Reading, Reading, Reading

I'm very anal about my reading. When we rejiggered the apartment for my son Owen's arrival one of the things I demanded was a shelf in the bedroom with a To Be Read pile. Every few days I fiddle with it and move a few books around or think about reading a book that's way in the back. Like most people's To Be Read pile it's larger than I'd like it to be and I'm always coming up with systems to whittle it down, if only to make my wife happy. It's also spread to another shelf. Last month, I was reading short books so I could finish off a higher quantity. This month I'm going with larger books to make more space.

I don't read the next book in my pile, that would be way too simple. I pick five books based on theme, what I've read recently or whatever crosses my mind and then find an order to read them. An important caveat is to include two books from the Hard Case Crime Club. Since these are pretty much the only books I buy retail (the rest are from Amazon Marketplace, paperbackswap.com and gifts) I feel an obligation to read them and sell or swap them as soon as possible.

I believe none of this makes me a crazy person.

Anyway, here are the next five books I'm reading and a brief explanation of why:

Baseball Before We Knew It by David Block. I've always been obsessed by the Abner Doubleday myth and this book is supposed to have the inside story.

Lucky At Cards by Lawrence Block. I suspect this book is going to suck and don't want it to lie on my shelf forever so I might as well get it over with.

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. My wife said it was amazing.

The Vengeful Virgin by Gil Brewer. The day I stop wanting to read books with titles like the The Vengeful Virgin drop me off at the mall and drive away.

The Shroud of the Thwacker by Chris Elliott. I like Chris Elliott.