Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!
I continue to show admirable restraint, limiting my library check outs to what is managable as I wade through the thick tomes I’ve picked up over the last few weeks. Rather inconveniently, all these lengthy holds are coming in as I’m hitting a bit of a reading funk, finding it difficult to work up much enthusiasm for my favourite activity or, more annoyingly, feeling the urge to reread old books immediately rather than reach for the new ones that I have to read on a deadline since they can’t be renewed. These phases usually only last a few days for me, a week at most, but their timing is always awful!
Enchanted Hunters: The Power of Stories in Childhood by Maria Tatar – After pondering my own childhood reading, I was in the mood for more fairy tales and more analysis of why those stories hold so much appeal. I’ve never read anything by Tatar before but she seems to be quite an authority fairy tales and their readers and this sounds like a book I’ll love (also, knowing that A.S. Byatt enjoyed it doesn’t hurt).
Tropic of Hockey: My Search for the Game in Unlikely Places by Dave Bidini – I am always on the look out for good books about hockey (though, really, will anything ever be better than Ken Dryden’s The Game?) so when I saw this on the shelf at the library, I immediately grabbed it. In Dubai, in Harbin, in Transylvania, Bidini tracks the game around the world.
The Novel in the Viola by Natasha Solomons – This is one of those holds that I was starting to think the library was just yanking me around over. As much as I love being able to go online and check my hold status, when it goes on for months and months and months – all the time showing me as 1st in line – there comes a point when I start to lose my mind. But now it’s here!
What did you pick up this week?
The Captive Reader 
I loved Natasha Solomons first book. One of these days I will read Novel in the Viola!
Enjoy your loot!
I liked her first book two and I’m even more intrigued by the plot for this one so I’m really looking forward to it. I need some good, light reading right now and this should hit the spot!
I know what you mean about the library playing games with holds. Or rather, the system does it. I recently had to go investigating a loooooooooooooong and stagnant hold, only to find the item (a VHS of How to Steal a Million) had self-destructed, but the 35 holds were just hanging there, holding onto nothing.
Does your library hold system allow you to make holds inactive? When I find I’ve got too many racing to the top of the list, or I’m not ready for it immediately, or I’m going on holiday, I can make any or all holds inactive, which means they still move up the ladder, but will not be sent to my branch until I re-activate them.
Yes, my other favourite library game is ‘place a hold so the library can look for and then discover it is missing’. This happens to me surprisingly often.
And yes, my library does allow you to suspend holds, which is what I did when I went to Europe and is certainly something I’m considering doing depending on how quickly I get my reading groove back.
I understand what you are going through. Hope it only lasts a few days! Enjoy your loot!
Thanks, Linda!
Ohhh: after being disappointed by From the Beast to the Blonde, I want to give Enchanted Hunters a go! Fortunately, there’s a copy at my branch and it’s library day. 😀
A copy at your branch, on your library day? Kismet, clearly!
I’ve been congratulating myself on the restraint I’m showing at present while I try to catch up……..not easy!! The Novel in the Viola is one I hope to read some time soon.
Happy reading!
Congrats on your restraint! Even as I’m limiting myself, I’m making these epic book lists, planning what I’ll check out on my next big trip to the central branch after I catch up. Which is just going to put me back in the same place I am now!
The Novel in the Viola (the musical instrument, not the flower) is a delight. Enjoy, as they say!
I just finished reading it (the perfect rainy day book) and, as you say, it was absolutely delightful!
I just found this – what a great idea! I love armchair traveling – Tropic of Hockey looks like a fun read (just what I need—more books to put on my to-read list!).
A TBR list can never be too long!
Enjoy your loot! I only picked up a couple of books this time because I’m trying to catch up too. I am VERY familiar with that feeling of wanting to reread old faves instead of trying something new.
Hi Rachel, it seems like there are a number of us all being very disciplined about our library loads this week! I’m feeling very proud about it right now but I know my restraint is going to snap soon and I’ll end up coming home with dozens of books when it does!