A new year, a new month, so new books

Smells delicious

A full week into January and six new books have sneaked into the house. (I say sneaked but I’ll be honest with you; I knew they were coming.)

After the 1000-book purge of the latter part of last year, this may seem a tad foolish but I discover new books and new books get written. What’s a boy to do?

Of course I made a bargain with myself that when new books came in, old books would have to leave. (It was really a bargain with my wife but taking ownership prevents resentments building up!)

Here are the new books:

1. Wolfgang Streeck — Buying Time: The Delayed Crisis Of Democratic Capitalism
2. Charles Johnson — The Way of the Writer: Reflections on the Art and Craft of Storytelling (This is a Scribner paperback and I have to say that it smells wonderful.)
3. John Berger — here is where we meet
4. John Berger — and our faces, my heart, brief as photos
5. Raoul Martinez — Creating Freedom: Power, Control and the Fight for Our Future
6. Jack Kornfield — A Path With Heart: The Classic Guide Through The Perils And Promises Of Spiritual Life

I have already started the second of the Berger books but the rest will have to wait until I clear some of the backlog building up on my desk and by my bed. Oh well. Better to have books waiting that face that horrible moment when there is nothing new to read. Imagine!

I will decide which books are to sacrifice themselves for the new arrivals later in the week. Let them tremble on the shelves for now. Cruel, I know, but there is nothing worse than a bookcase of books who think they have a right to be there.

Ahem.

As you were.