18 MIles of Books

 And so, another work week's come and gone.  Only 36 more days until I leave this fare city and am Georgia bound. First things first, I would like to say how happy I am by the limited number of Rebecca Black references currently on my facebook newsfeed.  Maybe the teen queen's 15 minutes of fame are coming to an end...here's hoping!

This week's been pretty boring.  Just the typical school, work, study, home.  However, I did work a few extra hours, so I thought, no better way to reward myself then with a quick trip to The Strand.  Now, I've always been an avid reader; ever since the first Harry Potter book came out, I've had a passion for the written word.  I don't know why, but to me nothing beats spending an afternoon curled up in my bed with a worn paperback.  I'm truly captivated by the idea that only 26 letters come together to create such tales, and that old book smell, nothing beats it!  But, ever since I started working with the literary editor at Good Housekeeping, it seems like my yearning for a good story has increased two-fold.  Day after day, I open advanced  reader editions.  Divided into stacks based on whether they're

• Memoir
• Advice
• Fiction
• Celebrity

I carefully look at each novel, wondering if the book I hold in my hands will be the next modern classic.  I know, it all sounds a little cliche (or perhaps even crazy), but writing up the book memos each week has become my favorite task.  And the best part is, if the editors don't need the book for a story, I have first dibs on it.  Seriously, I've brought home 10 books so far this semester!

Getting Books from the Top
Shelf requires a Very Tall Latter 

Unfortunately, all the title's GH has to offer are current-no Virginia Woolf or F. Scott Fitzgerald here.  That's where the Strand comes to my rescue.  Standing at Broadway and 12th Street, the Strand houses 18 miles of rare, new and used titles. It's a treasure trove to all readers alike.  The have almost every title imaginable, and they're all super discounted.  Elie Wiesel, one of my favorite writers, is coming to speak at NYU this week.  I was lucky enough to get a ticket, but unfortunately, my copy of Night is tucked away on my bookshelf 1,000 miles away.  While I'm not quite even sure if Mr. Wiesel will be signing autographs, I refuse to miss the opportunity if he does.

The Newest Editions to My Bookshelf

So, after a two hour round table discussion on NYU's Chick-fil-A debate, I schlepped to my favorite spot in town and bought The Night Trilogy:  Night. Dawn. Day for only $6.95!  Of course, one book wasn't enough, not when 2.5 million titles were staring back at me.  So, I purchased Candace Bushnell's Sex and the City ($5.95) and Margaret Mitchell's Gone With The Wind ($5.95).  The 75th anniversary of the Civil War classic is coming up, and I'm a little embarrassed to say I've never actually read it.  As a Southerner it should have been one of my earliest reads; I remember starting it at age 10, but I was a little put off by its lack of pictures.


My selections may not seem cohesive, but I'm excited to read them all nonetheless.  I know it's a Friday night, and I live in the most exciting city in the word.  But all I want to do is spend an evening in with a cup of coffee and a good book.