Better to Have Loved

I was in my home away from home Sunday evening (O'Hare) and decided I was ready to start Surviving Death:  What Loss Taught Me about Love, Joy and Meaning by Kate O'Neill.  I would finish the book the same night.  Twice, I had to stop, close the e-reader, breathe, remember I was in O'Hare, and have a few sips of water before beginning again.

I could talk about how I liked the style and structure of the book, the transitions, or the beautiful way she paints scenes so the reader feels like she is peeking in with permission from an unseen corner. I could talk about how there were thoughts that I would never be able to articulate (a section on prayer, for example) but as I read her words, I silently whispered "yes".  I could mention that the quotations were apt intros.

But I'd rather talk about how I felt when I read it.

It's taken me a few days to even be able to articulate these few clumsy words.  My heart ached while reading the book.  I had not only a personal connection to process, but this book conjured up my own losses (and not just deaths) in many different ways.  I thought about the times where people (or events) took a slow, heavy toll and other moments where very suddenly, well, things were just going to be different.

I had an hour and a half delay on the tarmac so I finished the book about fifteen minutes into the flight, leaving me another hour or so with my thoughts and a bumpy ride.  That's when an achy heart turned hopeful and somewhere between 28,000 and 10,000 feet, I let a few things fall.  The weight lost while landing gave me a desire to hug strangers in the airport.  (I didn't of course as people who like to build rockets aren't always huggers.)

Kate's right: "Love wins."

Will Do

Some of the books I read are stalked for months and purchased when the price hits a sweet spot that I can no longer resist.  (I'm sorry authors; I know this isn't what you want to read, but I do work on a budget.)

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes was one such novel on my list.  Last weekend's flight schedules gave me ample opportunity for a three-day read.  This title was a NYT best seller and well-rated so I didn't feel I could go wrong with a $2.99 investment.  As I joked earlier, perhaps it was the sunny weather and the thought of a day off, but I lost myself in this book quickly.  I missed safety demos, in-flight announcements and the beverage cart.  Clark was an unlikely companion for Will.  In fact, the intro of our main character completely threw me off (which likely attributed to the "hook" of the story).

With a twinge of Fault in our Stars fated love, I read through the ending with long exhales and deep sighs.  Love, messy and forgiving, which occurs more often in print than in direct experience.  [At least the forgiving part; the messy is usually easy.] We all have limits with love and I've spent a fair bit of time thinking about that this weekend as a result.  (I've also made a mental note about triathletes that will make more sense if you read the book.)

This is a great book to purchase now and save for a spring or summer read if lighter material fits your fare.

The Love Snap

I have had a lull in novel reading (mainly due to a little knitting project) but I'm sneaking in excerpts from Women in Clothes by a host of over 600 contributors.  These stories are fascinating.

"I Always Liked the Pearl Snap" by Nikki Hausler as told to Mary Mann got my attention as I went through a period of only wearing snap shirts (and dating men who moved to It City to become famous song-writers).  For me, it was the sure, light sound of the quick unsnap and the lure of those not quite shiny pearl snaps.

"What I Wore to Fall in Love" by Sarah Nicole Prickett had me holding my breath.  I was wearing a pair of cropped black pants paired with long black Italian boots that had wood heels. This was matched with a red sleeveless sweater with a low neckline and a black wool 3/4 length cardigan.  Everyone else was wearing a skirt.  He asked me, "was this seat taken?" (the last time I fell in love).

Rocking the Boat

Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea.  This book was another that fell into the "I know how it ends, but I'm completely enrapt" category.  Gary Kinder does a fantastic job of bringing the California gold rush to life with the recounting of the SS Central America which sank off the East Coast in 1857.  My inner engineer has a mad crush on Tommy Thompson, a young man in the 1980s who set out to do a number of things no one had ever done before, including working in the deep ocean and using novel methods to find a hundred thirty year old wooden boat resting under 8,000 feet of water.

Now, sitting in the airport with a quick search to check a date, I've learned that the story is not quite over as Mr. Thompson has disappeared.  Considered a fugitive, he hasn't been seen for over two years.  Here's a link to the Columbus Monthly for this story.

I hope that all parties can still find a happy ending.

Horsing Around

Sticking with the same era, I've moved to Seabiscuit:  An America Legend by Laura Hillenbrand.  With apologies to both horses, trainers and the state of Kentucky, I've realized that prior to this book, I had confused some of the accomplishments of Secretariat with Seabiscuit.  (As you may have guessed, other than the Triple Crown races, I have not had a lot of exposure to racing.)  It's fun to read another novel from the same time period with historical context but the sport hasn't pulled me in like crew.  Tom Smith, the trainer, has been my favorite character.  His style reminds me a bit of Ulbrickson (UW coach) as shared by Daniel James Brown.  Men of few words, skilled in their crafts, nontraditional and a little grumpy.  I'm looking forward to the final races of the book.

Husky Finish

Four flights later, I've finished The Boys in the Boat.  I cannot recall the last time I felt such suspense and thought "what will happen" to a story to which I already knew the ending.  Hailing from modest beginnings, I rooted for the guys from UW like brothers and more than once, I found myself using a Delta cocktail napkin to guide away an errant tear.  I was proud to be wearing purple at the finish.

This evening, I can't quite find the words to give a proper review but it's the kind of book that will give you heart on a discouraging day and cause you to want to read all the reference notes at the end.

Well done, Mr. Brown.

To Live Crew

My current book in progress is The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Olympics by Daniel James Brown.  This title was a recommendation from a running friend last March.  I took a photo of the cover so I'd remember to re-visit and I'm finally working my way to reading it.

The book is fantastic.  I'm a little over the half-way mark and I'm completely absorbed with the characters and the small details about boats and rowing.  [I'm also enamored that the writer will make an appearance at The Whidbey Island Writers Conference.  I love that island.]  During my undergraduate degree, one of my fellow engineers was a coxswain.  At the time, I was not impressed but I have a tremendous amount of respect for her now that I have a little more insight into what she was doing.  

I'd recommend this book as an addition to your winter reading lists. It will inspire you.

Faster, Better, Stronger?

I didn't know that Annie Jones is the top competitive speed reader with a 2,246 wpm and 60% comprehension or that she has won the National Speed Reading Championship* a hefty six times.  This Guardian article was interesting for that piece of trivia and for the review of the speed reading app, Spritz.  Rob Boffard knocks out one of the Man Booker shortlist books in just under four and a quarter hours**.  I honestly don't know if I have the fortitude to sit that long with the intense focus that is apparently required when ramping up to 700 wpm.  I found the speed a little dizzying (and I don't think it was just the reading water).  There are some novels I'd love to spin through, but for others, I enjoy the time on the page, savoring the small effort and the time devoted to a simple pastime.  How about you?

*    I also didn't know there was a National Speed Reading Championship.
** This is shorter than the time to cook a turkey (old-school baked).

Know your Place

If this month had a subtitle, it would be "September from a Suitcase."   I downloaded Dark Places by Gillian Flynn just before boarding last weekend in the frenetic gate getaway.  I was both hooked and creeped by the story, changing my guess along the way for our culprit.  (I was wrong.)   This title is a fairly quick read and the story moves along nicely, however the ending crescendoed a bit too much for me and I felt the closing was almost too tidy.  (Was that just me?)  Still, it was a novel that allowed me to completely block surroundings and disappear from numbers into words for a little while.  I won't spoil the ending; she'll keep you guessing.

I'm saving Sharp Objects for a stretch of sunny days just to be on the safe side.

Dans ses mots

Normally, I'd send a note to GBC C@r0le King (not the singer) to ask her permission to re-quote but I've had a glass of reading water and found her description of the last GBC Meet impossible to resist.  Names have been edited for privacy but otherwise the text is hers...beautiful and leaving me homesick for book club and Paris in a short dress and high heels:

Edith Piaf was singing as we entered. The table was already laid, a pile of fresh spinach on each place, and then an array of dishes kept appearing — quartered tomatoes, sliced boiled eggs, goat cheese, tuna, potatoes and so much more — to be combined into a delicious, divine Nicoise. The wine flowed freely. That E--, she sure knows how to set the scene, doesn’t she?

And so began our evening "inside a pearl," picking over Edmund White’s gossipy memoir of his years in Paris. Some liked it; others found his descriptions a bit much, as in TMI (too much information!). But it was a lively discussion over many glasses of wine. (K-- and I thank you, M--, for bring the German with you. We’d like to meet that one again!)

And you know how we are, we even took the conversation on a tangent or two (or 3 or 4). We missed those of you who couldn’t make it and look forward to seeing you next month. Is this when we are finally discussing The Goldfinch? Get ready for a really good discussion, folks. I made notes (complete with page numbers on the back of the VISA bill envelope) and I know many of you have done the same, so it should be a rousing evening of opinions, insights, confessions and book-loving nerdiness as only the GBC can bring!

So let me end with dessert since E-- sent us on our way with such sweet remembrances…

Picture a decadent flourless chocolate torte. With your choice (try them all!) of fragrant strawberries, vanilla ice cream, juicy tart cherries and blueberries. Am I remembering this right, fellow bookies?* Did I miss anything? It was a lovely, lovely evening… a trip courtesy of the book and our generous, thoughtful hostess.

Thank you, E--, for filling our souls.

*This is how I think of us. Sort of like Trekkies, but we don’t do costumes. (Except, of course, when the occasion calls for Black Tie and the accessories are just too tempting to resist.)

The Way We Were...Are

My plane rides are translating into very nice progress through The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope.  The characters are all interesting in their own way and I'm still having difficulty selecting my favorite.  The title is available free on the kindle, but I've rather enjoyed toting around the 800 page book around.  There's a comfort in the weight of it.

Rusty Nails and Marigolds

If you've got four minutes to spare, it's worth the time to listen to Linda Wertheimer's voice from Sunday's  Weekend Edition.  She interviews Ms. Fornari about her new book, Coffee for Roses: ...and 70 Other Misleading Myths About Backyard Gardening. My favorite snippet from a review is "it's an argument settler."

Happy gardening!

Raindrops on Windowsills and Water in Glasses

Yesterday was a gloriously rainy day.  The early morning training was canceled so I could sleep in a few more hours and then visit the gym late.  I could have tea AND coffee and catch up on correspondence.  I could finish errands in the afternoon and then sit quietly on the sofa with a glass of reading water and finish The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.  It was a good day.

My review of the novel will have to wait since it's an upcoming August GBC read and I'm a believer in "no spoilers".  I do feel after having finished it though that I should revisit parts of the beginning as there are a few threads which still are not yet clear.

A reminder to sprint to the finish for the May reads: your choice of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen or Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James.

EmergenC

After more than a week of excessive Vitamin C dosing, it is clear that the cold is winning.

On the upside, zero chance of scurvy.

After a long day, I've postponed workout plans until tomorrow morning so I could don my moose pajama hot-pants* and read before retiring at the hour of most 80 year old women.  In case you've missed this news, there's a limited edition print run of I Could Have Painted That by Miriam Elia which has been in the news.  It's irreverent satire so fits along well beside the Wolf.  Here's a link to a visual on the book and the related news about an unhappy Penguin.  If you remember the Ladybird books, you might especially find a smile; it was hard for me to pick a favorite of the pages.

*Special nod to Mel for the gift of amazing PJ couture.  

Lude-acris

The Wolf of Wall Street.  I'm over the half-way mark and we've moved our domestic money, prostitution, drugs and NASDAQ to the international markets.  When I first starting the work, I thought the book was a bit too far-fetched to hold my interest.  As it turns out, I have continued reading in pursuit of some noble aspect to our main character, Jordon Belfort. (I haven't found one yet.)  Thus far, one of my favorite characters is the limo driver, who only nods and does not speak to Belfort.  I'm also convinced his assistant was under-compensated for her efforts.  While the book is long, the vocabulary is not varied.  Expect the frequent interjections of expletives and the word "luscious."

And despite the above, I will keep reading.  I find the book to be a bit like Kitchen Confidential  We know that bad things are happening in areas we don't want to contemplate, and these guys are bringing it forward.

There's a Chair in My Shower and Would you Pass the Salt

Tonight's journey was the time equivalent (and in this order) of the last 17% of The Book Thief, 47% of Love Poems, and A-S on the iPod alphabet self-DJ-ed song list.

It has been a real treat the last two weeks to be able to devote a bit more time to leisure reading.  

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.  Just read it.  Then tell me you read it so I can talk with you about it.  If I've seen you lately, I've probably already told you about it.  I am in awe at Louis' journey (and at the various WWII statistics gleaned from the book that I did not recall from pre-science days).  Ms. Hillenbrand does a very nice job with the novel and serious props to her reference list.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.  This was a fun read after the more somber novel above.  Geneticist seeks wife.  Must answer screening questionnaire in order to qualify.  If you have a series of questions you pose to potential suitors [Do you live at home?  Do you have a job?  Do you think it's appropriate to have a concealed weapon at the dinner table?* ], then I think you'd enjoy this book as a light spring/summer addition to your list.  I won't speak to the Genetics portion of the novel, because well, I tend to do that anyway.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  I've already admitted that I had a difficult time at the beginning of this novel but I read the last half of the work in large sections, uninterrupted.  Despite the fact that I really knew better than to finish it in a public space, I did anyway.  I was desperate to know what happened, even if the price was a public tear down the cheek.  Liesel, Max, Hans, Rosa, Rudy, I loved you all.  

So, I'm not sure what's next though I am due for the We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves GBC selection for March.  Hope you are enjoying the weather and stealing away a few moments for a book.

*Author's Note:  Some questions appear after very awkward moments at the dinner table.  

Pura Vida

Full reviews when I'm typing on something that's larger than a piece of bread. I've finished Unbroken and moved to The Rosie Project (which will likely be done today).

When not reading or running on the beach, I've been reminding myself just how fortunate I am.  Zip lining at night above a canopy of trees and below a bed of stars is just as magnificently awesome as you would think it would be.

Bend and Not Break

I'm a bit off schedule for writing these days.  I've slept in five places the last five days so there have been a few days where I wasn't certain what day it is, including today. At least I've always had my luggage.

The airplane time has given ample opportunity to dive more into Unbroken and I'm completely hooked.  The book is a long one (512 pages according to Amazon sources) and I'm at the 50% mark.  As the story evolves and the reader continues to learn more about Louie's life, I don't think s/he could remain untouched.  There were several moments on the plane where I had to close the reader for just a second to regroup before moving on so I didn't have another Seven Pounds* moment.  I can't wait to finish it and I'm rooting desperately for a happy ending.

*The author wasn't familiar with Seven Pounds and opted to select this film on a transatlantic flight to Europe.  Airline attendants fondly remember her as the person who was sobbing in the seat and kept asking for napkins.  Fellow neighboring passengers likely dismissed her as crazy.

Reading Not Knitting Not Reading OK Knitting

I had every good intention of starting the next GBC read.  But then Sunday, after work I decided to visit the yarn store to get a bit of yarn for this pattern I had in mind and of course they didn't have quite the amount of yarn in the colors I needed so the pattern had to be abandoned, but I still need to knit the thing so I was in search of a new pattern in a different yarn.  Enter 60 Quick Baby Blankets by Cascade Yarns.  In the typical manner in which I shop, I held the book in my hands for a quick few minutes to decide.  Vibrant, interesting patterns, easy to follow instructions, and located conveniently next to the yarn I could not stop touching.  (100% sweet, soft cotton.)  Of course I bought it (and the yarn).

So that evening, after a baking disaster where I learned that a half-baked cake does not go back into the pan as easily as it comes out, I tucked myself away for a little reading (not hiding).

I'll just thumb through a few patterns, I thought.   An hour later, after reading it like quick chick lit, I had glided through nearly every pattern in the book, gaining more excitement after seeing words like Fibonacci, Fringe and Mistachioed.  Then, when I thought it wouldn't get any better, I turned the page for "My Little Robot" and "Union Jack".  And the bonus:  there's a pattern for a lamb at the end.

I'm fairly certain I dreamed about knitting that night.

So, go forth and have children, so I can make them blankets.  It would help me if you spaced them evenly a bit to give me ample time to finish each one.  Thanks in advance.

Easy Go-ing

The beautiful thing about prepping your evening meals on the weekend and having early morning workouts, is the time after sunset can be completely devoted to reading.  You can sit on the sofa with your cup of tea while the wind bites and savor a few hours of quiet nothing.  It's a rather decadent start to the year.  Last night, I was determined to finish GG (which means I didn't quite my A game with my frozen garage door this morning but hey, there are always trade-offs).  

If you've ever felt a little twinge of regret about your selection of partners for a relationship, Gone Girl is a book for you.  You will no longer think twice about anyone who has earned a nickname gem.  You know you dodged a bullet with the Valentine's Day Crazy Cat Gun Guy but there were some figurative ones as well. The Werewolf, The Diva, The Rose Cop, and the Tropicana Screamer?  All relatively tame, when you're standing side by side with Amy and Nick.  Be grateful.  [Also, be glad that you vetted a few of these out while you still had your brick cell phone whose number you left behind just after the guy with a four word, eleven syllable name (who still made you reference the III).]

There were two noticeable shifts in the books; the first, about midway through, was my tipping point to finish.  I wanted to know what happened.  Thanks to all of you at the GBC who didn't give me any spoilers as I was six months behind you from last July's selection.  (I may however call you to review the ending!)  I think this book fits a summer read, a winter break, or a spring break read nicely.  Read it in chunks and take a big sigh of relief at your life choices.