Why I Love Goodreads.com

Currently Reading: Flame of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier and Welcome Joy: Death in Puritan New England by Gordon Geddes




What is Goodreads.com? Only my newest obsession (besides experimenting with new recipes and listening to Mannheim Steamroller Christmas music).  Goodreads.com is a free website that functions as a virtual personal library. Here are some of the many reasons I have fallen in love with Goodreads:

1) In my opinion, one of the best things about Goodreads is the ability to find new books that are very similar to books I have already read and love. Here's how it works: I add and rate books that I have read and/or enjoyed throughout my life, ones that I feel best represent my reading style. In addition, I add books to my already-read list as I finish them. Based on these collections, Goodreads compiles these amazing lists based on the genres I tend to read most or my Favorites List or my Want-to-read list and provides me with recommendations for new books I can add to my Want-to-read list. And it is good. I have already discovered a huge amount of books that I had never heard of before but that seem to fit my reading styles and preferences perfectly. I feel like I am an explorer discovering new worlds, and Goodreads is my map.

2) I can see what my friends are reading. This is great because I get so many new ideas of books to read when I see my friends reading and rating them. Not to mention that it's fun to see what my friends are reading... forget Facebook statuses- I just want to see your reading updates! :) Also, think of the Christmas present potential here! I now know EXACTLY what my friends and relatives want to read! Perfect Christmas present in the bag.

3) While I already have a little journal in which I keep track of the books I read each month, Goodreads allows me to also track the books I want to read and keeps it all in such nice order.

4) The snazzy covers. I am probably the only one who would actually write about the aesthetics of Goodreads, but just like at the library and on my own bookshelves, seeing all of those colorful covers lined up next to each other makes my heart skip a beat.

5) The Christmas-morning sense of anticipation when I scroll through my "to-read" books with growing excitement for the day I will start reading them. Anticipation and potential are like my bread and butter, and looking forward to my next reading experiences is especially helping me get through the rest of this semester.

6) Best of all, I feel that my bookshelves and book recommendations are so ME. Like my bookshelves at home, my Goodreads lists reflect my personality and my interests. From The Brontes: A Life in Letters and Farm City: the Education of an Urban Farmer on my "To-Read" list to The Awakening and The Bean Trees on my already-read list, the books on my shelves serve as an affirmation of who I am. Looking at my book lists is like viewing little reflections of my soul. And I love that.

Holiday Bookstore Happy

Currently Reading: David Copperfield by Charles Dickens and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Merry Christmas! (Almost).

We are now back from the wonderful land of Hollywood, where we met Alex Trebek, Nathan tested his smarts on-camera, and we took a harrowing bus trip to Hollywood Boulevard (which was actually a bit of a let-down. Should've gone to the beach instead.)



You would think I would dread going from 65 degree, sunny weather to a cold and gloomy Chicago afternoon, but I was beyond excited to come home. It really hit me while flying over snow-capped mountains, leaving the warmth of California behind, that I will never be anything but a Midwest girl. I may not be a fan of bitter winds or freezing rain, but I love my seasons and their changing smells, the rolling farmland, and the perfect blend of city and country that defines the Midwest. Forget "California Girls"; I'll send Katy Perry some lyrics for "Midwest Girls."
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I am convinced that one of the best places to be around Christmastime is Barnes & Noble. Each time we have ventured out to complete more Christmas shopping, Nathan and I have always allowed an extra hour for some much-needed relaxing time at B&N. It is festive, in a "Christmas bustle/coffeeshop smells/holiday displays" kind of a way. Yet even in the busy store, quiet spaces materialize amid the presence of thousands of books. The harried voices of annoyed shoppers and the frustrated look of employees evaporates when I sink down on the floor with a book that has caught my eye, or window-shop among the bookshelves, running my finger along spines of old friends and new acquaintances. The world stops when I am in the shelves of a bookstore or a library. It is just me among books- no distractions, no stress, no interruptions. Just soft, slow breaths and the careful patience of a child working on penmanship. No spa can relax me the way being surrounded by walls of books can.


OK, this may not be Barnes & Noble but this is one of my favorite independent bookstores. The whole atmosphere is permeated with cozy book love.

Two weeks ago, we went on a little B&N excursion. Nate and I split up once we got there, meeting again in the Cafe area, armed with books to peruse over hot Peppermint Mochas. What a blissful and rejuvenating 30 minutes! With every page turn of Young Goodman Brown, I felt any stress melt away, leaving a strong feeling of utter contentment in its place. (That feeling is when I know I'm feeding my soul a gourmet meal). I couldn't help myself from looking up and gazing around at the shoppers laden with newly-bought presents, Nathan poring over his book, and the kids caroling on the steps of the Starbucks area. (They weren't very good, but one has to appreciate the sentiment. We should all bring back caroling....why did it ever die out in the first place?!) I was happy just to be there, part of that moment, part of that scene.

We also used this trip to stock up on Christmas presents at B&N. Every year, I try to be creative in my present choices, but I always come back to this decision: a book is the best present of all. Not only can you literally find a book for everyone on your list if you try, but books act as a connection between you and another person. I especially love giving books I have already read and enjoyed; nothing is more satisfying than giving a favorite book to someone else, knowing that many great discussions will follow as they read and love it too. Sharing books is magical- it's part of the reason why I love working at a library. The gift is not just the book- the gift is also an experience, a feeling, a friend, that can be found within its pages. Talk about expressing your love and appreciation for someone- what better way to do it than with a book?

Give a book this Christmas....and I hope you receive many as well! Merry Christmas!

Biblio-itis

Currently reading: Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling












What a perfect fall evening... the kind I dream about during the hottest days of summer. My favorite apple cider candle is pouring delicious aromas throughout our apartment, I have donned PJ pants for the first time this fall, Nathan is happily engrossed with a John Muir book, and there is a hot mug of Swiss Miss Mocha Cappuccino sitting next to me, swirling steam and chocolatey smells into my nostrils as I type this. To make things even better, I am enjoying the prospect of writing about books, one of my greatest passions, for the next half hour or so.

Oh, apple cider candle, how I love thee.

I must say, I am very excited about this blogging idea. Lately, I have been craving the chance to let off a little creative steam, but didn't even know it until this project popped into my head.
Disclaimer: I love books. A bit of an understatement but there you have it. I love books. I love reading books. The whole act of reading is, to me, a holy art. The ideas of Kindles and Nooks make me shudder not because I'm terribly worried about the future of the printed page (I'm not) but because by holding a square, shiny object with a computer chip to read a Shakespeare sonnet or the latest heart-pounding thriller is to lose the entire beauty and experience of reading. To me, reading is the smell of a new (or old) book, the scribbles in the margins of a well-loved novel, the signature of a previous reader scrawled inside the front cover, the crack of a new book's cover as you open it, the gentle and satisfying "fwip" of a page turn, the crinkle of pages as you readjust on the bed sixty times, so engrossed in this enlightening experience that you don't notice how awkward your position is or that your back is by now begging you to go to the chiropractor. I do not denounce those who have forgone the "old" way of reading for the new, but I do know that I will still be reading books the original, soul-satisfying way until they put me into my grave with a copy of Jane Eyre. To sum up, I am passionate about reading. It is my favorite thing to do and I have a tendency of blocking out most anything to make sure I can focus on reading alone. (Ask Nathan, my family, or my former roommate). If I have time in the morning, I grab my book off of my end table. I bring a book with me everywhere I go throughout the day, just in case. I will stay up late, even when I am bone tired, just to squeeze in five minutes of pleasurable reading time. I think it's pretty obvious that I have a love affair with books. (Don't tell Nate). :) It is definitely a sickness, one that I have named "Biblio-itis."And there is no cure, baby!

 

One of our bookshelves-  note the Crusader's helmet (and the decorative pumpkins!)

I believe that the type of books one reads perfectly reflects one's personality. You can tell a lot about a person by their reading list or bookshelf. At first glance, our bookshelves are fantastic symbols of our new life together. My books are nestled next to his, while others fight for shelf space. :) But mostly, it's a perfect balance of him and I, happily hanging out together. We have three bookshelves in our tiny apartment, which says a lot about both of us, I believe. Nate is one of the biggest readers I've ever met; I knew I was meant to marry him when our first date was... brace yourselves.... a trip to the library. I am not kidding. I swooned over him and the Ireland section of the local Winona library simultaneously.

We have a lot of books. Three bookshelves are not really enough, but it's all we can cram in our apartment at the moment. There are boxes back at both of our parents' houses. (Maybe this is where a Kindle would come in handy. Kidding.) We have many of the same book tastes (which makes sense) and we have both, over the course of our years together, introduced each other to new books and new genres. Nathan got me hooked on John Muir, just as I brought Irish history books into his life. Our bookshelves are arranged by subject, and then further organized alphabetically by author. (Can you tell I was born to work in a library?) We have a vast assortment of history books (mostly Middle Ages [Nate] and Irish history [me]), poetry, nature books (Thoreau and John Muir and such), theological books, classics, and novels. While Nathan mostly reads non-fiction, I dabble in both fiction and non. I read a variety of books, but have certain "types" that I am mostly drawn to.

I plan on doing a post of my top favorite books in a future post, but for now, I will merely sketch out the types of books I read. As a history nut, I love to read anything about a historic time period or historical persona that interests me. Mostly, my historical reading interests lean toward Irish and Celtic history, the Salem Witch Trials, and genealogy. Yet, as evidenced by one of my current books above, I will read anything that is well recommended and engrossing. I also like to read poetry, especially on cozy thunderstorm days when I have nothing to do but read and dream and bask in the luxuriant rhythm of word-music. (W.B. Yeats is my absolute favorite.) In the world of fiction, I enjoy the classics, such as Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, L.M. Montgomery, Shakespeare, Kate Chopin, and more. (However, I refuse to "love" a classic just because it is considered a classic. More discussion on that in a later post, but I believe the merit of a book is a personal opinion and should not be based solely on what "they" say. End of tangent.) I also read many novels that take place in the past [The Red Tent, Galway Bay, People of the Book] and some types of fantasy and science fiction. Mostly, I enjoy novels of any genre that explore the human experience. I want my books to challenge my perspectives, inspire me, introduce me to interesting characters, and provide an exciting story. After all, isn't that ultimately why we all read?

Your turn: tell me why you read and what exactly it is about books that makes your heart skip a beat. Have a great day tomorrow!