It's a good thing there is a fire going inside as it's going to be another frigidly cold week. Okay, maybe not frigidly cold and only normal winter-cold, but the season is beginning to wear really thin on me. I'm still amazed by how different the colors are in reality to the photo on the chart. I think I need a good dash of color soon and so for next week you might see some of the more colorful little motifs. Of course maybe in reality they, too, will be muted and not at all what I am expecting. Check back next week to see how it turns out!
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In bookish news I think I am officially at my limit (and you know I have a pretty generous limit) of books I can read at once. My in progress pile seems to have had something of a growth spurt of late and when I was looking at it this weekend I had to do a double take. Sheesh. How on earth did that happen? Okay, I know how it happened. The sad thing, even knowing this, it does not stop me from thinking about other books I really, really want to read. The trouble is, with so many great books on the go at once I never quite know which one to reach for at any given moment, so I need to come up with a reading plan and just read a few and cycle them in and out.
Every night before bedtime I set out my clothes and things for work the next day. I usually have chosen a few books to drop into my bookbag (trying to keep a few the same so I make steady progress) and then inevitably in the morning I take a couple more down to breakfast (which is just a very, very quick bowl of oatmeal) to 'peruse' and also inevitably the books shift or 'just one more' gets dropped into the bag. Such a bad habit. One single book is what I need to take with me, but I think I would feel all out of sorts to just take one. As if I am going to have so much spare reading time to fit in over the course of the workday and commute. Wishful thinking, I guess.
I have finishing and hugely admire James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room. Why did I not notice my poor copy sitting on my bookshelves 'lo these many years? It is meant to be my 'classic' read, and while I have wanted to read 18th or 19th century classics for a while this year, it would appear that 20th century is simply what is going to appeal most right now. I will read more of Baldwin's books (have already scoped out some other books on my shelves), but now I think I might pick up a book by Nella Larson or Toni Morrison. I have read a number of Morrison's books, but it has easily been more than 20 years since I have read her work. Too much time and she is worthy of rereading.
I have decided that in general I want to read more diverse literature this year--more writers of color, and various sexual orientations, books that are written by or about groups that are not in the mainstream. So, if you have a good suggestions, please do share--any genre and the book can be a classic or a contemporary novel.