Regarding friendship requests: Please leave me a note about why you think we should be friends. Did I write something funny that made you chortle and snort tea up your nose or did my ramblings leave you scratching your head, but curious for more? When I request a friendship, it is because I have found commonalities on our shelves, incomplete as it may be, or you have posted a well-written book review or comment. I also look to find friends that will help me understand a particular book better, can make great recommendations for future reads, or sparks my curiosity in new areas. Leaving a kind note is the polite thing to do when requesting friendship. I don't see why the niceties must be abandoned simply because we're anonymous on-line. Personalities will eventually emerge, even in the technology age.
I'm currently reading: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, trans. by Richard Pevear and
On Beauty by Zadie Smith.
For the curious, stuff about me: My love of books started when I was a young child. My father was a voracious reader and taught me to do the same. I would spend hours in the library, carefully selecting the next armload to take home. I also made a habit of reading out loud to my mom (who didn't read English) and my brother (who was too young at the time), which made for pleasant family time. Some things never change as I still visit the library on a weekly basis to fulfill my need, the only difference is that I now visit several libraries at the university in addition to the public one. :)
Things I love and can't live without: my husband (of course!), cats, dogs, gardening, cooking, Guinness, red wine (especially a good merlot), Cheez-Its, courteous people, cool weather, music, Mr. Darcy, HGTV, the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, Greek & Roman art, archaeology, ancient & medieval history, learning languages, old movies, classical music, cheese, knitting, weaving, cuddly blankets, NPR, laughter, and logic puzzles.
Things I can live without: mean/rude people, Tom Cruise, Dr. Phil, Nicholas Sparks, loud people, American Idol, animal cruelty, hot & humid weather, depressing books & movies, littering, pollution, squirrels, unsolicited advice, storms, wanton destruction, narrow-minded and self-centered individuals, college sports (and in fact, most male-dominated sports with the exception of tennis and the Olympics), scratchy sweaters, creepy bugs, unproductive meetings, spam, and being disappointed from over-hyped books/music/shows/you-name-it.
I love to discuss books, articles, recipes, and other interesting tidbits! If we share something in common, feel free to let me know. A guide to my rating system:
***** Loved it and worth reading many times! Highly recommended!!
**** It's well worth reading and owning. Recommended.
*** It's not great, but not terrible either. Owning the book is optional.
** Allowed time to pass, but just. Borrow, definitely do not buy.
* Simply dreadful!! A waste of time, ink, and paper.
As for the books on my Shelfari shelf, it is currently a work in progress. I have read many books over my 39 years of existence, but to take the time to post them all would be time away from other pleasures. I currently do not list cookbooks, manuals, how-to guides, textbooks, dictionaries, etc, unless the book is exceptional for that genre. I do have a goal of reviewing all my books listed on my shelf, it'll just take awhile. :)
Some of my favorite quotes:"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library." Jane Austen,
Pride & Prejudice"I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them." Jane Austen in a letter to her sister
“A book has but one voice, but it does not instruct everyone alike.” Thomas Kempis
“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me” C.S. Lewis
"They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions... but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." Harper Lee,
To Kill a Mockingbird « less