Book Your Ticket

One of my favorite places to shop for books is the Brent Books store across from my office. Why? I go through a bazillion books a year, and that can be a very expensive proposition. Brent's always has a remaindered book table where everything is marked down to five bucks. A sampling of some of the things I've picked up there within the last year:

Between Silk and Cyanide: A Codemaker's War, 1941-1945 by Leo Marks. This is a fascinating autobiography by the creator of the codes that changed the course of World War II for the allied forces.

Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Landvik. Never been to Minnesota before? You'll feel like a native after reading this charming book about friendship and family.

Wait Till Next Year: A Memoir by Doris Kearns Goodwin. You don't have to be a baseball lover to enjoy this book. In fact, if you don't already love the game you'll most certainly fall in love with it along with young Doris.

For the Sins of My Father by Albert Demeo. Growing up the son of a mobster isn't always Growing Up Gotti or The Sopranos. This book is a heart-breaker.

Yes, I occasionally pick up a trashy bodice-ripper, as well. When they come off the remainer table, they're usually pretty good reads. I'm currently giggling out loud (on the Metra train. Yes, I get funny looks) over Spin Cycle by Sue Margolis. Here's an example why:

"Shelley gave her a withering look. 'Rachel,' she said leaning over the coffee table and handing her a mug of mint tea, 'has it occurred to you that maybe you got him all wrong, that maybe you overreacted. I mean, perhaps he wasn't staring at your tits at all.'"

"'What do you mean, not staring at my tits?' Rachel said indignantly, through the mouthful of scone. 'Shelley, believe me. His eyes were fixed on my mammaries like the Hubble telescope on Alpha Centauri.' She took a sip to wash down the scone."

"'Ah, you might think they were, but what if he's cross-eyed?'"

"'Cross-eyed?'"

"'Yeah. Why not? It's possible. We had a domestic science teacher at school who was cross-eyed. Clarence we called her, after the lion in Daktari. She could fillet a mackerel and starch a pillowcase at the same time.'"

Is it any wonder I spewed my coffee across the aisle on the way to work this morning? It may not be high art, but it's a fun read.
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Hmmm. Tits, the Hubble Telescope, crossed eyes, Daktari, mackerel and pillowcases all in five short paragraphs. Sue Margolis must have met this rowdy crew at some point in her life.
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