Reading...I am reading. I am always reading. I have always, since five, read. I have always had the joy of it. It never ever fails me. Is it any wonder I wish to be known as a writer? A writer, to me, is a bringer of joy, of worlds, of what if and why not? Through the worst of times and the best of times I have read, indiscriminately and voraciously. I read in labour between contractions, I read lonely nights waiting for my husband to come home from where ever he might have been. I read when I was sick and when I was well. In my home, my lovely lovely parents colluded, I am sure, to make sure that if we were reading we could beg off chores - so read we did and all still do.
Right now I am reading my most favorite sort of book, Wolf Hall - it is set in the court of Henry VIII and delves into that most interesting of times with great detail and dare I say it - love? Hilary Mantel can really write - it is remarkable that a piece of historical fiction would win the Booker but win it did and it is because she creates a whole world, flawlessly. It is heaven and I highly recommend it.
On my nightstand are these books - The Brain that Changes Itself - by Norman Doidge - I read a fair chunk of this one night at Linder's when I'd drank coffee late and couldn't sleep. I look forward to spending more time with it.
Neil Stephenson's - Quicksilver, the first in a trilogy. I love Stephenson - The Diamond Age is one of my all time favorite books so I look forward to this.
Write For Your Lives - Joseph Sestito - on inspiring your creative writing with Buddhist wisdom, written by a Buddhist practioner, a therapist and a writer - sure to be good!
What They Wanted - by marvellous writer Donna Morrissey, a Newfoundlander.
Galore - Michael Crummey, another Newfoundlander whose writing I admire.
Half Broke Horses - by Jeannette Walls who wrote The Glass Castle. This is billed as a True Life Novel - which is something I'm attempting so....
Hellman - by Carl Rollyson - a nice fat biography of Lillian Hellman, one of my heroes.
I may never get out of bed...
What are you reading?
10 comments:
I'm STILL reading "Brutal Telling" by Louse Penny! I've got to finish and get the book back to the library! It's excellent, though.
I wish I had more time to read...
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
I'm also reading WOLF HALL. To say I'm enjoying it doesn't do it justice. What I'm really relishing is this book is changing my perspective of Thomas Cromwell; a man I've always considered somewhat of a crud.
This book is my newest treasure.
Elspeth
Elizabeth - I love Louise Penney! I've only read one of hers but will get them all as soon as possible. Her books are closest to what I want to have published in the mystery line.
Elspeth - Me too! And unfortunately, since I was about 12, I've been an avid Anne Boylen fan - against all odds but jeesh - that is hard to hold onto in this book! Where are you at?
Jan; I'm almost done and thus am in the early stages of mourning. You do know she's writing a sequel? WOLF HALL stops before the story is done, so to speak. I've also been an Anne Boylen fan since I was around 12. Actually, I started with Elizabeth I, but Anne was an easy slide from there. That, of course, led to Henry VIII (a man with severe commitment issues, in my opinion) and all of the wives. I've never liked Jane Seymour. Some of it is because she supplanted Anne, some of it is because I've always considered her somewhat of a sheep. Have you watched THE TUDORS? There (apparently, I won't watch it because its mis-telling of history drives me crazed) Jane is portrayed as a Tudor feminist. (!!!!) Give me strength.
I agree with you that WOLF HALL does make Anne out to be a bit of a cow. It does ring rather true, however...
Elspeth
Currently, I'm reading Mommy's Little Girl by Diane Fanning (a friend of mine). It's a true crime. Fascinating, yet creepy.
Helen
Straight From Hel
I keep hearing about Wolf Hall, got to pick it up. I'm always reading as well. I enjoyed Half Broke Horses, the voice Walls writes in, so unique, but then the woman was her grandmother.
Somebody asked me, what I would do if I had to choose between reading and writing, I had to stop and think hard. In the end, I chose reading. Thankfully, that hypothetical question was ridiculous. ;-)
I just finished Wolf Hall - that's what these long snowed in Sundays with no kids will do for you!
Elspeth - we are clearly twins separated at birth! Yep - my intro was a book called Brief Gaudy Hour - think it was a book club choice because my folks had it and so did Ron's! Jane was a simpering twit in that book and it is hard to shake that impression. I was also much more liking of Wolsey in this book than I thought possible. I was irritated with Thomas More though...
Helen - I do like the occasional true crime but perhaps because of my job I best stick with fiction or nonfiction from a different time! I love to read books my friends have written though. That is very special.
Elizabeth - love those crazy questions! My step-daughter and I used to do those on our way to the market - 'would you rather do without chairs or Tuesday?' 'would you rather kiss a goon or stand up to your hips in a bug infested swamp?' 'would you rather have your dog be able to talk or your teacher not be able to?' Laugh - we'd kill ourselves! I'm all for impossible hypothetical questions and I think I would've answered the same as you. (how would you do revisions for instance? - just wondering...)
"BRIEF GAUDY HOUR"? Are you kidding me??? I still have my copy. Wow. I've mistrusted 'the sainted More' for many years. He was not the man portrayed in 'A Man for All Seasons'. I've always had a soft spot for Wolsey. Sure, he was power-hungry, but why not? He's always struck me as a decent sort.
We need to talk further about this. This could go on FOR HOURS.
Elspeth
I still have my copy too! Oh, my soul sistah!
Speaking of talking for hours tell me you're coming to take part in a murder mystery with us so we can plan! I'll write one with my partners based on a mystery writers' conference! Ha! And we'll get some of the others to attend too...
I'M IN! I'M IN! and it's not for lack of loving you that I haven't been here sooner. It's just that I love my breasts more! (see Dec. 29) And I had to see them. I suppose that's not love so much as vanity and seeing as how much I do in fact love you I can't see how a mere breast, or two, could ever really come between us or rival you in my affections. Your blog is now one of my "automatic open"s each day. C. oh shit, the only "Comment" signature it will digest for me is "Anonymous. So be it. C.
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