Birthday Book Haul!

Last Monday, the 15th, was my 22nd birthday! Some people go out and buy themselves shoes, or cake,  or clothes, or WHATEVER. But naturally, I trotted out and got myself a chocolate croissant before heading to my most favorite used book store. I had to really show some restraint, because at one point I had ten books in my hands under the excuse, "but it's my birthday!" Unfortunately, my birthday does not bring extra money in my pockets, so I scaled back, and this is what I ended up with.

The Diary of Anais Nin: Volume 2 by Anais Nin (of course): Anais Nin is perhaps most known for her diaries, and over fifteen volumes of them have been published. There is also this crazy photo of her and her seemingly hundreds of diaries. It's beautiful. I've been needing some inspiration to amp up my journaling, and figured she would be perfect inspiration.

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse: I don't actually know too much about this one. But if you remember my last haul, I was reading more about spirituality and this is in that vein of things. I'm looking forward to reading it. Every time someone mentions it to me, it's usually tacked on with, "it'll change your life!"

Witch Child by Celia Rees: I have this weird goal to one day be an expert on the Salem Witch Trials. An expert of History Channel proportions. To get in the mood, I bought a fictional YA novel dealing with the witch trials in Puritan New England. Perhaps this won't get me to expertdom, but it's a step in the right direction.

Delta of Venus by Anais Nin: Another Anais Nin, and this is a saucy one! Besides being a famous diarist, Anais Nin is also, possibly, the most famous female erotica author of all time (sorry, E.L James). I don't usually read a lot of erotica, but I have read some stories from this book, and woowee! Well-written and quite sexy. I probably won't read this all in one go, but a story here and there, and I'll let you know how it goes!

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes : I remember reading the short story that birthed this novel in my eighth grade english class, but I don't remember much after that.

Tequila Mockingbird by Tim Federle: This was not bought at the used bookstore, but I bought it today and need to share. This is a recipe book of "cocktails with a literary twist." I love books, and as a writer I love a good drinks (stereotypes, I know), so putting the two of them together is a brilliant combination. It features drinks such as the Brave New Swirled, Rye and Prejudice, and One Hundred Beers of Solitude. There are also sections for mock-tails, snacks, and drinking games. My favorite? "Pour a cold drink over your head every time you get an awkward boner during Lolita." Ha! Do not be surprised to see some upcoming book reviews with a drink attached to them, as I plan on making the drinks as I read the books, and I will review the cocktail book as we go along.

Phew! Have you read any of these? Which ones should I attempt to get to first?