Tomorrow is my birthday and what does a book-lover buy herself for her birthday?
Cake decorating supplies! I kid. I bought books of course (and cake decorating supplies)!
I stopped buying books (mostly) at the beginning of last year in an effort to not overwhelm my limited storage space with loaded bookshelves. I dwindled my physical book collection to the very few titles I didn’t want to live without, and restricted myself from buying any more. I think I may have bought four books total from January 2019 until now. I borrowed everything else from my local library.
And while my storage space has not increased at all, I wanted to treat myself to some shiny new books for my birthday so I bought a few that have been on my list for a while.
After reading Roxane Gay’s Difficult Women I knew I had to read more of her work. Ayiti was next on my list because 1) I love short stories (reading them and writing them) and 2) Ayiti (the country) has a special place in my heart.
The Source of Self-Regard has also been on my list for a while (since last year). Toni Morrison is one of those magnificent voices that I haven’t been able to fully dig into. I want to dig into this one though, and I intend to dig fully. The Origin of Others, which I did not get this time around, is also on my list of Toni Morrison books to buy.
Last in my birthday book haul (hardly a haul) is The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty. There’s something about Eudora Welty and Flannery O’Connor that has stuck with me since undergrad and I’ve planned for years to read more of their work, but other titles and authors became more important. I decided this would be the year to add at least one of them to my small collection.
I will be honest and say that I have not kept up with my planned reading list for this year. I’ve been so occupied the last few months that the only book I’ve managed to read is the one I’m reading during my morning devotional time.
I still have other books to catch up on before I dive into any of these birthday books, but I’m excited by the look of crisp new books sitting on my bed, or table, or anywhere else I move them in an effort to make more space for other things I’m doing at any given moment.
Although I only bought three books, I know even that is a privilege and it’s a privilege for which I am grateful.
I hope you all are thriving, and if you aren’t able to manage that (because, let’s be honest, 2020 is kind of trash), I hope you’re surviving. I hope you’re finding the light in every day, even on days you don’t make it out of bed. I’m sending you love and good vibes and prayers. And if you need an escape, pick up a book.
Happy Reading!
Christine Gabriélle 