I very rarely get rid of books. Some I keep because I re-read them. Some I keep because I really love them, even though I might never read them again. mostly, though, I just like the way books look – the aesthetic of them on a shelf or stacked beside my bed.

The school where I teach is having a book swap at the end of the month and so I thought I could pass on a few titles. After much deliberation I am going to give away:

Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger – Although I enjoyed this book, it’s not something I’d re-read because once the mystery is solved, it’s pointless to re-read.

Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen – I like Quindlen, but didn’t like this book at all.

Love in the Time of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez – I know, I know. People who love this book love it a lot. I didn’t like it one bit.

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards – Another much hyped book that did nothing for me.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – Another book that was, imho, over-praised. Good riddance.

The Slow Moon by Elizabeth Cox – I’d really been looking forward to reading this book and it was a huge disappointment,

A Cold Dark Place by Greg Olsen – A stupid book.

Love: A User’s Guide by Clare Naylor – I really didn’t like this book at all.

Kill Me First by Kate Morgenroth – Another in the one-read thriller/mystery category.

Sleep No More by Greg Iles – Stoo-pid.

The King of Lies by John Hart -Another in the one-read thriller/mystery category.

The Innocent by Harlan Coben -Another in the one-read thriller/mystery category.

How and why do you purge?
(Originally published May 18, 2009)