"A Knight's Vow," by Lynn Kurland, Patricia Potter, Deborah Simmons & Glynnis Campbell.
This copy comes from Booksfree.com. It is next after the book by Kathleen Eagle. I literally roll the dice to see what's next.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading each night.
Juliana felt incredibly conspicuous in her Keds and Donna Karan suit. William removed his cloak from his shoulders and draped it over the front of her. It didn't, however, cover her shoes.
"Better?" he asked.
"Oh sure," she agreed. "It'll keep me warm until they stoke up the fire to burn me at the stake.
He only snorted out a litte laugh. p65
[comment: I think it would be fun to do some time traveling but there are extreme risks associated with it ]
I do not feel well enough to go to supper," he said. "You go along and entertain them." He looked old and frightened. Her heart contracted. Though he was not a man who showed affection, he had tuaght her to read, had given her the means to take her own adventure through books. He had allowed her to ride, or at least had not forbade it. She owed him much. She leaned over and kissed him, seeing the pleased surprise in his eyes.
Then she left the room and steeled herself for the evening ahead. p149
[comment: remember this is 1485. what a dad!]
"Clement suggested I make a living by tourneying, and I managed to do well for myself," he said. "I defeated many others, winning the value of their horse and mail in ransom, and I began to hoard a tidy sum."
"And what amount would have been enough?" Guenivere asked him, a trace of bitterness in her voice. "When would you have amassed enough to return?"
Beren ddin't reply, for he was not sure of the answer himself. Never for a moment had he forgotten her. Guenivere had been there with him always, his anchor and his talisman, the reason for all he did. And yet, even when Edward chose him, Beren had been no more than a bachelor knight, without lands to call his own. Would he come back and claim Brandreth? By what right? And so, he had always put off his return, thinking that he must do more, have more, BE MORE. p234
[comment: okay, i am probably thinking too much when I read - but this one clicked with me - why am I always wanting "more", more books to read, more sleep, more pieces to stitch etc? -- how can you tell when you've got 'enough'?"]
"Oh, Beren," Guenivere whispered. "I always acceoted you as you are. 'Twas you who would not. 'Twas you who valued knighthood and money and lands, not I. And though I admit to a young girl's fascination with the romances, I did not want to marry any of those heroes. Nor did I seek to make you into one. I only wished you see that you could do anything with your life that you wished, and you did, succeeding beyond imagining." p256
[comment: okay, it sounds twee - but i think it rings true]
no quote -- just an odd word -- forsooth; adv : an archaic word originally meaning `in truth' but now usually used to express disbelief.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
"You Never Can Tell," by Kathleen Eagle, c. 2001
As soon as I finish The Princess Bride by William Goldman, c. 1973, 1998, I'll be reading this one. It is a library book from the Statesville Library, NC.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading each night.
He was there, but no one really saw him.
Except Heather. She'd known who he was right away, as though there was still something inside him that glowed in the dark, still some fire in his belly. Maybe that was why he'd taken her in, taken to her, taken her. When she looked at him, she saw Kole Kills Crow. She knew him. She appreciated him. And that felt surprisingly good to him. p120
[comment: what makes you "glow"?]
Mary confirmed with a nod. "I used to help with their homework, and I'd tell the way I learned these things. The old stories about why Turtle walks in two worlds and why we must be alert when Frog's voice goes silent at night. Not all knowledge comes from science." p235
As soon as I finish The Princess Bride by William Goldman, c. 1973, 1998, I'll be reading this one. It is a library book from the Statesville Library, NC.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading each night.
He was there, but no one really saw him.
Except Heather. She'd known who he was right away, as though there was still something inside him that glowed in the dark, still some fire in his belly. Maybe that was why he'd taken her in, taken to her, taken her. When she looked at him, she saw Kole Kills Crow. She knew him. She appreciated him. And that felt surprisingly good to him. p120
[comment: what makes you "glow"?]
Mary confirmed with a nod. "I used to help with their homework, and I'd tell the way I learned these things. The old stories about why Turtle walks in two worlds and why we must be alert when Frog's voice goes silent at night. Not all knowledge comes from science." p235
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Saturday, December 04, 2004
"The Beach House," by Mary Alice Monroe, c. 2002
I've decided that this'll be next after Dakota. A Spiritual Geography by Kathleen Norris, c. 1993. This copy comes from Booksfree.com
From front cover: An unforgettable novel about finding your way home.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading each night.
The night was blowsy but it was a good thing. The wind moved the clouds that had blanketed the sky earlier like a giant eraser. The stars now sparkled in a clear sky and made one understand why generations had so often compared them to diamonds. p112
[comment: the simple things we take for granted. when did you last look at the stars?]
"Isn't this the most beautiful place?"
She had to agree. It was low tide. The beach stretched far far out and gulleys coursed through the sand like rivers. In the distance, a small child chased a gull along the surf. What was most captivating, however, was the quiet. The din of humanity seemed so very far away. The only sounds they heard were the gentle roar of the surf and the cry of the gulls. p165
[comment: i'm a beach girl myself. any mention of the coast makes me salivate -- we're landlocked here]
"Turning forty does that to a person, she said.
"The ol' Tolstoy's bicycle theory?"
She laughed lightly and looked at him. "What's that?"
"Tolstoy wrote War and Peace at forty. He learned how to ride a bicycle in his sixties. It's supposed to be inspiring."
"Well, it is to me." p184
"Do you walk out here often? At night, I mean?" she asked, then felt silly for the question. "But of course you do. You live here."
"Actually, it's because I live here that I don't. I guess I take the ocean for granted. Look up there," he said, pointing to a row of houses up the beach. Even at this late hour, a number of them had lights still shining indoors. "See the gray flickering lights? They're all inside watching TV. I'm not the only one who takes it for granted."
"My condo faces Lake Michigan and I have to admit, I rarely stand at the window to look out at the lake anymore, either. But, I know it's there. I sense its presence. Every once in a while I look up and really see it. It takes me by surprise how beautiful it is. Like a gift, I appreciate it then. It may only be a moment, but in that moment my life is better. I suppose it's the same for those people, too." p264
[comment: I don't have the ocean to look at anymore but I do take the trees and the sky for granted. Until moments like these -- when I am reminded of the beauty.]
The wind teased her like a naughty child, lifting her skirt and pushing her forward with a gust. p353
I've decided that this'll be next after Dakota. A Spiritual Geography by Kathleen Norris, c. 1993. This copy comes from Booksfree.com
From front cover: An unforgettable novel about finding your way home.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading each night.
The night was blowsy but it was a good thing. The wind moved the clouds that had blanketed the sky earlier like a giant eraser. The stars now sparkled in a clear sky and made one understand why generations had so often compared them to diamonds. p112
[comment: the simple things we take for granted. when did you last look at the stars?]
"Isn't this the most beautiful place?"
She had to agree. It was low tide. The beach stretched far far out and gulleys coursed through the sand like rivers. In the distance, a small child chased a gull along the surf. What was most captivating, however, was the quiet. The din of humanity seemed so very far away. The only sounds they heard were the gentle roar of the surf and the cry of the gulls. p165
[comment: i'm a beach girl myself. any mention of the coast makes me salivate -- we're landlocked here]
"Turning forty does that to a person, she said.
"The ol' Tolstoy's bicycle theory?"
She laughed lightly and looked at him. "What's that?"
"Tolstoy wrote War and Peace at forty. He learned how to ride a bicycle in his sixties. It's supposed to be inspiring."
"Well, it is to me." p184
"Do you walk out here often? At night, I mean?" she asked, then felt silly for the question. "But of course you do. You live here."
"Actually, it's because I live here that I don't. I guess I take the ocean for granted. Look up there," he said, pointing to a row of houses up the beach. Even at this late hour, a number of them had lights still shining indoors. "See the gray flickering lights? They're all inside watching TV. I'm not the only one who takes it for granted."
"My condo faces Lake Michigan and I have to admit, I rarely stand at the window to look out at the lake anymore, either. But, I know it's there. I sense its presence. Every once in a while I look up and really see it. It takes me by surprise how beautiful it is. Like a gift, I appreciate it then. It may only be a moment, but in that moment my life is better. I suppose it's the same for those people, too." p264
[comment: I don't have the ocean to look at anymore but I do take the trees and the sky for granted. Until moments like these -- when I am reminded of the beauty.]
The wind teased her like a naughty child, lifting her skirt and pushing her forward with a gust. p353
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Okay, since I last posted on the 17th November two books came in the mail --The Hiding Place by Trezza Azzopardi, c. 2000, and Ahab's Wife, or The Star-Gazer by Sena Jeter Naslund, c. 1999. This took precedence over "Starting Over," by Robin Pilcher. It'a about 2pm and I will start this boook shortly. Happy reading to you all.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Starting Over by Robin Pilcher, c. 2002
This copy is from Booksfree.com. It's next after my current read of
Deck the Halls by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark, c. 2000
From back cover:
"[Pilcher] has an excellent sense of pace of his story. It's easy to feel you know these people and to grasp the complexiites of their relationships... a worthy novel." -- Houston Chronicle
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading each night.
Arthur's relaxed contentment in perusing the scenery was such that, when the incident took place, the most immediate thought that flashed through his mind was that his Maker had predestined the fifteen-minute journey to be a resstful and fitting climax to his otherwise disruptive life. They had just driven, at nothing more than a gentle pace over the crest of a hill on the twisting road when they were suddenly confronted by a speeding car heading straight towards them, its driver having become frustrated at being caught behind a queue of traffic that was fronted by a large, slow-moving tractor. p64
[comment: you literally don't know what's coming around the next corner -- and thank goodness for that]
Within two months, the guy had pulled enough strings to strangla an elephant. We were given Canadian nationality, the man found us a small house in Toronto and a job for my father in a high school there. p109
[comment: I like the first sentence of this quote]
"Perfect," Roberta replied, trying to stifle another yawn. "By Jimmy, I really have got the gapes." p194
[comment: thought this was a perfect place to stop last night :)]
He glanced across to where she sat, absently stroking the dog on her knee and staring out of the window at the ribbed surface of the cold grey water far below them. p385
[comment: I like the "ribbed" part.]
This copy is from Booksfree.com. It's next after my current read of
Deck the Halls by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark, c. 2000
From back cover:
"[Pilcher] has an excellent sense of pace of his story. It's easy to feel you know these people and to grasp the complexiites of their relationships... a worthy novel." -- Houston Chronicle
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading each night.
Arthur's relaxed contentment in perusing the scenery was such that, when the incident took place, the most immediate thought that flashed through his mind was that his Maker had predestined the fifteen-minute journey to be a resstful and fitting climax to his otherwise disruptive life. They had just driven, at nothing more than a gentle pace over the crest of a hill on the twisting road when they were suddenly confronted by a speeding car heading straight towards them, its driver having become frustrated at being caught behind a queue of traffic that was fronted by a large, slow-moving tractor. p64
[comment: you literally don't know what's coming around the next corner -- and thank goodness for that]
Within two months, the guy had pulled enough strings to strangla an elephant. We were given Canadian nationality, the man found us a small house in Toronto and a job for my father in a high school there. p109
[comment: I like the first sentence of this quote]
"Perfect," Roberta replied, trying to stifle another yawn. "By Jimmy, I really have got the gapes." p194
[comment: thought this was a perfect place to stop last night :)]
He glanced across to where she sat, absently stroking the dog on her knee and staring out of the window at the ribbed surface of the cold grey water far below them. p385
[comment: I like the "ribbed" part.]
Friday, November 12, 2004
Books read since October 4th, 2004
The Scarlatti Inheritance by Robert Ludlum, c. 1971
Funny Letters From Famous People edited by Charles Osgood, c. 2003 -- link goes to blog as the book is from the library -- see entry of Oct 29, 2004
Between Friends by Debbie Macomber, c. 2002 -- link goes to blog as the book is from booksfree.com -- see entry of Oct 25, 2004
Wifey by Judy Blume, c. 1978
Home to You by Muriel Jensen, c. 2000
Sweet Revenge by Nina Bruhns, c. 2002
Intimate Enemies by Shana Abe, c. 2002 -- link goes to blog as the book is from booksfree.com -- see entry of Oct 12, 2004
Peep Show by Faith Bleasdale, c. 2002
Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey, c. 1998 -- link goes to blog as the book is from booksfree.com -- see entry of Oct 3, 2004
The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac, c. 1958 -- link goes to blog as the book is from the library -- see entry of Oct 4, 2004
The Scarlatti Inheritance by Robert Ludlum, c. 1971
Funny Letters From Famous People edited by Charles Osgood, c. 2003 -- link goes to blog as the book is from the library -- see entry of Oct 29, 2004
Between Friends by Debbie Macomber, c. 2002 -- link goes to blog as the book is from booksfree.com -- see entry of Oct 25, 2004
Wifey by Judy Blume, c. 1978
Home to You by Muriel Jensen, c. 2000
Sweet Revenge by Nina Bruhns, c. 2002
Intimate Enemies by Shana Abe, c. 2002 -- link goes to blog as the book is from booksfree.com -- see entry of Oct 12, 2004
Peep Show by Faith Bleasdale, c. 2002
Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey, c. 1998 -- link goes to blog as the book is from booksfree.com -- see entry of Oct 3, 2004
The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac, c. 1958 -- link goes to blog as the book is from the library -- see entry of Oct 4, 2004
Friday, November 05, 2004
"Mermaid," by Betina Krahn, c. 1997
I am currently reading The Scarlatti Inheritance by Robert Ludlum, c. 1971, and Sincerely Yours by Gertrude Wood, c. 2000, is next. This one will follow. Title is from booksfree.com.
From back cover:
With the wit of The Last Bachelor; the charm of The Perfect Mistress, and the sparkle of The Unlikely Angel, Betina Krahn has penned an enchanting new romance about a woman ahead of her time and an academic who must choose between cold reason and The Mermaid.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading last night.
A warm bath, a change of clothes, and a cup of Maria's rich coffee, laced with something from Stephan's special shelf in the wine cellar, did wonders for Celeste's chilled spirits. She soaped and soaked and sipped, relishing the sudsy warmth between her bare toes and recalling the afternoon. p109
[comment: aah, the joys of life to be held. what simple things do you hold precious?]
"And you snored like a bear in winter." p187
[comment: ok, i agree. it is cliche, but i still like it.]
"Now give us the slick and skinny of it." p240
[comment: I hadn't heard this term before]
The words came haltingly at first, as if he were sorting through a much denser memory; condensing it, abstracting it, making it transferable. p288
[comment: recounting how he found something. i am fascinated with memories, subconscious etc]
I am currently reading The Scarlatti Inheritance by Robert Ludlum, c. 1971, and Sincerely Yours by Gertrude Wood, c. 2000, is next. This one will follow. Title is from booksfree.com.
From back cover:
With the wit of The Last Bachelor; the charm of The Perfect Mistress, and the sparkle of The Unlikely Angel, Betina Krahn has penned an enchanting new romance about a woman ahead of her time and an academic who must choose between cold reason and The Mermaid.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading last night.
A warm bath, a change of clothes, and a cup of Maria's rich coffee, laced with something from Stephan's special shelf in the wine cellar, did wonders for Celeste's chilled spirits. She soaped and soaked and sipped, relishing the sudsy warmth between her bare toes and recalling the afternoon. p109
[comment: aah, the joys of life to be held. what simple things do you hold precious?]
"And you snored like a bear in winter." p187
[comment: ok, i agree. it is cliche, but i still like it.]
"Now give us the slick and skinny of it." p240
[comment: I hadn't heard this term before]
The words came haltingly at first, as if he were sorting through a much denser memory; condensing it, abstracting it, making it transferable. p288
[comment: recounting how he found something. i am fascinated with memories, subconscious etc]
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Monday, November 01, 2004
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Friday, October 29, 2004
"Funny Letters From Famous People," edited and introduced by Charles Osgood, c. 2003
This is next after "Between Friends." It's a library book.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading last night.
A young visitor to the White House had the unexpected pleasure of being invited to join President Hoover for lunch. Sometime later, Hoover received a note from the boy telling him that no one in the boy's homeroom believed he had actually dined with the president, or that spinach had been served. Hoover promptly replied:
The White House
My Dear Stephen:
This is certify that you lunched at the White House with me. I have never been strong for spinach myself, and I had meant to tell you that you didn't have to eat it.
Herbert Hoover. p32
[comment: this reminds me of the constant broccoli discussion with dd5]
Some trees grow very tall and straight and large in the forest close to each other, but some must stand by themselves or they won't grow at all. p84
Dear Edmondo,
I got back from the country to find your card sparkling like a jewel in a diadem of unpaid bills, poison pen letters, and rusty old telephone messages. p156
[comment: letters/cards are a wonderful break from monotony]
This is next after "Between Friends." It's a library book.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading last night.
A young visitor to the White House had the unexpected pleasure of being invited to join President Hoover for lunch. Sometime later, Hoover received a note from the boy telling him that no one in the boy's homeroom believed he had actually dined with the president, or that spinach had been served. Hoover promptly replied:
The White House
My Dear Stephen:
This is certify that you lunched at the White House with me. I have never been strong for spinach myself, and I had meant to tell you that you didn't have to eat it.
Herbert Hoover. p32
[comment: this reminds me of the constant broccoli discussion with dd5]
Some trees grow very tall and straight and large in the forest close to each other, but some must stand by themselves or they won't grow at all. p84
Dear Edmondo,
I got back from the country to find your card sparkling like a jewel in a diadem of unpaid bills, poison pen letters, and rusty old telephone messages. p156
[comment: letters/cards are a wonderful break from monotony]
Monday, October 25, 2004
"Between Friends," by Debbie Macomber, c. 2002
This book is next on the pile after Wifey by Judy Blume, c. 1978. It's a copy from Booksfree.com
From back cover:
The friendship between Jillian Lawton and Lesley Adamski begins in the postwar era of the 1950s. As they grow up, their circumstances, their choices - and their mistakes - take them in virtually opposite directions. Lesley gets pregnant and marries young, living a cramped life defined by the demands of small children, not enough money, an unfaithful husband. Jillian lives those years on a college campus shaken by the Vietnam War and then as an idealistic young lawyer in New York City.
Over the years and across the miles, through marriage, children, divorce and widowhood, Jillian and Lesley remain close, sharing every grief and every joy. There are no secrets between friends.
--
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading last night.
Dear Jimmy,
I promised I'd write as often as I could, but it's been a while. I've discovered that jotting down a few lines to send home helps, eases the tension. We all look for ways to keep our minds off the war. That's one reason getting mail from home means so much. p133
[comment: when did you last sit and write a letter or a long email about what's happening in your life? I know I don't do it often enough!]
I finally figured out what I'm getting Mom for Christmas - a book. I know that sounds boring, but she enjoys reading and "The Shoes of the Fisherman" by Morris West is one I know she'd enjoy. Dad subtly dropped that hint and I was grateful. p56
[comment: I chose this quote simply because it referred to books and Christmas. What a delightful combination]
I used to think I was smart, but solving algebra equations is a whole lot easier than making decisions that affect the lives of my children. p174
[comment: I hear you -- parenting is a tough job]
This book is next on the pile after Wifey by Judy Blume, c. 1978. It's a copy from Booksfree.com
From back cover:
The friendship between Jillian Lawton and Lesley Adamski begins in the postwar era of the 1950s. As they grow up, their circumstances, their choices - and their mistakes - take them in virtually opposite directions. Lesley gets pregnant and marries young, living a cramped life defined by the demands of small children, not enough money, an unfaithful husband. Jillian lives those years on a college campus shaken by the Vietnam War and then as an idealistic young lawyer in New York City.
Over the years and across the miles, through marriage, children, divorce and widowhood, Jillian and Lesley remain close, sharing every grief and every joy. There are no secrets between friends.
--
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Note that these aren't necessarily the "best" in the book. These happen to be close to the spot where I stopped reading last night.
Dear Jimmy,
I promised I'd write as often as I could, but it's been a while. I've discovered that jotting down a few lines to send home helps, eases the tension. We all look for ways to keep our minds off the war. That's one reason getting mail from home means so much. p133
[comment: when did you last sit and write a letter or a long email about what's happening in your life? I know I don't do it often enough!]
I finally figured out what I'm getting Mom for Christmas - a book. I know that sounds boring, but she enjoys reading and "The Shoes of the Fisherman" by Morris West is one I know she'd enjoy. Dad subtly dropped that hint and I was grateful. p56
[comment: I chose this quote simply because it referred to books and Christmas. What a delightful combination]
I used to think I was smart, but solving algebra equations is a whole lot easier than making decisions that affect the lives of my children. p174
[comment: I hear you -- parenting is a tough job]
Monday, October 18, 2004
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
"Intimate Enemies," By Shana Abe, c. 2000
I think my current read, Peep Show by Faith Bleasdale, c. 2002, is going to be a quickie. I have decided that this one will be next on the list.
From blurb:
From Shana Abe, author of 'The Truelove Bride' and 'A Kiss at Midnight,' comes this exquisitely, emotional, beautifully written novel about two warring clans on a Scottish Isle united by a fragile pact ... and the hearts of two unforgettable lovers.
This copy is from Booksfree.com
**
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest.
It was ingrained in her as the deepest rings in the heart of an oak tree. p46
She couldn't understand what that meant until she angled her gaze downward and saw, strangely, the sky beneath her. But it wasn't truly the sky, just the reflection of it, clear blue threading through the canyon right below her. They were at the edge of a very steep drop. Far, far down was the river she had glimpsed earlier this morning, catching heaven and showing it off through the rocks. p211
[comment: I love the last sentence in particular]
He might as well dream of the wind as of Lauren MacRae. Any chance of holding either was mere illusion. p315
[comment: Yes! It is a cliche, and the book is full of them. However call me naive but I'm going to pretend I haven't read this simile before.]
I think my current read, Peep Show by Faith Bleasdale, c. 2002, is going to be a quickie. I have decided that this one will be next on the list.
From blurb:
From Shana Abe, author of 'The Truelove Bride' and 'A Kiss at Midnight,' comes this exquisitely, emotional, beautifully written novel about two warring clans on a Scottish Isle united by a fragile pact ... and the hearts of two unforgettable lovers.
This copy is from Booksfree.com
**
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest.
It was ingrained in her as the deepest rings in the heart of an oak tree. p46
She couldn't understand what that meant until she angled her gaze downward and saw, strangely, the sky beneath her. But it wasn't truly the sky, just the reflection of it, clear blue threading through the canyon right below her. They were at the edge of a very steep drop. Far, far down was the river she had glimpsed earlier this morning, catching heaven and showing it off through the rocks. p211
[comment: I love the last sentence in particular]
He might as well dream of the wind as of Lauren MacRae. Any chance of holding either was mere illusion. p315
[comment: Yes! It is a cliche, and the book is full of them. However call me naive but I'm going to pretend I haven't read this simile before.]
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Books read August 2nd to October 4th, 2004 --
The Dionne Years by Pierre Berton, c. 1977 -- abandoned part way through
Manitou by Donald Cole Porter, c. 1988
Something Beautiful by Marilyn Tracy, c. 1995
This Very Earth by Erskine Caldwell, c. 1948
"I'm not scared," by Niccolo Ammaniti, c. 2001 -- library book
Pastora by Joanna Barnes, c. 1980
Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy, c. 1989
Blood Brothers by Anne McAllister, c. 2000
The Green Bay Tree by Alexandra Connor, c. 1993
"Cheet," by Anna Davis, c. 2001 -- library book
Suffer A Witch to Die by Elizabeth Davis, c. 1969
The First Wives Club by Olivia Goldsmith, c. 1992
The Dionne Years by Pierre Berton, c. 1977 -- abandoned part way through
Manitou by Donald Cole Porter, c. 1988
Something Beautiful by Marilyn Tracy, c. 1995
This Very Earth by Erskine Caldwell, c. 1948
"I'm not scared," by Niccolo Ammaniti, c. 2001 -- library book
Pastora by Joanna Barnes, c. 1980
Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy, c. 1989
Blood Brothers by Anne McAllister, c. 2000
The Green Bay Tree by Alexandra Connor, c. 1993
"Cheet," by Anna Davis, c. 2001 -- library book
Suffer A Witch to Die by Elizabeth Davis, c. 1969
The First Wives Club by Olivia Goldsmith, c. 1992
Monday, October 04, 2004
"The Dharma Bums," by Jack Kerouac, c. 1958
This book is next after my current read, "The Mermaids Singing." See entry of Oct 3, 2004. I roll a dice and this one came up as next. It is a library book.
Why did I choose an oldie? It was in the "to be shelved" area of the stacks at North County Regional Library and the word "dharma" caught my eye.
From blurb:
Two ebullient young men search for Truth the Zen way: from marathon winedrinking bouts, poetry jam sessions, and "yayburn" in San Francisco's Bohemia to solitude in the high Sierras and a vigil atop Desolation Peak in Washington State. Published just after a year after 'On the Road' put the Beat Generation on the map. 'The Dharma Bums' is sparked by Kerouac's expansiveness, humor, and a contagious zest for life.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest.
This Rod Sturlason was interested the famous Ryonaji rock gardens of Shokokuji monastery in Kyoto, which is nothing but old boulders placed in such a way, supposedly mystically aesthetic, as to cause thousands of tourists and monks every year to journey there to stare at the boulders in the sand and thereby gain peace of mind. I have never met such weird yet serious and earnest people. I never saw Rod Sturlason again, he went to Japan soon after, but I can't forget what he said about the boulders to my question: "Well, who placed them in that certain way that's so great?"
"Nobody knows, some monk, or monks, long ago. But there is a definite mysterious form in the arrangement of the rocks. It's only through form that we can realize emptiness." p23
[comment: I must admit I hadn't heard of the place before. Perhaps it's a neat place to visit]
Suddenly I was exhilerated to realize I was completely alone and safe and nobody was going to wake me up all night long. What an amazing revelation! p154
[comment: as a 'sleep-hog' I can certainly relish this feeling. The things we take for granted, huh?]
The jiggling sunshine leaves of Northwest breeze seemed bred to rejoice. p225
This book is next after my current read, "The Mermaids Singing." See entry of Oct 3, 2004. I roll a dice and this one came up as next. It is a library book.
Why did I choose an oldie? It was in the "to be shelved" area of the stacks at North County Regional Library and the word "dharma" caught my eye.
From blurb:
Two ebullient young men search for Truth the Zen way: from marathon winedrinking bouts, poetry jam sessions, and "yayburn" in San Francisco's Bohemia to solitude in the high Sierras and a vigil atop Desolation Peak in Washington State. Published just after a year after 'On the Road' put the Beat Generation on the map. 'The Dharma Bums' is sparked by Kerouac's expansiveness, humor, and a contagious zest for life.
I collect quotes as I read. These ones are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest.
This Rod Sturlason was interested the famous Ryonaji rock gardens of Shokokuji monastery in Kyoto, which is nothing but old boulders placed in such a way, supposedly mystically aesthetic, as to cause thousands of tourists and monks every year to journey there to stare at the boulders in the sand and thereby gain peace of mind. I have never met such weird yet serious and earnest people. I never saw Rod Sturlason again, he went to Japan soon after, but I can't forget what he said about the boulders to my question: "Well, who placed them in that certain way that's so great?"
"Nobody knows, some monk, or monks, long ago. But there is a definite mysterious form in the arrangement of the rocks. It's only through form that we can realize emptiness." p23
[comment: I must admit I hadn't heard of the place before. Perhaps it's a neat place to visit]
Suddenly I was exhilerated to realize I was completely alone and safe and nobody was going to wake me up all night long. What an amazing revelation! p154
[comment: as a 'sleep-hog' I can certainly relish this feeling. The things we take for granted, huh?]
The jiggling sunshine leaves of Northwest breeze seemed bred to rejoice. p225
Sunday, October 03, 2004
"The Mermaids Singing," by Lisa Carey, c. 1998 --
As if I didn't have enough to read I signed up with booksfree.com. Mermaids Singing from this outfit is next on my list after my current read, The Dionne Years by Pierre Berton, c. 1977.
Why do I read old books? I am a sucker for books on ebay -- especially those mixed lot boxes. I must admit that my range of reading has certainly expanded. I will give almost anything a go.
update October 4th, 2004 --
I canned The Dionne Years after about 100pp. It got very repetitive.
From blurb of "Mermaids Singing":
There is an island off the west coast of Ireland called Inis Muruch - the Island of the Mermaids - a world where myth is more powerful than truth, and love can overcome even death. It is here that Lisa Carey sets her lyrical and sensual first novel, weaving together the voices and lives of three generations of Irish and Irish-American women.
Years ago, the fierce and beautiful Grace stole away from the island with her small daughter, Grainne, unable to bear its isolation. Now Grainne is motherless at fifteen, and a grandmother she has never met has come to take her back. Her heart is pulled between a life in which she no longer belongs and a family she cannot remember. But only on Inis Muruch can she begin to understand the forces that have ton her family apart.
--
I collect quotes as I read. These ones from 'Mermaids,' are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest.
The flames of the bonfire shot up toward the night, making a slapping noise like laundry in rough wind. p33
"Mom, cut it out."
"You think that man sits at a desk all day? He's dropping his pants all over the city."
"What's wrong with his pants?" one of the twins asked. p83
[comment: I love comments from children]
The black slices of the cliff went so far down, it was hard to capture the depth. The only way I knew how high we were was by looking at the seagulls, some of which looked like pieces of lint floating far below. p104
My father died twenty-three years after his wife, and yet it was my mother I grieved at the funeral. I grieved that I had not known her, that she had died before I was a mother, before I had a chance to understand that no one is the mother she plans to be. p179
[comment: oh, my. this brings up all kinds of emotions for me. I'm going to try and capture them on my blog.]
The waves sizzled whispers at our feet. p253
--
My views on the book (updated Oct 9, 2004)
This a masterful book with many different levels to ponder. Being an immigrant of the USA I can relate to the feeling of finding your roots. I'm sure that my girls will think of America as home much more than I think of New Zealand as home.
The book also concentrates on the difficulties of parenting. My gut instinct would be that this book is mainly for mothers but it would also would resound with teens that are struggling for independence from their mother.
As if I didn't have enough to read I signed up with booksfree.com. Mermaids Singing from this outfit is next on my list after my current read, The Dionne Years by Pierre Berton, c. 1977.
Why do I read old books? I am a sucker for books on ebay -- especially those mixed lot boxes. I must admit that my range of reading has certainly expanded. I will give almost anything a go.
update October 4th, 2004 --
I canned The Dionne Years after about 100pp. It got very repetitive.
From blurb of "Mermaids Singing":
There is an island off the west coast of Ireland called Inis Muruch - the Island of the Mermaids - a world where myth is more powerful than truth, and love can overcome even death. It is here that Lisa Carey sets her lyrical and sensual first novel, weaving together the voices and lives of three generations of Irish and Irish-American women.
Years ago, the fierce and beautiful Grace stole away from the island with her small daughter, Grainne, unable to bear its isolation. Now Grainne is motherless at fifteen, and a grandmother she has never met has come to take her back. Her heart is pulled between a life in which she no longer belongs and a family she cannot remember. But only on Inis Muruch can she begin to understand the forces that have ton her family apart.
--
I collect quotes as I read. These ones from 'Mermaids,' are fun, poetical, or even philosophical. Take what you like, and leave the rest.
The flames of the bonfire shot up toward the night, making a slapping noise like laundry in rough wind. p33
"Mom, cut it out."
"You think that man sits at a desk all day? He's dropping his pants all over the city."
"What's wrong with his pants?" one of the twins asked. p83
[comment: I love comments from children]
The black slices of the cliff went so far down, it was hard to capture the depth. The only way I knew how high we were was by looking at the seagulls, some of which looked like pieces of lint floating far below. p104
My father died twenty-three years after his wife, and yet it was my mother I grieved at the funeral. I grieved that I had not known her, that she had died before I was a mother, before I had a chance to understand that no one is the mother she plans to be. p179
[comment: oh, my. this brings up all kinds of emotions for me. I'm going to try and capture them on my blog.]
The waves sizzled whispers at our feet. p253
--
My views on the book (updated Oct 9, 2004)
This a masterful book with many different levels to ponder. Being an immigrant of the USA I can relate to the feeling of finding your roots. I'm sure that my girls will think of America as home much more than I think of New Zealand as home.
The book also concentrates on the difficulties of parenting. My gut instinct would be that this book is mainly for mothers but it would also would resound with teens that are struggling for independence from their mother.
Thursday, September 23, 2004
My thoughts on book "I'm not scared," by Niccolo Ammaniti ...
I must admit that I found this book confusing. It seemed as though we only had a sliver of information. However this quality made it a real page turner. What was going to be revealed? Will it all fit together?
I didn't have any preconceptions going into this novel. And that's how I love it. This afternoon I checked other reviews that confirmed my emotions.
I guess life is not black and white so why should Michele's story be so clear. I admire Michele's courage. Enough said otherwise it will be a spoiler.
I must admit that I found this book confusing. It seemed as though we only had a sliver of information. However this quality made it a real page turner. What was going to be revealed? Will it all fit together?
I didn't have any preconceptions going into this novel. And that's how I love it. This afternoon I checked other reviews that confirmed my emotions.
I guess life is not black and white so why should Michele's story be so clear. I admire Michele's courage. Enough said otherwise it will be a spoiler.
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
I collect quotes for my sig file. When I read books I own, or those I have obtained via bookray, I copy the quotes into a Bookcrossing.com journal entry. I didn't have a system for keeping quotes from library books. In the middle of the night I had a harebrained idea to make a journal entry here for such books.
These are from "I'm not scared," by Niccolo Ammaniti, c. 2001 -- library book
That morning the clouds had appeared. They ran swiftly across a faded sky throwing black patches on the wheatfields and clung onto their rain, carrying it off somewhere else. p63
On her nose she had some thick specs that made her eyes as small as a fisherman's sinkers. p119
These are from "I'm not scared," by Niccolo Ammaniti, c. 2001 -- library book
That morning the clouds had appeared. They ran swiftly across a faded sky throwing black patches on the wheatfields and clung onto their rain, carrying it off somewhere else. p63
On her nose she had some thick specs that made her eyes as small as a fisherman's sinkers. p119
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Books read since June 16th, 2004
The Heiress Inherits a Cowboy by Carol Grace, c. 1998
"The Silent Shore," by Rosemary Aitken, c. 2001 -- Library book
Whirlwind by Nancy Martin, c. 1992
The Australian Heiress by Margaret Way, c. 1997
Sleeping Beauty by Judith Michael, c. 1991
Blue Ice by Marilyn Tracy, c. 1990
Asking for Trouble by Barbara Faith, c. 1987
Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie, c. 2001
Northern Knights by Bobby Hutchinson, c. 1987
A Royal Mission by Elizabeth August, c. 2000
Sweet Enemy by Diana Palmer, c. 1979
Late Bloomer by Peg Sutherland, c. 1993
Lonesome Rider by Heather Graham, c. 1993
Til Tomorrow by Sandra Marton, c. 1996
Dilemma by Megan Alexander, c. 1987
The Heiress Inherits a Cowboy by Carol Grace, c. 1998
"The Silent Shore," by Rosemary Aitken, c. 2001 -- Library book
Whirlwind by Nancy Martin, c. 1992
The Australian Heiress by Margaret Way, c. 1997
Sleeping Beauty by Judith Michael, c. 1991
Blue Ice by Marilyn Tracy, c. 1990
Asking for Trouble by Barbara Faith, c. 1987
Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie, c. 2001
Northern Knights by Bobby Hutchinson, c. 1987
A Royal Mission by Elizabeth August, c. 2000
Sweet Enemy by Diana Palmer, c. 1979
Late Bloomer by Peg Sutherland, c. 1993
Lonesome Rider by Heather Graham, c. 1993
Til Tomorrow by Sandra Marton, c. 1996
Dilemma by Megan Alexander, c. 1987
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Books read since May somethingorother lol, 2004
Her Father's Daughter by Anna Adams, c. 2000
"The Time Traveler's Wife," by Audrey Niffenegger, c. 2003 -- Library book
Pale Dawn, Dark Sunset by Anne Mather, c. 1975
The Miracle Baby by Janice Kay Johnston, c. 1997
The Bachelor Takes a Wife by Jackie Merritt, c. 2002
Parting Gifts by Charlotte Vale Allen, c. 2001 -- bookray,
"The Knitting Sutra. Craft as a Spiritual Practice," by Susan Gordon Lydon, c. 1997 (Library Book),
The Blue Flower by Penelope Fitzgerald, c. 1995
By Special Request by Barbara Kaye, c. 1987
Dangerous Precedent by Lisa Jackson, c. 1985
His Only Son by Kelsey Roberts, c. 1999
Her Father's Daughter by Anna Adams, c. 2000
"The Time Traveler's Wife," by Audrey Niffenegger, c. 2003 -- Library book
Pale Dawn, Dark Sunset by Anne Mather, c. 1975
The Miracle Baby by Janice Kay Johnston, c. 1997
The Bachelor Takes a Wife by Jackie Merritt, c. 2002
Parting Gifts by Charlotte Vale Allen, c. 2001 -- bookray,
"The Knitting Sutra. Craft as a Spiritual Practice," by Susan Gordon Lydon, c. 1997 (Library Book),
The Blue Flower by Penelope Fitzgerald, c. 1995
By Special Request by Barbara Kaye, c. 1987
Dangerous Precedent by Lisa Jackson, c. 1985
His Only Son by Kelsey Roberts, c. 1999
I collect quotes for my sig file. When I read books I own, or those I have obtained via bookray, I copy the quotes into a Bookcrossing.com journal entry. I didn't have a system for keeping quotes from library books. In the middle of the night I had a harebrained idea to make a journal entry here for such books.
from "The Time Traveler's Wife," by Audrey Niffenegger, c. 2003
He smiles, that beautiful crooked radiant smile, all innocence, and I allow my guilt to subside, back to the little box where I keep it crammed like a parachute. p415
Gomez answers the door. Maximilian, three years old, is clinging to his leg, and hides his face behind Gomez's knee when we say "Hi Max!" Joseph, more extroverted at one, races up to Clare babbling "Ba Ba Ba" and burps loudly as she picks him up. Gomez rolls his eyes, and Clare laughs, and Joe laughs, and even I have to laugh at the complete chaos. Their house looks as though a glacier with a Toys "R" Us store inside it has moved through, leaving pools of Legos and abandoned stuffed bears. p333
"Oh, but you must call me Lucille, everyone does," and smiles in an exhausted but warm sort of way, as though she is a brilliant sun in some other galaxy." p166
Or maybe it was a dream like when Buster died and I dreamed he was okay and he was in his cage but I woke up and no Buster and Mama said 'Dreams are different than real life but important too.' p45
[comment: I had a very vivid dream last night so this quote touched me no end]
from "The Time Traveler's Wife," by Audrey Niffenegger, c. 2003
He smiles, that beautiful crooked radiant smile, all innocence, and I allow my guilt to subside, back to the little box where I keep it crammed like a parachute. p415
Gomez answers the door. Maximilian, three years old, is clinging to his leg, and hides his face behind Gomez's knee when we say "Hi Max!" Joseph, more extroverted at one, races up to Clare babbling "Ba Ba Ba" and burps loudly as she picks him up. Gomez rolls his eyes, and Clare laughs, and Joe laughs, and even I have to laugh at the complete chaos. Their house looks as though a glacier with a Toys "R" Us store inside it has moved through, leaving pools of Legos and abandoned stuffed bears. p333
"Oh, but you must call me Lucille, everyone does," and smiles in an exhausted but warm sort of way, as though she is a brilliant sun in some other galaxy." p166
Or maybe it was a dream like when Buster died and I dreamed he was okay and he was in his cage but I woke up and no Buster and Mama said 'Dreams are different than real life but important too.' p45
[comment: I had a very vivid dream last night so this quote touched me no end]
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
I collect quotes for my sig file. When I read books I own, or those I have obtained via bookray, I copy the quotes into a Bookcrossing.com journal entry. I didn't have a system for keeping quotes from library books. In the middle of the night I had a harebrained idea to make a journal entry here for such books.
from “The Knitting Sutra. Craft as a Spiritual Practice, by Susan Gordon Lydon, c. 1997
So here goes...
I went outside and, in some sort of ambulatory fog, made my way to the pizza
joint on the next block. "So I have cancer," I thought to myself, "and now I'm having pizza." I may have been dying, but I was still hungry for lunch.
In the weeks to come I would be surprised by how much those ordinary things combined to keep me sane. All the mundane tasks that normally irritated me - putting gas in the car, washing dishes, writing out bills - kept me grounded in reality, and involved in my life, so that no matter how much I may have wanted to curl up in a fetal ball and obsess about the cancer, I still had to take care of business and carry on as best I could. A line of Alfred Kazin's, in an account of a Friday-morning visit to his radiologist's office that I had read in the 'New Yorker,' described this feeling perfectly: "In the midst of death we are life," it read, "and itching to get away for the weekend." p128
[comment: this passage reminds me how much I take for granted]
In midlife it begins to feel terribly urgent to us that we attend to things that will nuture our soul, on an individual as well as a societal level. "Technology is going to destroy the human soul," the folksinger Pete Seeger said recently, "unless we realize that each of us must in some way be a creaotr as well as a spectator or consumer." As a society we are desparately in search of a better, more spiritual way to live; our very survival of species depends on it. For myself, at this time I needed to find different heroes, new archetypes on which to model myself, authentic values I could live by, a lost world I might regain through the work of my hands. p49
from “The Knitting Sutra. Craft as a Spiritual Practice, by Susan Gordon Lydon, c. 1997
So here goes...
I went outside and, in some sort of ambulatory fog, made my way to the pizza
joint on the next block. "So I have cancer," I thought to myself, "and now I'm having pizza." I may have been dying, but I was still hungry for lunch.
In the weeks to come I would be surprised by how much those ordinary things combined to keep me sane. All the mundane tasks that normally irritated me - putting gas in the car, washing dishes, writing out bills - kept me grounded in reality, and involved in my life, so that no matter how much I may have wanted to curl up in a fetal ball and obsess about the cancer, I still had to take care of business and carry on as best I could. A line of Alfred Kazin's, in an account of a Friday-morning visit to his radiologist's office that I had read in the 'New Yorker,' described this feeling perfectly: "In the midst of death we are life," it read, "and itching to get away for the weekend." p128
[comment: this passage reminds me how much I take for granted]
In midlife it begins to feel terribly urgent to us that we attend to things that will nuture our soul, on an individual as well as a societal level. "Technology is going to destroy the human soul," the folksinger Pete Seeger said recently, "unless we realize that each of us must in some way be a creaotr as well as a spectator or consumer." As a society we are desparately in search of a better, more spiritual way to live; our very survival of species depends on it. For myself, at this time I needed to find different heroes, new archetypes on which to model myself, authentic values I could live by, a lost world I might regain through the work of my hands. p49
Saturday, May 15, 2004
Read since March 31st, 2004
Mistress to a Millionaire by Helen Brooks, c. 1999,
House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III, c. 1999,
A Class Apart by Susan Lewis, c. 1988,
Slade Baron's Bride by Sandra Marton, c. 1999,
Sunset by Christopher Nicole, c. 1978,
Cooking Up Trouble by Molly O'Keefe, c. 2003,
The Sudden Guest by Christopher La Farge, c. 1946,
Cinderella & The Playboy by Laura Wright, c. 2002,
The Accident by Jesse Osburn, c. 1984,
Paradise Lost by Robyn Donald, c. 1993,
The Stranger by Albert Camus, c. 1942,
"A Girl From Yamhill. A Memoir," by Beverly Cleary, c. 1988 (library book),
"Truth & Bright Water" by Thomas King, c. 1999 (library book)
"The Namesake," by Jhumpa Lahiri, c. 2003 (library book)
Mistress to a Millionaire by Helen Brooks, c. 1999,
House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III, c. 1999,
A Class Apart by Susan Lewis, c. 1988,
Slade Baron's Bride by Sandra Marton, c. 1999,
Sunset by Christopher Nicole, c. 1978,
Cooking Up Trouble by Molly O'Keefe, c. 2003,
The Sudden Guest by Christopher La Farge, c. 1946,
Cinderella & The Playboy by Laura Wright, c. 2002,
The Accident by Jesse Osburn, c. 1984,
Paradise Lost by Robyn Donald, c. 1993,
The Stranger by Albert Camus, c. 1942,
"A Girl From Yamhill. A Memoir," by Beverly Cleary, c. 1988 (library book),
"Truth & Bright Water" by Thomas King, c. 1999 (library book)
"The Namesake," by Jhumpa Lahiri, c. 2003 (library book)
Friday, April 02, 2004
I collect quotes for my sig file. When I read books I own, or those I have obtained via bookray, I copy the quotes into a Bookcrossing.com journal entry. I didn't have a system for keeping quotes from library books. In the middle of the night I had a harebrained idea to make a journal entry here for such books.
So here goes...
For: --"A Girl From Yamhill. A Memoir," by Beverly Cleary, c. 1988
Even though I felt guilty, a social failure and disappointment to my mother, I did not want to go to a Fourth of July picnic. I wanted a real job, or I wanted to be left alone to lie on my bed in my room and read Willa Cather.
My reading, secluded in my room with the door shut, annoyed Mother. She constantly talked to me through the door and accused me of being snooty. I was not snooty. I was confused and unhappy, and wanted time to think without Mother telling me what to think. p241
[comment: I could relate to this teenager]
The first thing we decided to do, on a warm summer day when the air of Portland was rich with the rotten-cabbage smell of paper mills, was use our new adult library cards.
We timidly approached the adult half of the book collection, choosing almost at random before we slipped back to the children's side of the room for old favorites. p172
[comment: This quote brings memories of the time when I got my own library card]
Mother was tense and apprehensive. I continued to overhear shreds of anxious conversation about my future.
What future, I wondered, and why couldn't my parents speak directly to me about it? I wanted to write; writing was expected of me, but what did I, an ordinary girl, have to write about? I could not depend on my pen and imagination for a living. I visualized nothign beyond, perhaps, business school and a dull office job - if I could find one, and I did not want to find one. An office meant one thing: typewriting. p253
So here goes...
For: --"A Girl From Yamhill. A Memoir," by Beverly Cleary, c. 1988
Even though I felt guilty, a social failure and disappointment to my mother, I did not want to go to a Fourth of July picnic. I wanted a real job, or I wanted to be left alone to lie on my bed in my room and read Willa Cather.
My reading, secluded in my room with the door shut, annoyed Mother. She constantly talked to me through the door and accused me of being snooty. I was not snooty. I was confused and unhappy, and wanted time to think without Mother telling me what to think. p241
[comment: I could relate to this teenager]
The first thing we decided to do, on a warm summer day when the air of Portland was rich with the rotten-cabbage smell of paper mills, was use our new adult library cards.
We timidly approached the adult half of the book collection, choosing almost at random before we slipped back to the children's side of the room for old favorites. p172
[comment: This quote brings memories of the time when I got my own library card]
Mother was tense and apprehensive. I continued to overhear shreds of anxious conversation about my future.
What future, I wondered, and why couldn't my parents speak directly to me about it? I wanted to write; writing was expected of me, but what did I, an ordinary girl, have to write about? I could not depend on my pen and imagination for a living. I visualized nothign beyond, perhaps, business school and a dull office job - if I could find one, and I did not want to find one. An office meant one thing: typewriting. p253
Thursday, April 01, 2004
READ SINCE FEB 20 2004
Sphere by Michael Crichton, c.1987
Sense of Evil by Kay Hooper, c.2003
Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder, c.1991
The Arrangement by Sally Bradford, c.1987
Lovespell by Rosalind Carson, c. 1984
The Fall of Shane MacKade by Nora Roberts, c.1996
Patriot Games by Tom Clancy, c.1987
Dream Groom by Susan Mallery
Milky Way by Muriel Jensen
Red Thunder Reckoning by Sylvie Kurtz.
Sphere by Michael Crichton, c.1987
Sense of Evil by Kay Hooper, c.2003
Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder, c.1991
The Arrangement by Sally Bradford, c.1987
Lovespell by Rosalind Carson, c. 1984
The Fall of Shane MacKade by Nora Roberts, c.1996
Patriot Games by Tom Clancy, c.1987
Dream Groom by Susan Mallery
Milky Way by Muriel Jensen
Red Thunder Reckoning by Sylvie Kurtz.
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
I collect quotes for my sig file. When I read books I own, or those I have obtained via bookray, I copy the quotes into a Bookcrossing.com journal entry. I didn't have a system for keeping quotes from library books. In the middle of the night I had a harebrained idea to make a journal entry here for such books.
So here goes...
For "Truth & Bright Water" by Thomas King, c. 1999
Lum turns his back and pokes at the fire with a stick. It flares for a moment, and he slowly stacks branches and pieces of cottonwood against the flame. Soldier and I walk to the edge of the camp. I look up at the stars and breathe the air, and I think about my bedroom in the shop with its windowless walls and starless ceiling and wonder why I ever expected Lum would want to share with me. p227
In the morning, when I wake up, the world is soft and wet, and the fog clings to the sleeping bag like sweat. Soldier [dog] is snuggled up against me now, and his body is warm and comfortable. I roll over to tell Lum about my dream, but he has already gone. The river bottom is quiet, and all along the banks, the shadow shapes of the cottonwoods lean over the water like sad people weeping. p180
"If it were me," says my mother, "I'd say something."
"That's because you're a romantic," says Aunt Cassie.
"Nothing wrong with a little romance," says my mother.
"Lasts about as long as cut flowers," says Aunt Cassie. p113
The plywood decking has already begun to weather, to twist and bubble up like pieces of thin meat in a hot pan. p15
So here goes...
For "Truth & Bright Water" by Thomas King, c. 1999
Lum turns his back and pokes at the fire with a stick. It flares for a moment, and he slowly stacks branches and pieces of cottonwood against the flame. Soldier and I walk to the edge of the camp. I look up at the stars and breathe the air, and I think about my bedroom in the shop with its windowless walls and starless ceiling and wonder why I ever expected Lum would want to share with me. p227
In the morning, when I wake up, the world is soft and wet, and the fog clings to the sleeping bag like sweat. Soldier [dog] is snuggled up against me now, and his body is warm and comfortable. I roll over to tell Lum about my dream, but he has already gone. The river bottom is quiet, and all along the banks, the shadow shapes of the cottonwoods lean over the water like sad people weeping. p180
"If it were me," says my mother, "I'd say something."
"That's because you're a romantic," says Aunt Cassie.
"Nothing wrong with a little romance," says my mother.
"Lasts about as long as cut flowers," says Aunt Cassie. p113
The plywood decking has already begun to weather, to twist and bubble up like pieces of thin meat in a hot pan. p15
Friday, February 20, 2004
Read since Jan 18, 2004
There Comes a Tyrant by Anne Hampson,
The Baby Cop by Roz Denny Fox,
The Biological Bond by Jamie Denton,
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown c. 2003 - a loan from a neighbor,
I Don't Know How She Does It by Alison Pearson,
A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux,
Pick Up Sticks by Emma Lathen,
A Most Contagious Game by Catherine Aird,
Cowboy Comes Home by Judy Christenberry,
The Road Unseen by Peter&Barbara Jenkins,
My First Year as a Teacher edited by Pearl Rock Kane,
Sugar Cage by Connie May Fowler,
Love Me Forever by Donna Fletcher
There Comes a Tyrant by Anne Hampson,
The Baby Cop by Roz Denny Fox,
The Biological Bond by Jamie Denton,
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown c. 2003 - a loan from a neighbor,
I Don't Know How She Does It by Alison Pearson,
A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux,
Pick Up Sticks by Emma Lathen,
A Most Contagious Game by Catherine Aird,
Cowboy Comes Home by Judy Christenberry,
The Road Unseen by Peter&Barbara Jenkins,
My First Year as a Teacher edited by Pearl Rock Kane,
Sugar Cage by Connie May Fowler,
Love Me Forever by Donna Fletcher
Sunday, January 18, 2004
Read since Dec 16, 2003
"Blood Relations," by Rett MacPherson (from the library)
"Long Time No See," by Susan Isaacs (from the library)
The Ghost by Danielle Steel
Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
Storm Warning by Dinah McCall
Rascal by Charlotte Hughes
The Wizard's Daughter by Barbara Michaels
The Dating Game by Sandra Field
Journey by James Michener
Fortune's Flames by Janelle Taylor
A Time to Kill by John Grisham
"Blood Relations," by Rett MacPherson (from the library)
"Long Time No See," by Susan Isaacs (from the library)
The Ghost by Danielle Steel
Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
Storm Warning by Dinah McCall
Rascal by Charlotte Hughes
The Wizard's Daughter by Barbara Michaels
The Dating Game by Sandra Field
Journey by James Michener
Fortune's Flames by Janelle Taylor
A Time to Kill by John Grisham
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