Tuesday 6 January 2009

Forget elections, BOOKS are my porn

Just wanted to let you all know that I am, in fact, not suicidal. In retrospect, it was probably a bad idea to post that in my tired/jetlagged/homesick state.

Today, in an effort to get over myself and enjoy life again, I wore my favorite sweater and went to Hodges Figgis, my favorite bookstore in Dublin. It's not the cheapest, but it's the easiest to find things in, they cater to Trinity students, and the service people are always so helpful.

It's amazing the effect bookstores have on me. Seriously, it's a little scary. First thing this morning, I thought to myself, "I'm going to Hodges Figgis. Full stop. I need a bookstore." I even got up early to make sure to miss the crowds.

And miss the crowds I did. It was basically just me, my latte (oh, I forgot how good they are here) and the entire fiction section. For I while I just wandered and stared at the covers, picking up books at random and flipping through.

Then I pulled out my list. Big mistake. Apparently the book list for my Tolkien class is not so much a list of books as a list of topics we will be discussing. My panicked look and my sheet of paper drew a very concerned salesman, who asked me if I needed help in a way that suggested perhaps I might need someone to take me back to the place with the padded walls and the white jackets.

But eventually, after about ten or fifteen minutes of going through the list topic by topic, we sorted out what was what, and I was promised they would order my books and call ASAP. I then tripped lightly through the rest of the store, grabbing Tolkein, Cecila Ahern, Nora Roberts, chick lit for Thursday's class, and even a treat for myself -- Phillip Pullman's The Subtle Knife.

A stop at Lemon (the crepe place from two posts ago) for a BLT made my morning complete. And while I still have to get groceries and read Nora Robert's Hidden Riches for my class tonight, I think, overall, today will be a pretty decent day. It's amazing what a good bookstore will do for one's state of mind.

3 comments:

Corey said...

Okay. There's a crepe place. That settles it...I HAVE to come to Dublin!

Anonymous said...

I knew you would feel better once you got there and settled back in. And what is that quote from Rory about books? Do you remember that? I always thought of you when I heard it but you know me and my memory I can never remember just what it was she said... something about the smell of books? Anyway I am glad you are doing better. I finished "Untamed" this morning how about if we make a vow not to let anyone know we read that lame excuse for a book? :)

KT said...

Corey -- Yeah you do :D

Mom -- I don't remember the quote, but I think it's when she goes to the Harvard Library? Or maybe the one at Yale. And as for the book, I think you'll like Hidden Riches better! It's about an antiques dealer and an ex-cop.