Hello Over Sixities.... what are you reading for October,2015?

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Hello Over Sixities.... what are you reading for October,2015?

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1JaneAustenNut
Bearbeitet: Okt. 7, 2015, 3:28 pm

Hello out there on LT, are there any over sixities still reading, listening or watching literary discussions? I am listening to Murder by Steven Crossley now; just got it from the library. Also, I'm reading Methuselah Project an ARC from LT and soon starting Come Rain or Come Shine by Jan Karon ( a Mitford Novel ).

2Meredy
Okt. 7, 2015, 8:50 pm

Yes, I am. I've just brought Ian McDonald's new novel, Luna: New Moon, home from the library, and I'll probably start it after I finish Far Tortuga for a group read elsewhere on LT. Meanwhile I have other things going on slower tracks.

3PhaedraB
Okt. 8, 2015, 1:08 am

I'm re-reading a bunch of paperbacks before I sell them or give them away. First up is Terry Prachett, with some Dorothy Sayers waiting in the wings.

4Maleva
Bearbeitet: Okt. 9, 2015, 5:02 pm

I've recently started O Lost by Thomas Wolfe. This is his first version of Look Homeward, Angel, before Scribners editor Max Perkins re-edited it for publication. Nothing against Mr. Perkins, he was a great editor of genius, but so far I think I prefer this earlier version. It's a bit over-written in spots, but that's Wolfe's style. He had such an enormous appetite for Life that he couldn't hold anything back. I know he's not popular anymore, but his prose moves me in unusual, unexpected ways that I cannot explain, so I don't try. To explain, that is.

5Storeetllr
Okt. 21, 2015, 2:26 pm

I'm reading horror this month in honor of Halloween. Finished Harbor aka Harbour, by John Ajvide Lindqvist, the author of Let the Right One In. I enjoyed Let the Right One In, but Harbour was kind of disappointing. Now I'm reading The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman, the author of Those Across the River, which I read last year for Halloween. So far it's pretty good. Vampires in NYC, but these are not sexy, and the story itself is gritty, gory, and even a bit kinky, though not in a titillating way. Both audiobooks, which I am beginning to prefer now that my eyes are getting old and easily tired.

>3 PhaedraB: I've been thinking of giving away my collection of old paperbacks too but I want to read at least some of them before I do. How are you planning to sell/give away yours?

6PhaedraB
Okt. 21, 2015, 3:18 pm

>5 Storeetllr: The market for used books is pretty thin. Most used bookstores don't even pay for books anymore.

My late husband had a rather specialized library (he was a writer), so the more interesting ones I sell on eBay. Many of those are bought by his fans, but some don't sell at all. eBay is a pain, though.

I sell others to local used book stores for pennies on the dollar, but they usually only take a third or less of what I offer them. One place usually turns down anything that isn't in fabulous condition, and even then, sometimes things I'm sure they'd like, they turn down.

I was chatting with another bookseller to whom I sell older and more specialized books, and he told me he used to buy a lot more books, but customers aren't buying them anymore. The book market has changed radically in the last couple of decades.

If something gets bounced from all these outlets, or I think it's just too old or in too bad a shape to be of interest to them, as long as they're readable I toss them in a giveaway box. The local animal shelter does a book sale once a month ($5 for a bagful!) so sooner or later they'll get the box.

One alternative that my husband used to do was to send paperbacks we'd read to deployed military. We used to have a contact for that, but he's now retired. I imagine there are lots of programs for that, though.

7Storeetllr
Bearbeitet: Okt. 21, 2015, 3:50 pm

Yes, I was afraid that might be the case. It's hard to think of getting rid of my Golden Age of Mystery and Classic SciFi/Fantasy paperbacks, many of them still in good condition, though the paper's gone yellowy and brittle, especially if no one really wants them. I thought I'd try putting them up on BookMooch or PaperbackSwap, but I may just donate them to the library if nobody shows an interest on those sites. I may try to find a Little Free Library, because though I like the idea of BookCrossing and have done it in the past, I think most of the books one leaves laying around in lobbies, hotels and on trains just get tossed. I don't think the military would want such old books, though now I think of it maybe doctors' offices and hospitals, nursing homes and the like might be interested.

8PhaedraB
Okt. 21, 2015, 8:06 pm

>7 Storeetllr: Sci-fi paperbacks are big hits with the troops. There are private charities that do this, or if you know someone stationed overseas you can just send a boxful. We'd cram as many as we could in one of those flat-rate boxes.

9Storeetllr
Okt. 21, 2015, 9:00 pm

Huh, that's interesting. I'm going to investigate. Thanks for the info!