I really should be writing about one of the backlog of finished books I have sitting here next to my computer, but it's just so darn warm (it's been hot out all week, my house is old and so it's always really toasty upstairs where my computer 'lives'--someday I am going to have a laptap that is easily transportable rather than a PC--so I can go to the cooler part of my house to work rather than roasting upstairs), so I can't quite motivate myself to think that hard.
Just as a teaser (and maybe if I say it out loud I will feel more 'obligated' to stop being such a procrastinator and get the work done), I plan on writing about Anna Seghers's Transit soon, as well as Thomas Hardy's The Distracted Preacher (an odd little novella by the way). I've got a few other finished books that need attention and I might just get to them someday, too.
I've also been reading about Dashiell Hammett and Lillian Hellman (are you surprised?) and was going to share what I've been reading, but let's talk about them tomorrow. As another teaser, and something to think about in the interim, I find it really interesting to read about author's/artist's lives. I know as a reader I should be focused on the book or work alone and not on the person behind it, but it's hard not to want to know just a little bit more. The thing is, I sometimes think it's all fiction, in its own way. Private lives (and justifiably so) can be so carefully guarded and what's presented to the outside world isn't always a true portrait. Don't you think that their public image is carefully fashioned and presented, an image created? Take someone like Anne Frank, whose father excised bits of her diary so not to blemish her reputation. How much as a reader do I have a right to know? And how much is really real when I do read about the person.
Well, just a few things floating around in my mind today.
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I do have a few links to share with you as well.
A little fanfare please. Did you know Virago Press is celebrating 40 years this year? How did I miss that? There should have been a Virago reading week or something momentous. Or maybe there was and I missed it?
Check out Sarah Waters's Reading By the Numbers, and test your knowledge. How many extracts from Virago books can you get right? I cheated and went directly to the source list.
And then take a look at the favorites of ten female authors. I'd have to think about my own favorite. I have, however, read five of the ten books, so not a bad showing really. I feel like I really should be reading something special in celebration!
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Have you wondered exactly what the Great American Novel is? Nine experts share their opinions here. Alas, I can't weigh in since I have not read a single one on the list (though I've read a few of the authors).
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Here's a list of ten books based on other books. A few might surprise you (they did me anyway).
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I like some better than others, and some not very much at all, but you can take a look at these pop art covers for contemporary classics and decide for yourself.
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By the way, I've not forgotten or abandoned my Lost in the Stacks posts. As summer is a busy time of year and there are always too many things to do (and not enough time to do them in), I've let my posts languish a bit. I would like to start them back up again in August. There were a few people who I chatted with and and kindly agreed to share their libraries, and I hope they will contact me and let me know if they are still interested.
Perhaps it's better to open things up a bit. If you are interested in having your personal library featured here, please send me an email and we can make arrangements!
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Now, back tomorrow with Lillian and Dash.