I may not be posting much in the next few days. The fan on the laptop is going. The desktop is dead. Things will work out shortly though.
In the meantime I’ll still be reading up a storm. If I can kick the cat out of the comfy seat that is….
I generally enjoy Kathy Reichs’ Tempe Brennan books but found this Cross Bones a bit trying. I really don’t go in for the Christian conspiracy stuff. It’s just not me, which means no, I have not read The Da Vinci Code, and no I don’t plan to and I wish people would leave me alone about it already.
Part of the reason that I enjoy these books so much is because more often then not they take place at least partially in Montreal. It’s familiar territory to me. I enjoy that.
And I also learn something. For example I was unaware that people who were crucified actually died of asphyxiation. Did you? Cause if not you will in this book.
Entertaining in the way that all Tempe books are but way too much Jesus for me.
Have I ever mentioned I’m not good with mysteries? I think it’s the whole lack of patience thing.
Anyway, Size 12 is Not Fat is typical Meg Cabot – fun, fluffy, not exactly plausible. But still fun.
I suck at figuring out who the bad guy really is. I’m distracted by bright shiny objects. But I was right! But then I changed my mind about who the bad guy was. It turns out that my original hunch was right. The moral being go with your gut.
Next up on my list is Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs. Despite the fact that I don’t do mysteries forensic thrillers are different, especially when they involve forensic anthropologists. (I entered a contest to win dinner for two with her – some of you will know why this is funny.)
It helps when I post this on the right blog…lol! I did mention I was really tired this weekend right???My brain is so much happier now that it’s had a fluff infusion. Although apparently not working so well since I posted this on the wrong blog originally.
Chicks with Sticks is a young adult novel by Elizabeth Lenhard about…you guessed it – knitting. I took up knitting about 3.5 years ago. I was bored, I had two tv channels and after going through a phase of intense overtime at work I suddenly found myself uncertain as to what to do for 4 hours every night. Learning to knit gave me something to focus on. Of course I rarely finish a project. I’ve been working on the same project for about 1.5 of that time. Umm I will finish it eventually….
So um yeah, Chick with Sticks. Four teenaged girls suddenly find themselves fast friends after they discover knitting and KnitWits (don’t let knitters fool you – they are witty people!). There’s teen angst, there are parent issues, there are identity issues and what would be a YA book without boy issues??? It’s fun and it made me haul out my knitting to do while watching Sunday Night TV.
I fell short of my 3 books for this weekend though. But 2 is better than none. And thanks to this bit of fluff I have a happier brain and my fingers are itching to touch some wool. Who knows, someday I may actually join a stitch and bitch.
Ruth Harkness was a heck of a lady.
And before this book I knew nothing of her. But now whenever I see a panda I’ll think of her.
That being said – I struggled through this book. I often found myself impatient with it. I’m not really sure if it was the book or just my general mood the last few days. I’ve been quite tired and the story wasn’t moving quite fast enough to really hold my attention the way I wanted it to. So I was feeling quite frustrated.
Whatever the case, it didn’t really grip me. But Ruth Harkness was a heck of a women so on that alone I think people should read this. It’s sad to think that someone who held the attention of the world and causes so many front page headings and multiple appearances in Time should have faded to such oblivion.
And now I’m off to read a bit of fluff because that is what my brain seems to be calling for.
This is such a rare event these days it’s post-worthy. I was planning to wait until next week to buy them but I also wanted to pick up a new yoga dvd while I was at it (technically it’s a replacement for a video I let someone borrow and they didn’t return). Unfortunately the dvd wasn’t in stock at any of the stores. So I ordered online. I qualified for free shipping *and* I had a coupon for $10 off. Not to mention I’m saving the cost of public transit.
What did I order? A copy of Sarah Water’s The Night Watch and I pre-ordered Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton. Plus the yoga video. Now if only I could do yoga and read at the same time…
I was curious as to how many books I’ve read so far this year. According to what I’ve blogged I’ve read 27 books but I didn’t blog about the Vagina Monologues (although I think I mentioned it in a comment) so that makes it 28. So since today is the 81st day of the year that means I’ve been averaging 1 book every 2.89 days. Hmm I thought I had been reading more than that. I guess not.
Next two books on my list are Surprise! You’re Wealthy by Patricia Lovett-Reid (yes, yet another personal finance book) and The Lady and the Panda by Vicki Croke. I won’t bother to list the rest of them but I’m actually going to go out next week and *buy* two books. Amazing! I don’t remember the last time I actually bought a book. The library is my friend. 
Edit – I didn’t read Surprise! You’re Wealthy. When I took a closer look at it, it really didn’t seem very useful for my situation and the parts that were I could find better sources for.
So yes, I’m still on that financial planning jag. And no, don’t ask me how long it will continue. I imagine a bit longer yet (or a lot longer yet).
I *liked* this book. It was very Canadian. It was geared towards women. It actually mentioned student loan debt. It had me laughing out loud, it had me saying “yesssssssss”, it had me say “I did/do that!” Yes, I liked this book.
I will preface this all by saying that as much as I totally liked this book, I think if I had not read other basic, introductory books before it, it would have intimidated the hell out of me. It really does go into detail about things, which is part of what I loved about it because I’m at the point where I need a lot of the detail that it provided. Had I not had a basic understanding of what financial paths I should be taking this book might have tempted me to grab some cheese, the cat, and hide under my bed for a week. Why the cheese? Because it’s the only way I’d ever get Piper to *stay* under the bed with me. Anyway, yeah, so not a book for a someone who hadn’t had an introduction to financial planning.
I started reading this book late Friday night. I had wanted to go to bed but um, subwoofer (damn neighbours). So then I started reading and ended up reading for a good hour after the neighbours shut off the subwoofer. And then even after I shut off the light my mind was racing. Starting this book before bed was bad. My brain got excited and didn’t want to shut down.
For the entire first two chapters I just kept thinking, “Yes, she gets it!” Meaning of course, that she got me. Or that I got her. Or something. My debt is not the same as her debt and I certain didn’t get into debt while having a six-figure salary. The only six-figures I was looking as were some date ranges in human evolution, ie. I was a starving student. Well, for most of my debt anyway. My credit card debt largely came from being an underemployed office worker without benefits. And not only did she talk about student loans but she talked about debt collectors who make you feel like s-h-i-t-e. Yes, this woman had me liking her early on.
I spend a huge part of the day on Sunday reading and taking notes on mutual funds. I think I now get mutual funds. I think I understand what a money market fund is. All these books kept telling me they could be quite useful things but I didn’t really understand it. The chapter on mutual funds is long and almost overwhelming in the amount of information but it’s really useful.
And while she did talk about the financial benefits of having a home and things you need to do/consider before buying one she did admit that it wasn’t necessarily for everyone. And you know what, she resisted it for a number of years because it wasn’t right for her. At a time when everyone seems to be screaming BUY! BUY! it was refreshing to have someone remind you that it’s not necessarily the right thing for *you* to do. And that just because you don’t buy doesn’t mean you are going to be poor (that whole stupid “homeowners will get rich and renters will be poor” thing).
I found it interesting that she included a chapter on gender tax. You know, how women pay more for drycleaning, haircuts and cars. The salon that I go to bases the price of your hair cut on how long it takes to do your hair. I still am in the upper levels but I have long hair that needs to be layered and takes a freaking long time to blow dry. But even at their upper level it’s less than it cost me in Montreal (attempts at cheaper haircuts in Montreal didn’t go well…one involved a drag queen who burned me with a hair dryer…).
After reading this book I just felt more…prepared. I feel like I understand what things are and what I have to do more clearly. Of course, things in my life are rarely that easy. I’m putting off making any big financial decisions until after I find out what happens with my contract in July. But when the day comes, whenever that day is, that I’m able to make these decisions I’ll be better prepared because of this book.
I don’t have a lot of memories of Julia Child. I always remember being aware of who she was but I don’t remember her being really ingrained my life. We were more of a Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook type of household. I vaguely remember an interview she did with Goddess Lydia although the most I remember from that is that Julia Child did not approve of snacking (speaking of Goddess Lydia – anyone hear from her lately?).
I like this book. But then, I like books about people and food. Although I’ve discovered I’m not really fond of books about people and restaurants. I’ve put aside two books written by restaurant reviewers in the last month (Fork it over by Alan Richman and The man who ate Toronto by James Chatto). I like to read about the way that people interact with food, they way they react to food, the relationships they have with food. When you think about it, the relationship between humans and food is one of the oldest relationships that exist. Weird, isn’t it? While restaurant reviews can be interesting, you just don’t always get the same dynamic as people who write about food. You know what I mean right?
On one hand I’m convinced that Julie is completely nuts for attempting go to through every recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, not to mention the fact that she did so in a year. On the other hand I find it oddly inspiring and it makes me almost want to do the same thing. But then there is that whole cooking for one thing. In theory I could do it with a cooking for one cookbook. But I’ve yet to find one where I really want to try more than a few recipes from, let alone all of them. And not even my cooking for one collection from the iVillage days would not work as um, there are a heck of a lot of recipes in there that yield more than a one or two servings (hmmm at some point I really need to ought to attempt Frannie’s chocolate covered cherries, just cause I can, although I’ll have to hoist them off on the guys cause I don’t really do chocolate).
I had to laugh at Julie’s bleaders (as she calls) worrying about her during the big New York (and Ontario) blackout. I knew nothing of it that day until I got a frantic call at my old office from my mother wanting to know if I had power. And then upon finding out that I did begged me not to take the Metro home. This despite the fact that I was in Quebec and Quebec has more hydro than God. I laughed at her. I argued with her. Then I promised I wouldn’t. I lied. I took the Metro home and did not have a breakdown (electric or otherwise).
Anyway, this book amused and entertained me. As did the amount of swearing. And I learned something important. I never want to make, or eat, aspic.
Technorati tags: Julie and Julia, Julia Child, non-fiction
Did I like this book? I really am not sure I know how to answer that. I appreciated it as it is well written but did I like it? Did I enjoy it? I’m not really sure. I know I didn’t dislike it.
I’ve had this experience with another of Urquhart’s book – The Stone Carvers. I was unsure whether or not I actually liked it or if I was just drawn into it because of the Vimy connection (it’s me and that war thing again). The Stone Carvers also came highly recommended to me by a history professor that I respect. So I plodded on with it. And I still don’t know if I liked it (it was good though…does that mean I liked it?).
The pace of Urquhart’s books is slow. Reading her books is like driving through an endless desert where everything is the same. Then suddenly there’s a tree. Excitement! But all too soon it’s behind you and you are back to the desert. In this book you move through the thoughts in Sylvia’s head. Then she’ll speak with someone and in the middles of the dialogue there will be paragraphs of thought, of memory, of asides. I don’t do well with slow books.
When reading a book such as this I often wonder if I ought to be trying to read them for enjoyment. I don’t think such books are meant to be enjoyed. They are meant to be digested. You should pick at them with a fork and pull them apart. It’s the type of book that I’m wary of recommending to people. It’s hard to deny that Urquhart is a talented writer but I don’t know that it’s enjoyable reading. If I don’t know that I like it I can hardly tell someone else that they will can I? I have this problem with a lot of great female Canadian writers – Urquhart, Munro and to a certain extent Atwood.
It’s a beautiful and touching story. It’s interesting even if it is slow. But if you read and it don’t like it please don’t blame me. I’m busy trying to figure out if I liked it…
PS. Woohoo I finally finished a book!
