Bookishness

Random thoughts from browsing in a bookstore:

1. I'm sad that Erle Standley Gardner's books have been out of print for years. It's not fair that Agatha Christie's continue to be so well-known & popular, when his were just as good as hers.


2. P.S. I Love You was based on an unusual idea that had the potential to make a really great story, but Cecilia Ahern's writing style ruined it... too flippant and shallow, I think. Not enough emotion in the writing. A pity. Not going to ever read anything by her again.


3. In contrast, The Time Traveler's Wife was brilliant... Audrey Niffenegger has a new book out, saw it at BookXcess. Maybe I'll get it. Only RM19.90, after all. Pretty cheap for a book these days.


4. Why do publishers seem to think I want to have a huge picture of the author on the back cover? This is a horrible trend. What happened to the sypnosis? I couldn't care less what the author looks like! I want to know what the book's about!


5. Back when I was a teen, I read a P.G. Wodehouse book (one of the Jeeves ones -- can't for the life of me recall the title) and remember it as being very funny... strangely enough have never read another Wodehouse book since. Why is that?


6. Some books are better off being left in the past where they belong. When reread, they don't live up to the long-remembered magic.


7. So many names I recognise on the spines, but have never read...


8. And all those books I bought because I thought they'd look good on my bookshelves, and were worthy of reading -- still unread, too! *sigh*


9. Freakonomics was one of the most fascinating non-fiction books I've read in recent years... I want Super Freakonomics but I think I'll wait to get it.


10. Thinking of Freakonomics reminds me of Adeline Yen Mah -- I don't read that many non-fiction books. But Adeline Yen Mah's books are sooooo sad. (Autobiographical)


11. There ought to be more books with cool titles like Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins. Stop trying to sound clever and interesting already. Just ends up sounding pretentious. "The Secret"?


12. Dear Undercover Economist looks very interesting but RM43.95 for humour? It's just a collection of letters and clever-snarky answers! Oooh... website... *checks*... oooh the letters & replies are online at the author's website! Yay!


13. Okay, reconnoitering done. Nothing I really want here, phew. Omg! I'm walking out of a bookshop without having bought anything!