Sunday Salon

TSSbadge11 Sunday Salon

Happy Sunday everyone!

On Friday I invited questions on all of the books I have yet to write posts about. I got some great questions and I’m slowly working on writing the posts (I wrote one very short one (I decided the one paragraph I wrote for Maus pretty much said everything I needed to say, so I called it good) and almost finished another last night, that’s how slow it’s going).

One of the questions asked by Care was “I see it (Blink) is the only male author on your list here. Are you intentionally reading mostly female authors or is it just working out that way. (I noticed that I am split even on my M/F ratio so far this year and I hadn’t been paying any attention until I looked.)

I do gravitate toward female authors. I always have, and I really can’t say why…I somehow think their writing is more approachable and warmer and entertaining, although I’ve certainly read male authors that I’ve felt that way about. I do know that when I find myself reading more male authors I get a little twitchy and feel like my reading ratios are out of balance. And while I know how ridiculous that sounds, I can’t help it. I’m biased towards female authors, and I embrace my bias. I think this is why I don’t read too many classics…it always seems like they’re predominantly by male authors.

Speaking of classics, yesterday I realized that I was falling behind on my reading for The Brothers Karamazov read-along, so I spent some not so quality time with Dostoevsky, who is one wordy dude. There are times when I’m entertained by the book, and there are times when I am totally clueless (and all of the religious references certainly aren’t helping). I’ve almost finished with the first book, which means I’m barely 100 pages into it, and while we’ve met all of the main characters (I think), I’m wondering where Dostoevsky is going with this.

One of the things I have noticed about Dostoevsky is that his characters speak in parentheses. I’m sure you’ve noticed (and if you haven’t just look at this post!) how much I love the keystrokes ( and ), and to see Dostoevsky using them in conversation just warms the cockles of my heart. Okay, maybe not, but it does amuse me.

And now, it’s time to finish putting together the granola I just baked and go find a book to read on the treadmill (The Brothers Karamazov being much to serious for such a boring activity…I need something with a little more oomph to get me through the miles). And then, I’m determined to crank out some of those long overdue posts!

 

TSSbadge11 Sunday Salon: a little bit of this, a little bit of that

When you read that title, make sure you have the Black Sheep song and the image of the Kia hamsters running through your mind, ’cause it’s certainly running on a continuous loop in mine. In fact, we’ve watched the commercial so much on YouTube that it pops up as one of my most frequently viewed pages when I open Google Chrome.

Not very bookish, I know, but it cracks me up every time. Maybe I should’ve just titled this post “Word.” It fits both the video and it’s bookish.

Okay, moving on.

Yesterday I got together with Danielle (from There’s a Book) for lunch. We spent almost two hours talking about all things bloggy, and after the craziness of summer is over, we’ll be making it a monthly event. You all are welcome to join us, of course. :-) But you’d have to find your way to SLO. We’re hoping our other local, Gwen of Chew & Digest Books, will join us…it’s too bad she was out of town this time. I’m so excited to have a local gang! Now if only we had a local indie bookstore.

This week’s reading consisted mostly of Purge (unfortunate title, as it’s not about what one might initially think). Purge is set in Estonia, and I was pretty much confused the whole time as I don’t know much of anything about Estonian history and there wasn’t much detail provided. Now I’m reading The Tricking of Freya, which is awesome in its detail of Icelandic culture and history.

Speaking of world culture, I’m having a bit of a crisis regarding my own reading challenge, the World Party Reading Challenge. I seem to have lost interest. With all of it…the commenting (bad Softdrink!), writing the posts, and reading the books. How bad of a person am I if I cancel the challenge? And it’s not just my own challenge. I finished the Women Unbound Challenge, but I seem to have fizzled on the others. And I know the year is far from over, but I think reading challenges are the thing that pushes my brain into “life is too chaotic and I can’t keep track of everything” mode. Trust me, it doesn’t take much.

Even though I’m no longer excited by the challenge, I am excited by my next read-along…The Brothers Karamazov! Look for the details on that puppy soon…we’ll be starting the read-along on July 10th. We won’t be posting weekly this time…more like every 3 weeks. You should think about joining us (this one is the brainchild of Trish, so blame her for the choice!)!

And that about wraps up my Sunday Salon. I have no plans for today, other than write a few more posts and finish The Tricking of Freya. And then I think I’ll go stare at the bookshelves and contemplate what I want to read next.

 

This is going to be a long post today. I’m sorry, but I’ve got a variety of things to chat about.

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We Have a Winner

First of all, I need to announce the winner of This Book Is Overdue. After consulting with my advisor (random.org), I’ve been told that Jenners from Find Your Next Book Here is the new owner of this delightful book.

Woo-hoo!! Congratulations, and please email me with your address.

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So How’re You Doing With Those Reading Challenges, Softdrink?

Thanks for asking. I decided it was time to sit down and pretend like I’m being organized about reading challenges. Let’s start with a look at the current challenges:

South Asian Authors: I just finished my first of three books for this challenge, One Amazing Thing. The review will post sometime this week. I’ve also started my second book, The Space Between Us, so I’m in good shape with this challenge. I’m also reading books that were already on my bookshelf, making this an especially successful challenge.

Women Unbound: I committed to the Suffragette level (8 books, at least 3 non-fiction). I think I’ve more than completed this challenge…the thing is, I keep finding more books I want to read! So don’t be surprised if I pretend I’m still participating. Here’s what I’ve read:

O.A.T.E.S.: The idea here is to read books by Oates, Atwood, Tolstoy, Ernest Hemingway and Steinbeck. I signed up for Rolled Oates, or two books, and I’ve finished. Yippee! I actually read 2 books by Atwood, The Penelopiad and The Year of the Flood, and one Steinbeck, East of Eden, so I’ve fulfilled my pledge to read two books.

The NY Challenge: My own challenge, and I haven’t even started the one book set in NY I need to read. This is why I set the requirement at one book.

I’ve been trying to resist, but there have been a few new developments that I just can’t resist:

Lu at Regular Rumination will be Exploring American Authors this year, and I’m going to join in. I’m going to try to read one book a month by an American author not from Canada or the US. Which isn’t to say I don’t love Canadian authors, ‘cause I do. It’s just that I already read Canadian authors. It’s the Mexican, Brazilian, Chilean, Honduran, Peruvian, (you get the idea) authors that I tend to ignore. This isn’t really a challenge, more like an informal read-along, which is just perfect for me.

Carrie at Books and Movies is hosting the Ireland Challenge. Since I’m Irish waaaaaay back in the family tree, and my dad was born on Saint Patrick’s Day, I just can’t say no (and in my mind those are perfectly logical reasons for joining a challenge). Some possibilities for this challenge are Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show, The Irish Country Doctor and How to Paint a Dead Man, all of which are currently residing inside of my house. How convenient. Oh, and I’m going with the Shamrock level, which is 2 books.

Also,Trish of Trish’s Reading Nook is hosting the Non-Fiction Five Challenge. I’m sure I can squeeze this one in. I’m going to use it to try and finish some of the non-fiction books I’ve started but have yet to finish. Please don’t make me name them…just know that there are plenty sitting around the house.

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Because the World Needs More Challenges

Okay, not really, although I’m sure there are some junkies out there looking to score. So just for them, I have a few things of my own in the works. Inspired by Ti at Book Chatter’s Moby Dick Monday (at which I totally failed), I’ll be doing a Wuthering Heights Wednesday read-along sometime soon. It’s tentatively planned for April, I just have to figure out how it’ll work. I’m also planning a quirky year-long international literature challenge, but that won’t kick off for a few more months. But if I put it down here, then it’s gotta happen, right? So stay tuned.

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Books! For You! (maybe)

Are you still with me? I also have a few books in need of new homes. These are all previously read, but I promise they’re in good shape. If you’re interested in a book, let me know in the comments. First come, first served, and one per customer, please.

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The End

Whew. I think that’s it.

 

TSSbadge11 Sunday Salon: an un rainy rainy day

We were supposed to have a rainy day. So far, all it’s done is spit a little bit. However, I haven’t let that stop me from holing up inside with some books! We’re currently waiting for the pizza to be delivered, so it will truly be a lazy day.

This morning I read All the Living, which was a beautifully told story that never really engaged me. I mean, I read it, and I appreciated it, but I never felt much for the characters. I also couldn’t figure out when it was set. For some reason, this really bothers me in a book…I have a need to know the time period! It felt like the early 1900s, but it was probably more like the 1970s or 1980s. It could’ve even been the present, who knows.

After I finished that one, I moved on to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I’m 97 pages into it, and despite the science, it’s fascinating. And heartbreaking. If you haven’t heard of this one yet, head on over to Linus’s Blanket and read what Nicole had to say by way of introduction. I’m guessing by the time I’m done this will be one of those books about which I say “you gotta read this!”

Things have been a bit quiet on the ol’ blog this week. I posted one review (for a book I didn’t even like all that much), and nothing else. I have a bunch of book thoughts I do need to write, though, so I figure it’s some sort of cosmic payback for last week’s comment about being relatively caught up. I just haven’t felt very wordy this week. Hopefully, I’ll snap out of it before the backlog becomes overwhelming. And I know, nowhere does it say I have to blog about every book. But um, yeah, I do. At this point, it would feel really, really wrong if I skipped over a few.

I think I hear the pizza dude! Later, gators.

 

TSSbadge11 An un romantic Valentines Sunday Salon

Happy Valentine’s Day! If that’s your thing. If not, well, happy Sunday!

Today is the day Hamburger and I choose to celebrate our anniversary, because we’re both lame and have no idea when our actual anniversary is. We’ve been together for 18 years, so I’d say our lack of a true anniversary hasn’t hurt us. And no, we’re not doing anything. We’re pretty low-key, and Hamburger is actually working, taking advantage of the clear weather to set up for a concrete pour later this week. He’s working all weekend, which means I have a four day weekend all too myself. It’s pretty sweet. And there you have it…proof of how un-romantic I really am.

After I spent most of January flying through the books, I’ve slowed down considerably for February. Which is nice…it means I’m still (almost) caught up on my reviews. This week I posted reviews for Daddy Long-Legs, Vanishing America, and The Swan Thieves. I also posted about the Neil Gaiman talk I attended, as well as an interview with Cthulhu (who, by the way, is a character from H.P. Lovecraft’s stories, and the representative of all that is evil). Which seemed to worry some of you…it’s okay, really, I’ve always been weird, it’s just sometimes I do a better job of hiding it. :-D

Speaking of weird, I’m currently reading House of Leaves with Rebecca and Jenn. This is possibly the weirdest book I’ve ever read. Not so much in content, but in design and intent. And while the content is weird, I’ve certainly read weirder (Geek Love, anyone?). But the premise is just bizarre.  It’s like The Blair Witch Project meets post-modernism, with some Chip Kidd design tossed in for fun. And the footnotes! Holy crap, the footnotes are longer than the actual text…in fact, they’re a whole ‘nother story. Or two. Or three. Has anyone ever read this book? I’ve already resorted to Googling it, just to have a better understanding of its intent.

I’m also planning to start Catcher in the Rye soon, for another read-along, this one hosted by Melissa.

So after I go for a walk, I’ll be hibernating with my books for the rest of the day. How about you? Any fun plans, bookish or otherwise?

chickenzombieval 300x299 An un romantic Valentines Sunday Salon

 

The Sunday Salon

TSSbadge11 The Sunday Salon

Some random thoughts…

*The Superbowl needs to kick it up a notch. Including the commercials.

*I never liked The Who. I like them even less now.

*Today, I had planned to write up my Neil Gaiman notes from the talk I saw Wednesday night. That never happened.

*This week I read The Swan Thieves. It was too long.

*I’m currently reading The Year of the Flood. Finally.

*But I also have about 10 other books that I’ve abandoned after about 50 pages. And not because they’re bad…I just can’t decide what I want to read.

*I don’t want to go to work tomorrow.

*I think I need a cookie.


 

A Sunday Salon song

TSSbadge11 A Sunday Salon song

The other night on Twitter, a bunch of us were being silly (what else is new), debating the attractiveness of Peeta and Gale from The Hunger Games. Chris from book-a-rama admitted she hadn’t yet read the books, but she was willing to be bribed into joining a team. I offered a song in exchange for her eternal devotion to Team Gale. Chris, I’ll be looking for your pro-Gale post soon.

And because my verses are a little off, this is meant to be sung to the tune of “Be My Baby,” by The Ronettes.

Last night on Twitter you said you’d join Team Gale
So order the book now and have it sent airmail
I’m writing this song for you
Chris book-a-rama, yes you
If you read it you’ll see
Why Gale is the guy for me
So won’t you please

(Read it read it right now) Read The Hunger Games
(You must read it Chris) So you’ll join Team Gale
(Read it read it right now) Read Hunger Games now
(You must read it Chris) Ooh, ohh, ohh, oh

It’ll make you happy, baby
Just wait and see
With every page turned you’ll agree
You’re no Peeta devotee
Since last night on Twitter
Our goal is to make Team Peeta bitter
So don’t be a quitter
In the name of all that’s holy
Oh won’t you please

(Read it read it right now) Read The Hunger Games
(You must read it Chris) So you’ll join Team Gale
(Read it read it right now) Read Hunger Games now
(You must read it Chris) Ooh, ohh, ohh, oh

So come on and please
(Read it read it right now) Read The Hunger Games
(You must read it Chris) So you’ll join Team Gale
(Read it read it right now) Read Hunger Games now
(You must read it Chris) Ooh, ohh, ohh, oh

(Read it read it right now) Read The Hunger Games
(You must read it Chris) So you’ll join Team Gale
(Read it read it right now) Read Hunger Games now
(You must read it Chris) Ooh, ohh, ohh, oh

 

Humbug

TSSbadge11 Humbug

No, I’m not feeling Scroogey. It turns out that humbug is the word of the week.

My current audiobook is A Christmas Carol, which means my morning commute is filled with bah humbugs. And it turns out Melville was fond of the word, too. I just finished my weekly Moby Dick reading, and Ishmael has labeled Elijah a humbug. So what exactly is a humbug? Well, according to Merriem-Webster:

Main Entry: 1hum·bug

Pronunciation: \ˈhəm-ˌbəg\

Function: noun

Etymology: origin unknown

Date: 1751

1 a : something designed to deceive and mislead b : a willfully false, deceptive, or insincere person
2 : an attitude or spirit of pretense and deception

Anyways, I’m now 120 odd pages into Moby Dick, and they are finally (finally!) at sea. I suspect we still have a ways to go before we see any action, though. Melville seems to be winding up for some in-depth descriptions of whaling. Oh joy.

moby dick button

And yes, that was Moby Dick Monday on Sunday night.

Today I read an amazing book (no, I’m not still talking about the whale). You may recall Rebecca raving about this book awhile back, and rightly so. Waiting for Columbus went in directions I never expected, and the mystery of why the main character thought he was Columbus sucked me right in. The book is also unexpectedly deep (but not in a bad way). I loved it. I promise to write more about it at a later date.

 

Sunday Salon

TSSbadge11 Sunday Salon

Today is a cold (it’s 50 degrees, which is practically freezing by California standards), wintery day. After a quick trip to the grocery store, I am now prepared to spend the rest of the day hibernating. I have a mug of tea (a new to me flavor, caffeine-free chocolate chai…it’s, ummm, interesting), the heater’s on and there’s football playing in the background. There should be laundry in the washer, but there’s always tomorrow for that. Besides, it’s cold in the garage…why ruin a perfectly good day with a chore and multiple visits to the coldest part of the house.

It’s been a slow reading week. I’m reading The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver’s latest novel. I was not a fan of The Poisonwood Bible, but I thought I’d give her another chance. The story is interesting, but it’s slow moving. I feel like I’ve been reading forever, but I’m only about a 1/4 of the way through. Also, Frida Kahlo is a major character at the moment, as are Diego Rivera and Leon Trotsky, and I’m not really sure how I feel about that.

I’m also reading The Girl Who Played with Fire, the follow-up to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I’m barely into that one, but Lisbeth is just as disturbing as ever.

As for Moby Dick, well, I’m a bit behind with my reading for Ti’s read-along. Like two weeks behind. In fact, I should be reading that one right now.

So we’re six days into December and I have yet to finish a book this month. Kind of a switch from last month, when I read more than I had any other month. Gotta love those long weekends.

Yesterday I drove down to LA (technically Studio City, but for us Central Coasters, pretty much anything south of Santa Barbara is LA…and this also includes everything to San Diego) to have lunch with my follow bloggers, Ti (Book Chatter), Tracy (Shelf Life), Amy (My Friend Amy) and Florinda (The 3 R’s). We met at Portrait of a Bookstore, which is a great little store within the Aroma Cafe. And yes, I came home with a few books. One from our gift exchange (thanks to Tracy for Reading Like a Writer), and two from the bookstore (including House of Leaves, if you’re reading this Rebecca). And a bonus book from Florinda (thank you!). Here we all are:

book blogger lunch

Clockwise from the red sweater, it’s Florinda, Tracy, Ti, Amy and me.

There’s also a lovely photo that Florinda took, except for the fact that I have demon eyes. I’ll spare you, as it’s a bit frightening.

And yes, it takes me three hours to drive to LA. But I have to say, it’s totally worth it to spend the afternoon with a wonderful group of readers/bloggers! We were talking about how we should do this more often. I don’t think I could do it every month, but I’d be up for a quarterly get together.

 

TSSbadge11 TSS: cheese, books, vampires and whales

The question of the day: Is American cheese really cheese?  Hamburger loves the stuff. I prefer straight up cheddar, the sharper the better. However, Hamburger is currently doubting the cheesiness of his beloved cheese (product). What do you think? Cheese? Or cheese-product?

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On to the books…

Yesterday I finished two books, neither of which rocked my world. So instead of full-on posts, I’m going to subject you to two quick summaries.

shadow baby
Shadow Baby
Alison McGhee
2000
243 pages

11 year old Clara is searching for answers. Unfortunately, her mom won’t talk…about her twin sister who died at birth, her unnamed father, or her absent grandfather. So Clara makes up stories. And she befriends Georg, an elderly immigrant who slowly reveals bits of his past.

The thing that bugs me about this book is one whopping inconsistency that I just can’t get past. In the second half of the book, Clara makes a big deal about Tamar (her mother) not eating sugar, with the exception of a teaspoon on her Cheerios. It comes up often, to the point where it becomes annoying. Yet, early in the book, Tamar is seen eating an ice cream sandwich. I still can’t get over this discrepancy. I found myself obsessing over it, and it ruined any (slight) enjoyment I had in the book.

the taste of dreams

The Taste of Dreams: An Obsession with Caviar and Russia
Vanora Bennett
2003
276 pages

Vanora Bennett was always fascinated with Russia. She read Russian literature, studied Russian, and grew up to be a journalist stationed in Moscow. This book tells of her years in Russia and her obsession with caviar…acquiring it, finding out more about it, and becoming appalled at the lengths people will go to poach it. However, the book is boring. By the end, I could’ve cared less about the author and caviar. Although, to be honest, I never cared much for caviar to begin with. Not that I’ve tried it…just the thought grosses me out.

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Last night, I started Dead Until Dark, the first of the Sookie Stackhouse books. I signed up for the Sookie Challenge a few months ago. And after 40 pages, I’m bowing out. Not that I have anything against vampires. I’m just not feeling the Sookie love…sorry Sookie.

grave TSS: cheese, books, vampires and whales

Today I need to get caught up on Moby Dick, for Ti’s read-along. Evidently, that 4 pages/day is harder than it looks. My copy of Moby Dick managed to hide itself (you’d think a book that’s as big as a whale couldn’t hide, but it can) at the bottom of a pile of books, so I need to dig it out and read 4 pages times 6 days plus the 1 page I didn’t get to from Monday…ummm, 25 pages, if I did my math correctly.

And OMG…I just did a word problem! Our high school math teachers were right! Crap.