Monday, January 14, 2008

Newbie's List

Here is the first book on my list of memoirs, bios, and autobios. I'm so happy to be a part of this reading challenge. Really need this encourage to get these books that I've been meaning to read...well, read!

This first book was recommended to me ages ago, nearly 20 years ago by the very aged owner of a small, wonderful bookstore in Wellesley, MA, called The Bookworm. Elsie was one of those proverbial "old maids" of her time, I suppose, probably born in the early 1900's, and born with a twisted spine that must have kept her out of the marriage market. I don't know. She walked with a cane, but her spirit and personality were strong, and her face was beautiful and radiant with intelligence.

Elsie's family set her up in a darling little house just around the corner from her very own small bookstore...which remained a beloved staple for those of us who lived and raised families in Wellesley for more than half a century. My former husband had worked for Elsie doing odd errands when he was a little boy, and he was in his late 40's when our children started browsing her shop as 5th and 6th graders!

Soon after Elsie sold her dear Bookworm, she died...I'm sure she was in her early 90's. She was a beautiful woman, with a love and reverence for books. She knew how to choose the very best ones, and the Bookworm was always stocked with treasures! Elsie chose this book as one of the best memoirs. I've been holding on to it, I guess. And, now it's time to read it.











Other books on my list:
2) The Autobiography of A Face - Lucy Greely
3) Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
4) Truth and Beauty - Ann Patchettt
5) Blackbird - Jennifer Lanck
6) Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris
7) The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls
8) Running with Scissors - Augusten Burroughs

Thanks for including me! I also have a book blog:
http://boundtobebookish.wordpress.com/ Deb

1 comment:

Vasilly said...

You have a lot of books on your list that I've been thinking about reading. I've read Eat, Pray, Love and thought it was great. Running with Scissors is a book that brought out every emotion possible for me. The Autobiography of a Face and Truth and Beauty are two books on my "possible" list.