I thought since we were talking about books -
And talking about Atticus Finch -
Maybe it would be good to look at a picture of Atticus Fince reading a book......
And, you know, there is the added bonus of the pretty and the Gregory Peck.
10.05.2011
Random Pretty Man
I thought since we were talking about books -
And talking about Atticus Finch -
Maybe it would be good to look at a picture of Atticus Fince reading a book......
And, you know, there is the added bonus of the pretty and the Gregory Peck.
This Charming Bookshelf
Here's what I've been reading around here lately:
I know - I may be getting out of hand but at least my bank account has been safe from handbags lately!
Coming off Light in August, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Moveigoer and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter I decided that perhaps, just perhaps, I'd had enough Southern angst for a while. So, what better place to turn to than the political intrigue, family madness and sexual perversity of ancient Rome?
I bought I, Claudius because I found it at the used book store and it is on Time's list of 100 Greatest Books. It was not what I was expecting. It's funny. It's gossipy. It was easy to get into and I enjoyed it immensely. I'm not gonna lie. It'll help if you have at least a passing knowledge of ancient Roman history. At least it'll help you keep everyone straight. And at one point I thought "Oh my God, Tiberius! Just DIE already. Geeze!"
Before reading The Epicure's Lament, I had just read The Great Man, also by Kate Christensen. While I enjoy Ms. Christensen's writing, I didn't so much like this book. I felt like it was a good idea that was never really fully developed - so it just rambled along. Overall, I found it really unsatisfying.
I'm starting to read Saul Bellow. Really, I want to read The Adventures of Augie March and Humbolt's Gift, both of which are more than 500 pages. So I started with Seize the Day, a slim novella. I think it was one of his first books. Overall, I liked the book but it didn't change my life or anything. I'm excited for other Bellow books in the future, though.
I liked The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. I didn't know much about it going in (except that is is short - which suited my immediate requirements for a new book) and I've only seen excerpts from the movie. I really liked it and now I want to see the movie. Jean Brodie is an egomaniacal, narcissistic, irresponsible crazy woman! And she's in charge of young girls! If you're wondering how much damage one bad teacher can do in the name of education, this book may give you some enlightenment.
I'm not sure that I can say I liked BUtterfield 8. First of all, I've seen the movie, which I can only say is only loosely based on the book. The book is rich in historical detail and certainly sets the tone and feeling of New York after the Crash. It follows the short and tragic life of Gloria Wandrous - a party girl with a sad past and a dim future.
And then, you know, I was ready for some more Southern fiction. A Summons to Memphis won the Pulitzer Prize in 1987. It tells the story of a long escaped son of a Memphis lawyer who is summoned home by his spinster sisters to prevent the re-marriage of their 80-something father. I have to say that the story was certainly familiar to me - if the source of the family's long standing hurts and bitternesses were not entirely understandable or (to my mind) reasonable. Altogether I was engrossed by the book and happily followed it through to the end, it's not a perfect book. The writing and language are entirely lovely, though.
Possession is also on Time Magazine's list and I read it with a great deal of interest and enjoyment. It intertwines the tales of 2 romances: one modern and the other between two Victorian writers that took place 100 years ago. As the modern couple researches and uncovers the heretofor undiscovered romance between the married and famous Victorian writer Randolph Ash and the minor (and previously believed to be lesbian) poet Christabel Lamotte, they fall in love with each other and discover new meaning in the writings of the authors they have devoted their professional lives to studying. As other, more notable scholars close in and try to steal the glory from their discovery, the whole thing becomes a rush to uncover the truth about Ash and Christabel and the true reaches of their long ago love affair. A very good book.
I know - I may be getting out of hand but at least my bank account has been safe from handbags lately!
Coming off Light in August, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Moveigoer and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter I decided that perhaps, just perhaps, I'd had enough Southern angst for a while. So, what better place to turn to than the political intrigue, family madness and sexual perversity of ancient Rome?
I bought I, Claudius because I found it at the used book store and it is on Time's list of 100 Greatest Books. It was not what I was expecting. It's funny. It's gossipy. It was easy to get into and I enjoyed it immensely. I'm not gonna lie. It'll help if you have at least a passing knowledge of ancient Roman history. At least it'll help you keep everyone straight. And at one point I thought "Oh my God, Tiberius! Just DIE already. Geeze!"
Before reading The Epicure's Lament, I had just read The Great Man, also by Kate Christensen. While I enjoy Ms. Christensen's writing, I didn't so much like this book. I felt like it was a good idea that was never really fully developed - so it just rambled along. Overall, I found it really unsatisfying.
I'm starting to read Saul Bellow. Really, I want to read The Adventures of Augie March and Humbolt's Gift, both of which are more than 500 pages. So I started with Seize the Day, a slim novella. I think it was one of his first books. Overall, I liked the book but it didn't change my life or anything. I'm excited for other Bellow books in the future, though.
I liked The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. I didn't know much about it going in (except that is is short - which suited my immediate requirements for a new book) and I've only seen excerpts from the movie. I really liked it and now I want to see the movie. Jean Brodie is an egomaniacal, narcissistic, irresponsible crazy woman! And she's in charge of young girls! If you're wondering how much damage one bad teacher can do in the name of education, this book may give you some enlightenment.
I'm not sure that I can say I liked BUtterfield 8. First of all, I've seen the movie, which I can only say is only loosely based on the book. The book is rich in historical detail and certainly sets the tone and feeling of New York after the Crash. It follows the short and tragic life of Gloria Wandrous - a party girl with a sad past and a dim future.
And then, you know, I was ready for some more Southern fiction. A Summons to Memphis won the Pulitzer Prize in 1987. It tells the story of a long escaped son of a Memphis lawyer who is summoned home by his spinster sisters to prevent the re-marriage of their 80-something father. I have to say that the story was certainly familiar to me - if the source of the family's long standing hurts and bitternesses were not entirely understandable or (to my mind) reasonable. Altogether I was engrossed by the book and happily followed it through to the end, it's not a perfect book. The writing and language are entirely lovely, though.
Possession is also on Time Magazine's list and I read it with a great deal of interest and enjoyment. It intertwines the tales of 2 romances: one modern and the other between two Victorian writers that took place 100 years ago. As the modern couple researches and uncovers the heretofor undiscovered romance between the married and famous Victorian writer Randolph Ash and the minor (and previously believed to be lesbian) poet Christabel Lamotte, they fall in love with each other and discover new meaning in the writings of the authors they have devoted their professional lives to studying. As other, more notable scholars close in and try to steal the glory from their discovery, the whole thing becomes a rush to uncover the truth about Ash and Christabel and the true reaches of their long ago love affair. A very good book.
10.04.2011
Tuesday's Girl
"I cannot remember a time when I was not in love with them - with the books themselves, cover and binding and the paper they were printed on, with their smell and their weight and with their possession in my arms, captured and carried off to myself."
Eudora Welty
Books and Houses
"...At the far end of the long, low room, through a glass door, he could see a small terrace with blue hills beyond. Comfortable, slightly shabby armchairs were arranged in front of a cut-stone fireplace that had been laid with vine clippings. On the other side of the room, the wall had been knocked away to waist height to make a bar, with a gap at one end leading through to the kitchen. Books were everywhere, books and flowers. The air smelled faintly of lavender."Excerpt from The Hotel Pastis by Peter Mayle
Image from House Beautiful
My Top Ten Favorite Books (Plus One Extra)
I thought since I've been talking about books lately, I'd give you the lowdown on my top 10.
Some of these are obviously books which have great critical acclaim and some aren't. All of them have changed my in some way - forever shifted my perception of both myself and the world. They are listed in kind of my order of personal preference although (especially with the first 3) it's hard for me to make the distinction.
Number 1: The Sound and the Fury
I was just blown away. As I've said before, when I picked up this book I was only hoping to make it through it. I didn't expect to understand it. Or to love it. Or to be changed by it. But I was. I didn't know that anyone could write like this. I didn't know I could be carried along on such a whirlwind of words. Love.....
Number 2: The Great Gatsby
I think this is the first 'grown up' book that I fell in love with. And all these years later, I continue to love it. I read it again earlier this year and I'm still amazed that this story that I know so well can still surprise me in ways I couldn't anticipate when I read it as a teenager. My own age and experience have deepened my understanding.
Number 3: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Another book I read for the first time as a young adult. It made me understand (in a concrete way) the larger world, the possibilities of the universe and the absolute necessity of good liquor and good towels. It's still a guiding book for me. It helped me grow up and still shows the way.
Number 4: The Shipping News
I just love the story. I love the language. The first time I read it I hated it with a passion. I was 100 pages in and just said "Fuck it. I hate this. I'm done." But I was at the gym and had nothing else to read so I turned the page to 101 and she hooked me. And I finally got into the rhythm of this language and I fell in. I started out hating Quoyle (our semi-hero). I wanted to thump him. Golly Pete! But he was such a schmuck! But he kept going. He found his way. In the end he was beautiful.
Number 5: To Kill a Mockingbird
There may be a lawyer (man or woman), somewhere in the South, who isn't in love with Atticus Finch - but I've never met 'em. I re-read this last month. Happily. Joyously. I feel like Scout gets all the attention and in many ways this story is about her and her growing up. But it is Jem that kills me. I suppose because he's already grown up enough to understand what's really going on. I feel like he can truly see Atticus for what he is and understand what they're all going through - and he's losing his childhood innocenc in a different way than Scout. The story about a son coming to understand his father's true greatness kills me. Just kills me.
Number 6: The Bluest Eye
I read The Bluest Eye for the first time in college - because it was assigned to me. I remember, at the age of 22, being astounded that my thinking could be so radically shifted by such a slim book. I was then, as I am now, in awe of Toni Morrison. I suppose before this, I thought there were really only 2 paths when one was dealing with unending, helpless misery: Escape or Death. Toni Morrison has shown us a third path here (as well as later) and that is madness. Picola Breedlove stepped off to madness. And she still breaks my heart.
Number 7: Death Comes for the Archbishop
I think I've read most everything Willa Cather has written. She has made me sob in grief on more than one occasion. This story of the quiet and profound life of one man toiling away in the desert did just that.
Number 8: The Sun Also Rises
You know, I'm not a Hemingway fan. I hope one day to develop more of an appreciation for his work but for now, I'm just going to say that I love this book enough to keep trying to at least appreciate his other work. Maybe it's Paris. Maybe it's the French countryside. Maybe it's the 20's. Maybe I identified with these lost characters while I was a disenfranchised and persecuted high school junior (!) - but I've never gotten over my love for this book. The title alone causes me to swoon.
Number 9: The Awakening
This was the first book I read that dared to come right out and say that marriage and motherhood might not be the path to happiness and fulfillment for every woman on the planet. That was most likely a startling concept when this book was published in 1899. What I liked most about it - if 'like' is the right word - is that Edna wasn't unhappy or unfulfilled because her husband was an ogre or because her life was financially or materially difficult. I liked that Chopin didn't make it that simple. Edna was a person who was looking for her own fulfillment - even when she didn't quite know why.
Number 10: I Was Amelia Earhart
I'm putting this one in because I loved the words of this book - poetic and sparse. I also love the story of the book which meditates on the difference between your true self and the face you put on for the world. And I love the idea that you can find happiness and contentment even when at first it seems you've lost everything you ever had.
And then I need one more:
There is nothing deep or profound or difficult about Hotel Pastis. It is fluffy and French and romantic. I just love it, is all. I just love it.
*NOTE* I am MORTIFIED that this post was so fraught with typos! I went back and fixed them. My deepest apologies.
Some of these are obviously books which have great critical acclaim and some aren't. All of them have changed my in some way - forever shifted my perception of both myself and the world. They are listed in kind of my order of personal preference although (especially with the first 3) it's hard for me to make the distinction.
Number 1: The Sound and the Fury
I was just blown away. As I've said before, when I picked up this book I was only hoping to make it through it. I didn't expect to understand it. Or to love it. Or to be changed by it. But I was. I didn't know that anyone could write like this. I didn't know I could be carried along on such a whirlwind of words. Love.....
Number 2: The Great Gatsby
I think this is the first 'grown up' book that I fell in love with. And all these years later, I continue to love it. I read it again earlier this year and I'm still amazed that this story that I know so well can still surprise me in ways I couldn't anticipate when I read it as a teenager. My own age and experience have deepened my understanding.
Number 3: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Another book I read for the first time as a young adult. It made me understand (in a concrete way) the larger world, the possibilities of the universe and the absolute necessity of good liquor and good towels. It's still a guiding book for me. It helped me grow up and still shows the way.
Number 4: The Shipping News
I just love the story. I love the language. The first time I read it I hated it with a passion. I was 100 pages in and just said "Fuck it. I hate this. I'm done." But I was at the gym and had nothing else to read so I turned the page to 101 and she hooked me. And I finally got into the rhythm of this language and I fell in. I started out hating Quoyle (our semi-hero). I wanted to thump him. Golly Pete! But he was such a schmuck! But he kept going. He found his way. In the end he was beautiful.
Number 5: To Kill a Mockingbird
There may be a lawyer (man or woman), somewhere in the South, who isn't in love with Atticus Finch - but I've never met 'em. I re-read this last month. Happily. Joyously. I feel like Scout gets all the attention and in many ways this story is about her and her growing up. But it is Jem that kills me. I suppose because he's already grown up enough to understand what's really going on. I feel like he can truly see Atticus for what he is and understand what they're all going through - and he's losing his childhood innocenc in a different way than Scout. The story about a son coming to understand his father's true greatness kills me. Just kills me.
Number 6: The Bluest Eye
I read The Bluest Eye for the first time in college - because it was assigned to me. I remember, at the age of 22, being astounded that my thinking could be so radically shifted by such a slim book. I was then, as I am now, in awe of Toni Morrison. I suppose before this, I thought there were really only 2 paths when one was dealing with unending, helpless misery: Escape or Death. Toni Morrison has shown us a third path here (as well as later) and that is madness. Picola Breedlove stepped off to madness. And she still breaks my heart.
Number 7: Death Comes for the Archbishop
I think I've read most everything Willa Cather has written. She has made me sob in grief on more than one occasion. This story of the quiet and profound life of one man toiling away in the desert did just that.
Number 8: The Sun Also Rises
You know, I'm not a Hemingway fan. I hope one day to develop more of an appreciation for his work but for now, I'm just going to say that I love this book enough to keep trying to at least appreciate his other work. Maybe it's Paris. Maybe it's the French countryside. Maybe it's the 20's. Maybe I identified with these lost characters while I was a disenfranchised and persecuted high school junior (!) - but I've never gotten over my love for this book. The title alone causes me to swoon.
Number 9: The Awakening
This was the first book I read that dared to come right out and say that marriage and motherhood might not be the path to happiness and fulfillment for every woman on the planet. That was most likely a startling concept when this book was published in 1899. What I liked most about it - if 'like' is the right word - is that Edna wasn't unhappy or unfulfilled because her husband was an ogre or because her life was financially or materially difficult. I liked that Chopin didn't make it that simple. Edna was a person who was looking for her own fulfillment - even when she didn't quite know why.
Number 10: I Was Amelia Earhart
I'm putting this one in because I loved the words of this book - poetic and sparse. I also love the story of the book which meditates on the difference between your true self and the face you put on for the world. And I love the idea that you can find happiness and contentment even when at first it seems you've lost everything you ever had.
And then I need one more:
There is nothing deep or profound or difficult about Hotel Pastis. It is fluffy and French and romantic. I just love it, is all. I just love it.
*NOTE* I am MORTIFIED that this post was so fraught with typos! I went back and fixed them. My deepest apologies.
10.03.2011
Happy Monday
Hey!
How was the weekend? Or last week for that matter?
Mine was good. Work is finally coming under control - or as under control as one's law practice can ever be.
So while I was off, I was thinking about this week's blog - which I actually do a lot. Is it weird that I feel an obligation to say things here? Is that the point of it?
Anyway - since I seem to be spending all my time lately with my nose in a book, I thought that I would do a 'theme blog' this week and just talk about books. How's that? Well, it's all I've got right now, so y'all are gonna have the bear with me! Or is that bare? Really, I don't think I've ever known....
Anywho, that you for stopping by this week. We're talking about books and things!
Smooch!
Tonya
Image: Peace, Love, Books by Hesed Books and Gifts.
On Books
"To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life."
W. Somerset MaughamImage: For the Love of Books by My Camera Bag.
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