We picked Patti Smith: 1969-1976 right after Michelle moved back home because it looked fun and interesting and Michelle was in need of fun and interesting. So was I, for that matter. And it was. The pictures were fabulous and the essays at the end of the book, by the photographer, Judy Linn and by Patti Smith made it even more interesting. I had to look at the photos again after I read the essays.
Patti Smith: 1969-1976 Read More »
I like Alice Walker. I like chickens. Or actually, I think I have learned that I like the idea of Alice Walker and the idea of Chickens. There’s a slight difference and I think it took Walker’s The Chicken Chronicles for me to learn it.
I’ve always been a fan of Walker’s writing but while reading her books or poems, I always find myself troubled by something. Some niggling little something that I shush away because I LIKE ALICE WALKER.
I’ve always been a fan of chickens and I’ve told TW and those kids who want chickens that someday we could have them. But some niggling something about that troubled me. But, I shushed that away too because I LIKE CHICKENS.
So reading The Chicken Chronicles, I have finally decided to those niggling little feelings that something’s not quite right or not quite as wonderful as I might wish. I no longer want chickens. I’d like to visit them. I’d like to babysit a few for awhile. But I don’t think I really want to own them. I’d get attached. They’re messy. No. I’ve decided I don’t really want chickens.
I’ve also decided what it is that has troubled me about Walker – I still like her writing. I still admire her as a woman. I’ll keep reading what she writes. But I don’t think I’ll be overlooking the little things about her that do truly bug me. Like calling herself mommy while writing letters to chickens. That’s totally an Alice Walker thing and that’s fine, it’s who she is. Great. But I don’t really like it. I don’t feel it. I’m not that kind of woman. I’m ok with her being the kind of woman who writes that way, I just don’t have to pretend I like it.
Other than that, The Chicken Chronicles was interesting. I liked it – overlooking the mommy stuff, of course. I liked the idea of her writing to chickens. I like her honesty when it comes to learning how to live with the chickens, how to take care of them, how she didn’t always do the best job or take the best care because she didn’t know. Didn’t understand. Had to learn. That’s really what I like about Walker, that’s what always keeps me overlooking the little things that really bug me about her work. Underneath it all – she’s real and she’s honest and there’s not enough of that in the world.
And I’ve re-subscribed to her blog because I liked the book enough to want to keep reading more of Walker’s letters to her chickens. Check it out at Alice Walker’s Garden. (Thank goodness Agnes of God is ok… the most recent entry scared the holy hell out of me. Not Agnes of God!… )
The Chicken Chronicles Read More »
I picked up House Arrest because of the title/cover combination. It ended up being not quite what I expected, but that’s not necessarily bad. It was interesting and I enjoyed it – particularly once all of the characters were introduced.
Chad. Gina. -> both storylines/characters felt not quite right, or like there was more there but the more was cut out.
Cults, social justice, medical ethics, computer ethics, parenting, relationships. All in all, nicely done.
Nice, tidy wrapped up ending.
I downloaded Ink Flamingos to my Kindle app, which annoyed TW since she does not like e-books but she does like the Tattoo Shop Mysteries. I couldn’t help it, I really wanted to read it and I think it would be a good book to read in airports and on planes, which it sort of was – I read about half of it during the trip to/from BlogHer 11 (and that’s pretty much the only thing I read for an entire week!)
I really like The Tattoo Shop Mysteries and I mostly like Brett but sometimes I just want to kick her. She’s so awesome and then she does something really stupid – like drink absinthe with a guy she doesn’t even like. What would lead her to make such a stupid mistake? She’s not a stupid woman. Whatever. I got passed that and appreciated the role the flamingo tattoo played in the mystery.
Hmm. Maybe that’s the tattoo I should get… a flamingo, just like Dee’s.
It took me WEEKS to finish Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution and it really shouldn’t have. Not with all of the discussions we’ve had this year about this particular era. Or maybe that was part of the problem? I kept hearing Elly talking about Marat and Charlotte Corday and “Let them eat cake” and all of that nonsense, so I was too distracted to read Moran’s version of the events? Nah, that’s not it. That should have made it more fun. I think it was just timing. Timing can be everything with a book like this and I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that I cannot read just prior, during, or immediately following a BlogHer conference. I’m going to just stop trying.
So – Madame Tussaud, kind of loved it. I think I’d like a sequel. Or I think I’d have liked to have had the book stop with the hanging of Robespierre and begin the sequel there. That would have been excellent. Unfortunately that didn’t happen and after the reign of terror, we’re just kind of dumped into the ending. Marie survives reign of terror. Marries asshole. Has three children. Leaves asshole. Goes to England. Does stuff. The end. All in one quick ending.
Poof. After all of that… I wanted more story and less wrapping up. (Oh. I just looked at some reviews of Moran’s books and this is her pattern – and some people who aren’t me also find this troubling. Good, I thought it was just me.)
Otherwise – pretty darn good book, particularly if you have an interest in the Reign of Terror or Madame Tussauds.
After reading The Beach Trees for the BlogHer Book Club, I decided I needed to read some more books by Karen White – The Memory of Water was the only one I had a chance to read before TW took the others back and it was excellent.
I’m normally a little skittish about books set in Charleston or even around Charleston but this one, set in McClellenville was just right. It made me homesick, as any book about the Lowcountry should. The ending made me a little sad but I think it was the right ending for such a traumatic story.
The Memory of Water Read More »
TW said Cleaning Nabokov’s House wasn’t very good. I ignored her and started reading it anyway and immediately liked it – depressing though it was in the beginning. I’d like a sequel but I guess that won’t happen. I’d like to know what happens to the kids – and the dogs.
I would also like to read a book about Babe Ruth written by Nabokov. What WOULD that be like?
Cleaning Nabokov’s House Read More »
Way back at the very beginning of the year, Sassymonkey asked what everyone was reading. Someone mentioned Little Bee and since I’d been seeing a lot of buzz (hah!) about the book, I decided to go ahead and add it to my reserve list.
The book arrived and I didn’t read it and I didn’t read it and I didn’t read it. It’s due back soon so I figured what the heck, I’d give it a try.
And I could not put it down.
It’s a hard book to talk about because I don’t want to give it away. You just need to read it for yourself.
A woman and a girl meet on a beach in Nigeria… and this is their story. Dual narrators – done beautifully.
I’m on a roll here, aren’t I? Another book I wanted to love but just didn’t, though I think for significantly different reasons.
Have you read Getting to Happy, Terry McMillan’s sequel to Waiting to Exhale? I read it for the BlogHer Book Club and wish I had liked it better.
Getting to Happy – Another Book I Did Not Love Read More »
Sigh.
I didn’t hate it. Really, I didn’t.
The problem is that I didn’t love it. And I really, really wanted to love it.
The Little Women Letters had so many things going for it – I should have loved it. A feminist mom who does a good bit of patriarchy blaming. Interesting sisters. The “March girls’” letters. I could go on, you get the point.
So many things I should have loved but I just didn’t.
Yes, I did chuckle in places – which TW took as a good sign.
I did smile on numerous occasions. And I did even sigh at the end, cheesy as it was.
But no, I did not love it. Something was missing. I don’t know what it was but something. Something important.
Have you read it? Did you love it or did it let you down?
The Little Women Letters Read More »