I always go crazy at the Bismarck Public Library book sale held twice eacy year. Some of the books offered are culls from the library's shelves, but for the most part they have been donated by interested parties, yours truly included. For a mere $34 I purchased those pictured above. Anyone who frequents stores such as Barnes and Noble knows that $34 can easily be spent on one book.
The author John LeCarre wrote three of the books. He is known as a writer of spy thrillers. This summer with the 9/11 Symposium
one of the speakers was a "spook," that is to say worked for one of the intelligence agencies in Washington. He mentioned that some good books have been written about international spying, but I didn't catch who he said. Later in the hallway I asked him for his recommendation, and he said John LeCarre writes very well and accurately about this business.
A copy of Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers begged me to buy it, as well as his Undaunted Courage. Neither could I walk away without buying Edmund Morris' Teddy Roosevelt story entitled Theodore Rex, James McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom, and David McCullough's The Path Between the Seas.
I don't want to go on naming books, but one other I thought I should buy was James Michener's Hawaii. I've read it before, some time ago, but since we travel to Hawaii in January I wanted to reread it. Any of Michener's books are very descriptive of the area and times he writes about, so I want to get familiar with Hawaii again before getting there.
They had more books there than I have seen at previous sales, and many of them still set below the tables in their boxes because there wasn't enough room to bring them up to display. I am quite sure I shall return.
