Month: July 2013

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Reading Round-Up: July 2013

Reading is my oldest and favorite hobby.  I literally can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t love to curl up with a good book.  Here are my reads for July, 2013…

Main Street, by Sinclair Lewis (audiobook) – I’ve been meaning to read Main Street for years and I snagged it when I saw it on the library audiobook shelf.  This book was wonderful, and it really spoke to me at this particular moment.  Barbara Caruso’s narration was perfectly in keeping with the tone of the book, as well.  Loved.

 Much Ado About Anne (Mother-Daughter Book Club #2), by Heather Vogel Frederick – I enjoyed this second installment of the series more than the first, in part because the moms were more inclusive than they were in the first book, and also perhaps due to the fact that while I like Louisa May Alcott very much, I love L.M. Montgomery.  The girls and moms read their way through the Anne of Green Gables books, take a hilarious camping trip, and have to put aside their differences and band together to help one of their own when her family’s home is threatened.

She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth, by Helen Castor – This non-fiction history was long and dense but worth every bit of the attention it demanded.  A fascinating history of some remarkable women, each of whom confronted the paradox of female power in England: the Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Acquitaine, Isabella of France, Margaret of Anjou, and Queen Mary I.  Highly recommended to anyone interested in English history, particularly of the Medieval and Tudor periods.

 Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion, by Edward J. Larson – I got on a bit of a non-fiction kick and reserved this 1997 Pulitzer winner from the library because it sounded right up my alley.  Law, history, and a little religion – what’s not to like?  Unfortunately, I found myself bored, which hardly ever happens.  The middle section of the book – discussing the trial itself and the legal strategies employed by each side – was fascinating.  The beginning and ending sections, less so.  Skimming happened.

 Changes at Fairacre (Chronicles of Fairacre #18), by Miss Read – I wish Fairacre didn’t have to change!  In this eighteenth volume of the Fairacre series, Miss Read explores the many ways that life has improved for the village residents, and the ways that it hasn’t.  One major problem: the Fairacre school population is dwindling, and Miss Read has to confront the very real possibility that the school will close – unless, of course, a miracle happens.  Fortunately, Miss Read has friends in high places, and some of them are capable of delivering miracles.

The Titan’s Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3), by Rick Riordan (audiobook) – My favorite so far of this series, The Titan’s Curse sees Percy and pals departing on another adventure.  This time, Percy has teamed up with Thalia, daughter of Zeus, his buddy Grover, and two of Artemis’s maiden huntresses to rescue Artemis from captivity by the Titans – and hopefully, save Annabeth, who is also being held, in the process.  We meet Artemis and Apollo, who are both fun gods, and we see a bit of Poseidon too.  The audio production bugs me (especially the stereotypical ethnic accents the narrator read into some of the characters, which strike me as kind of insensitive and not at all required by the actual book), but I am overlooking it for the sake of the story.

Farewell to Fairacre (Chronicles of Fairacre #19), by Miss Read – Confronted with some scary health issues, Miss Read makes the difficult decision to retire from teaching at her beloved Fairacre School.  Of course, the townspeople are sad to see her go, but the good news is that she won’t be far away – she’ll be right around the corner in Beech Green, living in what will always be “Dolly Clare’s cottage.”  This was a bittersweet but lovely read.

 A Peaceful Retirement (Chronicles of Fairacre #20), by Miss Read – Ha!  Fairacre being what it is, Miss Read’s dreams for a peaceful retirement are destined to remain just that – dreams.  The entire town schemes to drag the introverted retired teacher from her well-earned and cherished solitude with offers to join in all the community volunteer activities the townspeople can dream up.  (George Annett, headmaster of Beech Green School, is the worst offender.)  But Miss Read finds ways to enjoy her retirement – traveling to Florence with Amy, fielding marriage proposals like a pro, and discovering a talent for writing.

 Dear Pen Pal (Mother-Daughter Book Club #3), by Heather Vogel Frederick – These are getting better and better.  Inspired by Jess’s offer of a full scholarship to a prestigious boarding school (fortunately located right in Concord), the girls take on Daddy-Long-Legs.  They also begin writing to a mother-daughter book club in Wyoming and take a trip to a dude ranch.  Fun!  I read Daddy-Long-Legs a looooooong time ago (back when I was about the age of the daughter half of the book club) and had forgotten most of the story, but I loved spending time with the club nonetheless.

The Burgess Boys, by Elizabeth Strout – When Susan Burgess Olson’s son lands himself in serious legal trouble, she calls on the experts – her two brothers, Jim and Bob, both New York City attorneys – to return to the small Maine town where they grew up and help their nephew.  In the course of guiding Zach through the legal and PR maelstrom, Jim, Bob and Susan must confront demons lurking in their childhood.  This was a brilliant, lyrical, disturbing read, which touched upon issues of family, power, justice, race and religion.  (It would be great for a book club – so much to chew on.)  I loved it.

Pies and Prejudice (Mother-Daughter Book Club #4), by Heather Vogel Frederick – This series gets better and better, and I’m growing to love the characters.  In this installment, the Hawthornes move to England for a year, but the book club continues via videoconference and decides to finally give a nod to Mrs. Hawthorne’s beloved Jane Austen.  Emma enjoys exploring her little town (outside Bath, of course!) despite a nasty queen bee named Annabelle (a.k.a. Stinkerbelle).  Meanwhile, Stinkerbelle’s cousins Simon and Tristan, who are living in the Hawthornes’ house for the year as part of an exchange, wreak all kinds of havoc in Concord.  Oh, and Cassidy discovers that boys might be good for something other than scrimmaging on the ice!

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4), by Rick Riordan (audiobook) – Annabeth gets to lead a quest!  Yeah!  Percy returns to camp for the summer to discover that Luke and his cronies have a deadly new plan – to invade Camp Half Blood via Daedalus’s famous Labyrinth.  Annabeth, Percy, Tyson and Grover must race against Luke to enlist Daedalus’s help on behalf of the Olympians.  To get there in time, they’ll need help from a surprising source – Percy’s mortal friend Rachel.  Cue the girl drama…  Too fun, although my complaints about the audio production continue.

Home for the Holidays (Mother-Daughter Book Club #5), by Heather Vogel Frederick – The book club is taking on the Betsy-Tacy books (which I just read last year – how did I not know about these growing up?) and dealing with all sorts of drama as everyone’s holiday plans go badly awry.  The book choice was lots of fun, but I hated seeing the girls bicker so much.

Wish You Were Eyre (Mother-Daughter Book Club #6), by Heather Vogel Frederick – It’s the final installment of the Mother-Daughter Book Club series (why aren’t they going all the way through high school?) and the girls take on my favorite book, Jane Eyre.  Mrs. Wong runs for mayor, Megan gets her longed-for trip to Paris with Gigi, Jess confronts an unjust accusation, Becca meets a Mr. Rochester, and Emma and Cassidy deal with boy drama in this busy final volume.  The girls “get their Jane on” as they tackle these challenges, and we’re treated to appearances by the Berkeleys, Stinkerbelle, and the Wyoming pen pals.  A fitting end to the series, even if I wish it could have continued for a few more books.

The Introvert’s Way, by Sophia Dembling – I nodded so much throughout this slim book that I started to feel like one of Dwight Schrute’s bobbleheads.  Dembling writes for those of us who need space and silence to unwind, who get stressed out in large gatherings, who prefer a book to a party, who’ve been accused of being stuck-up or unfriendly when we’re really just slow to warm up, and who sometimes surprise people who believe us to be extroverts thanks to our skill at putting on a “dog and pony show.”  I liked her mix of research and anecdote, not to mention the heaping helping of encouragement she served up.  More thoughts on introversion coming next week…

Well, I did manage to do my fair share of reading this month, in between hosting visitors and tackling a number of chores that have suddenly become urgent (more on that later).  It was mostly comfort reading, once I wrapped up those last few hefty non-fiction picks – a little Fairacre, a little Mother-Daughter Book Club, a LOT of cozy, and those reads are fast.  The comfort reading will continue through August, since I’m still very much in need of it.  On deck I’ve got some Flavia de Luce and a return to Avonlea, and I can’t wait.  Bring on the tea, the blanket, and the books.

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Readerly Quirks

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  • I can only read one mystery series at a time.  I’m always working my way through some mystery series or other, and I cannot start a new one until I’ve finished the one I’m on.  If I get distracted, I will throw over one series in favor of another, but while I may be “on hiatus” from one series, I am never actively reading two mystery series at the same time.
  • It is very important to me that my bookmarks “match” my books.  I’ll use one of my British bookmarks for English literature… my “Reading Ninja” bookmark for a particularly challenging contemporary classic… a cardboard bookmark in the shape of a cat curled up on an armchair (purloined from my grandmother’s collection) for gentle fiction and cozy mysteries… If I lazily select a bookmark that doesn’t reflect the spirit or style of the book I’m reading, I feel all weird and itchy until I replace it with a more appropriate bookmark.
  • When planning for a vacation, I spend more time plotting out my reading list than I do researching restaurants or sights at my destination.  This is especially true if the vacation is to Europe; in that case, I must pick books by authors from the region I’m visiting, or that are set in or otherwise pertain to the region I’m visiting.  (Extra points for both: Persuasion in Bath, for instance, or Wuthering Heights in Yorkshire.)
  • I can read anywhere – cars, cafés, the couch while hubby plays video games – but for serious reading or for marathon reading sessions, I prefer to be in the alcove in my bedroom that I decorated as a reading nook.

What are your quirks as a reader?

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31 Things: Update 2

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I can’t believe I’m nine months through my personal year already.  Time is just flying by.  I’m going to have to dial up the effort on some of these things, or else I won’t get many of them crossed off in time for my birthday in October.  Yikes.

1. Spend lots of time snuggling and loving Peanut while she’s still tiny.  Most important thing on my list!  Peanut isn’t particularly cuddly right now.  She’s in a phase where she wants to sit up and see the world and be involved in everything.  If you try to hold her like a baby, unless she’s reeeeeeeeeeally tired, she’ll have none of it.  But we play together every day, and we laugh and act silly, and I lavish kisses and hugs on her, and she loves that.  She’s a cherished baby for sure.

2. Get into the habit of better skin care.  Um, well.  I’m still hydrating like a maniac and I eat tons of fruits and vegetables.  The routine is touch and go, though.  I’ve been blessed with good skin, and I’m lazy so I rarely wear makeup, and that adds up to looking decent without much effort.  I want to glow, though.  So I need to work on this.

3. Read the Lord of the Rings trilogy (long overdue).   Completed!  I finished The Return of the King in May and it was my favorite book of the trilogy, although they were all fantastic.  Look for a post on my impressions of the series coming next week.

4. Run the GW Parkway Classic 2013.   Calling this one done.  I revised this goal because what I really wanted was to get back into road racing.  My sister-in-law and I ran the Healthy Strides Community 5K in April, and I called it “my icebreaker race” because I was breaking back into this hobby after a long hiatus.  (I ran consistently until January 2012, when I injured my foot.  Then in February 2012, I got pregnant and running felt wrong, so I shelved it for the good of the baby – which I later learned was a very smart thing to do, since I was put first on activity restrictions and later on strict bed rest due to some very uncool, scary complications.)  The Healthy Strides race was my first foray back into running, and I’m looking for the next one now – a 10K, maybe, or another 5K.

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5. Take plenty of family hikes with hubby and the little miss.  In progress!  We’ve been enjoying the heck out of the nice weather recently, taking lots of walks in the neighborhood and along the Mount Vernon Trail.  Soon, hubby and I are planning to bring Peanut to our favorite area park, Great Falls (the Virginia side).  I can’t wait to see her big eyes take in the incredible waterfall there.

6. Overcome my fear of baking bread.

7. See Book of Mormon at the Kennedy Center, summer 2013.  This isn’t going to happen – I missed out on tickets and haven’t found a trustworthy babysitter yet (other than Auntie Em and Aunt Grace, but they’re far away, and Nana, but she’s leaving us soon.)  Bummer.  Maybe I can sweet-talk hubby into Broadway tickets and a weekend in the city next year.

8. Give Peanut a magical first Christmas!  (I can’t wait to be Santa.)  Done!  Read all about Peanut’s first Christmas here.

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9. Finish reading Miss Read’s Fairacre series. Done!  I’ll have a post coming soon about this one, too.

10. Buy myself a Longchamp bag and a new wallet. — Progress: hubby got me a sweet wallet – fabric printed with a map of the London Tube, which is a conversation-starter every time I pull it out – for my birthday last year.  I might get the bag for my birthday next year.  I’m watching for a sale.  If I don’t see a sale, I may shelve this one.

11. Plant a successful herb garden.

12. Read Winnie-the-Pooh to Peanut.  Done!  I can’t even describe how much it has meant to me to share one of my favorite children’s books with Peanut.  I think she enjoyed it too: she’s been bugging me to let her write a “Peanut’s Picks” post on it.  😉

13. Take up Zumba.  I found a class that meets on my lunch hour, a block from my office, every Tuesday and have been going whenever I can.  I’m incredibly awkward and I have NO rhythm, but it’s so much fun and a great workout.

14. Knit a sweater for Peanut and a hat for myself.  Progress: I finished another little pink cardigan, but I still need to sew the buttons on (and I’d better get on that, because Peanut is growing like wildflowers).  The hat for Mom was on hold as I worked on a baby sweater for a colleague’s kiddo, but I just sent that off and I’ll be picking up the needles for the hat any day now.

15. Toss or donate the clothes that I don’t like but that are still hanging in my closet.

16. Attend Potomac Paddle 2013.  I don’t think this is going to happen, but you never know.

17. Reconnect with an old friend.

18. Have a playdate with NICU mom friends. Did this!  Two of my mom friends from our NICU brought their little guys over and Peanut had a blast playing with her friends.  And I learned something: boys and girls really are different.  Both of the boys were mobile (one was full-term and one a preemie like Peanut) and my house looked like a hurricane had hit it when they left!  They scooted all over the place and were into everything, while Peanut sat primly on her blanket like a little princess and chewed on one of her stacking cups.  It was so much fun to have little boys in the house, and I loved catching up with their moms.  I’m so very glad I made the effort to get in touch with those ladies and get everyone over for a playdate.  We’re talking about another get-together in August – I hope it happens.

19. Paint my bedroom purple. This isn’t going to happen this year.  Boo.

20. Break in and wear my silver ballet flats. Done!  Well, not my silver ones, but I broke in my black ballet flats and they’re now my go-anywhere, do-anything shoes.

21. Re-read the Anne of Green Gables series.  Starting it soon, I hope.

22. Climb Old Rag.  (This one: maybe not so realistic.  I’d need to train a lot and find a babysitter.)  Definitely not going to happen this year.

23. Knit another pair of socks.

24. Buy a fabulous pair of shoes at a great price. I found these gorgeous ladies on the 70% off rack at Shoes by Lara, an independent shoe store near my office.  Don’t mind if I do!

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25. Bake a pumpkin spice cake.  I’m going to do this for my birthday in October.  Stay tuned!

26. Take Peanut to the beach.  Hoping for a weekend with Aunt R in Virginia Beach before she leaves for another extended adventure.  We’ll see…

27. Get to know the women in my neighborhood better.  Lots of stop-and-chats on walks, and I’m feeling more a part of the neighborhood than ever before.

28. Get back into a regular yoga practice.  This has fallen a little bit by the wayside as I’ve been more into Zumba lately, and of course my old stand-bys (running and circuit training).  I’m on the lookout for a convenient Mommy & Me yoga class, though.

29. Start a baby box for Peanut.   Done!  I have an adorable baby box and I’ve been keeping up with it as Peanut has special milestones.  I’m also faithfully filling in her baby book.

30. Start a frame wall in my foyer.

31.  Lots and lots of family time with hubby and Peanut.  In progress, always.  We make the most of our evenings and weekends together.  Being a working mom is tough sometimes – okay, all the time – but I’m squeezing in quality time with my sweet girl whenever I can.

Dad, did you see all these pizza toppings?

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Book Donation: Joy and Regret

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A few weeks ago, I walked through the library doors with my tote bag bulging at the seams.  No, it wasn’t full of library books – at least, not officially, not yet.  I practically danced past the information booth and the new release shelves, over to the blue bin labeled “BOOK DONATIONS” and gleefully turned my tote upside-down.  Into the bin tumbled five of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander novels, along with The Outlandish Companion, The Jane Austen Book Club, and one of my two copies of What to Expect When You’re Expecting.

Sometimes, I get possessive over my books.  Even if I know I’m never going to read them again, I can’t seem to let go.  They follow me from house to house, even though there’s no room for them on my bookshelves.  These books were piled up in my basement, collecting dust next to a stack of law school texts and hornbooks, and paperbacks from both hubby’s and my college years.  (Hubby, with his English major, wins in the college book races, and I don’t plan to donate any of his books without his permission – obviously – so his lead is destined to grow as I whittle down my own books to only those that I really want to keep.)  I have great intentions to donate books, but then a little voice invades my head with reproaches such as “But you paid for that!” – “That was a gift from your mom!” – “What if you decide to read it again?  Remember The Handmaid’s Tale – you hated that at first and then realized later how great it was.  What if you’d donated it?  You’d have to buy it again!”

Every so often, I manage to tell that chirping voice to – as my high school German teacher would say – “Shutten Sie up!”  And I gather up an armload of books that I know I don’t want, and that I know the library would love to have.  And after I donate them, I feel… free.  Free to give their bookshelf space to a book I really want, that I know I will read again.  Or at least free of a little bit of dusting.

Usually, I am thrilled after making a book donation.  This time was no exception.  I was never going to read any of those books again, and it was time for them to find a more loving home.  But every so often, I regret a loss later.  My Dorothy Dunnett collection, for instance – gone, and I can only hope they’ve found a happier home at the library.  I’m a little sad about those, I must admit.  And a little irked at the way the “What if you want to read it again?” voice is shrieking “I told you so!” at me.

But that’s the exception.  9 times out of 10, I gladly make a donation and I never look back.  Which is good, because… I’m really coveting a set of the new Penguin Drop Caps.  And someone’s going to have to moooooooove over in order to make room for those bad boys on the bookshelf.

Have you ever donated books to your library?  Ever experienced “donator’s remorse” – or do you just dance on over to the bookstore after making a contribution?

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Peanut: Eleven Months

What do you mean, I can't lick this chair?

What do you mean, I can’t lick this chair?

I promised myself that I wouldn’t open this post by expressing disbelief that Peanut is eleven months old, but the fact that she only has one more month to go until her first birthday is seriously blowing my mind, dudes.  I have to get ready to plan a party and order invitations and buy her presents and all that stuff, and somewhere in there I also have to wrap my mind around the completely wild concept that SHE’S ALMOST ONE.  Almost.  Not quite, though.  I have one more month before I’ll have a one-year-old, and I hope it goes slooooooooowly, because she’s growing up way too fast.

I have plans, big plans.

I have plans, big plans.

No crawling yet, and I can’t believe I’m going to say this next thing, but… I hope she starts soon.  She’s close, very close, and she’s in the scooting-backward stage.  I didn’t think I’d want the day to come when she could crawl, because I’ll have to deal with baby-proofing and because I want her to stay a tiny baby forever.  (I know that’s impossible, but I’m a mom and it’s just what I want.)  But she’s very, very frustrated that she’s not more mobile, and I hate seeing her frustrated.  She’s figured out how to get to most of her toys by rolling, but it’s so clear that she wants to crawl and cruise.  I have to think it’s on the horizon.

I'm ready for Laguna Beach.

I’m ready for Laguna Beach.

It’s been pretty hot this month, especially lately, as we’re enjoying the same heat wave as the rest of the East Coast.  (Well, I’m enjoying it.  I love the heat.  Hubby’s not, though.)  Heat waves do take more mental energy these days, since we have to figure out how to keep the little one cool, so she’s been doing lots of water play.  Nana blew up the baby pool (which is tiny, as it turns out – the perfect size for one petite peanut) and they’ve been playing on the back deck.  Peanut wears a swim diaper and a rash guard, which serves the treble purpose of (1) keeping her from getting a chill in the water; (2) providing SPF protection; and (3) making her look like a tiny surfer.

I hope you know that when I get wet, you get wet.

I hope you know that when I get wet, you get wet.

Mommy gets into the water play action, too – and not just at bathtime.  Last weekend I dressed Peanut in one of my old pinafores, made by my mom when I was a baby (they’re open at the back for a nice breeze) and set her up with the bucket and some toys.  She promptly overturned the bucket and we had to fill it again.  I know every baby dreams of playing with an empty bucket while sitting on a sodden towel.

Whatever, I'm just glad you're not making me share my fish.

Whatever, I’m just glad you’re not making me share my fish.

We’ve also been playing in the grass.  Daddy and I took Peanut out to the yard a few times so she could feel grass between her tootsies, and she was unimpressed.  She’s more interested in watching the breeze rustle the leaves and spotting airplanes.  She’s gotten really good at the latter.  Behold:

Airplane, bow to the power of my ginger.

Airplane, bow to the power of my ginger.

Peanut at 11 Months:

Adjusted Age: 9 months

Weight: 16 pounds, 14 ounces

Clothing Size:  12 months, almost exclusively.  We’re still squeezing her into some 9 month onesies, but they’re getting to be a tight fit on her long torso.

Sleep:  Not much has changed since last month.  We had one tough night with teething, when Peanut cried and cried at bedtime.  I massaged her gums with my finger, which seemed to make her feel a lot better – poor kiddo.  (She’s quite the trooper, though – we still haven’t needed to bust out any medication for pain relief.)  Of course, as our luck would have it, the one bad teething night we had was the fourth of July, so no sooner had Peanut finally dropped off to sleep than the fireworks started.  Hubby and I spent the rest of the night sitting rigid on the couch, cringing with every “boom.”  Peanut was exhausted though – once she went down, she didn’t wake up.  But we’re still enjoying our good luck this month – she’s an angel, and except for the one rough teething night, she’s gotten fantastic sleep.  Yay!

Likes:  The hot new thing this month is the alphabet.  I’ve been singing it to her for months (in English, German and Greek – who knew that seventh grade Deutsch and sorority pledging would come in useful for motherhood?) but lately it’s Peanut’s favorite song.  Sometimes, the only way I can get her to take her bottle is by singing the “ABCs” over and over again.  It’s her favorite song these days.

Dislikes:  Peanut’s not big on taking walks in her stroller.  I hesitate to call this a “dislike,” because she doesn’t actively hate on the BOB – she’d just prefer to play.  I thought that once she started facing forward she’d be more engaged in the walks, and she does have a good time once she’s out and about – especially when she sees kids at the playground.  But Nana tells me that Peanut has been giving her attitude in the morning when they suit up for strolling and Peanut doesn’t want to be taken from her toys.

Hold on, I just want to finish one more chapter.

Hold on, I just want to finish one more chapter.

Favorite Toys:  Books, books, books!  (Between singing the “ABCs” and all the books, I think I’ve got a very literary baby on my hands.)  The funniest thing is, she has a few books of the “touch and feel” variety – where the pictures incorporate different textures.  Well, since we started pulling those out more this month, she now thinks that all books are “touch and feel.”  So she points with her tiny index finger at the pictures and methodically goes through each page looking for textures to feel.  I know what she’s doing, and it’s kind of impressive in and of itself that she understands that some of her books have interesting textures, and remembers this from story to story, but it’s also hilarious because it looks like she’s actually reading (and very intently, too).

Milestones:  We’ve mastered sitting, and now Peanut only falls over when she wants to.  So that’s a good milestone.  But we’ve had some fun milestones, too – Peanut’s first trip to a toy store (I let her choose a toy and she picked out – okay, reached for – a Lamaze fishbowl with fuzzy little fish inside), and her first party in someone else’s house.  Last night we went over to a fondue party at the home of one of hubby’s co-workers.  Peanut was an angel, sitting in my lap and gnawing on a piece of bread while I ate my fondue, and she only smeared a little cheese on her dress.  But no, seriously, I was so impressed with her.  She tolerated the heat, the party going slightly past her bedtime, and being passed around by strangers, like a pro.

Can't a girl suck her thumb in piece around here?

Can’t a girl suck her thumb in peace around here?

Quirks:  This month, Peanut started doing the cutest thing.  She’s been a thumb-sucker since her NICU days (well, when she could find her thumb, that is) but lately she’s paired the thumb-sucking with a move we call “the shirt grab.”  Left thumb in the mouth, right thumb clutching her shirt just below the neckline.  (We have friends with a little boy who used to grab his hair when he sucked his thumb, which was adorable, too.  This reminds me of that – a little extra comfort.)  I can’t even find the words to describe how sweet the shirt grab is.  It melts my heart every time she does it.

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Kickin’ it Non-Fiction Style

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Lately I’ve been reading a lot of non-fiction.  This just sort of organically happened, although I had made a New Year’s resolution to make a point of reading more.  I’m usually so deep into my fiction choices that I miss out on good non-fiction, although I’ll pick up a biography or a funny memoir now and again.  This year, I wanted to really explore deeper into the genre, while still (hopefully) sticking to choices that created a vivid atmosphere or brought the “characters” to life, which is what I really like in a fiction book.

Here’s what I’ve read, non-fiction style, so far this year:

  • The Olive Farm: A Memoir of Life, Love and Olive Oil in the South of France, by Carol Drinkwater – Fun memoir about a couple that buys and renovates a dilapidated olive farm in Provence.  I liked, but didn’t love, this.  There were shades of A Year in Provence (and progeny) but not quite as much charm as Peter Mayle brings.
  • Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar, by Cheryl Strayed – The book blog world went crazy over this, and rightfully so.  Strayed’s writing is incredible, and the situations in the book are searing and troubling.
  • Walking Home: A Poet’s Journey, by Simon Armitage – Meh.  I love English walks, so I thought this stunt memoir would be fantastic, but I never really engaged with the journey and the ending was infuriating.
  • The Perfect Meal: In Search of the Lost Tastes of France, by John Baxter – Fun, fun, fun!  I love France, and I love foodie memoirs, and I really love books that combine the two.
  • At Knit’s End: Meditations for Women who Knit Too Much, by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee – I used to be on a huge Yarn Harlot kick and I remembered why when I dusted off this old audiobook.  Fun, funny, and makes me want to buy yarn.
  • Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s History-Making Race Around the World, by Matthew Goodman – This was just as thrilling to read in 2013 as the original newspaper articles must have been in 1889.  See my post about the book here.
  • Leonardo and the Last Supper, by Ross King – Leonardo isn’t my favorite Renaissance artist, although I do love his Ginevra de Benci, but it was fun to learn about his life and artistic process (or lack thereof).
  • The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century, by Ian Mortimer – Lately I’ve been wanting to explore more history, and the format of this book (a travel guide) made it so much fun.
  • The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris, by John Baxter – Two Baxter books this year!  I liked The Perfect Meal better, but this was engaging and fun and made me want to go back to Paris, so win.
  • She-Wolves: The Women who Ruled England Before Elizabeth, by Helen Castor – Dense history, but wonderful writing; Castor really brought her “she-wolves” to life.  (And helped me to spot a mistake on the Wikipedia page for Game of Thrones – Isabella wasn’t the “She-Wolf of France” – that was Margaret of Anjou!  Get on that, Wikipedia!)
  • Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion – Meh, I thought this acclaimed book would be amazing, but I found it hard going.  The middle section, about the Scopes trial itself, was fantastic, but the beginning and ending were not as interesting – skimming happened.

I’m not sure why, but I’ve gravitated toward history more this year; usually I’ll go for biography and memoir, as I mentioned, with a bit of popular social science sprinkled in.  I’m back on the fiction train for the moment, thanks to my library reserves, but I’ve been eyeing the non-fiction choices on my shelves and my library holds.  On deck:

  • The Crosswicks Journal, by Madeleine L’Engle (four volumes) – I love L’Engle’s fiction work, and I was lucky enough to meet and talk with her for awhile when I was a kid, but I’ve never explored her non-fiction work.  Must change that soon.
  • Provence A-Z and French Lessons, by Peter Mayle – These are the last two of Mayle’s France books that I have yet to read.  His writing takes me back to the sun-soaked hills of Provence.
  • The Second World War, by Winston Churchill (six volumes) – I’ve been dying to read this ever since I read (and loved) Churchill’s four-volume History of the English Speaking Peoples.  I have the set of six in paperback and can’t wait to dig in – but when I do, I know this will be an undertaking.
  • The Time Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England, by Ian Mortimer – I’m #3 on the wait list for this at the library, so I expect to have my copy as soon as the orders come in.  Hurry!
  • The Tao of Martha: My Year of Living, or Why I’m Never Getting All That Glitter Off the Dog, by Jen Lancaster – I’ve never read any of Lancaster’s pop memoirs, but I hear this one is hilarious.  I’m #41 on the wait list at the library, and not moving until the orders come in, which I hope they do soon.

Do you ever go on a non-fiction kick?  What types of non-fiction writing do you enjoy?

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“Robert Galbraith” and the Day the Book World’s Collective Head Exploded

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert GalbraithThose banging sounds you kept hearing over the weekend were the sound of bookworms’ heads exploding, one after the other, all over the world, at the sudden revelation that a little-known detective novel called The Cuckoo’s Calling, by “debut author” Robert Galbraith, published quietly back in April, was actually penned by J.K. Rowling.  You know, she of worldwide fame and wingardium leviosa and quidditch and Defense Against the Dark Arts and O.W.L.s and being richer than the Queen?

Upon its printing, The Cuckoo’s Calling (image source) only sold about 1,500 copies.  My library doesn’t even have a copy (I checked).  But now that the author is revealed as J.K. Rowling, they’re selling out everywhere.  Evidently, Rowling had hoped to keep her identity secret for a little while longer (hmmmmm, kind of like Lord Voldemort stayed behind the scenes while he was raising his evil army in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix… no, no, wait, I didn’t just compare J.K. Rowling to Voldemort, I didn’t, I’m sorry Jo!) and it seems that she wanted to write a novel under a pseudonym so as to get honest reviews, not tainted by having her name on the cover.  (Well, I can’t fault her for that – she’s got to wonder if The Casual Vacancy, which got okay reviews, would have done better with critics if it didn’t have to compete with Harry, Ron and Hermione.)  And as it happens, The Cuckoo’s Calling did get very good reviews before Rowling was revealed as the author.  It was called “scintillating” and “stellar,” and the dialogue “sparkling” – one reviewer even expressed surprise that it was a debut novel (well, it wasn’t).

This will probably come as a shock to some, but I haven’t made up my mind yet whether or not I’m actually going to read The Cuckoo’s Calling.  I wanted to read The Casual Vacancy not only because Rowling wrote it, but because I thought the premise sounded interesting – small-town election politics?  Right up my alley.  (My actual impressions after finishing the book were more conflicted, but I’m not going to deny that I was itching to read The Casual Vacancy for reasons that had nothing to do with the author.)  Supermodel suicides and the fabulously wealthy and movie stars and rappers?  Not as much up my alley.  I’ll probably get on the waiting list at my library (once my library shakes off its surprise at the news and orders a copy, that is) just because it’s a sensation and I don’t want to be the only person who hasn’t read The Cuckoo’s Calling.  But I’m not falling all over myself to read it, even though it’s supposed to be fantastic.

That’s not because “Robert Galbraith” is misleading – and by the way, check out my friend Amal’s very well-considered post on whether the fictional biography the publishers invented for “Galbraith” amounts to consumer fraud – I’m just not convinced I’m going to enjoy it, good as it is supposed to be.  But I guess I’ll find out.

Have you read The Cuckoo’s Calling, or are you planning to?  Were you completely shocked at the news, too?

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A Plea for Help

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We used to be revered.

She shelved us gently, with our genre family members.  She took us out and read us all the time, always so carefully as not to scratch our covers or bend our spines.  And while we know there are rumors floating around that she has earrings made from the pages of Agatha Christie novels, as far as we’re concerned, that’s nothing more than insidious gossip.  She was our guardian, our keeper, our queen, our goddess.

Then this came:

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Its mother thinks it can do no wrong.  But don’t let that innocent-looking face fool you.  Behind those big eyes and that adorable little smirk lurks the soul of a killer.  Its mother calls it names like Angel, Beauty, Sweet Cherub Baby Love Doll, and Little Bookworm.  We have other names for it.  Fang.  Jaws.  Ripper.  Gozer the Destructor.

First it charms its mother by doing things like this:

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This kind of thing makes all books despair.  Mothers think it’s just so darn cute.  They run for their cameras and coo and giggle and it never occurs to them that there’s a book in mortal peril.  Because as soon as her back is turned…

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Look at that poor outmatched stuffed dog trying to rescue its story from the mouth of the Destructor.  And look what Jaws did to our poor friend Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

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Poor Twinkle.  With all those enticing corners, he never stood a chance.

So far, it’s the board books that have taken direct hits.  After all, they’re on the front lines.

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But the rest of us are living in fear for our very spines.  We all know it’s only a matter of time before Jaws learns to crawl and discovers us cowering on our bookshelves.  Please help us, Internet!  Please save us from the doom that we see coming all too clearly!

Oh no, someone’s coming…  Please be cool.  We were never here, fdspokreshuiw34o09ujfdszlkm3ew

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Mo’ Books, Mo’ Problems: Update 6

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Well, this is it – my last library update (at least until the next time), because I’m DONE with this stack!  Most of it was non-fiction, and most of that pretty dense, but I’ve managed to get through every book in the pile except for Far From the Tree, which I might try to circle back to at some point in the future.  It was a better week in terms of stress (not perfect, but better) and I pushed through my last two books from the stack even though they were hard going at points and I would have rather been reading some comfort books.  And now that I’m done, I’m going to reward myself for my perseverance by finishing out my journeys in Fairacre.  But more about that in a minute.  First, my week of reading:

  • Took a quick break from the books with deadlines to read Much Ado About Anne, the second book in the Mother-Daughter Book Club series.  More on this to come in my July reading round-up, but I liked it better than the first.  I felt a bit guilty, since I should have been reading She-Wolves, but it only took a day and was a good mental break.  And then there were… still two.
  • Finished She-Wolves by concluding the Isabella of France section, then learning about Margaret of Anjou and finally Mary Tudor.  The book was really fascinating, but I was more interested in the personalities that I knew from literature (Isabella and Matilda) or remembered spending ample time on in history class (Eleanor and Mary) than I was in Margaret.  (I need to read more about the War of the Roses.)  She-Wolves was slow going – it was very, very interesting but very, very dense and I had to pay close attention to what I was reading.  And then there was one.
  • Read through Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion.  Since my knowledge of the Scopes trial is pretty much limited to Inherit the Wind (which apparently wasn’t an accurate portrayal of what really happened at the trial, but was more a symbolic stand against the McCarthyism of thirty years later) I was eager to learn more about this important moment in American legal history.  And… well… the middle parts of the book, about the trial, were really interesting.  The beginning part (setting up the debate) and the end (media portrayals and continuing attempts to introduce creationist legislation, with litigation immediately following) weren’t as exciting and even got down into “slog” territory.  But I pushed through!  And then there were none.

So, that’s it.  I’ve either read or postponed all of the books in the above stack, and the preceding stack too, and now I feel as though I’ve earned a bit of a break and some light/comfort reading.  On deck I have Changes at Fairacre, which I own, and then Farewell to Fairacre and A Peaceful Retirement, which I borrowed.  And there’s a stack of Mother-Daughter Book Club books waiting for me at the library too (don’t throw things at me – I can renew those and they’re fast reading anyway; they won’t cause any more of these updates, I SWEAR) and I’m still planning to re-read the Anne of Green Gables books and I’m plotting a Laura Ingalls Wilder re-read, too.  I’m going to be all about comfort books for a little while – after the stress of the past few weeks and this dense non-fiction, I think I deserve to kick back now!

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2013: Six Months In

What's so funny?

Uh, someone please explain this to me.  The year is six months old?  My baby is ten months old?  Huh?  What is going on here?

This can’t just be work haze.  2013 is flying by, right?  Please tell me I’m not the only one who feels like I just put away the Christmas decorations and here it is July.  (This might need to be said: I actually put the Christmas decorations away in January.  I might be new-mom lazy, but I’ve got it together a little bit, at least.)  Anyway, it seems it’s that time again: time to take mid-year stock of goal progress.  Or time to face the music, depending.

BLOG

1.  Keep up a M, W, F posting schedule consistently all year – no blog breaks.  So far, so good.  I missed one Friday, but otherwise, I’ve been here.

2.  Stay informed about current events in the literary world, and post about them.  I think I’m doing a passably good job about this.  Since January, I’ve told you about the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice; Scholastic’s 2012 Kids and Family Reading Report; ten literary places to read in the most literary city in the U.S.; new cover designs for Anne of Green Gables and the Harry Potter series; and the proposed merger between Penguin and Random House; and Amazon’s purchase of Goodreads.  And of course, I participated again in National Poetry Month.  I haven’t kept up with the literary news as much into the spring as I was, so there’s room for improvement, but I’m feeling good about this one.

3.  Shoot a new header that reflects the spirit of the blog.  I haven’t done this yet, although I do have a good idea for a shot.

HOME

1.  Get the rest of the house painted (even if I have to hire professionals to do it).  Uhhhhh, nope.

2.  Hang curtains.  Haven’t done this either.

3.  Plant an herb garden, and don’t kill it this time.  Hahahahahahahaha.

FITNESS

1.  Get back into road racing.  I made a start, running in the Healthy Strides Community 5K with my sis-in-law.  I had my eye on a 10K in July, but I think that’s off the table since I haven’t been training.  Maybe something in September?  It’s a process, but road racing was something that I enjoyed once upon a time, so I’m committed to making it a part of my life again.

2.  Get into a regular yoga practice.  For awhile at the end of the year, I was attending yoga classes regularly.  But when I went back to work, I wanted to spend my weekends with the baby and not driving to yoga by myself, so this goal hasn’t been going too well.  I do work yoga poses into my daily routines, so that’s good, and I’m actively looking for a weekend “Mommy and Me” yoga class that works with Peanut’s schedule.

3.  Join Stroller Strides and attend regularly.  Haven’t done this yet.  I was waiting for flu season to pass, and I just lost track of time.

READING

1.  Really, really read more books I already own.  I mean it this time.  ROTFL.  Have you heard about my library shenanigans?  I’m not even going to link to them, because they’ve taken over the blog.  In the second half of the year, I do mean to read books from my own shelves, and lots of them.  I do.

2.  Read at least one classic every month.  I’ve done this!  The Fellowship of the Ring and The Snows of Kilimanjaro in January; The Two Towers and The Scarlet Pimpernel in February; Mrs ‘Arris Goes to Paris in March; Selected Poems by Anna Akhmatova in April; Fire in the Blood and The Return of the King in May, Villette in June; and so far in July, I’ve finished Main Street on audio.

3.  Explore more non-fiction.  I’ve been doing this, too – in fact, I have a post about it coming up next week.  So far this year, I’ve read a memoir about a couple renovating an olive farm in Provence; a compilation of searing advice columns by Cheryl Strayed; a poet’s memoir about walking England’s Pennine Way; a round-up of the stories behind classic French dishes; an audiobook of meditations for knitters (reread); a historical adventure in which two reporters raced each other around the world; a life of Leonardo da Vinci as viewed through the lens of his painting The Last Supper; a guide for travelers to fourteenth century England; and a love letter to walkable Paris.  In the second half of the year, I’m hoping to explore more history, more biography and memoir, and sprinkle in a little spirituality too.

LIFE/FAMILY

1.  Seek out ways to be a better wife/mother, and practice them.  I’m always working on this.  Some days, I think I do a pretty good job.  Other days, I have a long way to go.  It’s all part of the journey of life, right?

2.  Practice gratitude even when life gets challenging.  This one has been tough.  Hubby and I are both under a lot of stress, individually, related to various things that I don’t consider blog material.  Some days, it’s really hard to be grateful for… well, for anything.  But I do my best to count my blessings every single day, whether I feel particularly blessed or not.  And I do have lots of blessings: a house that, while it may be a work in progress, gives us a very comfortable home; a job that pays the bills and lets me buy the little incidentals that make life fun; the opportunity to live and work in an exciting place; a wonderful husband; and a sweet, cute, fun, and healthy baby.

3.  Love my little Peanut wildly.  Easy!  Peanut is the brightest spot in hubby’s and my world.  When she shrieks with joy at seeing me walk through the door in the evening, when we dance down the hall singing “This Little Light of Mine,” when she eats her board books while staring at me defiantly, when she smiles at me and reaches her arms out to be picked up after a nap… well, she’s impossible not to love.  Even when she’s being a little stinker… she’s my little stinker, and I’m crazy about her.

How’s your 2013 going?  Can you believe the year is six months old already?