My employer has been changing how they schedule the nurses, and as a result I’ve been working a lot less than normal. This is bad because it’s meant that my paychecks are close to non-existent. I am not going to paint a rosy picture of the situation, as frankly, it sucks! However, it has meant that I have more time on my hands than I’ve ever had in my adult life. So, have I been tackling household projects, writing a book proposal or finally addressing the flabbitude that is my midsection?
Nope. I’ve been reading a lot. Because the cut in my work hours coincided with the library’s new Lucky Day program, where they make high demand books available to actually pull from the shelf, (with the limitation that you can only check out two at a time and they’re non-renewable.) No longer are the desirable book months away from available, and I can actually be a spontaneous reader again!
Glory be!
Just yesterday, I schlepped my two Lucky Day books back to the library and brought home two new books:
- The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder Through the Seasons, by Amanda Soule.
- The Uncoupling: a Novel, by Meg Wolitzer.
Both of these books have multiple holds on them, (the Amanda Soule book has 52 at the moment!) and I normally would not have been able to spontaneously bring them home. And the three-week deadline keeps me from setting them aside and forgetting about them. The Lucky Day program has also allowed me to read:
- I Remember Nothing: and Other Reflections, by Nora Ephron. ****Highly recommend****
- The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels — a Love Story, by Bree Drummond.
- Mini-Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella.
I am suddenly excited about going to the library again. Instead of heading straight for the hold shelf, (which has been my modus operandi of years late,) I actually get to read books that I’m in the mood for now, instead of six months ago!
Lucky Day? I say Lucky Year!
Have you been reading much lately, and if so do you have any books to recommend to The Non-Consumer Advocate community? Please share your suggestions in the comments section below.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
I have to say you are lucky. Our library just started a similar program, but you only get 7 days. I am just not quick enough these days to finish my book in a week.
I love “Living More With Less” by Doris Janzen Longacre.
I also read “American Wasteland,” which you recommended. I loved the part about the college scroungers.
Glad to hear you liked “American Wasteland.” Jonathan Bloom is a great writer. The source material had the potential of being super dull, but it actually has a few laugh out loud moments.
Katy
You summed up my excitement about this program PERFECTLY! Like you I had gotten in the habit of just visiting the hold shelf. I love the luxury of picking up books spontaneously from the library and having them actually be good! In fact, I’ve got 2 Lucky Day books sitting next to me right now. Yeah!
I am trying to plan my day right now. Blah, blah go to the post office, make applesauce, do laundry, etc. But really, I just want to sneak off and read.
Katy
ha… this cracked me up. I often feel the same way.
I’m on an anti-consumerist/environmental reading kick lately, which is quite a switch from my usual romance novel reads. So far The Story of Stuff and Affluenza have been my faves.
I enjoyed the Pioneer Woman’s book.
Sorry to hear your schedule is less than profitable. . .being unsalaried is both challenging and freeing at once
I wish my library did this! Maybe they do and I dont know. I am in hold list purgatory for the new Soule book too.
Just finished Animal, Mineral, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I resisted reading it for years, but actually really really enjoyed it.
Also reading the Urban Farm Handbook, written by another local food blogger. Just starting, but so far finding it both functional and informative.
We have the Lucky Day program, too, though (unfortunately?) there’s no limit as to how many you can check out. (I come home with way more books than I can finish in three weeks.) Currently on my nightstand is I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids, The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love, Put Your Life on a Diet, and several Sookie Stackhouse vampire novels for pure guilty pleasure.
Awesome! I love getting new book suggestions to add to my list. I check the Astoria library first, but if they don’t have something, I have books mailed to me from Multnomah County. And opening the mail is like christmas! Yay!
My library in Chandler does the same thing–i didn’t know it was a
“program,” and evidently not too many people know about it–I got the latest copy of a Deb Macomber book right off the shelf a few months back, while my girlfriend got on the “list” with 20 people ahead of her.. she wanted to know how I got ahead of her!
They simply put some copies on the regular shelf, too! AND they have a 7 day borrow book shelf..so it’s usually in 3 places!
yes, it’s fun to scarf up a current novel or non fiction (I loved Pioneer Woman’s book too!) right away!! I come home grinning!!
Stone Arabia by Dana Spiotta, I loved it. About an aging rock star whose band never quite made it. Takes place in LA.
I read these last week, and they inspired some serious decluttering with lots of freecycle and Goodwill donations:
-The joy of less : a minimalist living guide: how to declutter, organize and simplify your life by Francine Jay.
-Stuff : compulsive hoarding and the meaning of things by Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee.
Now reading “V” is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton, and 11/22/63 by Stephen King. I put them on hold at the library weeks ago and got them the first day they came out.
Ooh . . . those Sue Grafton books are so much fun. And “Stuff” is awesome and fascinating.
Katy
I loved the Pioneer Woman’s book. One quick thing though…her name is Ree not Bree -oops! For those who don’t follow her and may be looking for her book.
I’m going have to look for some of the other books on your list…they sound interesting.
Our library lets you get put on the waiting list for books you don’t even know have come out, but you have to list your favorite authors. I could never narrow it down, so I am now on a major wait for the new Stephen King and Janet Evanovich. Lesson learned. And I am so jealous that you now have your own copy of the Tightwad Gazette!
I read like most people breathe. I mainly love crime novels – Sara Paretsky, Dick Francis, Carola Dunn are some names that come to mind. I also like women’s biographies.
try the everyday oat bread recipe in amanda soule’s book- very tasty!
I requested that my library buy “rhythm..”, so i was first on the list to get it when it came in.
I request books all the time, and my library probably buys about 75% of what I request, and they always let me check it out first!
My library does not have a program like that. I wish they did. My kids have dvds on hold where they are 300+ on the list. They won’t be seeing those in a while.
How was the Pioneer Woman’s book. But the book jacket said something about her husband as being the “Marlboro Man” and all I could think about was a western romance novel. I like romance novels every once in a while but they are not tops on my list. So, I would like to know what you thought of the book.
I am ready Moby Duck right now for book club. It’s about the shipment of toy ducks, turtles, etc that fell off a ship and where they ended up (Alaska, Maine, etc). A little too detailed for me but I think to finish in time for book club, I will skim it.
I read These is my Words and the sequel Sarah’s Quilt recently. Great story about a women who moves out west with her family and her adventures. It is written in diary form and you can see her writing throughout the book improve. The author did a great job. They were great books. I highly recommend them.
We do not have lucky day program, but I did manage to snag a copy of “The Pale King” by David Foster Wallace and can’t put it down. Recommend!!
Katy, I loved “I Remember Nothing” (at least, I think I did, I don’t remember). I also enjoyed (I think) her earlier book “I Feel Bad About My Neck”.
I now volunteer at the library. We have books for sale in the lobby every day and big quarterly book sales. If you’re a volunteer, you get to treasure hunt through the donation bins while you’re filling the shelves. Nirvana. If you have a little time on your hands, you might check with the librarian or your Friends group to see if you can get involved in a limited way. You won’t regret it.
A few recent good reads: “I’ll Know It When I See It” by Alice Carey, “A Month In The Country” by J.L. Carr, “The Madonnas of Leningrad” by Debra Dean and “Who The Hell Is Pansy O’Hara?” by Jenny Bond and Chris Sheedy. All library donation bin treasures at the bargain price of $1 each and never a late fee!
One advantage of living in a smaller city with a decent library system is that I can get almost any book right away or within a short period of time. I have to limit myself to avoid checking out too many books! This almost never happened to me when we lived in Seattle.
You must read Radical Homemaker (I Loved it).
I’m currently reading The Spend Less Handbook from my library.
I also read “Radical Homemakers” by Shannon Hayes and really loved it. I just finished “Crash Course: The Unsustainable Future of Our Economy, Energy and Environment” By Chris Martenson. And no, I’m not a survivalist wacko, just a suburban mom who’s concerned about where the world is headed and what to do about it. Since we’re not ready to take off and buy a farm in the country complete with solar power and our own well water 😉 (and gosh, who could afford it?), I’m also reading “The Ultimate Suburban Survivalist Guide: The Smartest Money Moves To Prepare For Any Crisis” by Sean Brodrick. It’s not as well written, though. And though this is not any lighter in subject matter, I’m also reading and really enjoying Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s “Vegan’s Daily Companion”. I’ve been a vegetarian-striving-to-be-vegan and accomplishing it 90% of the time for 6 years now but she’s still giving me new ideas and things to ponder—plus recipes. Oh and speaking of recipes, I just read Jamie Oliver’s “Jame At Home” which is awesome except for the pictures of dead game including a poor bunny rabbit which nearly pushed me over the edge. 🙂
Hooray for the library, where all of the above came from!