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Not it

Here are the two types of phone calls I generally receive from my friends on the West Coast:

a) “Hi, are you near the internet?” this one starts out.  Then the person needs me to look up directions or some other internety thing. Generally I am near the internet so I guess this is why these calls are made.

b) “Hi, I’m in a book store, what should I get?” the second one goes.  Then I am expected to name the title of an amazing book in under sixty seconds, which I am generally able to do because I am near the internet and can look in my LibraryThing account or old book database for something to recommend.

Now you people know who you are and I am not saying I don’t enjoy these phone calls. I wouldn’t deliver such services if I wasn’t interested in repeat business.

That said, I need a little something in return.  Since I am obviously already quite near the internet right now, what I need is a book recommendation.  I don’t like taking library books on an airplane so I am going to purchase something to read, preferably a paperback, to take home for the holidays.  What is that something going to be? (hint: use the above links to confirm what I have/have not read).

Go.

8 replies on “Not it”

have you read the dark materials trilogy? I’m also reading OPtion$ the fake steve jobs book right now. It’s pretty good…. And Water for Elephants if you’re into circus literature.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Unexpectedly worth all it’s fancy awards.

OR

Foreskin’s Lament by Shalom Auslander. Because it will help in your quest for Aunthood, and it’s very very funny.

Already did the Dark Materials. Circus literature, eh? Hmm . . . well, I did like Geek Love.

I also like reading in themes and Foreskin’s Lament sounds like a good follow-up to the A.J. Jacobs I just read. But, looks like it’s a hardback.

I liked the recent Micahel Chabon book, the Yiddish Policeman’s Union. It’s gripping enough to distract you from a plane ride. He’s got another one out already, but I’m not sure if the YPU has gone to paper or not yet. I checked your library thing account for Kevalier and Clay and thought “how can she not have read that?” and then checked your old database…of course you have.

well its a pretty long flight so how about war and peace, or infinite jest? aunt cindy recommended me towards How Isreal Lost by richard ben cramer. perhaps some history- american sphinx, a bio on ol’ T. Jefferson or its a shorter book but His Excellency was a pretty good book on that guy from the one dollar bill. what about maybe some books from itunes as a way to relax on the plane ride. i kinda hate being all crumpled over a book on a plane.

But of course I’ve read Kevalier and Clay. The Yiddish one is oh so tempting, but I think it’s only in hardback. The Brits seem to have a paperback, but it wouldn’t be cheap to import. Lucky Brits.

Expecting Adam by Martha Beck is one of my all time favorites, and some of it has to do with Harvard! I couldn’t put it down on a plane ride once, and have read it a number of times since. Her next book, Leaving the Saints, is a pretty fascinating study of Mormons.

You’ve probably already read Katie’s copy of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, but that’s another great one, if you ask me!

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is a good one. Also recommend A Thousand Splendid Suns, but it only comes in hardback right now.

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