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bookish
January 06, 2011
Re: my remarks about Huckleberry Finn--this Emerson quuote was in my AWAD email this morning.
"Every burned book or house enlightens the world; every suppressed or expunged word reverberates through the earth from side to side." -Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher (1803-1882)
Not too much to say. Mailed off a letter to Uncle; I kind of skipped a cycle over the holidays, and had to get my butt back on the pen-palian path.
Mostly reading, and messing around on the computer when I get a chance. I did spend my B&N and Amazon gift cards the other day. Since my off-brand reader doesn't do Nook or Kindle formats, I spent the Amazon card getting my holy grail of DVD sets--"Ellery Queen, The Complete Series" (Jim Hutton as EQ is practically porn to me) and I got a couple of CDs with the leftovers. OBCR recording of "The Secret Garden" (Mandy Patinkin and Robert Westenberg! YUM!)that I've wanted for ages. I can't believe this recording is twenty years old already!
And, since I've always preferred the London Cast Recording of "Into the Woods", I got myself the CD of that, as well. I have the New York version (both the CD and the DVD), and do love the performances of Bernadette Peters, Robert Westenberg, and Joanna Gleason. But overall, the London show always seemed more nuanced and had a better flow. I had a tape dub for years that I made off the Library copy, but it was finally time to upgrade.
I blew the B&N card--and some of my own money--on volumes 9-11 of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series: "The Miracle at Speedy Motors", "Tea Time for the Traditionally Built", and "The Double Comfort Safari Club". Actual, real paper books. Which I still love and want to own, despite all the advatages my reader offers. And when it comes to being absorbed into McCall's Gabarone, and Mma Ramotswe, paper just seems to work better.
And...I got my raise today. Three percent, but that's better than the current company average. I remember when 3% was like the worst raise you could get. but I guess those days are gone for good.
Reading: Hobby--"Mother Carey's Chickens" (1911), by Kate Douglas Wiggin. This, like her "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm", has acquired a reputation of being maudlin and sentimental. And while her books do have their moments of sentimentality, they are much better written than their reputations suggest. For one thing, they have the frankness and freshness that allows a book to be read a century after it was written, and still make the reader chuckle at a character's wit. I'm really enjoying this one so far. Best line? Nancy's reference to "Uncle Allen, who has nervous prostration and all of Mother's money."
And, having dispensed with all the Penny Parkers I could lay my hands on, I'm commencing Elizabeth Lillian Roy's Polly Spencer series. First book is "Polly of Pebbly Pit" (1922).
General--"Homer and Langley" (2009), by E.L. Doctorow. Why does a Doctorow novel always sound so compelling, yet end up leaving me flat? I'm beginning to wonder if there will ever be a novel of his that I feel like finishing. I don'yt know--maybe I'm drawn to the ACTUAL life stories of the real people he fictionalizes. His imagination ends up falling short of reality for me.
Surfing: hobby stuff.
Listening: Bob Dylan, Weezer, Dire Straits, Natalie Merchant, Kings of Leon.
At Random:
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