Sunday Salon: Not Another Valentine's Day Post (Kinda)

Yesterday was Valentine's Day so I've seen a million and a half cute heart shaped things, including some adorable bookish ones, and I had thought about posting about my favorite romances or my favorite literary couples or some such. But, without having gone around the internet and looked (I was busy--more on that in a moment), I decided that I would probably only be one voice among many if I did that. So I'm not going to. (If you've been reading long enough, you already know I am a stubborn contrarian on so many levels.) I mean, I didn't even get my husband or children Valentine's cards so why would I write the expected Valentine's post?  Actually, I spent my Valentine's Day with my daughter at her dance debut show working backstage. Then I took her to her post show rehearsal. We came home; I made dinner, finished a book I had been struggling with, and was in bed asleep by 8:30. Yeah, I'm bringing sexy back. Before I zonked out from exhaustion, I did take a moment to advise my oldest son, who was feeling uncharitable about this lovey couples holiday, that he and his other single friends should meet up today (the 15th), buy all of the half price Valentine's candy they could find, and then gorge themselves silly. He officially thinks I'm a genius. That, my friends, will give you the warm glow that no manufactured holiday can provide. ;-)

Maybe next year I'll do the expected love and romance post since by then you won't expect it of me. Then again, since this sentiment to the left is generally true, maybe not. Although, just to be somewhat on topic, I will say that in the teetering stacks on my kitchen table right now (my current office space since I've relinquished my desk to my husband now that he's working from home and I haven't gotten around to getting another desk for myself), there are two books with appropriate Valentine's words in the titles: Rodin's Lover by Heather Webb and Love By the Book by Melissa Pimentel. Haven't read them so no opinion on them but there's your obligatory love related commentary. Tell me, which books should I have read in honor of this holiday that would have left me gushing?

This week my bookish travels took me to England and Germany with a prisoner of war and the young, new bride he left at home. I went to an old fashioned town in France with a woman who took a job as a private librarian. I watched in New York and Connecticut as a lawyer/poet fell in love with the daughter of his boss. And I finally finished the handbook on how to be a professional athlete. I am currently stranded on Mars and looking for the means to survive long enough to have another Mars mission come and rescue me. Where have your bookish travels taken you this past week?