Checking In: September 2023
Confessions of a book nerd and her weird bookish habits
In the mid-1970s–I was maybe 6 or 7–my aunt walked me across town to the public library and got my first library card. I checked out Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. I will always remember how special that day was for me, because books opened my imagination and made me want to create my own.
Since then, I have relied on books to show me worlds I didn't know, authors to teach me a craft that still amazes, and an escape from both the traumatic and mundane of life. Books are as much a part of me as the commingling of blood and genes from my parents.
My mom never enjoyed books, but Dad set an example for pleasure reading that settled in my bones and became my own. He read fantasy and western books, and I preferred romance and literature. Reading in my mom's presence meant we were interrupted every few sentences until Dad put his book down or I escaped to my room. As an aside, my mom’s punishment for me would be to relegate me to the living room, because I preferred my bedroom.
In eighth grade, I took racy books to school and share with my friends, but that didn't end well when the teacher found out. That was also the year an adult friend suggested (and let me borrow) The World According to Garp by John Irving. Reading the book at that age left me with questions, but having reread the book in the past few months, I've gained a new appreciation for it and Irving–who is brilliant and among my top five favorite authors.
As an adult, I started collecting books–any books–with little thought of whether I actually wanted to read them or not–I just loved to hold them and smell them and have them surround me. The books multiplied into thousands over the years, which complicated our nomadic-renter lifestyle. We could usually only con friends into moving us one time, because once they lifted all those book boxes, they were done.
So, a few years ago as we prepared to move–with only two or three of us to lug boxes–we purged about 90 percent of our books. I only kept the ones that gave me joy or touched my heart. From then, I decided to be more selective about the books I decided to own–and I had to read them, not just fill a shelf.
Reading from my shelves, I fell hard for the writing of John Steinbeck, John Irving, Margaret Atwood, Jesse Stuart, and James Still. I found I didn't much care for Jack Kerouac or Ernest Hemingway, even though I really wanted to be a fan. I’m still reading Kerouac and Hemingway, looking for a book that resonates with me.
I found more modern-day writers like Silas House, Sharyn McCrumb, John Grisham, Carl Hiaasen, and Emily Henry. I devoured books by Lisa Jewell and Kristin Hannah. I took advantage of my local public library membership through the Libby app to discover many more authors that I likely wouldn't have read if not for the recommendation of other trusted readers.
And to get my fix of that hypnotic old, decaying paper smell, I started visiting any used bookstore I could find, especially when traveling–my husband and I visited about seven just in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, last year. I have candles that are the scent of old books–one of my favorite aromas that calms my spirit and creates a sense of euphoric fondness that is difficult to describe.
So, why is this my "checking in" letter to you? Because books are how I spent my September.
Starting with Labor Day Weekend, we intentionally kept Sunday and Monday open because we were both so exhausted and overwhelmed by life’s spinning that we needed to stop and reset.
During that weekend, I gathered all my books from throughout the house and alphabetized them on shelves in my office. Along with the hardcover and paperback books, I then entered hundreds of Kindle ebooks we've bought into the BookBuddy app. Now, if a book comes into the house, it's immediately cataloged and put in its proper place. This is also where I document which books I've borrowed and read from the library.
In total, I have 1,360 books that I own, with about 775 of those being Kindle books co-owned with my husband. My bookshelves are now quite manageable at less than 600.
In addition to spending five or six days additional days getting all the books categorized in my app, we visited several used bookstores across the state. There’s nothing like the feeling of stepping across the threshold of a bookstore.
On September 2, we visited Reading Room Books in Wabash, Indiana, touted as the largest used bookstore in the state, which I believe after getting so overstimulated I had to stop halfway through the stacks. I picked up two Jesse Stuart books, The Land Beyond the River and Taps for Private Tussie, the latter of which I already owned but had forgotten. (Reason No. 1 for getting the BookBuddy app.)
On September 23, we spent the day with my niece and I picked our itinerary, which included a stop at Indy Reads, whose proceeds benefit adult education. From the free shelf, I picked up Judy Blume's Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, and my niece bought me a belated birthday gift–John Irving's The 158-Pound Marriage–which I just finished and thoroughly enjoyed.
Nearly every Sunday, we take an hour to visit our favorite locally owned used bookstore, Caveat Emptor. I've picked up so many desired reads at this Bloomington treasure–some of the most recents being Until I Find You (Reason No. 2 for the app) and Cider House Rules, both by John Irving; Surfacing by Margaret Atwood; The Rum Diary by Hunter S. Thompson; Going All The Way by Dan Wakefield; Writers on Writing by Jon Winokur; and Can't we Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast.
As this letter is a bit late, I'll include the two bookstores we visited on October 3, while on a day trip for my husband's birthday–Village Lights Bookstore in Madison, Indiana, and Mickey's in New Albany, Indiana. These were especially attractive because they had shop cats.
Village Lights had an assortment of new and used books on two levels and I walked away with a couple by Hermann Hesse and one by Martin Luther King Jr., all for $1 each.
Mickey's had such a lovely ambiance that, if I lived in New Albany, it would be my hangout. The used books surrounded a cafe for sweet treats and drinks and several seating areas to play games, catch up with friends, or huddle away to work on solitary creative arts. I only bought one book at Mickey's, but it was a John Steinbeck I didn't have–The Long Valley.
If you have a favorite independent bookstore, please share the name and location, because we’re always looking for new ones to visit.
Books in September (and early-October)
Books I've Read
The Paris Apartment by Lisa Foley (interesting twist)
Gap Creek by Robert Morgan (love mountain books!)
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai (eye-opening)
The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs (such a fun read!)
The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf (pretty good)
The Beautiful Ones by Prince (enlightening)
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg (simply fascinating!)
What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall (glued to this one!)
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris (gut-wrenching)
Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan (also another fun read)
The 158-Pound Marriage by John Irving (great writing)
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood (enjoyed even more than The Handmaid's Tale)
Pickleball Book for Beginners by Dennis Hall (needed an editor)
Books I'm Reading
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
The Measure by Nikki Erick
The Marriage Act by John Marrs
Skinny by Donna Cooner
There’s an elephant on the book shelf that I want to address: audiobooks. Some of my loved ones have been shamed for reading audiobooks; whether you read or listen to a book, you’re still taking in the author’s words and your mind is still creating pictures from those words.
When my “Books I’ve Read” list is exceptionally long, I’ve probably been on the road for work. Having a good book is an efficient and enjoyable way to spend the time.
Also, when I check a book out of the library through Libby, I get both the ebook and audiobook, and then bounce back and forth depending on if I’m in the car or in bed (so I don’t disturb my husband). If I have a paperback of the same book, I’ll read that when sitting on the couch or front porch, and jump back to another format as needed. It’s all reading.
When a person has a learning disability or doesn’t comprehend type as they read it, audiobooks give them the opportunity to enjoy a book.
Please help stop audiobook shame.
I’m Feeling Wicked…
September ended on a high note with seeing a bucket-list musical, Wicked, at the Kentucky Center for Performing Arts. I’ve waited about 14 years to see this show after my husband saw it on Broadway in New York City. This traveling Broadway production exceeded my expectations, as did our $25 tickets from Lucky Seat, through which my husband won the opportunity to purchase the tickets at that price. Imagine our surprise when the seats were second row!
If you haven’t seen Wicked, put it on your list. While the book by Gregory Maguire has more complex and layered storylines, Wicked’s production and music are incredible.
Last Words
As we bound forward into October and the fall season, remember to check on your friends and family. This time of year can be rough for those who are battling seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and depression.
The National Institute of Mental Health says SAD is a type of depression characterized by seasonal patterns with symptoms lasting for four to five months of the year. At the onset, people may feel down when the days get shorter and begin to feel better in the spring with longer daylight hours. These mood changes are serious and can affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities.
Common symptoms include:
Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
Changing appetite or weight, overeating
Feeling sluggish or agitated
Having low energy
Experiencing problems sleeping or oversleeping
Feeling hopeless and worthless
Having difficulty concentrating
Withdrawing from social situations
SAD is an ugly, all-consuming plague in our household. Each fall season with talk of Halloween and pumpkin spice, we hold our collective breaths, because we don’t know if treatment will be strong enough this year to fend off SAD. It’s looking good right now, and our hopes are high.
So if you encounter a moody, despondent loved one this fall and winter, it isn’t your job to “fix them” or “cheer them up.” Maybe the best you can do is just sit with them and let them be who they are. Believe me, trying to “fix” the problem will only lead to hurt feelings and deeper aggravation.
Just keep in mind you don’t fully know another person’s struggles, so their behavior may not be about you. If you make it about you, that’s both unhelpful and volcanic, and won’t end well. And it’s not that person’s fault—it’s the disorder.
If you’re a SAD sufferer, I encourage you to get help from a doctor who takes SAD seriously with the correct treatment for you, whether that’s anti-depressant and anxiety meds, hormones, or light and talk therapy. Don’t give up.
And if you have thoughts of harming yourself, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Be kind and be well.
I too am a bibliophile. There are books in every room in my house. I can't resist. When I was in Europe last year, I saw some very cool ways to display books. I'll send you some pics when I locate them. Not too long before my mother died, I took her to see Wicked in Nashville, TN. She didn't have a lot to say about the production, but she had a fit when she saw how much I paid for the tickets - $80. They were center orchestra seats so nothing like what the Lion King Tickets went for in NYC.
🧡💛🧡