My first Noro experience! It was on clearance and a steal at $6 a skein. It was scratchy, but I soaked it in Eucalan bath for blocking and I'm not one that is averse to textured fabric. The pattern is quick, reversible, and easy to memorise. I highly recommend it for any colourful yarn you may have to use. Two skeins of Noro yielded less than 50" scarf, but I was able to block about…
Month: February 2008
Who is your favorite female lead character? And why? (And yes, of course, you can name more than one . . . I always have trouble narrowing down these things to one name, why should I force you to?) - BTT I always dislike favourite questions because I can never narrow it down to one or two. Here's the list I could think off the top of my head: Elizabeth Bennet of P&P - I…
A memoir of looking for pleasure, devotional and the balance of the two in Italy, India, and Indonesia. I first started reading last spring/summer, but then I had to return it to the library. It was already a bestseller, but it's only gotten more popular (as it was featured in Oprah) since then. Some people have been critical of the book for being self-absorbed. I've read a lot of travel books and memoirs, and they…
All other things (like price and storage space) being equal, given a choice in a perfect world, would you rather have paperbacks in your library? Or hardcovers? And why? - BTT Hardcovers. I know. I'm such a traditionalist, but they even smell differently in their new conditions. For paperbacks, I only really like trade paperbacks because the covers are more durable and the paper less cheap. In the end, portability of paperbacks is not always…
Pumpkin season is over, but do you have a can of puree? If not get some for this wonderful tea time snack. love lyrics love lyrics love lyrics love lyrics love lyrics love lyrics love lyrics love lyrics love lyrics love lyrics love lyrics This was my third Joy of Baking recipe. I am consistently pleased with the results from the recipes I have made. All of them have been delicious and well thought out.…
Set in South Africa, this 1983 Booker Prize Winner by Nobel Laureate (2003) J. M. Coetzee is about a man surviving amidst war, civil unrest, and poverty. There are no chapters, but three sections divide book. The first covers more than 2/3 of the novel. The plot is one of the most depressing I have read in a long time. The prose is stark and observant. Michael K. is a mysterious yet simple character at…
It's been a good week for reading. I finished V for Vendetta after last TSS, finished Eugene Onegin by Wednesday and I listened to Shakespeare: The World As Stage by Bill Bryson yesterday (review below). Today, I started to read Life and Times of Michael K by J. M. Coetzee. I am about half way through the book now. It is not very long, but there are no chapters. It reminds me a bit of…
See my vest! When I first saw this pattern in the book, I was not that into it. First of all, this is my first real sweater vest. I haven't ever owned or wore vests even though my style can be described as sometimes being on the preppy side (love those blouses). Also, I do not like u-necks; I'm a v-neck girl. My decision to make the vest came when I realized that the wool…
A novel in verse about the romance between the cynical dandy Eugene Onegin and Tatyana, a bookish country girl. The story itself is not particularly unique or special, but I liked this novel from the first page. I can easily see myself rereading it in years just because I find the writing style wonderful and engaging. It is written entirely of iambic tetrameter. Aleksandr Pushkin is considered as the founder of modern Russian literature; his…
This week's question is from the lovely Chris: Here’s something for Valentine’s Day. Have you ever fallen out of love with a favorite author? Was the last book you read by the author so bad, you broke up with them and haven’t read their work since? Could they ever lure you back? - BTT I don't think this has happened to me for writers. Generally with authors I've read more than one book and stopped,…
Before reading this graphic novel, I had read Alan Moore's other acclaimed work Watchmen. I enjoyed it, but I'm inclined to think right now V for Vendetta has some even better writing. Moore is a brilliant author who imbues poetic prose and engrossing narrative in graphic works. His characters are fascinating if not compelling. When I was reading this, I was afraid the darkness of dystopia would bring my mood down, but there were a…
The few positives of this book are that James Fenimore Cooper does his best to create a narrative of frontier life with themes of racism and friendship. I also did not dislike any of the characters, but the only ones I truly like die. This was not my original choice for Decades 1820's, and I must say that particular decade does not have any many enticing classic books. This novel was boring. I blame Cooper's…