I am such a book slut, it is reprehensible. I just never know what kind of mood I’ll be in and what I’ll want to read, y’know? So there’s always a variety to choose from. Then there’s the bath variety (Stephen King’s On Writing, and a Paul Keating biography, if you want to know), the train variety (A Farewell to Arms, it fits in my fancy handbag), the lounge variety (cookbooks from the library and Jay-Z’s Decoded), and the bed variety.
I keep re-starting An Everlasting Meal because I fall asleep and can’t remember what she said. She’s a very whimsical writer, like boiling eggs is poetry. I vague out a lot.
The Complete Buddhism for Mothers is heavy and I think I should have bought the volumes separately. But I started it and I like it. I’m a pretty zen mama so it makes me feel like I’m on the right path.
I want to like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and I do. But I’m not the rabid fan I thought I’d be. I’m almost done.
The Not Quite Nigella book is funny. And eyebrow-raising. I will never be able to look at Mr NQN again without thinking he was solely breastfed until the age of five. If I tried that, both my children would turn my kitchen upside-down in a frenzy of trying to find actual food. They eat more than I do now and neither of them are over the age of three.
The Icarus Deception was a spontaneous purchase at the Seth Godin lunch. I expect I will be jumping from the windows shouting things like “rules are for sissies and the oppressed, I am a genius artist with an amazing product to sell!” when I’m finished reading it.
Also included are seventy bobby-pins from a party the other night, Natio lip balm that I usually keep in the drawer lest small people stick their small fingers in it, and earphones because I have to have my iPod at night.
Also also included but not for long is the nightstand I adopted from my sharehouse days when I first got together with Matt. I don’t know whose it was or where it came from, but I’ve had it nine years now. And it’s still filthy and old and falling apart and probably time to jettison in the Great Spring Cleanout of ’14.
What’s on your nightstand?
Lilybett and Boy says
I’d love a nightstand with drawers, mine’s a gorgeous old side table thing with legs that are rickety on our uneven flaws. My then stepfather shoved it at me when he was cleaning out his recently deceased father’s house. It’s lovely but it’s not proper nightstand material.
On said nightstand at the moment is a momentous collection of cold and flu sprays, elixirs and unguents. And two remote controls because I was watching a lot of West Wing and assorted DVDs when I was horrendously unwell.
There’s also a framed picture of Lovely Husband and I looking very, very young together.
Veggie Mama says
Unguents! what a wonderful word. I hope you’re better now? I started watching The West Wing when smalls was born (horrifically late, given my obsession with American politics) buuuut I had a newborn and a toddler, so I don’t remember anything I watched. Ever.
Lilybett and Boy says
West Wing – know that shit backwards and forwards. Watched the whole series over and over, a few episodes a night for years. Have you tried The Newsroom? Same Sorkin dialogue but newsy. Less walking and talking.
Veggie Mama says
Well I was going to, given my whole journalism degree and such, but I don’t have pay tv and still clueless about how to download tv shows (and never pirate anything) so it was ‘one of those days’ things. that day has never come!
Sonia from Sonia Styling says
This is so inappropriate, so of course I have to share with you…
I read the title of this post as “One Night Stand”.
And then I read your first sentence.
The end!
Veggie Mama says
Slut city!
Jo says
So did I, with Sonia’s picture next to it. My first thought was No! no! Sonia’s not that sort of girl! Haha
Rosierockets says
Ugh I have so many on the go that I really should just stop and start again cos I can’t remember what’s going on in any of them! I just finished Keith Richard’s Life, then I have Christos Tsiokas’ latest, “An Angel At My Table”, “Naked Lunch” and a bunch of others I can’t recall. Need a refresher book to start over again. Need suggestions!
Veggie Mama says
Did you read The Slap? Is it good?
Hugzilla says
I have. I thought it was brilliant, even though most of the characters were utterly loathsome.
Rosierockets says
The Slap was fabulous. I really love him as a writer, he’s gritty and raw. He’s not for everyone though which I understand.
Veggie Mama says
Excellent! I’ve always wanted to read it.
Bridie @ Miss And Misters says
Yeah, I’m not sure that nightstand is going to pair well with your new Scandi/pops-of-colour/hints-of-punk home you’re looking to create 😉
I have *nothing* on my nightstand right now. I’m not even keeping up with blogs at the moment! Normally, I’d have a few things going, but being big and pregnant, with a non-sleeping toddler has meant all I want to do in my spare time is sleep. When I feel better, it’ll be Rob Lowe’s Love Life. And in the meantime, it’s books on tape (ahem, iPad) and podcasts while I cook/bake. Podcasts count, right?
Veggie Mama says
Ha of course podcasts count! I listen to them every day when I’m cooking dinner, driving, folding ENDLESS FUCKING LAUNDRY and sleeping. “sleeping” haha. How much longer do you got now?
rebecca says
I have a book called ‘A Year In Provence’ about a couple who escaped to the south of France, Frankie, Kingdom of fear by Hunter S Thompson and some moisturiser, lip balm and bottle of water. Pretty darn standard but my bedside table is actually a while french provincial style chair which is why I like it!
Veggie Mama says
a chair? that is genius!
Hugzilla says
A shitload (about 16) books I will never get time to read. I actually finished one tonight. Divergent by Veronica Roth. I like dystopian YA. I also have several mummy-porn books I need to read. I do beta-reading and some editing work for several indie authors who write erotica/dark romance so it’s “research” of sorts. LOL. I also – coincidentally – finally ordered On Writing this week, because I’ve finally allowed myself to identify as a writer without feeling the need to punch myself in the face for daring to think it.
Veggie Mama says
Oh I love dystopian stuff! I bought every single John Wyndham book I could ever find. there’s something about old-school science fiction that I just can’t get enough of.
Erotica on the other hand makes me want to die a quick and painless death. Just cannot do it.
Josephine says
Hey you, nice stack!
Up until last week I also had ‘An Everlasting Meal’ on the nightstand. I read it through, and it is worth persevering – the floral language is excessive, but the ideas are rather wonderful, and have definitely influenced my approach to food prep and using leftovers.
Right now, my nightstand is holding up ‘Bone Chime Song’ (a collection of horror/sci-fi/fantasy short stories written by a colleague – they’re terrifying and I can only read a bit at a time!); ‘The Plantagenets’ (a history of the Plantagenet kings of England); ‘Marnie Was Here’ (a children’s book written in the 60s, it’s the next film coming from Studio Ghibli); and ‘Victory Conditions’ (last book in an excellent sci-fi series written by Elizabeth Moon).
‘Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’ is on my list – saw the movie a couple of weeks ago and would like to see how the book compares.
Veggie Mama says
I think I’d really like to read all of these! What a great list of books.
I agree about An Everlasting Meal, i really like it. The philosophy of it really resonates with me, eating beautiful, carefully-made, simple food. Just gotta stop reading it when I’m super-tired!
Sonia@ LIfe Love and Hiccups says
I just devoured Gone Girl in 36 hours. Sick twisted stuff and I loved every page 🙂 x
Veggie Mama says
I’ve been recommended that one! I need to read it before seeing the movie.
Who am I kidding, I haven’t seen a movie in 84 years. But I still need to read the book.
Sonia@ LIfe Love and Hiccups says
I shall pop it in the post for you tomorrow chick xx
Veggie Mama says
You are a goddamn legend, Sonia x