Category 3, Book 4: Books about Books - Housekeeping vs. the Dirt

Housekeeping vs. the Dirt by Nick Hornby
999 Challenge Category: Books about Books/Reading/Writing

In his second collection of articles from The Believer, Nick Hornby writes his impressions of various books he has read each month. In his preface, Hornby writes about how writing these articles changed his reading - he started reading those books that he, incredibly, wanted to read - and believes that reading itself should not be, as some people think, a grand slog to read those books that one "should" read, but a fun way to spend free time. Only he says it much more elegantly and persuasively than I can.

Then, when you get to the articles, he also has fun talking about the books that he's read. Continuing where The Polysyllabic Spree left off, the articles are from February 2005 to June/July 2006, and include his thoughts on a wide variety of books. He includes short passages from a handful of his favorite reads from the year. Maybe your TBR pile will grow maddeningly or maybe, like me, you'll just enjoy reading someone else talk about books he's enjoyed and make a note of a couple of new authors to try. Either way, I highly recommend it to other avid readers. 5 stars.

Cross-posted on the 999 Challenge.