Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Sharlene from Real Life Reading 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 have discovered the only thing more frustrating that the library being closed: the library being closed when it is allowed to be open. We are slowly figuring out what the “new normal” looks like here and as of this week a number of things are allow to reopen albeit in very new forms, including libraries. My library system is (slowly, wisely, frustratingly) taking its time to figure out how to do this. We know they’re planning to offer a takeout model at select branches but neither the timeline nor the branches have been announced yet so for now it’s status quo. But there is the promise of new books at some point in the nearish future! For now, I’m still checking out lots of ebook and working my way through the stack of physical books I borrowed at the beginning of March.
Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler – I wasn’t going to miss Tyler’s new release! (Book Depository)
Man at the Helm by Nina Stibbe – In my whirlwind March stock up, I grabbed Reasons to Be Cheerful by Stibbe without realising it was the third in a series. Very happy now to have gotten my hands on the first book. (Book Depository)
Thorn by Intisar Khannani – I spotted this on a list of Ramadan reading recommendations on Twitter and finding out it was a retelling of the Goose Girl fairy tale cinched it for me. I cannot resist anything based on fairy tales. (Book Depository)
I’ve been spending a LOT of time out walking (even more than my usual ridiculous amount) and while morning birdsong is lovely, mid-day crow sounds are not so I’ve been drowning them out with audiobooks. Right now I’m listening to Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay, which you may recall I adored when I read it a few years ago.
What are you reading this week?
The Captive Reader 
Well at least your libraries are thinking of opening! Here
in Scotland I don’t see any signs of that at all. But I do completely understand that everyone, especially the staff, needs to be kept safe. But walking past the local library windows on the way to buy groceries is indeed frustrating – all those imprisoned books!
It is odd, though, how the authorities decide on what is an ‘essential service’. Here, our largest DIY chain has remained open, as have off licences. Although the DIY chain is framing its ads round ‘we are here to provide your essential needs’ they are of course selling everything they stock, and many people (mostly men) are obsessively decorating, painting fences, installing stuff – I’m not saying this is a bad thing, just that libraries are similarly important to many people.
As you are out walking as much as I am, I wanted to mention a wonderful book I’m reading – Ghost Trees by Bob Gilbert. It’s about the nature – trees, plants, wildlife – of Poplar, the part of London’s East End in which the author lives, but it’s also so much more than that, full of stories, people & local history, absolutely fascinating. And two other nature writers that are my great favourites – Jim Crumley, whose latest, The Nature of Summer, is just out – & I specially recommend his Nature’s Architect – and Esther Woolfson – her Field Notes from a Hidden City is also wonderful.
Another v short book that I’ve just read is quite different – Joan Smokes by Angela Mayer. Excellent & thought provoking.
Thanks for the reading recommendations, Rosemay!
We’ve been really lucky here (in British Columbia especially but also in Canada at large) with how our various levels of government have handled covid. We’re down to only 12 cases in ICU in BC now (out of a population of over 5 million) so it’s exciting to start seeing things open up a little.
I’ve really enjoyed Nina Stibbes’ work. Her nonfiction about her time as a nanny in London w a well-connected literary family (who lives next door to Alan Bennett) is pure joy. Her novels are excellent as well.
Great! I’m really looking forward to this one.
No sign of libraries opening here in Wales but even if they were it will be a long time before I venture across the threshold. The virus numbers have come down but not enough to make me feel it’s time to go anywhere other than essential. I have loads of books at home I can enjoy in the meantime.
For the initial opening they are only discussing pick-up/drop-off service. I think we’re a long, long time away from libraries being what they were and getting to enjoy browsing again.
that sounds like a sensible plan – so people have to make a request in advance for a particular book I guess
Ah, a good reminder to read more GGK! My library has started a contactless pick-up service! I would love to borrow more books for the kids but I also feel a bit nervous about that…