November 9, 2006
Book Spine P*rn
The Guardian Books Blog asks how do you organize your library? Mine is alphabetical, by author’s last name with no consideration to genre, save for my children’s books which have their own little shelf. And A begins at the bottom of my shelf, to make it less clear that my books are alphabetical and that I am obsessive compulsive regarding my library is not so immediately apparent. I like the patchwork that develops from alphabetical cataloguing, different sizes and colours blending together, and I could just stare at the spines. Actually, often I do. Rows of books might be one my favourite sights to see. Awhile back the Calhoun Tribune displayed photos of her library, and by the way I gazed at them, you woulda thought they were p*rn. Oh, book spine p*rn. Orange penguins are my favourites.
Life continues dully, as I spend whole days at my desk. I did, however, bake a loaf of whole wheat bread today and it was absolutely delicious. Monkey Beach was wonderful. Now rereading The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery, because I remember once reading that it was uncannily similar to Lady Oracle (recently read). And next up: The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud.
November 8, 2006
Ephemeron
I learned the word “ephemeron” today (plural “ephemera”), which I had assumed was a noun applied to something ephemeral, and though that is the case, it can specifically pertain to printed matter “of passing interest” like brochures and pamphlets. At our library, however, where I learned this word, ephemera are not so ephemeral as we’ve got them catalogued in our permanent collections. Which is sort of strange. Also important to note, ephemera are a kind of short-lived mayfly. Oh, the things that occupy my mind.
November 8, 2006
List Mongering
Now reading Monkey Beach, which I am just starting to get into. I also took Tristram Shandy out of the library, as I’ve never read it and from all accounts this has been a grave error on my part. I am going to try to read more classics, as I’m quite deficient in that department. I used the spreadsheet from this site to find out how many of the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die I’ve read. 116 in case you wondered. My total would be shorter if the list was called 1001 Books You Didn’t Have to Read for Your BA, or 1001 Books You Read When You Didn’t Have Amnesia (hello The Body Artist by Don DeLillo which was bought and read at an airport in 2002 but disappeared into that black hole that was my life then). Lists are lame, but I like them. And what I’ve learned from this one is that I’ve got gaps to fill, and so classics it is. (thanks to this site for the link to the spreadsheet.)
November 8, 2006
Kicking legs and stop the presses!
I have developed an uncontrollable urge to go see The Radio City Christmas Spectacular at The Hummingbird Centre. To be confirmed, but still, how exciting! I haven’t seen a Christmas show since the Nottingham Panto in 2003 (starring Leslie Grantham, but I didn’t know who he was then).
The Gillers tonight! I still think I have a chance of winning this year. Controversy surrounding proofreading has been interesting. The Digested Read of Posh Spice’s latest book is funny. A new publisher at Walrus.
And Holy Shit! Stop the presses because Britney has filed for divorce!
November 3, 2006
The Octopus and other readings
Last night, I went to see the brilliant Jennica Harper read, and it was wonderful to put a voice to those words. I enjoyed the evening very much, as Rebecca Rosenblum was there, and we got to hear other readers too, including Leon Rooke, Terence Young and Patricia Young. If I haven’t implored you to check out Jennica Harper’s The Octopus and other poems yet, you should do so. It’s a top-rated Pickle Me This Pick of 2006.
And Jennica signed my copy and I got a bookmark!
November 2, 2006
Seen Reading
Bookninja links to Seen Reading, a wonderful blog tracking who’s reading what around town. I’ve gone through it looking for me, but there’s no sign yet.
November 1, 2006
Cat's Eye
Usually when I read marginalia from former academic selves of mine, it makes me want to gouge out my eyeballs. Particularly my high school self, which destroyed my Great Gatsby with banality, but my undergrad self was no treat either– the river, as I noted in The Diviners, “=life”. Now reading Cat’s Eye, which I’ve read a thousand other times. One of those times was 1998 for a course in my first year at university, and I highlighted all important passages in green highlighter. No idiot comments, fortunately, just the highlighter. It’s not so annoying actually, and this time, as I’ve made my own markings through it (which undoubtedly will make me want to kill myself in the future), I’ve become oddly conscious of some sort of dialogue with my former me. It’s sort of wonderful.
November 1, 2006
Books in the News
Okay, I admit I like the Guardian Books Blog. I just hope the bloggish articles don’t come to take the place of their regular books articles. On writing that first novel: “For years I was bogged down in the paraphernalia surrounding the writing of a novel–the specially sharpened pencil, the new notebook, just the right word processor. I eagerly hovered up snippets of information about how other people wrote their books as if hoping to discover a special secret that would enable me to write mine. With hindsight it is now clear that this hopelessly naive behaviour was a form of decades-long displacement activity that was actually preventing me from writing a novel, and that the only way to write a novel is indeed to write it, one painful word after another.” On giving children books for Christmas. On what reviewers should think according to publishers. Outside of the blog, on Penguins: you know, I don’t know if I like Penguin books because I like penguins, or if I like penguins because of the books. Alice Munro in The Guardian and in The Globe. Plath sonnet discovered.
Am devastated about Reese and Ryan.
October 27, 2006
Fun Without Prairie Fiction
We had a grand old time last night at the echolocation Halloween Party, and we were truly humbled by the amazing costumes assembled there. We didn’t dress up. We are lame. I did, however, give my secret party trick the light of day (or night?) and composed two spontaneous folk songs- one about the Filthy Federlines and the other about robotic dogs (naturally). They were received warmly and I did so enjoy the night out. On the walk there, my mind was shouting to the beats of my feet, “Need drink. Need drink. etc.” Drink was had. Delicious.
In my previous entry, when I mentioned that The Diviners was one of “those books”, I meant that it is a book I intend to be revisiting as long as visiting hours are open. What I had neglected to realize, of course, is that it is also one of “those books” in the sense of the dreaded Prairie Fiction. Remember how Prairie Fiction nearly drove me to defenestration one month ago? Now, it is distinctly possible that my Prairie Fiction issues are linked to my menstrual cycle, but I think there is something further than that. I learned recently about certain types of fiction that cause post-traumatic stress disorder in readers, and I really think Prairie Fiction does that for me. I am not being completely dramatic. Books do tend to make their impressions upon me (ie when I read Fight Club and became psychotic?) I loved The Diviners, but it stirred something up in me that needs to be left alone in order me to be functional. I become overwrought. Sarah Harmer wrote “I’m a Mountain’; I’d love to hear “I’m a Prairie” and find out what it has to say, and then maybe I could get to the root of the problem.
I am now reading Laurie Colwin’s Goodbye Without Leaving which should calm me down a bit.
Two fabulous acquisitions in our house: Atwood’s The Penelopiad (which I read last winter and loved) and a pastry marble!
October 26, 2006
Stranger than Fiction
The Guardian has a books blog, which might turn out to be good. Or not. The movie Stranger than Fiction looks quite bookish, and I think I want to go see it. And I quite enjoyed the Guardian’s podcast on creative writing programs. No definitive answers, which is best really, but the exchange of some good ideas.
I’m now rereading The Diviners, one of “those” books. I will return to it again and again, and find something new every time. I am finding present-day Morag resonates with me if a way she never did when I read this book before. Pioneers, oh pioneers.
