Recent Reads

136. A Passion for Books: A Book Lover's Treasury of Stories, Essays, Humor, Love and Lists on Collecting, Reading, Borrowing, Lending, Caring for, and Appreciating Books
A book for bookophiles. A collection of essays, stories, lists, and, well, what the subtitle says. There are pieces I loved, and ones I did not. I enjoyed the romp through the mania of book collectors - the idea of buying two of each book, one to read and one to lend. And waiting for someone to die, so their collection is available on the market, were two that tickled my funny bone. I was disappointed that women collectors and readers were not well represented. This macho point of view was expressed in one essay: men read literature while women read novels. OK, so the piece was a reflection of its times, but still would have liked to see a more balanced view. Overall an interesting read with lots to think about. Is collecting more important than reading? When does a collector become a hoarder and need help? Rating: 3 stars.

137. This is Not My Hat
This picture book is one that both kids and adults will enjoy. I read it a couple of times back to back. A simple tale with great graphics. There is something really adorable about a fish with a hat. And the ending? Depending on your point of view it is either funny or really sad. Rating: 4 stars.

138. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
I listened to the audio version wonderfully narrated by Jim Broadbent. This lovely story is a meditation on life, love, loss, friendship, aging, childhood wounds, materialism, and yes walking. The pacing is slow, but is just the right pace is you listen while you walk, which is what I did. Rating: 4 stars.

And that wraps up my 2012 reading list. It is strange because my records show that I have several more books that I read, but I'm not inclined to figure out the discrepancy. It was a good reading year. I have yet to put together my best of 2012 list. Maybe I'll get around to doing that this week.