Reviewer X is giving away Catching Fire

REALLY.

 

And I’m telling you about this, but I don’t want you to enter, because I want to win.

Sunday Salon – 30 May 2009

Hello Sunday Saloners and regular readers!  I hope you all had a wonderful week, I know I did.  I’m officially back from vacation!  I did have internet access, so I have been commenting and posting a little.  As my mom said, “Hello!  It’s 2009.  Did you really think we wouldn’t have internet access?”

I read almost all the books, every single one except Beyond a Burning Sea.  I’m pretty proud of that!  I have quite a few reviews to write, so I’m working on that now. 

After publishing my post on 2666, a couple folks commented about their interest in learning more about Latin American lit, especially boom and post boom.  While I’m not an expert, I was a Spanish major, with the majority of my concentration in Latin American lit.  It’s one of the topics I’m most passionate about and I could probably talk about it for days.   I was thinking about having a feature where I highlighted one author and talked about their work?  Especially ones that a lot of authors that are very famous with Spanish-language readers, but need more US exposure.  Would this be something you’d be interested in reading?  Let me know!

Have a wonderful week everyone, and happy reading!

2666 – Part 1, The Part About the Critics

These are my thoughts on the First Section, The Part About the Critics, of Roberto Bolaño´s 2666. Hosted by Steph of Steph & Tony Investigate and Claire of Kiss a Cloud.

I apologize, this is beastly.  I didn’t know I had so much to say!

So far, I’ve been having trouble putting into words my thoughts and feelings about 2666, Roberto Bolaño’s posthumous masterpiece.  I know that I read the first section, The Part About the Critics, quickly and found it to be fascinating.  I actually read it in one sitting, but I’m starting to wonder if I did it a disservice because I read it so quickly.  Maybe I should have chewed over the passages more carefully. In any case, I took some notes while I was writing and I will share them with you here, organized by page number.

Review – The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich

“Her face, and my father’s face, were naked with love.  It wasn’t something that we talked about – love – and I was terrified of its expression from the lips of my parents.  But they allowed me this one clear look at it.  Their love blazed from them.  And then they left.  I think now that everything that was concentrated in that one look – their care in raising me, their patient lessons in every subject they knew how to teach, their wincing efforts to give me freedoms, their example of fortitude in work – allowed me to survive myself.” (page 222).

Thursday Tunes

S. Krishna hosts Thursday Tunes every week, and this is my first week participating!  I’m super excited to share my favorite songs with you.  I’m going to start off this week with one of my favorite bands, Voxtrot.  I found them when I was a senior in high school and I was all set to see them in concert, but their van broke down.  Hey, it happens.  One day we’ll meet again.

The song that started it all – The Start of Something (Raised by Wolves EP)

This song is Raised By Wolves off their first EP with the same name:

Don’t forget!

I’m doing a giveaway of sweet bookish things (secret sweet bookish things), so head over here to join in!

UNBELIEVABLE EXCITEMENT.

For some reason, it just occurred to me that I can go to author events.  And I found that Carlos Luis Zafon, author of The Shadow of the Wind (one of my favorite books) is going to be signing copies of his new book The Angel’s Game!!!!!  In June!!!!!!!! AHHHH.  I apologize for the ridiculous amount of exclamation points, I’m just so excited.

How ridiculously awesome?!  Why didn’t I ever think of this before?

It also just occurred to me that the Spanish language edition of The Angel’s Game (El Juego del Angel) is already available.  Purchasing now.

The Sunday Salon

Hello regular readers and Sunday Salon visiters!  As you know, right this second, I’m probably sleeping in a beach chair, covered in sun screen, and reading a good book.  I’m going to talk a little bit about my beach reading and why I picked it for this particular vacation.  A little departure for me –  my Sunday Salon post will actually be about books!  

 

 Tender Morsels - Margo Lanagan

Who else but Nymeth would get me interested in this book?  I’ve started it and it’s absolutely magical.  It’s a quick read, I’m already about 100 pages in after an hour or so of reading.  So far, what I’ve gathered, is it’s a sort of fairy tale.  There are two sisters.  Etc. Etc.  Thus far, I’d say Nymeth certainly hasn’t let me down on this one.  I can’t wait to finish and share my review when I get back!  Also for Once Upon a Time III challenge.

 

 

 

 

 

Beside a Burning Sea - John Shors

I picked this one up for no other reason than the pretty cover.  Really.  I don’t think I even read the back.  I liked the title and I thought the cover was gorgeous.  Thankfully, Trish from Hey Lady!  has posted a positive review.  I’m looking forward to reading this one now too!  Not just looking at the pretty cover.  

 

 

 

 

 2666 - Robert Bolaño 

I needed an excuse to buy the boxed set version of this, and a combined sale on Amazon and Steph of Steph and Tony Investigate’s and Claire of Kiss a Cloud’s 2666 Readalong didn’t leave me any options!  I just had to splurge.  Really.  I had to.  Had to.  I love Latin American Lit, so I’m eagerly anticipating this one.   

 

The Mystery of Grace - Charles De Lint

The newest book by De Lint?  Do I need another reason?  Nope.  Also qualifying for OUTIII. 

The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway 

This is one of those books that made the rounds on the book blogosphere a couple months ago, and I put it on hold at the library after reading really great things about it.  It’s due back at the library soon, so it’s made its way to the top of the pile.  

 

 

These are the books I hope to finish this week!  It’s a lot, but the beach somehow makes you read faster.  I’m convinced.  

Booking Through Thursday

This week’s BTT question was fascinating and I couldn’t pass it up, even if I’m going to be a little late in answering the question.  The question was:  What book would you love to be able to read again for the first time?  This is a great question!  I think one of the highest praise someone can give a book is “Oo, I’m so jealous that you haven’t read that yet!”  My aunt told me that when she realized I’d never read Interview with a Vampire (still haven’t!  Will soon though, hopefully.)  And since then, it’s been a compliment I think about every time I recommend a book.  There are some books that are better savored and reread, but there are some that will never be quite as magical as the first time you read them.  I think I found this a lot more when I was younger.  I would read and reread books, trying to recapture that magical feeling I got when I read them for the first time.  

Oh, to be able to read Ella Enchanted for the first time again!

I would pay a lot of money to forget A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, just so I can experience that magic one more time.  I know on my first reread of this novel I will find many more reasons tof all in love with it, but I’ll never forget that first read.

How about Fingersmith?  Those twists and turns only come around once. 

Or what about A Wrinkle in Time?  Can we talk about how that book changed my life?  How I remember what clothes I was wearing when I was reading it?  How long it took me?  How many times I tried to read passages out loud to my mother only to have her raise her eyebrows at me and listen.  Grudgingly.  

So, I guess, if I only had to pick one, it would be A Wrinkle in Time.  But only if I was allowed to go back and read it with my 10 year old eyes.

100th Post!!1!!

I realize that is the worst graphic ever, but it’s all I could do with MSPaint.  Please see these other folks who are much better at MSPaint than I am.  I also find bad graphics to be charming.  So I’ve done it!  I’ve posted 100 times!  And now to celebrate, I’m going on vacation.   I’m heading to the beach and I cannot wait.  Last night I was all jittery and couldn’t sleep like a little kid at christmastime.  I would wake up and check the clock and say something along the lines of “Oh good, I can get up in 2.5 hours.”  Or… “Yes!  Only 30 more minutes of sleep time!!!”  This is an EPIC JOURNEY because, as you may or may not know, I am carless.  I will hopefully not be carless for much longer, but for the moment, I’m hitching rides all over the state.  This morning my boss drove me to the town where Z lives (about an hour and a half from my house).  She happened to be going to a meeting in the building across from his apartment complex.  So serendipitous!  Next step, Z and I are driving south until we get tired, then we’ll stop and sleep.  After that, we’ll meet my parents at our rented cottage and will hang out for a few days.  I still haven’t figured out how I’m getting back to my house.  That will be another story for another day.  Hopefuly with the help of some more serendipity.  Now I’m on the first part of my epic journey, the part where I still have internet access.  I’m going to try to schedule some posts, but I’ve been having bad luck with the post scheduler, so we’ll see.  I promise to do the comment catch-up when I get home.

As for packing, I have a problem.  Last summer when I went on this same vacation, I didn’t bring enough books.  I brought House of Leaves and maybe one other book because I thought it was going to take me the whole week to read.  I ended up reading it in two nights… even though the first quarter of the book had taken me six months or so.  So then I was bookless and it was painful.  But I think I might have overcompensated.  To be fair, I brought a nice combination of library books and books I own so I don’t have to ruin library books at the beach.  Sometimes I try to ignore my grandmother’s voice in my head and bring them anyway, but I always feel guilty.  

Books I am bringing to the beach:

Tender Morsels  by Margo Lanagan 
Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors
2666 (the first book) by Roberto Bolaño, for Steph and Tony Investigate!’s readalong
Herzog by Saul Bellows
The Mystery of Grace by Charles De Lint
The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich

It could happen.   Maybe.  

It feels so good to be on the road again.  I am a nomad by birth.  I have lived out of a suitcase during the summer for most of my life.  The rhythm of the road and the passing of the miles, the open windows and the perfect weather early summer weather makes me so happy.  Every ride is like going home, no matter where I’m going.  

Because you just sat through and read all that (I’m very grateful), I am hosting a giveaway!!!!  It’s the 100th Post Celebration!  

All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me your favorite beach location!  I’ll random.org it when I get back on June 1st.  If you are already a subscriber or become a subscriber, I will give you another entry.   What do you win??  Um, well, it’s kind of a surprise.  Like a care package?  With bookish things?  I don’t want to give it away.  Doesn’t that make it more exciting?  Sort of?  I hope so!  

Happy holiday weekend everyone!  Have lots of fun and eat lots of good food and enjoy the sunny weather.  I’ll see you all on the first!