Thursday, August 11, 2005

Nancy Pearl and Book Lust


If you haven't heard about this book-lusty lady--then you are missing out. Nancy Pearl is a retired librarian from Seattle who gets big and small kids excited about books. Yes, books! In fact, she's become such an icon around the Pacific Northwest that Archie McPhee's has a miniature action figure of Nancy Pearl that holds her finger to her lips to say "Shhhhhh." Also, just released is a deluxe edition of the figure, with stack of books and book cart. No suprise there. She has a talk show on KUOW radio and has written two books: Book Lust and More Book Lust, books that detail her favorite picks of what else? books. My favorite Pearl 'o wisdom? Love books, yes. But life is too short to waste your time reading a book you don't enjoy. Minus your age from 100, and that's as far as you need to read in the book to realize whether the book is worth finishing or not. If you reach that page "milestone" and you're still not " into it," then you know what? Return that book to your library or donate it to the Goodwill. The stacks are too chock full of other good books to fall in love with.