I'd planned to try to jump back into the blogging world today with some mini book babble and whatnot, but life (or at least this damn virus, which technically isn't living) had other plans. I seem to have gotten the flu. :( I honestly can't remember the last time I actually had the flu...but I'm pretty sure that's what this is...fever of over 102, alternating between uncontrollable shivering and being thoroughly drenched in sweat, feeling as if my body was hit by an eighteen-wheeler and one of those wheels is still resting squarely atop my head, wheezing that reminds me of Annie in the midst of an asthma attack. Put simply, I feel like crap. But as mothers everywhere know, there's no such thing as a "sick day." Just figures that the boys don't have school today and tomorrow, huh?
Okay, okay...enough bitching and whining. Brain is not up to thinking. But hopefully I can handle uploading a few pictures from our long holiday weekend. It was a bit subdued this year...missing a dear friend and worrying about another...but we still managed to have a lot of family fun.
Cooking, and crafting, and wrapping. Oh my. (Started making Christmas cards, but yikes, I've got a long way to go. And I got my Book Blogger Holiday Swap gifts wrapped and ready to mail, but I'm thinking a trip to the post office is not going to happen for me today.)
The trees, big and small, went up. (The kids each have their own small tree in their bedrooms.)
Oh, how I love that sweet, angelic face to the right...despite the fact that "angelic" is quite misleading. ;)
And to this mom's eyes, this girl's beauty far outshines the tree itself.
Our "big" tree is decorated solely in ornaments made by family and friends. :D It's such fun chatting every year about who made each one. Even the pipe cleaner garland was created by Gray a few years back. And which I have to admit I thoroughly love...and not just because I adore its creator.
And tree decorating wouldn't be tree decorating without eggnog and Christmas music.
Baker singing along. This dog freakin' loves Christmas! (Especially opening presents.)
But he's not the only one who has been caught under the tree.
The cats, thus far, have stayed out of the tree. However, thanks to Lucky, we have had our first holiday mishap of the year, as evidenced in the before and after shots above.
And I managed to get a lot of other decorating done, too. Though I'm far from finished.
I just don't have it in me today to write the words that deserve to be written about you, Dewey. I guess I'll never have the words. And that's not simply because my talents don't fall under the heading of eloquence. It's because you were both larger than life, and so very down-to-earth and human all at the same time. You were a sort of glue that held this community together. But not just any old glue...no, it was like the magical fairy dust version or something. :) Because you were such an incredible classy person. Nothing about the love of books was ever a competition for you. Nothing about blogging was ever about popularity for you. Things have changed since you died. And of course, change is the stuff of life. But I don't like so many of these changes, Dewey. And fair or not, I can't help but think how things might be different today in the blogging world if you were still here.
And honestly, as much as all that crap eats at me, it doesn't compare to the incredible void that stills haunts me because my friend Dewey is gone. I miss you so fucking much that sometimes I just can't stand it. I miss our e-mail chats. I miss your advice. I miss every damn thing about you. I'm so grateful to have Ana and Eva and Chris in my life. People who love you and miss you as much as I do. Friends that don't tire of sharing "Dewey stories." You're still such a part of our daily lives. I couldn't begin to count the amount of times we've said, "Oooh, I'd love to hear Dewey respond to that" (because we could always count on you for your incredibly intelligent and sarcastic insights) or how many times we've said, "I remember what Dewey said about that book" or how many times we've said, "Oh, how I wish Dewey had had the chance to read this book."
You know, I don't believe that you can actually hear me. And I know that you didn't believe it either. And yet somehow, I can't stop talking to you. And you know, I know you wouldn't even make fun of me for it. Well, if you did, it would only be with kindness and friendship behind it. ;)
The basic idea of this challenge is to read books about GLBT topics and/or by GLBT authors.
The challenge runs year-round, and there will be three levels of participation:
Lambda Level: Read 4 books.
Pink Triangle Level: Read 8 books.
Rainbow Level: Read 12 or more books.
You don't need to choose your books right away, and they can change at any time. Overlaps with other challenges are fine.
I'm going to shoot for the Rainbow Level. Since I am trying to cut down on the number of challenges I'm joining for next year, it leaves me room to go hog-wild with the challenges I really love, right? Yeah, in theory anyway.
Okay, since I cannot stand being beholden to a specific list of books to read, I'm just going to make a large, lovely pile of choices to choose from.
Ones I already own:
*Define "Normal" by Julie Anne Peters
*Girl Goddess #9 by Francesca Lia Block
*The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson
*Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
*Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
*Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
*Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
*Freak Show by James St. James
*Among Other Things, I've Taken Up Smoking by Aoibheann Sweeney
*Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger
*Orlando by Virginia Woolf
*Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
*The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Ones I'm hoping the library has, or I may break down and buy:
*Wide Awake by David Levithan
*Hero by Perry Moore (thanks to Ana)
*The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson
*grl2grl by Julie Anne Peters
*Luna by Julie Anne Peters
*Between Mom and Jo by Julie Anne Peters (thanks to Amanda)
*The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
*any Mary Oliver I haven't read (or even books I have read :D
*The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed by Judy Shepard
*Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith (thanks to Ana)
*Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers by Lillian Faderman (thanks to Eva)
*My Heartbeat by Garret Freymann-Weyr (thanks to Amanda)
Ones I can't resist from other people's lists (to be added to liberally, I'm sure):
*Seeking Sara Summers by Susan Gabriel (from Amanda)
*Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne (from Amanda)
*****
Yes, I know, I'm supposed to be selective here when it comes to these reading challenges, but I swear, I am...this is just one I really want to do. Along with Women Unbound. And probably the Science Challenge if it's around again next year. And the World Citizen Challenge, if Eva hosts it again. And the Non-Fiction Five. And Becky's End of the World Challenge. And of course, Carl's Sci-Fi Experience, Once Upon a Time, and RIP. And some of the perpetual ones I've signed up for, like the Printz Project. I know, I know...that still sounds like a lot, but compared to the past couple years, it's not so bad at all. ;)
*****
*sigh* I'm still fighting with Google Reader. Nothing I've tried seems to work. After fighting with it yet again this morning, I finally got it to let me "mark all as read"...I'm hoping clearing it out will somehow do something. Yeah, I know, that seems mighty unlikely, but I'm desperate here. :(
Anyway, I figured it was a good time for a "marked as read" click anyway. I'm going to take a few weeks off from blogging here. I'm just so swamped right now. Hoping in a couple weeks, I'll have my act a bit more together and can come back full of vim and vigor and ready to celebrate the holidays with all of you!!!! :D
Hope you all have wonderful November! And Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who will be celebrating! As for what I'm thankful for...all my incredibly wonderful blogging friends!!!!
Max just came and asked me, "Mom, what's it called when you can see through things?"
I answered, "I'm not sure--do you mean x-ray vision?"
Excitedly, he answered, "Yeah, that's it. Thanks Mom!" And ran right out of the room.
My curiousity peaked, I followed, and found he was working on his Christmas wish list.
Santa didn't come through last year when Max asked for lasers that shoot out of one's eyes. But that doesn't seem to have dashed his hopes for a superpower Christmas this year.
Before I hand out the first points of this latest round, I've got a quick question--has anyone else been having trouble with their Google Reader lately??? It's been driving me crazy! It will show me that there are updates, but won't actually let me see them or let me click over to the blog. If I shut down Firefox and restart it will let me read one, maybe two, blogs before it starts acting up again. Sorry to bug you all with my computer-ignorance, but the whole process of constantly having to restart my browser is taking up way too much of my severely limited blog reading time...and that is making me very sad, as I haven't had time to catch up with most people for such a long time as it is.
I'd actually like to spend these few minutes blog reading instead of posting, but as it is my goal to get our bedroom, the boys' bedroom, and Annie's bedroom super-cleaned this week so I can start Christmas decorating, I need to pass out the blame for these books so I can put them away and not have them sitting here on the desk.
Okay, here's the books that have entered my home during the last few weeks:
*The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. No blame here. I got it from PaperbackSwap because Annie and I are going to be reading as part of our history through literature unit.
*The Wild Things by Dave Eggers. Now despite the fact that this was a special, out-of-blue gift from my dear, wonderful friend Chris, I'm still going to saddle him with a point. Sorry, Chris! :) But it immediately went to the top tier wish list when you started telling me about how special this book was. So, had he not so very sweetly bought it for me, I would have bought it myself.
*The Cactus Eaters by Dan White. Another point I feel sort of bad shouldering a friend with, as I won it from her. Heehee--Megan, I'm sorry, but really I don't feel all that bad. ;) This is because I've had this book on my wish list ever since I read her review months and months ago.
*The Professor's Daughter by Joann Sfar & Emmanuel Guibert. Point for Amanda. I immediately went to our library's website and requested it, because Amanda's review left me so intrigued.
*Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. Luckily, I have a husband who likes to spoil me. He ordered this for me, after I heard an interview with Foer on NPR. I obviously wasn't very good (not that I tried to be ;) ) at hiding the fact that I desperately wanted this book. Guess a book buying ban isn't such a hard thing to handle when you've got a husband who breaks it for you. Anyway, point for NPR.
OMG. Can you believe it?!! No points for Nymeth!!! Or Eva!!! Something is obviously afoul in the universe...
*****
Oh, and one more thing I wanted to mention. I've given up on this year's reading challenges. I just couldn't even keep up with keeping track of what I'd read for what. Yeah, I'd joined far too many challenges, huh?
I am going to start over again next year. And be far more selective in what I join...so that I hopefully have a better chance of completing them. And that I definitely have a better chance of keeping track of them. ;)
I feel like I shall never catch up. *sigh* I kept track--77 hours on homeschool stuff this past week. And of course, there's still three sweet munchkins that need me for all the normal things unrelated to school. Not to mention laundry and cooking and cleaning. Oops--scrap cleaning...I didn't really do any of that. ;) I know, I know...what a whiner I am!!!! And I hate being this way. I really do. After all, who isn't busy?!! We're all busy. All the time. So why I am feeling so utterly depressed and out of sorts these days is beyond me. And I apologize for all the bitching and complaining.
Anyway, I figured if I didn't soon do a bit of book babbling, I'd never get around to it. So, the quick, itty bitty version:
Where the Wild Things Were by William Stolzenburg.
There are so many issues in this world to care about, so many things that deserve our attention. So many things that literally cause me to lose sleep at night as I tumble them around in my head. But for me, the loss of biodiversity stands near the top of the list. And because of this, I want to thank William Stolzenburg for writing this book, a book that captures a piece of the story of biodiversity. I already had a halfway decent understanding of ecology and already understood the concept of trophic cascade. I already knew about many of the examples Stolzenburg discussed in this book, and yet I still found this book so very worthwhile. It was engaging, and it was heartbreaking.
Why do we need these predators we've historically been so eager to eradicate? The answers go so much deeper than many people realize, or care to admit. Honestly, I wish everyone would read this book. Everyone.
Monsters are Afraid of the Moon by Marjane Satrapi.
Okay, as silly as it sounds, this book sort of relates to the one above. It's the story of a little girl who "changes nature" by stealing the moon to scare away monsters in her room and the catastrophic consequences that occur. It is such a cute little picture book! Here's what Max had to say:
Me: Verdict? Did you like the book?
Max: Yes.
Me: Care to elaborate? What did you like most?
Max: Cats! And monsters.
Me: And monsters are good?
Max: Well, I like monsters.
Me: Did you like everything about the book?
Max: NO!!! I didn't like it when the cats got hurt! Or that the rats took over the town. I wish the cats had taken over the town instead!
Me: Anything else you want to say about the book?
Max: I like the pictures! And the Cat King.
Green Angel by Alice Hoffman.
Been weeks since I read this (back during the read-a-thon), but it has stuck with me. I absolutely adored this book. Everything about it. It had a very fairy tale quality about it (well, I thought so anyway). It was dark and sad and unsettling. And it was beautiful and hopeful and human. It is the story of a somewhat introverted, somewhat solitary teenage girl who looses all she ever knew and loved in the world. It's the story of how she tries to lose herself as well, but finds that she has more strength and courage and life within her than she ever could have imagined.
Really, I loved this little book so much that I'm already eager to read it again.
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott.
Whew. This one is about as far from a "happy" book as you can get. If I had to choose one word, it would have to be "disturbing." But please don't think that I'm equating that with a judgment call of bad or good...I'm not. To be perfectly honest, I can't even decide if I liked it. I thought that maybe time would help me sort it out, but I read it back during the read-a-thon, which was weeks ago, and I still haven't got a handle on my feelings. I can say this without question--it was compelling! It most definitely kept me turning the pages. And a different ending (while I really "wanted" it to end differently!) would have ruined it entirely. I think the ending was the only realistic ending possible. Actually, I guess there's another ending that would have worked, but it would have been even more depressing. Gee. I'm oh-so-helpful, huh?
Anyway, I am definitely not one to keep Annie from reading books she wants to read. And I wouldn't stop her from reading this one either. But honestly, I won't recommend it to her. I know it would upset her. And while I sometimes "assign" her books for school that I know will upset her, there's always a reason or something to be gained from it. With this book, I'm just not sure what that might be.
*****
Well, crap. I've been trying to get this post finished for the past two days. I still haven't caught up on my book babbling. And I still have a bit of blame to dole out. But I fear if I don't just post this, it may never get done. But we'll just try another post later, I suppose.
...missing all my wonderful friends immensely, and hoping you'll all remember me when life calms down enough to start blogging again.
...inundated in homeschool prep. Completely buried.
...elated over finishing quarter one's progress report (homeschool paperwork). And a day early at that. And grateful that Rich has volunteered to deliver it to district office tomorrow.
...making numerous lists of holiday prep work to be done. So many lists.
...pleased with the few gifts I've managed to get made so far.
...annoyed that just after I finished up with all my dental work, my front tooth chipped. Pretty big, jagged chip. Boys told me it looks like "an ugly old witch's tooth"...gee, thanks guys. ;)
...missing you all so very much. Yeah, I know I said that already. But it's just oh-so-true. And has me feeling oh-so-sad.
...hoping life is treating you all wonderfully!!!!
We were supposed to have our first family book club meeting last week...but well, last week turned out to just be way too busy. (Lucky for our reluctant reader, as he hadn't finished his book yet.) So, tonight was the night. We headed out to Great Northern Pizza Kitchen. And while I brought the computer to tape a vlog of our interviews, I, uh, well, I couldn't remember how to work the video. So, Rich and I took turns trying to type our conversation. Frankly, written out like this, it seems pretty darn boring. So seriously, feel free to skip it. At the bottom is a horrendously embarrassing vlog of us, which we made when we got home and I had relearned how to do it. It announces our picks for next months family book club (and lets the world see what a total idiot I married ;) and how idiotically I tend to giggle and how red my face gets when I'm nervous). Again, feel free to skip it. In fact, I highly encourage skipping it.
***** Rich chose Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling for Gray.
Rich: Who was your favorite character?
Gray: Hagrid.
Rich: What did you like about him?
Gray: He's funny. And he did something illegal.
Rich: What about what he did to Dudley?
Gray: You mean putting the pig tail on him? Yeah, that was funny. But I liked that he had a dragon.
Rich: Was there anything scary in the book?
Gray: No.
Rich: Not even the face on the back of the head?
Gray: No. That was funny.
Rich: Did you like when Ron had to play wizard chess?
Gray: Yes, because Ron blew up.
Rich: Would you like to read any more of the Harry Potter books?
Gray: No.
Rich: Why?!!
Gray: I don't want to read anything. (Gray is in a very crabby mood this evening.)
Gray chose Space Chimps: Mission to Malgor for Max.
Gray: Was your favorite character Ham III?
Max: No--Titan.
Gray: Why?
Max: Because he went flying on the treadmill. I want to have a treadmill so I can go flying.
Gray: I want to go flying, too. Who was your least favorite character?
Max: Guess.
Gray: Luna.
Annie: Why? Because she's a girl?
Max: No. Because she's not as funny as the other ones.
Debi: Is she the smart one?
Gray: Yes. My favorite character is Ham III, because he's the funniest. Did you like the book, Max?
Max: *shakes head yes*
Gray: Then how come you never wanted to read it?
Max: Because I always wanted to do other things.
Max chose The Warriors Graystripe's Adventure series of graphic novels by Erin Hunter.
Max: Who was your favorite character?
Annie: I liked Millie because she was really practical, and she took care of Graystripe when he was hurt. Plus she could really stick up for herself in a fight.
Max: Which of the three books was your favorite?
Annie: I liked the second, Warrior's Refuge, the best. It had the most interesting plot line, and it really kept me reading.
Debi: Do the graphic novels mirror the novels?
Annie: No, they tell different stories.
Max: Who was your favorite leader?
Annie: Well, they weren't really mentioned until the end.
Max: What was your favorite part of the series?
Annie: In the second book, when Millie and Graystripe taught the humans and the dogs to coexist with the barn cats.
Max: Did you like the books?
Annie: Yes, I really did enjoy them, Max.
Annie chose Dramacon Ultimate Edition by Svetlana Chmakova for Debi.
Annie: Did you enjoy these books?
Debi: Actually I enjoyed them quite a lot. It surprised me how much I liked them.
Annie: So you didn't think you were going to like them much?
Debi: No, I just didn't think I would like them as much as I did...romance just isn't my thing, you know.
Annie: Who was your favorite character?
Debi: Probably Cristi. I also liked Beth.
Annie: Why did you like Christi?
Debi: She was sweet...a little naive...talented...genuinely a nice person. What did you like about her Annie?
Annie: That's pretty much why I liked her, too. Why did you like Beth?
Debi: She reminded me a little bit of me, except I'm not talented like her...she was super talented. But she tended to put other people's needs in front of her own. She was a people pleaser. Actually, I think that came out wrong...that's not so much why I liked her, but more about how much I related to her. And it made me all the more happy for the way her story turned out.
Annie: Did you like Emily?
Debi: No...
Annie: Was there anyone's personality that you didn't like?
Debi: Derek. Not much to like about a rapist.
Annie: Which of the three books was your favorite?
Debi: I'm not sure which of the books...but the story line with Beth and her Mom was one of my favorite parts of all.
Annie: What did you think of the scene with the scene with the confrontation between the kid and Lida?
Debi: I found that pretty interesting...I don't know how to say this...that kind of snobbery when it comes to books drives me crazy. He made it even worse by turning it into this racist thing.
Debi chose The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness for Rich.
Debi: Okay, one word.
Rich: Intense.
Debi: Yep. That's the perfect word. Are you glad I chose this for you?
Rich: Yeah, I enjoyed it. Definitely different than any book I've ever read. And it kept me awake for the read-a-thon.
Debi: Will you be reading the sequels?
Rich: Yeah, I think so. It's the kind of book that makes you want to go out and buy the sequel on the first day it comes out.
Gray: Did you have a favorite character?
Rich: Ben. And Manchee. He was such a good dog.
Debi: He reminded me so much of Bake. Well, the way Bake is with you anyway. So how many times were you surprised, or caught off guard, during this book?
Rich: Too many times to count.
Debi: Aside from "the" scene that rips your heart out, were there any others that really, really stand out? That are vividly etched in your mind?
Rich: Yeah, the end. And the one with Todd and the Spackle.
Debi: What about the noise?
Rich: That whole concept is just crazy, you know. Kind of bizarre. Like your worst nightmare, having your thoughts being transmitted.
Debi: To me, the thought of having to listening to everyone else's thoughts was far worse than having anyone be able to read mine. Just all that noise...I seriously was almost sick just reading about it.
Rich: Yeah, it reminded me of Musicophilia. There are people who hear loud music in their head ALL the time.
Debi: So, are you going to trust me if I should get your name again?
Rich: Sure. You didn't lead me astray this time. I loved the book you picked for me.
*****
(Sorry, the video is cut off again, you actually can see poor Annie if you click and watch it on youtube instead.)
New picks:
--Gray got Max again, and is giving him: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.
--Debi got Annie, and is giving her: Looking for Alaska by John Green.
--Rich got Gray again, and is giving him: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling.
--Annie got Debi again, and is giving her: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman.
--Max got Rich, and is giving him: Space Chimps: Mission to Malgor.
Me: How spooky would you say it was? Too spooky? Not enough spooky? Or just right spooky?
Gray: Just right spooky. Too spooky equals scary. And scary gives me bad dreams.
(I personally have to agree with Gray. It really is "just right spooky"! Actually, I was afraid at times it might be too much for them, but they loved every second of it.)
The Figure in the Shadows.
Me: Verdict? Was this one as good as the first one?
Max: They were almost the same good.
Gray: I liked The House With the Clock in Its Walls more. But that was a really hard decision, because they were both really good.
Me: I liked this one, too, but for me I definitely liked the first one better. So, who's your favorite character?
Max and Gray, enthusiastically and in unison: Uncle Jonathan!
Max: No, wait. I liked the ghost in the last one.
Me: You did, huh? Would you like him so much if you had to meet him?
Max: No!
Me: So why Uncle Jonathan?
Max and Gray, again in unison: He's so funny!
Gray: Yeah, and it doesn't hurt that he's a wizard.
Me: Yeah, that is a bonus, isn't it? My favorite character is Mrs. Zimmerman. She's a spunky one. And she's always bringing everyone homemade chocolate chip cookies.
Max: Can you make some chocolate chip cookies?
Me: Hmmm...I sort brought that one on myself, didn't I?
Max and Gray: *grin*
The Letter, The Witch, and the Ring
Me: Okay guys, for me, this one was by far my favorite!!! What about for you?
Gray: Tie. This one and the first one.
Max: Mostly the first.
Me: This book had some pretty scary moments, but there were also some times when you two monkeys were giggling away. What made you laugh in this book?
Gray: Gert Bigger!
Max: The chicken! (We can't discuss this avenue any further for fear of spoilers.)
Me: Gert Bigger was a mean old bag, wasn't she? But sometimes you did just have to laugh at her. What parts did you think were the scariest?
Gray: Gert Bigger!
*****
Okay, so we didn't give you much of a review here. ;) But let me just say how much all of us enjoyed these three books. They were perfectly wonderful!!! Definitely a bit scary (especially the last one, in my opinion). At times humorous. With a bit of an old-fashioned feel (and I mean that in the very best of ways). Filled with wonderful characters, all of whom are slight misfits...the adults (Uncle Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman) content and truly happy in their oddity, while the children (Lewis and Rose Rita) struggle a bit with not fitting in. Truly, I love them all.
And you know what, it might sound silly, but I really think that The Letter, The Witch, and The Ring is a great book for the Women Unbound reading challenge. :D This book focuses mainly on Mrs. Zimmerman, a wonderful role model, and Rose Rita, a girl just reaching those teen years, struggling because she doesn't feel she fits in. She'd rather play baseball than date the baseball players. But she learns her inner strength, and becomes a bit more confident and trusting in who she really is. Yep, I love both these ladies!
This was a total impulse pick up at the library a couple weeks ago. Had never heard of it and didn't know what to expect from it. But it turns out that Nymeth bought this book at about the exact same time as I stumbled across it in the library...so if I hadn't stumbled upon it on my own, it soon would have made my wish list...that's just what happens nearly every single time Ana reviews a book! ;)
Anyway, I read Jar of Fools during the read-a-thon. And as I told Ana, I honestly couldn't figure out if I even liked it or not as I was reading along. At least not at first. But it wasn't really that I was actively disliking the book either. Yeah, I know, I'm totally not making myself clear here, and I apologize. See, it's not a happy book. But you know, I usually don't mind a sad book. In fact, I usually love sad books...when there's a glimmer of hope mixed in somewhere. And I think at first, I wasn't catching any glimmers here.
It's the story of Ernie Weiss, a down-on-his-luck, stage magician. He is haunted by the death of his brother. Ernie wants to understand his brother's death...in fact, this overpowering need to understand really sits at the root of the disintegration of all the other pieces of his life, from his career to his relationship with his girlfriend. And all the people that touch Ernie's life have problems of their own...from his ex-girlfriend, Esther, who struggles with their break-up as much as Ernie himself does...to his escaped-from-the-nursing-home mentor, Al, who is facing a life slipping further into senility...to a con man, Nathan, who sticks to this life of petty crime to provide for his daughter. For a short time, this sad little crew form a sort of a family.
Okay, so I said that at first I couldn't figure out if I liked this book. By the end of it, however, I knew. I knew I loved it. Yes, there were eventually a few of those glimmers of hope. But ultimately, I'd have to say that it remained a very sad book. A book about these very human people, people with flaws, people who hurt, people who love.
I wish I was better able to tell you about this book; I feel like I'm stumbling all over my words here. But I do feel better knowing that Ana will surely be reviewing it soon, and then you all will be able to get a better feel for what a wonderful book this is. Edited to add: Ana posted her totally fabulous, and much more insightful, review today, too. :D
Watched:
On TV:
*Project Runway
--"The Sky is the Limit"
--"A Fashionable New Beginning"
--"Sequins, Feathers, and Fur, Oh My!"
--"Around the World in Two Days"
--"The Best of the Best"
*Penn-State/Illinois game
*House
--"The Tyrant"
--"Instant Karma"
*Criminal Minds
--"Reckoner"
--"Hopeless"
--"Cradle to Grave"
On DVD/Video:
*The Two Towers
*Rothko's Rooms
*Return of the King
Guess what time it is...yep, time to go get yourself signed up for the Holiday Swap!!!! It's hard to believe how quickly the holidays are coming, isn't it? But coming they are...so don't delay...sign-ups end November 12th.
Many thanks to Nymeth for bringing us this fun-filled event for the third year running!
Btw, is that button not just the cutest thing imaginable?!!
*****
And speaking of the delightful Nymeth, guess who won round three of the Blame Game. :D She seems to be unbeatable, doesn't she? But I must say that Chris certainly gave her a run for the money this round. And I'm afraid if I ever cut loose and throw this book buying ban out the window for a day, Eva will be in big trouble.
Anyway, I sent you an e-mail, Ana...when you get a chance, let me know how you'd like your punishment dished out. ;)
Blame Game 4 starts immediately, and will last through January 31st.
