Book Lust

"Book Lust." That's the catchy title of a book I read about in the Anderson Books newsletter. I reserved it at our library and I just finished reading it. It's by librarian Nancy Pearl and it gives some "recommended reading ideas for every mood, moment, and reason." More than 175 lists. I was amazed at how many of the books I've read or knew about. I have a few that I haven't read in my personal library that I will have to get to. I'm gonna check out other books with the same dewey decimal number 011.73 to get more ideas and I'm thinking of putting together my own compilation and reading list. When I went to reserve the book the librarian at our library said she has a Nancy Pearl action figure that her daughter gave her. I didn't know they made action figures of librarians. Go figure. Just like the author I have a passion for reading and books - book lust. I wander around the library or bookstores wondering what am I gonna read next. I checked out a bunch of unknown authors just by reading the dust covers and have actually read some pretty good books that way. Once I find a really good author I usually try and read as many of their books as I can. She gave a good formula "the rule of fifty" which acknowledges that time is short and the world of books immense. Give every book about fifty pages before you will commit to reading it. As you get older subtract your age from 100 and give the book that many pages. She recommended authors I'm gonna have to read - Iris Murdoch and Frederick Busch. She also gave some suggestions similar to books I liked. I'm still reading "Hotel Honolulu" by Paul Theroux and will probably read my authographed copy of "The Happy Isles of Oceania" next. I enjoy fantasizing about all the places he goes to. Wish I could.