In the morning, I read the Saturday Globe and Mail newspaper. I rarely read the newspaper because I get most of my news online or from TV. Unlike my dad only reads newspapers now. like reading the weekend editions because they offer so much more than simple news. I would like to keep it up weekly because I like G&M’s Books section particularly. I said a few posts back that I am not big on book reviews, but reviews provide discovery to new books. I added a lot of books to my library request list as a result. The G&M features a lot of Canadian lit which is something I am not overly familiar with shamefully. Speaking of which, the newspaper told me Anne of Green Gables is turning 100 this spring, and there is already a new tv movie for it. Also, someone has written a prequel to the series.

This afternoon, I finished The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper. I read half of it today; it was the only thing I really read this past week. I skimmed a lot of the book, but I didn’t give up since I had to read it for a challenge. I’m sure Eugene Onegin will be a better read this week.

Actually, I think I will peruse V for Vendetta now.

This is only my third Sunday Salon, but I am really loving the whole routine. It allows me to manage a time when I can read even just a little bit and retire my increasingly busy life. I have managed to read and finish a book since I started this two weeks ago.

Next weekend: Onegin as mentioned. Possibly Othello, Life and Times of Michael K., and The Count of Monte Cristo. My TBR pile is obscenely high that I have many choices.

Literary Links:

How can I become a better and more prolific reader? – from Metafilter

Best All-Time Children’s Books – from Zen Habits. I’ve read and loved a lot of the books from this list.

Will cell phones save books? – from ComputerWorld.

Twilight of the books – from The New Yorker. I love the New Yorker; wish I had a subscription. This article looks at what low current reading rates mean, a world without reading, and just how words and language have been throughout history.

The Death of Postmodernism and Beyond – from Philosophy Now by Alan Kirby in 2006. Article asserting the end of postmodernism and how literature is now at what Kirby calls “pseudo modernism”.

Okay, even I can’t read ALL the time, so I’m guessing that you folks might voluntarily shut the covers from time to time as well… What else do you do with your leisure to pass the time? Walk the dog? Knit? Run marathons? Construct grandfather clocks? Collect eggshells? – BTT

I knit! Except I’m exasperated with the vest I am making and just about to rip a few rows. Anyway, I do fair share of my leisure time knitting. I watch films. Since I’m back to working out, I do that too. I surf the net too much. While I took a lot of photographs in 2007, I haven’t done any major photography in awhile. I’ve been forced to stay away from baking for awhile. Sometimes I go out with friends, but only when the mood strikes.

By the by, Happy Chinese New Year, everyone!

A really sweet and wonderful indie film set in Wawa, Ontario, Canada. I did pick this film up based on the fact that it does star Alan Rickman and the critical acclaim. This a quintessential underrated indie film which has excellent acting (by Rickman and Sigourney Weaver as an autistic woman) and a good script that is full of funny and heartfelt moments. It was simply done and straightforward yet well done in its storytelling. The story is talks of loss, guilt, moving on, and living in the present. In a way, it’s a slice of life kind of movie. Maybe not the most original plot or the most exciting, but it does the job especially when you throw in a nice soundtrack. It is quite Canadian with all the actors that I recognise from the CBC and all the beautiful northern Ontario landscape.

Sweeney Todd (02 01 08) – Review
Enduring Love (06 01 08) – This was alright. I didn’t really get into it or maybe that was because I was working on my forethought heel. Not fun knitting. The movie was based on a book, and as in many cases, I wish I read the book first because I would have probably appreciated the movie more. It seemed to be always on the edge of some really philosophical and intellectual thoughts, but it didn’t really get there for me. The performances were all fine as I do adore Daniel Craig and Bill Nighy.
Training Day (12 01 08) – Denzel Washington deserved his Oscar just for being so creepy in this. Hey, I can’t believe Ethan Hawke was relevant once. Good only due to Denzel’s performance, but not a rewatch by any means.
The Shadow in the North (12 01 08) – I like both Billie Piper, J. J. Feild and the books. This book probably had one of the best climaxes; the plot is not that great (but not as boring as the fourth book), but the climax and denouemnent were good.
Bad Education (20 01 08) – I seem to going backwards in Almodóvar films. I think I saw the NC-17 version, and it wasn’t really that graphic. I think I like Volver better, but this one has a more complex script. It’s like a gay Sunset Boulevard (or gayer if you prefer).

My regard for comics is positive for the most part, but I would not venture to say I am an avid fan. Part of is the lack of continuity, and the revisionist and changing nature of characters and stories. I do like a lot of superhero characters and am familiar with most major comic book heroes due to my exposure of the 1990s cartoons. Case in point, I loved Batman: The Animated Series when it first came out in 1992 (ended 1995), and it has remained my favourite version of the Dark Knight. Few animated shows have been that well done or engaging. Kevin Conroy’s Batman will always be my personal Batman. The writing on the show was stellar; it is the reason that I find Batman the most fascinating of superhero characters. He is definitely my favourite from the DC JL gang. The animated series was inspired by the Tim Burton movies which was inspired by this Batman serial written by Frank Miller in 1986.

One of the reasons Batman is fascinating and unique (at least in the DC universe) is his darkness, his humanity, and his lack of superhero powers. He’s a very flawed man with a lot of personal demons. This serial was influential in marking that return to the noir Batman. It’s very well written and illustrated. The plot was fine, but I do not recommend it to people who do not know the character. I did not agree with all of Miller’s takes to the Batverse, but I liked that he created a female Robin. There is some commentary within the panels about the media, public security, civil liberties, obsessions, vengenace, and the grey area of vigilantism. It’s non-canon and there is a sequel, but I do not think I’ll read it. Most of it is that I am too attached to the Batman I know from TAS, and I can’t warm to Miller’s Dark Knight. Maybe I just don’t like Batman when he is old because I was not able to watch Batman Beyond either.

This week, I started Eugene Onegin and The Last of the Mohicans. The latter is very dry so far; it was not my first choice having heard some very indifferent things about it. Onegin is nice so far because it is a novel in verse. It’s also Russian, and my ardent love of Tolstoy will grow into that for Pushkin (and then Dostoevsky, Pasternak, Solzhenitsyn and Chekhov) soon enough.  I haven’t really read that far into either books, mostly a couple pages in each to pass whatever time I was able to scrape up from the busy week.

Today, I had to do some academia which required me to browse and skim through my research books on Zimbabwe. Then I started, read, and reviewed Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller (review up tomorrow). Most of the  books I read are from the library, and I become irate when books are vandalised. The copy of TDKR had a couple of panels ripped out. I love libraries and especially my own library system so seeing that was not pleasing at all.

I may have some more time to read this week at least after Wednesday. Have a good week everyone.

Literary Links:

A life of their own – Guardian Unlimited Books

The Usborne Book of the Future – Published in 1979. It’s a trip to the year 2000 and beyond.

Ornamental Typography

Red Room

Sometimes I find eccentric characters quirky and fun, other times I find them too unbelievable and annoying. What are some of the more outrageous characters you’ve read, and how do you feel about them? – BTT

For the most part, I don’t find many characters really annoying. I had to check back on the books I read.

Jane  Eyre: Mr. Rochester I think counts. I find a lot of eccentric, well written characters amusing and he’s definitely that.

Wuthering Heights: I found both Cathy and Healthcliff incredibly annoying. Moreso Cathy who isn’t eccentric as so much as incredibly self-absorbed.

Watership Down:  General Woundwort is crazy, but incredibly well written villain.

Rebecca: Mrs. Danver is also crazy, and I found her incredibly creepy. Annoying, but necessary to the plot.

Time Quartet by Madeleine L’Engle: Sometimes I found Charles Wallace too precocious that it didn’t warm me to him.

Winnie the Pooh: Pooh is very quirky, and I love him for it.

Leo Tolstoy, Lewis Carroll, Thomas, Hardy, Louis de Bernieres, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Kurt Vonnegut, Neil Gaiman and many authors I read all  write many eccentric characters in their works. I vary from loving them to just being amused or indifferent.

There are many more eccentric characters I could name, but I’m not bothered by them for the most part. Often, they weirdest characters serve a lot of the valuable purpose to the plot of the book if not their outrageous presence.

Published in 1818, Mary Shelley’s novel is styled with Romanticism (the descriptions and prose), Gothic (atmosphere and setting), and Horror (story and plot). At first I felt pity for the Frankenstein monster, but the story did give way to horror. I was not scared so much as fascinated by the way the death and violence unfolded. The set up of the novel is interesting too because there is a lot of characters telling each other stories: Victor Frankenstein telling his story to the narrator Walton, and the monster telling Frankenstein of his own story early on. The monster is really eloquent due to his readings of classic works. In the film versions, I think they dumb his rhetoric considerably. I think this is a testament to the time because everyone just spoke elegantly compared to now. The character of Victor is introduced as this broken but noble man, and as you read his story, the huge mistake in his life becomes him. He goes from being just a solitary, content young man to someone full of despair, self-pity, and misanthropy. The character is best seen at the beginning and at the end when he has accepted his mistakes and actions. There are few themes that can be read into this story. The references to Paradise Lost made me consider the idea of inheritance of the earth and who has more right? The monster says, “You are my creator, but I am your master; -obey!” Does Adam do unto the Earth because he is created to inhabit it? Does Lucifer have rights to rebel once he is created? Once we create, what are our responsibilities and what is that in which we’ve made? The novel did ask questions about the limits of man in science and technology. A quick and enjoyable classic.

Sunday Salon is a weekly event in which bloggers share their reading and comment on others doing the same. It’s a mini readathon and an excuse for bloggers to find time in the week to read together. January has been a miserly month for reading as I get back to the old routine. I’ll be very busy until April, and beyond that, uncertainty abounds in reading times. I hope Sunday Salon can remind me to blog and take some time to read for fun. I am not going to promise to do this every week, and doubtlessly, the amount read and blogged will probably vary. TSS will also allow me to muse on reading, allow me time to contemplate and note observations as I read, and do some bookish linking.

Today, I finished reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley; the review will be up tomorrow. I started it nearly three weeks ago, and I read two thirds of it today. I much prefer to read books in a couple of sittings rather than spread over a long time in bits. I find I lose the train and sense of the book if I read it in too many sittings. It works sometimes as my life sort of becomes parallel or I start to slowly absorb the book (Of Human Bondage summer before last). Most of the time, I find I hard to get back into the book over such few readings as I like to be engrossed completely over a short period. It can’t be helped that I have books ongoing for weeks on end though, and especially since I am so busy.

I must announce that I am going to actually fail one of my reading challenges. The Seafaring Challenge ends January 31, and I have not touched either Horatio Hornblower books I said I would read. Partly because I only managed to get one of them. Ah well, this will teach me not to join any more challenges less than six months.

There is still some time this evening so I may pick up graphic novel later on in the night. My TBR piles are getting out of hand so I weeded a couple of books today. Not many because I do not like weeding.

Upcoming Books: I just subscribed to read The Last of the Mohicans on Daily Lit. Never used to service, and I am not a big fan of reading books off the computer, but I just had a last minute switch for my Decades challenge. The 1820’s does not seem to be a really enticing literary decade. I don’t have TLotM in book form, but I requested a copy so the DailyLit ones can hold me off til then.

Next weekend, I am going spend a lot of time reading books for school. Life and Times of Michael K is going to be read for an online book group in February so that’ll be picked in the near future. I also have all the graphic novels necessary to finish the Graphic Novel challenge so I’ll wrap it up next week or so.

Literary Links:

100 Books Every Child Should Read (Introduction) – Features a lot books I liked as a child.

Pirate Coelho  – Paul Coelho (The Alchemist) is pirating his own books because he is convinced that free copies of the book increases book sales.

Books that make you dumb – Someone used Facebook and SAT scores to determine people’s favourite books. Are there people in Facebook that actually list “I Don’t Read”? Given, I don’t even add my favourite books when I’m on it. In any case, I have no idea what my SAT scores are any way, but the results are amusing none the less.

I got this meme from Chris.

What kind of soap is in your shower right now? LUSH Fig N Leaves. Very moisturizing.

Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? Not in this cold season.

What would you change about your living room? I’m going to agree with Chris that it needs more bookshelves, and a Persian rug.

Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty? We don’t have a dishwasher.

What is in your fridge? Food.

White or wheat bread? Whole Wheat.

What is on top of your refrigerator? Cereal boxes. I don’t even eat it.

What color or design is on your shower curtain? It’s white with multi-coloured bubbles. It’s from Ikea.

How many plants are in your home? At least two.

Is your bed made right now? No.

Comet or Soft Scrub? Comet because I also don’t know what Soft Scrub is.

Is your closet organized? Relatively so.

Can you describe your flashlight? It’s cheap and red.

Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home? I usually drink out of a white mug.

Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now? No.

If you have a garage, is it cluttered? No garage.

Curtains or blinds? Both.

How many pillows do you sleep with? One.

Do you sleep with any lights on at night? No. I like sleeping when it’s pitch dark.

How often do you vacuum? Not very often.

Standard toothbrush or electric? Standard. I wish I had electric.

What color is your toothbrush? Clear and pink. It’s the one the dentist gave me.

Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch? A mat, but it doesn’t say anything.

What is in your oven right now? Nothing.

Is there anything under your bed? Nothing.

Chore you hate doing the most? Vacuuming.

What retro items are in your home? Well. I guess maybe a piece of stereo equipment or two.

Do you have a separate room that you use as an office? No, but I would if I had my own house.

How many mirrors are in your home? About 5-7.

What color are your walls? White with beige trimmings. I didn’t choose it.

What does your home smell like right now? Nothing.

Favorite candle scent? Don’t burn many candles here.

What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now? None at the moment.

What color is your favorite Bible? I don’t have a bible; I wish I did. I think it would be nice in brown.

Ever been on your roof? No.

Do you own a stereo? Yes.

How many TVs do you have? 2.

How many house phones? 3. Though 2 of them don’t always work.

Do you have a housekeeper? No, we wish.

What style do you decorate in? Our home style.

Do you like solid colors or prints in furniture? Solid.

Is there a smoke detector in your home? Yes, it’s illegal not to have an active one in every floor. We have two I think.

In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you’d grab if you only could make one quick trip? My laptop, journals, and photo albums.

Chevron Socks - Forethought Heel

Chevron Socks, started December 15th 2007, finished January 22nd, 2008.
Pattern: Chevron from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch.
Yarn: Wisdom Yarns Marathon Socks – San Diego (75% Wool 25% Nylon 100g 400m/437yds)
Needles: Hiya Hiya stainless steel 40″/100cm US1/2.25mm circs
Modifications German Twisted cast on, and Magic Loop.
Lessons Learned: German Twisted Cast On, Forethought heel.
Cost of Project: $4 for the yarn!
Would I knit it again? Unlikely.

Chevron Socks


Pattern Notes and Comments: This yarn was in clearance for only $4! I still have a lot left because I got very bored doing the first leg. It’s a rather short cuff as a result. I’m not crazy for the yarn colours which is why I wanted to use something like chevron to make it interesting. I hate provisional cast on. The forethought heel was not difficult, but it wasn’t fun either. The pattern is not a stretchy one which will be good to wear in these cold winter days as it really hugs my foot. It is rather mindless knitting for awhile which can be both good and boring. I love my Hiya Hiya needles though. Also, I love this book. It has so many wonderful sock patterns. I’m probably going to knit a pair of socks in February as well.

What’s your favorite book that nobody else has heard of? You know, not Little Women or Huckleberry Finn, not the latest best-seller . . . whether they’ve read them or not, everybody “knows” those books. I’m talking about the best book that, when you tell people that you love it, they go, “Huh? Never heard of it?” – BTT

I am really quite predictable since I love classics and books most people have heard of.  I think The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa is simply wonderful but not totally unknown. A lot of people I know don’t really get into graphic novels so they aren’t aware of Neil Gaiman’s work or Sandman. Speaking of graphic novels, this one counts, but I forget to add it to my GN challenge recs: Griffin and Sabine Trilogy by Nick Bantock. In nonfiction, I love a lot of memoirs and travel books such as Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik and Blue Latitudes: Boldy Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before by Tony Horwitz.

In a lot of cases, while some well read people on the blogsophere or bibliophiles have heard of books, I have a lot of friends who are not big readers and will go “Huh?” when I say I like Jose Saramago,  Milan Kundera, Neil Gaiman, etc.

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