Several of us in (and out) of the GBC are wondering where to go with our reading list. For my thoughts, it is approaching the end of summer so I feel as though I should go with more serious literature, but yet, I am not ready to give up those light reads which seem to match the longer mostly sunny with occasional thunderstorm days. What to do? In the end, I have selected Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tonello and a sample of My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler. (As you can see I have not made the transition to autumn reading.)
So my conscious does not let me leave you with suggesting only books about bags and er, baggage. (Thank goodness for NPR.) Nancy Pearl in this link has put together a pretty interesting list of reads and since she modifies a line by They Might Be Giants in her review, I trust her recommendations. (Such high standards I have.)
Make a little birdhouse in your soul.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Q&Qs
I had a craving for M&Ms last night and gave in to temptation. I am not certain whether it my body's subconscious craving for Blue 1 Lake dye, Lactose, Red 40, or the memory of my youth which caused this impulsive buy. [Note: Had I actually read the ingredient list before purchase listing the ten different coloring agents, I might have had stronger will power.]
When my sister and I were young, the package of candy was equally divided in number and color with a barter system in place where the quantity of orange, blue, yellow, green or red was uneven. My sister would savor each candy one by one, whereas I could consume these chocolates at a quite rapid pace. There was a near zero chance that any of these would ever melt in my hand. As I have grown older, my preference for chocolates has evolved with a tendency to savor one really nice chocolate (truffle) over something from Mars (the brand not the planet).
Quality over Quantity (and of course, fewer miles on the treadmill).
When my sister and I were young, the package of candy was equally divided in number and color with a barter system in place where the quantity of orange, blue, yellow, green or red was uneven. My sister would savor each candy one by one, whereas I could consume these chocolates at a quite rapid pace. There was a near zero chance that any of these would ever melt in my hand. As I have grown older, my preference for chocolates has evolved with a tendency to savor one really nice chocolate (truffle) over something from Mars (the brand not the planet).
Quality over Quantity (and of course, fewer miles on the treadmill).
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Good Help is Hard to Find
It is hot. It is really hot. So hot, you wish you had a fan and a glass which has beads of water on the outside with your icy coca-cola on the inside melting into your ice cubes. You are remembering the porch of your youth and your grandparents or your favorite Auntie. The air is still (save the sirens in our downtown dwellings, but even they seem far away). And you are reading The Help for GBC's next meeting if you have not already done so. With the weather near or above 100F and the air thick as a good meringue, this is the time to delve into this month's read.
Luckily for me and thanks to my sis, I am ahead of the curve for this month, meaning I will have no (okay, less) shame via my Skype presence. I have already shared my comments on the read, so what do you think?
Luckily for me and thanks to my sis, I am ahead of the curve for this month, meaning I will have no (okay, less) shame via my Skype presence. I have already shared my comments on the read, so what do you think?
Monday, August 2, 2010
No Place Like Holmes
While many of the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes are clever, leaving the reader to ascertain the true crux of a tale only just before or at the point of revelation by Mr. Holmes, the language has been to me the larger draw. I am listing a few examples below to illustrate my meaning:
"As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after" - Holmes in "Adventure V. The Five Orange Pips" (Loc 1751) [This story is actually quite a sad, disturbing one, and the plot I am afraid, is a little more obvious than the other stories, particularly if a reader has spent any time in the South.]
"Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still more so." - Holmes again to Dr. Watson in "Adventure VI. The Man with the Twisted Lip" (Loc 1964) [The turn of this story was only evident to me just moments before Holmes leads us through his discovery, although I suspect my father would have been earlier to the game.]
"I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman may be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical reasoner." - Holmes again in "Adventure VI" (Loc 2135) [No comment.]
As a woman chronicler who does not always understand the link between several incidents, I would recommend these short stories if you had a moment or two to ponder.
"As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after" - Holmes in "Adventure V. The Five Orange Pips" (Loc 1751) [This story is actually quite a sad, disturbing one, and the plot I am afraid, is a little more obvious than the other stories, particularly if a reader has spent any time in the South.]
"Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still more so." - Holmes again to Dr. Watson in "Adventure VI. The Man with the Twisted Lip" (Loc 1964) [The turn of this story was only evident to me just moments before Holmes leads us through his discovery, although I suspect my father would have been earlier to the game.]
"I have seen too much not to know that the impression of a woman may be more valuable than the conclusion of an analytical reasoner." - Holmes again in "Adventure VI" (Loc 2135) [No comment.]
As a woman chronicler who does not always understand the link between several incidents, I would recommend these short stories if you had a moment or two to ponder.
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