My little brother Benny (AKA Ding Dong) turns 10 today. Happy Birthday to the best and goofiest little brother in the world!
Monthly Archives: September 2010
Teaser Tuesday
Three years have passed since he could accurately describe himself as a visitor to the staffroom, but the surreality of being here, amidst these figures of terror or hilarity from his youth – these imagos, these caricatures, now ambling around him, saying good morning, making tea, acting as if they were normal people – still descends on him from time to time. For a long time he found himself expecting them to give him homework, and being surprised, unpleasantly, when instead they would tell him about their lives. But every day it feels more ordinary, which he finds more unpleasant still.
-from Skippy Dies by Paul Murray, page 60
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Teaser Tuesdays is a fun weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. I change the rules a little bit to suit my own purposes: I hand pick the teaser, rather than choose one randomly. I also very frequently post more than two sentences. :)
Molly Fox’s Birthday by Deirdre Madden
Molly Fox’s Birthday by Deirdre Madden is a unique book. The entire plot technically takes place on one day (would you be surprised to hear that day is Molly Fox’s birthday?), but the narrator (not Molly Fox) pauses to reminisce throughout the day and we readers travel back with her, and along the way details of her past are colored in. The style felt very clean, and fresh. There’s a particular sort of mood that would be best paired with this book, though it’s hard to lay a finger on just what mood that would be. It almost felt meditative. It’s not a book packed with action or adventure, but the writing is beautiful, and the insight into the characters is skillful and interesting.
Rather than say more, how about some of my favorite passages?
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Eventually we decided, after much discussion, that our different approaches to character could be seen as a continuum. For me, as a playwright, the creation of a character is like listening to something faint and distant. It’s like trying to remember someone one knew slightly, in passing, a very long time ago, but to remember them so that one knows them better than one knows oneself. It’s like trying to know a family member who died before one was born, from looking at photographs and objects belonging to them; also from hearing the things, often contradictory, that people say about them, the anecdotes told. From this, you try to work out how they might speak and how they might react to any given circumstance, how they would interact with other characters whom one has come to know by the same slow and delicate process. And out of all this comes a play, where, as in life, people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say, where they act against their own best interests and sometimes fail to understand those around them.
pages 7-8
Because even then I understood that theatre, if it was any good at all, wasn’t something you saw, it was something that happened to you.
page 32
When I went back down to the kitchen I was struck by how it had changed since the morning, with the changing light of the day. I had seen this room – and this house – at all seasons, at all times of the day and night. I had been here when the whole place was cocooned with snow. I had seen it by candlelight. I had been here during heavy rain, the kind of rain that becomes pleasurable to watch because it makes of the house a haven. The rooms in which one moves become a world apart from the wet streets, the sodden garden.
page 159
The seating of the auditorium was arranged in curved rows, and from where I was placed I was able to observe not only the stage but also the audience. I could see all the people by the light of the stage, their rapt faces, the quality of the attention they were giving to what they were watching. Each of them was making their own private connection with the work, each bringing their own experiences and emotions to bear upon the play, to interpret it and integrate it into their own imaginative life. That this was happening in the presence of so many other people was crucial. In the apprehension of art there can be a loneliness, as there so often is in its creation. This breaching of loneliness may be the secret of what an audience is, or at least one of its secrets. That night when Molly appeared as the Duchess, I looked at the audience and I thought, nothing surpasses this.
page 213
Is the self really such a fluid thing, something we invent as we go along, almost as a social reflex? Perhaps it is instead the truest thing about us, and it is the revelation of it that is the problem; that so much social interchange is inherently false, and real communication can only be achieved in ways that seem strange and artificial.
page 214
Philly: Labor Day Weekend 2010
I still need to finish uploading my Ireland photos and videos – it’s proving to be a very time consuming process. But in the meantime, I thought I’d share some photos from my trip to Philly over Labor Day weekend. I went with some of my amazing friends, and we had a fabulous time.
Me and my friend Dara in a taxi on the way to the Bolt Bus.
One of my favorite places that we went was Reading Terminal Market – an indoor marketplace full of dozens of merchants selling delicious food.
Inside Reading Terminal Market.
These cookies are to die for.
Saturday night we went to a Phillies game (vs. the Milwaukee Brewers). It was a beautiful night (chilly! yay!), and the Phillies won.
Group shot (plus) fellow Buddy Richard & his girlfriend (minus) Dara (taking the photo)
Sunday night we cooked an enormous BBQ dinner that could have easily fed 30 people. In reality we fed 11, and it was a fantastic meal. Each of us made one part of the meal. Here’s Ashley right before the feast.
This is Kristen’s parent’s house, and our lovely home for the weekend. They were extremely gracious hosts, and our weekend in Philly was spectacular!
This is a small sampling of photos, the rest are in this Flickr set.
Polysyllabic Spree – August 2010
Books Purchased:
For the Love of Ireland edited by Susan Cahill
At Home by Bill Bryson
Love Letters by Katie Fforde
The Wonderful Weekend Book by Elspeth Thompson
Dubliners by James Joyce
The Puffin Book of Magic Verse edited by Charles Causley
Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
Translations by Brian Friel
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Clementine, Friend of the Week by Sara Pennypacker
Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel
A lot of the books I purchased this month are from Ireland, and I’m excited about the fantastic books I brought back. I picked up a copy of At Home by Bill Bryson, his latest book that is not out in the US yet. I had been meaning to get a copy of Dubliners, and where better to get it than Ireland? I decided to get Skippy Dies, a new fiction book by Irish author Paul Murray, which has received a lot of praise. I found an adorable used book called The Puffin Book of Magic Verse at a cute used bookstore in Sligo. I found an adorable book called The Wonderful Weekend Book at Charlie Byrnes bookshop in Galway (an incredible bookshop).On the trip, Emma told me about her favorite Irish playwright, Brian Friel. I picked up a copy of his play Translations in Dublin. Once I got back home I found another of his plays, Dancing at Lughnasa, at Strand.
Books Read:
Finny by Justin Kramon
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling (audio book, re-read)
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Notes From a Big Country by Bill Bryson (re-read)
At Home by Bill Bryson
There wasn’t much time to read during August, since most of the month was spent doing the following things:
1. Preparing to go to Ireland
2. Being in Ireland
3. Recuperating from Ireland
But I managed to read (and listen to) a few things this month. I re-read the book Notes from a Big Country by Bill Bryson (the US title is I’m a Stranger Here Myself). I love Bill Bryson’s observations about the quirks and differences between Americans and Britons. I first read it when I got back from Italy, so it seemed a fitting time to re-read it – five years later on my next trip to Europe. I also listened to the audio version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I’m just getting back into audio books, mainly because I’m realizing how many opportunities there are to listen to one! I’ve been listening to them on my iPhone while cleaning, walking places, baking/cooking, and riding public transportation (when I’m too tired to read for myself). I’ve really been enjoying them, especially “re-reading” the Harry Potter series before the movie comes out in November. Jim Dale is an amazing performer. Next I’d like to re-read the Thursday Next series, to prepare for the 6th book coming out in March next year.
I heard about Finny from Michelle, and I decided it seemed like a perfect travel book. I took it with me to Ireland, and really enjoyed reading it during the trip. I wish I had posted a review sooner, because it’s hard to remember my thoughts on it now! I do remember loving the characters, and that it was a fun, very readable book that made a great travel companion. It’s also interesting how well a man did with writing a female coming of age story. Highly impressive!
There are a lot of reviews of Mockingjay out there, so I’ll just share a few, spoiler free, thoughts. I enjoyed the last book of the Hunger Games trilogy, but not as much as the other two. I thought that the plot felt rushed in many places, especially at the end. Before I even opened it, I figured that I’d have a strong emotional reaction at the end. But I did not, and I’m not sure why. I seemed sort of numb to it all by then, I suppose. It was a page turner though, and I’m glad to have closure to the series.
Last but not least, I adored reading At Home by Bill Bryson, and will post a separate review of it soon.
Teaser Tuesday
She began walking again, south towards The Mound. ‘Live each day as if it’s your last,’ that was the conventional advice, but really, who had the energy for that? What if it rained or you felt a bit glandy? It just wasn’t practical. Better by far to simply try and be good and courageous and bold and to make a difference. Not change the world exactly, but the bit around you.
-from One Day by David Nicholls, page 433
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Teaser Tuesdays is a fun weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. I change the rules a little bit to suit my own purposes: I hand pick the teaser, rather than choose one randomly. I also very frequently post more than two sentences. :)
Awesome Fall Book Releases
Fall is my favorite season for many reasons, and the fact that it’s also the most exciting time of the year for book releases is a definite reason to get giddy! Here are the books I’m looking forward to this fall.
SEPTEMBER
Ape House by Sara Gruen: I’ve never heard of anyone who read Gruen’s mega-bestseller, Water for Elephants, and didn’t love it, so her next book has been eagerly awaited. I got an ARC of it at Book Expo, and it was one of my most treasured finds of the day. (Sept 7)
Earth (The Book): A Visitor’s Guide to the Human Race by Jon Stewart: Does this one even need an explanation? Very excited for the latest humor book from The Daily Show team. (Sept 21)
A Week at the Airport by Alain de Botton: I like Alain de Botton’s books, and this one has a fascinating background:
Given unprecedented access to one of the world’s busiest airports as a “writer-in-residence,” Alain de Botton found it to be a showcase for many of the major crosscurrents of the modern world—from our faith in technology to our destruction of nature, from our global interconnectedness to our romanticizing of the exotic. He met travelers from all over and spoke with everyone from baggage handlers to pilots to the airport chaplain. Weaving together these conversations and his own observations—of everything from the poetry of room service menus to the eerie silence in the middle of the runway at midnight—de Botton has produced an extraordinary meditation on a place that most of us never slow down enough to see clearly. Lavishly illustrated in color by renowned photographer Richard Baker, A Week at the Airport reveals the airport in all its turbulence and soullessness and—yes—even beauty. (Sept 21)
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris: Unlike most of David Sedaris’s other books, this one is fiction. Which makes it very intriguing. (Sept 28)
The Best American Comics 2010 edited by Neil Gaiman: I always look forward to the Best American Comics collections, they highlight a lot of great work, and I often go out and read the full pieces of the things they’ve excerpted. The BAC 2010 edition is super exciting, since Neil Gaiman is editing. (Sept 28)
Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems: The third of the Knuffle Bunny books (excellent children’s books by the awesome Mo Willems) – and I’ve heard this one is a tear-jerker. (Sept 28)
OCTOBER
The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook: A New, Healthier Way to Cook Everything from America’s Most Trusted Test Kitchen: America’s Test Kitchen can do no wrong, in my opinion. Their recipes start as experiments, where they try different techniques, equipment, and ingredients to find out what recipe will turn out the best, every time. Their latest book is a spiral bound family cookbook, this time focusing on healthy recipes. I’ve made many of the light recipes published in their magazines, and they manage to cut fat and calories from comfort foods, while still keeping an amazing taste. I can’t wait to get this cookbook and start testing recipes! (Oct 1)
At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson: One of my favorite things I bought in Ireland was the British edition of this book, which came out a few months ago. :) Bill Bryson is one of my favorite authors, and this book is spectacular. I will post a review for the US release. (Oct 5)
Great House by Nicole Krauss: The History of Love is one of my top ten favorite books, and Great House is Nicole Krauss’s latest novel. Another spectacular BEA 2010 score (thanks to Michelle’s eagle-eyes); I’m looking forward to starting this one soon. (Oct 12)
And the Pursuit of Happiness by Maira Kalman: Maira Kalman is my favorite artist, and her beautiful and whimsical columns on nytimes.com are stunning. This is the second collection of her columns, and I’m excited to own her beautiful work in print. (Oct 14)
NOVEMBER
Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People by Amy Sedaris: I Like You, Hospitality Under the Influence, Amy Sedaris’s first book, was one of the most fun books to come out in 2006. Four years is too long to have to wait for another fabulous how-to book from Amy, but at least it’s almost here now! (Nov 2)
I Remember Nothing: and Other Reflections by Nora Ephron: Nora’s other books, both fiction and non-fiction, have been sharp and funny and easy to relate to. It’s likely this one will be too. (Nov 9)
The Autobiography of Mark Twain, Vol 1 by Mark Twain: There are no words to describe how exciting this book release is. (Twain instructed that it could not be published in full until 100 years after his death.) The early reviews have been spectacular, and I’m so excited to read it! (Nov 15)
DECEMBER
Children and the Tundra (HOW) by Dr. Doris Haggis-on-Whey & Benny Haggis-on-Whey: Dave Eggers and his brother write these spectacular, humorous encyclopedias as Dr. and Mr. Haggis-on-Whey. This is the latest volume. The HOW series is hilarious, and Doris and Benny’s characters come through in full quirkiness. (Dec 1)
What books are you looking forward to this Fall?