Chris and I made a deal today. He would come along with me to the library and just read a book while I worked, so that I would have someone to guard my stuff (and especially the laptop I borrowed from the library) while I went around looking for books and so that I wouldn't get lonely. (I'm not a fan of long hours of solitary work in the library. Especially in this library; I'm still not comfortable there.) In exchange, we first went to our favourite used book shop and got him a book to read.
He ended up (with my encouragement) picking Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, as we found a used copy that was greatly discounted, due to a bit of a tattered cover. In the meanwhile, I ended up wandering over to their Germany history section, finding two books that really should be in my library: Otto Friedrich's Before the Deluge: A Portrait of Berlin in the 1920s for $5, and Ian Kershaw's Hitler: vol. 1 Hubris 1889-1936 for $11. I was excited.
Chris looked over my books, and especially at the giant book with the name "HITLER" in giant block letters on its spine, and he sighed.
"Sometimes people look at us funny," is all he said.
9 comments:
I'd like to know how Dr. Strange... is. Have you read it? It intrigues me.
Incidentally, you should tell your husband about Dixie's (former) obsessions surrounding WWII. You should ask her about it some time.
We, too, have a book on our bookshelf that says HITLER on the spine in big block letters. Hold on a sec while I check what it's called....
...it appears to be the very same book! What are the odds? If we'd known you were interested, Dixie may have given you the book.
One year as her b-day gift I gave Dixie the Indiana Jones trilogy on VHS as well as Mein Kampf. She asked for both items. We're probably on some kind of FBI watch list now.
So far, Chris really likes JS&MN. It came highly recommended by Karl and one of our favourite English profs, and so I've really wanted to read it. (I haven't read it yet, but I can't wait. Not that I'll have time to read it until, like, October.)
I didn't remember that Dixie was ever obsessed with WWII. But I'm glad that she has some Ian Kershaw on her shelf. He is spectacular. (By the way: is her book volume 1 or two? Does it say "Hubris" or "Nemesis"?)
Ha ha! That's hilarious. I could never get J to hang out and read a book while I was at the library. The closest we got was studying in coffeeshops together when he was finishing up his BA.
The funny thing about Chris is that he was just thrilled to be able to spend an afternoon quietly reading a book, without feeling like he had to be doing anything else. I don't know if I could have done the same thing, if I was in his place.
JS&MS is a funny book. I've even read it twice.
Good job Chris. I know I would read a book at the library with QoWP.
Big c, I'm pretty sure you have read a book with me in the library before. You sure have while coming along with me when I've gotten allergy shots.
You know what's awesome? I think I used Before the Deluge in my paper for Dr B's class. Or something like that. The title sounds familiar. Also, I know that title should be italicized, but I can't get my computer to do it. Don't judge me.
You did use the book; remember how I'd brought a bunch of those books along because I was planning on writing that topic, but then I switched topics while we were in Paris, and so I gave you what books I had? That was one of the books. (It helps that I have a picture of Country Duck sitting on that book.)
It says "Hubris" on it. It's the Whatever-1936 book. Same as yours.
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