What's on Your Night Table?
What’s on your night table? At the side of my bed, atop a small table, is a stack of books waiting to be read. This week’s collection includes the latest issue of Writer’s Digest; Isabel Allende’s The Japanese Lover; and a heart-breaking debut novel, The Sweetness, by Sande Boritz Berger, published by She Writes Press who will be publishing my memoir, Veronica’s Grave, in May.
And down below the table are a number of books that I’ve read, but haven't found a place to store. If you’re thinking that’s not much of a classification system, I’m inclined to agree.
It’s that living in a New York apartment, even one with ample clothes closets, there’s never space enough for all the books that come through the front door. A footstool in the foyer is stacked high with art and design books, likewise a decorative chair in the living room. A 19th century paper-lined Chinese chest on the floor is overflowing with books.
A particularly deep cabinet in the library has shelves triple-lined with books; if I ever wanted to find one of them, I’d be out of luck. A few weeks ago, in desperation, I threw out shoe-boxes holding rarely worn shoes, and then filled the shelf with books I couldn’t bear to toss out.
It’s definitely a New York problem, which explains why the New York Society Library has patrons coming and going, borrowing and returning, all day long. I asked the librarian about why she thought so many of the neighbors went out of their way to use the library when it’s so easy to use One Click at Amazon. She said that lacking attics and basements, New Yorkers are happy to have the library solve their storage problems.
What struck me when looking over my recent reads was how many favorites had a French connection. See for yourself. Each one is a love, each thoroughly enjoyed, highly recommended. Gap Year Girl, by Marianne C. Bohr is also a new release from She Writes Press—a platform for women writers making waves in the publishing industry. Take your pick! Reading is always in style. And then would you take a second to leave a comment and tell me: what was your favorite read last year?
