Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Conversation with Myself

Peter Orner's 'Love and Shame and Love' and Me, 2015

'You don't need a new book.'
'Then why are you in a used bookstore?'
'I don't know. It's like a disease...'
'You should just put that book back on the shelf.'
'But Peter Orner is tempting me with drawings of Lake Michigan in winter and Mavis Gallant quotes.'
'Just shut the book.'
'If I don't buy books all the bookstores will close. Life will have no meaning!'
'Shut it!'
'No! Okay, fine.'
Posted by Denise at 11:57 AM
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22 comments:

  1. shariFebruary 10, 2016 at 1:57 PM

    That's such a good one. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Denise February 10, 2016 at 5:02 PM

    I'm glad you think so, Shari. Thanks for saving me. I was feeling quite alone here, just me and my odd sense of humor. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. ChristopherFebruary 10, 2016 at 10:33 PM

    This cracks me up, especially since I can hear your voice saying the lines in my head.

    ReplyDelete
  4. elaine February 10, 2016 at 11:27 PM

    I have the very same conversation every time I find myself in a book shop - do you think there's a cure?

    ReplyDelete
  5. nancy at good food mattersFebruary 11, 2016 at 6:12 AM

    ha ha
    but it's a good disease.
    and those drawings! irresistible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Denise February 12, 2016 at 7:57 PM

      Yes, good. I agree, Nancy. The drawings are by his older brother, Eric Orner.

      Delete
  6. VinothiniFebruary 11, 2016 at 10:24 AM

    :) :) I have that same disease!

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  7. bethFebruary 11, 2016 at 11:13 AM

    This one is totally worth it. Hope you enjoy Orner's words, I've loved evrything he's done. Especially Esther.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Denise February 12, 2016 at 7:58 PM

      I didn't buy it! I'll have to get my hands on a copy.

      Delete
  8. the habit of beingFebruary 13, 2016 at 2:10 PM

    I am likewise afflicted and my husband is constantly navigating the piles of books.

    I'd have been tempted by that sketch as well!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sharon ParkerFebruary 14, 2016 at 1:37 PM

    I vote with your other voice and say go on back and buy the book! It's up to us to keep those independent bookstores alive. And it looks like a lovely book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Denise February 15, 2016 at 8:54 PM

      I went back and it was gone... I've added it to my list. I'll get to it. ;)

      Delete
  10. RachelFebruary 18, 2016 at 8:40 AM

    I do this all the time and it's why I have piles of books all over my house. I love those piles of books.

    The disappointing thing is learning that the reasonable voice in your head won out! ;) I think life is too short to not buy the book.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Denise February 18, 2016 at 5:44 PM

    You don't know how tiny our apartment is, but still...I did go back to buy it. Someone else had already scooped it up. Maybe that copy was meant for someone else. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Rachael | The Slow-Cooked SentenceFebruary 24, 2016 at 12:19 PM

    I leaned in to the computer for a closer read of the quote, and was glad I did: Childhood recollection as hallucination-- gotta agree with that one.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nicole RimensbergerMarch 11, 2016 at 11:12 PM

    This sounds familiar! You've perfectly captured a universal moment.

    ReplyDelete

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