Somehow, in between rounds of sudoku, I’ve been getting in a bit of good reading. Some short reports:
Peter Mayle, A Good Year — I always enjoy his books. The nonfiction is better though.
Gideon DeFoe, Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists — Silly and entertaining. Recently picked up the next one (Pirates! In an Adventure with Ahab), haven’t read it yet. I did read the back cover, which is unusual for me, and found it quite funny.
Lois Lowry, The Giver — A copy belonging to the Children’s Literature section was returned to the library where I work, and I had to bring it home and read it. Seems like the kind of book that would have haunted me for years if I’d read it as a kid. I am glad I did not read it as a kid. It was freaky.
Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre — Years ago I picked up a book by Jasper Fforde called Lost in a Good Book. I started to read it, but quickly realized there was a book that came before it called The Eyre Affair. So eventually I picked that one up, and started to read it, but quickly realized that there was a book that came before it called Jane Eyre. That is to say, it became apparent that not having read Jane Eyre would be a problem in reading The Eyre Affair. In fact, if I were to have read The Eyre Affair first, it would have ruined Jane Eyre for me, and since I’d always meant to read Jane Eyre, and didn’t want it ruined, it got bumped to the top of the list. So I went to the main library here on campus and checked out a very old copy of Jane Eyre. One that hadn’t been edited by anybody. And I read it. Actually, first I went through it (upside down) with a gentle eraser and erased all the pencil marks that had been written in it. (I still can’t believe people think it’s okay to write in library books. Grrrr.) Then I read it. Without the seriously stupid comments of idiots to distract from the book. And. What a beautiful book. I’m so glad it got so circuitously bumped.
Jasper Fforde, The Eyre Affair — And this turned out to be a good read as well. A fun read. Mostly I’m grateful to it for getting me to read the Bronte.
Daniel Pinkwater, Lizard Music — Strange but fun. Very Pinkwater.
Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Long Winter — Thanks again to Chandra for the loan. This one was hard to read, but so good. Everyone should read these books.
The Worst Noel (various authors) — Some of the stories are funny, some are depressing. Made me glad the holidays have never been awful for me.
Next up:
Stephenson, Cryptonomicon — I must read this. I must read this.
Vowell, The Partly Cloudy Patriot — Courtesy, once again, of the lovely Chanzara. Finally started this one yesterday. Sarah Vowell is strange, but she sure knows how to make it interesting.
And another by Charlotte Bronte: Villette — Loaned to me by the lovely Julie, oh so long ago. Must read soon.
