I've recently had a little luck in mooching a few books. Lately it's been very hit or miss what I find, and mostly heavy on the miss. I tend to find more older books or classics and rarely anything from my wishlist anymore. I wonder if Bookmooch has just gotten too big? I had thought about scrapping my account and giving away my points, but now that I am not buying books an occasional mooch helps satisfy that need for something new without spending any money. The down side is you don't know exactly what (condition-wise) you're going to get until it comes in the mail.
I had thought I would be getting a nice Bison Books edition of Mignon Eberhart's While the Patient Slept, but I've ended up with a very yellowed Popular Library edition. I'm not so picky anymore when it comes to used books, but I wish the moochee would have been more forthcoming about the condition of the book when the picture didn't match. Still, same book, just not as nice of a copy. I really liked reading Mignon Eberhart for the Classics Circuit earlier in the spring and have wanted to read more of her work since then. This is another Nurse Sarah Keate mystery written in 1930.
I certainly have nothing to complain about with the copy of Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor by Brad Gooch. It appears new and is in near pristine condition. How did I get so lucky? I was actually looking for books by Flannery O'Connor, but I am happy to read about her as well.
My other find is Jennifer Johnston's Shadows on Our Skin. At the moment I am reading Truth or Fiction about an aging Irish author who is being interviewed by a London writer who is thinking more of her own problems than the subject of her newspaper article. However he promises her a juicy tale of his youthful loves. It's always interesting to read about writers (and in this case there is an author writing about an author). Shadows on Our Skin was shortlisted for the Booker in 1977 and is set in Northern Ireland.
I love old Penguin editions like you see on the top of my pile. The library where I work often receives book donations--some go into the collection and others go onto a 'sale table' for anyone to buy at outrageously cheap prices (this was 50 cents). I almost would have bought it whatever the title, but it happens to be a John Buchan novel called Greenmantle, which is another Richard Hannay spy thriller. It is set in the Middle East during WWI. Now a reminder to myself it's time to read The Thirty-Nine Steps.
The last book in the pile came as a surprise in the mail from Bluebridge's publicist. I don't read many religious books, but this looks quite interesting and can easily be read from a historical perspective. As a matter of fact I'd like to read more books about religion, but am not very sure where to start--I'd prefer books about rather than how-to, if that makes any sense. In any case Catherine of Siena: A Passionate Life by Dan Brophy sounds like it would appeal as much to general readers as to those interested in spirituality or history. By the way Catherine of Siena lived in 14th century Italy and worked to reform the church, which was led by the Pope who resided in Avignon, France and not Italy.
Although I sometimes feel symptoms of withdrawal when I look something up on The Book Depository and know I can't buy anything, at least I do have some small outlet with Bookmooch. By the way, any word when the new Eva Rice book is going to be released? That is one of my last Book Depository pre-orders that I am waiting for. So I still have something bookish (and new) to look forward to in the mail!