Thursday, August 27, 2009

the best part

Today is my last day at work before 11 glorious days of vacation. I'm driving (now that I have a new and reliable car--the fair Minerva) up to Duluth for a few days to rest, read and watch the waves on Lake Superior roll by. I haven't even thought of the clothes I'm going to pack but I have picked out my books! I'm taking a little cozy romance by Eva Ibbotson (purchased in London in 2000 and still unread!), AdaItalicm of the Road (a long-ago Newbery winner) and E.L. Konigsburg's The second Mrs. Gioconda (guess what that one is about...). I'm taking a bright and cheerful picnic basket (good old Target comes through again) full of books, magazines and crossword puzzles. Also, the long unfinished counted cross-stitch of the New York skyline which will include the World Trade Center because it still existed when the kit was new oh so many years ago. I'll think about what else I need when I am packing on Sunday night.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

I'm so excited!!!!

The "Lucky U" copy of Philippa Gregory's The White Queen arrived at the library today and it is going home with me tonight! In spite of my obsessive checking for new titles by my favorite authors, this one slipped under my radar and I ended up #72 on the hold list. Pout, pout. But now it is in my hot little hands and will be read as soon as I get my comfortable clothes on when I get home! Yippee skippy!

I can't wait to go to bed with my book


Because there are no more books to come, I've spent the summer rereading Harry Potter. I'm just starting to read about the third task in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I've enjoyed all of the books immensely though I must admit the first two seem pretty slim and unremarkable compared to the later books--what was all of the fuss about? It is such fun to read them back to back, while my memory is still fresh. Knowing how the series ends, I can now see clues in the earlier books. J.K. Rowling really did do something amazing with these books.

Last night, I read about the madness of Bartimeus Crouch, something I had completely forgotten. The movie changed that part of the story substantially and it, unfortunately, had a bigger part of my remembrances than the book which was first read oh so long ago. I also glorified Snape in my mind because he is played by the glorious Alan Rickman whose snear is so endearing (and attractive). And Dumbledore is ditzier, more like Michael Gambon's portrayal than the grave and ancient Dumbledore of Richard Harris (remember, I've had a crush on him since I was 12 years old).

All in all, a delightful reading experience.