I had planned to write my first short story Sunday post today, but here it is midway through the afternoon and I've not finished reading the short story I selected, as a matter of fact I've not done much this weekend I had hoped to do. How about I read on Sunday and tell you about it Monday (or maybe Tuesday)? By the way I am reading a story called "The Floating Forest" by Natsuo Kirino from the collection Digital Geishas and Talking Frogs. The blurb for the story in the table of contents gives this description of the story: "struggling with her famous father's legacy as a writer, a daughter learns to put the past behind her". So, more about this in a day or so.
I'm afraid I've been suffering from severe inertia lately. The hot weather zaps every ounce of energy I have. That combined with needing to go to the library has thrown me off today. I've been reading a lot of library books this year (good thing, right?), but I've not been very good about returning my books on time. I just finished Grace Brophy's The Last Enemy, which was due on Friday. I'm sorry to whoever was in line next for it, as I just returned it a while ago (two days late means a fine on top of the fine for the book I returned late last weekend...oops). I enjoyed it and hope to write about it sometime this week. Next up on my tour of Italy is Carlo Lucarelli's Almost Blue. I started in Sicily, moved on to Florence, then to Assisi and now I'll be in Bologna. And finally a female detective--rookie detective Grazia Negro. It also sounds a bit darker than the other stories I've read so far.
Since I'm on a roll with crime novels, I'll mention that the Crime Writer's Association announced a few Dagger winners and a few more longlists. They give out about ten awards each year. The International Dagger winner is Three Seconds by Anders Roslund and Borge Hellström. I had checked this one out from the library but it was one I wasn't quite in the mood for so it went back unread. I still am reading a few titles from their longlist and expect I'll get to this one at some point as well. I was also interested to see which books made their Gold Dagger (best crime novel of the year) and Steel Dagger (spy novel/adventure/or action story) lists. By chance I had just ordered Villa Triste by Lucretia Grindle (Italian setting!) and have The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton (Edgar winner) on my reading pile--both made the Gold Dagger list. I'm looking forward to reading them sooner rather than later.
And tonight I'll be watching the next episode of Zen on PBS. I've yet to read any of the Aurelio Zen novels by Michael Dibdin, but I will definitely be doing so now after getting a sense of what Zen is like. Of course it doesn't hurt that Rufus Sewell happens to be playing the character or that the setting is Rome! It's only a pity that a mere three episodes were filmed and no more are planned.
And now I'm off to shower (my walk to the library was in 91F, but feels like 107F with humidity, sunshine) and finish reading my short story. And if anyone has an in with Mother Nature, tell her please to send cooler weather. 75F would be nice, but that might be asking too much. I'm contemplating finding a book to read set in somewhere snowy and exceedingly cold. Somehow that sounds sort of refreshing at the moment.
Have you read Bury Your Dead, by Louise Penny? Freezing!! (Not sure where you are, but it's better here, in Boston, already.)
Posted by: Audrey | July 24, 2011 at 05:31 PM
Here's hoping your weather will cool down a bit and/or that you will find a book with a cold setting so you can imagine that it is cooler!
Posted by: Kathleen | July 24, 2011 at 06:16 PM
oh it's hot in Alabama.. whew!!
Posted by: bekah | July 24, 2011 at 07:05 PM
Audrey--I haven't, but I think I own it--will look for it. Freezing has a certain appeal to me at the moment! :) I hate to yammer on about the weather, but it is making me grouchy. I'm in Omaha, NE--all week we'll have temps in the 90s but add on high humidities and it makes for steamy, sticky stuff. Of course in six months I'll be wishing for a day like this! :) (Just A day, though, not weeks of them...:) ).
Kathleen--Imagination does help, so a book would help things along a little anyway. I hate to wish away time, but I'll be happy to see the end of July!
Bekah--I am not alone in this! :) I wish for cooler weather for all of us who are warmer than we'd like to me!
Posted by: Danielle | July 24, 2011 at 08:07 PM
We had some rain today, but it just made things even steamier afterwards. I keep hearing that the weather is supposed to break, but I don't believe it.
Looking forward to what you think of The Lock Artist when you get around to it. I've looked at it a time or two at the library and one of these days I'm going to bring it home with me.
Posted by: Susan | July 24, 2011 at 08:17 PM
Susan--I don't believe the weather people either. They make it sound as though 88 is a big cool down but with the humidity it still feels pretty unpleasant to me. If only it would cool down to the 60s at night, my house might just recover from day to day, but it doesn't. I'm getting tired of feeling hot and sticky constantly. I hate the extreme temperatures here. I just had The Lock Artist in my hand, but I really should finish a few other books first...not that that usually stops me.
Posted by: Danielle | July 24, 2011 at 09:39 PM
It is really cool here but, when I read your or Carl's posts, I don't mind at all. It made for great reading yesterday as you will see in my evening post.
Still I hope we might have one or two summer days to come.
I'm watching Game of THrones at the moment and even ordered the books which I will regret as soon as they arrive. I can't see myself read 3500 pages...
I started Places in the Dark last night. One of the books I discovered on your blog.
I think History is very good, btw, but not exactly all that easy to read.
Posted by: Caroline | July 24, 2011 at 11:09 PM
I really enjoyed Almost Blue, it's compelling stuff and I read it very quickly.
I haven't read The Lock Artist but I have read almost everything else that Steve Hamilton has written and enjoyed those very much particularly his series about Alex McKnight so I think that you will enjoy it.
I try to keep on top of my library due dates as I resent paying too many fines, but I have had a few recently mainly due to books which couldn't be renewed for one reason or another but that I was determined to finish before I returned them!
Finally got the original, Danish version of The Killing,from the library so junior daughter and I are working our way through that which means nothing else to watch for the next week or so or we wont get through it before the due date!
Posted by: Liz F | July 25, 2011 at 04:18 AM
I so feel so sorry for everyone roasting in the heatwave at the moment! Hopefully you'll get some lovely cool weather very soon. I also have Villa Triste, which looks great. I'll be very interested to know what you make of it.
Posted by: litlove | July 25, 2011 at 04:37 AM
I can't wait to read your thoughts on the short story.
Posted by: carolinareads | July 25, 2011 at 10:34 AM
We had some horrible eat over the weekend, but it's barely in the 70s today! I hope it cools down your way. I'll have to look out for Zen; I hadn't heard of it and it sounds interesting.
Posted by: Dorothy W. | July 25, 2011 at 03:55 PM
I found Michael Dibdin/Aurelio Zen at a library sale recently, along with a Morag Joss(never heard of her before, have you?) Loved watching Zen, so this one: A Long Finish is going to be a treat.
Posted by: catharina | July 25, 2011 at 05:12 PM
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed The Last Enemy! I thought it was a really good debut mystery novel. The second one was good but I've been eagerly awaiting the third now to see what happens. I almost feels like there's been a bit too long between the books so the momentum is kind of missing but oh well something to look forward to :)
Posted by: iliana | July 25, 2011 at 08:36 PM
Caroline--The entire forecast here for the next two weeks is in the upper 80s and 90s with no cooling off in the evening. I am ready for a change but will just have to keep going with the heat and hope for a break soon! I have heard others talk about The Game of Thrones--and hopefully you'll be writing about it? The books sound like quite an undertaking! I hope you like Places in the Dark--I'm just about ready to read another of Cook's books! And I have finally today properly started History--is the 'not easy reading' in reference to content or style? I've not gotten far enough to tell.
Liz--A quickie mystery sounds good as I have been reading the last few very slowly. I hate paying fines, too. We used to have a three day grace period so I could drop off a book a day late and not worry about fines but they stopped that for some reason--a little annoying as I am now racking up fines. I'm going to try and be better though. I'm curious about The Killing-Danish version--am hoping it is available here sometime...
Litlove--I hate to say this--but I am tired of such warm weather. Just a cool breeze would be nice. I'm living in the wrong city obviously. Have read Up at the Villa but would love to read it again--forgot it had an Italian setting! Can't wait to get Villa Triste! :)
Carolinareads--Have written something up for tomorrow but am not pleased with it--the heat is making me cranky and I can't think with a headache. Maybe I'll have time tomorrow to rework it...
Dorothy--Lucky you! :) I'm very jealous. And that's a daytime temperature? It's not even that cool here at night. Ugh. I've pulled my Zen book out--feel very much like starting it now.
Catharina--Only one more Zen episode--how sad. I might splurge and buy the DVD! I have also pulled out the first Zen book to read since he is on my mind. I have a few of Morag Joss's books on my pile but I have not yet read them!
Iliana--I have the second Grace Brophy book to read and almost want to just dive in since Cenni is still on my mind. I wonder if there is a third due out yet--I am behind discovering this author!
Posted by: Danielle | July 25, 2011 at 11:14 PM
Morante reads like some of the Latin American authors I've read, there is a lot of information, the pages are packed full... It took me a while to get into but after 50 pages it gets easier.
I did review Game of Thrones on my other blog.
Posted by: Caroline | July 25, 2011 at 11:32 PM
I understand about the heat zapping your energy. The heatwave broke here and we are back to normal summer weather, 85-90 and moderately humid. We even got a small burst of cool from Canada and it was only about 60 this morning. I will think cool thoughts for you.
Posted by: Stefanie | July 26, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Caroline--Yes, I have noticed she does in for lots of detail. Not a bad thing but it slows my reading down. I'm glad it gets easier a little way into the story. Lots of people seem to be reading Game of Thrones--it may be a little to heavy an undertaking for me, but I enjoy reading what others have to say about a book.
Stefanie--It's getting really old. Although it is not as hot as last week--even a string (or weeks as it is turning out to be now) of 90 degree weather with the odd 88 degree day thrown in just doesn't cut it. It never seems to get below 70 at night so my house never has a chance to cool off. Makes for uncomfortable sleeping and working on the computer a misery. Yuck. Send some of that cold Canadian weather down here!
Posted by: Danielle | July 26, 2011 at 10:19 PM