SELECTED BOOK ACQUISITION NOTES (April-June 2025)

 Under my hashtag eileenreadsbooks on Facebook, I occasionally place Notes to my acquisitions as the library progresses. Here are selections in reverse chronological order from January 1, 2024 which is when I began inputting them on this blog. To see older book acquisition Notes, go to Facebook and look up the hashtag. Acquisitions from Jan.-March 2025 are HERE, October-December 2024 are HERE, July-September 2024 are HERE, April-June 2024 are HERE, Jan.-March 2024 are HERE.

6/27/25

I try hard not to edit my reads (because poems can come from anywhere), but this can result in the latest additions to the library reeking of randomness, from Sonny San Juan's gift for the just-passed Philippine Independence Day to Huma Abedin's pre-billionaire marriage memoir. Tis what tis. So with my personal library’s’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,297 books down, 14,219 books to go. Good evening.

6/21/25

I’m pleased to see that poems using the monobon form appear for the first time in a book, in this case Sheila E. Murphy’s newest poetry collection, ESCRITOIRE, whose music--as ever with Sheila--is impeccable! More information on the monobon is at https://eileenrtabios.com/projects/monobon/

 

In addition to Sheila’s, I’m sharing images of the latest additions to my library. All these books were sourced from Little Free Libraries (LFLs), which is the topic for my next poetry column for my local newspaper. There are at least five LFLs in my town.

 

So with my personal library’s’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,290 books down, 14,226 books to go. Onward!

6/15/25

I always appreciate receiving books from publishers. From the most recent batch, I recently read FENCE and found quite useful the Fiction Editor Angie Sijun Lou's essay about what makes for "experimental fiction." I find quite useful its idea that the category could be defined, not by what the writing does but, by what it refuses to do--I show an excerpt below.  As well, my gratitude to Black Ocean, a publisher I respect, for sending me its recent books.

So with my personal library’s’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,275 books down, 14,241 books to go. Onward!

5/28/25

Last weekend’s Sonoma affair was just chockfull of blessings. Another was the chance to pick through books in Leny Strobel’s library for some gifts… including a book I was so sorry to lose to the wildfire: Gaston Bachelard’s THE POETICS OF SPACE. What was fun—and I’m not sure Leny knew this—was how one of the books came with a bookstore’s marketing tiny book that is perfect for my Miniature Book Library. This book was created by ye olde craft of turning a single page into an 8-page book. The bookstore then created a graphic novel or comics approach. If you’d like to know how to turn a single 8.5 X 11” page into a book of 3 x 4” pages, Experiment With Nature provides a helpful guide.

 

So with my personal library’s’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,272 books down, 14,244 books to go. Good Morning!

5/26/25

This weekend with finding books in boxes left for “Free” for any interested passersby. Along with pickups from two Little Free Libraries, I had an eclectic and welcome haul. Robert B. Strassler’s THE LANDMARK THUCYDIDES is a score. Some books replace books I lost in the wildfire, such as Tracy Chevalier’s GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING which is the book I often cite when I talk about my love for ekphrasis in the form of the novel. I picked up Robert Hass’ SUMMER SNOW because I’ll rescue any poetry book out there from homelessness—it’s my spiritual thing.

 

 So with my personal library’s’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,266 books down, 14,250 books to go. Good Morning!

5/11/25

Part of rebuilding my library inevitably means finding books where my works appeared. This weekend I managed to find a copy of the first anthology in which I appear, FLIPPIN' edited by Eric Gamalinda and Luis Francia. Since I often forget or lose track of older poems, it also was interesting to read/remember my first anthologized poem, "Parallel Universe" which I share below. With two decades between me and that poem, I can respond to it as a reader vs author... but I won't share my opinion of it today :)

I'd also forgotten that FLIPPIN's cover image is a painting by Venancio C. Igarta, the artist who inspired my THE BALIKBAYAN ARTIST (go to link for another of his artworks on my novel's cover: https://eileenrtabios.com/fiction/the-balikbayan-artist/ )

FLIPPIN' is part of a 4-book acquisition, of which I can share that IMAGINING ARGENTINA is a desaparecido novel that's part of my research for my new novel GENESIS. So with my personal library’s’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,256 books down, 14,260 books to go. Onward!

5/9/24

When publishers publish my work, I try to support them by acquiring their other books. Here is my modest collection so far of Penguin Random House SEA's contemporary fiction (I had a few other books that were taken by the wildfires) that grew faster once Penguin published my THE BALIKBAYAN ARTIST. Today, another book joined the group, Jet Tagasa's short story collection THE SECRET LIVES OF OFWs (I recommend it).

 

While Jet's book normally would increase the number of books in my library-in-progress, I did deaccession books for the first time so that I can boost the offerings of a local Little Free Library (LFL). I think LFLs are a great idea--I wouldn't mind hosting one once my home situation gets resolved. If you don't know what LFLs are, they're small "libraries" where passersby can "Take One, Bring One" book, usually run (successfully) on an honor system (see 3rd image for example).

 

With the above adjustments, and with my personal library’s’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,252 books down, 14,264 books to go. 

5/4/25

As a poet, I developed—grew up—with certain other poets: Mark Young, Jukka Pekka Kervinen, Eric Gamalinda, Catherine Daly, all the poets in my first prose book BLACK LIGHTNING, among others. Though I met William Allegrezza later, he could be in that category, too. So I am very grateful that Bill sent a huge package of his books—including three that I had published through Meritage Press (I’d lost much of his early books in the wildfire and I needed those Meritage books for my archives!). How nifty, too, to see evidence of my prior life as a publisher: PORT LIGHT, FRAGILE REPLACEMENTS and STEP BELOW.) Such gems in his package, including his Blue Lion Books, IN THE WEAVER’S VALLEY. Blue Lion, managed by Peter Ganick (RIP, ye poetry angel) and Jukka, had so impressed me years ago when the press touted its vision of books in excess of 250 pages. The length went against—and something needed to!—the grain of ever slimmified poetry books, and I felt really blessed later on when they also published my 402-page book, SILENCES: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF LOSS (this SILENCES might be my most obscure book yet; when the wildfires took my copies, I had to go to a reader and beg him to give me his copy—that may be the only existing copy in the world today).

Anyway, gratitude to Bill along with Susan Schultz and Scott MacLeod who bulk up the latest addition to my library-in-progress. With the library’s’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,253 books down, 14,263 books to go. Good morning!

4/26/25

It was a convulsive act to buy this 1.5 inch book on a keychain. One of my many regrets from the wildfire is how it took down my first miniature book collection, which contained a beloved category of books so tiny they hung from keychains. So now I have a keychain book in the library I'm rebuilding, a Webster speller. I picture it in the first image. But the rest of the images show keychain books I lost in the fire--from books on Russian cosmonauts to French & Greek mini postcards to Confucius. How I miss them! C'est la vie: for now, Webster's will have to do.

So with my library-in-progress’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), WEBSTER'S KEY CHAIN SPELLER makes it 1,240 books down, 14,276 books to go.

4/23/25

I’m grateful for friends, including literary friends.

 

My latest batch of library additions all come from beloved fellow writers. This includes what I know is a critical read for me since I am fundamentally a poet despite putting out work in other genres (a simplistic statement since I believe the “genre” of poetry is everything). That timely read is Arthur Sze’s new collection of prose about his poetics, THE WHITE ORCHARD. I’m humbled that my 2021 poetry-in-progress conversation with him (commissioned by AAWW) is part of this gorgeous book (stellar book design!) as well as that he includes my poetry in a 2020 talk he’d delivered at the Library of Congress. But what’s personally significant is how his book is a timely reminder for me that it can be  difficult—but appropriately so—to be a poet. His described arduity is, for me, a light of encouragement on how next I can develop my poetry—it’s a search I’ve been afflicted with for years now, and one reason I started writing novels because I wasn’t happy with the kind of poems I was making. With Arthur’s inspiring book, I believe I discover a way to move ahead. Difficulty, too, can be a means towards greater reward.

 

I am also delighted to receive personalized copies of two of Jose Elvin Bueno’s three novels, the latest of which is GIGANTVM PENISIVM for which I’d blurbed, “Jose Elvin Bueno is not just an intelligent writer but a creator of one of the most energetic fiction styles out there. His books contain a propulsiveness that makes reading enjoyable.” Jose’s book is a timely read given the ongoing power-grabs by the minority “elites” in our world.

 

I haven’t yet had a chance to crack open the other books but they are promising, coming from writers whose intelligence deserve more recognition: Scott MacLeod, Jim Leftwich, and Sandy McIntosh. I’m also happy that Edric Mesmer continues to share SUNY Buffalo’s additions to the lovely chapbook series, “Among the Neighbors.” I hope my writer-friends continue to keep me in mind as a reader. 

 

 (In the images of the signed title pages below, the male doll is the avatar on my writing desk for V.C. Igarta which inspired THE BALIKBAYAN ARTIST's primary protagonist, Vance Igorta.)

 

So with my library-in-progress’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,239 books down, 14,277 books to go. Thank you, writers—may your work continue to thrive!

 

SELECTED BOOK ACQUISITION NOTES (January-March, 2025)

 Under my hashtag eileenreadsbooks on Facebook, I occasionally place Notes to my acquisitions as the library progresses. Here are selections in reverse chronological order from January 1, 2024 which is when I began inputting them on this blog. To see older book acquisition Notes, go to Facebook and look up the hashtag. Acquisitions from October-December 2024 are HERE, July-September 2024 are HERE, April-June 2024 are HERE, Jan.-March 2024 are HERE.

3/20/25

Just updating additions to my library-in-progress. The first image are of books bought from New York City’s Kinokuniya and Shakespeare & Co. (I probably chose some books just to support the bookstores). The second image are books gifted by Harold Legaspi, harry k stammer, Mark Young, and Zvi A. Sesling. Thanks to generous poets! So with my library-in-progress’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,232 books down, 14,284 books to go. Good Afternoon!

3/5/25

MY BIGGEST BOOK HAUL YET!!

 

It got out locally that I’m rebuilding my library. And, what do you know! I got an invitation from a generous gentleman to visit a shed where he keeps part of his book collection and where I could pick up books to my heart’s delight. In this manner, I met who just may be my town’s most erudite person, a judgment I made based on his book collection. You really can tell something about a person based on his bookshelves. I could have picked 90% of his books and he would have let me (!) but I was too embarrassed to pick more than the 46 books I did, which is still generous. First image is of his shed; the column of books on left side are the books I picked, plus four others I tossed in at the last minute. But I could have cleared that shed! Hopefully he invites me back!

 

There were books that overlapped between his library and my pre-wildfire library, which means we are like-minded readers. I picked certain authors in “bulk”: 8 Roberto Bolano books (I’d been meaning to do a focused read on him starting with THE SAVAGE DETECTIVES which I do own, but the 8 additional books finally will focus me); 4 Anne Carson books; 3 books each by Yukio Mishima and Vladimir Nabokov; and 2 books each by Hanya Yanagihara, Rimbaud, Chekhov, and John Banville.

 

Other Book Notes:

Mostly, I picked authors that I’d want to continue to be in my library, e.g. Mishima, Jean Rhys, Rilke, and Rimbaud. That I didn’t have these books in my post-wildfire library shows just how gutted is my current book company.

 

I picked books I’d not yet read but are by authors I’d previously enjoyed, e.g. AM Homes, John Banville, and Elaine Pagels. Dr. Pagels was my religion professor at Barnard College and her book GNOSTIC GOSPELS is probably my favorite read among all of my undergraduate textbooks; I welcome the chance to read her later book.

 

Two notable books have wonderful bindings, e.g. Anne Carson’s NOX and Roberto Bolano’s 2666. The latter consists of three paperbacks in a slipcase with wonderful graphics and whose spines spell out its title (images below). I’d not previously acquired Carson’s gorgeous NOX because it’s pricey but the price is warranted for being an illustrated accordion-fold out “book in a box.”

 

I took this opportunity to catch up with Hanya Yanagihara books because of sentimental reasons. We once edited The Asian Pacific American Journal back in New York when we were still writing what would become our first books.

 

Re. the Joyce Carol Oates—I could never get into her but it’s hard to ignore her presence. My generous new bestie had most of her books so I asked him to choose one that might not be a wall for me to read, and he recommended WE WERE THE MULVANEYS. Let’s see if that’ll make me a JCO fan. (If other JCO fans out there want to suggest another JCO title, feel free.)

 

I picked up the Jack Kerouac because it’s of ON THE ROAD’s original scroll with edits, a version I’ve not yet seen. I always enjoy seeing manuscripts with their edits revealed.

Last but not least, I picked up the Maurice Sendak because it’s comprised of 4 miniature hardcover books in a slipcase. With their dimensions of 2.5 x 3.5 inches, they’ll enter my Miniature Book Library. 

 

So with my library-in-progress’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to a wildfire), that’s 1,221 books down, 14,295 books to go. Onward!

3/4/25

The two latest additions to my library-in-progress have interesting stories. The first is G Rave l (the fractured “Gravel” word) written by “three grumpy old men,” as the Introduction describes them: Mark Cunningham, Mark Young, and harry k stammer. Several of the works do irritate me, which means they succeeded per form = content since (per the same Intro) the three poets' works were collected into a single book through the works being randomly grouped together like gravel tossed on a reader’s path. Gentlemen, almost sounds like B.S, but, okay, y'all were grumpy at the time. To show you a sample, I open a page at random to show works by Young and stammer—they’re too smart for their own good. Improbably, though, the book is a satisfying, welcome read. We live in strange times.

 

The second acquisition is Richard Flanagan’s novel FIRST PERSON. Though it sounds interesting, I acquired it because I admire the Ebay bookseller and just wanted to support her shop. This bookseller is a reseller who acquires her books from Goodwill bins and other places which will dump their inventory into landfills if they don’t get bought. So even though she makes minimal profits from selling these books—she must have made a buck from this sale—she is committed to keeping books (still in good condition) out of landfills and stocks them in her Ebay shop. I’m just a sucker for such poetics. In other words, she’s a literary angel.

 

So with my library-in-progress’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to the wildfire), that’s 1,176 books down, 14,340 books to go.

3/2/25

I’m always grateful to receive books from Barbara Jane Reyes and Oscar Bermeo as they deaccession spare copies from their library into mine. Their gifts—and a generous gift this time of 38 books!—consistently show an affinity between their tastes and mine. I was pleased indeed to receive books that I’d owned pre-wildfire, especially Barbara’s first full-length collection for which I’d written an introduction, GRAVITIES OF CENTER. If my memory is right, I believe this is the first introduction I’d written for someone else’s poetry book and this book actually will go into my Archives. You’ll see an excerpt of my introduction below where, as I enjoy doing, I show an appreciation for fine poets before the rest of the world discovers them. 

 

I’m also happy to see back into my library several anthologies in which my works appear but whose copies I’d lost, as well as to be introduced to writers new to me by poets whose tastes I appreciate.

 

This gift means that with my library-in-progress’ target of 15,516 books (a number that replicates the number of books lost to the wildfire), that’s 1,174 books down, 14,342 books to go. Good Afternoon!

3/1/25

I read 18 books/book-length publication in February. Some notes I haven’t previously noted in prior FB posts:

 

Susan Minot (DON’T BE A STRANGER) and Jenny Erpendeck (KAIROS) wrote novels about old (young) loves. The difference in their treatment says something about poetics. Minot’s is purely personal while Erpendeck’s is contextualized amidst political developments surrounding the protagonists—one deserves to be the preferred approach, but the other likely will be more popular as thoughtfulness loses currency.

 

Han Kang’s THE VEGETARIAN left me… indifferent, though that’s likely due to me not being or no longer being a huge fan of horror.

 

I read something in Louise Dunlap’s valuable INHERITED SILENCE that’s the first element to make me want a second edition of my novel THE BALIKBAYAN ARTIST so that I can adjust something. I’m grateful the author was gracious enough to send me her book (and thank Leny for the suggestion she do so).

 

This book moves into my library-in-progress so that with 15,516 books as its target, that’s 1,136 books down, 14,380 books to go. 

 

2/22/25

TARZAN: Yo! Guess what?! After Mom wrote an article for the local paper about the public library’s shelves of books for sale, the shelves have been looking depleted. Previously, one of the librarians had told Mom the shelves’ existence weren’t very well known, which had surprised us until we realized what it meant: many people no longer visit their public libraries. Well, I hope the shelves’ depletion means Mom’s article did encourage more folks to visit. A library, after all, is a paradise to those smart enough to recognize its benefits. Here is a picture of Mom’s library haul from her last three visits to the public library—before she’d spread the word about it, she used to get six books easily from one visit.

 

So, with 15,516 books as Mom’s library’s target, that’s 1,135 books down, 14,381 books to go. The other cats like to sit on her lap while she reads. Too bad I’m not allowed—something about being as heavy as the Great Pyramid of Giza… Sniff! I guess I’ll just keep hanging out under her writing table.

2/17/25

Delighted to add the latest book from one of my favorite publishers of macrominiature books, in this case, 3 x 4 inches. Isolarii (https://www.isolarii.com) is a brilliant and innovative publisher so I hope someday to have all of their books. To date, I have eight and they're all wonderful, especially with their lovely production values in printing and design. So, with 15,516 books as my library’s target, that’s 1,130 books down, 14,386 books to go. Good Morning!

2/13/25

Of course I received a book for Valentine’s Day, and of course it was from my favorite Communist. I also received my Blurber’s copy of Martin Willits, Jr.’s poetry collection that elevates the not uncommon project of poets ekphrastically inspired by Hokusai’s 36 views of Mount Fujii that he immortalized in woodcuts. Last images are of wine country beset by the pink holiday, before concluding with the latest additions to my library-in-progress. So, today, with 15,516 books as my library’s target, that’s 1,129 books down, 14,387 books to go. Good Afternoon!

 

2/4/25

Today’s post celebrates Filipino women’s literature. First, I’m pleased to receive copies of Malou Alorro’s debut poetry collection, DAKLIT-DALIT, which is written in Binisaya. I’m delighted that her book includes her translation of my poem, “Enheduana # 20,” which is the first time I’m translated into Binisaya. The poem is a Pinned Post on my Facebook account and if others want to translate the poem into other languages, feel free!

 

Also, I received two of the other three books by Criselda Yabes, Lualhati Bautista, and writers from the Women's Literary Arts-Cebu by purchasing from Roxy Online, an Ebay store specializing in Philippine books. Feel free to check out her (for now) modest but powerful array of offerings at https://www.ebay.com/usr/roxyonline It’s very difficult for me to find books published first in the Philippines so I’m happy to have this option. Please support this indie bookseller, too!

 

So with 15,516 books as my library’s target, that’s 1,120 books down, 14,396 books to go. Good Afternoon!

2/3/25

Wow. That was an impactful read: James Salter’s LAST NIGHT. It’s the first time a short story collection moved me enough to want to drop all other genres and focus solely on the short story. Every single one of its ten short stories is a gem—luminous without being unduly atmospheric. I'll remain with my novels (& always poems) for now but Salter taught me something about endings—how to end a story with an unexpected entry into a parallel universe that makes the “ending” a forward propulsion into a previously hidden layer of the tale: the short story as just a glimpse of a larger life, much of which may never be articulated and yet is inexorably felt. I feel blessed as a reader to have experienced this book.

 

Next up: Han Kang’s THE VEGETARIAN, the latest addition to my library-in-progress. So with 15,516 books as my library’s target, that’s 1,116 books down, 14,400 books to go. Good morning!

1/31/25

Grateful to Alfred "Krip" Yuson for sending me some very special books. First is a limited edition book based on Cesar Hernando's first experimental short film “Botika Bituka.” From its FB’s description:

 

“Produced in 1987, the film uses archival images documenting the state-sanctioned violence and murder during the administration of Ferdinand Marcos, the 10th president of the Philippines who governed from 1965 to 1986. Based on a local tongue twister that plays with the Filipino words “botika” and “bituka” (“drugstore” and “intestines”), the film juxtaposes footage of drugstores and street food around metropolitan areas in the country’s capital region, with more explicit imagery of the times, including the severed head of Tullio Favali, an Italian priest executed in Northern Cotabato by paramilitary forces. Using Super8.”

 

It's a very evocative project, as are the other two books he sent: vintage signed First Editions of his first poetry book SEA SERPENT and novel GREAT PHILIPPINE JUNGLE ENERGY CAFÉ. Ntw, IMO, Krip’s novel is one of the best novels written by a Filipino. Salamat, Krip!

 

Krip’s gifts join three other acquisitions for my library-in-progress. So with 15,516 books as my library’s target, that’s 1,115 books down, 14,401 books to go. Onward!

1/22/25

One of my favorite book categories is Artists' Books. My post-wildfire collection includes DANCE OF TREES by Beth Baugh, THE ORANGE REVOLUTION by Alice Brody, SUSHI-Themed Notebooks by Genevieve Kaplan, IN THE UNITED STATES by Gail Newman, and NOT YOUR MOM'S DOLLHOUSE by Mary Davos Sullivan. I've even done one, a modest, conceptual effort: THE SILENCE OF DEAFENING created simply by slapping the title on a book of blank pages.

I'mm pleased to report I've received my first such Artist Book in 2025: THE BOY WITH THE HUGE BEHIND handmade by Martha Cinader. It's a book with two interior sleeves as pages that present two other books. The structure symbolizes how a story can contain many layers because the material looks to be from a printout that'd been ripped into fragments. It's always great when form matches content. Thanks Martha!

With this latest addition to the library-in-progress whose target is 15,516 books, that’s 1,109 books down, 14,407 books to go. Onward through Art!

1/19/25

As a writer, I’ve always been clear on the difference between fiction and poetry: fiction is story and poetry is language. Of course there are overlaps but for me, that’s how I differentiate writing in both genres. The best fiction, for me, delivers both. Because you can have a viable story be delivered in mediocre or fabulous language, that is, the story is evident despite its mode of delivery.

This comes up for much genre writing where much of the attraction lies in its story but not in its writing (I’m not dissing genre-writing; I love my spy thrillers). People don’t talk much, though, about the opposite: where a novel is exquisitely written but the story is relatively simple. The writing quality used to be enough to satisfy me (those “poetic novels”), but as I age I begin to look for stories of complexity that are also stellarly written. I think this is why I’m slightly disappointed with my first read of Han Kang—her novel GREEK LESSONS. Excellent writing but a story that’s rather simple… or maybe not simple but not sufficiently developed as it bows to privileging the language. (I do suspect that a second read might make me more receptive to its charms but… given my huge To Be Read pile, most books need to hit it with me on first read.)

Anyway, I’ll give this Nobel winner another chance with her novel THE VEGETARIAN that I look forward to reading.

Meanwhile, here are recent additions to my library-in-progress. I thank Edric Mesmer and Susan Schultz for their books. I acquired the other two—Robert Louis Stevenson for a potential article on the local Stevenson museum and Rikki Ducornet primarily because, while I appreciate her writing and am pleased to welcome her into the library, I mostly wanted to support her indie bookseller 😊 (please do as I do here). So with with 15,516 books as my new library’s target, that’s 1,108 books down, 14,408 books to go. Onward!

1/14/25

"Tonight I understand how the sun can be infernal and blissful, how the fragrance of this valley can be dangerously deceptive."
--Barbara Jane Reyes
.
Barbara Jane Reyes and Oscar Bermeo have been and continue to be wonderful about transferring books from their library into the one I began building after a 2020 wildfire moved me off the mountain residence where I’d lived for nearly 20 years. But I didn’t expect their latest gift to include a poem Barbara had written after visiting my mountain abode before the fires—thank you, Barbara. I feel for the fire-affected in Los Angeles and hope they have a better aftermath than what I’ve experienced and continue to experience. Here’s an article about my experience of fleeing the fires—my most frightening experience ever in my life. The article was commissioned initially to focus on my burnt Archives but the editors couldn’t of course ignore the overall story.

I show images of Barbara’s and Oscar’s gifts below, divided in the categories of

Literary journals
Poetry
Fiction
Anthologies
Nonfiction: lit studies, autobiographies/memoirs

While these are just part of their library, these “samples” show that these poets to do what they must do to be great poets/writers: they read widely. Some of their gifts replicate books I used to have before the fires, and I’m grateful to see their return into my library. From their blessing and with 15,516 books as my new library’s target, that’s 1,104 books down, 14,412 books to go. Good evening.

1/12/25

Friends understand what you need. All the additions to my library-in-progress came from friends Leny Strobel, Kathryn Rantala, Barbara Lee, and Zvi A. Sesling. Thank you for understanding I not only want, but need, books. These 20 books (both miniature and normatively-sized) are my first additions for 2025, and with 15,516 books as the library’s target, that’s 1,042 books down, 14,474 books to go. Onward in 2025!   

1/2/25

One reason I’ve envied visual artists is how their processes make for visually exciting environments. I’m showing unfiltered images from my writing studio because I learned to create writing studios by seeing artist studios. I’ve found visual encouragement to be helpful to writing up imagined or fictional worlds. Coincidentlly, my first read for 2025 is Joe Fig’s INSIDE THE PAINTER’S STUDIO which presents interviews about and images of over 20 artists’ studios. It’s actually a re-read but I’m also doing research for my next novel, THE ART OF VANISHING, which is set in the art world. There’s much smarts in the book. For example, in my “Colors of Influence Book Talk,” I say that process is my muse. Chuck Close puts it more baldly: “Inspiration is for amateurs. Just get to work.”

 

Anyway, this set of books is the last I got in 2024, which saw me acquiring 525 books. With these four books, and with 15,516 books as the library’s target, that’s 1,022 books down, 14,494 books to go. Onward in 2025!