Basic_B

I took a quick trip over to the bookstore after work. Borders sent me an email this morning with a link to a coupon and it was burning a hole in my pocket. I must say, there are times when those coupons are very effective at getting me to go to the bookstore. Not that I don’t go all the time anyway, but the coupon will get me to go sooner.

I didn’t have any particular title on the agenda, but I did end up walking out with something. It’s one of those geeky books that makes me want to read all sorts of other geeky books. It is called Classics for Pleasure, and it is basically a list of “classic” books selected by the author that he asserts are fun to read, not just because they might be important, but simply for the pleasure they provide. Each title or author gets a short essay, of about a page or two, where he outlines his reasons for choosing that particular entry.

I flipped through it and I found myself enjoying his commentary and wanting to pick up some of the titles he mentioned, so I bought it. One author, in particular, that he mentions is Italo Calvino, and it reminded me that I had one of his books on the shelf at home that I bought ages ago, and had forgotten about, so I had to come home and shuffle about until I found it.

I’ve added both the Classics for Pleasure and the Italo Calvino title to my library page for future reading. Actually, I’ll probably go ahead and update the status for the classics title to currently reading, but it’s not a novel to be read in big chunks. It’ll probably be the kind of book I put by the bedside to flip open and browse in different sections as the mood strikes, and as I seek inspiration for further readings.

On that note I also wanted to reveal the results of my poll as to what I should read next (see my post here.) So along with Classics for Pleasure I will also begin reading Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaimon. It won out by a staggering 100 percent margin, plus or minus 3 percent. Thanks, Finley, for the vote.