Book shopping on a five day weekend

I hope your extended weekends were relaxing, enjoyed, ect.

Mine? It consisted of homework, shopping, sleeping, and the occasional movie marathon. Very fun. Very nice. Very needed.

As the title said, I went book shopping. I had asked almost exclusively for gift cards to Barnes & Noble for Christmas, so I had money to spend that I, sadly, just couldn't spend anywhere else.

The danger? It's nearly impossible for me to control myself in a bookstore. I'm like a kid with $20 in Toys R Us: I pick up any and every book along the way that catches my eye. Soon, I have a huge stack of books, none of which I want to put back. When I finally get it through to myself that it would be a bad idea to buy all of them (a: I want to save some money for later; b: I might not like the books once I actually get home), some tough decisions must be made. To decide which ones to cut, I have to read the summaries and reviews carefully, open up to a random page (to make sure the writing style isn't drool-worthy), check prices, and, I have to admit, look at the cover.

"Never judge a book by its cover." Good advice for anything but books. I cannot like a book if the outside is a leathery, dirty-orange or simply boring. When I put a book down that I am reading, I want there to be something that draws me in again- that being the cover. Of course, the plot brings me back, too, but the cover makes it irresistible.

Shall I tell you which books I finally decided on? I think I will.

1. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Considered Hugo's tour de force, the book is set in 1832 Paris. The main character, Jean Valjean, was a prisoner for nineteen years for stealing bread for his starving family. When he is released, he decides to try to start a new life without the police, tearing up his prisoner's card. Throughout the book, he encounters many "unforgettable" characters and attempts to do good despite being hunted. I have seen the musical and loved it, so I wanted to give the book a shot. The lady who rang me up at the register said, "I tried that book. Got through thirty pages and couldn't do anymore!" Considering the book is 1280 pages long, it makes me a little nervous. Oh well, it has been given a five-star rating by almost everyone who managed to finish it.
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin Need I say much about this book? It is one of the world's most popular novels and considered by Austin herself to be her 'darling child'. Elizabeth Bennet, the poor yet independent and witty woman intrigues Mr. Darcy, the rich yet reserved man. It's the 'chick-flick' book that, though set in earlier times, still intrigues us today. I've seen the movie and decided that the book would be a good starting-point for me to begin reading novels with older language.
3. Selected Stories of O. Henry by O. Henry/William Sydney PorterI've only read one of his stories (The Gift of the Magi), but liked it and decided to give this one a shot. It was only $6, and the longest story was only about 15 pages long. I like short stories, so why not?
4. The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers Ultimately, this book looks like a big, fat, fairytale. What's not to love? Bluebear (which, he mentions himself, live for 27 years- he is merely telling us half of them) lives in a world of Zamonia. Within the story, there are creatures galore: Minipirates, Hobogoblins, the Spiderwitch, the Gelatine Prince, etc., etc., etc.! Also in the book are Moers' own illustrations. I'm really excited to start this one.

Unfortunately, I may not get to start them until the summer- I still have a few at home I need to finish before I start the new ones (a personal rule). But buying them was so much fun, I had to share.