links for 2008-02-08 Read More »
It was bound to happen, I should not be surprised. I should have known it was going to happen when my library did not have Darkmans even though it made the Booker short list. I should have known it was going to be like this when the thing came really quickly – all the way from Alabama via ILL. I should have known.
Darkmans. Sucks.
I tried, I swear I did. I get that it’s supposed to be weird and quirky and Gravity’s Rainbow-like (which in case you don’t remember, I never finished either because GR sucked the life out of me after 100 pages.) It’s far easier to read than Gravity’s Rainbow and for that reason alone, I attempted to stick with it. But as I started Part 2 I started thinking about just how old I am (Michelle will be 18 tomorrow, which makes me much older than dirt) and just how many books are on the shelf that I’m aching to read and the fact that I dislike every single character in the book – except maybe the lurchers (aka dogs).
So. I closed Darkmans. Gave it a little sigh. Put it back in the library bag. Today I’ll send it back home to Alabama. (I’d like to meet someone from Alabama who likes this book… I can’t see it.)
I have one more book two more books to read from last year’s Booker short list… and one is the book that won the prize. I’ll probably hate it, but at least I’ll know why it beat out Darkmans. (shudder)
links for 2008-02-07 Read More »
A few days ago my mom called to see if Michelle wanted anything special for her 18th birthday or if she should “just add money to her CD”. I told her to just add the money to the CD because Michelle can afford to buy anything she wants or needs… and she really would appreciate money added to the CD (most often referred to around here as the “Michelle’s down payment for a house when she’s 25 fund”.)
Sure enough, Michelle proved that she can, and sometimes does, buy herself whatever she wants.
This mandolin was purchased by Michelle during her break between classes today – without touching her savings at all.
See mom, I told you Read More »
I ran upstairs and stole the audio version of The Astonishing Adventures of Fan Boy and Goth Girl from Prince J’s room since he wasn’t here to listen to it (though his cd player was coming on every afternoon and playing disc 2 over and over and over again.)
I’m so glad I trudged the stairs and braved the messy room to get it. Fantastic YA. Really great story. Great characters. About 10xs better than King Dork, (and there are an awful lot of similarities between the two stories.)
Please tell me there will be a sequel.
Fan Boy and Goth Girl Read More »
OK not just about why she endorsed Clinton but about all sorts of things. You should also check out part two of the BlogHer/Waters interview.
BlogHer talks to Maxine Waters about Clinton… Read More »
links for 2008-02-06 Read More »
links for 2008-02-05 Read More »
Here’s the first of three (or maybe four) videos from our last trip to Rooterville Pig Sanctuary. There’s another one uploaded at youtube but it’s the last one – the stuff in the middle still needs to be edited or separated into two videos and uploaded. It’s too big for youtube as it is now.
Stuck in Neutral is a YA book from the Printz Awards list from 2001 and I loved it – until the end, but let’s not talk about the end.
I would love to see an entire series about Shawn – he’d be a bit of an anti-hero. All of the things he sees, doesn’t quite understand and wonders about. All of his insights. There are some amazing opportunities for a writer to help teens sort out situations, questions, ideas.
But then there’s that whole ending thing. Is Shawn still available for a series? I don’t know and I don’t like it.