Book ramblings

[oyceter]

Went to the public library again today. I love public libraries so very much. Books for free! How can one go wrong?

I found they had a copy of Neil Gaiman's The Books of Magic, which was nice, because there's a quote in there that I've been searching for forever. It is:

"For there are only two worlds -- your world, which is the real world, and other worlds, the fantasy. Worlds like this are worlds of the human imagination: their reality, or lack of reality, is not important. What is important is that they are there. These worlds provide an alternative. Provide an escape. Provide a threat. Provide a dream, and power, provide refuge, and pain. They give your world meaning. They do not exist; and thus they are all that matters."

I've been leisurely rereading Sandman after getting them back from a friend, and it feels like a long chat with some old friend I haven't met up with in quite a while. One of my very favorite issues of Sandman is "Ramadan" in Fables and Reflections for the beautiful idea of a dream city, for the gorgeous prose and the visuals all combined. I also love the very first one in Preludes and Nocturnes, Nuala, all of Brief Lives, "The Sound of Her Wings," the one where Dream first meets Hob gadling, the Chinese story in The Wake, the art of The Kindly Ones, "Tales in the Sand," the introduction of the Endless in Season of Mists, Lucifer and so many other things. Now I feel a desire to reread Good Omens, which is very possibly one of the funniest books I've ever read. Sarah even bought me a stuffed boa named Crowley after she named her stuffed owl Aziraphale.

Then I borrowed Abhorsen by Garth Nix, which concludes the interesting world he started in Sabriel, an anthology co-edited by Robin McKinley, and The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon because it's gotten excellent reviews. Straying a little from fantasy there. It's funny how I find almost all my books in the YA section. I just read Armageddon Summer by Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville because lm liked it, and it was good. The kids sounded real, and I liked how it looked at faith and religion and family.

Now I will reread The Books of Magic. Yay!

Comments

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you had a nice day! I haven't been to the library in ages, but you've inspired me to make the trip. I find that every time I go to the library, I'll borrow maybe one or two new books, but I'll also take out eight or nine books I've already read. Kinda like visiting old friends, seeing them again after a long separation and getting reacquainted :)

Love that quote from Gaiman. I've been searching for his graphic novels but I'm not really sure where to check. I doubt my local Chapters will have it. Maybe a comic bookstore?

[oyceter]

Mmm I love the public library. I'm just sad that the Princeton one used to be in walking distance and now the boy has to drive me there. But that's because they had to move it so they could build a newer and bigger one! Not that I'll be there for that, but it's still nice to know that people care about the library. I actually end up getting lots of random stuff from the library to sample and end up buying all my old favs from the bookstore. I don't like buying books I haven't read (unless they're part of a good series I'm reading or a favorite author), so the library helps me expand my book tastes.

Hrm... most public libraries I've been to will have a little section for graphic novels, but if they don't, comic bookstores or amazon.com. I highly recommend starting with Sandman, but warning! It'll break your wallet. There are ten graphic novels total, and each one is about USD 20. Guh. I found them very worth it though ^_^.