Confessions of a Bookseller

I never read Jane Eyre before last week. I was so charmed and surprised by this novel that I am amazed it managed to slip through my grasp for so many years. I purchased a copy of Jane Eyre when I was in sixth grade and my teacher told me I would love it. Thirteen years passed between that one interaction in a bookstore and me finally deciding to read it.

The plot is beautiful. It's a gorgeous love story. I was moved to tears several times throughout the book. I was also moved to read several parts aloud to all of my roommates (four to be precise). I even exlpained the entire plot to three of them to allow them to fully appreciate the prose.

Jane Eyre reminded me what is so great about good books. The strong presence of themes and symbolism helped me realize why this would have been required reading in high school. In short...I loved it.

(i'm also playing a blogging game with friends, hence the horse prompt, feel free to play along)
Horse prompt: What are the top three things on your wish list for Christmas (the more amazing and impossible of getting the better)

Favorite Blog Friday

There's a new blog I am quite fond of. Black Cover.

They compare other Black Notebooks to Moleskines. It's a pretty intense comparison. They test how transparent the pages are with different pens, they let you know how flexible it is, how easy it is to write in and it's precise measurements. It all makes for a lovely blog that I love reading.

If I lived in San Francisco...

I would go to this.

Magazine Round Up

Every Friday we get new magazines. Some of the titles we did not ask for (like Fairway Living Your Luxury Lifestyle Resource and Major League Soccer, The Magazine for Soccer Lovers) and some I love (like The Believer and Juxtapoz).

This week I feel the need to share the thoughts that crossed my mind as I unpacked our magazines today.

My secret boyfriend James Franco is on the cover of Out.

Amy Adams is looking fantastic on Vanity Fair, she used to work at Hooters?

Hugh Jackman is on a horse for Men's Journal

And Martha wants you to make everything by hand for the holidays in Martha Stewart Holiday, Special Edition

I find I never take the time to read magazines, but I do love looking at the pictures.

Library Envy

As a book lover I dream of one day owning a house and finally giving my books a room of their own. In this dream there are floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with well read and loved books. Come to find out my dream library gets put to shame by Jay Walker's real library. I'm a little jealous and a lot in love. Thank you Wired magazine for bringing this national treasure to my attention.

The last paragraph of the article is the best.
"Walker struggles to balance privacy with his impulse to share his finds with the outside world. School children often visit by invitation, as do executives, politicians, and scholars."

I have one question: How do I get invited?