Monday, August 1, 2011

Joy of Reading ~ Joy for Beginners

...from Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister


At first Caroline had seen the job of used-book buyer as a stepping-stone to the more exciting world of the new releases displayed at the front of the store, their words freshly printed, their meanings clean as new sheets.  But she quickly realized she had an affinity for the older books and their muted scents of past dinners and foreign countries, the tea and chocolate stains coloring the phrases.  You could never be certain what you would find in a book that had spent time with someone else.  As Caroline had riffled through the pages looking for defects, she had discovered an entrance ticket to Giverny, a receipt for thirteen bottles of champagne, a to-do list that included, along with groceries and dry cleaning, the simple reminder:  "buy a gun."  Bits of life tucked like stowaways in between the chapters.  Sometimes she couldn't decide which story she was most drawn to.

3 comments:

Les said...

Great quote! I sure did like this book. I want to reread The School of Essential Ingredients one of these days. Maybe I'll listen to the audio...

Marcia said...

Les,
The more I think about Joy for Beginners, the more I like it. I also have The School of Essential Ingredients patiently awaiting a reread, but right now the library requests are coming fast and furious.

Les said...

Let me know when you decide to read School again and I'll read it along with you so we can chat about it. Maybe later this winter?