I'm a massive fan of ordering $0.01 books from Amazon. Just add that to the tax and you've got yourself a book for $4.00 -- which is pretty much one of my favorite things in the world.

I recently received three books in the mail and added them to the stack of books by my bedside.

I've begun to read all of them (thank you, English degree, for teaching me how to read lots of books at once!) -- and I adore each story for its own personality.

Here are the books by my bedside:

Baghdad by the Bay

by Herb Caen

The real magic of the city lies in the way these snapshots remain in the mind, no one impressed more sharply on the consciousness than the next. And when I am far away, the city's myriad details come floating back to me as though they were unwinding endlessly on the movie screen of my memory.
(page 1)

This is a book about all things San Francisco. I read it all throughout my day. As I stand at the scanning machine at work; as I eat lunch; in my car before work; and, in the elevators. Caen's perspective of San Francisco is completely enamored with every crevice of the city, and one can't help but wish to be transported there whenever engaging with the pictures Caen paints of the city by the Bay. Also, it's an easy read because each topic is broken down into somewhat small chapters that don't necessarily have to be read in order.

On Writing

by Stephen King

My earliest memory is of imagining I was someone else...
(page 18)

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the beginning of this book contains stories from King's childhood. Obviously, the man is a brilliant storyteller with his fiction, but he's equally as great when recalling a memory from his early childhood. He's honest, and I appreciate the humility and casualness behind his tone and purpose for writing the book in the first place. Plus, it's always invaluable to learn about how another writer came to be. Some of my earliest memories are of imagining I was someone else and playing pretend, too.

Surprised by Joy

by C.S. Lewis

What drove me to write was the extreme manual clumsiness from which I have always suffered.
(page 12)

Hands down one of my favorite writers ever, Lewis never disappoints. I've been taking my time with this read and enjoying each page. I'm not very familiar with his Narnia series, though I do love his science fiction trilogy. However, Lewis' nonfiction will always be what I come back to most. And, if I can read more about his early years and life, I consider it an even better read. His books are a class about life all their own.

The Glass Room

by Simon Mawer

I'm 1/4 of the way through this read, and I can already feel the hushed dread settling in. The characters are complicated. The plot is messy in a way that is shoved under a rug but the reader still knows the mess is there. There's the foreshadow of World War II. Plus, surfacing infidelities and secrets. Not to mention, the construction of a home that seems to be coming into a character all its own. This book has suspense and depth. And, it is evident that the author wrote with great intent and detail, which is why the imagery so far has been stunningly vidid.

The Secret History

by Donna Tartt

All I know about this book are the praises that bloggers and other readers have for it. I've been saving it for the perfect moment when I can sit back and read a good portion in one sitting. I haven't been this excited about a book in a long time, and, for once, I'm going into a read with so little knowledge about what could happen.