Friday, November 30, 2012

Stacks of Love

I got some books out of the library today.

When I get a new stack of books out of the library, I feel compelled to take a photo of said stack, and share it with my reading friends.

I really really love to read the books, and I'm surrounded by peeps who love to read the books too.

My mom and my sisters and my friends and my cousins and my acquaintances share book titles back and forth, to and fro, hither and yon, and have the equivalent of a secret handshake when we greet eachother: instead of the old-fashioned-low-five, we ask, "What are you reading?"

My mom has been in a book club for years and loves it. She and her co-readers take turns hosting at their respective homes, eat yummy snacks and drink delish wine, and coolest of all, several of the members are mother-daughter combos.

Unfortunately for Mom -- and for us -- none of her daughters are in the group.

Sigh, I know. I can't figure out why we all live so far away from eachother either.

My oldest sister was in a book group for a long time, too. I tried it once, but it was a sober book group, and boring as dirt. It's not just my propensities, people: wine helps conversation flow. The conversation? It did not flow.

Plus, talking books can be like talking politics or religion, I've found. When one feels strongly about a book, one simply cannot believe some numbskull would be so dense and so misinformed and so unenlightened, that she or he could possibly have the audacity to feel differently than one does.

My two co-bloggers and I had ourselves a casual book club during the years Mistah and I were on the road and spent months at a time in San Diego. And no, it was not just an excuse to eat sushi and drink beer. Jacquie, Beth and I talked books. Now that's a book club I can get behind.

I don't always read every book I get out of the library. Some I wait too long to read and get yelled at to return already (i.e. I can't renew it because someone else has got it on hold). And some, I admit, I shitcan. My friend Patti once said she never finishes a book she doesn't like because it's like being in a bad conversation -- she'd never stick around to finish that -- so why put the time into a lesser book?

Mistah says he always knows when I'm reading a book I really love. Because when I'm reading a book I really love, I am focused and still and absorbed and I never look up.

When Mistah and I were on the road we read and read and read and read. When people ask us how we possibly could have put up with eachother in a tiny VW camper for 7½ years, we always answer "we read." One couldn't get away from the other bastid physically, but mentally? Oh yes.

Mistah and I had a long conversation with his Mumsie the other day about how we read in bed every night and, in a perfect world, every morning -- a delicious habit leftover from our years on the road -- and Mumsie said she never reads in bed, neither at night nor in the morning, because she can't get comfy with her pillows. I know, right? I had the same reaction. I cannot imagine not reading in bed. It's one of my favorite things in the world. When I was a kid and my friend Denise slept over, we'd end the night each reading our own book in our own parallel pink-festooned twin bed, having kicked out whatever sister was my roommate at the time.

I agree: Best. Sleepovers. Ever.

That's right. Cool kid then, cool kid now.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to my book.

10 comments:

Dawnie said...

Ellie, might I say one of your best blogs ever? At the moment, I am shamefully out of the reading routine. But I see a Russell Banks book at the top of a stack - now that could tempt me back.

And if you haven't experienced The Tiger's Wife yet, my copy is yours.

XOXOXO

Mom C said...

Great blog Ellie, I feel famous! My book club is Monday night,we're reading The End of Your Life Book Club. We're also doing our annual ornament swap, such a great group. love, mom

Pat said...

One of the nicest things (and there have been sooo many) that happened to me upon moving to San Diego is that the woman from whom I bought my house introduced me to the neighborhood book club. Now it only started last spring and she hadn't actually been to it, but she suggested to the group that they invite me and they kindly did.
Turns out they are all amazing, smart women who like the same kind of books I do and we all live within a few blocks of each other. We too drink wine and have modest snacks but we also have a rotating discussion leader and do talk about the book.
What could be better than San Diego weather, my new/old house, having my peeps close and a fine book club!
Love, Pat

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Love, love, love. Great post, sister.

And Pat, thanks for the loan, I'm loving Unbroken.

Jacquie

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Ah -- books, friends, family and wine? And maybe some food? The best!!

I have read so few of the books in your blog photos, Ellie. So many books, so little time, as they say. But I can always refer back to this post for a reminder...

Can't believe you didn't make any book spine poems though ;)

love you,
Beth

Ellen said...

Love your blog, and love looking at the books you've read and ones set aside to read. I've read four of the ones you've got pictures of. Jacquie, Unbroken is such a fabulous book. Enjoy. Now I've got some books to add to my "to read" list. Thanks Ellie.

P. Orozco Cronin said...

You are like a book to me, Ellie. A book I love and a book I never want to stop reading because the story keeps getting curiouser and curiouser!!! A friend just brought a book for me the other night when I met her for dinner and said "You have to read this book, Patti. It totally reminds me of you!" Well, with that intro I'm a little anxious but I'm starting it this morning and hope I don't have to walk away from that which reminds another of me! But a woman has to do what a woman has to do. The book is called "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed.

P. Orozco Cronin said...

You are like a book to me, Ellie. A book I love and a book I never want to stop reading because the story keeps getting curiouser and curiouser!!! A friend just brought a book for me the other night when I met her for dinner and said "You have to read this book, Patti. It totally reminds me of you!" Well, with that intro I'm a little anxious but I'm starting it this morning and hope I don't have to walk away from that which reminds another of me! But a woman has to do what a woman has to do. The book is called "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed.

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Oh, I've heard so much about that book, Patti. On my "to read" list.

So nice to hear from you! So nice to hear from *all* of you beautiful peeps.

xxE

Denise said...

Um, ok, so I'm just reading your blog about reading now, on the day of my mom's wake. roughly 4 months later. Love the shout out re: our reading sleepovers when we were about 9 yrs old. I would take a photo of the stack of books I'm currently reading but I don't have an iphone and generally suck at that sort of tech-ish thing. I am like my parents in that I get vaguely frightened and annoyed by such endeavors as POSTING PHOTOS. It's yet another manifestation of my neurotic personality I'm afraid. Sigh. But at least the Mets won yesterday. I am obviously not quite grasping, yet, that I have no parents left. Will go swimming, don the black outfit, and see you later girlfriend. love you.