December 14, 2006
World's Tallest Man Saves Choking Dolphins
The prize goes to Jennie for alerting me to this news story: World’s Tallest Man Saves Choking Dolphins. Can that possibly be true? But if it is, do we not live in the best world ever?
Half of a Yellow Sun continues to be extraordinary. Does the fact that my cup runneth over for every book I read make you think I love books lightly? Because I don’t. I just choose the books I read very very carefully. Anyway, I’ll write more about this one tomorrow. Today, I am rewriting one of my chapters and listening to Zero 7’s “Destiny” on repeat and I am in a very good state of mind.
December 13, 2006
Results
I just finished my marking and printed out my own essay! And so the toiling is over. Which is not to say that I get to reenter the world as yet, as I’ve been neglecting my creative project for the last five days, and have a mess of short stories to write over the holiday. It just means my seclusion becomes less intensive and much more pleasant. I am now reading Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which I chose because I never saw a review for it short of raving. And it is an amazing novel so far, but so brutal. I can’t read too much at once.
December 10, 2006
Heartburn/Not the End of the World
Reading Nora Ephron’s Heartburn was a treat. Like her essays, the novel straddles an “in-between space” that doesn’t quite fit into any genre, but she’s such a funny woman and the story is hilariously absurd. The novel is like candy, but really expensive well-made candy. And it’s one of many novels I’ve read lately that have made me wish I knew more Hebrew. So it goes. Now reading Not the End of the World by the brilliant Kate Atkinson and I expect it will be “bloody marvelous”.
December 5, 2006
Anticipation
Claire Messud, whose recent book I so enjoyed is profiled in The Globe today.
There continues to be fun at the Guardian Books Blog.
33 papers are marked and 3 paragraphs on my essay are done (I’m writing one per day), and I am absolutely exhausted but so anticipating all the reading I plan to do over Christmas. Coming up, Heartburn by Nora Ephron, Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl, This is My Country, What’s Yours? by Noah Richler, Jane Eyre (I am Bronteing it up this year, on occasion of my trip to the moors in June), and of course The Sea Lady. Among others, I imagine. But at the moment it’s all quite far away.
December 3, 2006
Remarkable Voices
And so it continues. The papers are slowly getting marked, my essay is slowly getting written, and my creative work too. Everything is on schedule, plus I sent all my Christmas cards yesterday and my shopping is done except for Stuart, which is easy anyway. Today I am taking a lunch break and we’re going out for sushi with two lovely new friends we’re quite excited to see again. History of Love was magnificent, though the ending was not quite what I would have liked but the rest of the book was so amazing, I wasn’t really bothered. Oh, the voices she made. Quite remarkable, I think, and so remark I do. I’m starting The Remains of the Day and I’ve not idea what to expect. I am sorry that all of this is duller than even usual, but this is it at the moment.
December 1, 2006
Book Tip
I know there are a few of you out there who do follow up on my book recommendations, so this goes out to you, but everyone else– I beg you to take heed. I am reading The History of Love by Nicole Krauss, and it is breaking my heart in the most beautiful way imaginable. I’m sending out a blanket call for you to read this book.
November 28, 2006
Bollocky Night
I’ve had a bollocky night, and so I’ve drowned my sorrows in Dairy Milk. I’ve also abandoned Tristram Shandy in Book 4, because I think I’ve got the point by now. (My second abandoned book in just over a week! I never do that.) Now reading The Uses of Enchantment by Heidi Julavitz. Now despairing the day I ever decided to pick up a pen. Bollocks bollocks bollocks! And 75 papers to be marked enter my life tomorrow. Sometimes I wish I lived in my bathtub like a fish.
November 23, 2006
Dreams are boring but…
last night I had a bookish nightmare! I dreamt that I somehow ended up with a copy of this rather controversial book, and didn’t know what to do with it. I didn’t want to give it away as then people would know I owned it, I didn’t want to sell it as that would be unethical, I couldn’t just throw it out because I didn’t want to be responsible for that filth in the world, and I couldn’t have kept it because then I would have been turned into a pillar of salt. Dilemma was solved by the alarm clock, I think.
Now reading Tristram Shandy, which I am enjoying actually, but I think it’s gonna be a long long time.
November 17, 2006
Wedding Weekend
Here for five women writers revealing their inspiration. The Beatles mash themselves up. The danger of naming a character. Books banned in Iran. Etc.
This weekend I am reading The Da Vinci Code. It’s true, but only because I am going to be maniacally busy this weekend with some blocks of sitting around time and require a novel that won’t require too much concentration and that can be finished for Monday so I can read the books I have to read for school. The qualification is necessary. 8 billion readers can’t be wrong though. Or can they?
This weekend is brought to us by the Doering/Lui Nuptials, which I expect will usurp these as the wedding of the year. A three day extravaganza really, and if you’re looking for me I’ll be the one riding around in a limo wearing a floor-length gown. A floor-length gown that doesn’t exactly fit. Ah yes, my career as a bridesmaid begins this afternoon, straight through to Sunday. I’ll be back in the aftermath, probably with pictures.
November 15, 2006
Read This
Now reading Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, and it’s brilliant. I bought it at the Vic Book Sale, after Kim Dean picked it up and said, “Read this. It’s great.” I looked at the back, and a blurb by Amy Tan said, “Jhumpa Lahiri is the kind of writer who makes you want to grab the next person you see and say, ‘Read this!’. Indeed.
