Do you remember automats? I do. Well, mostly I remember seeing them as a kid in old movies on television. Particularly movies set in New York where chicly dressed women in gloves with handbags on their wrists lunched at the automat with men in suits, gulped down their coffee, and rushed back to work. Or to finish their shopping. That was real life, I thought. Hustle and bustle and big cities, taxis, glamorous jobs during the day, lunching at the automat, and dancing in nightclubs in the evenings. I thought that was how all grown-ups lived. Well, except for the grown-ups I knew. Ha.
I was six years old when I had lunch at an automat. My mum and I were in St. John’s, Newfoundland visiting my aunt and uncle and their new baby. Mum and I were taken out for a day of shopping and lunch by the wife of a friend of my grandfather’s. I remember the kind lady who shepherded us around that day seemed sort of posh to me, in her white summer gloves, with her handbag on her wrist. Her husband was initially a business acquaintance of my grandfather, but somehow they became friends, probably through poker and too much Screech. The husband was a federal politician, and so a bit intimidating, but Mum said his wife was kindness personified. And that morning, I was warned to be on my absolute best behaviour.
And I was. Until we arrived at the automat. Such a panoply of food. At six years old, I had never eaten in a real restaurant before. And this was a real restaurant to me. One where I could see everything and knew exactly what I would be missing if I chose one thing over another. I think the lady loved little girls, or she just liked me, but I was told to have whatever I wanted. So with this encouragement, I chose one thing, then another, then encountered another even more delicious something further along the line, and despite my mum hissing at me, “You’ll never eat all that,” of course I chose that something too. I remember by the time we sat down my tray was full and I couldn’t eat half of it. The lady chuckled with delight. But Mum was mortified.
You know, I’m still a bit like that when it comes to eating out. I want everything I see. I savour the menu with anticipation, gaze longingly at other people’s plates when a waiter passes, and am unable to let a dessert trolley roll by without inspecting the delights it holds. Thank goodness I no longer order everything in sight but, I tell you, sometimes I’m tempted.
I’m like that with books too. I want to read them all. I do. All the books suggested to me by readers on this blog, all the great ones I read reviews about, every new book by a writer I love, every book tangentially related to one I’ve recently enjoyed. Diving down a reading rabbit hole is one of my favourite things. I amass a pile of new books I’ve bought, then add books which have arrived from the library. My pile of physical books is intimidating enough, guilt inducing almost, but I’ve also numerous e-books in a long queue on the library website. I think most avid readers are like this. We’re book gluttons. Sometimes I wish I still had my mum hissing at me, “You’ll never read all that.”
But you see, the problem for me now is that I am turning into a reading magpie. Sampling books here and there, dipping into one, then another, and sometimes having trouble making my way back to finish any of them. I want to read them all. And yet, I can’t seem to focus on one at a time. That’s because I have too many choices, and too many options to get too many books at a time.
What with the ability to reserve hard copy books as well as e-books from the library. Or if the reserve waiting list is too long I can buy the e-book on Kindle, or see if they have it at Cloud Library, for express library e-books. I can probably download the audio book from Audible and pay for it, or try to get a free audio book from the library. Not to mention ordering hardcopy books from Amazon. Or Indigo, with free shipping because of my Plum Rewards membership.
See what I mean? With so many interfaces and devices, reading these days is like lunching at the automat. I see a whole panoply of books arranged before my gluttonous eyes, push my tray along and each book I choose is surpassed by the next delightful one, and the next even more delightful one. And by the time I retreat to my chair I have a whole pile of books that I will never be able to read. Sigh.
Here’s my current “To Read” pile.
I’m halfway through Peter May’s latest book A Silent Death. I set it aside because Adam Minter’s Secondhand arrived at the library. Loved Clothes Last by Orsola de Castro finally was delivered from Amazon, but I haven’t started it yet. I bought The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth L. Cline because I wanted to be able to dip into it at will and not be worried about returning it to the library. At the same time I bought Paula McLain’s newest book When the Stars Go Dark because I love all her books. I have wanted to read Robert Graves WWI book Good-Bye to All That for ages. It was lent to us by a friend. Hope he doesn’t want it back in a hurry. I waited for ages for Wintering by Katherine May, but I’ve only just started it..
And poor Hilary Mantel. I waited and waited for the last book in her Wolfe Hall trilogy, bought The Mirror and the Light last fall and have yet to start it. It keeps getting shoved aside by more pressing reading matters. I will read it eventually and I know I will love it. I just don’t want to give it short shrift. So it sits and waits.
Here’s my take on what I have sampled recently.
I will uncharacteristically return the Peter May book A Silent Death without finishing it. Hubby read it first and said it was okay. Not up to what we have come to expect from Peter May. And frankly, I am not that interested in the plot or the characters. Bad guys on the Costa del Sol, underfunded Spanish police, and a misanthropic Scottish detective who messes up his life and career because he can’t get along with anyone. I kept thinking I would begin to like it, but I didn’t. So back it goes to the library. “Peter, you can do better than this.”
I love Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter. So interesting and engagingly written. I’ve already talked about that book here on the blog, so I won’t go on. I have just a few chapters left. I’m reading it interspersed with fiction which is how I read all my nonfiction these days.
I’m almost finished a book we read for my book club. The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex is a novel about three lighthouse keepers who disappear from their tower lighthouse off the Cornish coast. The men are never found and twenty years later a writer tries to uncover their story. The plot moves back and forth among the three women who are left behind, and the men in their last few weeks on the light in 1972.
I am loving this book. It’s slow moving, but captivating and lyrically written. I can’t put it down. Bit by bit as the novel progresses and the narrative moves back and forth in time, and from narrator to narrator, we learn about the characters, their lives, how others see them, and who they really are. Like the layers of soil scraped away by an archaeologist, slowly, slowly the picture becomes more clear. This is a novel about the past and its enduring effects on the present, about love and obsession, secrets and lies and deceptions. It’s interesting to note that it is partially based on the real story of three missing lighthouse keepers who disappeared from a lighthouse in the Flannan Isles in 1900.
Wintering by Katherine May finally arrived at the library after a long wait. I loved it from the first line. But I’m returning it to the library early so I can order my own copy. I want to savour this book, not rush through it. Sometimes this happens. I borrow a book and then realize that I want to own it instead. It was the same with The Conscious Closet. I borrowed it from the library, started it, and decided that I wanted to go slow with reading it, so I bought it.
Next up for me after I finish The Lamplighters is one suggested by my friend Frances in her latest book post. Lesley Thompson’s The Detective’s Daughter. I have downloaded the e-book from the library. You can read Frances’ book post here. When we go camping this upcoming weekend, I plan to take this fiction and combine it with Elizabeth Cline’s The Conscious Closet. I’m excited to read them both.
And tomorrow I plan to have a strict talk with myself. About my book consumption. About wanting every book I see. I will return all the books (hard copy and electronic) that I cannot possibly read in the next few weeks to the library. The Hilary Mantel and the new Paula McLain will go back to my bookshelf so they are not taunting me daily. I promise I will read them soon. Thus I will stave off book pile guilt.
I will read my fashion revolution books one at a time. No sampling. No getting sidetracked by a new bewitching title until I have finished them both. I will put off ordering Katherine May’s Wintering until the fall. I will go through my list of “holds” on the library website and pause all of them until later in the summer. Much later.
Then I can breath a sigh of relief. And get down to reading and enjoying the two or three books I will pack for our camping trip. Maybe I should pack an extra one. What if it rains all five days and I run out of books? It’s not like I will have a panoply of choice up there in the bush.
You know, writing this post has made me think that heaven must be like an automat. But with books, as well as food. Millions of little windows. We can reach in one window and pull out a piece of coconut cream pie, pull a book from another, pour a cup of tea from one of those huge brass spigots, and repair to a huge comfy chair with all the time in the world to eat and read.
Sounds pretty heavenly to me.
Here’s a clip from the 1962 movie That Touch of Mink. Okay, so the plot isn’t up to much. But Cary Grant sure is. And that automat. A classic.
I love fifties and early sixties movies. Cary Grant, Doris Day. Audrey Meadows; I love her. And the clothes. That little tie at the neck of Doris Day’s sweater? Divine. And my goodness, didn’t she order a mammoth lunch? I thought I had a full tray at the automat when I was there. Ha.
Now, how about you my friends? Are you kind of gluttonous when you are spoiled for choice? Do you want every book you see? Tell us what you’ve been reading so we can put yet more books on our “to read” lists and feel guilty about not getting to them. Just kidding. Really. Tell us what you’re reading.
55 thoughts on “Reading at the Automat”
Iâd love to have visited an automat & envy you your memory . Here in the UK automats were just a little part of 50s North America that we viewed from the UK with fascination . Along with fishtail cars , shiny kitchens , refrigerators, drive-in cinemas , supermarkets etc . In gloomy post war Britain it was as alien to us as the Flash Gordon Sci-fi we soaked up at Saturday morning pictures .
Like you I suffer from book overload . Thereâs a definite slight panic at the sheer number of books calling to me compared to the time I have to read them . Iâve ruthlessly cleared our book shelves of books I never did read – past interests & authors from which I have moved on . Books I wouldnât buy now . Recent reads for me have been –
Nomadland …excellant ( not the glamorous USA of my childhood )
Miss Bensons Beetle …Didnt think I was going to like it but it grew on me
After Iâm gone by Laura Lippman…excellant . So glad you recommended her .
Miss Aluminum by Suzanne Moore … an unusual memoir beginning in Hawaii with a harsh childhood . Arriving in Hollywood with a candid eye . Very good .
I really struggled with the Detectives Daughter & , unusual for me , gave up half way through . I saw that Frances loved it & it has had lots of good reviews . Probably just me as I am a little impatient just now – & I have to get that book pile downđ
I’m not sure when the turning point came for me, but I know I had reservations for perhaps the first third — and when I passed it along to my husband, I told him that it was worth pushing past. Won’t be true for every reader, of course, but he ended up enjoying it as well. The unlikeable characters ended up surprising me and (without giving any spoilers) that creepy parallel narrative grew into something that also surprised and intrigued me, and made sense (at least, sense in terms of psychological crime thriller đ
Well , I read the ending Frances so I learnt what was going on . Just dipped out of the bit in between ! Itâs so personal what makes a book click with us . Itâll be interesting to see what Sue & Dottoressa make of it .
Uh, oh. The pressure is on now, Dottoressa.
Aw,what to do…I’m so stressed đ now!
I’ll leave it for my vacation then-I was prepared to fall in love,like with C. Kent…and it is in London…..
D.
Thatâs why I donât join a book club – Iâd argue too much !
PS I donât mind if you both enjoy it đ
Ha! So fun to pop back in and read this! And now I’m the one feeling the pressure — what if all three of you hate it?!
I read Miss Benson’s Beetle and enjoyed it. Not as much as I had assumed I would, but like you, it grew on me. Drive-in cinemas. Those played a bit part in my childhood and teenage years. We always loved to go to the drive-in. Fond memories of getting dressed in my pyjamas before we went in case I fell asleep.
That is such a great film and what a clever idea to use an automat. My problem with Doris Day films is that I spend so much time admiring the interiors that I often miss the fine detail of the plot. Automats fascinated me because I used to muddle them with laundromats…the closest we had here in UK was the Lyons cafeteria. So much largesse, so much colour. A real treat if we visited. I have cured my choice problem when shopping online by loading up my online basket and then deliberately deleting it. Oddly, that works.
Ha. I’m the same with old movies, Annie. The costumes and the sets are so interesting. The plot is secondary.
I’ve only seen automats in movies, but I can have similar symptoms at some cafeterias and restaurants. I can so relate to the book part. I currently have three big books, two from the library. I am reading Moby Dick for an informal class. I had never read this classic, and while I am enjoying it, it is not an easy read. I also have two non-fiction books: The Warmth of Other Suns and The Next Shift from the library. I feel like I am on the three-week deadline with all three. When I am finished with these, I feel like I will definately need something light.
Enjoy your camping, especially the reading!
Thanks, Nancy. I am on a reading diet. Nothing heavy for a while. đ
Enjoyed this delightful blog, and I certainly share your love for reading,
Thanks Pat.
I loved that video clip! Very apropos to the present. Some things donât change but the ladies handled it very well. Smack! The automat was perfect staging. I must find the full length movie.
That smack was perfect wasn’t it?
Once again I find you so much like me. We really must meet for a great chin wag some day. I have books from the library in a stack on my coffee table, I including the latest Paula McLain. I have ebooks and audio books on loan and hold from Overdrive, books purchased and on order from Kobo and so on. I am a bit overwhelmed, and actually having difficulty focusing on reading these days. I think my difficulty is related to all the time freed up by Covid “stay at home” orders. It is the Automat syndrome indeed. I must develop a system that enables me to plough through. I will make that my mission for today. I think it must start with a digital detox!
I am saving the Paula McLain book for when I am in the right mood. I always love her books.
You’ve exactly described my situation-I have three piles of books near my bed (I’ve accumulated them till NY (because,from time to time,I’m channeling my inner Minimalist and rearange books a little:))-how crazy is that? And,yes,guilty -I’ve ordered The Detective’s Daughter,too. I hope it will be good,my taste in books is very similar to Wendy’s,so…..let’s see!
I’ll copy-paste a part of my comment at Materfamilias….
“After all the recommendations here,I’ve enjoyed Janice Hadlow’s The Other Bennet Sister, as well as P.D. James’ Death Comes To Pemberley.
I’m still loving Peter Lovesay’s Peter Diamond books (I’m afraid-only two to go…)
I have read Ruth Ware’s psychological thriller In a Dark,Dark Wood-it was a pleasant surprise and her first book,better than her The Woman in Cabin 10 ,interesting and well written (the end may be a little bit stretched)
Islandic author AuÄur (sorry,have not adequate letter Ä) Ava ĂlafsdĂłttir’s Hotel Silence is a wonderful book. It is about life,starts in Iceland with potential suicide to be,the meaningless life and ends in a certain country after the war (it could be any of those,but I read it right,I’m sure! You could see for yourself,maybe one could find different countries for oneself….) with memories of horrible war crimes and losses,where life has its value even after such a catastrophe,about good people and bad people….and how help and giving has benefits for both sides……
I guess that Nancy has recommended another book from the same author some time ago…Miss Iceland,I’m looking forward to read it”
I’ve never seen an automat like this and don’t remember them even from movies (Cary Grant was a too big distraction). I love,love this generation of actors and their movies
It brings back memories of spending a lot of my childhood days as Calamity Jane (Doris Day’s version),playing with my friends….
Have a wonderful camping trip (and take your e-reader with you,a girl can never have too many books:))
Dottoressa
Peter Lovesey’s books grew on me. I tried a Ruth Ware book a while back but did not finish it. Might have been too dark for me at the time. I will look for those Iceland books at our library. Thanks. Trying to imagine you as Calamity Jane. In a cowgirl hat. đ
Book glutton! You have me pegged. TBR pile of owned books is 16 and counting, but doe not include the current two ebooks on Hoopla, four ebooks on Overdrive (not to mention seven on hold) and any number of other books on Kindle and Nook. Sheesh. Dip and dive out of them based on my mood. I’ve not finished some because I get annoyed at either the characters or the (less than engaging and/or missing) plot and these days, I am quick to do that, whereas in times past I used to feel compelled to finish a book. Like you, Mantel’s book keeps falling to the bottom of the pile, along with Obama’s. Fortunately, I purchased them so don’t have to worry about returning them to the library. But yes, a book glutton. Guess there are worse habits, yes?
Must admit when I read your post title I immediately visualized the scenes from That Touch of Mink before I even saw the clip at the bottom of your post. Love those old movies–and, yes, Audrey Meadows was a gem.
Oh my goodness… you have me beat! My problem is that once I hear about a book I put a hold on it at the library, and several weeks later it comes in after I have forgotten all about it. đ
I love your book posts, and all the suggestions for books in the comments, almost as much as I love your fashion posts! I too am a proud book glutton.
I have a fashion related question today-how do you keep older clothes looking fresh. I too keep my classics but am wary of over dry cleaning them. It seems the dry cleaning takes the life out of them. Does anyone else notice this? I go to top dry cleaner but it is so expensive ($50 for a suit -I live in Toronto) .
End result is I often save stuff âfor goodâ and just wear gap t shirts.
How often do you dry clean items? Are there any you hand wash despite dry clean only tags? I hand wash silks, cashmere etc but nothing with an interlining.
It’s not 100% a replacement for professional dry-cleaning, but I use the Dryel home cleaning kit in the dryer. Otherwise I’d never be out of t-shirts either…
I hand wash as much as possible. And I take blazers etc to the drycleaner no more than once a season. And sometimes not even that frequently. A vlogger I follow, Emma Hill, says she never dry cleans and puts things in her washing machine on delicate. Can’t see how this would work with jackets. Plus I don’t trust my washer even though it’s quite new. The “Dryel” is a great idea, though. I’m going to look for that.
Here I am, instead of reading one of my stack of books, Iâm writing a comment after reading your blog where you write about reading! Or not! Ha ha!
A girl can only read so many hours a day. That’s why I like audio books. Ha.
Just this morning, I paused in my scroll through Instagram to put a hold on a book a Social Media friend posted about — and then wondered how I was going to read it should it become available too quickly. Currently reading Avni Doshi’s Burnt Sugar, but put it aside for a bit because I needed something lighter (Christobel Kent’s Darkness Descending). . . except then I realized that Sarajevo Blues (Semezdin MehmedinoviÄ) is due back tomorrow and can’t be renewed. Meanwhile, I’ve somehow bought (What was I thinking?!) a stack of wonderful books (by Edmund de Waal, George Sanders, a book on walking by Matthew Beaumont, a book of essays about reading). . . .and have another on order at a local bookstore. Clearly, a moratorium is called for until I catch up. Instead, I read your post and find myself in very good company. So nothing for it but to carry on! đ
Oh my gosh, Frances. You are way more eclectic than I am. I always want to enjoy books of essays or even short stories. But I don’t. I just looked up Edmund de Waal, and think I will order The White Road. It looks so good. đ
The Hare with Amber Eyes is SO good! I think you would love it. But then, my record here is shaky (see Wendy, above đ
What a wonderful post. I love physical books and when my stack gets a little low I just have to get more. I have a wonderful family owned book store in the city where I live and being able to go there is such a treat. They feature such a mix of authors I would not have encountered at a box store. Plus the resident cat is so fun to watch as she tours HER store. Boy did this post bring back memories of my childhood and going out to eat in the big city. White gloves and all. Thank you for your thoughts. I feel like I have found a friend who is in tune with where I am in life.
I love a bookstore with a cat. Our Nicholas Hoare here in Ottawa used to have a fat cat that slept in the window display. I was sad when it closed.
Currently reading Not Dark Yet by Peter Robinson.
Other recent reads: The Vanishing Box by Elly Griffiths (Brighton series, which I don’t like quite as much as her Ruth Galloway series, but still good), The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin, Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell, Three Women and a Boat by Anne Youngson.
I have been reading A LOT through the pandemic, but have skewed more than usual toward gentle/comfort reading, several of the authors you have previously mentioned in this genre also being favourites of mine. I also find that I am uncharacteristically quick to abandon books that don’t click with me. Pre-pandemic, I would have soldiered on and given them more of a chance.
I’ve noted several of the books you’ve mentioned and always add others to my list when I read through the comments!
I have downloaded Not Dark Yet from Audible for our camping trip. Looking forward to listening to it. Plus I have a Maggie O’Farrel on tap too. I sooo loved Hamnet.
I have so many books on my iPad. The recent batch comes mostly from your recommendations! I rarely buy hard copy books as we are trying to downsize. Library and Amazon e-books are wonderful, and a huge stack fits nicely in my bag.
Ha. Those e-books do fit nicely in bags don’t they?
This describes me to a tee! Books by the bed, books and magazines in the lounge, a recipe book from the library to dip in and out of plus several books on my kindle waiting their turn to be read. Not to mention articles on the computer and the daily paper to digest.
This might also explain why I am not safe around a buffet table – I need to sample everything!
Enjoy the camping trip and I hope you get a lot of reading done.
My magazines live beside my exercise bike. At lease e-books don’t create a pile that we can see. On the other hand, I do love the look of a pile of books. đ
What a fun clip Sue and it brought back memories of my dear Father-in-law who absolutely adored Doris Day. He was married four times and we attributed this to the fact that none of his Wives could hold a candle to Doris. Although a handsome Man, he was no Clark Gable either. I am currently reading Louise Pennyâs âA Better Manâ. I know youâre not a fan Sue but I absolutely love her âArmand Gamacheâ series. I only read physical books and because I am a slow reader, a Library would not work for me, nor would a book club. I currently have only four books in the hopper, another Louise Penny âAll the Devils are Hereâ, âThe Thoughtful Dresserâ by Linda Grant, âThe Suspectâ by Fiona Barton and John Grishamâs âThe Guardianâ. âHeaven must be like an automatâ, sounds pretty heavenly to me too Sue. Enjoy your getaway with Hubby.
Love that story about your father-in-law, Glenda. Hope you enjoy the Linda Grant. I loved it. It’s a good book to dip into and put down again for a while.
Never heard of an Automat until now….which is odd because I am certainly old enough to have seen some of its cousins. I have sat on the red stools at the Kresgies or Metropolitan lunch bar where I could order fries, burgers, sandwiches, soup, milkshakes, etc. I have been in both the dining room with the white table cloths and the cafeteria style lunch room in “Simpsons” in Toronto. The cafeteria part had a way to pick up food at you went along to the cash but it was never in “cubbies”. Perhaps the Automat was more of an American thing although I did grow up in a border city and we would shop in the USA and I never did see one their either.
Oh… the lunch counter at the Met. I remember one of those in Fredericton. I worked at Simpson’s here in Ottawa for while in the early eighties and we had a tea room.
I donât know if youâve read any of the Kate mosse trilogies. They are wonderful books. Iâve just returned one too because I would rather own it.
I will look for those, Kate. Thanks.
You have a lovely idea of heaven! I also have a soft spot for 50s and 60s movies – the plots and sexual politics leave a lot to be desired but the fashion and the laughs are often delightful. Iâve learned to be firm with myself about not amassing too many hard copy or virtual books to read. An unachievable reading list can be stressful and Iâm getting better at borrowing rather than buying. But like you, Iâve been known to borrow and then purchase if Iâm smitten enough. I just finished reading Bruny by Heather Rose, which I loved. Frances said itâs hard to find in Canada but if you ever come across it and are interested in the political intrigue of a proposal to build a bridge from Tasmania to Bruny Island, using Chinese labour and steel, then you might enjoy it.
I am amazed at the humour in some of those old movies. Philadelphia Story, for instance. Love that movie. I will look for that book, thanks. We’ve been to Tasmania, so I think I would find it interesting.
Sue
You are a wonderful writer. This is one of the best written and entertaining blogs I read. You should write a book yourself, though with all your reading and blogging you might not find time. đ
I did not know of the automat. I am old enough but I believe they were mostly in big cities. We had lunch counters at the dime store that are now long gone.
I am going to find that movie and watch it.
Gosh, thanks so much, Judi. I love writing the blog. So many unexplored ideas to chat about. It takes the place of telling stories to my students.
Our library seems to have ‘holds’ on all of the best books I read about online. It makes sense, but it throws off my reading since I’ll be in the middle of a great book and the one that I put on hold 3 months ago is finally available. It’s an okay problem to have. So many books, so little time. Haha.
Enjoy your camping trip.
Karen
That’s what happens to me. I try to manage my holds and put a pause on them if I get too many books ahead, but then it surprises me and two or three books are in transit at once.
I may have to stop reading your book blogs, as I just want to order everything (just kidding). I have several of the books in my pile that you have in yours. We have company coming and we want them to use our bedroom (as the mattress is better for bad backs), but what to do with all my piles of books??
Right now one of the books I am reading is âBroken for Youâ by Stephanie Kallos. I am enjoying it – got it at a thrift store. It reminds me of Anne Tyler books. My husband and I read nonfiction together and just finished Bill Brysonâs book on Australia – entertaining and educational. Now we are reading a book about tropical viruses. I am wondering if that is a good idea?
I have never been to an automat, but was always intrigued when I saw one in a movie. My husband and I love to watch old âblack and whitesâ. However, I do always take too much food at a potluck supper. Eating food prepared by others is the best, as they always use a favorite recipe.
Book hoarder, book greedy, book glutton, you name it, that’s me. Sorry so late in posting, my husband went fishing…I got a big idea. Paint our bedroom. I have a half dozen bookcases all over the house, but it’s the big bookcase in the bedroom, and a flat top trunk and a bedside table….all covered/crammed with books… I had to move all those books out to pull the furniture to middle of the room in order to paint! Today’s Thursday, the third day of this fun! Now to put it all back. Well, maybe not all of them…I might let go of one or two!
P.S. My Mother worked in a library, she did not believe in “buying” books. The backlash of that is me…I want to own. Returning books when I wasn’t done made me cry. Reading Emma now, Jane Austen is a cleanse when I don’t know what I want to read.
I have never been to an Automat – I don’t think we had them here in Toronto, but I do remember sitting at the lunch counter at Woolworths with my mum. And I do remember the scenes with Doris Day and Audrey Hepburn ordering there. I grew up watching all the old movies with my dad – such good memories.
And I love all the old movies with Doris Day, Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart and on and on. Such a great era. Oh, and the clothes Kim Novak wore in Bell, Book & Candle – to die for.
I just ordered the Lesley Thomson book from Indigo – she must be very popular as there was only 2 left and all her other books were sold out online.
I also didn’t enjoy the Ruth Ware books. I was so looking forward to reading them as she was compared to Agatha Christie, but I found them too contrived.
This was great post. Enjoy your weekend.
I was glad to read Lauren’s comment and learn that I wasn’t the only one who’d never heard of an automat!
I just finished reading Man in the Blue Moon by Michael Morris. Hubby and I don’t usually enjoy the same books, but when he read this one he thought I would enjoy it. He was right! Now I need to go through my pile and choose the next book to read.
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