Posted on August 19, 2013 in Books
This was a really, really good novel.
I gave it five stars on GoodReads. That’s a rare for me; it’s only the fourth out of 49 books I’ve done that for in this year so far. I usually give five stars to books that I really want to reread or own, but this is not one that I necessarily feel for that yet. I do feel that it touched me in a strange way. Maybe it was the timing. More so, it was the use of so many things I like or could relate to: books, friendship, being a twentysomething in this age, and more.
This is a book for people who love books. It’s a novel that celebrates the beauty of books, and those who create and interact with them. It’s about books as knowledge through time. It’s about humanity’s relationship with knowledge, creativity, growth, and immortality. It’s not a non-fiction or philosophical book. It’s a novel with these features.
It’s a rather simple and short novel too. It isn’t written in any fancy way, and the prose is not literary or extraordinary beautiful. It’s rather cheeky actually, but it has heart. It’s a bibliophile’s kind of novel.
A lovely read.
Read August 17th 2013.
Posted on August 18, 2013 in Books
This week, I posted my selection for Classics Club Spin 3, a WIP socks post, and my review of Sedaris’s Holidays on Ice.
This weekend, I read Robin Sloan’s Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore (awesome – review to be up tomorrow) and Georgette Heyer’s The Corinthian.
The weather is slowly warming up again. The last hurrah of summer here. As a result, I was out too long in the sun yesterday. I got a headache from that and probably the cough I woke up with this morning. As I try avoid taking painkillers unless necessary, the headache grew worse so I was not able to do much last night except I did read.
It’s marvelous when you’re not feeling well, but you can still read!
I start a new contract this week which is good in that I will get paid again. I will miss my holidays though. It’s like going back to school all over again.
What are you doing this week?
Posted on August 16, 2013 in Books
This is a holiday themed collection of Sedaris essays and short stories. I’m not as keen on Sedaris’s short stories as his essays except his animal ones.
This series has the classic “Six to Eight Black Men” and a couple of other funny Sedaris essays I’ve read before. The first one in the collection was new to me. It was fantastic essay on Sedaris’s experience as Christmas elf at Macy’s Herald Square. I was horrified and amused by it as I usually am with some of Sedaris’ unique experiences.
Other than that essay, this work may be redundant for Sedaris fans, but it is a very slim read though.
Read August 11th 2013.
Posted on August 15, 2013 in Books
I’ve asked before how you feel about lending your books. I’ve asked how you feel about libraries. But—how do you feel about borrowing books from friends? Is this something you like to do? Does it make you feel uncomfortable or rushed while reading? Does it affect how you feel about the book you’re reading, pressured into liking it? – BTT
Thankfully, I do not have to borrow books from my friends very often. I read and have more books than most of them. On occasion, I do borrow from friends. I prefer to borrow from the library though. With friends, I feel rushed about it. I often either forget I have the book as it becomes mixed into my own books. Then when I realize it, I must finish it and return it. I personally don’t like holding people’s books on too long. I am not pressured into liking it though. It’s mostly a time and etiquette thing to return the book.
How about you?
August is just flying past…
Posted on August 14, 2013 in Knitting & Crafting
These socks were started near the beginning of summer on July 1st. It feels like time has flown by since then. I’ve been very busy and preoccupied to sit and knit. I need to finish these by the end of the month for Sockdown. I’m past the halfway point though. I only turned the heels on them last week!
As I’ve written in recent posts, knitting has become less and less of a priority for me in the last year. While I continued to accumulate yarn and fibre, this summer has been fairly low on crafting and no stashing so far. I am very glad because I have way too much yarn and fibre. I hope my yarn diet continues to the end of the year.
I use to knit every day, but these days, I feel I knit only a couple of times a week.
When I started knitting seven years ago, I was a frustrated and lonely university student. Thankfully, I am less of all those things now. Knitting has always been a relaxing home activity for me. I’ve tried to be a social knitter, but it’s not in my nature. It’s one of my introverted hobbies that I do when watching TV or movies. These days, I have the blog, books, and other solitary activities.
Furthermore, I am more social again so I’m out and about. Once the weather gets colder, I’ll probably knit more, but I’m actually quite glad that I am knitting less or thinking about it less. The more I think about, the more I want yarn! That’s bad. 😉
Does knitting go in and out of your life as well? Is it always in the background waiting in the wings?
For more WIP Wednesdays and FO Fridays, go to Tami’s Amis.
Posted on August 13, 2013 in Books
The Third Classics Spin from the Classics Club. As with before, I must pick twenty books, then a random number will be selected and each of us must read the number listed at X number by October 1st 2013.
These Spins are really useful because other challenges, reads, and activities have taken me away from the classics this year.
I have mostly kept the same books as I did my earlier Spins, but added a couple due to new acquistions or already read works. My challenge is that I own almost every one of these books so I must read them to clear my TBR shelf.
Posted on August 12, 2013 in Stationery
Finsbury Pocket in Yellow
When I first began looking for a Filofax as my planner, I discounted the Pocket for its size, but considered it and the Mini as a wallet replacement. When this came on sale, I couldn’t resist buying it.
Posted on August 9, 2013 in Books
This book helped me get out of my nonfiction bubble. It was almost too obvious to me when I started it in a waiting room at a walk-in clinic. Heyer is light, breezy and has a world of her own! Good for summer, distractions and for just a touch of romance.
Miss Tavener is wealthy heiress from Yorkshire going to set up house in London with her brother Perry. Miss Tavener is one of the classic Heyer protagonists: forthright, intelligent, and a true bookworm. She exclaims happily when she realizes Hatchard’s is near her new home. I love Hatchard’s of London. One of my top five bookstores in that city.
Jane Austen gets a couple of references in this one too which is mighty amusing.
This is a classic tale of girl meets man, girl hates man, and girl realizes that man is actually her guardian. Ok, not so much the last bit, but there is considerable animosity on her part about Lord Worth. I’m not crazy about him either all the time. Not of the worse Heyer leads, but definitely on the rougher and bad boy end. He’s just a little too arrogant and unpleasant at times to make me feel fictional swoon. It works out though, and I’m glad for the happily ever after.
Read August 6th 2013.
Posted on August 8, 2013 in Books
All other things being equal (good writing, enthralling story, etc), which would you rather read—something serious, angsty, and tragic? Or something light, fluffy, and fun? Or a blend of both? (Since, really, isn’t that how real life works?) – BTT
I try to balance my reading to be both light and serious. I think it veers slightly more to the serious side these days especially with all the non-fiction. I like to escape to books, but I’m more willing to escape into something completely different albeit more serious than for the TV or Movies I choose (which are firmly more comedy/dramedy). I’m more tolerant of angst if it’s in the written form.
These last couple of weeks, I have been more in the mood for something light and fluffy. It all depends on one’s mood relative to everything else going on in life.
How about you?
Posted on August 5, 2013 in Stationery, Travel
Filofax- Personal Malden in Vintage Pink
After many weeks of lusting, searching and obsessively reading Philofaxy and other FF blogs, I have finally bought my first Filofax: Personal Malden in Vintage Pink.
I have had a planner every year since I was 12 except in 2012. I realized when I did not have it, how much I missed one so I bought a 2013 Mead planner to hold me over. In the last couple of months, I’ve been thinking it’s time to invest in a serious planner.
This is the first post in my new Stationery category. I love pens, fountain pens, and stationary. I will be sharing my love of paper and pen in the blog from now on. I am traditionalist really and I actually think more people should at least have a good pen or two.
This was not my preferred colour. I would have preferred the Ochre, Purple or the Crimson. Of course, all of these are very popular and even looking for a Personal Malden took me through six New York stationary stores. Scroll down for my short review of the stockists.
In the beginning, I considered a Personal Finsbury, but the more I read about the Malden, the more I wanted one since it seems so well loved by the FF community. Some others have recently mentioned a hardness to their Maldens, but mine thankfully did not have this issue or any ring issues. When I opened it up and checked the rings at the store, it laid flat and snapped up well. Wonderful. I think my model was made in 2011 because it came with a 2012 diary, and the A. I. Friedman people had put in a 2013 one as well. I’ve started using the 2012 refill as scrap note paper.
Posted on August 4, 2013 in Books
Hello everyone!
This week, I finished Through the Children’s Gate and that’s about it. I’ve still not recovered my reading momentum. I have too much on my mind.
I’ve been trying to figure out which book to read next. I realized that most of the books I have from the library are nonfiction books. One of my goals this year was to read more nonfiction, and I’ve succeeded! However, now I’m less sure of which fiction books to read next.
Sometimes, you’re just in a mood to be taken away into a fictional world. Actually, that’s most often my mood, but I really need these days I think. I didn’t read much in July due to the trip, and what I did read was nonfiction.
Still not sure what to read next. I’ll consider it more thoroughly after I cleaned a bit today.
In other news, I got some more books a couple weeks ago. I said I wouldn’t anymore this year, but they were free! Someone in the neighborhood put them out. I took about most of the books (10ish) because we seem to have similar tastes. I got a couple works by W. Somerset Maugham which they obviously liked and I adored Of Human Bondage.
For space reasons, I had to sequester them away until I can find space for them. I really should start giving books away, but I haven’t read most of the books I own so can’t do that just yet. I also have just random piles of books. How do you make space for books?
Off to try and be productive for the the millionth time.
Have a good first week of August!
Posted on August 2, 2013 in Books
Do you read forewords/notes that precede many classics? Does it help you or hurt you in your enjoyment/understanding of the work? – Classics Club
I rarely read forewords/notes before I read the book. I actually prefer to read classics and analysis after I read a work. It makes me appreciate the book more. That way, I can reread passages that the Foreword/Notes reference.
I do not always read the Forewords though, but I am doing it more often with classics. They do make it more enjoyable.