On the other hand, I feel exactly the same was as you do re: point 14. I did used to get secondhand books from this place where you could then return them for credit. That was essentially like a library, so it was fine. And there, I used to pick books based on the cover. Books by the publisher Vintage always have the best cover art.

I was a library reader in my youth, then a bookstore whore. Working my way back to library reading as much as possible now, and buying used.

I like hardcover books, but I hate spendign the money on them. And many of the critical editions are softcover anyway.

I carry big bags, as well, specifically to carry books around even when not teaching and thus required to carry around the small office. I have this ridiculous fear of being caught somewhere and bored off my ass and needing a decent book to read and/or escape pointless idle chatter.

I don’t know if I mentioned it but I followed up on the Penelopiad and listened to it during my commute one week. You are the person responsible for my first audio book. :)

I dislike water splashes very much because of the warping but I don’t mind cracked spines and definitely not dogears.

I *love* writing in books. I tend to annotate within texts rather than take any texts whatsoever, and I encourage students to do it as well since most of them seem to have this concern about “desecrating” the text. I love the interactiveness of it ,although I admit that it’s often disconcerting to read my initial reactions after I’ve “been there” a few times. Like “why did I think/wonder/question that?”

If I could figure out a way to read in the bath, I would. My bath time incorporates so many other props (headrest, hair up, glass of water, chapstick, yes I’m weird) that I couldn’t possibly incorporate a book plus I can’t take the water stains; it would ruin the mood of the bath if I got one page wet in one spot.

T sleeps with books. He has an entire wad of comic books currently stuffed into the pillowcase of the second pillow on his bed this very minute. They think they can sneak a peak after lights out if they have it close.

I choose books at the library based on authors I recognize. I peruse the aisles looking for a name that will jump out at me, usually someone I’ve forgotten that I wanted to read/read more of. I love the library.

I definitely don’t reread books I dislike, although I often begin reading one just as qiuckly as I finish it as I like it. Very much identify with the comfort food analagy. Some words really *are* edible. I just want to ingest them and make them a part of me.

Thanks for posting this! I enjoyed it!

I rarely buy used. I don’t mind, but it never seems to save any money — the books I want aren’t available here, and ordering them ends up costing as much what with the shipping. I do use the library a lot, but I like to own some of the books too.

Michelle, did you enjoy the Penelopiad?

I did enjoy it. I was surprised at how much I simply liked the process of listening to someone else read because I’m very visual. (I can listen to someone read a poem but can’t make sense of it unless I read it myself.) So for me it was partially more abotu the novelty of the listening aspect than the book itself! I did like it, though. It was clever and different than the sorts of stuff I’d been reading. I should read more Atwood. (Or listen.) To date, I’d only read a few of her short stories and poems.

Books on tape are different: slower, first, and people sound somehow different than you’d expect. For long drives, though, I’m all for the easier reads — not too distracting or thought-consuming.

Yes, the only aspect of listening to the Penelopiad that was difficult was the voice of the maids. It was this cackly sort of sound, almost comical, like The Three Fates in the animated Hercules movie.

I didn’t hear the maids as cackly at all. How odd.