Last month I said I was going to try and not buy any books for the rest of the summer. It's been an entire five weeks and I've stuck to my word. I've been lucky as I've still had a few books come through the door, but they've been freebies--either gifts from other readers, bookmooches and even a couple of review books. I will have a few to share with you soon. But my current credit card statement is free of any book charges and almost free of any charges at all. Even though I hate coming home to see a desk devoid of any book packages, it feels good to know I am just a little closer to paying off my credit card. Once that is accomplished I've decided to set myself a monthly book allowance, but that is still more than a few months in the future.
So now that I've made one resolution and have stuck with it, I think I am ready for another. If you happen by here occasionally you might know I am pretty incorrigible when it comes to starting new books when I've not yet finished something. As a matter of fact I tend to just start whatever I feel like on a whim. I won't share a photo of my nightstand as I don't want to hear gasps reverberating across the blogosphere. Yes, it's that bad (and no, the books on my sidebar aren't an honest depiction of the books I'm reading at the moment...). I think I've overcompensated a bit when it comes to not wanting to deprive myself of new books. I've got a huge stack of library books and I've started books from it and my own bookshelves left and right. I have to whittle things down or it'll take me until the end of the year to finish them all.
So another resolution. I can only start a new book when I finish reading two that are already on my nightstand. It make take a while, but I might just be able to get things back 'under control' (which for me is still having five or six or maybe even seven books started at once) by the end of the year. So now that I have it in black and white, we'll see how I do. I may not be buying books indiscriminately, but one step into my little bookroom and I usually come out with two books that I think I need to start 'right now'.
This weekend the Slaves of Golconda will be discussing Ivy Compton-Burnett's Manservant and Maidservant. However, I'll own up to it right now. I haven't done my homework. I did try, but something was not clicking. The book is made up primarily of dialogue, which was her innovation at the time--what made her novel "modern". In theory I like the sound of this and I like the idea of "harrowing conversational duels", but I've only managed to get to page 18 and I'm not sure I can tell you exactly what's going on--conversational duels between the servants and the family of the house. The novel was "much praised" when it came out in 1947. Perfect era for what I like to read, but I'm not sure what my problem has been with this book. It's just been too hot and I've been too cranky and I feel like I'm not giving the book the attention it deserves (and when I read it at lunch I only seem to be able to get through two pages at a time and that doesn't bode well), so I have set it aside (bookmark still keeping my place). Now the question is, do I press on with it? I've seen Ivy Compton-Burnett's name dropped here and there lately by other readers, so if you happen by, please tell me what you think. My track record with the Slaves has been spotty this year and with every new book I am determined to get the book read and a wonderful post written, and here I am once again not finishing the book.
It's all about paring down in this corner of the world, but I hadn't intended that to mean books I want/wanted to read! The good news is, I am at least making progress in some of the other books I'm reading at the moment!