a Lady
  • James, Henry: The Golden Bowl
  • James, Henry: What Maisy Knew
  • James, Henry: Wings of a Dove
  • James, Henry:The Ambassadors
  • James, Henry; The Bostonians
  • Kerouac: Dharma Bums
  • Kerouac: On The Road
  • Kerouac: The Subterraneans
  • Kerouac: Tristessa
  • Lardner,Ring:Short Works
  • Larsen: Quicksand
  • Lewis, Sinclair: Arrowsmith
  • Lewis, Sinclair: Free Air
  • Lewis, Sinclair: Main Street
  • Lewis, Sinclair: The Job
  • MacGill, Patrick (Complete works)
  • Mackin, Walter (novels)
  • Maupassant: Short Works, novels
  • McGahern, John (novels of)
  • McNulty, John (Short Works)
  • Norris, Frank: McTeague
  • O'Brien, Edna (3 Novels)
  • O'Donnell, Paeder : Novels of
  • O. Henry
  • Potok, Chaim (4 novels/1 non fiction)
  • Salinger, JD : Nine Stories
  • Salinger: Franny & Zooey
  • Salinger: Raise High the Roofbeams
  • Salinger: The Catcher in the Rye
  • Sinclair, Lewis: Dodsworth
  • Sinclair, Lewis: Elmer Gantry
  • Sinclair, Upton: King Coal
  • Sinclair, Upton: The Jungle
  • Steinbeck, John: Sweet Thursday
  • Steinbeck: Winter of our Discontent
  • Steinbeck: Cannery Row
  • Steinbeck: East of Eden
  • Steinbeck: The Grapes of Wrath
  • Theroux, Paul (3 Novels )
  • Toibin, Colm: (Novels of)
  • Tolstoy: Anna Karenina
  • Tolstoy: Short Works
  • Turgenev (2 novels)
  • Twain: T Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi
  • Vonnegut: Early Works (1950s-60s)
  • Wharton, Edith: Novels of/Short Stories
  • Women & Fiction (Edit. Cahill)
  • Zola, Emile ( 10 novels)