My husband has always been a reader, but the last 9 months or so, he's really devoted more time to it and as a result has been tearing through "his" books with alarming speed.  He keeps coming to me, saying: "you need to order me some more books".  This past weekend, I said no.  Then I took him to the used bookshops I discovered a few weeks ago so he could happily pick out a pile and save us a heap in shipping fees.

Which I promptly spent on books for me.  Because honestly, anyone who has known me for 5 minutes knows you can't let me loose in a bookshop.  Oh, and he needed new work pants, which meant we had to go to the mall - it's a close thing as to which of us hates the mall more, but there's a new bookshop that opened and it's small, but wonderful.  MT found 4 books before he'd been in the store a full minute.  I'm not sure the house's foundations can support both of us having a book habit.

Latin for Birdwatchers - This was a freebie from one of the used bookshops that isn't a used bookshop - it sells remainders and everything in the store is $10 or 6 for $50.  This was my 6th book and I mostly bought it because it's beautiful but also because I'll learn something.  

A History of Birdwatching in 100 Objects - So it turns out I'm a hopeless sucker for history via objects.  

To See Every Bird on Earth - Anyone wondering if the bookshop had a birdwatching-themed display would not be wrong.  Since wanting to see every bird on Earth is something I would be apt to declare as a goal, I figured I read this and find out just how unpleasant such a goal might be in reality (not to mention expensive).

Secret Places, Hidden Sanctuaries: Uncovering Mysterious Sights, Symbols, and Societies - I love a good hidden room or cryptic symbol and I haven't read much on the subject so there should be a lot of 'new to me' stuff here if the writing is good.

Whispers in the Reading Room - Has anyone read this series?  The MC of this one is a librarian in Chicago and it takes place just after the World's Fair, so it was a done deal. Only, this one is the third in the series so I'm wondering if RIO is a must or not?

Equal Rites - My second Pratchett.  I started with death but I wanted to try one of the witches books next.

The Moonstone - Because I feel like I can't call myself a mystery reader without reading this one.

False Scent - Pure cover love (also, see above).

new books: 8

books read: 5

physical tbr: 220

As you’ve probably guessed, one of my favourite pastimes is birdwatching, but after reading To See Every Bird on Earth, it’s obvious that I’m a rank amateur compared to the people you meet in this book.

The author is Dan Koeppel and it’s the story of his dysfunctional relationship with his father Richard, and of Richard’s equally dysfunctional relationship with his father.

I found the book both fascinating and sad.  Richard was pressurised by his parents into becoming a doctor, even though he really wanted to be an ornithologist.  He married young to a woman who was too much of a free-spirit to be in a committed relationship.  And so he used his hobby as a way of avoiding work problems and trying not to think about his failing marriage.