Mooch-a-Ventures

A few months ago, before Christmas, I decided to use some of my points at Bookmooch to find a few titles that would make good Christmas presents for the kids. I have a wishlist, but nothing I want ever seems to be available, so I thought it would be a way to use up the points. At the time, I had about 24 points, which meant I could request twelve whole books!

I did find a few books that the kids wanted, and requested them. And then a strange thing started to happen. Either I found more books that I wanted to request, or books that I already wanted became available, and the next thing I knew, I was mooching book after book. "Wonderful!" I thought, "Now I'll have a chance to use up those points, and I'll have some great books to read,too."


Meanwhile, other people must have had the same idea, because I sent books from my inventory to Finland and New Zealand, and probably some other places, and now, in addition to the stack above, which does not include the books I mooched for my kids or Ian McEwan's Atonement which is still en route to me, I have 33 points, and can ask for sixteen more books.

What a great system.

In case you can't see them well, this is what I'll be reading:

Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

The Cloud Atlas by Liam Callanan

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

and, last but not least,

When in Rome by Ngaio Marsh

That last has a sad story attached to it. I checked that title out of the library here in Krakow before Christmas, and I--(this is so terrible)--lost the book. I was reading in a restaurant, and then later, I couldn't find my book. I returned to the restaurant, and they didn't have it, so it was just...gone. I was busy with the holidays and let my other book run overdue because I dreaded going back to the library to tell them about it, but in the meantime, I also located and mooched a copy from Bookmooch.

When I finally went to the library to pay my fines and explain the situation, they were very gracious, and will accept this book in place of the one I lost, in spite of the fact that (gulp) I lost a hardcover and this is an ex-library softcover.

I'm going to read it first, though, and that's why it is on top of the stack!

But only after I pack up the books I have to mail to Australia.