“There are people greedy for books, rabid for books.”
Sarah McNally

“You hit the jackpot today, Karin!” my husband David said as he brought in the mail. And he was right! The mailbox held a bunch of goodies for me: three books that I had ordered from three different booksellers. What a treasure!

One book called, The Sound of Their Music, is about the incredibly creative partnership of Rodgers & Hammerstein. Another is a biography of Hammerstein, who wrote the lyrics for some of the world’s most beloved musicals: Showboat, Oklahoma!, Carousel, and the Sound of Music. I’ve come up with the wacky idea of taking a stab at a musical myself and wanted some inspiration and practical pointers. I can’t wait to pore through these two books and see what ideas I come up with.

The third entry in my book bonanza is a copy of the Zohar, a book on Jewish mysticism which I’m reading in a course I’m taking. This came just in time and I’m looking forward into dipping into its layered and sensuous language. Every page is filled with metaphor and mystery.

Who knows what riches lie within these books! How exciting it will be to plumb their pages. I’m sure you know the feeling. I can still remember the moment of joy I experienced one summer at camp when my father sent me a box of novels by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens — how cherished and grateful I felt!

Here’s a wonderful quote from Sarah McNally, the owner of a terrific independent bookstore called McNally Jackson Books on Prince Street in Manhattan: “I believe that within every great reader, there are multitudes of people. And you have to open yourself to all of them. I love British chick lit and I love Proust. Don’t judge yourself! There are so many kinds of writing that are great but bear no relation to each other. ‘A Book of Memories’ by Peter Nadas is like climbing up a mountiain. ‘Cutting for Stone’ is like going down a waterslide.’ Bravo, Sarah. Here’s to mountains and waterslides!