Saturday, March 20, 2010

Bibliomania Day

Apparently, today, March 20, is officially Bibliomania Day! (See Kim's post at Chapter Chit Chat). This is a day when everyone who suffers from book addiction can celebrate their vice! Since I've been tagged and brought in for questioning, here are my true confessions:

Are there any books you would like to beg, borrow, or steal?

I would love to have a first edition, first printing of a Nancy Drew mystery. Did you know that when the books were first published, the books contained 25 chapters? They went through a revision in 1959 where they were edited to 20 chapters. If you ever come across a Nancy Drew Vol. 1-35 that contains 25 chapters, hold onto it!

Are you addicted to trips to Borders or the public library?

I do love visiting bookstores (Barnes and Noble, Borders), mostly with my kids, and I try to make a library run at least once every few weeks. I adore the solitude of the library, and I've made the best book finds just strolling up and down the aisles with nothing particular in mind. There's also a used paperback shop near my home that I snoop around in often.

Do you have a way to remember what books you have read?

I started a LibraryThing membership in May of last year as a way to start organizing books I've read and want to read in the future. There's no way I can remember everything I've read in my life, but I have tried to think of as many important ones as possible. After starting LibraryThing, I discovered book blogs...can you imagine? Just a few months ago, I didn't know what a book blog was!

When did your love of books begin?

I guess my love of reading began like most book lovers...snuggled next to my mom as she read fairy tales to me. I have a very strong memory of listening to her reading from a children's treasury of stories and poems. I loved the poem, "The Swing," and my favorite story was "The Elves and the Shoemaker."

My favorite childhood books were Charlotte's Web, The Secret Garden, Little Women, The Princess and the Goblin, and of course, Nancy Drew.



Here is one of the earlier photos of me "reading" my brother's comic book at around 2 1/2 yrs. old!


(Why are chunky thighs cute on a baby and not when you're grown?!)

What is a favorite book? Author?

I love all the Diana Gabaldon books in the Outlander series. If I ever go to a desert island, these would be my books of choice.

Do you still have in your possession a book borrowed, but not returned to its rightful owner?

I don't think so, because I make it a point not to borrow other's books; I also don't lend out my books. Once long ago, I loaned my beloved paperback copy of Forever Amber to a friend, and she....misplaced it. :( Never again.

What's the most in library fines you have owed?

Zero -- I'm great about returning library books on time......videos at Blockbuster, however, are a completely different story!

Do you loan books out to others? How do you keep track of them?

See above.

Thanks, Kim -- hope I've answered your questions adequately. Happy bibliomania day to everyone!

9 comments:

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

Joanne...great answers. I love the picture of you when you were little. Reminds me of one of me around that age.

Thanks 4 stopping by today.

Unknown said...

My mom has some of the original Nancy Drew hardcovers - I didn't realize that about the chapter length! Thanks for the fun nugget of knowledge. :)

Julie at Outlandish Dreaming said...

That's an adorable picture of you reading! I wish I still had my old Nancy Drews, they were my mother's and they were the old orginal blue hardcovers. I remember being sick in 5th grade and my sisters found them way up high on a shelf in our library and brought them to me to read in bed. I devoured them like candy! I still remember Nancy's roadster and George's bob hairdo and scaredy cat Bess - and of course Ned Nickerson! They were great books! I always wondered what chains were, didn't it seem like Nancy always had to put chains on the wheels of her car?

Loved your answers - fun post!

Kim said...

Good fun! Such a sweet picture of you, too! We must be kindred spirits with the Nancy Drew books. I have all of the yellow hard bound edition and 14 of the 25 chapter ones you mentioned (not first editions) -- white spine, dust jackets -- but alas, no Secret of the Old Clock. The covers are really beautiful.

Trivia: In August of 1932, Nancy Drew volume #9 The Password to Larkspur Lane was released for a brief time and then replaced with volume #9 the Sign of the Twisted Candles.

Then in September 1933 Volume #10 Password to Larkspur lane was re-released. IF you find a 1932 printing of Larkspur Lane, you have found the Holy Grail of Nancy Drew collectibles.

Joanne said...

Kim -- I'm gasping for breath....you have editions with 25 chapters???? You have a real treasure as they are not easy to find! I didn't know about the 1932 printing of Larkspur Lane....I'm sure there's a copy packed away in someone's grandma's attic!

Diane, Ruth, and Julie -- Thanks so much for joining in bibliomania day and leaving comments; I think every day is a good day for bibliomania day. And long live Nancy Drew!

Kals said...

Your blog is lovely and that photo is precious!

I'm a major Nancy Drew fan and I had no idea about the chapters in the Nancy Drew books.Little Women on the list is another thing we have in common.

Loved reading your answers :)

Joanne said...

Hello, Kals -- thank you for stopping by for a visit. Your Pemberley blog is lovely.

Svea Love said...

I loved reading this Joanne! Wow, that cover of Nancy Drew is beautiful. Have a great weekend :)

Whitney said...

I would covet a first edition of Nancy Drew too, I loved those mysteries growing up. I also love the picture of you, it actually reminds me a bit of Roald Dahl's Matilda.
I have an award for you!

Favorite Period Dramas

Mount TBR

Joanne's to-read book montage

On a Highland Shore
A Light on the Veranda
Entwined
The Queen's Vow: A Novel Of Isabella Of Castile
The Edwardians
Maisie Dobbs
Howards End
Lady's Maid
Instruments Of Darkness
When Maidens Mourn
Where Shadows Dance
What Remains of Heaven
Where Serpents Sleep
Why Mermaids Sing
When Gods Die
Shadowfever
Before Ever After
The Sugar Queen
Garden Spells
After the Night


Joanne's favorite books »
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