The Diving Bell and the Butterfly From Amazon’s review/description: We’ve all got our idiosyncrasies when it comes to writing–a special chair we have to sit in, a certain kind of yellow paper we absolutely must use. To create this tremendously affecting memoir, Jean-Dominique Bauby used the only tool available to him–his left eye–with which he… Continue reading The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Junot Diaz Event
Junot Diaz I was thrilled to have another chance to see Junot Diaz last night. His first event was immediately after The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao was published, and I had not read it, or his very well regarded short story collection Drown, so I did not go to last year’s signing. The… Continue reading Junot Diaz Event
Polysyllabic Spree – August 2008
Books Purchased: Books Purchased – August 2008 Twilight by Stephenie Meyer Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel Minders of Make-Believe by Leonard S. Marcus Calamity and Other Stories by Daphne Kalotay Mad Mary Lamb: Lunacy and Murder in Literary London by Susan Tyler Hitchcock Blue Shoe by Anne Lamott Leave it to Psmith… Continue reading Polysyllabic Spree – August 2008
How to Read a Novel Like a Professor
How to Read Novels Like a Professor: A Jaunty Exploration of the World’s Favorite Literary Form Thomas C. Foster I love books about books and reading. I couldn’t resist checking out How to Read Novels Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster when I saw it at the library Monday. It has the added bonus… Continue reading How to Read a Novel Like a Professor
The Month of Re-reading
My posting has been sparse lately, as a direct result of the olympics. For that matter almost all of my regular activities have taken the back burner to the olympics, first and foremost: sleep. However, I’ve been thinking about the subject matter of this post for a while now. There are lots of book challenges… Continue reading The Month of Re-reading
Don't forget the coffee – say sixteen pots.
“Have you ever passed the night in chokey, Jeeves?” “No, sir. I have been fortunate in that respect.” “It renders the appetite unusually keen. So rally round, if you don’t mind, and busy yourself with the skillet. We have eggs on the premises, I presume?” “Yes, sir.” “I shall need about fifty, fried, with perhaps… Continue reading Don't forget the coffee – say sixteen pots.
Links for 08.12.08
Interested in reading a blog that was written 70 years ago? The Orwell Prize has created a site that is reposting all of George Orwell’s diaries as a blog. The entries were written between August 1938 to October 1942, and will be reposted on the blog on the same days of the month that he… Continue reading Links for 08.12.08
Buying Books I Already Own featuring J. D. Salinger
Occasionally I buy a new copy of a book I already own. The reason I do this is usually one of these three reasons: 1. There’s an author event coming up that I plan to attend, and I’ll buy a nice hardcover copy to replace my paperback copy. 2. The author is one of my… Continue reading Buying Books I Already Own featuring J. D. Salinger
Twilight
Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) Stephenie Meyer When something gets a lot of hype, I tend to get a little resistant to it unless I’m already “a part of it” – so to speak. I got into Harry Potter just a smidge before the maddness, so I was able to unabashedly join the mayham.… Continue reading Twilight
Polysyllabic Spree: July 2008
Books Purchased: July 2008 Books Purchased: *The Hours by Michael Cunningham *The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler *The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing *Lanterns and Lances by James Thurber *The Road by Cormac McCarthy *From Time to Time by Jack Finney *The Handmaid’s Tale by Margret Atwood *Jeeves and the Tie That… Continue reading Polysyllabic Spree: July 2008
"I have traveled extensively in Concord" -Thoreau
I have had the pleasure of visiting my best friends in Massachusetts twice this month. Both trips Emma and I chased our obsession with “American Bloomsbury” by heading back to our favorite town, Concord, Massachusetts. The first weekend we didn’t have as much time in Concord, but we did tour Emerson’s house, which was extremely… Continue reading "I have traveled extensively in Concord" -Thoreau
Emma and Northanger Abbey
Emma Jane Austen Northanger Abbey Jane Austen This week I finished Emma and Northanger Abbey. These were the last two Jane Austen novels that I had not read. I loved both of them, but I’d rank Emma 5 of 5 stars and Northanger Abbey 4 of 5. WARNING: SPOILERS ABOUT BOTH BOOKS BELOW I found… Continue reading Emma and Northanger Abbey