This week my teaser lines come from Henrietta Sees It Through: More News from the Home Front 1942-1945, by Joyce Dennys which, although it sounds like nonfiction, is actually a novel first published in 1986 and recently reissued by Bloomsbury USA. I've just started this one, but I can already tell it's going to be a quick read. Told in the form of letters to a childhood friend, the novel is narrated by Henrietta, a character Dennys developed in her writings for Sketch magazine during World War II.In this excerpt, Henrietta is describing her reaction to signs she's seen that say "Give a Good Book in Aid of the Red Cross":
I was pleased when I saw them, for I thought it must mean that books of a religious nature were needed, and as I haven't got any it absolved me from all responsibility....To part with even one of the tattered and incongruous volumes which form what I am pleased to call my library is, for me, worse than losing a front tooth. Sometimes I wake in the night and writhe to think of the books I have lent to people and never seen again. (pp.142-143)Yes, I know how she feels. I have the same problem when it comes to parting with books. Except for library books and books lent by friends, if a book finds its way into my eager little hands, it's generally mine for life. Fortunately, I have a husband who is much, much better at clearing out, donating, and throwing away.
Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by mizB at Should Be Reading. If you'd like to read more teasers, or take part yourself, just head on over to her blog.
And please feel free to leave me a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in your comment here.
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ReplyDeleteGoodness! I wish I could keep all the books that come into my hands but I would need a much bigger house. I have two teasers this week. My YA teaser is from A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull and my adult teaser is from The Other Side anthology. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI'm intrugued by books written as letters. Not too easy to write well! My teaser: The Anthologist: A Novel
ReplyDeleteLuv the teaser. I like it when books are talked about in a book. I also love to read books filled with letters.
ReplyDeletehttp://readwithtea.blogspot.com/2011/02/teaser-tuesday_21.html
Great teaser. I love all my books and flat refuse to part with them even though they take up most of my bedroom.
ReplyDeleteSally.
http://theelifylop.blogspot.com/2011/02/teaser-tuesday-7.html
That is a great teaser, I love my books too, but I donate to the library or take to a second hand bookstore, I also keep a few, like some of the old classic, or a favorite author and I just loved the book and can't part with it, for now. Who knows, someday I may read it again.
ReplyDeletefun teaser--I mourn for books I'll never see again as well.
ReplyDeleteI've only lost "one" book in that way, and I sort of think of it as a gift to a favorite professor of mine, ;)
ReplyDeleteI empathize. It's been six weeks since I saw my book Life by Keith Richards. I do miss it slightly now.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good one especially the time frame. We keep very few books after they are read - they go north to friends and family once a year and what doesn't go get donated to the library.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week, happy reading and here's my Teaser
I totally understand how she feels about books! Every time I manage to give any up, my husband wants to take my temperature. He figures I must be sick if I'm getting rid of books.
ReplyDeleteHere's my TT: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2011/02/teaser-tuesdays_22.html
Great teaser! I know how she feels about giving up books. I've lent so many over the years I've never seen again.
ReplyDelete