Book Lover's Heaven!

This afternoon, i spent three whole hours in Paradise.  No.  Not Tahiti or Jamaica, or some other lush, tropical island.  But Powell's Books in Portland, OR.  The biggest independent used and new bookstore in the world.  Really.  It's lush all right.  Not with palm trees or huge tropical birds and flowers.  With books!  A veritable treasure trove of books one can find nowhere else.  Many are not available in local libraries.  Often i enter the store i love with an idea of what i want to purchase.  Most of the time i find the specific book i'm searching for.  Also, most of the time; i leave with many more books than i planned on.  As was the case this afternoon.  I came home with not one.  Not two.  But seven books!  Seven, i've heard, is a lucky number.
When i walked into Powell's this afternoon, i had a specific question in mind.  And i asked it right away.  'I'm looking for fiction that is similar to the PBS show 'Downton Abbey?'  She has been asked that question a few dozen times at least, i'm sure.  And yes.  I'm a Downton Head.  I love that show more than i loved 'Dallas' and 'Dynasty' back in the day.  She responded they had quite a few books like that, and pointed me toward their display.  I found a couple.  In case you're interested.. one is called, 'House at Riverton', by Kate Morton, and the other is called 'River of Darkness', by Rennie Airth.  Both look like excellent reads.  But as usual, i couldn't just leave Powell's.  I had to peruse every. aisle.  I found a few other jewels in my travels through the 'hallways'.  One in particular i can't wait to begin!  It's called 'Women in Evidence', by Sebastien Japrisot.

And yeah.  The cover is actually blurry.  :)  The picture anyway.  I took the pic before i had a Friday evening glass of Pinot Noir.. not after.  :D  So no tipsy-ness here.  A few years back, i read 'A Very Long Engagement' by the same author, and it was fabulous.  I love historical fiction!  This story takes place during World War II.  In many locations around the world.  It starts with a man dying on a deserted beach at sunset of a gunshot wound.  His story is told by the eight women who loved him.  This man has a different identity in each of the eight stories.  Will have to write a post about it when i'm finished.  I think it will be quite an absorbing read!

Have a wonderful weekend all!  And remember.. Spring is fast approaching.  Season of renewal and love that starts, at least according to my personal calendar, with the holiday of love.  Valentine's Day!  Will say goodnight for this Friday, February Tenth, Twenty Twelve.  M  :)