Goods schmoods

Today we went to McKay's, a used bookstore in Chattanooga. I say bookstore, but it actually contains rows and rows of cds, records, and movies, as well. I spent a long time perusing the shelves of books, not even making it to the dvd section. Here is a list of things I bought, excluding the books I bought as Christmas gifts, in order by price:

$12.00 Anyway Anyhow Anywhere: The Complete Chronicle of The Who- Andy Neill and Matt Kent
Hey, it seems interesting enough. :)

$10.00 South Africa: The Rough Guide
Since I am (Lord willing) going to study abroad in the fall in Capetown, I figure I definitely need to read up on the history and culture of S. Africa. I've already gotten a ton of books from the library on the country.

$8.00 Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood- Mark Harris
I was browsing the film criticism section (where I find tons of really interesting books I'll start but never finish) and picked this book off the shelf. The subject sounded pretty grabbing, but after some thought I put it back. I walked to the next section and then I froze- what was the author's name? I went back and pulled the book down, noticing this time that the author was Mark Harris, a journalist that writes the segment of Entertainment Weekly I really enjoy- "Final Cut" (I think that's the name...). He always presents neat and thoughtful writings on the entertainment industry.

$5.00 The Ottoman Centuries- Lord Kinross
I don't know if this guy is a "lord" or if his name is "Lord." Regardless, I think the Ottoman Empire is one of the most captivating histories to study. Ever.

$3.00 Sahara- Michael Palin
I've read this before and watched the BBC program and LOVED it, as you well know if you've read earlier posts. Now I OWN the book, which is even better.

$2.00 Forbidden Knowledge- Roger Shattuck
I've read this book before and found it compelling. I can't really think of a good way to describe it, so here is a ready-made:

(Amazon.com Review) An intellectual tour-de-force, Forbidden Knowledge is a study of the ethics of literary and scientific inquiry. Shattuck first approaches his subject indirectly, conducting an engaging tour of Western literature: Adam and Eve, Prometheus, Milton's Paradise Lost, Goethe's Faust, and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. He then uses these tales to address the moral questions raised by mankind's tendency to search for dangerous knowledge. He contrasts J. Robert Oppenheimer's acceptance of guilt for the atomic bombings with Edward Teller's dismissal of the same. In his own field of literary criticism he argues against the neutral analysis of immoral works as "pure literature," illustrating his point with a critique of the Marquis de Sade. Forbidden Knowledge is a stimulating and forceful intellectual argument against moral relativism, as well as a practical approach to difficult ethical problems, from genetic engineering to pornography."

$0.75 The Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I, Genius of the Golden Age- Christopher HibbertI am a sucker for books about Elizabeth I. I find her very fascinating. I also find the "virgin" part improbable.

$0.75 Once Upon a Time: Behind the Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier- J. Randy Taraborrelli
Besides having the opinion that Grace Kelly was the epitome of classiness and beauty in 1950's Hollywood, I think her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco is either really romantic or really un-romantic. I can't ever decide.

$0.75 My Name Escapes Me- Alec Guinness
Sir Alec Guinness? An autobiography?
I say a winner.

I also got 3 other books, but since they are gifts I don't want to post the names. One was $8.00 and two were $5.00.

I got a good batch of books! Woohoo!