Amazon Addictions

I have 51 books sitting in my Amazon.com cart. Fifty-one. 51. The contents total cost of all those items is $655.28. But that’s not all! I also have 27 other books in my ‘Saved for Later’ list, and that one does not give me a total price. Needless to say, I will not be emptying my cart in one big swoop. Hopefully I will be able to slowly but surely whittle away at that number one or two books at a time…over the next few years! There are so many books I want to read and so many new books that I will want to read, how can I keep up?

Even though I have a small bookstore worth of books in my cart, there are few standouts that I’m the most eager to grab soon.

The first is a recent book called MFA VS. NYC by Chad Harbach.

The book includes opinions and thoughts of established writers, editors, professors, students, and publishers on the topic of whether or not writers should purse an advanced degree or just move to New York City and write. It’s an interesting topic, one that I’ve though about often, and I would love to learn about what professionals have to say on the topic. I really, really want to get into grad school and obtain my MFA but I know it’s not the right choice for everyone. It does not have great reviews on Amazon, but the New York Times reported on it so it’s worth a mention, at least! I can’t wait to read it.

Another book I’m hoping to read soon is A Prayer Journal by Flannery O’Connor.

This was published in November and I’ve been hoping to get it since then! It truly sounds like an amazing and insightful read. It was written while O’Connor was studying at the University of Iowa. She writes extensively about her own writing and religion, portraying how it intertwines in her life. O’Connor’s writing is absolutely influenced by Catholicism and her relationship with God. She writes prayers about her future as a writer and it’s amazing to read the book knowing that her prayers were answered. Also, having such personal insights into the early life of a writer who became a wonderful success is inspiring.

How about you? What's been burning a hole in your Amazon cart?