The Benefits of Used Books: Secrets in the Pages

Sometimes a used book is more than just a used book. On my last trip to New York, as you all know, I visited my favorite book store, The Strand. I searched for books about night clubs, New York, and Prohibition. I bought a ton of books, such as The Rise and Fall of...
The Joy of the Book Club

The Joy of the Book Club

In my wayward youth, I belonged to a few book clubs. They varied tremendously and served different purposes throughout the years. In New York, my book club read the classics, and I found it an easy, low-stress way to make up for the gaps in my education.* During the...

What Hath the UPS Man Wrought?

Yesterday afternoon, I saw that lovely brown truck pulling up to the house. Out came our delivery person, with two boxes in his hand. Could it be? I take them to the table. In three weeks, these beauties will grace bookstores. But for now, I’m simply relieved:...
Thursday’s Things: Book Stacks

Thursday’s Things: Book Stacks

The boy. And his books. My twelve-year-old is the one I have to strip search at night, because he’ll hide his Kindle somewhere in his bed and try to read way after lights out. He’s mastered the art of “ask for forgiveness, not permission” when...

Read Harder, Read Differently

Like many, I find myself falling into book ruts. I’m not talking about while I’m researching a novel—that’s unavoidable—but in my pleasure reading. On the Debutante Ball, we listed our favorite books of 2015. Not surprisingly, my list had seven...