Finished Part II.
I see nothing wrong with these books in a middle school. A little racism against a random black stranger (which upsets the author’s character). Some might faint at that. Maybe it will offend Polish people because he depicts them as pigs. Some penises. OMG THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!
Haven Point by Virginia Hume. Something I had on my library list.
I want an island vacation…
Just finished A History of Korea, 3rd edition – ends in 2020
I highly recommend. It’s a very good intro to people who know no Korean history (like me). It moves very rapidly, and what I really like is it provides a quick perspective of modern Korea on earlier times, where relevant (and it’s usually relevant).
But not on Haven Point, sheesh.
I’m getting a bit tired of books that tell 2 stories and skip between them. This book tells the grandmother’s story and the granddaughter’s story, each in its own timeframe. And there are large gaps in each timeline.
Sometimes I think an author doesn’t have enough for a book so they use this trope to write two half books.
this looks like something I would enjoy. Thanks for the pointer.
You’re welcome. Even though Simard is based just up the road from me I had not heard about her research until the New York Times did a fascinating feature article on her in their Sunday magazine followed by a review of her book in their Book Review. If you have access to NYTimes I highly recommend the magazine article before reading her book.
Surprised you read it. I only made it 50 pages back when I was a dippy young poet with a craving for wisdom and drugs.
I started the Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge. It’s basically an autobiography of Rilke freaking out in Paris. A lot of diary anecdotes and complaining and imagining. But it’s good because you sort of slip into his angelic mind.
Why are you surprised? It is allegedly some classic book that captures some … well, something. But to me it was very much a “chopping broccoli” story (reference to an old SNL skit). As in, “Look what I’m doing. That is a whole novel right there!”
And, I’m catching up on all the reading I didn’t do while studying for exams and the reading I avoided during high school and college by choosing courses that did not require the reading of novels.
You might be surprised if I bought it, which I didn’t (cuz I’m cheap, and I don’t really have the space): I borrowed it from a friend who was just finishing it up.
I’m surprised you finished it because I think of you as a curmudgeon who prides himself as having little patience for humbugs, and Kerouac as a humbug who talks too much?
That’s pretty accurate. However, reading allows me to shut him up whenever I want, go back to him whenever I want. Not as easy to do that to real-life, real-time people.
In case you want to try a different take-- I suggest buying an old edition of The Anthology of American Literature, 1945-Present. You can get a used 7th Ed for like $10. It will also have Kerouac, but just like 20 pages before moving on to someone else.
Uh, $10 AND put it in my house?? No thanks.
As much as I would like to have a library, I will likely be inheriting one (slash, ridding myself of one) soon.
Here, cheaper than a beer, if you don’t like it you can chuck it at one of those kids on your lawn.
Also working on replacing our dumb bookshelves with kindles.
Last month we had to get rid of four bookcases worth of books (and other furniture) to make room for the furniture from the condo my daughter and her family moved out of to live with us until their condo is sold.
It was good to be forced to do the book and furniture purge as that has to happen eventually. I found my Kobo was all that made the purge palatable.
I even found a home for my beloved 30 volume, leather-bound Encyclopedia Brittanica that I bought in 1974. A guy with pre-teen daughters wanted them to have a paper encyclopedia to learn with.
been reading the Amber series by Zelazny (first time) – just started on book 4
Started *Olga Dies Dreaming * by Xochitl Gonzales.
Ok and this is totally silly but I found several lists of cozy mysteries that include recipes and I’m thinking about reading one book and trying one recipe each week for 4 or 8 weeks. Idk why—I guess I like projects? I’m gonna spend some time this weekend seeing which series I can get in both audio and ebook from the library & I’ll go from there.
It’s funny how certain titles just want to make you check out the book. This is one of those titles for me.