Read this, then go get a good book

When Nancy Pearl meets somebody new, she always asks, "What are you reading?" The retired librarian and self-professed "readaholic" cheerfully admits that she doesn't spend much time talking about gardening, housework, or the weather. "Books are really all I can talk about."

These days she is talking about books to bigger and bigger audiences. She has already written two volumes of recommended reading: "Book Lust" (2003) and "More Book Lust" (2005). Last month found the petite, gregarious woman with sensible shoes on NBC's "Today" show as the featured author, chatting about books with mystery writer Lisa Scottoline and substitute anchor Natalie Morales.

One of the things Ms. Pearl likes best is to draw readers' attention to older titles, books that were overlooked when they first came out, or even books that are out of print. She spends a lot of time browsing the shelves at used book stores. "Any book someone has not read is a new book to them," she says.

Pearl mentions more than 3,000 books in "Book Lust" and "More Book Lust." She groups them under hundreds of categories with quirky headings such as "Three-Hanky Reads" or "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover" about good books with off-putting covers. There is even "Parrots," books in which parrots feature in the story.

Pearl also tries to resurrect interest in authors who she thinks are underappreciated or may be fading out of view under the category "Too Good to Miss." They include such writers as Hamilton Basso, Nevil Shute, P.G. Wodehouse, Elinor Lipman, P.F. Kluge, and Jane Gardam.

Pearl is eclectic in her tastes, promoting books that range from classics to thrillers, from "chick lit" to science fiction. She has a penchant for first novels. About the only categories she doesn't particularly like are "True Crime," which she finds too scary, and short stories - but she includes both of these groupings anyway.

Her books have become improbable bestsellers. "Book Lust" has sold more than 100,000 copies; "More Book Lust," which came out in May, has already sold about 50,000. The books also represent a successful venture into national marketing for Sasquatch, a Seattle publisher previously known more for regional titles - local restaurant guides and the like.

"Book Lust" had scarcely rolled off the presses before Pearl began having second thoughts about her choices. "I started waking up in the middle of the night filled with horror that I had left out, say, Bill Bryson. Also, I was getting e-mails from people suggesting new categories." The upshot: "More Book Lust." She sees it as a companion book, not a sequel.

Pearl says she is a strong believer that no one should ever finish a book they are not enjoying, no matter how popular or well reviewed it is. "Believe me," she says, "nobody is going to earn any points for slogging their way through a book they aren't enjoying but think they ought to read." She finishes probably one book for every five she starts.

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