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Ex Libris
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader | Anne Fadiman
Anne Fadiman is--by her own admission--the sort of person who learned about sex from her father's copy of Fanny Hill, whose husband buys her 19 pounds of dusty books for her birthday, and who once found herself poring over her roommate's 1974 Toyota Corolla manual because it was the only written material in the apartment that she had not read at least twice. This witty collection of essays recounts a lifelong love affair with books and language. For Fadiman, as for many passionate readers, the books she loves have become chapters in her own life story. Writing with remarkable grace, she revives the tradition of the well-crafted personal essay, moving easily from anecdotes about Coleridge and Orwell to tales of her own pathologically literary family. As someone who played at blocks with her father's 22-volume set of Trollope ("My Ancestral Castles") and who only really considered herself married when she and her husband had merged collections ("Marrying Libraries"), she is exquisitely well equipped to expand upon the art of inscriptions, the perverse pleasures of compulsive proof-reading, the allure of long words, and the satisfactions of reading out loud. There is even a foray into pure literary gluttony--Charles Lamb liked buttered muffin crumbs between the leaves, and Fadiman knows of more than one reader who literally consumes page corners. Perfectly balanced between humor and erudition, Ex Libris establishes Fadiman as one of our finest contemporary essayists.
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psalva
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📖 Ex Libris 🖋 Euripides 🎞 The Exorcist 🎼 Electric Light Orchestra 🎤 Eight Days a Week #manicmonday #letterE @CBee

CBee Hi 👋🏻 thanks for playing!! 😊 2y
9 likes1 comment
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triplem80
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Panpan

I was so very disappointed by this one. I fancy myself a pretty big #booknerd, so a book about books sounds perfect to me! But I just found the author so pretentious. The subtitle doesn't seem to fit -- she doesn't come across as a “common reader“ at all! I almost bailed on this one, but I figured I might as well stick it out since it's pretty short. I did relate to her essay about being a lunatic proofreader, but otherwise...meh.

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Vansa
Ex-Libris | Anne Fadiman
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#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView
1.Not at all,space is a huge premium where I stay,so there's barely space for books I want to read,let alone decoration!And as this bookshelf shows,not too fussed about organising it decoratively either!
2.Whatsapp!When I read is when my best friend is free to text because of time differences.Also looking up things on the internet from books I'm reading

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 2y
14 likes1 stack add1 comment
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jlhammar
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Dining room-cookbooks, home & garden
Fireplace mantel-nonfiction, alpha by author
Front room-fiction by country first (American authors, English authors, etc.), then alpha by author (and in pub date order for each author). Books about books together.
Hallway-philosophy, theology, history, children‘s lit

I only buy physical books, both hardcover & paperback.

“Marrying Libraries” in tagged collection is a fav!

#ThoughtfulThursday @MoonWitch94

tokorowilliamwallace Nice, some philosophy and theology in there! 2y
36 likes1 comment
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Mindyrecycles
Ex-Libris | Anne Fadiman
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Pickpick

I am so thrilled that the Tucson Festival of Books is back after a 2 year absence. It‘s a wonderful event, a source of great pride for the city. ♥️ #tfob22 #tfob

Nute Oh my goodness! That looks like so much FUN!🤩 3y
Cathythoughts That absolutely looks like fun. Lovely to see people back together again ❤️ 3y
68 likes2 comments
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Adventures_of_a_French_Reader
Ex-Libris | Anne Fadiman
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Pickpick

Great collection of essays about books, reading, and the passion for words.
It's the perfect pick-me-up. While reading it, I disconnected from my everyday life to laugh, nod, sometimes disagree with the very well written thoughts Fadiman shares with us.
I have to admit loving reading books about books, and I noted the titles she recommends, or that she mentions in her essays.
If you haven't read it yet, go get a copy, you won't regret it ;)

Lcsmcat I love this book! 3y
24 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Adventures_of_a_French_Reader
Ex-Libris | Anne Fadiman
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Currently reading and writing in the margins of this book ;) Often, when I read essays, I have a silent conversation in my head with the author, pausing, reflecting, taking time to silently answer to their writing. But this time, I'm sharing my thoughts in the margins. I'll gift this book to a dear friend of mine, so there are personal notes/references/jokes... She's going to LOVE it, and it's a great way for us to read together, haha.

Adventures_of_a_French_Reader What's written are some of my thoughts about the essay "Never Do That To a Book" ;) 3y
marleed I love this! 3y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled This is a lovely idea!! 3y
Adventures_of_a_French_Reader @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled It's like a reading capsule ;) It was so fun to do 3y
23 likes4 comments
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mrp27
Ex-Libris | Anne Fadiman
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#wishesandblessings

A #green stack in front of the #fireplace

LeahBergen Your place looks so festive! 3y
mrp27 @LeahBergen Thanks! It‘s a much smaller place than I‘m used to and it doesn‘t require much. 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful 💚📚💚 3y
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Andrea313 Gorgeous photo! And I love the tagged book, too. 💚 3y
mrp27 @Andrea313 Thanks! Ex Libris is certainly a favorite. 3y
Eggs Double play! 💚🔥🧡 3y
22 likes6 comments
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Becker
Ex-Libris | Anne Fadiman
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My idea of comfort reading. 📚

charl08 Love this book. 3y
24 likes1 stack add1 comment
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TheStoriedLife
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“There must be writers whose parents owned no books, and who were taken under the wing of a neighbor or teacher or librarian, but I have never met one….when I walk into an apartment with books on the shelves, books on the bedside tables, books on the floor, and books on the toilet tank, then I know what I would see if I opened the door that says PRIVATE-GROWNUPS KEEP OUT: a child sprawled on the bed, reading.”

2 likes1 stack add
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Readerann
Ex-Libris | Anne Fadiman
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Pickpick

I love books about books!
First completion for this weekend‘s #20in4.

In_the_stacks Oh I loved this one too! Books about books are the best 😊 3y
Readerann @In_the_stacks Yes, indeed! 3y
22 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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MemoirsForMe
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Pickpick

Anne Fadiman grew up in an almost obsessive literary family and shares the funniest insights in this brilliant essay collection. It even helped me appreciate my own bookish quirks & compulsive proofreading!🤪Anne‘s stunning writing style and stories make this my best read yet. Thanks to @maich & #ReadingwithMaja for challenging me to read a green covered book for March, or this delightful book might have sat on my shelves for another 20 years!

maich I'm glad you like it💚👏 4y
MemoirsForMe @maich 🤗💚 4y
PurpleyPumpkin Hope all is well with you, Donna. Sounds like this was a great read! Nice way to end your reading month. ✅😁 4y
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MemoirsForMe @PurpleyPumpkin Hello my friend! Doing well here especially when a gem like this falls into my hands. Hope you‘re having fun and doing well! Are you finally getting some warmer weather there? 4y
PurpleyPumpkin It‘s been a bit milder, but has become cool again. Still, the sun is out and the days are longer so it‘s all good! Hope the weather has been good in your area as well. ☀️ 4y
MemoirsForMe @PurpleyPumpkin Getting sunnier here too! Hope you have a nice Easter! 🐰💕🌞 4y
59 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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Simona
Ex-Libris | Anne Fadiman
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Pickpick

Collection of essays about words, reading, books, libraries ... it‘s always nice to see the peculiarities in other people reading habits/attitudes🤓 Nice, short and sweet.
#Nonfiction2021 - something about reading

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Sounds fun! 4y
Simona @Riveted_Reader_Melissa It‘s fun, audio book is perfect for house chores 4y
53 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Simona
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At the moment I have four nonfiction books in my #weeklyforecast Two audiobooks are in progress and I have no doubt that I will finish them this week.

charl08 I love ex libris, but can't imagine listening to it. Very tempted to try though! 4y
Simona @charl08 Interesting! Because I feel just the opposite. Those short, humorous essays works for me on audio format perfect 👌 4y
Cinfhen Nice!!! I love a FULL PLATE 4y
54 likes3 comments
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Simona
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#weeklyforecast is combination of a different formats, genres and challenges ... but because of my library holds that pile can be during the week completely different ... the only sure thing is that I‘m going to finish The Fifth Season today.

Cinfhen How are you liking 4y
Simona @Cinfhen I struggled with the begging, but after 100 pages I‘m in the world. I like it, but I can‘t say if I‘m going to continue with the series 🤷‍♀️ 4y
Cinfhen That‘s probably where I‘ll fall...but those first 100 pages might be REALLY ROUGH for me 4y
maich The Fift Season tudi mene mika. Malo me meti, ker je 1.del v seriji. Imam tolk nedokončanih serij, da si ne želim še ene🙈 4y
Simona Kaj ma za škodit? Še pač ena nedokončana serija...😘 4y
58 likes5 comments
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Lcsmcat
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Yes! This is me, and why I can‘t wait until browsing in secondhand bookstores is a thing again.

Palimpsest ❤️Yes! Waiting for this day, too. ☺️ 4y
charl08 I need to reread this book 😍 4y
36 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Lcsmcat
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I first read this in ‘99 or 2000. A lazy Sunday, nursing a cold, seemed a good time to revisit it. It has held up.

Trashcanman I hope it passes soon. 4y
Lcsmcat @Trashcanman Thanks. It‘s not serious, just making me feel lazy. 4y
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SW-T
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Pickpick

Yes, please! A book by a book lover discussing her love of books. What‘s not to like? Definitely recommend this gem. 🥰📚

34 likes2 stack adds
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AutumnRLS
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Final shelf assembled. New bookends placed. Now just a little tidying up to do.

LiteraryinPA What a beautiful spot! 4y
Nute Lovely! 4y
22 likes3 comments
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Gnora
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Finally unpacking the home library! My husband custom built these shelves for me. There‘s a tiny bit of touch-up painting to do, but otherwise they‘re finally done. There is another short shelf & my book cart on the other side of the dormer window. 🌈📚💖

#homelibrary #books #rainbow #happy #library

LiteraryinPA Beautiful!! 4y
Thousand-Lives Wow!! 😍 4y
quietjenn So wonderful! 4y
24 likes3 comments
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jb72
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Interesting article: https://bit.ly/373iXs1

If you haven‘t read Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman, go and read it. Anne is my new best friend (even though she doesn‘t know it yet). For a long time, I felt compelled to keep books in some sort of pristine condition, but through the years I now see I‘d rather have notes and memories in my books to be able to look back and reminisce over a cup of tea. ⬇️⬇️

jb72 Now I make annotations and squiggles and leave bookmarks and fingerprints. The book itself tells a story along with the words on the page. And yes...I have turned an old paperback book into a chicken. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun. (edited) 5y
Geenie I am just beginning to realize and do this as well! 5y
jb72 @Yoshi-and-a-book That‘s great! 5y
29 likes3 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
Ex-Libris | Anne Fadiman
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Pickpick

This is a wonderful collection of essays about books, the joy of reading and memories created through reading of an avid book lover. It‘s intimate, and full of wit. I find some essays more interesting than others, but overall the book is genuinely entertaining and well worth the read. The first story, my favourite, got me hooked.
#NFNov

umbrellagirl I remember enjoying this. You‘ve motivated me to read it again. 💙 5y
charl08 A favourite book about books! I love her writing style. 5y
Kalalalatja Love books about books 💚 5y
Clwojick 6 pt 5y
80 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
Ex-Libris | Anne Fadiman
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#bookreport

Tagged book in progress. Loving it so far.

Eggs I loved The Reason I Jump 5y
Cinfhen Great!! Nice week (edited) 5y
Cathythoughts An excellent weeks reading ✨✨✨✨✨ 5y
57 likes1 stack add3 comments
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MaGoose
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Pickpick

Absolutely loved this book of essays. This gets two thumbs up. 👍👍👌😍

jb72 I read that book this year and absolutely loved it! She is my new best friend even though she doesn‘t know it. 5y
25 likes1 comment
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MaGoose
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Book haul (like I don't have enough books!). I'm not sure which I want to read first. I'll probably begin reading the top three in the stack as I'm in the habit of reading a few books at once. I've already begun the tagged book.

CoffeeCatsBooks I love Anne Fadiman! 5y
MaGoose @CoffeeCatsBooks I think this is the first thing that I've read by her. Ex Libris is a slim book of essays - I haven't gotten too far into it, but so far I'm enjoying it very much. 5y
Linsy I loved the one on top! And now I really want the second one 5y
36 likes3 comments
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GatheringBooks
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Tera0707 I have a friend whose husband has two or three typo-tattoos. One takes up his whole forearm and I said “oh wow! Too bad such-and-such is spelled wrong!” (Can‘t remember the word) A tattoo artist once told me “check my spelling over and over because I‘m paid to make it stick; not for my spelling.” 5y
54 likes1 comment
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thebluestocking
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July was just an okay reading month for me. I was busy with lots of other things, which happens sometimes. But my reading picked up at the end of the month, which I hope will continue into August.

#julywrapup #monthlywrapup #julyreads

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thebluestocking
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Pickpick

This is a very thoughtful and humorous collection of essays about books and reading. As usual with essay collections, some were more enjoyable for me than others. But overall, the reading experience was very pleasant. My favorite essay was the first.

KathyWheeler I loved this book and enjoyed her other essay collections as well. 5y
thebluestocking @KathyWheeler Ooh. I‘ll have to check out her other stuff! 💙 5y
KathyWheeler @thebluestocking She wrote one about the class of cultures between American doctors and the family of a Hmong child with epilepsy that‘s supposed to be really good. I can‘t bring myself to read it because I have epilepsy, but I‘ve heard nothing but good things about it. It‘s got a great title: 5y
60 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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jb72
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#thursdaysurvey
1. Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman
2. Mr Salary by Sally Rooney
3. New release (once I get caught up): Bewitched and Betrothed by Juliet Blackwell
4. GR reading goal was 100 books and so far I‘ve read 83.
5. @Erin7 @kindergartenkat @Crazeedi
Thanks for the tag @xxjenadanxx

Crazeedi Thanks for tag!! 5y
14 likes1 comment
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Christine
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Pickpick

This has to be one of the titles that‘s been on my TBR the longest. No more! And hooray for long-anticipated books that meet one‘s high expectations. I always love Fadiman‘s writing, and in this it was especially delicious - so brainy and word-nerdy yet funny and irreverent. (And I love how she suggests reading Steinbeck on Cannery Row as a book nerd triumph - I did that back when I used to live in Monterey! I read Cannery Row, obviously. 🤓🐟)

Theaelizabet I loved this book. I‘ve just reread 84, Charing Cross Road, now I feel like rereading this “book about books”, too! 5y
Christine @Theaelizabet Ooh, that is on my physical TBR shelf, must get to it soon! ❤️ 5y
Zelma I adore this book, especially the essay about combining bookshelves with her husband. 5y
Christine @Zelma Yes!! So great. ❤ 5y
Oblomov26 This was a lovely book - so enjoyable 5y
55 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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jb72
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#thursdaysurvey
1. Ex Libris - tagged
2. Me Salary by Sally Rooney - 1 star
3. I‘d like to read City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
4. Yes - read 100 books - I‘m about 30 books ahead (but I count children‘s books and short stories too)
5. I‘m a day late because I got sidetracked so I tag anyone else who wants to join.
Thanks for the tag @xxjenadanxx

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AutumnRLS
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Current reads. #podcastreads

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Vansa
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Vansa
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2 likes1 stack add
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Vansa
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Prithu_reads
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Here's a book eater. I mean, literally! 😄

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Prithu_reads
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Now, that is what we call reading!

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Prithu_reads
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review
Thndrstd
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Pickpick

A book I finished in 2018:

A lovely collection of short essays about the love of books and language. Beautifully written, smart, funny and full of sesquipedalian vocabulary. Delightful.

41 likes1 stack add
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Sace
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Pickpick

I loved everything about this. For some the prose might be a tad purple, but that just made it better for me. I highly recommend getting it on audio. It's meant to be listened to IMO.

BarbaraJean I LOVED this book, so much. Hadn‘t thought about getting it on audio... I think maybe I need a re-read via audio soon!! 6y
Sace @BarbaraJean YES! The audio was great! 6y
92 likes2 comments
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Sace
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#loveatfirstlisten The narrator is perfect and the writing is wonderful.

Lcsmcat I read this years ago and loved it! 6y
Sace @Lcsmcat It's wonderful writing. 6y
93 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Briary
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It's finally Saturday and time to enjoy some lovely books and TBR planning. 🎉

SledgeReader Beautiful piece of crochet work! Did you make?? 6y
Briary @SledgeReader Thank you! yes I've made it ☺ 6y
SledgeReader Lovely! You are very talented. 😍 6y
20 likes3 comments
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GatheringBooks
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Mehso-so

#ReadingResolutions Day 5: Anne Fadiman talked about #Bookstore(s) in her reading memoir. I confess to not loving it as much as I thought I would: it was only the 1st essay which really made me laugh as she talked about Marrying Libraries. The others I found to be quite alienating and not really much to my liking. Full review here: https://gatheringbooks.org/2014/05/10/saturday-reads-the-distinctive-taste-and-s...

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scripturient
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I ordered an embosser stamp yesterday and today it was already in the post. The picture is a bit blurry but this is what it looks like. Can‘t wait to use it for my books. 😍

LiteraryinPA Love it!! 6y
Susannah That‘s awesome! 6y
Sarah83 So gorgeous 😍😍😍💖😘😘 6y
See All 8 Comments
julesG That's cool. Pretty fast delivery, too. 6y
Heideschrampf 💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕 6y
Aims42 So cool!!! 👍🏻 6y
BookBabe Yessss! Love this so much! 😍😍❤️❤️🙌🏻🙌🏻 See, @MrBook , I told you we need one of these! This is awesome! 6y
scripturient @BookBabe Thank you!! :) I just sent out your chocolate package. It doesn‘t have a tracking number though but should be there in about two weeks. 😊 6y
107 likes8 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
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Ruthiella Great selection! I own all three too! I‘m a sucker for books about books 📚😍 6y
Crazeedi If it has *book* in the title, I have to check it out and most of the time I'm reading it! 📚 6y
103 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Tomigirl44
Pickpick

One of the best books I‘ve read in a long time - refreshing, fun, and an author I could relate to, as we have similar perspectives about books. I think almost any reader would enjoy this collection of essays. It was fun using my kindle dictionary to learn new words (that has never happened before and it was great). I‘m looking forward to reading more by this author.

RaimeyGallant This sounds so interesting. 7y
3 likes1 comment
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Eyelit
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Pickpick

This was a re-read for me for #freakyfriday (cause it‘s been so long since I first read it). I liked it pretty much the same as when I first read it. I consider it something of a comfort read. I like Anne and her quirky family and their reading habits.

TheLudicReader This is on my tbr shelf. 7y
CoffeeCatsBooks I‘d love to just sit in on one of their dinners. 7y
Eyelit @CoffeeCatsBooks oh yes! That would be so interesting! 7y
charl08 So good! A favourite here too. 7y
92 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Mindyrecycles
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Pickpick

RIP Books on the Nightstand. 😢 I love all my reading podcasts but botns was my favorite. #bookishpodcast #readingresolutions @Jess7

Bookzombie I loved it too! 7y
PurpleyPumpkin I‘ve heard good things about this podcast. Sorry I didn‘t get to it sooner!😞 7y
Beckys_Books I miss this podcast 7y
100 likes3 comments
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umbrellagirl
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Want to use LT? Did you know there is a promotion where your account is upgraded to lifetime for FREE if you log in via one of their mobile apps!

You can also friend me at ofthatilk 🙂

#librarything

Samplergal Do tell how. Just log in on the app?? Certainly there is a catch. 7y
GarthRanzz I don‘t see anything about account upgrades at all in the iOS app. Just an app that hasn‘t been updated in three years. 7y
umbrellagirl @GarthRanzz The app is only for cataloguing. It doesn‘t have any other capabilities. 7y
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umbrellagirl @Samplergal No catch. Just log into your account on the app and they will do it. I r also heard they are waiving fees for Littens but I don‘t know how that works. 7y
Mommamanzi Just created one, not too sure how to add a friend. My user name is mommamanzi407 7y
Seekingtardis I‘m with @Mommamanzi I don‘t know how to add a friend either but my username is seekingtardis 7y
DarcysMom I am DarcysMom over there. I have no idea how to add friends, or how to navigate much on LT. I have the android app and it seems pretty sparse. 7y
Laura317 Well I signed in. I‘m chinamom64. I can‘t figure a thing out. 7y
Samplergal I‘m not sure of the whole point of it yet. I‘m karennovakoski over there. 7y
IamIamIam How does that work? I DLed it last week and signed in so how would I figure out if it's upgraded? 7y
aprilpohren I am ajpohren on LT. I am trying to reacquaint myself with LT. I have been a Lifetime member for years but haven't used it in a very long time. 7y
Itchyfeetreader I am same user name over there and have re-energised and tidied an old account (and horrified myself by the number of unread books I have!) I got the sense from some of the posts I skimmed that friending wasn‘t the done thing so have not really connected with anyone at the moment... maybe I‘ll stick to adding litsy folks for now! 7y
aprilpohren I friend requested everyone listed in this thread 😁 7y
DarcysMom I friend requested people, too. 😁 7y
SandDune I‘m a longtime LT user (and new on Litsy) and no, we don‘t friend as much as some sites. Doesn‘t mean we don‘t have friends! Best way to get to know people is to join an active group that fits the sort of things you read (look under the Groups tabs), comment on other people‘s threads in the group, and start your own. It is actually very friendly. Last time I looked the app wasn‘t great. I use LT via Safari on my phone. I‘m SandDune there too. (edited) 7y
SandDune Meant to say - if any one wants to see how the threads work please feel free to pop over to my current thread on LT. http://www.librarything.com/topic/289454# which is on the 75 Books Challenge for 2018 Group. (edited) 7y
umbrellagirl @SandDune Thanks! I signed up ages ago but just started using it. 7y
Astroneman My username is michela79 7y
umbrellagirl I‘ve sent friend requests to each of you 💙 7y
64 likes19 comments
review
Nebklvr
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Mehso-so

What kind of love do books inspire in you? Courtly love—you treat the book as a pristine object or carnal love where you annotate and highlight to your hearts content? This is a bunch of essays centered around books and bookish people. Amusing and interesting and occasionally tiring.