Danaya, Amanda and I decided to wake up our book club and read something together. We've decided on The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama. Danaya picked it up first quite a while ago, she mentioned it to me and I said I would be interested in reading it too, and then Amanda nearly bought it a few days before we had this conversation. So we've decided that it will become our July book club book. We'll see how this goes!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
July Book
Danaya, Amanda and I decided to wake up our book club and read something together. We've decided on The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama. Danaya picked it up first quite a while ago, she mentioned it to me and I said I would be interested in reading it too, and then Amanda nearly bought it a few days before we had this conversation. So we've decided that it will become our July book club book. We'll see how this goes!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Next
Soon I shall start reading Fifth Business by Robertson Davies. (It's on Penguin's list of the fifty best books ever written, so this fulfills part of my New Year's Resolution!) Is anyone interested in joining me?
Friday, April 24, 2009
Response
I often say I'm going to do things, and then I don't get around to it. I'm sorry. That doesn't reflect well on my character, and I suppose it makes it hard for you to believe me when I say I'll do something. Boo.
Several months ago I told a couple of you that I read Divisadero and that I would write about my impressions on here. I guess late is better than never.
So, I read Divisadero! And you know, I wasn't really impressed. When I was in high school, my English teacher emphasized the difference between saying "This is a good book" and "This is a book I like." Just because I don't like a book doesn't mean that it's not good, and when something is critically acclaimed that doesn't necessarily mean that I will enjoy it. I'm not trying to disagree with those who said it's amazing, but I have a hard time seeing its value.
It was so scattered! It jumped from a focus on one person to another, one time period to another, one narration style to another. It raised questions that it never came back to answer. For instance, I still don't know who Collette is! And the constant foreshadowing stared to get annoying. I finished the book feeling very unfulfilled.
Worth reading? Not in my opinion.
But let's search for some value in it...
The relationship between the sisters at the beginning and their identity crisis when Coop called them the wrong name is something I thought Amanda might identify with.
And I related to this line: "For I have taken myself away from who I was with them, and what I used to be."
Several months ago I told a couple of you that I read Divisadero and that I would write about my impressions on here. I guess late is better than never.
So, I read Divisadero! And you know, I wasn't really impressed. When I was in high school, my English teacher emphasized the difference between saying "This is a good book" and "This is a book I like." Just because I don't like a book doesn't mean that it's not good, and when something is critically acclaimed that doesn't necessarily mean that I will enjoy it. I'm not trying to disagree with those who said it's amazing, but I have a hard time seeing its value.
It was so scattered! It jumped from a focus on one person to another, one time period to another, one narration style to another. It raised questions that it never came back to answer. For instance, I still don't know who Collette is! And the constant foreshadowing stared to get annoying. I finished the book feeling very unfulfilled.
Worth reading? Not in my opinion.
But let's search for some value in it...
The relationship between the sisters at the beginning and their identity crisis when Coop called them the wrong name is something I thought Amanda might identify with.
And I related to this line: "For I have taken myself away from who I was with them, and what I used to be."
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Hello?
So, I'm feeling a little alone here. Where are you guys at in this process? Who still needs to get the book? Should I pick one up for you?
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Beginning
So I read the first chapter of Divisadero today (up to page 20 in my edition). Interesting. Meandering, not linear. I now know who some of the main characters are and I know some of the shades of their early lives. There's a lot of jumping around in time and foreshadowing.
The introductory page of italics raised many questions. The first chapter answered some of them. I still don't know who Colette is. I still don't think I know what occasioned the drastic change in Anna.
Catch up and read with me!
The introductory page of italics raised many questions. The first chapter answered some of them. I still don't know who Colette is. I still don't think I know what occasioned the drastic change in Anna.
Catch up and read with me!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
my pick
so this would be my vote for the first book. I've wanted to read his work for a while. He is apparently one of the greatest contemporary Canadian writers alive. (woot woot support for Canadian Lit.) (He is also Sri Lankan)
anyway this is his latest novel. I think it could be exceptional.
Here is a link to the wiki page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ondaatje
anyway this is his latest novel. I think it could be exceptional.
Here is a link to the wiki page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ondaatje
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