Thursday 5 February 2009

library! and the end finally of the bus strike



It has been well over a year since I last went to the library. Some bloggers had been posting after Christmas about the books they picked up, and it reminded me - I have a great resource for books! I had fallen out of use with it over the past two years.

Then, we had the bus strike. There I sat, compiling lists from bloggers of books I really want to read, and I couldn't get to the library.

Breakthrough!!! The bus strike is over!!! Now, we are not actually jumping for joy yet, because a) the buses don't actually start until this Saturday, and b) there will be a great delay in getting so many on the road because the mechanics were part of the strike, that they are recommending people still try to find alternate ways of getting around. Which means, we get one bus line back, but not our rush hour bus. The good news is, I can get to the library again!

So today, on my second to last drive home from work, we stopped at the library so I could renew my card (it had sadly lapsed. What kind of bookworm am I, that my library card hasn't been used in over a year?). and then, because we were there, and I'm planning on going with the kids on Saturday as part of our 'thank heaven the buses are back!' trip out of the house, I looked for books for myself, a 1/2 hour of just randomly wandering the shelves. I had a tiny list with me, and happily found one book on it:


bad Blogger #1: SHARED Eva and Nymeth
Nymeth: review here for
Castle Waiting, by Linda Medley. Nymeth's review and
Eva: review here made this book go right onto my to read list. Lo and behold, what do I find at my library today but a hard cover copy with the whole edition! Their reviews were so good that I might, just might, have to start with this one. Fairy tales and illustrations - my very first graphic novel.



bad blogger # 2: Geraniumcat
Geranium Cat's review here
The Autumn Castle - Kim Wilkins
As you can see by my comment to Geranium Cat, I did go get this book after all! It looks very good too...



bad blogger # 3 BookZombie
BookZombie's review here - her review is for Tales From the Crypts, which I was looking for. I didn't see it, but I did see: Swamp Thing! So, I remember reading some of this when I was younger...it's not quite the same horror as Tales From the Crypts, my all-time favourite comic book as a child, but it will do until I can get me some Tales. Thanks, BookZombie, because your review made me realize the Tales are still around!

I also picked up:

Ten Little Indians by Sherman Alexie, an author I have been wanting to try for a very long time. This is a collection of short stories.

Faerie Tales, ed Martin Greenberg

Just because I saw the cover, and it was irresistible, and I can't resist short stories about faeries and humans.

Nature of Balance - Tim Lebbon

This was in our new release books, but I guess it was newly bought by our library, since it turns out to be published in 2001. Who could resist the first line: 'The dead girl holds her mother's hand.' It looks quite good, and so another just because book.

One of the best things about having my library card up to date is that I can start reserving books again! that was the real reason I went in today. So some bloggers will be getting points in the coming months. For now, a special greeting to Chris, who ever since he reviewed Cherie Priest,
here, I have been longing to read her books. Chris, if I can get all three of her books, you get three points! I also have to say that Chris is very persuasive, as ever since he reviewed John Scalzi's Old Man's War here, I have been seeing and I almost bought, but I am trying to restrain my book buying until we get our new shelves in and I have space again. So this is another for the library.

So, our bus nightmare is over, and we are so anxious to have life resume in our city.I will have precious reading time again, although I will miss getting home early and being able to read before picking the kids up from daycare.

I have some books to put down for the library challenge, finally! And, as I searched the blogs for the bloggers who had made the original recommendations for books, I saw 4 more titles to request at the library! No, indeed, in my world, you can never have too many books to read.....just more time, please, to read them all!

9 comments:

chrisa511 said...

I'm so happy for you that the bus strike is over Susan! That's wonderful news :D Castle Waiting is on my list too because of Eva and Nymeth. I looked for it the other day at the library, but we don't have it :( I can't wait until you get to Cherie Priests book! I have number 2 patiently waiting for me. The first was just amazing! And, you know what I'm going to tell you...just buy Old Man's War! LOL..you'll love it!

Molly said...

I am SO happy for you (and all residents) that the strike is finally over!

I wanted to let you know that I mentioned you in my post yesterday. I didn't go to the library, but I did visit a used bookstore and intentionally picked up 3 books in the science fiction category because of your wonderful description last week.

Now, if you discover the secret of finding more time to read - will you promise to share with the rest of us?!

Cath said...

I'm so glad your bus strike is over. I would hate not to be able to get to my library. That's a good haul you got there. I like the look of The Swamp Thing. That probably says quite a lot about me. LOL. Happy reading.

heather (errantdreams) said...

Oh, goodness yes. Always too many books, too little time!

Kailana said...

That's great the bus strike is finally over! I heard rumours of one pending in my neck of the woods, and while it won't affect me, I hope it doesn't happen!

I am so jealous you have Castle Waiting! I wanted to buy it but Chapters didn't have that copy, they have a different version, and that was where my gift cards were from. So, I requested it from the library. Someone in the blogging community must live around me, though, because they keep beating me to the books! I am left waiting...

Ana S. said...

Ooooh, Castle Waiting! I hope you love it :D

And that's great news about the strike being over! I've been meaning to read Swamp Thing too...it sounds like a really cool series. And plus it's Alan Moore. I want to read Alexie too, and Faerie Tales does indeed have an irresistible cover. You're making me want to read all the books you got before you even review them :P

L. Clarke said...

G,day I remember the Swamp Thing comic books. My friend Mot has just about every edition ever. They are a good read, I liked 2000AD better, Rogue Trooper, Judge Death and the Sinister Dexter.
Good sci-fi is always easy reading too, try
doomofrheshem.blogspot.com

Susan said...

everyone: thank you for sharing your joy that our buses are back! It's such a relief to us.

Chris: I'm ordering the Cherie Priest books tonight from the library! If our Chapters had had them two weeks ago I'd already have them to read, but they didn't have any :-( so I think I'll by Old Man's War, though have you heard that he has another book out, Zoe's Tale, that is a teen girl's view of the same war? It made the Locus "best of 2008" list. I want that one too!!

and I am so happy about the buses...

Molly: I have to get to your post, I'm sorry, I haven't been on the computer much last night or today (except to do the post this morning), so I'll be over shortly - thank you!

I'm thrilled I could introduce you to trying science fiction - that means alot, thank you for telling me. I hope you enjoy it. Just remember to skip over the science/tech bits, I do. I just want the story part!

and I will tell everyone if I ever find the secret to more reading time!!!

Cath: Swamp Thing looks good! Yes, it probably says alot about the cynicism at our age that we relate to Swamp Thing! lol but at our age, when I finally think it doesn't matter so much what I look like, it matter far more what I think and believe, Swamp Thing is made for people like us, I think! I'll let you know when I get to it.

heather: So many books! and the difficulty is choosing to read, what to read, but it's actually a pleasure too. *sigh* heaven better be a huge huge library, or I'm leaving it! lol

Kailana - gee, I hope you don't get one! they're beyond awful. We've been shut up for so long, unable to get anywhere once out of work. though it has kept us from spending money!!

I was so lucky to find Castle Waiting - I didn't even know we had a manga/graphic novel section, and i was actually looking for Watchmen, and Shannon Hale, neither of which our library had. So now with your comment I feel even luckier that I have it to read! I'll post when I've done it :-P

Nymeth: I hope I do too, since you and Eva loved it so! I'll let you know about Swamp Thing, I got vol 2 Love and Death, but they all were there. Watch, I'll go back wanting to read more and they'll be out!

This will be my first Alexie book read, and I've heard so much about him.

Faerie Tales - it's an older book (2004), I was surprised, and just to get you more envious, here are some authors: Charles de Lint, Tanya Huff, Jane Lindskold, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. :-P

L. Clarke - thank you for keeping leaving comments, I will get to your site, I'm sorry I haven;t been yet. Or have it? January seems a blur and I don't know why! Anyway, if you get to read all of Swamp thing whenever you want, you are sooo lucky! my son wants Judge Death, which I haven't seen to buy yet. What's the Sinister Dexter?

Anonymous said...

So many great ones! LOVE SWAMP THING! LOL!