"Finding the Right Book List"

How do you select a book to read?  Let me count the ways: 1. browse the new book shelves; 2. review the “best seller” lists;  3. select the latest title recommended by Oprah or some other television personality; 4. pick the latest book by a favorite author;  5. grab the latest book in a genre you like;  5. ask for the newest title in a series you are reading. The possibilities are as endless as the books on the shelves.

If you’ve exhausted all of the above or if you’re just looking for some new suggestions, “Book Lust” may have the answers.   The author, Nancy Pearl, is a librarian, voracious reader, and lover of books.  She also happens to be the Director of the Washington Center for the Book at the Seattle Public Library.  In “Book Lust”, she recommends books for every mood, moment and reason.

Pearl arranges this compact but chatty book in rather unusual subjects -- alphabetically-- as one would expect from a librarian, but with a quirk.  For example, in the “A” listing, she includes all of her favorite authors with the first name of “Alice” – Alice Munro, Alice Walker, Alice Hoffman, etc.

Avid readers have a hard time pinning down their “favorite” author or “favorite” book; so too does Pearl with her “Too Good to Miss” authors which number eighteen – Robert Heinlein, P.F. Kluge, Mark Kurlansky and Rex Stout to name a few.  Even though I didn’t recognize some of the authors I was pleased to see that their books were listed in the Library’s catalog.

“Czech it Out” section contains titles and comments about Czech writers.  Pearl describes her “Grit Lit” as southern-fried Greek tragedies.  “Three-Hanky Reads,” and “Christmas Books for the Whole Family to Read” contain some of my personal favorites. She includes a great deal of non-fiction under such headings as  “Science Books (for the interested but apprehensive layperson),” “Genuine Genes,” “Sports and Games” and “Zero: This will Mean Nothing to You.”  Fiction, non-fiction, children’s, adults, classics, current – Pearl includes them all.

One of Pearl’s favorite passages about the joys of reading is from Virginia Woolf’s “The Second Common Reader.” 

            I have sometimes dreamt … that when the Day of Judgment dawns and the great

Conquerors and lawyers and statesmen come to receive their rewards – their crowns, their laurels, their names carved indelibly upon imperishable marble – the Almighty will turn to Peter and will say, not without a certain envy when he sees us coming with our books under our arms, “Look, these need no reward.  We have nothing to give them here.  They have loved reading.

The next time you are at the Library and can’t find a good book among the 80,000 or so books, remember Nancy Pearl’s new book, “Book Lust” or ask for me, Sally Hansen.  I have been designated the “Reader’s Advisory” at the Columbus Public Library.  I’m sure I can come up with some titles that will delight you.

Memorials and donations received by the Library Foundation include those in memory of Lucille M. Luschen from Martha Mueller, Connie Wagner, Rosie Haiar, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Hingst, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Napier and Mr. and Mrs. Allen Garretson.  A memorial was received from Mr. and Mrs. John Rohde in honor of Anita Mills Storck.  Donations were received from the GFWC Columbus Woman’s Club and the Soroptimists International.