First things first . . . I forgot to link up to the latest issue of Estella's Revenge, so here you go. Just in case you missed it. Can't let that happen.
Kiddo is off for "intercession", this week (not good . . . very not good for my son, since he is a night owl and school breaks tend to throw his sleep schedule totally out of whack), so I've been avoiding the computer a little in order to try to keep him awake during the daylight hours, read a little, spend some time with the kid while I've got him. I actually really like my teenager and enjoy spending time with him. So, I'm now officially behind on blogging. I've finished Occasional Therapy for your Midlife Years and Sarah's Key. Reviews forthcoming, but I'm not sure when.
Here's what I'm reading:
The Swan House by Elizabeth Musser
-- set in Atlanta during the 1960s. Mary Swan Middleton must solve a mystery and deal with grief after a tragic plane crash. At this point, she's started helping her family's maid serve poor people meals in a primarily black part of town. But, after befriending a young black man she has discovered the true horror of racial prejudice.Operation Blue Light: My Secret Life Among Psychic Spies
by Philip Chabot -- A surprisingly gripping memoir about a man whose psychic abilities were exploited by the government, in the 1960s. Having trouble putting this sucker down.Random Passage by Bernice Morgan
-- Historical fiction about a family that is forced to pack up and sail to Newfoundland after one of the brothers of the family, Ned, steals from his boss, a man who employs almost the entire family and owns most of their hometown. I'm reading this one for the Canadian reading challenge and it is almost unbearably wonderful, as in "I need time to stand still, so I can sit in a big, fat chair and indulge in this book."The Lost Diary of Don Juan by Douglas Carlton Abrams
- Seriously, Bookfool is reading a fictional account of Don Juan. It's not nasty or graphic, but it's also not totally grabbing me.Sorry about the lack of wahoos. I forgot it was Wednesday, yesterday. I'll try to remember, next week, promise.
Next post will be the giveaway. And, then I'm going to go read because this day is pretty much shot.
I don't know how you can read more than one book at a time!
ReplyDeleteBermudaonion,
ReplyDeleteI call it "ADD reading". Very few books actually keep my attention, so I read one for a while, set it aside, pick up another and read for a while, set it aside. I never read two that are very, very similar at the same time -- to avoid getting the plots tangled up. And, I usually have one nonfiction stuck in there with a couple of novels.
I'm so behind on my Canadian reading! I'd heard of Random Passage a while ago but had forgotten about it. I look forward to your review of it.
ReplyDeleteOooh, the psychic spy book sounds awesome! Looking forward to your review!
ReplyDeleteAnd I was JUST like your teen when I was his age. School breaks through me way out of whack. Total night owl.
Nat,
ReplyDeleteRandom Passage is so good I can already easily imagine myself adding it to my "desert island" reads -- one of those books that I'm sure I could read three times or more without tiring of it. It's going to take me a while to finish, but I have a feeling I'll gush. LOL
Andi,
The phsychic book has taken a slightly weird turn, at the moment, but I'm still enjoying it (apart from the poor editing) and hope to finish it between chores, today.
Oh, thanks, it's nice to know my son isn't the only one. They're really high on this new year-round thing but it's just not a great schedule for us. I've got to try to go rouse the kiddo, in a bit. I'm taking advantage of the quiet time.
OMGosh...is that one of your photos? That is truly spectacular!
ReplyDeleteDebi,
ReplyDeleteYes, that's one of mine. I took it last year, beneath our pear tree. We don't particularly like those pears, so we leave them for the wildlife to munch on. The butterflies are great -- red wasps and possums I could do without. LOL
That is the coolest photo!!! I can't imagine getting the wings to look like they're in motion while everything else is still. Way to go, Nancy!
ReplyDeleteBellezza,
ReplyDeleteThank you. I think you can chalk that up to the fact that I have steady hands. The visible wing movement means it was a long exposure; and, the camera was hand-held, so the lack of blurring of the butterfly's body just means there wasn't any camera shake. I should have been a surgeon, except . . . yuck. LOL
You wanted to know all that, right? ;)
That's such a cool picture! I'm really not sure that I could do the school thing all year round. I'm kind of glad that didn't start while I was still in school. I would just REALLY need a longer break. I'm like your kiddo too; I'm a huge night owl. My normal bed time is about 3 in the morning, lol. So that would screw me up too. BTW, I didn't enter your giveaway because I have WAY too much on the TBR pile right now. But it's a great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yeah, the school thing is an utter disaster for us. I think one of the biggest problems this school system has is that instead of striving for excellence and researching to see what schools that succeed do, they jump on all the latest trends. On average, it takes about 3 years before they say, "Oops, that didn't work," but they never word it that way. It's always, "We've decided to try this . . . " (often "this" is the old way). I can't wait till we're out of this school system.
I know what you mean. The piles are getting scary, around here. I'm a sucker for a giveaway, though. I've signed up for a few and won a couple, lately.
Love, love, love that photo!
ReplyDeletecjh
Oh that's a pretty picture!
ReplyDeleteDo you moms really have to defend liking your children? You would think that if anyone could stand them, it'd be their Mom. (Although I'm sure Will is a stellar example of youth in all regards.)(And Hez wholeheartedly agrees with him on the whole "mornings should not exist" thing).
ReplyDeleteThat picture is amazing.
You? You are not enjoying Don Juan that much? I am shocked. Shocked, I say. :)
What do you think of The Swan House? I read this last winter. Would love to know your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteCJ,
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear. :)
Ladytink,
Thank you muchly. :)
Carrie,
I think you'll find that many, many parents of teens find them a wee bit hard to tolerate. That's why I mentioned the fact that he's a comfy person to hang out with. My eldest nearly drove me over the edge(he's okay, now).
Both the kiddo and I object to morning. He just has a stronger opinion. Spooky thinks 4am is feeding time. I keep telling her, "You're WRONG."
Why, thank you.
Shocked. Har. You're so funny.
Shana,
So far, I think The Swan House is excellent. But, I'm only on about page 130. I've got a long way to go. Want me to jog over and tell you when I finish?
I had a patron come in the other day and ask about that Swan House book. I'd never heard of it (the book or the house) before. I'm curious to know your thoughts on it!
ReplyDeleteThere's a sequel to Random Passage, so even when it ends, there is more. Waiting for Time
ReplyDeleteAlso, CBC made a movie called Random Passage. I've heard it's good, but I coldn't bear to watch it in case it didn't do justice to the book. You know?
The only other book Morgan has written is Cloud of Bone, which was excellent.
Lesley,
ReplyDeleteI'll try to get a review of The Swan House up quickly, when I finish. At this point, I haven't read any further because my husband came home (when he arrives home, the house looks like massive explosive disaster within an hour) but I'm hoping to finish it by Monday. I've really enjoyed it, so far.
Raidergirl3,
I noticed there's a sequel. The back of my copy has a picture of the cover (same red-head looking sad). Yes, I understand why you wouldn't want to watch the movie. The book is so amazing that it's hard to imagine any movie could live up to it.
You've just given me two more books to look up. Uh-uh. Like I needed that! :) Thanks.