Saturday, May 23, 2009

Reader's Delight

It's a long weekend in the U.S. and many people use this weekend to open summer homes on Cape Cod, and others to have backyard barbecues. One of the best ways to relax on a long weekend is to visit a good bookstore like this one on West Street. It's an open air reader's delight run by the Brattle Book Shop, one of America's largest antiquarian book stores. What's your favorite book and do you ever re-read a book, or is once enough?

22 comments:

Unknown said...

There's nothing like a good bookstore to browse in. To name a favorite book is almost impossible, as I've got too many of those. Maybe one of Steve Pratchett's many books? Or Bernhard Cornwell? Or...? A really good book has to be read more than once to get all the nuances.

VP said...

I agree with Christopher, nothing is better than to wander in a good bookstore. If serial re-readers do exist I'm one of them. Better find something new in a known book, than waste time with a new bad one. And the world is sadly full of not so good books...

joo said...

The place looks like paradise for me - I could spend hours in bookstore like this!And world is luckily full of books:):)
Have a great weekend!

Birdman said...

I get lost in these places for hours! Nice post today. Enjoy the LONG weekend... Read!

cieldequimper said...

Oh please, don't let me loose in there! It looks wonderful! I very rarely re-read books and can't name a favourite, I have over 2000 books and there would be a minimum of 10 favourites... Have a great Memorial weekend!

Buenos Aires Photoblog said...

Looks like a very interesting place. I like the idea of reusing books, rather than buying new ones all the time.

Buenos Aires Photo

Cezar and Léia said...

Hello friend from Boston!
I totally agree with your words about a good hint for the weekend there! I like to go to good book store staying there for hours without notice that! Specially an antiquarian book store,it would be wonderful for me!About my preferences I like to read and I love many books.I could cote one of my favorites that is a classic book “ The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry among my classics!
Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy this amazing city of Boston and don’t forget that you are blessed for living in such cool city!
Your friend
Léia

brattcat said...

Interesting that so many of us have a passion for books and for photography. I would say my first question in a new town is, "where are the bookstores?" (unless I'm really hungry) I'm not a re-reader. There are so many books I haven't read yet, will never find the time to read. Great post.

Malyss said...

About the questions on reading, now you know That I seldom re-read a book.I don't agree with Vogon Poet: why to read again a book when there are so much to discover, so, I re-read a very few books, but I like to discover some new one that will bring me a new pleasure;And my favorite did not change" the solace of open space", by G. Ehrlich, even if there are a lot of books I love. Now about the picture:
first surprising thing, there are only men here! Then, My eyes were attracted by the pictures on the wall, and I saw Isaac Asimov, the one who created the three laws of robotic..I guess that place allows you to succumb to your subversive pleasure...:-))
What ever kind of books such a place sells, a bookshop a paradise on earth for all kinds of readers!
Oh, and last thing, visiting Cape Cod is on my to-do-list, it's a place that makes me dream..

Hilda said...

I'm there already!

I can't resist bookstores of any kind…

I've a few favorites that I read every few years and you can tell which ones they are because they're so dog-eared (if hardbound, then the spines are broken). Most books are only worth reading once though.

B SQUARED said...

Very few get a second reading but I can't part with any of them.

Lowell said...

Oh boy, I could spend hours rummaging around in that store! Love bookstores, and especially "old" bookstores.

Great photo - it really captures the essence of the place.

Re: Your French on Cedar Key DP - I haven't a clue, but would guess it refers to legs of a frog...

Have a great weekend!

Stefan Jansson said...

I have so many favorite books. The list would go on and on. One American writer I can recommend is Matt Ruff. I have read his three novels and if you want to read something different, try Sewer, Gas & Electric, or Bad Monkeys.

amatamari© said...

I have too many books favorites to choose one!
The last is "Underworld" of Don De Lillo

Beautiful image, thanks!
:-)

DAG said...

This is truly a wonderful book store, I have bought many there and i love the collection of old magazines. I have purchased some for birthday gifts.
It is unfortunate that the younger generation does not seem to have a lot of readers. They are poorer for it.

Stefan Jansson said...

I have started reading Underworld a couple of times. But as I know absolutely nothing about baseball, I couldn't get past the first 60 pages.

Julie said...

Books and reading and writing are a life-line for me. Books to me are a sensual delight: to run my fingertips over the spine; to bury my nose deep in the pages. I trawl the second-hand bookshops in our Eastern Suburbs regularly looking for used treasures.

I frequently re-read, or dip into for a passage that I recall. I also devour poetry books which can be found scattered anywhere in my little house.

Good post ...

2sweetnsaxy said...

I go through spells where I read all the time and then I don't read anything for a while. I'm in my haven't read anything in a while. Still, this book store looks like the kind of place I'd love.

Marie-Noyale said...

I am keeping this address ..
I just finished last week a re-read of Cider house rules from Irving I had read it many years ago.
I enjoy his writing .

Marie Reed said...

This is pure bookworm heaven! My favorite book is Cannery Row.. I've read it a zillion times. I love to read the thesaurus though and snuggle up with it in bed before sleeping. ANd how would you answer your own questions?

Clueless in Boston said...

Thank you all for your comments. To answer my own question (Thank you Marie for the gentle nudge).

I have several favorite books, which I do upon occasion re-read. I feel if you really love a book and enjoy it, why not live in that world again and again.

In no particular order after my all time favorite Anna Karenina:

Moby Dick,
From Here to Eternity,
Master and Margarita,
Goodbye To All That, and
Dune.

The only book I ever instantly re-read was Bulgakov's Master and Margarita. It may have been because of the time and place of reading it, but I had to read it again immediately.

Maggie said...

I've been doing a bookstore series- love this cone and it's on my list to visit the next time I'm in the area!

And I LOVE books, and have a few that I'll read over and over again, but for 99% of all others, once is enough.

I don't have one fav; I have a list of favs but TO Kill A Mockingbird is most certainly on my list!