One of my favorite days of the whole year – I know, I know, I have a lot of those – is Joseph-Beth Booksellers big semi-annual sale.
I make a list, and then it disappears into one of the piles on my desk, so I make another one. That one may or may not survive, but eventually my brain becomes imprinted with what I’m looking forward to having on my bookshelves. Even though there’s almost no room.
I’m in and out of the bookstore and bistro probably 2 or 3 times a month, and usually just pick up whatever calls my name – including my favorite teas. But as we get closer to the date (one Friday in February and one in October), I make that list.
I only had one book on it last Friday – a book of William Butler Yeats’ poetry I had seen a friend of mine with, which combined his best poems with what was going on in his life at the time. Then I asked grandson Patrick what he’d like. He inquired whether Interview with a Vampire as a book was as good as the movie. I replied that she was one of the best writers ever and books are always different than their movies. So I set out with 2 books in mind.
Interview with a Vampire was easy. Looking for the Vamp, I wandered into mysteries, and found two recent ones about Egyptologists Emerson and Amelia. I finished that series up to date about 5 years ago and hadn’t looked for them since.
That took me upstairs to travel narrative, one of my favorites. Found more Egypt – a book on Alexandria, and a history/travel tale called In an Antique Land. Another travel work caught my eye – Tigerland and Other Unintended Destinations. When I flipped it open, I saw the words snow leopard on the page. That settled that – it went into my stack.
The Yeats I was looking for wasn’t there, but I found a small one with all my favorites – Easter 1916, in particular. Then a large tome called Origins: African Wisdom for Everyday, for Carolyn for Christmas.
A quick stop by the Halloween table found a pack of Halloween kleenex, and a cup – black and green – that I’m drinking tea from right now. It says Witch’s Brew on one side, and If the broom fits….ride it! on the other.
Totally satisfied and filled up, I headed to the counter to pay for my treasures.