Book Butler – At Your Service

Not to disappoint but “Book Butler” is not the name of my sexy librarian Halloween costume… unless… hmmm…

A few weeks ago on one of our library visits, I found myself remarking to Jack, “I am not your personal Book Butler – you do have to try and find some of the books on your own.” In the middle of silently laughing at my own joke – book butler… hilarious! – the young, hipster librarian laughed out loud (like actually, laughed out loud, not just in shorthand) and said she was stealing that line. Since she’s kind of my idol, seeing as she currently holds one of my dream jobs, I was as flattered as if say… Dick Wolf and the team at Law & Order: SVU has asked me to fill in for Mariska for a few episodes.

The truth is I would gladly be anyone’s book butler! I really did think I would own a bookstore one day (ideally in London or the Virgin Islands – covering multiple climates just in case) and well I suppose I still have time. But how about for now, I just continue being your virtual book butler.

Currently on my nightstand (and in stacks on the ground next to my nightstand) are the following (either just finished, or on deck):

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett – If you were a fan of Pillars of the Earth, you will enjoy this immensely. This is an epic saga (and part one of the Century Trilogy) that will give you a different perspective on World War I and it’s a book that you’ll be glad you can’t finish in one night – it’s easy to get attached to the characters.

Inferno by Dan Brown – I didn’t love it as much as The Da Vinci Code, but if you are in fact looking for a fast-paced read that you can finish in one night, you will welcome the return of Professor Langdon.

The Never List by Koethi Zan – I have put off reading this one mainly because I keep hearing how disturbing it is – which I normally love, but ever since I binged-watched Homeland (Seasons 1 and 2), I try not to get myself too worked up at night. From everyone I know who has read it – if you loved Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, than you will enjoy The Never List.

Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life by Byron Katie – Recommended by my therapist (why is that still such a dirty word? As if we all couldn’t benefit from talking to a therapist every so often… Well not Tom Cruise of course, but the rest of us), Byron Katie challenges those rigid beliefs that we all have about ourselves or our situations. Her 4 questions help shed new light on whatever you may be struggling with. And if you are someone who thinks and speaks in absolutes as I know I tend to do, her method can really work to get you unstuck mentally.

That’s just a small sampling of what I have been reading, but if you still need more ideas – here are a few of the Book Lists I have published elsewhere.

And because I am ALWAYS looking for my next favorite book – please tell me what you’ve been reading!!

15 Halloween Books for Kids

10 Horse Books for Kids

15 Anti-Bullying Books for Parents, Teachers and Educators

30 Anti-Bullying Books for Kids

Book Crush

I love reading… seems like a rather lame introduction to a post regarding my undying love for the written word – specifically in book form. But it is accurate – my love for reading is unconditional. I get really amped up over every book I read that takes ahold of me (in a good or bad way) and I have been known to behave a bit like Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook when ranting to my parents about a book (I do this with movies also).

I don’t hate the books I have read that were less than riveting, bored me to tears (looking at you 50 Shades of Grey sequels) or that ended in a manner that I felt was inappropriate – because someone wrote each and everyone of those books. Someone took the time to put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard and pour their heart and soul out in order to produce something that would be judged by everyone who read it and if they were lucky – really lucky – that book would be judged by millions of strangers.

I love reading because no matter what else is going on in my life, no matter how stressed, angry, overwhelmed, tired, cranky, sad or happy, elated, content, relaxed (I am never relaxed) I am feeling, I can open a book and disappear between the pages. If it’s an exceptionally captivating book, then it’s as if time stands still when I am reading and I am transported to the time and place written about in that book; as if I am a quiet observer, almost close enough to touch the characters.

I love reading because I love the way a book feels in my hand – I tried reading on my former iPad (I miss you iPad!), but it wasn’t the same. I like the smell and feel of a book. I have bought used books from antique stores simply based on the way they looked and felt (insert judging a book by it’s cover joke here).

I can’t go more than a day without a book – which means carefully timing my library requests or Amazon orders and as a parent I have tried from day one to instill the same love of reading in my four children. When they were newborns I would read to them aloud from the newspaper, magazines, or books I was reading (as long as they weren’t too scary… didn’t want to scar them from the start) and while I don’t read everything aloud to them anymore, we do read together every day. They especially love when I use my funny voices and I especially love that in the past few years my 2 oldest daughters have learned to read (the twins aren’t far behind) and they love it just as much as I do. We have trouble staying under the 50 book limit on our library trips. Aside from taking their first steps, learning to read is my favorite childhood milestone – the look on their faces when they realize that they have just read the word on the page of a book is enough to bring me to tears. Or when they start to slowly recognize the letters and sound them out and shout to me from the other room, “Mom! This spells DOG! It’s right here in the book!” I love that.

This post was originally intended to share with you some articles I wrote for Untrained Housewife about great books to read aloud as a family and now it’s turned into my love letter to books, but either way you can see – I take reading very seriously.

Check out my 2 new posts on Untrained Housewife: 20 Classic Read Aloud Books for Families and 25 Modern Read Aloud Books for Families.

 

And I thought I would also share with you two tools that I love when it comes to deciding what to read and keeping track of what the kids and I have read. Goodreads is a fabulous site that allows users to keep lists of books they’ve read and want to read, gives you recommendations based on your ratings and reviews and on top of that you can discuss what you are reading with friends.

Another fun tool when you are sad to be done with a book you just loved is What Should I Read Next? You simply type in the book you just finished (or any other book you loved) and they will give you a list of suggestions.

Well enough writing, it’s time for me to go put on some warmer clothes (it’s unseasonably cold in Florida) and curl up with my new library books.

What are some of your favorite books as a child or an adult?