Books and such

After teaching today I walked to the library near Trafalgar square to borrow some books. This library usually has a good selection, unlike the library close to where I live. My local library seems to mainly stock chick-lit, 'romance' novels and thrillers. When I got there, it turned out that it was closed for refurbishment - maybe the council could have advertised this on its libraries page, rather than the fact that they put some kind of video on Youtube? So I ended up going into Waterstones and buying three books in a three for two deal with a gift voucher and some loyalty points. I haven't bought novels in ages - I've been going to the library instead, - so I'm feeling a bit guilty, as I am bound to end up giving one or two of them to charity. Still, books aren't that bad value compared to cinema tickets or even DVDs.

I bought the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - it is quite surprising that I haven't read this one yet. I haven't seen the movie either. The second book is the new Alexander McCall Smith book, The World According to Bertie, which I was planning to buy anyway. I like his novels when I am in the mood for something light and for beach holidays. The third book is On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan, which I am hoping will be very good.

It was sort of silly though to buy three books, when I was planning to order some off the internet as well. I started reading a library copy of A Suitable Boy, but since the book is about 1000 pages, I felt that maybe I should get my own copy. I might just re-borrow it from the library now. I am also planning to buy Reason For God, because it was recommended by one of the pastors at my church. And my book group picked Diving Bell and Butterfly as our next read. It sounds thoroughly depressing and neither of the libraries I go to stocks it. At least it's cheap on Amazon, but it may just go straight to charity after the book group meet...

At home I had a package waiting for me: I finally got the two old Rowan magazines I ordered about two weeks ago (or was it just last week?) I really liked the designs on Ravelry, but I think if I just picked them up in the shop, I wouldn't buy them. Maybe it's the styling? At least now I have quite a few 4ply cotton patterns, which is what I wanted. And there are definitely a couple of patterns here that I would like to knit. Still, unlike Interweave Knits, leafing through them is definitely an anticlimax. But I do love the Kaffee Fassett blanket in Magazine 37, even though I haven't even seen it online.