Odd O'blography

On the Bookshelf

I'd bet that most of us have a special shelf dedicated to books that we really, really mean to read one day. Of course, some of us are less tidy. Some of us have a shelf and also a pile of unread books stacked in a corner. A few of us may even have a stack of boxes filled with books (guilty). The allure of the printed word is powerful, and the idea of reading is sometimes more gratifying than actually doing so. We've all suffered the disappointment of diving into a 'great' book that turned out to be a dull slog. So, the anticipation and good intentions that accompany those unread books can be well worth the ‘waste of space’.

Remember B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, Borders, and Crown? The big chains are mostly gone now, but Half-Price Books endures to feed my habit. I used to visit those bookstores like some people went to the zoo. I loved the sight (and smell) of the pristine new book jackets. The delightfully random spine colors, the soothing quiet, the orderly arrangement of the different sections - an entire world tour was available on their shelves, and more. Old favorites, exotic lands, startling new ideas, and horrific monsters stood side by side.

Some of my unread books are classics that I should read, some are delicious treats from favorite authors that I definitely will read, many are 'bargains' that I'll never read, and a few have such compelling titles that I just couldn't resist taking them home.

Here's a sampling of the latter group:


When Mediation Fails by Donny Brooks

Framed by Holden D. Bagge

Living With Anxiety by Titus A. Drummond

Rent, Don’t Own by Lisa Carr

3 Sheets to the Wind by Ginny Sayler

Introduction to Plate Tectonics by Myles B. Lowe

Criminal Methodology by Jimmy D. Locke

Guide to Bowling by Howie Rolle

Savanna Melody by Rory Lyons

Impulsive Behavior by Oliver Suddens

Cat Training for Dummies by Claude A. Bunche

Fulfilled: Memoir of a Pastry Chef by E. Claire Baker

A Song for Christmas by Carole Ng

The Book of Questionable Answers by Jeb Purdy

The Blooms of May by April Schauers

Keeping Secrets by Don Evert-Tell

How to Hit Your Targets by Amy Welles

The Art of Appeasement by Ben Dover

Living With Hiatal Hernia by Ginger Lee

Criminal Behavior by Robin Steele

Feeding a Crowd by Kate R. Ng

Marginal Trading Strategies by Owen Moore

Pouring the Proper Pint by Phyllis Kupp

Too Much is Never Enough by Gil D. Lilly

A Leisurely Repentance by Marian Hastings

Knick Knacks & Paddy Whacks by Roland Holmes

Queen of Limbo by Lois Barr

The Twisted Tress by Braden Harris

Silent, but Deadly by Sharon DePugh

The Last Bullfight by Gordon Downes