# Last book you bought? and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 2, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225 "2004-01-02T04:24:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/41 "2004-01-02T19:30:58Z")
**Fluke, or I Know Why The Winged Whale Sings** and **Island of the Sequined Love Nun** Both by Christopher Moore. Why? Because I read **Lamb - The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal** , and laughed my self stupid. Then I read **Coyote Blue** , and laughed myself stupid. Now I need to read all of Moore’s stuff. I like being stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Inexplicable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47774/32.png) [@Inexplicable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inexplicable)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/42 "2004-01-02T19:31:22Z")
The last book i bought is by a Greek author and it is about self-confidence. The reason is because my self-confidence suffers. ---
**Author:** ![krisolov](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krisolov/32/3724_2.png) [@krisolov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krisolov)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/43 "2004-01-02T19:47:23Z")
A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin. My second copy, since the first was loaned out too many times. I figure by the time I re-read the whole series, the next one (A feast of crows?) MIGHT be out. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/44 "2004-01-02T20:05:03Z")
Welcome to the boards, **Inexplicable**. I bought my 12 year old daughter a book for Christmas which contained the first three books of John Bellair’s _The House With A Clock in Its Walls_ series. She loved it and has read it twice already. I bought Beverly Cleary’s _The Mouse and the Motorcyle_ for my 7 year old son. Another big hit. The last one I got for myself was _Wolves of the Calla_, but I got a gift certificate to a bookstore at Christmas, so I’ll be looking for _Stiff_ by Mary Roach. I read it last year and enjoyed it. There’s more to the wish list, but this gift certificate’s only going to go so far! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/45 "2004-01-02T20:09:16Z")
> [@](#): > > The Natural History of the Rich by Richard Coniff. Not really sure why, other than possibly to understand my prejudice against the wealthy. It didn’t help me, **Lizard**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/46 "2004-01-02T20:10:05Z")
Grand Central Winter, by Lee Stringer and Timequake, by Kurt Vonnegut Both are excellent. I decided to read these books after reading Like Shaking Hands with God: A Conversation about Writing, by Kurt Vonnegut. ---
**Author:** ![SJSB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@SJSB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SJSB)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/47 "2004-01-02T20:51:45Z")
About two weeks ago, I bought: **Love In The Time Of Cholera** , by Gabriel Garcia Marquez **Valley Of The Dolls** , by Jacqueline Susann - and - **Generation X** , by Douglas Coupland. I happened to walk into a shop in town, and the first one caught my eye from the title alone. The other two I’ve heard very interesting things about, so at £3 a shot, I figured I couldn’t go wrong. Generally, I will buy any book with a strange title. Everyone needs a hobby… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/48 "2004-01-02T21:00:23Z")
I think the last one I bought was _On The Road_ by Jack Kerouc. I’d just never read it before, so I decided to. Of course I’ve read three books since I read that, but they were all sent to me by the lovely and talented **Sue Duhnym**. ---
**Author:** ![Inexplicable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47774/32.png) [@Inexplicable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inexplicable)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/49 "2004-01-02T21:04:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dung Beetle \* > \*\*Welcome to the boards, **Inexplicable** \*\* Thanks. I would like to apologise for my bad English[i am from Greece and i don’t know very good English] to you and to everyone here since i see that all of you know very good Enlgish and sorry for any stupid posts. Also, sorry for posting this here but i couldn’t find where to post it, it won’t happen again. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/50 "2004-01-02T21:13:52Z")
Just bought a bunch last night: **The Age of Sacred Terror** , Benjamin & Simon **How Great Generals Win** , Bevin Alexander **The History of Warfare** , Keegan **How to Make War** , Dunnigan **See No Evil** , Robert Baer **What Every American Should Know About the Rest of the World** , Rossi ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/51 "2004-01-02T21:45:12Z")
“The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading” by Ian Rowland, our own **ianzin**. It looked very interesting and he generously gave Dopers a discount. Money well spent. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/52 "2004-01-03T00:10:50Z")
_The Little Friend_ by Donna Tartt. I really enjoyed her previous book _The Secret History_ and had been waiting for this one to come out in paperback. I spotted it in the airport bookstore while I was waiting for my flight. I also have a whole pile of books I received as Chanukah gifts, including _The Far Side of the World_; a parody of _The Hobbit_; and a book written by one of my brother’s co-workers. ---
**Author:** ![greenphan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c37758/32.png) [@greenphan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenphan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/53 "2004-01-03T00:20:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don’t ask \* > \*\*Have you checked out English author Colin Wilson. He is a very clear thinker about philosophy and psychology and well worth checking out. \*\* I haven’t heard of him but I’ll check him out the next time I get to a bookstore. Thanks for the suggestion ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/54 "2004-01-03T00:22:44Z")
For myself, it was **In the Little World** by John Richardson, “A true story of dwarfs, love, and trouble.” It was partially research for a character I’m writing, but it was also an excellent read all on its own. And I bought my mother a Tolkien boxed set for Christmas - **Unfinished Tales** , **Silmarillion** , **A Tolkien Reader** , and **Sir Gawain**. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/55 "2004-01-03T00:38:29Z")
Damn, I feel like a piker after all of the books above, but my most recent book purchase is _Supergirl Archives Vol. 2_, which should be shipping today. I bought it because I’m a fan of the character, and DC’s archive editions are the best way to get the stories in correct continuity. Plus, the archive editions have been color corrected for republication, and the process has been producing fantastic results in the post 2000 books (early on it had some problems). ---
**Author:** ![RobuSensei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@RobuSensei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobuSensei)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/56 "2004-01-03T00:50:20Z")
_Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them,_ by Al Franken. Just because. _Wagahai wa Neko de Aru (I am a Cat),_ by Sôseki Natsume, translated by Aiko Ito and Graeme Wilson. Allegorical critique of the social upheaval of the Meiji era. I am always fascinated by history, and since I moved to Japan, naturally I’m interested in the history of this place. _One Piece,_ by Oda Eichiro, among other manga works. I gotta keep up with my students…good Nihongo practice, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mnem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mnem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mnem)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/57 "2004-01-03T02:21:09Z")
_Life of PI_ by Yann Martel because I had heard that it was wonderful. It is quite an extraordinary tale and really is unforgettable. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/58 "2004-01-03T03:21:57Z")
_A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar_ and _Japanese Street Slang_ 'cause lately I am Japanese 24/7. Also, the recently published English version of Trigun to compare with the Japanese edition. And a whole box of real Japanese manga direct from Japan. (what? me, obsessed?) Last English language book? _Why Girls are Weird_ by Pamela Ribon. I hear it’s excellent but I haven’t gotten around to reading it yet… ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Peter\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/59 "2004-01-03T03:50:27Z")
_Heretic_ by [Bernard Cornwell](http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/0060530499.asp) I’ve been following the series and ran across it at bookstore while helping my sons spend gift cards. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225/60 "2004-01-03T05:11:01Z")
> [@](#): > > **vivalostwages** : I bought Girl with a Pearl Earring because it sounded like a good story, and it is. I’d like to see the movie now I also ordered a copy of _Girl with a Pearl Earring_ this week. I want to read it before seeing the movie. At the same time I ordered _A Prayer for Owen Meany_. My granddaughter insists that I must. I think I am a couple or three years behind everyone else. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-book-you-bought-and-why/222225.md?page=4)