It's Monday, January 30th (Can You Believe It?)! What Are You Reading?

Hosted by The Book Date

Sometimes life gets in the way and severely impacts your discretionary reading time like this past weekend. You, too? No, it’s fine and all good. Important to choose people over books, yes?

What did I finish?

Not a heck of a lot!

Not sure why it took me so long to read its 132 pages. It’s really a one sitting book. Mothering Sunday is the day servants are “allowed” off to visit their families. In this book, Jane, who is a servant for a neighboring estate, has a long-term affair with Paul, the upper-class dude next door who is getting married in two week’s time to a lady in his socio-economic circle and moving to London. It’s about love, lust, loss, class structure, finding oneself, moving on and letting go. I liked it very much and would definitely like to read more from Swift.

What am I currently reading?

This deserves a post of its own, but I have successfully convinced both of my book clubs to read the same book, or one to read a book I’ve already read, four out of the last five times. They usually meet within a week or two of each other. If I had to read separate books, one for each, it would leave me with precious little time to devour something of my very own choosing. Don’t tell them.

I’ve had a copy of this book for months. Both clubs were looking for an “it” pick (a new release everyone is reading, talking about and loving) that contains humor and some crazy. I thought this one would serve multiple (read selfish) purposes.

Within the last year, I’ve been trying to discover a few books from small press publishers. I can’t even remember where or how I came across this book. It’s pretty insane. It is extremely raw, not for the easily offended or faint of heart. The language and subject matter are pretty rough. It’s about addiction and relationships. I am liking it the more time I devote. I’m about halfway and finding myself mentally planning when I can squeeze in a few pages into a busy day. That’s a good sign. I should finish today or tomorrow, so I’ll give my complete assessment next week!

Kan is also the author of The Vegetarian. I chose to take on Human Acts first and I am listening to the audio version. I am about one third of the way through and on the second of what I assume will be many more narrators. It is already so, so dark. It’s going to break my heart, I just know it. Is cruelty part of being human? I think this book with drive us to ask this and many other things.

What am I going to read next?

On February 14th, I am going to be first in line somewhere to buy: 

the long awaited work of fiction by George Saunders!!! You see, I have a date with him on March 2nd, and I would like to discuss it from an intelligent and intimate perspective.

I can’t wait to find out what his favorite word is! (I ask every author if they would include it with their signature. Haven’t yet met one who wouldn’t.)

What are you all reading???

It's Monday, June 8th! What Are You Reading?

I am freaking all over the place! Sometimes I think it’s a good thing, and other times I don’t. Right now? Not so sure but this is what’s been going on in my reading world since last we spoke. Oh my! I just looked back and I haven’t shared books since May 11th! I am a very bad girl.

I finished:

The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain. I did enjoy it. If you like light stories about booksellers, discovered journals, searching and looking for love, this may be for you. Again, it is a bit on the fluffy side.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. I have spent much time trying to find the proper words to describe how this book made me feel and how I felt about it. Heartwarming, happy, comfy family feelings. Insightful. Nostalgic. These are some of the words I found. It is an exceptional book of free-verse poems of the author's childhood, and growing up between two places she calls home. It's about lifelong friendship, too. I would read it if I were you.

Damage by Josephine Hart. Do you feel like squirming in your sit with discomfort, a book that darkly draws you into a man’s complete obsession and inappropriate relationships abound? If yes, do it! I don’t know what it says about me, but I really liked it. I discovered there was also a movie made with Jeremy Irons and Juliet Binoche. 

The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff. You simply must start with 84, Charing Cross Road (which I talked about here before) then follow it up with this. “84” tells of a friendship between a book lover and a book seller through letters from New York City to London. “Duchess” lets us visit London with Helene as she finally meets here friends face-to-face. I did NOT want this to be over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am in the midst of reading:

The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison (essays)

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg

Tell me what’s going on in your reading world! I always love reading recommendation!

Stream of Consciousness Sunday: Do You Tell Fellow Writers About Typos?

How does Sunday come around so quickly? Here I am, again, writing stream of consciousness style and linking it up over at Fadra’s place. 

The rules are simple:

Write for five minutes.

Don’t edit.

Publish.

Here goes…

***************************

I wish I could simply butt the heck out. Usually I am so, so, so good at it. Friday, I was not, and I am feeling a bit self-conscious. Maybe uneasy or uncomfortable are better words.

You see, I informed someone, a fellow blogger and acquaintance, of a typo in a post. I thought said writer would probably want to know because maybe the piece was written for something important. Or maybe not even important. Just because. And not to be a pill or anything. As much as I would want to know, I thought this person would want to know.

I even think I have had a writing/blogging conversation with this person, and we agreed that sometimes we can’t see a typo/mistake even though we have read something over and over and over. And sometimes we don’t have the time. Or sometimes maybe we don’t even care. But I do care. I know this person cares.

Oh well. What’s done is done. I can’t take my words back though I hope it was accepted in the spirit in which it was given. I only wanted to help. 

Because I thought you might want to know. 

Because I would want to know.