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Ink Mon Jun 18 2007

Bathroom Books

Do you keep reading material in the bathroom? If so, what?

Alice Maggio / Comments (8)

Kerry / June 20, 2007 3:23 PM

My fiance and I have a collection of "actor poetry" in the bathroom. Our favorite is The Complete Poetic Works of Michael Madsen, vol. I: 1995 - 2005. We also have Leonard Nimoy and hope to add Val Kilmer's Jack's Gandhi Poems Old & New, but it's been over a year since we saw anything about it online, and now I can't seem to find anything...mysterious. We'd also love to add Ally Sheedy and Charlie Sheen, writing under the noms de plume Pam Kennedy and Mel McLean respectively.

Alice / June 20, 2007 4:53 PM

That is awesome. I never thought of having a "special collection" housed in the bathroom. And actor poetry is perfect. I've always been somewhat anti-books-in-the-bathroom, but I love your take on it.

Jim / June 20, 2007 6:01 PM

Somehow, our apartment came across a Rolling Stone subscription. So we keep that, along with the Encyclopedia of Literary Terms beside the sink.

This helps us to keep in touch with what's sexy and cool, but also how to properly understand gallows humor and its origins.

Kerry / June 21, 2007 1:44 PM

Thanks Alice! As a fellow librarian, I'm sure my fiance will appreciate the peer recognition. ;-)

Also, excellent multi-tasking, Jim. No wasted opportunities in your household.

mike / June 22, 2007 2:13 PM

Yes, almost always... often times it's the past issue or two of National Geographic. Because, frankly, it's oddly satisfying to look at neat pictures while in the can, and also, I rarely have the willpower to force myself to read an entire NG article otherwise.

Further to the willpower issue, I'll sometimes plant whatever book I'm reading that is giving me the most trouble continuing... such as this one: The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945... it's a doozy. Well-written and interesting, but still.

cheers

whiteman / June 24, 2007 1:23 AM

Calvin and Hobbes.

Andrew / June 25, 2007 1:43 AM

That's where our magazines go. There's a little rectangular bucket next to the toilet in which they reside until they're gone through and tossed or filed.

Gaston / July 9, 2007 4:28 PM

I keep a few Newsweeks and Scientific American magazines close at hand. (Don't know why, I hate Newsweek).

And I always have a big novel in the bathroom. I just read them bit by bit. Right now it's Magister Ludi by Hermann Hesse.

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This Month's Selection:

November 2009

Travel Writing

by Peter Ferry

Travel WritingIn this debut novel, high school English teacher Peter Ferry witnesses a fatal car accident and becomes obsessed with learning about the life of the victim, Lisa Kim.

Meet & Discuss

Join us at The Book Cellar at 4736-38 N. Lincoln Ave. (map) to discuss the book. We'll meet on Monday, November 9, at 7:30pm. New members are always welcome!

Upcoming Books

November 9
Travel Writing
by Peter Ferry


Past Books

October 12
Lords of the Levee
by Herman Kogan and Lloyd Wendt

September 14
The Echo Maker
by Richard Powers

August 10
La Perdida
by Jessica Abel

July 13
Every Crooked Pot
by Renee Rosen

June 8
Cat's Cradle
by Kurt Vonnegut

May 11
Passing
by Nella Larsen

April 13
Then We Came to the End
by Joshua Ferris

March 16
The Book of Ralph
by John McNally

February 9
A River Runs Through It
by Norman Maclean

January 12
A Raisin in the Sun
by Lorraine Hansberry

~*~

2008 Book List

2007 Book List

2006 Book List

2005 Book List


Events

Sun Nov 22 2009
Open Books Grand Opening

Mon Nov 23 2009
Going Pro: How to Take Your Literary Venture to the Next Level

Mon Nov 23 2009
Eye of the Sandman Screening and Discussion @ Gene Siskel Film Center

Tue Nov 24 2009
Chicago Moth StorySLAM: BLUNDERS


About GB Book Club

The Gapers Block Book Club is a reading group dedicated to reading fiction by Chicago area authors and nonfiction works about our city. We read a new book every month, and new members are always welcome.

In Person
The book club meets on the second Monday of the month at The Book Cellar bookstore in Lincoln Square (map).

By Email
Sign up for the book club mailing list to receive reminders about upcoming meetings and other special announcements.


Editors: Alice Maggio & Veronica Bond, bookclub@gapersblock.com

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