Don’t say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.
— Mark Twain
My husband and I were just talking about this, how good literature (good art, actually) shows instead of simply telling.
This is Weekly Geeks day 3 of a quote a day. Here’s my quote from day 1, and day 2.
Rembrandt and Shakespeare, Tolstoy and Gauguin, possessed, I believe, powerful hearts, not powerful wills. They loved the range of materials they used. The work’s possibilities excite them; the field’s complexities fired their imaginations. The caring suggested the tasks; the tasks suggested the schedules. They learned their fields and then loved them.
— Annie Dillard, The Writing Life
I just acquired this book, but I haven’t read it (or any of Dillard’s work) yet; I’m looking forward to it!
This is Weekly Geeks day 2. Here’s my quote from day 1.
I’m not really one to collect quotes. I had been thinking of starting, though, recently, as I’ve run across several good thoughts about writing. Part of my motivation to keep track of them now, too, is that I may display a couple of them at my new (still in progress at the moment) writing nook.
This week’s Weekly Geeks assignment (presented by Terri), then, is timed just right (I haven’t participated the last few weeks because the tasks seemed really hard!). So what’s the assignment this time? Post a quote every day.
Because a good writing day is better than all the mangosteens in the world. Because a good writing day wipes the memory of all those bad writing days entirely. Because I love it.
This week’s Weekly Geeks task is: Pick a book —any book, really — and search out multiple book cover images for that book. They could span a decade or two (or more)…. Or they could span several countries. Which cover is your favorite? Which one is your least favorite? Which one best “captures” what the book is about?
At first I had trouble thinking of a book to search for. Most of my recent reads are still in their first edition, probably haven’t been translated yet, either. Then I saw this one in my to-be-reviewed stack, and decided to go for it.
These are all covers of The Sin Eater by Alice Thomas Ellis, published first in 1977.
The first one is the one I read. The third one is the hard cover. The fourth was published in Canada. My first thought was that none of the covers really does justice to the book. After pondering, though, I think the hard cover, perhaps, best conveys a tidbit of what the story will be about. I like the edition I read the book in, though — the first one — probably the best.
This assignment sent me digging in my archives to find this post, all about the various covers of a certain book. (I’d put off reading it for years because of the cover on the library edition.)
EDITED TO ADD: I reviewed this book here.
This week’s Weekly Geeks assignment starts with a definition. For purpose of this post, a classic is a book written 100+ years ago that is still in print.
1) How do you feel about classic literature? Are you intimidated by it? Love it? Not sure because you never actually tried it? Don’t get why anyone reads anything else? Which classics, if any, have you truly loved? Which would you recommend for someone who has very little experience reading older books? Go all out, sell us on it!
OK, let’s see. I quite enjoy classic literature. I guess I’m somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, though; I don’t read solely classics, but I do enjoy a good classic every once in a while. Classics I’ve truly loved:
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
• The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
• The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton
• Sherlock Holmes (so many!)
• Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
• Shakespeare (where to start?)
• Edgar Allen Poe’s work (Cask of Amontillado, for starters)
Where to start? Well, many people have seen a movie based on Pygmalion (My Fair Lady), which should make that accessible. Both Pimpernel and Man Who was Thursday are short, pretty swift reads — and very accessible, as well.
3) Let’s say you’re vacationing with your dear cousin Myrtle, and she forgot to bring a book. The two of you venture into the hip independent bookstore around the corner, where she primly announces that she only reads classic literature. If you don’t find her a book, she’ll never let you get any reading done! What contemporary book/s with classic appeal would you pull off the shelf for her?
I would probably start by asking/recalling what she likes about certain classics. This would help me steer her in the right direction. A few possibilities, though:
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
• The Truest Pleasure by Robert Morgan
• Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey and Maturin series
Or what about Night by Elie Wiesel?
For this second Weekly Geeks of 2009, this second installment post-Dewey, Joanne of The Book Zombie, posts this question:
For those who have been with the group, either from the start or joined within recent months, what does being a member mean to you? What do you enjoy about the group? What are some of your more memorable Weekly Geeks that we might could do again? What could be improved as we continue the legacy that Dewey gave us?
For those just joining us, why did you sign up for Weekly Geeks? What would you like to see here?
I’m going to consider myself a bit of a hybrid as far as this set of questions goes. I read all the Weekly Geeks posts, but I only participated a few times. I wasn’t a full-fledged member of the club until this year. So, I’ll answer as I feel qualified to from the first list.
Being a Weekly Geek means being a part of seeking to establish community among book bloggers. This was something Dewey was all about, a big part of why (I think) she started Weekly Geeks. It also means honoring that legacy, though. I love that it’s so inclusive — anyone can, and is welcome to, join/play along/participate at whatever level. Those are the same things I enjoy about it, at this point.
My most memorable Weekly Geek was week 16, in which each participant interviewed another about a book that needed to be reviewed, and the pair of interviews were posted on both blogs. (Here’s mine.)
I’m not coming up with anything that needs to be improved …
I know I’m a little slow getting this posted, but I’ve been traveling, and I’m just now finally home. Still working on getting back into normal. Plus! I now have an excuse. I’m doing this for Weekly Geeks, the first installment of the new year. Ta da!
The year 2008 was the first year I successfully kept track of all the books I read. So, the total: I read 75 books in 2008. I’m still lacking four reviews for this space, which will hopefully get posted soon; another six books I read for work and won’t review here. Some people read so many more than this, it’s not funny. But overall, I’m happy with my count.
To break that down, 12 of the 75 were nonfiction reads.
Books I read in 2008 from the Image Journal 100 list (a personal, long-term reading project of mine):
••• Mariette in Ecstasy by Ron Hansen
• Three Cheers for the Paraclete by Thomas Keneally
•• Ironweed by William Kennedy
• Black Robe by Brian Moore
••• The Truest Pleasure by Robert Morgan
•••• The Moviegoer by Walker Percy
•••• Sigrid Undset’s Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy: The Bridal Wreath
•••• The Mistress of Husaby
•••• The Cross
• Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
• Chronicles of Wasted Time by Malcolm Muggeridge
••••• Dakota by Kathleen Norris
••• Mr Ives’ Christmas by Oscar Hijuelos (review pending)
That means I’ve crossed 11 lines off that long list, which is a larger dent than I made the previous year. Hopefully, though, 2009′s impression will be greater. The count is 11 because the list combines some series into one item on the list. I’ve indicated my favorites from among this list by the increased number of bullets aside the titles.
Books I loved (in no particular order):
• The Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy by Sigrid Undset
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
• Dakota by Kathleen Norris
• Illuminated by Matt Bronleewe
• Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Series started:
• The Mitford Years by Jan Karon
• Harry Potter by JK Rowling (finished)
• Smart Chick Mystery series by Mindy Starns Clark (finished)
• The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
• The Sunday Philosophy Club/Isabel Dalhousie Mysteries by Alexander McCall Smith
• Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
• Boo series by Rene Gutteridge
• Occupational Hazards series by Rene Gutteridge
OK, actually, there are more than this, but I’m tired of thinking of them all. I’m just going to leave this here.
I started 2008 determined to review each book I read. This was done at least in part as a way to be able to keep track of all I’ve read (something I’ve attempted to do many, many years but never succeeded.) I discovered YA lit for the first time as an adult this year. I’ve decided I do like some nonfiction. I’ve been motivated to read more new books, as well as focusing on a few specific areas of literature.
My reviews have become more intentional (and hopefully better!) over the course of 2008, as well.
Looking forward, I talked about where I am goal-wise in this post.
(Thanks to BookBabie for compiling a long list of best of 2008 lists.)
Bookish Types Authors Publishing Fibery Goodness Fam and Friends
