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Books: A Memoir by Larry McMurtry

I just started this memoir about McMurtry and his love of books.

Lynn, this book interested me too. Let me know how if you like it.

I'm about halfway through the book at the moment. It's a memoir, mostly of his life as a collector of books. I am enjoying it, but I have to say that it is a book for those who love handling books, thumbing through them, collecting them -- not for those expecting to hear him discuss the books he reads. He loves the "thrill of the hunt".

This book tells of McMurtry's journey to becoming a book scout and collector from a childhood without books. It is full of anecdotes and observations about authors, readers and literature. Overall, I enjoyed the book. Like I said above, though, it is a book for those who love the "thrill of the hunt".

One section of the book that I found very poignant was in chapters 89-92 (very short chapters) where McMurtry talks about computers in libraries vs. books, on-line buying vs. buying in a bookstore, and the movement of readers from books to audio-books or no reading at all.

Negatives - Occasionally, it seemed like he had stories just for name-dropping, which I didn't care for. A few of the anecdotes seemed to just get started and stop in mid-stream. Also, McMurtry seems to have a love affair with the comma, which was a bit irritating.

I did enjoy the book, though, and gave it 3 stars.