We are coming down to the end of the semester, and the atmosphere in my library is definitely buzzing. I'm already thinking ahead to summer projects, both at work and at home. You may laugh, but I'm actually thinking I might catch up on my reading. I have 6 volumes of Persuasions, the collected essays from the yearly Annual General Meeting of the Jane Austen Society. I have 6 issues of Scientific American, 4 issues of Archaeology, 5 wonderfully steamy looking historical romance pb's, and a list of "must reads" that is about 6 pages long. I'm hoping to manage a few lazy afternoons (or mornings) in the glider, under the pine tree, dogs at my feet. (The cats are strictly indoors). I'm also treating myself to a Kindle, and I've been looking at all the free books--I haven't re-read Jane Austen in nearly two years...
By the way, if you're looking for a good hsitorical mystery, there is a new one coming out soon: A Dark Anatomy, by Robin Blake. My review will run in Library Journal on June 1. It's the first in a new series, and I'm already looking forward to the next installment.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The convergence of cats and books
If you are owned by a cat (or cats), you already know what I mean. There is that one perfect moment when your personal universe is in perfect balance--the right book, the right chair (or couch, or pillow on the floor), the right cat(s), the beverage of choice. The weather is conducive to your personal idea of perfection, whether warm and sunny or cold and blustery. No telephones ring, no children or housemates clamour for attention. Existence settles around you with a contented sigh. Those moments aren't nearly as frequent for me as I would like, but I can be content with half-perfect, or even a quarter or an eighth at times.
Most recently, the little black cat, Midnite, has been joining me as I pore over back issues of Archaeology magazine. Sometime soon, that will lead to a desire to revisit Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series.
Midnite is a good book cat most of the time. Of course, we have to begin the process her way if I'm to have any peace. That involves a great deal of kneading in different spots, a bit of grooming during which I have to discourage her from grooming my chin and my hair, and then finally, settling into a warm ball of purrs. If I chuckle over something, or decide to erad aloud to her, she's a most receptive audience; soft chirps, an eye cracked open the tiniest bit, and the swivel of an ear let me know she's paying attention. Of course, something inevitably catches her attention after an hour or so, and she will stretch, jump down and hurry off on important Cat Business--which frequently leads to the end of my peaceful times as well, when I hurry to discover what has been knocked over or broken, or who is uttering bloodcurdling screeches form the far end of the house. After all, we would not want too much of paradise at once.
Most recently, the little black cat, Midnite, has been joining me as I pore over back issues of Archaeology magazine. Sometime soon, that will lead to a desire to revisit Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series.
Midnite is a good book cat most of the time. Of course, we have to begin the process her way if I'm to have any peace. That involves a great deal of kneading in different spots, a bit of grooming during which I have to discourage her from grooming my chin and my hair, and then finally, settling into a warm ball of purrs. If I chuckle over something, or decide to erad aloud to her, she's a most receptive audience; soft chirps, an eye cracked open the tiniest bit, and the swivel of an ear let me know she's paying attention. Of course, something inevitably catches her attention after an hour or so, and she will stretch, jump down and hurry off on important Cat Business--which frequently leads to the end of my peaceful times as well, when I hurry to discover what has been knocked over or broken, or who is uttering bloodcurdling screeches form the far end of the house. After all, we would not want too much of paradise at once.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Almost forgot about this blog!
It's a good thing I don't do this for a living--I'd have starved to death long ago. It's not that I haven't been reading, I just haven't written about what I've read. My editor at Library Journal has sent me some fantastic books over the last year. Kelli Stanley's "The Curse Maker" was a worthy successor to "Nox Dormienda". Set in Roman Britain, the book is a gritty noir tale with togas instead of trench coats. "A Man in Uniform" by Kate Taylor takes on the Dreyfus affair giving it an intriguing twist. Helen Hollick's "The Forever Queen" follows the life of Emma of Normandy, the only woman to be crowned queen of two English kings. The life of Alice Perrers as told by Emma Campion in "The King's Mistress" was an enjoyable read despite some shortcomings. Philippa Gregory's "The Red Queen" , second in her series "The Cousins' War"
had excellent characterizations and a well-researched story."The Confessions of Katherine de Medici, by C.W. Gortner, was also well-researched and painted a much different picture of that lady than most standard histories. "The Book of Fires" by Jane Borodale painted a densely atmospheric picture of life in 1752 London.
had excellent characterizations and a well-researched story."The Confessions of Katherine de Medici, by C.W. Gortner, was also well-researched and painted a much different picture of that lady than most standard histories. "The Book of Fires" by Jane Borodale painted a densely atmospheric picture of life in 1752 London.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Wow, two days in a row!
I just wanted to add a couple of books before I donate them to our library booksale: "Nine Lives Last Forever" by Rebecca Hale and "Murder on Gramercy Park" by Victoria Thompson. Now, Thompson's book has no cats, but it is a very intriguing historical mystery. Set in NY City at the turn of the last century, the main character is a widowed midwife who has a knack (as do all good heroines) for landing in the thick of things...oh, and she's from a well-to-do family who can't quite understand why she doesn't act more like a fragile flower of femininity. This is the second I've read in the series and I will definitely be looking for the others. As I'm sure you can tell from the title, Hale's book includes cats. This is the second in the series, and I'm looking forward to reading the first. Set in San Francisco, the story is filled with quirky characters and off-beat incidents, and is thoroughly charming.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Time is relative...and I'm relatively short on time!
I'm not sure why I haven't kept this up more faithfully. At least once a week I compose a blog post in my head. Too bad people can't just pluck the words from my brain directly!
Continuing on my quest for enjoyable cozy mysteries that involve cats, I read a Joe Grey mystery recently and became as instant fan. Don't know why I never picked on up before this, but I now need to go back and read the entire series. The one I read, "Cat Striking Back", made me very curious to find out how the series started, how the cats (and the humans!) discovered the cats could talk.
I'll admit, I was a bit wary when I started the book and realized that the cats--some of them at least--could talk. But I was soon caught up in the story, wondering whether the perpretrator would get his just desserts, and the interweaving of the cat and human persepctives was very well done. For me, it compares favorably with the Sneaky Pie Brown mysteries "co-written" by Rita Mae Brown, thouth to be fair, her animals don't talk to the humans.
I also came across another new series that has just about everything I could want--the main human character is a librarian, living in a small town near the shores of one of the Great Lakes (I think), remodeling a library, wine, homebaked goodies, and good friendships . The cats aren't talking so far, but they do have some unusual abilities. I'm only about a third of the way in, but the characters are nicely drawn and I'm definitely intrigues to see where the plot will lead. The title is "Curiosity thrilled the cat: a magical cats mystery" by Sofie Kelly. The cover also says it's the first book in a new series, so I hope to see the second and third soon! (Numner 2 is due out in September, according to Amazon.)
Continuing on my quest for enjoyable cozy mysteries that involve cats, I read a Joe Grey mystery recently and became as instant fan. Don't know why I never picked on up before this, but I now need to go back and read the entire series. The one I read, "Cat Striking Back", made me very curious to find out how the series started, how the cats (and the humans!) discovered the cats could talk.
I'll admit, I was a bit wary when I started the book and realized that the cats--some of them at least--could talk. But I was soon caught up in the story, wondering whether the perpretrator would get his just desserts, and the interweaving of the cat and human persepctives was very well done. For me, it compares favorably with the Sneaky Pie Brown mysteries "co-written" by Rita Mae Brown, thouth to be fair, her animals don't talk to the humans.
I also came across another new series that has just about everything I could want--the main human character is a librarian, living in a small town near the shores of one of the Great Lakes (I think), remodeling a library, wine, homebaked goodies, and good friendships . The cats aren't talking so far, but they do have some unusual abilities. I'm only about a third of the way in, but the characters are nicely drawn and I'm definitely intrigues to see where the plot will lead. The title is "Curiosity thrilled the cat: a magical cats mystery" by Sofie Kelly. The cover also says it's the first book in a new series, so I hope to see the second and third soon! (Numner 2 is due out in September, according to Amazon.)
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Austen reveries
http://misssylviadrake.livejournal.com/28594.html
I discovered a new blog today--new to me, at any rate, thanks to the Jane Austen listserv. The entry that was mentioned discusses Margaret Atwood's Lady Oracle. Among others, she draws comparisons to Northanger Abbey; it's w wonderfully informative piece that has me reaching for some Margaret Atwood books I haven't looked at in many years. She is actually comparing "The Convent", a gothic published when Jane Austen was a young girl. I'm looking forward to settling down to read it at more leisure sometime soon, and probably going back to check out her previous entries.
I discovered a new blog today--new to me, at any rate, thanks to the Jane Austen listserv. The entry that was mentioned discusses Margaret Atwood's Lady Oracle. Among others, she draws comparisons to Northanger Abbey; it's w wonderfully informative piece that has me reaching for some Margaret Atwood books I haven't looked at in many years. She is actually comparing "The Convent", a gothic published when Jane Austen was a young girl. I'm looking forward to settling down to read it at more leisure sometime soon, and probably going back to check out her previous entries.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Summer daze...
Sometimes I wish that I could steal away to a mountaintop or deserted island, all by myself, for just a few days. My provisions would consist of bread, cheese, nuts, fruit, wine and chocolate, and a bag filled with some of the many books I want to read. Real life doesn't often allow for a surfeit of such pleasure, and I suppose I would not want that life I dream about. That's the difference between real life and fiction, I guess, at least sometimes.
I am still plugging way at "The elegant universe" by Brian Green. It's a little old--1992, or thereabout, so I'll have to read something newerto find out what the current thinking on the micro-universe might be. I find physics fascinating, though I don't pretend to have a complete grasp of every facet. I enjoy reading about the smallest bits of the universe much as I enjoy reading about the planets and stars and possibilities of outer space. My only problem is that I can't whiz through these books, because I have to take the time to digest what I'm reading.
One of my vacation eads this year was a slim volume from 1972 entitled "The language of Jane Austen", written in 1972 by Norman Page. Recently, I've been reading a great deal about Austen's use of language on Austen-L where I am a dedicated and long-time lurker. I'm constantly amazed how many layers of meaning are yet to be discovered in Austen's writings. I can remember my first few times through "Pride and Prejudice" and "Northanger Abbey", delighting in the new nuances and meanings I found each time. Page's work discusses ways in which the English of Austen's day differes from 20th century English. Sometimes the difference is subtle, sometimes major, so that a modern reader who did not know the 18th century context might form a wrong opinion--or miss the point of the exchange entirely!
Of course, vacation is also for relaxing reads. Lorna Barrett's "Bookplate Special" was a delicious follow-up to "Bookmarked for death". (See my comment to my previous post). "The cat, the professor and the poison" by Leann Sweeney was another perfect vacation read. Jillian Hart, the heroine, has a knack for becoming embroiled in murder and mayhem (isn't that the way with all good mystery heroines?). Of course, cats are involved! But, in this case, the first animal to go missing is a cow, and Jill can't help but try to solve the mystery--or to help out a kid who needs an adult to calm down his overprotective mother. These are all sidelights, though, because solving the mystery of the cow leads to a much bigger--can cat-filled--mystery. This book went perfectly with both coffee and iced tea--always an important consideration when I'm vacationing!
Now, I'm in the midst of another Sookie Stackhouse novel: I'm reading them totally out of order, but enjoying them completely nontheless. Currently, I'm reading "From dead to worse", and between moments of terror and moments that make me laugh out loud, I'm ready to race to the bookstore to pick up the ones I've not read yet. (No, I have not watched True Blood on HBO--I've currently reached my self-imposed limit on TV watching, so until I get htrough the DVD's in my to-be-watched pile, or until (heaven forbid!) one of my current series is cancelled, there will be no new viewing added.
I am still plugging way at "The elegant universe" by Brian Green. It's a little old--1992, or thereabout, so I'll have to read something newerto find out what the current thinking on the micro-universe might be. I find physics fascinating, though I don't pretend to have a complete grasp of every facet. I enjoy reading about the smallest bits of the universe much as I enjoy reading about the planets and stars and possibilities of outer space. My only problem is that I can't whiz through these books, because I have to take the time to digest what I'm reading.
One of my vacation eads this year was a slim volume from 1972 entitled "The language of Jane Austen", written in 1972 by Norman Page. Recently, I've been reading a great deal about Austen's use of language on Austen-L where I am a dedicated and long-time lurker. I'm constantly amazed how many layers of meaning are yet to be discovered in Austen's writings. I can remember my first few times through "Pride and Prejudice" and "Northanger Abbey", delighting in the new nuances and meanings I found each time. Page's work discusses ways in which the English of Austen's day differes from 20th century English. Sometimes the difference is subtle, sometimes major, so that a modern reader who did not know the 18th century context might form a wrong opinion--or miss the point of the exchange entirely!
Of course, vacation is also for relaxing reads. Lorna Barrett's "Bookplate Special" was a delicious follow-up to "Bookmarked for death". (See my comment to my previous post). "The cat, the professor and the poison" by Leann Sweeney was another perfect vacation read. Jillian Hart, the heroine, has a knack for becoming embroiled in murder and mayhem (isn't that the way with all good mystery heroines?). Of course, cats are involved! But, in this case, the first animal to go missing is a cow, and Jill can't help but try to solve the mystery--or to help out a kid who needs an adult to calm down his overprotective mother. These are all sidelights, though, because solving the mystery of the cow leads to a much bigger--can cat-filled--mystery. This book went perfectly with both coffee and iced tea--always an important consideration when I'm vacationing!
Now, I'm in the midst of another Sookie Stackhouse novel: I'm reading them totally out of order, but enjoying them completely nontheless. Currently, I'm reading "From dead to worse", and between moments of terror and moments that make me laugh out loud, I'm ready to race to the bookstore to pick up the ones I've not read yet. (No, I have not watched True Blood on HBO--I've currently reached my self-imposed limit on TV watching, so until I get htrough the DVD's in my to-be-watched pile, or until (heaven forbid!) one of my current series is cancelled, there will be no new viewing added.
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