One of the difficult things about working surrounded by books all day (yes, I know, life is hard) is that sometimes I find myself reading a book I have no idea why, how or where I found it. It’s easy to find the authors I already know I can’t live without (oh, Terry, please be well and clever as long as you can), or the series that I am eagerly awaiting each new title of (hurry UP, Mr Koontz, and tell me what happens to Christopher Snow), or even the ones that everyone else tells me I MUST read (actually, this category I often get a bit silly about and refuse to read, just to be contrary).
But the serendipitous finds are the real treasures. They may not be the best books I’ve ever read, but the very fact that they come out of nowhere, and without any great weight of expectation behind them, makes them a real treat.
So in the spirit of giving, and with more than a little anxiety (how embarrassing to share a new ‘treat’, only to have others say either, “Oh, that old thing … ” or, “Actually, I didn’t care for that book at all … “), here are a few of my recent unexpected discoveries:
Chris Knopf’s The Last Refuge - boring cover, average book blurb, hero I would normally loathe, but somehow a deeply enjoyable read
Jonathan Coe’s The House of Sleep - old and crusty-looking, but un-put-downable, with great characters, great story and a great ending
Robin McKinley’s Sunshine – yes, it’s another vampire story, but unexpectedly oh so much more than just another gothic horror bodice-ripper! (sorry, Christine Feehan and friends … )
Anyone else out there want to share a surprise find? I promise I won’t be scathing or dismissive …
19 November 2008 at 10:23 am
I know how you feel about finding a book randomly and then really liking it. I picked up the book “Yes Man” randomly at a book store a few years ago and not it’s one of my favorite. Now, I’ve decided to read a book a week for a year so I’m sure I’ll be picking up some more random books.
http://www.fourbooksamonth.wordpress.com
19 November 2008 at 12:36 pm
Jim Crace Being Dead, murder in flagrante delicto..creepy but moving
19 November 2008 at 2:22 pm
Interesting post.
I read Carson McCuller’s ‘The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter’ after finding it randomly on the shelf and not knowing anything about it. I liked the title, the author’s name stood out for being similar to that of my favourite author Cormac McCarthy, and when I read the back I saw the author shared my birthday… all, by my own standards, terrible reasons to read a book. But I loved it!
19 November 2008 at 5:27 pm
When I was going through my getting in touch with my deeper intuitive side phase, I became aware that whenever i went near the shelves in the 100’s section of the library, that ‘The Road less travelled’ seemed to fall at my feet! Ahha I thought, I am being told something, I must read this book, my life will be changed and I will find true happiness. I read it avidly hoping for elightenment, but nothing happened so I put it back on the shelf for some other unsuspecting customer.
23 November 2008 at 8:04 pm
To Phil: I’m always so impressed by people who set out to do such structured things! I know I’d only last 3 weeks before wandering off somewhere .. Good luck!
To Tom: Hey, my reasons for randomly choosing books usually involve the covers being black and/or with shiny bits and/or with the word ‘book’ in the title, so don’t feel bad!
23 November 2008 at 8:06 pm
To Joyce: Ewwww!
and to Jane: Ha! Made me ROFL – that’s mean AND funny!