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forgereads17's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.25
hktul's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.25
Love books about books. Sometimes literary lovers can sound a bit pretentious when they wax on about the lose of long words but Fadiman is so goddamn sincere that it comes off as a charming trait. This was the pick me up book that I needed, it's self-aware and endearing while making me want to reexamine my relationship with books.
norasteinkopf's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.25
abbeyhar103's review against another edition
4.0
This was so delightful and resulted in a lot of reading out loud
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
According to the title, Anne Fadiman is a common reader, I would say that it is an understatement, because she reads the way most people breath: all the time. Her essays on reading are funny and wonderful. She came a family of readers, where books contained notes in the margins, dogeared, smudged sticky fingerprints and splayed face down for easy retrieval (and I shudder at the thought). Her thoughtful and loving husband bought her 19 pounds of books from a secondhand bookstore for her birthday (I can't think of a more romantic birthday present).
If you love books about books, I highly recommend it.
If you love books about books, I highly recommend it.
jojo_27's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite books of all time. I'm not terribly picky about genre in my reading; what I care about is craft, and this book is a work of art. Each word is carefully and lovingly chosen, for if Anne Fadiman is anything, it is a true lover of words. She uses them to prick, to enfold, to surprise, to enlighten.
I discovered this gem on a discount bookshelf in college, and after the first read, I went back and bought all the remaining copies (five or six) to give as gifts to carefully selected friends. I myself have re-read it at least once a year since, at first thrilling at new ideas, then drawing comfort from the familiarity of an old friend when in strange places. With each reading, I learn something new about Ms Fadiman and about myself.
I've had discussions with multiple friends over the merits of courtly vs carnal love; compared quiz results from "The Joy of Sesquipedalians"; agonized over what should rightly be the focus of my own "odd shelf"; debated with men I'm not even dating the best way to marry libraries, and the merits of doing such at all; tried to divine which of my own friends will someday grace my friends and family collection; and relived the beauty of Wordsworth's "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room", all the while resolving to give poetry another try.
If you love books, if you love words, hasten with all your might to this one.
I discovered this gem on a discount bookshelf in college, and after the first read, I went back and bought all the remaining copies (five or six) to give as gifts to carefully selected friends. I myself have re-read it at least once a year since, at first thrilling at new ideas, then drawing comfort from the familiarity of an old friend when in strange places. With each reading, I learn something new about Ms Fadiman and about myself.
I've had discussions with multiple friends over the merits of courtly vs carnal love; compared quiz results from "The Joy of Sesquipedalians"; agonized over what should rightly be the focus of my own "odd shelf"; debated with men I'm not even dating the best way to marry libraries, and the merits of doing such at all; tried to divine which of my own friends will someday grace my friends and family collection; and relived the beauty of Wordsworth's "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room", all the while resolving to give poetry another try.
If you love books, if you love words, hasten with all your might to this one.
premium_huhn's review against another edition
4.0
Anne Fadiman schreibt in verschiedenen vergnüglichen Artikeln über die Merkwürdigkeiten, die einer Bücherliebhaberin so im Alltag begegnen.
Ein wirklich witziges Buch, in dem ich mich so einige Male ertappt fühlte. Das Kapitel über die Zusammenlegung ihrer Bibliothek mit der ihres Mannes ... das Kapitel über das automatische Fehlersuchen in Speisekarten. Ich hab mich stellenweise scheckig gelacht. Nicht zu empfehlen, das Buch in der Öffentlichkeit zu konsumieren (es gibt übrigens ein auch Kapitel über den wortwörtlichen Konsum von Büchern^^). Das ein oder andere Kapitel bzw. die ein oder andere Aussage waren auch nicht so meines, aber allgemein merkt man immer, das die Autorin von Herzen, mit Witz und Verstand schreibt. Manchmal feiert sie sich ein wenig zu hart selbst - aber auch das gehört vielleicht zum Schicksal einer Bibliomanin.
Insgesamt Lesempfehlung und herzlichen Dank an Daniel, der mir das Buch geschenkt hat. Ich hätte es ohne ihn nie in die Hand genommen und wirklich was verpasst!
Ein wirklich witziges Buch, in dem ich mich so einige Male ertappt fühlte. Das Kapitel über die Zusammenlegung ihrer Bibliothek mit der ihres Mannes ... das Kapitel über das automatische Fehlersuchen in Speisekarten. Ich hab mich stellenweise scheckig gelacht. Nicht zu empfehlen, das Buch in der Öffentlichkeit zu konsumieren (es gibt übrigens ein auch Kapitel über den wortwörtlichen Konsum von Büchern^^). Das ein oder andere Kapitel bzw. die ein oder andere Aussage waren auch nicht so meines, aber allgemein merkt man immer, das die Autorin von Herzen, mit Witz und Verstand schreibt. Manchmal feiert sie sich ein wenig zu hart selbst - aber auch das gehört vielleicht zum Schicksal einer Bibliomanin.
Insgesamt Lesempfehlung und herzlichen Dank an Daniel, der mir das Buch geschenkt hat. Ich hätte es ohne ihn nie in die Hand genommen und wirklich was verpasst!
lamom77's review against another edition
4.0
Like most essay collections, there were some essays that I really enjoyed and others not so much. It is always fun to hear how others love of reading began and continued through their life.
meme_too2's review against another edition
5.0
This book is delicious to the soul. Well written, fully thought-provoking, pure enjoyment. And where does she come up with some of the words she uses? Holy cow! What a vocabulary! I truly feel akin to a fellow book lover.