Books! Books!

[stoney321]

I went on a book spree for my night out Friday, and to my most favorite bookstore: the "original" Half Price Books store. I say original in quotes because they had to move across the street when they couldn't fit any more books onto the burgeoning shelves any longer. Ahhh, that's music to my ears. A coffee shop/German bakery, reading nooks every few feet, a vinyl section, and a massage table. All under an acre roof. BLISS.

• Watership Down by Richard Adams. ONE. DOLLAR. And I'm ashamed to say I've not read it before, so I'm making up for it now. A buck! \o/
• Howards End by EM Forster. Have only seen the movie, not read the book, so am remedying. A dollar-fifty, I thank you. Excellent condition.
• The Stars' Tennis Balls
• The Hippopotamus and


• The Liar, all by Stephen Fry who is becoming one of my favorite storytellers EVER. The Liar is a repurchase as I loaned out my original copy and didn't get it back.
• The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer, in dual languages (left side original, right side modern English), because I don't have my original copy from high school anymore, and it's time for a revisit
• Lullaby by Palahniuk, I loved Fight Club and enjoyed Haunted, so when a book is two dollars, and is HARDOVER and in pristine condition? Cha-ching!
• *cough* Petals on the Wind by VC Andrews because I want to read about incestuous albino siblings who will dance and doctor their way into success and happiness! OR WILL THEY? Bum bum BUUUUUM!
• The Complete Garden Guide by Time/Life books - SIX BUCKS!! Again, another repurchase from a neighbor borrowing my original copy and never returning it. Ahem. I would like to say that this is an EXCELLENT book for anyone that wants to learn how to garden anything and everything. It's excellent - 991 pages - and has loads of pictures for inspiration. Plus, it gives very basic ideas behind garden design, including blue prints for how to recreate the pictures inside. It's not definitive, as it doesn't really give a lot of information about which plants work best in acid vs. alkaline soil for me, but it's a wonderful guide. That and a local gardening plant list will be almost everything you'd need.

All purchased for less than thirty bucks. NICE. Most of these books didn't even have the spine cracked on them, which is crazy! But to my benefit, so huzzah!

And while I didn't get Thai like I planned for dinner, I did get some grits with blue cheese and bacon and OH. MY. GOD. That is my new favorite comfort food, right there. MMmmmm, cheesy grits. And these was fancy! [/Flo]

I'm going to curl up with a book, a blanket, a hot mug of cocoa, and a derg. I'm on a Wisconsin kick. Herliday. Herible. Hahaha. Let the bad weather come, for I have provisions!!

Comments

[sweetumms33.livejournal.com]

I still remember the first time I read the whole "Flowers in the Attic" series. Honestly, I was way to young to be reading them, but I still find them so creepy/intriguing. I'm envious of all the reading, that's all I want to do anymore

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, and the second one (chronologically written, that is) "Petals on the Wind" is WAAAAAAY more incesty than Flowers In The Attic.

... I can't believe I just wrote that as a SELLING POINT! *headdesk*

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

*cough* Petals on the Wind by VC Andrews because I want to read about incestuous albino siblings who will dance and doctor their way into success and happiness! OR WILL THEY? Bum bum BUUUUUM!
Ack! Sprays you with Lysol for that one.

And have to seen the postings yet for the Plant of the Year (http://petzipellepingo.livejournal.com/1286612.html#cutid1)?

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I hadn't seen that, so thanks! As for Lemon Balm.... Sheesh - catch that before it seeds. It's as bad as mint for taking over a garden down here in Texas. However, it smells WONDERFUL, and you can literally use the leaves to polish wood!! How cool is that?

I have a different cultivar of catmint than the one you listed, but that's just beacuse I'm in Zone 7b - 8. It burns up if not hybridized. It's such a lovely plant... the cats nibble on it, but not enough to keep it from blooming. So pretty!

[beanbeans.livejournal.com]

Oh. Em. Gee! You got deals, yo. Wow. And your taste in books is bowling me over. *adoreface* Man, I haven't re-read any of my EM Forester books over there (*points at bookcase*) in an age. I think I know what I'll be doing tonight. :D You brilliant lady, you. *smooshes you*

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

*cries for Maurice* I feel shame that I haven't read any other of his books, either. I'm woefully behind on my reading (my "what i should have read by now" list) and am trying to remedy that this year. *g*

Ooooh, go read! Go cuddle and snuggle and fall into a good book, yes! *squish*

[violethamster.livejournal.com]

I loved Lullaby. One of my favorite books. I need to hunt down something by Stephen Fry, I've never read any of his books. I am filled with so much envy - that bookstore sounds amazing, the bookstores here are lame.

I remember reading Petals on the Wind when I was probably 10 or so, and being so mad when what's her face (Catherine?), the older sister, got involved with the doctor guy instead of her brother. I was all squicked because the guy was older (and in retrospect, he must have been kind of a pedo), but apparently the incest was hunky-dory because I thought the brother was probably cuter.

I had Thai last night, I made pad thai and it actually turned out pretty good. I used the sauce in a jar from the supermarket, though, and I'm going to get more authentic stuff from an Asian market next time because it didn't taste exactly right. I made Thai iced tea too, which is oh so good and better than the restaurant stuff because they tend to use more sugar than I care for.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha, I'm at that part RIGHT NOW. And the doctor TEWTALLY is a pedophile, because he was all into her when she was his ward and Under Aged. But then, this is a book about fucking your brother, so that's a mere trifling. Bwah. I love how often they mention the blonde cascading hair and blue, blue eyes of the brother.

Ungh, I LOVE Thai tea!! Did you have the gelatin bubbles in it? I like that with certain flavors, like green tea (with milk) hemp tea (holy shit, is that good) and... one made with ginger? I had one with the flavor of "rainbow" o_0 and I did NOT care for that. Too sweet, like you said you don't like, either.

I've never made pad Thai from scratch. That's one thing I'd like to learn how to cook more of - Thai food. Mmmmm. It's all the flavor of Chinese with the freshness of Japanese.

[chrisleeoctaves.livejournal.com]

I have Flowers in the Attic and its subsequent sequels to thank me for my whole incest kink. I am not ashamed.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Heeee!! I completely blame George Lucas for my incest kink, personally, but VC Andrews gave me a bit more detail to... think about. Hahaha.

What's great is how SOAPY this series is. So pearl cluthing, overwrought descriptions and wooden dialogue AND YET.

I'm on book 3. Hee!

[thepiratequeen.livejournal.com]

One of my last days at B&N was spent trying to straighten up the first few bays of fiction books. I got completely stuck when I reached the VC Andrews novels because I had to stop, read the backs of all of them and laugh at how I read most of them as a preteen.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

And here I am, in my early thirties and READING THEM AGAIN.

Clearly my brain has atrophied. :D

[southernbangel.livejournal.com]

VC Andrews captivated me when I was younger because it was OH SO WRONG AND BAD. I agree that Dr. Paul (yes, I can pretty much recite the entire first series book by book) was pedo-creepy (wasn't he like, 60, and she was aboutg 18?) while the incest was TOTALLY HAWT. And wrong and bad and oh so scandalous. Then Catherine's seduction of the mother's second husband, fathering his child, eventually marrying her brother. . . good stuff, man. GOOD STUFF.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

*burns all of my Shakespeare and Salinger*

VC ANDREWS IS THE DEVIL. And Dr/ Paul is 40, Catherine is 15, but clearly went to the Erica Cane school of seductive speak, heeee!

And PotW is like NON-STOP INCEST. With the floweriest prose, hahahaha.

[darlas-mom.livejournal.com]

Dude, can I come over and read at your house? Your collection sounds so much better than mine! (I admit, 98% of what I've read in recent years has been fanfic)

I fully recommend that you read the modern English version of "Canterbury Tales" first, unless you're much better than I am at deciphering Middle English. I struggled badly with "The Tragedye of Troilus and Cressidye." I had to keep bugging katers007 every two seconds with, "What's this word supposed to be?" (The word that finally did me in so that I gave up was "sorwe," which I'm told is "sorrow." I fail English Poetry. ::shame:: )

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I'm doing okay with ye Olde English, but when I was in school, my professor read it aloud to us in the original text, with the proper accents and so forth, and I LOVED IT.

My house is seriously bursting at the seams with books and yarn right now. In other words, PARADISE. If I could grow two extra hands so I could crochet while I read??? :D

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

I read the original Flowers in the Attic trilogy way back when I was about 10. I'd blame it for warping me, but I was already way gone by then. :D

I also read Watership Down round about the same time. I think that book actually got to me more than the atticbound sibcest. Damn, I love those rabbits. I have the animated movie on vhs and watch it every so often, when I have some spare tissues lying around.

Enjoy your bumper haul!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Heh, I called my BFF to tell her about my book deals, and she asked me (after hearing about Watership DOwn) if I also got Old Yeller, Sounder, and The Red Pony to round out my animal trauma books.

I have bought many boxes of Kleenex, so I'm ready, Cap'n!

YAY BOOKS! *squish*

[gillo]

I am UNSAFE in bookshops like that. You have some real fun ahead of you!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

This shop is a WONDERLAND, seriously. #1, it's HUGE. #2, they have everything from rare and fantastic books, to weird little books you can't find anywhere.

Throw in a bakery, the massage corner, the good music playing over head, and the ACRE of bookshelves...

BLISS.

[anelith.livejournal.com]

Watership Down is so very good. Just -- never read his The Plague Dogs, unless you want to spend days and days crying buckets of tears over laboratory animal abuse.

Did I ever tell you that I read The Liar, on your recommendation? And that I loved it? It was the kind of book that I would chuckle out loud while reading, and people would go, "What? What?" and it would be impossible to explain.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh, didn't you LOVE it?? He's so funny. Clearly he grew up knowing Wodehouse inside and out. I can't wait to read these other books of his!!

Hi, Anne! *squish*

[leila82.livejournal.com]

Since I'm in Dallas and you're in Dallas (...I think), I have to ask...where is this extremely large 1/2 Price Books of which you speak??? I mean, I don't have room for anymore books, but I need them. NEED.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh, I didn't realize you were in Big D! It's the old store on Northwest Highway - the original location was in that funky wooden building at ... Blackburn? Right before I-75, and before you got to Skillman.

It's just on the opposite corner, now and it's MASSIVE. It's been there for several years, so it's all settled in. :)

[beadattitude.livejournal.com]

OMG, like it was believeable that they'd be able to be professional ballet dancers and go to medschool after being raised in an attic.

I bought these and hid them under my bed waaaay under so my mom wouldn't catch me reading this SMUT!!! INCESTUAL SMUT!!!!

And unfortunately every time I wear purple and red (which I like) I think of the poor little dwarfish girl.

I want to read these over again now. Watership Down is awesome, as is Howard's End and The Liar. Sounds like we have similar book tastes. Stephen Fry is hilariously wonderful.

[marenfic.livejournal.com]

hahahaha- it cracks me up that we all have these vivid memories of FiTA from reading them in pre-teen years. Dude, poor little Carrie and her love of purple and red.

Stoney, I also went book shopping today. I bought Bel Canto, because my sil loves it so much, and then some book I don't even remember but I think it's about Guinevere of King Arthur fame. But I'm wishing I bought incest smut instead.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

I am impressed with your book buying. You rule all.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

This is on top of the 13 books the BFF sent me earlier, the books I got for Christmas that I haven't cracked yet, the Harper's Magazine sitting on my desk, the Paste Magazine due any day...

I might break my eyes from all this reading. Yay!

[floweringjudas.livejournal.com]

BOOK BINGE YAY. I am enjoying the HELL out of FitA (no incest yet! woe!) and bemoaning my ubersheltered upbringing where I didn't even know these books EXISTED til like three years ago. (This wasn't even my family's fault; the public school system I attended was notoriously restrictive.)

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

For the record, the next book is INCEST-A-GO-GO. Much more sex. And really really REALLY lame characterization that will make your eyes bleed. Or you'll cackle with delight, like I'm doing. :D

[luvxander.livejournal.com]

Let the bad weather come, for I have provisions!!

But what happens when the lights go out, the batteries die, and the candles are all melted down to little balls of liquid wax? Oh dear, I fear that moment, cause that's when you'll crack, isn't it?

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Heh - THAT'S WHEN YOU PLAY GAMES IN THE DARK.

Ahem. :D

Oh, shit. Mr. S is out of town. NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[pernickety.livejournal.com]

When I read that paragraph describing the bookstore I started to salivate a little. I'm so pavlovian when it comes to the magic union of coffee and books. Stephen Fry books on top of that! I heart his writing with a vengance. (big shocker there. heh.)

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

If there is EVER a way for you to come see me, that will be the first place I take you. Then it's bars and music a'plenty!!

Oh, I MISS your Stephen Fry! The floaty in the pudding/custard pool!!

[moosesal.livejournal.com]

I'm rereading Flowers... right now so I can discuss it with you and Entrenous. The excessive use of exclamation points is killing me. But I'm otherwise enjoying it.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

HEEEEEEE!! AWESOME. And I enjoyed FitA, too, and yeah - LOTS of exclamations!!1!!omg. The really craptastic one (and yet... I still read!) is the next one, Petals on the Wind.

Oh, the shallowness of Cathy! She loves every man she sees. Hahaha.

[my_daroga]

Oh man, a week ago I went to the shelf really wanting some albino sibcest, and Mr. D's copy of "Flowers in the Attic" wasn't there! We had, like, three of the other ones but not that one. I was upset. What's the use of having a husband who buys V.C. Andrews if he can't keep 'em on the shelf?