Originally, I was going to write about Out of Africa. But I'm too tired to do it justice.
I went to the library to pick up Inheritance of Loss and discovered that the library has a little 'book sale' section, where books are 50 cents each or 3/$1. Whoot! I hadn't come prepared to carry a bunch of books home, so I only bought six.
John le Carre's The Tailor of Panama, because I really enjoyed Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. I have another one of le Carre's books on my shelf right now, that I picked up at the B&N after-holiday sale. I love his style of spy novel.
Shadow Baby by Alison McGhee, because it look somewhat interesting and I needed a sixth book. It seems as if it's pretty standard contemporary fiction, but that's not a bad thing. Plus, one of my goals is to read more woman authors this year!
On that same note, I picked up Rachel Kadish's From a Sealed Room. I've never read any Jewish fiction, so this'll expand my horizons!
In honor of my international lit goal, I grabbed a collection of short stories by Shusaka Endo called Stained Glass Elegies. I like short stories, and I wish that I owned more.
So, I also went for Ken Kalfus's short story colelction, Pu-239 and Other Russian Fantasies. It's based on the author's four years in Moscow. I studied in Russia for six months last year, so I'm always interested in takes on that confusing country! Plus, it has a pretty cover.
Finally, I snatched up Crowe's Requiem by Mike McCormack, mainly because a review called it "a new fairy tale." I'm always up for a blend of myth and life.
Of course, I can't actually read any of these books right now. I'm beginning to see how TBR stacks are born....
Instead, I'm 1/4 through The Black Book, a little way into Inheritance of Loss, and still slogging through Virginia Woolf. None of these are really satisfying me, however, so I think I'll switch over to my next classic for awhile, Lady Audley's Secret.
Out of Africa was so amazing, I think I've been a bit spoiled.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
The Wrath of the Righteous
I received a parking ticket today. It's marked as "in a no parking zone, loading zone, or blocking traffic." Here's the thing. My car was in a parking lot, happily sitting between two parallel lines with nothing but asphalt in between.
So, obviously, the security guard (it was on campus) made a mistake. However, thanks to his mistake, I have to take the time out of my schedule to appeal this bogus fine. I don't even know what to write in the appeal, other than that I was in a parking space. Then, if the appeal doesn't work, I have to take the time out to meet with the dean of students to make the silly thing go away.
It'd be one thing if I had parked illegally. But this just came out of the blue. And since it's on campus, the fine automatically goes on my student account. So, I can't just refuse to pay it; instead, I have to make them take it off my bill.
Hmph.
In happier news, I finished Out of Africa. Should be able to review it tomorrow. For now, let's just say that I found the writing beautiful, even if the writer had a different moral compass.
And, in even happier news, I found out that my little bitty public library has a copy of The Inheritance of Loss! It's the next selection of The Written Word's bookclub, and since I'm short of funds, I thought I'd have to skip out on the fun. But, tomorrow I can go and get it. :D I think that tonight I'll begin Pamuk as well....I've held off as long as I could.
Finally, because I love Jane Austen, I took a quiz just to calm the last of my parking ticket anger.
So, obviously, the security guard (it was on campus) made a mistake. However, thanks to his mistake, I have to take the time out of my schedule to appeal this bogus fine. I don't even know what to write in the appeal, other than that I was in a parking space. Then, if the appeal doesn't work, I have to take the time out to meet with the dean of students to make the silly thing go away.
It'd be one thing if I had parked illegally. But this just came out of the blue. And since it's on campus, the fine automatically goes on my student account. So, I can't just refuse to pay it; instead, I have to make them take it off my bill.
Hmph.
In happier news, I finished Out of Africa. Should be able to review it tomorrow. For now, let's just say that I found the writing beautiful, even if the writer had a different moral compass.
And, in even happier news, I found out that my little bitty public library has a copy of The Inheritance of Loss! It's the next selection of The Written Word's bookclub, and since I'm short of funds, I thought I'd have to skip out on the fun. But, tomorrow I can go and get it. :D I think that tonight I'll begin Pamuk as well....I've held off as long as I could.
Finally, because I love Jane Austen, I took a quiz just to calm the last of my parking ticket anger.
Take the Quiz here!
Hmmm...not sure how true this one is. But, I certainly would love to find a Mr. Knightley!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Reading Across Borders
Since I'm progressing moderately well on my classics challenge (half way through the third one, with the last two being the shortest in the challenge) and, well, progressing on the chunkster challenge (only a quarter of the way through the first one, although I have read several books over four hundred pages not on the chunkster list), I thought I'd take on another one. Recently, I saw the Reading Across Borders challenge mentioned on Tales From the Reading Room. I was planning to create my own challenge to read more international and translated books, so I'm hopping on the bandwagon.
The general layout is found at Kate's Book Blog. Basically, the goal is to read from regions that you don't usually read from. My typical regions are: the US, the UK and the Commonwealth, and Italy. I know-a huge variety. So, my goal is to read more from: East Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and continental Europe. I've adopted Kate's criteria of at least ten books, at least half of which have been translated. I had one more constraint: the books must be held by my college library (I go to a small liberal arts school, so this is more challenging than it may seem). With all of that in mind, here is my list:
1. The Black Bookby Orhan Pamuk, Turkey, translated. Because I already have it checked out, and it sounds amazing, and I really want to read it!
2. No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe, Nigeria, English. I really enjoyed Things Fall Apart, so I'd like to read some more by him. Also, if I get my medical clearance, I'll be going to West Africa w/ the Peace Corps in June. It seems like I should read a bit more about it.
3. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, Japan, translated. I've heard good things about Murakami, and I keep meaning to read him.
4. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert,France, translated. Despite two years of college French, I have spent virtually no time with French literature (I've read Phantom of the Opera and The Three Muskateers). It seems as if half of what I read references this book, so I'm looking forward to finally reading it.
5. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Japan, English. Ok, I'm kind of cheating, since even though he's Japanese he went to school in England. But, I've seen a lot of recommendations for him, so that's that.
6. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende, unidentified Latin American country, translated. I 'read' Zorro (audio book) and absolutely adored it. So, I want to go back to the beginning!
7. Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz, Egypt, translated. I read Midag Alley last year, and I didn't see what all the fuss was about. So, I thought that I'd give Mahfouz another chance.
8. The Street of Crocodiles by Bruno Schulz, Poland, translated. I've heard good things around the lit blogosphere, so I'd like to give it a shot.
9. Waiting by Ha Jin, China, translated. I was looking for a Chinese book, and saw this recommended on Reading Matters
10. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Latin America (Colombia?), translated. I really enjoyed One Hundred Years of Solitude, and this title seems to get rave reviews amongst blogs I read.
So, that's the list. Hopefully, I'll be able to add more as I have time. Having just discovered Book Traveller's blog, I feel very inspired!
The general layout is found at Kate's Book Blog. Basically, the goal is to read from regions that you don't usually read from. My typical regions are: the US, the UK and the Commonwealth, and Italy. I know-a huge variety. So, my goal is to read more from: East Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and continental Europe. I've adopted Kate's criteria of at least ten books, at least half of which have been translated. I had one more constraint: the books must be held by my college library (I go to a small liberal arts school, so this is more challenging than it may seem). With all of that in mind, here is my list:
1. The Black Bookby Orhan Pamuk, Turkey, translated. Because I already have it checked out, and it sounds amazing, and I really want to read it!
2. No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe, Nigeria, English. I really enjoyed Things Fall Apart, so I'd like to read some more by him. Also, if I get my medical clearance, I'll be going to West Africa w/ the Peace Corps in June. It seems like I should read a bit more about it.
3. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, Japan, translated. I've heard good things about Murakami, and I keep meaning to read him.
4. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert,France, translated. Despite two years of college French, I have spent virtually no time with French literature (I've read Phantom of the Opera and The Three Muskateers). It seems as if half of what I read references this book, so I'm looking forward to finally reading it.
5. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Japan, English. Ok, I'm kind of cheating, since even though he's Japanese he went to school in England. But, I've seen a lot of recommendations for him, so that's that.
6. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende, unidentified Latin American country, translated. I 'read' Zorro (audio book) and absolutely adored it. So, I want to go back to the beginning!
7. Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz, Egypt, translated. I read Midag Alley last year, and I didn't see what all the fuss was about. So, I thought that I'd give Mahfouz another chance.
8. The Street of Crocodiles by Bruno Schulz, Poland, translated. I've heard good things around the lit blogosphere, so I'd like to give it a shot.
9. Waiting by Ha Jin, China, translated. I was looking for a Chinese book, and saw this recommended on Reading Matters
10. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Latin America (Colombia?), translated. I really enjoyed One Hundred Years of Solitude, and this title seems to get rave reviews amongst blogs I read.
So, that's the list. Hopefully, I'll be able to add more as I have time. Having just discovered Book Traveller's blog, I feel very inspired!
Friday, January 26, 2007
What Book Am I?
You're Siddhartha!
by Hermann Hesse
You simply don't know what to believe, but you're willing to try
anything once. Western values, Eastern values, hedonism and minimalism, you've spent
some time in every camp. But you still don't have any idea what camp you belong in.
This makes you an individualist of the highest order, but also really lonely. It's
time to chill out under a tree. And realize that at least you believe in
ferries.
Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.
Haven't read Siddhartha: maybe now I'll have to.
Middlemarch (thoughts)
Ah, how to talk of a classic like Middlemarch? I suppose, since I've never taken a lit class in my life, I'll just approach it from my experience.
I happen to love Jane Austen. I feel that George Eliot is like Jane's more serious and studious older sister. They both deal with English countryside society; not the ridiculously wealthy titled folk, but not the poor either. They both tend to focus on marriage and family relationships. They both move through day-to-day life at a pretty slow pace. Nevertheless, they're very different.
But, first a brief synopsis of Middlemarch. It looks at life in the small English town of Middlemarch (a surprise, I know), somewhere in the nineteenth century. It begins by following young girls as they go from single to married: Miss Dorothea Brooke, her sister Celia, and Miss Rosamond Vincy are all married off in their turns during the first part of the book. Miss Brooke marries an older clergyman, Mr. Causabon (I love that name!) and Miss Vincy marries the newly-arrived young doctor, Lydgate. Celia marries one of the gentry of the area; she's only a peripheral character, who exists (imo) in order to represent the *ideal* match. Following this, Eliot examines how Dorothea and Rosamond both become disillusioned in their marriages. The book includes a whole cast of other characters, some of them loveable, some of them hateable, and by the last part of the book, the plot has been thickened with a certain someone's disreputable past. However, most of these events are told through the 'eyes' of Dorothea, Rosamond, and the men connected to them (either through blood, marriage, or love). I will say now, I feel that this book is a great length. My copy was the Norton critical edition, meaning absolutely miniature type, and still weighed in at 578 pages (the Penguin edition is 880). Therefore, you can really settle in with the characters, and get attached, knowing that they're not going to be rudely snatched from you in another hour or two. Lots of cups of tea went into this reading, which is just the way I like it. Also, a great first line: "Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress." This woman can write.
Obviously, I'm leaving a lot out. But you can see how this rather resembles an Austen novel; Rosamond takes a whole part to get married, and there are worries about Lydgate's attachment, and her parents' disapproval. But, whereas Austen tends to end her books at the marriage (in fact, *always* ends them at the marriage or engagement), thereby leaving the reader to imagine the ensuing marital bliss, Eliot actually goes there. I feel that she casts a more realistic look at life; her characters don't have the 'sparkling wit' Austen's are known for. Furthermore, they resign themselves to less-than-perfect situations. Life does not always turn out the way they want it to. Eliot also shows her disapproval of aspects of English society. Austen, when she wishes to show disapproval, uses mockery and draws satirical characters. Eliot tends to just add sermonizing sentences to the novel; her personal voice comes through as very serious. When I read Austen, I can hear a supressed laugh in the narrator's tone; Eliot has more sadness.
And yet, I really enjoyed the book. When I read Austen, I end up wanting to be her herione. With Middlemarch, I ended up seeing that I can overcome the challenges in my personal life. Marriage isn't always fun and games; you have to fight for it, you have to compromise and change habits to make things work. Even so, it's something that normal people can do. They don't have to be as clever as Elizabeth Bennet, as sweet as Jane, as rich as Darcy. They just have to realize the value of having someone else. At least, that's what I took away from it. I highly recommend this book for those moments when you need someone to say 'Buck up, and deal with it' in a gentler manner. By reminding me that life has its downs, Eliot made the ups that much more precious. I am grateful to her for that.
Favorite Passages:
We mortals, men and women, devour many a disappointment between breakfast and dinner-time; keep back the tears and look a little pale about th elips, and in answer to inquiries say, "Oh, nothing!" Pride helps us; and pride is not a bad thing when it only urges us to hide our own hurts-not to hurt others. (41)
Will Ladislaw's smile was delightful, unless you were angry with him beforehand; it was a gush of inward light illuminating the transparent skin as well as the eyes, and playing about every curve and line as if some Ariel were touching them with a new charm, and banishing for ever the traces of moodiness. (142)
"But I have a belief of my own, and it comforts me."
"What is that?" said Will, rather jealous of the belief.
"That by desiring what is perfectly good, even when we don't know quite what it is and canot do what we would, we are part of the divine power against evil-widening the skirts of light and making the struggle with darkness narrower."(270)
With memory set smarting like a reopened wound, a man's past is not simply a dead history, an outworn preparation of the present; it is not a repented error shaken lookse from the life: it is a still quivering part of himself, bringing shudders and bitter flavours andthe tinglings of a merited shame. (425)
(This one requires a bit of preface. Dorothea is flustered about love at the moment and trying not to think about it.)
Here was a weighty subject which, if she could but lay hold of it, would certainly keep her mind steady. Unhappily her mind slipped off it for a whole hour; and at the end she found herself reading sentences twice over with an intense consciousness of many things, but not of any one thing contained in the text. This was hopeless. (555)
I happen to love Jane Austen. I feel that George Eliot is like Jane's more serious and studious older sister. They both deal with English countryside society; not the ridiculously wealthy titled folk, but not the poor either. They both tend to focus on marriage and family relationships. They both move through day-to-day life at a pretty slow pace. Nevertheless, they're very different.
But, first a brief synopsis of Middlemarch. It looks at life in the small English town of Middlemarch (a surprise, I know), somewhere in the nineteenth century. It begins by following young girls as they go from single to married: Miss Dorothea Brooke, her sister Celia, and Miss Rosamond Vincy are all married off in their turns during the first part of the book. Miss Brooke marries an older clergyman, Mr. Causabon (I love that name!) and Miss Vincy marries the newly-arrived young doctor, Lydgate. Celia marries one of the gentry of the area; she's only a peripheral character, who exists (imo) in order to represent the *ideal* match. Following this, Eliot examines how Dorothea and Rosamond both become disillusioned in their marriages. The book includes a whole cast of other characters, some of them loveable, some of them hateable, and by the last part of the book, the plot has been thickened with a certain someone's disreputable past. However, most of these events are told through the 'eyes' of Dorothea, Rosamond, and the men connected to them (either through blood, marriage, or love). I will say now, I feel that this book is a great length. My copy was the Norton critical edition, meaning absolutely miniature type, and still weighed in at 578 pages (the Penguin edition is 880). Therefore, you can really settle in with the characters, and get attached, knowing that they're not going to be rudely snatched from you in another hour or two. Lots of cups of tea went into this reading, which is just the way I like it. Also, a great first line: "Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress." This woman can write.
Obviously, I'm leaving a lot out. But you can see how this rather resembles an Austen novel; Rosamond takes a whole part to get married, and there are worries about Lydgate's attachment, and her parents' disapproval. But, whereas Austen tends to end her books at the marriage (in fact, *always* ends them at the marriage or engagement), thereby leaving the reader to imagine the ensuing marital bliss, Eliot actually goes there. I feel that she casts a more realistic look at life; her characters don't have the 'sparkling wit' Austen's are known for. Furthermore, they resign themselves to less-than-perfect situations. Life does not always turn out the way they want it to. Eliot also shows her disapproval of aspects of English society. Austen, when she wishes to show disapproval, uses mockery and draws satirical characters. Eliot tends to just add sermonizing sentences to the novel; her personal voice comes through as very serious. When I read Austen, I can hear a supressed laugh in the narrator's tone; Eliot has more sadness.
And yet, I really enjoyed the book. When I read Austen, I end up wanting to be her herione. With Middlemarch, I ended up seeing that I can overcome the challenges in my personal life. Marriage isn't always fun and games; you have to fight for it, you have to compromise and change habits to make things work. Even so, it's something that normal people can do. They don't have to be as clever as Elizabeth Bennet, as sweet as Jane, as rich as Darcy. They just have to realize the value of having someone else. At least, that's what I took away from it. I highly recommend this book for those moments when you need someone to say 'Buck up, and deal with it' in a gentler manner. By reminding me that life has its downs, Eliot made the ups that much more precious. I am grateful to her for that.
Favorite Passages:
We mortals, men and women, devour many a disappointment between breakfast and dinner-time; keep back the tears and look a little pale about th elips, and in answer to inquiries say, "Oh, nothing!" Pride helps us; and pride is not a bad thing when it only urges us to hide our own hurts-not to hurt others. (41)
Will Ladislaw's smile was delightful, unless you were angry with him beforehand; it was a gush of inward light illuminating the transparent skin as well as the eyes, and playing about every curve and line as if some Ariel were touching them with a new charm, and banishing for ever the traces of moodiness. (142)
"But I have a belief of my own, and it comforts me."
"What is that?" said Will, rather jealous of the belief.
"That by desiring what is perfectly good, even when we don't know quite what it is and canot do what we would, we are part of the divine power against evil-widening the skirts of light and making the struggle with darkness narrower."(270)
With memory set smarting like a reopened wound, a man's past is not simply a dead history, an outworn preparation of the present; it is not a repented error shaken lookse from the life: it is a still quivering part of himself, bringing shudders and bitter flavours andthe tinglings of a merited shame. (425)
(This one requires a bit of preface. Dorothea is flustered about love at the moment and trying not to think about it.)
Here was a weighty subject which, if she could but lay hold of it, would certainly keep her mind steady. Unhappily her mind slipped off it for a whole hour; and at the end she found herself reading sentences twice over with an intense consciousness of many things, but not of any one thing contained in the text. This was hopeless. (555)
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Pat on the Back
Still no time to read and/or write a thoughtful review. Why do things always seem to snowball? However, as a break from my gi-normous research project, took another quiz.
| Your Vocabulary Score: A+ |
 Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary! You must be quite an erudite person. |
Monday, January 22, 2007
Neat Article
I found a nice little article about one woman's love of reading: http://www.talesmag.com/tales/coveredwagons/confessions_of_library_lover.shtml.
Here's a sample...
I like bookstores, but libraries are better. Bookstores are about ownership and commitment; libraries are about discovery and free love.
Books are my music, my food, my ticket back to where I once belonged. The English language, with its rolling tones and freedom to improvise, will always be part of who I am - wherever I am.
Here's a sample...
I like bookstores, but libraries are better. Bookstores are about ownership and commitment; libraries are about discovery and free love.
Books are my music, my food, my ticket back to where I once belonged. The English language, with its rolling tones and freedom to improvise, will always be part of who I am - wherever I am.
Friday, January 19, 2007
These are a Few of My Favorite Things
I'm a little over half way done with Middlemarch (my second classics challenge). I'm really enjoying it, but it's not a super-fast read. Pile on all of my homework, and I haven't read any books since my last post.
But since I want to post, I thought I'd talk about authors. First, there are my fvaorites. The ones that I reach for again and again, the ones that I trust. As a military brat, I grew up boomeranging between Texas and England. This has made me a Texan at heart who sometimes spells like a Brit. As I've gotten older, I've realized that most of my favorite authors are also British....or at least of the Commonwealth.
This would include Jane Austen (I've grown up with her, and every time I reread one of her books, I seem to see it in a different way), Salman Rushdie (it's obscene how amazing an author he is), Ian McEwan (does anyone do drama better?) and A.S. Byatt (my newest British discovery, but I'm rapidly working my way through her works). And, of course, my favorite mystery novelists are all British....a mystery novel set in America just doesn't do it for me. I need tea, Oxford (or Oxbridge, if necessary), social classes.
Back in high school, I really enjoyed David Eddings, with his focus on deities, different cultures, and just the grand scheme of things. I haven't read any of his books in a couple of years now, but I know that I could go back to one of his series and be instantly at home. I used to love that style of fantasy, which seemed mythic in scope. So, that's one American to root for.
Speaking of fantasy, my 'grown-up' fantasy author is Neil Gaiman. I wish that I could marry this man, I love the way that he thinks and writes that much. Talk about mythology in literature! I haven't looked at Sandman, but I've read just about all of his regular books (excluding the newest one). And I own them all. And I often give them as gifts to other people.
Jhumpa Lahiri is somewhat of a mix; born British, raised in Rhode Island. Either way, I've enjoyed both of her books and wish that she would come out with a new one. I really want to go to India one day, and I've read a few different authors, but Lahiri's stories stay with me. Also, I find her style incredibly polished and deliberate.
As far as foreign authors, I tend to be hesitant to read translations, unless I know that they're the best out there. Still, I've managed to develop a few trusted friends. I really enjoy Isabelle Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez when I'm looking for a taste of Latin America. Of course, the two have very different styles, so it depends on my mood. Moving to a colder region, I really enjoy Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov (keep in mind, I study Russian in college). Tolstoy just puts you in the world so well; I love really, really long novels, because then I don't have to worry about them ending suddenly. Chekhov's short stories just make me happy; I can read them in Russian as well as English, his prose is so simple, and yet the stories are anything but.
So, that's a whirlwind tour of some of my sagging bookshelves. What are your favorite authors? Especially re: foreign authors, which I'm always on the look out for.
But since I want to post, I thought I'd talk about authors. First, there are my fvaorites. The ones that I reach for again and again, the ones that I trust. As a military brat, I grew up boomeranging between Texas and England. This has made me a Texan at heart who sometimes spells like a Brit. As I've gotten older, I've realized that most of my favorite authors are also British....or at least of the Commonwealth.
This would include Jane Austen (I've grown up with her, and every time I reread one of her books, I seem to see it in a different way), Salman Rushdie (it's obscene how amazing an author he is), Ian McEwan (does anyone do drama better?) and A.S. Byatt (my newest British discovery, but I'm rapidly working my way through her works). And, of course, my favorite mystery novelists are all British....a mystery novel set in America just doesn't do it for me. I need tea, Oxford (or Oxbridge, if necessary), social classes.
Back in high school, I really enjoyed David Eddings, with his focus on deities, different cultures, and just the grand scheme of things. I haven't read any of his books in a couple of years now, but I know that I could go back to one of his series and be instantly at home. I used to love that style of fantasy, which seemed mythic in scope. So, that's one American to root for.
Speaking of fantasy, my 'grown-up' fantasy author is Neil Gaiman. I wish that I could marry this man, I love the way that he thinks and writes that much. Talk about mythology in literature! I haven't looked at Sandman, but I've read just about all of his regular books (excluding the newest one). And I own them all. And I often give them as gifts to other people.
Jhumpa Lahiri is somewhat of a mix; born British, raised in Rhode Island. Either way, I've enjoyed both of her books and wish that she would come out with a new one. I really want to go to India one day, and I've read a few different authors, but Lahiri's stories stay with me. Also, I find her style incredibly polished and deliberate.
As far as foreign authors, I tend to be hesitant to read translations, unless I know that they're the best out there. Still, I've managed to develop a few trusted friends. I really enjoy Isabelle Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez when I'm looking for a taste of Latin America. Of course, the two have very different styles, so it depends on my mood. Moving to a colder region, I really enjoy Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov (keep in mind, I study Russian in college). Tolstoy just puts you in the world so well; I love really, really long novels, because then I don't have to worry about them ending suddenly. Chekhov's short stories just make me happy; I can read them in Russian as well as English, his prose is so simple, and yet the stories are anything but.
So, that's a whirlwind tour of some of my sagging bookshelves. What are your favorite authors? Especially re: foreign authors, which I'm always on the look out for.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Postern of Fate (thoughts)
I love British detective novels. I truly discovered them my senior year of high school, when I did a term paper on "The Evolution of the British Mystery Novel." Needless to say, I read quite a few of them in order to write the paper, and i've been hooked ever since.
So, when I'm feeling down, or when something's off, I reach for one of my comfort authors: Marsh, Christie, Sayers. This weekend, I reached for Agatha Christie's Postern of Fate. It's a Tommy and Tuupence mystery; usually, I'm a Miss Marple kind of girl, but I really enjoyed By the Pricking of My Thumbs with Tommy and Tuppence, so I decided to give them another go.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed. In Postern, Tommy and Tuppence have moved into a new house. As Tuppence is going through old children's books left by the previous owners, she discovers a message: Mary Jordan did not die naturally. It was one of us. Being Tuppence, she is curious and begins to investigate, pulling Tommy along for the ride. The 'mystery' took place several decades earlier, during WWI and involves betrayal and espionage. I'll leave it at that.
I found the book singularly unsatisfying. Sure, I enjoyed Tommy and Tuppence, but the mystery never drew me in. It isn't one that the reader can guess about the villain (since there aren't any suspects), the clues are vague remembrances that aren't really clues, and the whole 'government top-secret' thing gives it a John le Carre vibe. Don't get me wrong, I like John le Carre, but not when I'm in the mood for a charming British whodunnit. Furthermore, Tommy and Tuppence's dog, Hannibal, plays a role, not only in the plot, but in the dialogue. I, personally, find it incredibly annoying when authors project words onto animals. I find it less annoying when it's the whole point of the series (e.g.-Rita May Brown books), but it feels almost beneath Agatha Christie.
That being said, the book certainly wasn't *bad*, just not up to Christie's usual gold standard. There were a couple passages I particularly enjoyed:
"Only, we've got a terrible lot of books now, and the shelves we had made I don't think are going to be nearly enough. What about your special sanctum? Is there room for more books?"
"No there isn't," said Tommy. "There's not going to be enough for my own."
"Oh dear, of dear," said Tuppence, "that's so like us. Do you think we might have to build an extra room?" (6)
"Ah well-what fun it is, all the things ones used to invent and believe in and play at."(73)
So, when I'm feeling down, or when something's off, I reach for one of my comfort authors: Marsh, Christie, Sayers. This weekend, I reached for Agatha Christie's Postern of Fate. It's a Tommy and Tuupence mystery; usually, I'm a Miss Marple kind of girl, but I really enjoyed By the Pricking of My Thumbs with Tommy and Tuppence, so I decided to give them another go.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed. In Postern, Tommy and Tuppence have moved into a new house. As Tuppence is going through old children's books left by the previous owners, she discovers a message: Mary Jordan did not die naturally. It was one of us. Being Tuppence, she is curious and begins to investigate, pulling Tommy along for the ride. The 'mystery' took place several decades earlier, during WWI and involves betrayal and espionage. I'll leave it at that.
I found the book singularly unsatisfying. Sure, I enjoyed Tommy and Tuppence, but the mystery never drew me in. It isn't one that the reader can guess about the villain (since there aren't any suspects), the clues are vague remembrances that aren't really clues, and the whole 'government top-secret' thing gives it a John le Carre vibe. Don't get me wrong, I like John le Carre, but not when I'm in the mood for a charming British whodunnit. Furthermore, Tommy and Tuppence's dog, Hannibal, plays a role, not only in the plot, but in the dialogue. I, personally, find it incredibly annoying when authors project words onto animals. I find it less annoying when it's the whole point of the series (e.g.-Rita May Brown books), but it feels almost beneath Agatha Christie.
That being said, the book certainly wasn't *bad*, just not up to Christie's usual gold standard. There were a couple passages I particularly enjoyed:
"Only, we've got a terrible lot of books now, and the shelves we had made I don't think are going to be nearly enough. What about your special sanctum? Is there room for more books?"
"No there isn't," said Tommy. "There's not going to be enough for my own."
"Oh dear, of dear," said Tuppence, "that's so like us. Do you think we might have to build an extra room?" (6)
"Ah well-what fun it is, all the things ones used to invent and believe in and play at."(73)
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Opinions Wanted
Hmmm...so I just wandered over to Wordpress, and noticed that they have free blog hosting as well. (I thought that wordpress charged) So, for those that have experience with both blogger and wordpress, which do you prefer? And why?
P.S.-in case you've read the post before this, no I'm not procrastinating. I've written five more pages since then, bringing me within a page and a half of my necessary quota for this week. So I'm rewarding myself. Yes, I have descended to the depths of bribery.
P.S.-in case you've read the post before this, no I'm not procrastinating. I've written five more pages since then, bringing me within a page and a half of my necessary quota for this week. So I'm rewarding myself. Yes, I have descended to the depths of bribery.
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