Reading in Reykjavík

Bought and received through BookMooch in the last 2 weeks:

I have been indulging in retail therapy, and since most of what I bought was dirt cheap second-hand books, I got off lightly and didn't even have to use my credit card. I did have to restrain myself from buying all 20-something Ed McBain books I came across at the book section of the charity shop, and instead I only bought 6. If they are still there on Monday I may give in and buy the rest. The Harry Kemelman and Erma Bombeck books also came from the charity shop. The 2 Tony Hillerman books and the J.D. Robb and co. book I got through BookMooch, and the Manuel Vazquez Montalban and Carol Anne O'Marie books are library culls.

An abandoned library (Note: this is a translation made with online translation software, and so is not perfect, but enough to understand what is going on.) Makes you wonder what happened. Perhaps the books are simply outdated? Whatever the reason, I think they could at least be recycled instead of just letting them moulder.

I love visiting unusual bookshops and libraries, and the Selexyz Dominicanen bookshop in Maastricht in the Netherlands is just such a place. It is located in an old church, which undeniably makes it unusual. Many old libraries have a somewhat church-like atmosphere, and I think it would be interesting to visit a bookshop with such an atmosphere. Click the post title to read an article about this special bookshop. Here is a link to Flickr images from the bookshop: Selexyz Dominicanen

Missing from the photo are 3 books that my mother borrowed from me before I could photograph them. The statuette on top of the stack is the latest addition to my owl collection. It's carved from coal (what will they think of next?).

In March I finished reading 10 books. Most I had started reading as far back as December of last year, so page-wise I am definitely below average. One, Guards! Guards! , was a perennial reread (I am now reading the City Watch story arc within the Discworld series), and another, Metamorphosis , was a partial reread. Metamorphosis was also my classic of the month. The Voyage of the Beagle will have to wait another couple of months for that honour, as I decided to read The Canterbury Tales in April and an Icelandic Saga in May – I haven’t decided which one, but possibly Laxdæla saga or a couple of the shorter ones. I am working on some reviews and will post them when they are ready. The books: Eurydice: Satyricon U.S.A. (article collection): 2+ Tony Hillerman: Skinwalkers and Listening Woman (mysteries): 4 & 3+ Katie MacAlister: A Girl's Guide To Vampires (paranormal romance): 2+ John D. Macdonald: One Fearful Yellow Eye (mystery): 4 Harry G. Nickles: Foods of the ...