Book buying

Buying books can of course be an addiction. Most book lovers will buy more books than they can read and, as books have become cheaper relative to other things, it's hard to put on the brakes.

During my years living in France and Germany, I learned to buy an English-language book I wanted when it was available, whether I planned to read it in the near future or not, because it might not be available when I was ready to read it. Books would sit on my shelves for years, but often enough I would finally get around to reading them.

Now back in the U.S. in the age of Amazon, it is much less likely that a book will not remain available. But I still have a tendency to buy books now that I have an interest in, even though my reading stack is already a mile high.

So this week I saw a couple of Josef Roth novels on the remainder shelf at Politics and Prose and snapped them up. Radetzky's March was so good, I'd read anything of his. Also, since I just finished watching the John Adams miniseries on DVD (loved it!), though I should get the McCullough book while the paperback is available. Besides, it has this wonderful large print. While I was at it, picked up Meacham's American Lion to fill out my burgeoning collection of presidential biographies. (Also bought David Stewart's Impeached last month.)

These books may sit for some time on my shelf before I have a chance to read them. But they're there.

Here is what I intend to make a monthly feature -- a log of books that I have bought, started and finished. It's not complete for this first month, because I only just had the idea, but I will try to keep it up to date.

Booklog July 2009 (not complete)
Bought: Beyond Recall-Robert Goddard; Past Caring-Robert Goddard; Hotel Savoy-Josef Roth; The Silent Prophet-Josef Roth; The Omnivore’s Dilemma-Michael Pollan; In Defense of Food-Michael Pollan; Jewish Study Bible (don’t ask); John Adams-David McCullough; American Lion-Jon Meacham.
Started: Out of the Sun-Robert Goddard; Every Man Dies Alone-Hans Fallada; Redbreast-Jo Nesbro; The Omnivore’s Dilemma.
Finished: Out of the Sun; Cloud Atlas-David Mitchell.