Posted on June 18, 2008 in Books
This Pulitizer prize winning book by Marilynne Robinson is the definition of modern literary novels. The novel does not have much in the way of plot. It is an epistolary novel of an old man writing for his very young son about his life. It is extremely introspective and beautifully written. I do not think it is for everyone, but I could relate to it because I am like the character and the style. It is not to say that I think as the character does all the time, but I certainly do understand why they mean with lines such as this:
I don’t know why solitude would be a balm for loneliness, but that is how it always was for me in those days, (p 18-9 hardcover)
It is the kind of book I can see myself rereading because it reminds me of so many things of myself and my inner world. It is introspective and reflective, spiritual and pensive:
Our dream of life will end as dreams do end, abruptly and completely, when the sun rises, when the light comes. And we will think, All that fear and all that grief were about nothing. But that cannot be true. I can’t believe we will forget our sorrows altogether. That would mean forgetting that we had lived, humanly speaking. Sorrow seems to me to be a great substance of human life. (104)
Such passages like this are why I would not recommend it to everyone. It took me awhile to read this book because I knew how reflective of myself it was, and how moody I was to avoid such deep thoughts. Many people, even bibliophiles would not necessarily enjoy this book. It is not everyone’s book of tea especially since it does talk of faith and God, but not necessarily in an obtrusive way. I think it would vary for each individual’s faith. Here a particularly spiritual passage:
Calvin says somewhere that each of us is an actor on stage and God is the audience. That metaphor has always interested me, because it makes us artists of our behavior, and the reaction of God to us might be thought of as aesthetic rather than morally judgmental in the ordinary sense. How well do we understand our role? With how much assurance do we perform it? I suppose Calvin’s God was a Frenchman, just as mine is a Middle Westerner of New England extraction. Well we all bring such light to bear these great matters as we can. I do like Calvin’s image, though, because it suggests how God might actually enjoy us. I believe we think about that far too little. It would be a way into understanding essential things, since presumably the world exists for God’s enjoyment, no in any simple sense, of course, but as you enjoy the being of a child even when he is in every way a thorn in your heart. (124-5)
I have quoted from the book so much in this review because I really love and can relate to the words, prose, and style so much. The tone is like my own when I write in my journal, but obviously not as well written. I think there a few people who can appreciate such a work, but they truly will if they read it. It’s not for everyone, and I am one of those reviewers who ultimately review for myself so I would not recommend it at all if you do not think you can enjoy an introvert’s novel. I do want to reread this again which says enough about how much I like this book.
Here are some more exerpts:
When I’m up here in my study with the radio on and some old book in my hands and it’s nighttime and the wind blows and the house creaks, I forget where I am, and it’s as thought I’m back in the hard times for a minute or two, and there’s a sweetness in the experience I don’t understand. But that only enhances the value of it. My point here is that you never do know the actual nature even of your own experience. Or perhaps it has no fixed and certain nature. (95)
Remembering when they said what they did about looking in windows and wondering about other people’s lives made me feel companionable with them. I could have said that’s three of us, because as the Lord knows, for many years I did exactly the same thing. (202)
Oh!, I will miss the world! (115)
Posted on June 17, 2008 in Books
My favourite travel essay anthology series. Okay. The only travel essay anthology series that I read. Still, I’ve read every book in the series since 2002. I enjoy each one immensely. Some stories are more memorable than others, but each guest editor deftly chooses some gems and amazing stories from the lands afar. I love travel writing due to my incessant escapism so these stories are the best from periodicals and the like. In the 2007 edition guest edited by Susan Orlean, there is the story of Tokelau and its referendum for nation building in the South Pacific, Djibouti and its national addiction to khat, an idyllic walking holiday in the south of France, a particularly long article on mysterious and perplexing Libya, and more. This is not much of a review because I find that I consistently like each volume in the series which has humor, horror, romance, and travely self-discovery. I recommend the series as a whole.
Posted on June 16, 2008 in Knitting & Crafting
Even though I had start this twice and it gave me some trouble towards the end, this is the most beautiful thing I have made yet.
Once I frogged back my first attempt after several mistakes of not being careful, it went extremely well through the knitting. I flew through the pattern doing up to line 55 of Jared’s chart (or 101 in the Extended/normal chart). I love the colour though the Cascade 220 dye can run quite a bit in the wash.
When I hit the bind off row, my troubles began as I realised that I did not have enough yarn. I had to buy more yarn, but I could not rip back to add a repeat because I had placed my life line way too far down. That discouraged me quite a bit because I thought I had enough yarn by going down a needle size and not doing the repeat. I accidentally broke the Emily Ocker cast on when I was weaving in, but I fixed it so it is not too troublesome. I did not enjoy the blocking too much, and only stretched it 9 inches.
The camera does not capture the colour adequately; it is very lovely turquoise aptly named Caribbean. The edge/BO rnd was difficult to block and looks a bit unkempt, so I avoided taking photos of it. I may iron the edges lightly at some point. As usual, I blocked with a bath of Eucalan Lavender.
Hemlock Ring Blanket, started May 19th 2008, finished June 13th 2008 
Pattern: Hemlock Ring Blanket adapted by Jared Flood
Size: 45″ blocked. 36″ unblocked.
Yarn: Cascade 220 Wool – #8907 Caribbean – 100g/220 yards – 3.1 skeins
Needles: US#9/5.5mm 40″/100cm bamboo circs with magic loop
Modifications: Emily Ocker Cast On, I often ssk instead of sl1k1psso, and with the BO rnd I k2tog, O, ssk.
Tools/Notions: Stitch markers, lifelines, and row counter are all necessary.
Lessons Learned: Emily Ocker Cast on.
Cost of Project: approx. $28
Would I knit it again? Yes! I would make it bigger. I would love to make this in Cascade Eco wool. It is not sold widely in Canada, but one day though.
Helpful Links and Tips: I used The Rainey Sisters‘s PDF of the pattern as it is updated with the errata and uses ssk. It uses Jared’s chart, and additionally, I paired it with the Hemlock Ring Knit Along Yahoo Group‘s Extended Chart which has helpful numbers of YOs and stitch counts (though there is a small error in the one I got). Being a member of Ravelry’s Hemlock Ring Doily Throw Knitters group also gave reassurance.
Posted on June 15, 2008 in Books
This week I finished In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan and just now, I finished reading The Best American Travel Writing 2007. Short review of it to come soon. June has been very nonfictiony which is good. I always like to balance fiction and nonfiction.
For the rest of the day, I am going to read Gilead. Also on the go are Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman, and I got a copy of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell again. It is doubtful when I will pick that up again. I am more likely to read one of the other nonfiction books I have on hand during the week or soon. Also, I need to finish three books for the Book Awards Challenge (Gilead is one of them, Anil’s Ghost is the next one, third to be determined) and read William Shakespeare’s Sonnets for the Shakespeare Challenge. The latter will probably not take a long time, but I still need to find time for it.
I read less this week than I have for the previous weeks because my social schedule ramped up. I think it continue to go up, much to my mixed emotions. I am introverted by nature, and it really is my preference to stay at home on weekends to read, knit or watch a film. I am not adverse to social activity, but I prefer books often. When I am busy socially or otherwise, my hobbies get neglected. I always seek to read more. It really is an addiction. I love amassing books and finishing them. Even though, as a fellow bibliophile once told me, it can be said especially in stories wherein the end leaves you wanting more or you have attached yourselves. It’s the mark of a good author that endings leave me bittersweet. I like finishing books, but I am sad I have to see the stories end and the characters go off to the fictional sunset.
Still, I will endeavor to read voraciously for the next couple of days when I am free. Since my childhood, my summers have always been about books and they will continue to be. It seems this is the way for most people though reading is a lifelong activity.
Happy Father’s Day to those celebrating it!
Have a good week.
Posted on June 14, 2008 in Books
I am not even finished the first one, but here it goes: Book Awards Challenge II. It will run from August 1, 2008 through June 1, 2009. 10 Books in 10 Months. Here is my really tentative list.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (ABBY)
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (Orange Prize, PEN/Faulkner)
The God of Small Things by Arunhdahti Roy (Booker)
The Complete Poems and Plays by T. S. Eliot (Nobel)
Possession by A. S. Byatt (Booker)
Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie (Booker)
Beloved by Toni Morrison (Pulitzer)
The Known World by Thomas P. Jones (Pulitizer)
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (Hugo)
And I will fill in with Newbery award winners and the like. Too difficult to predict these things.
Posted on June 13, 2008 in Books
Once again, I will be participating in Dewey’s Readathon this June 28-9th. I was active for 15/24 hours of it last October, but since it is summer, I will be aiming for much longer. Darcie began a meme, and I was tagged by Eva.
If I had 24 hours to read, be my goals would be… to read a lot. It’s quite simple for me because I only read two books and one play, but only completed books. I definitely need to finish more than one book this time and use time to put a dent in my various reading challenges.
This is what I am going to have to do to get 24 hours of reading…caffeine, I guess. I went easy on it last time, and I always have a ton of unread books. I’ve been spending most of my past Saturdays reading so it should not be too difficult.
If someone asked me for recommendations of “can’t put down” books for the read-a-thon, I would recommend: Depend on the read I guess. I rec based on people’s tastes. Personally, it depends on your kind of book.
For you, what was your favorite part of the October read-a-thon and why? I really liked the cheerleaders and other readers who came to my blog, and the sense of being part of something larger. I liked the mini challenges.
If you’ve participated before, do you have any advice for newbie readers? Updates should have information of things read, what you did other than read, books read, etc. Participate in the challenges, visit other readers, and take breaks whenever you need to whether to move around, eat or get some caffeine. Thank Dewey. Have fun. Simple and good stuff.
Generally, I don’t like to tag on memes, but I’m tagging my fellow readers Andi and Chris.
Posted on June 12, 2008 in Books
Have you ever been a member of a book club? How did your group choose (or, if you haven’t been, what do you think is the best way to choose) the next book and who would lead discussion?
Do you feel more or less likely to appreciate books if you are obliged to read them for book groups rather than choosing them of your own free will? Does knowing they are going to be read as part of a group affect the reading experience? – BTT
No, I have never been apart of a formal book club per se. I have discussed books with friends of things we recently read whether by coincidence or by choice. I really do not know how a group would choose. I guess it is good to have a theme or like minded tastes. Then it’s a matter of brainstorming and narrowing it down in one session. I think someone who may have read the book before or studied it (or read many of the selected author’s works) could lead the discussion. Or maybe it is a matter of taking turns, drawing straws, etc.
Though I do not speak from personal experience, I think it would be very interesting to read a group and discuss it with others. I do not think I’d appreciate it less; I would like to see others opinions on interpretation of characters, story, prose, and themes. I would very much like to be in a book club with only a few members, getting together to actually talk about books. I find that being bookish can be solitary and sometimes, I’d like the option for it to be social as you can learn from others and their perspectives. Though, I would not want to join the first book club I see. Books are still personal to me in a way, and I would want to make sure the club has people who genuinely love books and literature. I’d want it to be pleasant experience with people I know. It really comes down to the fact that presently I do not know many bibliophiles especially ones open to being in a real book club.
Posted on June 11, 2008 in Books, Food
“Eat food. Not much. Mostly Plants.” Michael Pollan’s followup to the informative and thoughtful The Omnivore’s Dilemma. It is indeed more of a manifesto than TOD. I liked it though, once again, it seemed like it was preaching to the choir since I am so aware of food issues. Even then I learned a lot. Such as the interesting history of nutritionism in the West, why we think so much in nutrients and not in the whole, real foods (and interactions) that they are contained. It also explored the lipid hypothesis and the emerging carbohydrate hypothesis because recent scientific studies have shown that the connection between fats and heart disease are not as strong. I liked the approach he took with nutritionism, epistemologly, and the links to how ideological the mindset of people obsession of healthy eating and getting nutrients. There are things I knew or suspected before, but Pollan verified such as the fact that margarine is not good or you; I don’t like it at all. Oh, butter, my friend. Apparently skim or low fat milk is bad for you because it usually contains powdered milk which contains oxidized cholesterol which is bad for your arteries. I’m a 2% girl myself; I’ve been adverse to skim mainly for the lack of taste. Also, as the manifesto says, I have never trusted labels or any diets whether from low-fat or low-carb. I’ve always been wary of diets. One of the book’s main message focuses on developing a relationship with food free guilt and worry. As with all relationships, time, thought, and yes, money should be invested to it. The book does have a lot of common sense reminders with a lot of factual research to support it. Still, I would love to have this book with me as with TOD; it’s a good reminder of the need for building better links with the food we consume, our health and the environment. It is the perfect follow up to TOD.
Posted on June 10, 2008 in Movies
This was very strange and different. I liked it. It was funny, entertaining, well written, directed, and acted. It is true that I am a Dylan fan, and you get a lot more from this by knowing the man’s works and history. I found the awkwardness and the alienation displayed by some of the Dylans very true since I sympathised with that anger displayed in Dylan’s memoirs Chronicles. Cate Blantchett is amazing in this. She is perfectly androgynous, twitchy, funny, in your face, beautiful, etc. I could go on. I love Christian Bale’s storyline too as he has that young political charisma. Julianne Moore as the Joan Baez character is very amusing; I loved them casting David Cross as Allan Ginsberg. This was the first time seeing any Heath Ledger film since it’s death; it made me very sad. He is so talented, and his story with Charlotte Gainsbourg was very true of young love. I thought this movie did a better overall job of showcasing the 60s than Across the Universe did; it felt more personal and detached at the same time. Though I was not born yet, this film’s capturing of the decade works for me. As for the other Dyland story lines, I liked Marcus Carl Franklin. The kid is a good actor and has a nice singing voice. Ben Whishaw was underused. Of all the Dylans, I cared for Richard Gere’s the least. Maybe it was the way he played it. I got the two-disc original soundtrack as well which has lots of covers and Dylan’s “I’m not there”. Good stuff overall. Definitely worth a rewatch or two.
Posted on June 9, 2008 in Books
Stephenie Meyer of the Twilight series new adult sci-fi/romance. It was a bit slow in the first couple of chapters (and in the middle even), but then it paced itself eventually, and I really liked it by the end. Meyer is starting to become such a feel good novelist in my eyes. She has that talent of making supernatural and fantasy series so character driven and compelling in a way that most aren’t. While still being predictable at times, I was thoroughly engaged with the characters and the plot as usual. There is a really absorbing love triangle (or should I say square?) in the book that exceeds the one in Twilight in my humble opinion. It’s more complicated and strange. The book can be philosophical as well. It has themes of identity and humanity.
Meyer’s books can be so reassuring. While they can be violent and have twisted turns and drama, the ending always ends up optimistic and many of the “bad” characters end up becoming sympathetic. There is a definite gray area in this book, but without being too convoluted. Many loose ends are tied up by the end of her novels, and the ones that do not are open to sequels. I now can say I look forward to any of Meyer’s books.
On a final note, I am pleased to say that even though this hard cover is 619 pages, I read it in seven hours. Go me. I would love to read even faster.
Posted on June 8, 2008 in Books
This week I read Wanted, The Perfect Scent, and yesterday, I finished Stephenie Meyer’s The Host. The review will be up tomorrow. I know I said last week that I would finish Gilead, and I did read a couple pages before I had to return it to the library. I know. Once I get it back, I will finish it ASAP.
Today, I am starting Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food. It’s going to be a very nonfiction-y June.
Possible reads for the coming week include Philip Pullman’s new companion to the His Dark Materials trilogy Once Upon a Time in the North, The Best American Travel Writing 2007, Anil’s Ghost, Beloved, The Name of the Rose, and the plethora of nonfiction I have on loan from the library at the moment.
Yesterday, I went to a book fair. I love book fairs because part of the reason I own so few books (for a bibliophile) is due to the fact that new books can be very expensive. It’s the best deal when shopping to find a good condition used books. I usually stick to buying trade or soft cover paperbacks because they are light, usually cheaper than hardcovers, but have much better quality in paper.
The Book Collection That Devoured My Life is an article by author Luc Sante about his own collection and musings about book acquirement. Though, I do not think I will ever obsess about acquiring books as he says many people do, I have been learning to procure books at a more furious rate. I would say half my collection of books has been gained in the last couple of years. I just did not buy books all that much a few years ago. Mostly because of economics. I will always continue to buy used books, trawl book fairs and second hand stores, but if my financial situation were to allow, I would love to buy more new books. I revel in the idea of having a study wall to wall with my books. Indeed, books are so much part of my life and my sanctuary. I have to admit they are good interior decoration in many rooms. It is true, I have not read many of the books I own. I use to only buy books that I have read (and rarely reread), but now, I buy books mostly because I want to read them as my book haul will show below.
Thirteen books for $10. It was a decent booty of books, but not the best. I think I should have gotten more, but I kept wondering around after awhile. My haul with notes as follows:
- Howards End by E. M. Forster – The only book in this list that I have actually read; I love it.
- Voyager by Diana Gabaldon – Third in the Outlander series. I just took out the second from the library. They had a really nice Outlander edition; in retrospect, I should have gotten it.
- Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon – Fourth in the Outlander series. Now I really don’t need to take them out of the libraries. Since these are mass market paperbacks, I can transport with them too.
- Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver – I bought The Poisionwood Bible from another book fair last year, but have not read it. Many people recommended PS to me after I read Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
- Bel Canto by Ann Pratchett – Two people recommended this to me on allconsuming.net; I’ve heard mixed reviews from this on the blogsphere criticising this book as boring so I’m unsure if it was worth it. We’ll just have to see.
- Possession by A. S. Byatt – My friend liked it. It’s a Booker winner.
- Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie – Another Booker. Hilariously, there is a label on the book that says “NOT Satanic Verses”. This book also has one of those personal handwritten notes you find in used books: “To David, Happy 47th Birthday, Love Denice.”
- The Red Tent by Anita Diamant – Now I can stop taking out the library’s copy. Also recommended by a couple people on this blog as I selected it for What’s in a Name challenge.
- The God of Small Things by Arunhdahti Roy – I did not need to get this as I have my friend’s copy to read for challenges, but I wanted to own it just in case I’ll like it. Though it does not seem to be the type of book I’d reread often from what I read of the synopsis. Also a Booker prize winner.
- The Complete Poems and Plays by T. S. Eliot – I like Eliot. This was for my Book Awards Challenge, but I doubt I’ll be able to read it at all by the end of the month. But it’s good to have.
- Walt Whitman Selected Poems – Ah, Walt Whitman. I’ve had a thing for you since Cunningham’s Specimen Days.
- John Keats Lyric Poems – Totally spur of the moment. I think I’ll like Keats.
- William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience – I love Blake.
The Booker prize winners are well represented in this group. At the last book fair I went to, I was searching for Pulitizers which I usually like. I wanted to buy a French book or two, but the selection was not as wide.
I forgot to write in this week’s Booking Through Thursday one thing I did not read a lot when I was younger and now I do is poetry. I always liked Shakespeare, but I was not really interested in poetry or poets until my late teens and into university.
Hmm. I should really learn to reread books. But first, I should read the books that I own but have never read. The life of a bibliophile is never over or dull really.
Have a good week.
Literary Links:
bbkeepr – tracks reading using twitter
10 Obscure, Thought Provoking Reads – A couple of these books are genuinely obscure, but Nabokov’s Lolita is on the list at #9. Really? I know that we bookworms are a rare bunch in the bigger scheme, but is Lolita really obscure. I would also argue that Slaughterhouse Five is not so much obscure as as a modern cult classic. I refuse to read Anne Rice again.
Posted on June 7, 2008 in Beauty & Skincare, Books
The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York is a book with two stories on the creation of perfume. In NYC, Sarah Jessica Parker and Coty Int. launch SJP’s Lovely perfume. In France, newly crowned in-house Hermes perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena and Co. creates and launches Un Jardin Sur Le Nil for the luxury house. The author Chandler Burr is the scent critic for T: The New York Times Style Magazine with a background in economics and Asian studies, but seems very comfortable in this insular industry of chemistry and art. The book is a quick read at less than 300 pages, and quite a page turner since it switches seamlessly between the two stories of perfume creation that are so very different from the other, but so similar in the end. I did not know a lot about fragrances before reading the book, but I did have an interest. I always find it comfortable to read an informative nonfiction book to learn and be engaged. For example, I understand now that synthetics are actually better than naturals in fragrances, why American brand fragrances all smell the same, how one does pay for the art and not just the materials, and a host of other things. I was fascinated by the articulate Ellena. I think people who have a vague interest in the olfactory arts should read it as well as those interested in fashion/beauty as a whole especially from a business perspective. Not to mention the French parts of the books are so very French in tone; I wish Burr had written this book in French. He captures the Gallic culture very precisely as a fluent speaker. A light, informative nonfiction read.