Feb 14, 2013

Blog Luv: Books on the Nightstand

I'm the kind of person who looks for inspiration everywhere ... and I truly mean everywhere.  While there are times when I wish I was someone who had a deep knowledge about one or two things, I've grown to accept that I'm a student who gravitates toward the buffet instead.  I just have too many interests (always have) and that's okay.  Mark often teases me that I absorb so many bits of knowledge that I'm like a walking encyclopedia -- but remember, don't ask me for too many details as I'll only have to hem and haw and eventually walk away so as not to embarrass myself.  ; )


While I'm a visual learner, I read all the time, as much as I can in spite of being very slow. This is one of the reasons that I've never lasted very long in a book club.  But I miss the experience of reading along with a friend, of sharing thoughts about a book's characters or plot or a writer's technique.  Much to my absolute delight, I came across the Books on the Nightstand podcast over the snowy weekend, and I'm hooked.


I find book recommendations in all sorts of ways, but listening to the hosts of BOTN is like having two very knowledgable (and smart) friends as my personal librarians.  In one afternoon of listening to roughly three of their episodes, my list of books grew to ridiculous proportions. I ran to my local library, filled my arms with their book recommendations, and, as you can see from the first photograph, I've only got 14 (actually now 10) days to read these.

I've cracked open Karen Thompson Walker's first novel The Age of Miracles which is about the earth's rotation slowing.  After living through the recent extreme weather patterns here on the east coast, I can't help but feel a connection to the big questions of time and space. And, you know what?  That's what books do for us: help us connect to all sorts of questions, big and small.

10 comments:

  1. Oh, I'm seeing this after your GoodReads question! So you have started it! I'll be interested to hear how you like it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like the sound of that podcast - I'm off to check it out :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ooh, thanks for the podcast recommendation, I'm going to look into it too!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the podcast recommendation. I love listening to podcasts while walking to work and while knitting. Do you have any good knitting ones you recommend?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Interesting! I'm always down for good book recommendations.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really appreciate your post and you explain each and every point very well. Th content is amazing, keep posting friend it will be very helpful for everyone.The Equation book

    ReplyDelete
  7. I listen to BOTKS all the time. So glad you are sharing how wonderful the show is. Many of my book selections on Goodreads, come from them.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Loved this post! I don't have the time for reading that I did and it saddens me. Enjoy your books :D

    ReplyDelete
  9. I listen to audiobooks in the car on the way to work. That is the only way I can keep my book queue from being too overwhelming. I'll have to check out the podcast. Sounds interesting. I'm currently listening to the Craft Lit podcast of Jane Eyre.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I admire how you read such intellectual books. It's always fun to find inspiration and why not?

    ReplyDelete