Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
I don't really have a favorite one of these. In general I find short stories a rather frustrating literary form. You are just getting into the characters, plot, whatever, and then it finishes. Even the best ones, the ones that do encapsulate memorable character and plot and a satisfactory conclusion in the short space of time, leave me feeling that I want more.
But two memorable ones that I have enjoyed over the last ten years, and hold pride of place on one of my many, many bookshelves, would be:
Dreaming Down Under, a 1998 anthology of speculative Australian fiction, edited by Jack Dann and Janeen Webb, and Dreaming Again, another similar anthology edited by Jack Dann and published in 2008.
There are lots of interesting, weird, satisfactory (ish) and unsatisfactory stories in these books, plenty to make one think, and the ten years between them allows one to have interesting thoughts about the state of the speculative fiction output in Australia over time. (Healthy and productive, in general).
When I was a child the only short stories I ever really liked were collections of myths and legends. I devoured them. Norse and Greek/Roman were my favorites, but any culture would do! I haven't read any of them for a great many years, but just thinking about them makes me want to find some and reread them.
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Finding time to blog has been proving difficult recently! There has always been someone else queuing up for the computer. Two adults and two teenagers and one computer makes for log-jams.
While sorting through my late father's books I have actually come across a collection of myths written for children that belonged to me a long time ago. I had thought that I had got all of my old books but obviously this one slipped through somehow. It brought back good memories, something that is sadly lacking when I think about my father. I have decided to set up an online shop, probably on Ebay, to sell off a lot of what he left Baby Bear. She doesn't want them, but the money, if there is any, could go towards a car or something in the next couple of years. And I have long wanted to try my hand at second-hand bookselling, and doing it this way costs me very little upfront. So watch this space. I am spending time most days sorting and valueing books. The house is full of boxes, which is depressing. But it is also fun in a way.
The kids are sick again. I think it might be time we got everyone taking multi vitamins. Monday was one of those days - called to the school at 12.45 to pick up one of them, and 1.45 to pick up the other. It's a good thing we are a 5 minute walk away!
George is in Sydney, and, probably, in Cairns later today, coming back tomorrow. We haven't planned anything much for Father's Day because he refuses to say what he wants, which usually means, quite genuinely, that he doesn't really want anything.
I am supposed to be taking Baby Bear to see West Side Story on Saturday, so she had better recover from whatever flu-like virus she has at the moment! It is her birthday present (two months late, but it wasn't on in July and it;s what she wanted).
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Book Meme - Day 16
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 immediately springs to mind:
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no, it is an ever-fixèd mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.If this be error and upon me proved,I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
But there are lots of others, of course. T.S. Elliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.
This:
Dust
by Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)When the white flame in us is gone,
And we that lost the world's delight
Stiffen in darkness, left alone
To crumble in our separate night;
When your swift hair is quiet in death,
And through the lips corruption thrust
Has stilled the labour of my breath---
When we are dust, when we are dust!---
Not dead, not undesirous yet,
Still sentient, still unsatisfied,
We'll ride the air, and shine, and flit,
Around the places where we died,
And dance as dust before the sun,
And light of foot, and unconfined,
Hurry from road to road, and run
About the errands of the wind.
And every mote, on earth or air,
Will speed and gleam, down later days,
And like a secret pilgrim fare
By eager and invisible ways,
Nor ever rest, nor ever lie,
Till, beyond thinking, out of view,
One mote of all the dust that's I
Shall meet one atom that was you.
Then in some garden hushed from wind,
Warm in a sunset's afterglow,
The lovers in the flowers will find
A sweet and strange unquiet grow
Upon the peace; and, past desiring,
So high a beauty in the air,
And such a light, and such a quiring,
And such a radiant ecstasy there,
They'll know not if it's fire, or dew,
Or out of earth, or in the height,
Singing, or flame, or scent, or hue,
Or two that pass, in light, to light,
Out of the garden, higher, higher. . . .
But in that instant they shall learn
The shattering ecstasy of our fire,
And the weak passionless hearts will burn
And faint in that amazing glow,
Until the darkness close above;
And they will know---poor fools, they'll know!---
One moment, what it is to love.
And This:
As far as collections, John Donne. And I love the poetry of Michael Ondaatje, and Robert Frost, and quite a few other people.
*************************************************************
Well, we had our Federal Election. And what a fizzer that turned out to be. It could be two weeks before we get a 'proper' result and none of them are likely to be particularly good. Whoever eventually becomes Prime Minister, they will have to kowtow to a small number of independents holding the balance of power - who are either insanely conservative or not - but I have decided that I am tired of the fate of the nation being held in the hands of a tiny number of people, who have usually got into that position because of extremist views of one sort or another. I used to vote for the Greens, and still like some of their policies, but I;m not sure that I want every decision in the country to be made by one of them. Still less do I want ANY decisions being made by people so insular that they left the National Party because it was too left-wing!!!
Otherwise, quite a good weekend. I took Wombat to Manifest, an anime convention, and he had the time of his life. I enjoyed bits of it - gawking at the bizarre cosplay costumes, buying myself a pair of Pikachu slippers, and getting us into a Q & A session with LittleKaribo who was extremely funny. Wombat has now elevated me to the position of Best Mum in the Universe, which I think I deserve!
Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 immediately springs to mind:
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no, it is an ever-fixèd mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.If this be error and upon me proved,I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
But there are lots of others, of course. T.S. Elliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.
This:
Dust
by Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)When the white flame in us is gone,
And we that lost the world's delight
Stiffen in darkness, left alone
To crumble in our separate night;
When your swift hair is quiet in death,
And through the lips corruption thrust
Has stilled the labour of my breath---
When we are dust, when we are dust!---
Not dead, not undesirous yet,
Still sentient, still unsatisfied,
We'll ride the air, and shine, and flit,
Around the places where we died,
And dance as dust before the sun,
And light of foot, and unconfined,
Hurry from road to road, and run
About the errands of the wind.
And every mote, on earth or air,
Will speed and gleam, down later days,
And like a secret pilgrim fare
By eager and invisible ways,
Nor ever rest, nor ever lie,
Till, beyond thinking, out of view,
One mote of all the dust that's I
Shall meet one atom that was you.
Then in some garden hushed from wind,
Warm in a sunset's afterglow,
The lovers in the flowers will find
A sweet and strange unquiet grow
Upon the peace; and, past desiring,
So high a beauty in the air,
And such a light, and such a quiring,
And such a radiant ecstasy there,
They'll know not if it's fire, or dew,
Or out of earth, or in the height,
Singing, or flame, or scent, or hue,
Or two that pass, in light, to light,
Out of the garden, higher, higher. . . .
But in that instant they shall learn
The shattering ecstasy of our fire,
And the weak passionless hearts will burn
And faint in that amazing glow,
Until the darkness close above;
And they will know---poor fools, they'll know!---
One moment, what it is to love.
And This:
EDWARD THOMAS
No one so much as you Loves this my clay, Or would lament as you Its dying day.
You know me through and through Though I have not told, And though with what you know You are not bold.
None ever was so fair As I thought you: Not a word can I bear Spoken against you.
All that I ever did For you seemed coarse Compared with what I hid Nor put in force.
Scarce my eyes dare meet you Lest they should prove I but respond to you And do not love.
We look and understand, We cannot speak Except in trifles and Words the most weak.
I at the most accept Your love, regretting That is all: I have kept Only a fretting
That I could not return All that you gave And could not ever burn With the love you have,
Till sometimes it did seem Better it were Never to see you more Than linger here
With only gratitude Instead of love--- A pine in solitude Cradling a dove.
As far as collections, John Donne. And I love the poetry of Michael Ondaatje, and Robert Frost, and quite a few other people.
*************************************************************
Well, we had our Federal Election. And what a fizzer that turned out to be. It could be two weeks before we get a 'proper' result and none of them are likely to be particularly good. Whoever eventually becomes Prime Minister, they will have to kowtow to a small number of independents holding the balance of power - who are either insanely conservative or not - but I have decided that I am tired of the fate of the nation being held in the hands of a tiny number of people, who have usually got into that position because of extremist views of one sort or another. I used to vote for the Greens, and still like some of their policies, but I;m not sure that I want every decision in the country to be made by one of them. Still less do I want ANY decisions being made by people so insular that they left the National Party because it was too left-wing!!!
Otherwise, quite a good weekend. I took Wombat to Manifest, an anime convention, and he had the time of his life. I enjoyed bits of it - gawking at the bizarre cosplay costumes, buying myself a pair of Pikachu slippers, and getting us into a Q & A session with LittleKaribo who was extremely funny. Wombat has now elevated me to the position of Best Mum in the Universe, which I think I deserve!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Book Meme - Day 15
Day 15 - Your "comfort" book
Any Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. I have read them all (except for the latest one, which is in the pile of books to be read). Several of them I have read more than once. Whenever I feel I cannot cope with the world, I tend to pick up one of them. Pretty much any one of them, 'cos my favorite characters are sprinkled liberally throughout them. They certainly aren't simple reads, anything but, but playing around in my mind with all the source materials, etc, for everything in them distracts me from other stuff, and they are just so damn amusing and clever!
I also find the following authors good comfort reading - Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh and Nevil Shute. While I wouldn't say they are uncomplicated books, they are comforting murder mysteries or comforting thrillers. They are books I can carry about in my handbag and pick up and read when I have a few moments alone when I am out somewhere.
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We had a very satisfactory meeting with Wombat's school today. (We have one every term, with the Special Needs Co-ordinator, his teaching aides and us). They are so unfailingly helpful and concerned, it is a pleasure to deal with them. Of course they get impatient and despairing of things sometimes, but then so do we! Exasperation is a big daily part of dealing with Aspergers Syndrome (from the carers' and teachers' perspectives, and undoubtedly from the Aspie's perspective also). We are eternally grateful to have found such care and compassion and skill - and all in a state school, a block away from our home!
Any Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. I have read them all (except for the latest one, which is in the pile of books to be read). Several of them I have read more than once. Whenever I feel I cannot cope with the world, I tend to pick up one of them. Pretty much any one of them, 'cos my favorite characters are sprinkled liberally throughout them. They certainly aren't simple reads, anything but, but playing around in my mind with all the source materials, etc, for everything in them distracts me from other stuff, and they are just so damn amusing and clever!
I also find the following authors good comfort reading - Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh and Nevil Shute. While I wouldn't say they are uncomplicated books, they are comforting murder mysteries or comforting thrillers. They are books I can carry about in my handbag and pick up and read when I have a few moments alone when I am out somewhere.
***********************************************************
We had a very satisfactory meeting with Wombat's school today. (We have one every term, with the Special Needs Co-ordinator, his teaching aides and us). They are so unfailingly helpful and concerned, it is a pleasure to deal with them. Of course they get impatient and despairing of things sometimes, but then so do we! Exasperation is a big daily part of dealing with Aspergers Syndrome (from the carers' and teachers' perspectives, and undoubtedly from the Aspie's perspective also). We are eternally grateful to have found such care and compassion and skill - and all in a state school, a block away from our home!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Book Meme - Day 14
Day 14 - Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
How many can I mention? In no particular order:
Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice
Lucy Pevensey from The Narnia books
Dido Twite from several books by Joan Aiken
Marcus from Rosemary Sutcliffe's Eagle of the Ninth
Tamsyn from The Armourer's House, also by Rosemary Sutcliffe
There are probably many more, but these are all I can think of for the moment. Funny how only one of the five comes from a grown-up book? Are the characters in children's books easier to like or dislike, without grey areas? Was I more susceptible to feeling passionate about characters when I was a child? (And I first read Pride and Prejudice at around the age of 10 or 12, so in that case, that would still count).
A further thought - again thanks to Rosemary Sutcliffe - for the past 40 years or so I have been totally obsessed with Sir Thomas Fairfax, who featured in her novels The Rider of the White Horse and Simon, to the extent that when I lived in England in the 1990s I dragged my unfortunate husband around the countryside looking for sites connected to him and the Civil War.
I got a bit obsessed with D'Artagnan from The Three Musketeers for quite a long time too, but I think that was more to do with the Richard Lester films (and the extreme gorgeousness of D'Artagnan!) than anything else. I have read The Three Musketeers and its sequel and rather loved Dumas for a while but I don't think he really counts.
How many can I mention? In no particular order:
Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice
Lucy Pevensey from The Narnia books
Dido Twite from several books by Joan Aiken
Marcus from Rosemary Sutcliffe's Eagle of the Ninth
Tamsyn from The Armourer's House, also by Rosemary Sutcliffe
There are probably many more, but these are all I can think of for the moment. Funny how only one of the five comes from a grown-up book? Are the characters in children's books easier to like or dislike, without grey areas? Was I more susceptible to feeling passionate about characters when I was a child? (And I first read Pride and Prejudice at around the age of 10 or 12, so in that case, that would still count).
A further thought - again thanks to Rosemary Sutcliffe - for the past 40 years or so I have been totally obsessed with Sir Thomas Fairfax, who featured in her novels The Rider of the White Horse and Simon, to the extent that when I lived in England in the 1990s I dragged my unfortunate husband around the countryside looking for sites connected to him and the Civil War.
I got a bit obsessed with D'Artagnan from The Three Musketeers for quite a long time too, but I think that was more to do with the Richard Lester films (and the extreme gorgeousness of D'Artagnan!) than anything else. I have read The Three Musketeers and its sequel and rather loved Dumas for a while but I don't think he really counts.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Book Meme - Day 13
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
I've already written a bit about favorite childhood books, and some other YA/children's books that I have read more recently, so I thought I would pick a couple of ones I haven't mentioned before.
The Tomorrow series, by John Marsden. Baby Bear got me onto this a couple of years ago and I read them pretty much all the way through in one go. There are seven books in the original series, published between 1993-1999, and then a short series of three more novels published 2003-2006, which finish the story off. Basically it's about a group of teenagers in a non-specified Australian country town and their attempts to survive after Australia is suddenly invaded by non-specified foreign forces. It;s exciting, with bangs and things, but what made it really important to me was the wonderfully crafted development of the characters throughout the various troubles they face. They were all on the edge of adulthood when it happened, and they are all tipped various ways with the stressors that face them. The final three books, known as The Ellie Chronicles after the main character, deal with their attempts to rebuild their lives after the invasion is defeated.
The first book starts with the kids going camping in a secluded gorge, and being woken at night by fighter planes going overhead, and bombs exploding. Not long after Baby Bear and I had read this first book, I was out shopping with George and Wombat and fighter planes started going overhead. Baby Bear was at home on her own. None of us were aware of any air shows or parades in Melbourne that might have justified this. It creeped me out a but but I assumed there was a good reason for it, but she phoned me quite upset and was genuinely fearful. I tried to dismiss it but realised that she actually needed her fears to be taken seriously, so I told her to check out the Internet for news of anything and then, if she really still felt scared, to go and hide under her bed. I know that wouldn;t have done much actual good in a crisis, but it seemed to help her - having a task to do, a contingency plan, and the fact that I was taking her fears seriously. We never did find out why the planes were there, but it was an enduring reminder of how powerful the books were, and how fragile the status quo can be.
I also want to mention The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. When this first came out I looked at it in a bookshop and wanted to cry, it was so close to home. After a couple of years I steeled myself to read it, and thought it was excellent. Anyone who wants to know more about Aspergers Syndrome/High Functioning Autism should read it and learn from it. (Though apparently in 2009 Haddon declared that it was not specifically about Aspergers, which I think is probably right as the character was mixture of the characteristics of various types of autism). I was delighted that it won the Whitbread Prize in 2003. Apparently he wrote it for an adult audience but his publishers wanted it marketed to young adults, which is how it was shelved when I bought it, and I know a lot of schools include it in their curriculum.
***********************************************************
Real life - we have all pretty much recovered from our colds, thank goodness. I hope that last night's garlic and chicken casserole killed off the last of the bugs! (Chicken, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and a WHOLE LOT OF GARLIC, like kill off every vampire in teen fiction for the next ten years amounts of garlic). I am reheating the leftovers with extra chicken stock and pureeing it to make chicken soup for me for lunches for the rest of the week.
Valuing books left to Baby Bear by my father must be started. A large hiatus occurred with sorting out all the stuff, owing to sicknesses of various sorts. But now work must recommence. Might even be fun, sort of!
I've already written a bit about favorite childhood books, and some other YA/children's books that I have read more recently, so I thought I would pick a couple of ones I haven't mentioned before.
The Tomorrow series, by John Marsden. Baby Bear got me onto this a couple of years ago and I read them pretty much all the way through in one go. There are seven books in the original series, published between 1993-1999, and then a short series of three more novels published 2003-2006, which finish the story off. Basically it's about a group of teenagers in a non-specified Australian country town and their attempts to survive after Australia is suddenly invaded by non-specified foreign forces. It;s exciting, with bangs and things, but what made it really important to me was the wonderfully crafted development of the characters throughout the various troubles they face. They were all on the edge of adulthood when it happened, and they are all tipped various ways with the stressors that face them. The final three books, known as The Ellie Chronicles after the main character, deal with their attempts to rebuild their lives after the invasion is defeated.
The first book starts with the kids going camping in a secluded gorge, and being woken at night by fighter planes going overhead, and bombs exploding. Not long after Baby Bear and I had read this first book, I was out shopping with George and Wombat and fighter planes started going overhead. Baby Bear was at home on her own. None of us were aware of any air shows or parades in Melbourne that might have justified this. It creeped me out a but but I assumed there was a good reason for it, but she phoned me quite upset and was genuinely fearful. I tried to dismiss it but realised that she actually needed her fears to be taken seriously, so I told her to check out the Internet for news of anything and then, if she really still felt scared, to go and hide under her bed. I know that wouldn;t have done much actual good in a crisis, but it seemed to help her - having a task to do, a contingency plan, and the fact that I was taking her fears seriously. We never did find out why the planes were there, but it was an enduring reminder of how powerful the books were, and how fragile the status quo can be.
I also want to mention The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. When this first came out I looked at it in a bookshop and wanted to cry, it was so close to home. After a couple of years I steeled myself to read it, and thought it was excellent. Anyone who wants to know more about Aspergers Syndrome/High Functioning Autism should read it and learn from it. (Though apparently in 2009 Haddon declared that it was not specifically about Aspergers, which I think is probably right as the character was mixture of the characteristics of various types of autism). I was delighted that it won the Whitbread Prize in 2003. Apparently he wrote it for an adult audience but his publishers wanted it marketed to young adults, which is how it was shelved when I bought it, and I know a lot of schools include it in their curriculum.
***********************************************************
Real life - we have all pretty much recovered from our colds, thank goodness. I hope that last night's garlic and chicken casserole killed off the last of the bugs! (Chicken, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and a WHOLE LOT OF GARLIC, like kill off every vampire in teen fiction for the next ten years amounts of garlic). I am reheating the leftovers with extra chicken stock and pureeing it to make chicken soup for me for lunches for the rest of the week.
Valuing books left to Baby Bear by my father must be started. A large hiatus occurred with sorting out all the stuff, owing to sicknesses of various sorts. But now work must recommence. Might even be fun, sort of!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Book Meme - Day 12
Day 12 - A book or series of books you’ve read more than five times
Hmm... I expect I have read the Narnia books at least five times.
I know I've read Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre at least five times (in the case of P&P, I think it's about 13 times).
I've read Testament of Youth quite a few times, probably at least 5.
I once went through a stage (quite lengthy) of rereading A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve - that went on for more than 5 years.
And, for frivolity, Where's My teddy, by Jez Aldborough, was such a huge favorite of my childrens' that I used to be able to recite it. Likewise with Mr Bear Says A Spoonful for You by Debi Gliori and The Monster Bed by Jeanne Willis.
##########################################################################
Real life gets in the way of things! We spent the weekend with George's mum while the children were at a church camp nearby. They got muddy and did scary adventure things, we sat around and chatted and enjoyed ourselves. The weather was perfect, sunny and crisp with very cold nights. On Saturday afternoon George and I wandered around the countryside, meandering to Mirboo North and having a wonderful lunch at the Grand Ridge Brewery. Apart from the great staff and the wonderful food, the dining room was full of amazing dining tables made from rough hewn slabs of timber that seated lots of people (we were on a more modest table as there was just the two of us) that epitomise what I would love to have as a dining table one day.
Since returning we all have colds. Today is the first day this week that everyone is at school and work, and although I should be using the quiet time to do something useful I feel too awful to do anything except pootle around on the computer and, later, slump in front of the TV. At least I have done LOTS of washing recently, at great cost to the electricity bill as it has been wet ever since our return and everything has had to go through the tumble dryer.
There were storms yesterday and last night throughout Victoria. We escaped with just lots of rain, which is still sorely needed after years of drought. But other parts of Melbourne and the state have suffered damage and at least one person has died in a car accident directly related to the weather. We are fortunately located in a sheltered spot and rarely suffer more than the occasional fallen limb from a tree in storms, though we are sensible and secure things, put the glass-topped outside table under shelter, etc, to minimize possible damage.
Hmm... I expect I have read the Narnia books at least five times.
I know I've read Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre at least five times (in the case of P&P, I think it's about 13 times).
I've read Testament of Youth quite a few times, probably at least 5.
I once went through a stage (quite lengthy) of rereading A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve - that went on for more than 5 years.
And, for frivolity, Where's My teddy, by Jez Aldborough, was such a huge favorite of my childrens' that I used to be able to recite it. Likewise with Mr Bear Says A Spoonful for You by Debi Gliori and The Monster Bed by Jeanne Willis.
##########################################################################
Real life gets in the way of things! We spent the weekend with George's mum while the children were at a church camp nearby. They got muddy and did scary adventure things, we sat around and chatted and enjoyed ourselves. The weather was perfect, sunny and crisp with very cold nights. On Saturday afternoon George and I wandered around the countryside, meandering to Mirboo North and having a wonderful lunch at the Grand Ridge Brewery. Apart from the great staff and the wonderful food, the dining room was full of amazing dining tables made from rough hewn slabs of timber that seated lots of people (we were on a more modest table as there was just the two of us) that epitomise what I would love to have as a dining table one day.
Since returning we all have colds. Today is the first day this week that everyone is at school and work, and although I should be using the quiet time to do something useful I feel too awful to do anything except pootle around on the computer and, later, slump in front of the TV. At least I have done LOTS of washing recently, at great cost to the electricity bill as it has been wet ever since our return and everything has had to go through the tumble dryer.
There were storms yesterday and last night throughout Victoria. We escaped with just lots of rain, which is still sorely needed after years of drought. But other parts of Melbourne and the state have suffered damage and at least one person has died in a car accident directly related to the weather. We are fortunately located in a sheltered spot and rarely suffer more than the occasional fallen limb from a tree in storms, though we are sensible and secure things, put the glass-topped outside table under shelter, etc, to minimize possible damage.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Book Meme - Day 11
Day 11 - A book that disappointed you
I thought I would have to think really hard about this one. Then I remembered the one and only time since reaching an approximation of adulthood that I had thrown a book across the room.
That book? The Dialectic of Sex: The Case for Feminist Revolution by Shulamith Firestone. I;ve read lots of feminist books, some of them good, some of them not so good, some downright hard to understand, some that made me cringe, and some that made me cheer. This one was so awful it made me throw the book across the room.
I can't even remember why I hated it so much. Oh, maybe it was her incredible dismissiveness of the value of mothering, plus her total lack of logic and her general annoyingness. That's not a very incisive analysis, I realise that, but I;m not going to find the book to check it out any further. Actually, I couldn't. I gave it away to charity as soon as I had thrown it across the room (which was after reading all of it, I wouldn;t be THAT rude about a book unless I had finished it).
Other books that ought to be on this sort of list - Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (What did I expect of Ayn Rand? Certainly nothing quite as ludicrous as this huge pile of rubbish) and Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington (which was made into a good film but I am afraid I found to be totally unreadable).
I thought I would have to think really hard about this one. Then I remembered the one and only time since reaching an approximation of adulthood that I had thrown a book across the room.
That book? The Dialectic of Sex: The Case for Feminist Revolution by Shulamith Firestone. I;ve read lots of feminist books, some of them good, some of them not so good, some downright hard to understand, some that made me cringe, and some that made me cheer. This one was so awful it made me throw the book across the room.
I can't even remember why I hated it so much. Oh, maybe it was her incredible dismissiveness of the value of mothering, plus her total lack of logic and her general annoyingness. That's not a very incisive analysis, I realise that, but I;m not going to find the book to check it out any further. Actually, I couldn't. I gave it away to charity as soon as I had thrown it across the room (which was after reading all of it, I wouldn;t be THAT rude about a book unless I had finished it).
Other books that ought to be on this sort of list - Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (What did I expect of Ayn Rand? Certainly nothing quite as ludicrous as this huge pile of rubbish) and Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington (which was made into a good film but I am afraid I found to be totally unreadable).
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Book Meme - Day 10
Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
I've been thinking hard about this for the last couple of hours.
The most recent book to fit this description is, I think, Carpentaria by Alexis Wright. I need to phrase this carefully to avoid what sounds like prejudice but is, quite honestly, a statement of fact and my own, personal taste. I have not enjoyed the little I have read of Indigenous Australian writing. I was rather dubious about this. But the reviews did sound intriguing, and I had a book voucher from a nice bookshop. So instead of buying crime or fantasy or craft books, I bought Carpentaria. It took me another six months to get around to reading it. I remained dubious for the first few pages.
Then I fell in love.
It is a huge, sprawling novel (literally as well as figuratively) and I loved every word of it. IT was funny, creepy, tragic, magic, and so damn well written.
I take back everything I ever thought about 'Indigenous Australian writing' and realise, humbly, that it is like any other writing - some of it is not going to be to my taste, but that is no reason to dismiss it like I had done.
One day I will reread it. (This is the greatest honour I can bestow upon a book). Not right now, though, because I have so many other things to read and reread. But I will never dispose of this book. I love it.
I've been thinking hard about this for the last couple of hours.
The most recent book to fit this description is, I think, Carpentaria by Alexis Wright. I need to phrase this carefully to avoid what sounds like prejudice but is, quite honestly, a statement of fact and my own, personal taste. I have not enjoyed the little I have read of Indigenous Australian writing. I was rather dubious about this. But the reviews did sound intriguing, and I had a book voucher from a nice bookshop. So instead of buying crime or fantasy or craft books, I bought Carpentaria. It took me another six months to get around to reading it. I remained dubious for the first few pages.
Then I fell in love.
It is a huge, sprawling novel (literally as well as figuratively) and I loved every word of it. IT was funny, creepy, tragic, magic, and so damn well written.
I take back everything I ever thought about 'Indigenous Australian writing' and realise, humbly, that it is like any other writing - some of it is not going to be to my taste, but that is no reason to dismiss it like I had done.
One day I will reread it. (This is the greatest honour I can bestow upon a book). Not right now, though, because I have so many other things to read and reread. But I will never dispose of this book. I love it.
Book Meme - Day 9
Day 09 - Best scene ever
That would change regularly, of course, like all of these answers.
But the one I am going to nominate is the one in Northern Lights, the first book of the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. (The book is known in the US as The Golden Compass). In the alternative universe of these books, people do not have 'souls' but they have 'daemons', which are external, animal-shaped manifestations of 'souls'. The scene where experiements are being carried out to surgically separate children from their daemons is one of the most powerful and devastating I have ever read. I cried for an hour after reading that scene. I felt as though I had had my own heart cut out.
Fantastic trilogy, one of the best fantasy series ever written. One of the most memorable scenes ever written.
But ask me tomorrow and I might have another answer.
That would change regularly, of course, like all of these answers.
But the one I am going to nominate is the one in Northern Lights, the first book of the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. (The book is known in the US as The Golden Compass). In the alternative universe of these books, people do not have 'souls' but they have 'daemons', which are external, animal-shaped manifestations of 'souls'. The scene where experiements are being carried out to surgically separate children from their daemons is one of the most powerful and devastating I have ever read. I cried for an hour after reading that scene. I felt as though I had had my own heart cut out.
Fantastic trilogy, one of the best fantasy series ever written. One of the most memorable scenes ever written.
But ask me tomorrow and I might have another answer.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Book Meme - Day 8
Day 08 - A book everyone should read at least once
The instruction book that came with your latest electronic gadget...
A decent plain cookbook (I get annoyed with people who say they can't cook - if you can read, you can cook. If you can't read, I'll help you)...
Grimm's Fairy Tales - to teach you never to rely on anyone except yourself ...
Ancient myths and legends of any or all civilisations, to learn universal themes of existence ...
The instruction book that came with your latest electronic gadget...
A decent plain cookbook (I get annoyed with people who say they can't cook - if you can read, you can cook. If you can't read, I'll help you)...
Grimm's Fairy Tales - to teach you never to rely on anyone except yourself ...
Ancient myths and legends of any or all civilisations, to learn universal themes of existence ...
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Book Meme - Day 7
Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Not sure about this one. Something that immediately springs to mind is how Jodie Picoult always seems to have a list of 'buttons' which must be pressed to evoke specific emotions in the mind of the reader. I actually enjoy her books; I find her characters engaging and her writing quite fluent, but whenever I read one (and I haven't read all of them by any means) I feel that she has a little list and marking off things that will make me react in certain ways. Not quite writing by formula, otherwise I wouldn't bother with them, but transparent enough to make me annoyed that I am allowing myself to be maniuplated.
Otherwise - IDENTICAL TWINS. Please don't use identical twins! I just watched 'The Prestige', which is taken from a book by an author I quite enjoy, Christopher Priest. I haven't read the book but I believe the same plot device is used. It is cheap and cheating. OF course the point in that story is that it IS cheating and leads to unforeseen consequences, but it still annoyed me. When I was a child half the children's books seemed to include twins. Especially the really far-fetched ones where whole families consisted of sets of IDENTICAL TWINS.
And the murder stories where you can guarantee that if the detective (professional or amateur) fancies someone, that someone is the murderer, or at least is lying so much about something important that it can never be. By all means have your protagonist occasionally shag a murder suspect, but not so predictably!
Not sure about this one. Something that immediately springs to mind is how Jodie Picoult always seems to have a list of 'buttons' which must be pressed to evoke specific emotions in the mind of the reader. I actually enjoy her books; I find her characters engaging and her writing quite fluent, but whenever I read one (and I haven't read all of them by any means) I feel that she has a little list and marking off things that will make me react in certain ways. Not quite writing by formula, otherwise I wouldn't bother with them, but transparent enough to make me annoyed that I am allowing myself to be maniuplated.
Otherwise - IDENTICAL TWINS. Please don't use identical twins! I just watched 'The Prestige', which is taken from a book by an author I quite enjoy, Christopher Priest. I haven't read the book but I believe the same plot device is used. It is cheap and cheating. OF course the point in that story is that it IS cheating and leads to unforeseen consequences, but it still annoyed me. When I was a child half the children's books seemed to include twins. Especially the really far-fetched ones where whole families consisted of sets of IDENTICAL TWINS.
And the murder stories where you can guarantee that if the detective (professional or amateur) fancies someone, that someone is the murderer, or at least is lying so much about something important that it can never be. By all means have your protagonist occasionally shag a murder suspect, but not so predictably!
Book Meme - Day 6
Day 06 - Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
AAHH!!! Not an answerable question. My favorite book of all time changes from day to day, week to week, year to year.
All right, one I do always go back to - The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. It blew me away when I first read it, and it still does (I have read it another couple of times, at least). Unfortunately I have managed to lose my copy and must replace it. The sheer wonderfulness of the imagination - I suppose it's 'magic realism' - haunted and excited me. It made me laugh and cry and hug myself and want to write like her. Complete fail at that last one, incidentally!
Ask me next week and I will have another favorite book. Oh, in recent years I have been hugely impressed by The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, and for the last twenty years or so, anything by Peter Carey and Angela Carter. And in the last couple of years, Neverwhere and The Graveyard Book and Mirrormask by Neil Gaiman.
AAHH!!! Not an answerable question. My favorite book of all time changes from day to day, week to week, year to year.
All right, one I do always go back to - The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. It blew me away when I first read it, and it still does (I have read it another couple of times, at least). Unfortunately I have managed to lose my copy and must replace it. The sheer wonderfulness of the imagination - I suppose it's 'magic realism' - haunted and excited me. It made me laugh and cry and hug myself and want to write like her. Complete fail at that last one, incidentally!
Ask me next week and I will have another favorite book. Oh, in recent years I have been hugely impressed by The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, and for the last twenty years or so, anything by Peter Carey and Angela Carter. And in the last couple of years, Neverwhere and The Graveyard Book and Mirrormask by Neil Gaiman.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Book Meme - Day 5
Day 05 - A book or series you hate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bless_the_Beasts_and_Children_(novel)
'Bless the Beasts and Children is a 1970 novel by Glendon Swarthout that tells the story of several emotionally disturbed boys away at summer camp who unite to stop a buffalo hunt. The 151-page book concerns many social issues of the 1960s and 1970s'.
I had to study this book for Year 12 English. This is not necessarily a reason for hating a book - I still enjoy Pride and Prejudice, Shakespeare in various forms, and other stuff I studied at school. I LOATHED this book with a passion. The fact that I can still remember how much I hated it may hint at just how loathsome I found it.
I thought it was boring, badly written and just not worthy of studying. I suppose it does consist of many 'issues' which is what tends to make a book worthy of study. But the best of those are at least interesting. I would personally like to see every copy of this book consigned to a bonfire. No, wait, that contributes to global warming. Maybe they should all be pulped and turned into interesting books. If any copies still exist.
My apologies in advance to anyone who loves this book.
Thinking about it, a more recent loathed read was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_God,_This_Is_Anna. Mr God, This is Anna by Sydney Hopkins, AKA 'Fynn'. I believe it is a much-loved and much raved about book that is supposedly of extreme spirituality. I thought it was kiddie porn thinly disguised as Christian propaganda. It made me feel sick. And I consider myself to be a (rather lukewarm) Christian, so it wasn't that aspect which upset me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bless_the_Beasts_and_Children_(novel)
'Bless the Beasts and Children is a 1970 novel by Glendon Swarthout that tells the story of several emotionally disturbed boys away at summer camp who unite to stop a buffalo hunt. The 151-page book concerns many social issues of the 1960s and 1970s'.
I had to study this book for Year 12 English. This is not necessarily a reason for hating a book - I still enjoy Pride and Prejudice, Shakespeare in various forms, and other stuff I studied at school. I LOATHED this book with a passion. The fact that I can still remember how much I hated it may hint at just how loathsome I found it.
I thought it was boring, badly written and just not worthy of studying. I suppose it does consist of many 'issues' which is what tends to make a book worthy of study. But the best of those are at least interesting. I would personally like to see every copy of this book consigned to a bonfire. No, wait, that contributes to global warming. Maybe they should all be pulped and turned into interesting books. If any copies still exist.
My apologies in advance to anyone who loves this book.
Thinking about it, a more recent loathed read was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_God,_This_Is_Anna. Mr God, This is Anna by Sydney Hopkins, AKA 'Fynn'. I believe it is a much-loved and much raved about book that is supposedly of extreme spirituality. I thought it was kiddie porn thinly disguised as Christian propaganda. It made me feel sick. And I consider myself to be a (rather lukewarm) Christian, so it wasn't that aspect which upset me.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Book Meme - Day 4
Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever
This is not an answerable question!!!
The first series I remember reading and rereading was The Chronicles of Narnia, starting when I was five. Also, around the same time, The Swallows and Amazons books. Both occupied my imagination to a very large degree for a very long time. They were a welcome escape from a not necessarily happy childhood, and I was able to take the main characters and run with them in my mind, making up countless adventures inspired by the books and living heroically in my imagination very satisfactorily!
Countless other books have filled a similar niche since then. My 'favorite' book is often one that I have read recently and thought was wonderful. My favorite series right now is the Kurt Wallender series by Henning Mankell, a Swedish detective series. I am about halfway through it and love the darkness and complexity of it.
Edited to add: How could I have forgotten the incomparable Terry Pratchett! The man who can write no wrong. OF course I love Discworld with a passion :)
On the non-reading front - we have been beset with sickness of various sorts here and I have spent more time than I care ti think about sitting around emergency departments while Wombat (twice) and George (once) have been tested and examined and poked and prodded by a series of doctors and nurses that have started to blur into one amorphous mass. I decided the other day that doctors should not look like they have strayed off the set of ER, as did the registrar dealing with George. He was an excellent and competent doctor, but those blue eyes! Mildly distracting :) What with that, and two hospital appointments for Wombat to check up on him, I have had enough of Monash Medical Centre to last me for a while.
When not sitting around hospitals reading old detective fiction (Agatha Christie, another favorite since I was about 10, is rather good for hospital reading) I have been sorting out my father's books. As he left them all to Baby bear, and she doesn't want 99% of them, I have taken up the task of sorting them into sundry categories. Keep (books that are of interest to any one of the four of us); Charity; Value (ones that I think I may be able to sell online - I estimate, before starting to value them, that about 50% of these will go to charity also; for the rest I will probably set up a shop on Ebay - I have always wanted to try my hand at second hand book selling!); and Weirdo Stuff for Me (books of no obvious monetary value that I can use for mixed media works). The profits, if any, from selling the books will be going into a trust fund for Baby Bear along with the modest amount of money her grandfather left her.
I have been struggling with trying to retain a shred of charity for my father. I have tried hanging onto the good memories, as recommended by a number of wise people :) Sometimes it works. Not when I have spent hours sifting through books and remembering rather forcefully that he left his money and valuable possesions to other people, but quite obviously expected me to sort everything out. Yes, I am feeling a little bitter. I am glad that Baby Bear will benefit financially (and he left a bit of money to Wombat too), and I am grateful to have the family archival material that he left me. But I also resent being left with all the ****work and nothing to show for it.
This is not an answerable question!!!
The first series I remember reading and rereading was The Chronicles of Narnia, starting when I was five. Also, around the same time, The Swallows and Amazons books. Both occupied my imagination to a very large degree for a very long time. They were a welcome escape from a not necessarily happy childhood, and I was able to take the main characters and run with them in my mind, making up countless adventures inspired by the books and living heroically in my imagination very satisfactorily!
Countless other books have filled a similar niche since then. My 'favorite' book is often one that I have read recently and thought was wonderful. My favorite series right now is the Kurt Wallender series by Henning Mankell, a Swedish detective series. I am about halfway through it and love the darkness and complexity of it.
Edited to add: How could I have forgotten the incomparable Terry Pratchett! The man who can write no wrong. OF course I love Discworld with a passion :)
On the non-reading front - we have been beset with sickness of various sorts here and I have spent more time than I care ti think about sitting around emergency departments while Wombat (twice) and George (once) have been tested and examined and poked and prodded by a series of doctors and nurses that have started to blur into one amorphous mass. I decided the other day that doctors should not look like they have strayed off the set of ER, as did the registrar dealing with George. He was an excellent and competent doctor, but those blue eyes! Mildly distracting :) What with that, and two hospital appointments for Wombat to check up on him, I have had enough of Monash Medical Centre to last me for a while.
When not sitting around hospitals reading old detective fiction (Agatha Christie, another favorite since I was about 10, is rather good for hospital reading) I have been sorting out my father's books. As he left them all to Baby bear, and she doesn't want 99% of them, I have taken up the task of sorting them into sundry categories. Keep (books that are of interest to any one of the four of us); Charity; Value (ones that I think I may be able to sell online - I estimate, before starting to value them, that about 50% of these will go to charity also; for the rest I will probably set up a shop on Ebay - I have always wanted to try my hand at second hand book selling!); and Weirdo Stuff for Me (books of no obvious monetary value that I can use for mixed media works). The profits, if any, from selling the books will be going into a trust fund for Baby Bear along with the modest amount of money her grandfather left her.
I have been struggling with trying to retain a shred of charity for my father. I have tried hanging onto the good memories, as recommended by a number of wise people :) Sometimes it works. Not when I have spent hours sifting through books and remembering rather forcefully that he left his money and valuable possesions to other people, but quite obviously expected me to sort everything out. Yes, I am feeling a little bitter. I am glad that Baby Bear will benefit financially (and he left a bit of money to Wombat too), and I am grateful to have the family archival material that he left me. But I also resent being left with all the ****work and nothing to show for it.
Book Meme - Day 3
Day 03 - The best book you've read in the last 12 months
Always a hard one, just like all the other questions! But I think my stand-out book for the last 12 months has been The Trout Opera by Matthew Condon. This is the blurb from his publisher:
THE TROUT OPERA is a stunning epic novel that encompasses twentieth-century Australia. Opening with a Christmas pageant on the banks of the Snowy River in 1906 and ending with the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics in 2000, it is the story of simple rabbiter and farmhand Wilfred Lampe who, at the end of his long life, is unwittingly swept up into an international spectacle. On the way he discovers a great-niece, the wild and troubled young Aurora, whom he never knew existed, and together they take an unlikely road trip that changes their lives. Wilfred, who has only ever left Dalgety once in almost a hundred years, comes face to face with contemporary Australia, and Aurora, enmeshed in the complex social problems of a modern nation, is taught how to repair her damaged life.
This dazzling story - marvellously broad in its telling and superbly crafted - is about the changing nature of the Australian character, finding the source of human decency in a mad world, history, war, romance, murder, bushfires, drugs, the fragile and resilient nature of the environment and the art of fly fishing. It's the story of a man who has experienced the tumultuous reverberations of Australi an history while never moving from his birthplace on the Snowy, and it asks, what constitutes a meaningful life?
I loved it for a number of reasons: it is a thoroughly surreal romp through 100 years of Australian history, a beautiful love story, a satirical attack on bureaucracy and 'progress', a lyrical tribute to a lovely part of Australia, and is full of beautifully realised eccentric characters.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Book Meme - Day 2
Day 02 - A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
This is a hard one.
I am going to settle for authors.
Two of my all-time favorite authors are Iris Murdoch and Robertson Davies. Of course many people have read their books and they have won prizes and things, so they are hardly obscure. But I don't personally know, either in 'real life' or online, who ever mention them.
I have read most of Iris Murdoch's books more than once, many of them more than that. I will continue to read them until the day I die. One day George was reading out a literary quiz to me and one of the questions was 'what is this the first line to' and he was only halfway through it and I had picked the Iris Murdoch novel it came from - and it was an early one, written about 20 years before the time we were doing the quiz. I dream of her characters. I cannot last more than a couple of months without rereading her. There is only one of her novels that I dislike, The Red and The Green, which is a historical novel set around the events leading up toe Easter Rebellion in Ireland during WW1. But I have a first edition of it that I am hanging onto anyway!
I haven't actually read all of Robertson Davies, and not any for a long time. But now I have written this I probably will reread what I have and obtain what I have not. He is wonderful. Imagine Garrison Keillor with lots of magic realism.
As an extra, I am going to nominate Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising. I know lots of people have read it and loved it but I think even more people should, and should.
This is a hard one.
I am going to settle for authors.
Two of my all-time favorite authors are Iris Murdoch and Robertson Davies. Of course many people have read their books and they have won prizes and things, so they are hardly obscure. But I don't personally know, either in 'real life' or online, who ever mention them.
I have read most of Iris Murdoch's books more than once, many of them more than that. I will continue to read them until the day I die. One day George was reading out a literary quiz to me and one of the questions was 'what is this the first line to' and he was only halfway through it and I had picked the Iris Murdoch novel it came from - and it was an early one, written about 20 years before the time we were doing the quiz. I dream of her characters. I cannot last more than a couple of months without rereading her. There is only one of her novels that I dislike, The Red and The Green, which is a historical novel set around the events leading up toe Easter Rebellion in Ireland during WW1. But I have a first edition of it that I am hanging onto anyway!
I haven't actually read all of Robertson Davies, and not any for a long time. But now I have written this I probably will reread what I have and obtain what I have not. He is wonderful. Imagine Garrison Keillor with lots of magic realism.
As an extra, I am going to nominate Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising. I know lots of people have read it and loved it but I think even more people should, and should.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Book Meme - Day 1
Day 01 - A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)
Gone on longer - I guess I would have liked another Harry Potter book or two, about what they did when they left school. But that's so NOT an original idea!
Series I wish would end - The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Not that I haven't loved it, but it has taken FAR TOO LONG and some of the books could have been condensed a little. I have often wondered if he realised that he was onto a money spinner and decided to extend the series. As for a definition of too long - he went and died before writing the last book; a new writer is hired to write the last book from his extensive notes - that 'last book' is now going to be three last books - I started reading this series before my 17 year old daughter was born, for goodness sake, and she will have a driving licence before it is finished!!!
Book Meme
I got this from
'a discussion-starter or prompt for blog posts - I copied this from tansyrr.com; she sourced it from Anna Louise Genoese at alg.livejournal.com.'
Many of my answers will be qualified because I can rarely pick one 'greatest' thing about books (or films, or TV).
I will try to do these one a day!
Day 01 - A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)
Day 02 - A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Day 03 - The best book you've read in the last 12 months
Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 - A book or series you hate
Day 06 - Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 - A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A book that disappointed you
Day 12 - A book or series of books you’ve watched more than five times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 - Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 - Your "comfort" book
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 - Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 - Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 - Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 - Most annoying character ever
Day 24 - Best quote from a novel
Day 25 - Any five books from your "to be read" stack
Day 26 - OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 - First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 - Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 - What book are you reading right now?
Day 03 - The best book you've read in the last 12 months
Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 - A book or series you hate
Day 06 - Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 - A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A book that disappointed you
Day 12 - A book or series of books you’ve watched more than five times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 - Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 - Your "comfort" book
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 - Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 - Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 - Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 - Most annoying character ever
Day 24 - Best quote from a novel
Day 25 - Any five books from your "to be read" stack
Day 26 - OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 - First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 - Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 - What book are you reading right now?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Loot
I went to the Stitches and Craft Show in Melbourne yesterday, and generally had a good time. There was lots of interesting stuff to see, and to wonder over, and some of it followed me home...
There was some cool textile art, like this from Prudence Mapstone, which was as amazing as everything she does (and it was nice to say hello to her again too).
The Quilt Show was obviously very popular though I admit that to my tastes there are never enough 'art quilts'. I really do admire the work and the patience and the artistry of the more conventional quilts that are there - I would never in a million years be able to sit down and do them - but I seem to gravitate towards the more weird and demented types of art quilt these days.
All in all a fun (and expensive!) day out.
There was some cool textile art, like this from Prudence Mapstone, which was as amazing as everything she does (and it was nice to say hello to her again too).
The Quilt Show was obviously very popular though I admit that to my tastes there are never enough 'art quilts'. I really do admire the work and the patience and the artistry of the more conventional quilts that are there - I would never in a million years be able to sit down and do them - but I seem to gravitate towards the more weird and demented types of art quilt these days.
All in all a fun (and expensive!) day out.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
The Adventures of Bobby the Ram, Part 1
Our trip to Canberra was pretty awful. Not that Canberra isn't a good place to visit, but it isn't when you are spending most of your time freezing your **** off in a dingy dive in Queanbeyan packing the multitude of **** your long-estranged father has left behind him for you to deal with. Our gloomy week was enlivened by some visits with friends, a small amount of sight-seeing, the best of Canberra's winter weather (very cold but sunny and crisp and beautiful), and the arrival into our lives of a certain little ruminant.
Bobby the Ram has had a bit of a sad life. He ran away to live with Jejeune in Canberra because her naughty little lamb Lulu broke his heart. Jejeune tried to cheer him up and improve his education, but to no avail. So when I was visiting her he decided to run away with me. The children took to him immediately and introduced to him to some of their friends.
Baby Bear helped him to make friends with Max, who has lived with us since her second birthday. His real name is Gluteus Maximus, which is the English (or rather Latin) translation of the name he was given by IKEA, which was Bums. He is a very caring and wise bear and we hope that Bobby has learnt some serenity from him.
Wombat introduced him to Momo the Lemur, who is a magical air-bending, fire-bending, other element-bending bundle of fun. They had some good times together. Here they are up the top of Black Mountain Tower.
Bobby got a good look through the telescope on Black Mountain Tower. Although not very fond of heights he clung on to his new friends and agreed that the view was mighty fine.
He also got to go up to the top of Mount Ainslie to watch the sun set. We cut it rather fine there - got there just as the sunset was happening.
It has taken me two weeks just to write this first installment of Bobby's adventures, owing to minor distractions like unpacking boxes (of which there are TOO MANY MORE to go!!!) and Wombat being sick for over a week, including two trips to the ER (all in all he probably has a virus. Thank god for the Australian health system, so far we have paid for one out of three doctor's visits and nothing at the hospital). A CT scan has proved that he has a brain, and even better, that there is nothing in it other than brain.
More pictures of Bobby to come...
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
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