1986 | Poetry, historical fiction (The Children’s Blizzard, January 12, 1888)
I picked this up at Bluestem a few weeks ago, and a post reminded me of the anniversary of the blizzard (137 years), so I ended up reading it on that day. Having grown up in Nebraska, I have been fascinated and haunted by the stories of the devastating blizzard. These poems were, with one exception, stories I had not heard before, and I really enjoyed reading them.
I do love a good heist story. And this cast of characters was really fun. I don’t love that it ended on a cliffhanger because by the end of the book I felt like I needed a bit of a break from the genre–nothing bad, just need a breath after 450+ pages.
2013 | Mystery/thriller (but very much character-driven and not at all plot-driven)
This book is set in Red Hook, Brooklyn, just as it was beginning to be gentrified, and has such a strong sense of place–the neighborhood feels like a character itself. The large cast of characters reminded me of a James McBride book (a good thing). Though the premise seems like this will be a thriller (two fifteen-year-old girls take a raft out on the river, only one returns), it’s much slower-paced than a proper thriller (an interesting and good thing), and even the mystery takes a backseat to the character development.
1905 | Historical fiction (French Revolution), classics
January bookclub pick
This was my second time reading this, and I liked it again, but not quite as much as the first time I read it (several years ago). Baroness Orczy is aggressively pro-aristocracy, and it’s a bit much at times. Setting aside actual politics and going along with the which-is-which of good guys/bad guys within the story as it is written, I do love stories of tricksters outsmarting their opponents. My husband learned that the Scarlet Pimpernel is widely considered the first costumed superhero, which is an interesting way to read this one. I also learned that it was originally written as a play, and that tracks.
I absolutely loved this one. I found myself processing long after, as if Sybil were someone I had actually known. Also, it made me want to write letters. A new favorite.
A bit more than a week into thinking about a longer-term reading project, I have thoughts.
What is working: I have started both War and Peace (first time) and The Brothers Karamozov (again!), reading at the pace of one chapter a day. W&P is 361 chapters, and TBK is 96 chapters (in the edition I’m reading). I am loving them both at this pace–just enough that I’m not forgetting day-to-day what is happening and also leaves me wanting a little more without getting overwhelmed.
I’ve been thinking for a while about starting another long-term reading project. I know about myself that I don’t necessarily need to complete a reading project to enjoy it, but I like the idea of planning it out and following as long as it remains enjoyable.
As an example of what I mean, here’s a list of reading projects I’ve had going in the past (I doubt this is a complete list):
Today I had an appetizer that I wanted to add to my Favorite Appetizers in Lincoln list. Up to now, that list has lived exclusively in my head. but now I’m giving it a place on the blog.
Beet Fries at Piedmont Bistro Togarashi seasoning / kewpie mayo / chili apricot sauce / cilantro oil
Chicken Tempura at The Blue Orchid Tempura-battered chicken sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.
This book is different than I remembered–more strangely written and more sinister. It feels like a good October read, but I’m not loving it as much as I did the first time through.
A confession of sin:
Father, you tell us in your Word that whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. We confess that we have frequently relaxed our faith. We have allowed ourselves to become cynical, and our cynicism has boiled over with slander, criticism, prayerlessness, and pessimism. How easily we’ve allowed ourselves to crumple under the stresses of our lives. Forgive us for our smallness of faith. In your mercy, hear us, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
— from The Worship Sourcebook
Flowers from a dear friend’s garden this morning. Beauty is a balm.
A prayer for one of my kids after a hard first day of school:
But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. Psalm 3:3
Yesterday I finished King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby. Each time I talk about this book, I reflexively do a long blink, take a deep breath in, and say, “It was dark” on the exhale. I mean, wow.
Although the first one I read, Blacktop Wasteland, is still my favorite, Cosby’s books have become an automatic read for me. His books are violent and gritty, and even so, I just really like his writing; I consistently want to keep reading. I love it when the writing or the plot is compelling enough to override the aspects of a story that usually would be a pass for me (e.g., violence, drugs, characters that stress me out).
Our contestants have no idea what game it is they’re about to play. The only way to learn is by playing, the only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning. So without further ado, let’s begin.
–intro to Game Changer and the description that keeps coming to mind as I got this bee in my bonnet to blog again
