Please Excuse My Daughter by Julie Klam

Just finished Julie Klam's memoir, Please Excuse My Daughter. I loved it! No, really, I loved it. I felt like I had to read the whole thing in one sitting and I very nearly did.

I realize that some of this could be a hero-worship thing, since she's a successful writer and she talks to me on Twitter. But it's honestly not just that. Obviously, I was excited to read her book, since it felt like I already knew her (in that weird internet way that people know each other now), but also I was a little worried that I may not like it or may not have anything good to say.

But, thankfully, I have only good things to say. Julie's memoir is warm, funny, interesting and honest. She describes her life, good, bad and ugly, without holding back or trying to paint herself in the best light. That's rare.

Julie helped me to understand something about my sad little scribbles. Certainly, I don't think I'm anywhere near her level, but even so, she helped me to gain some insight about myself. While I'm always trying to hide my true thoughts from people, she is willing to share real emotion, and that's something that makes her writing so very powerful.

I can't wait to read her next book.

Magic For Beginners

A package came from Amazon this weekend and I was hoping it would contain Julie Klam's book, Please Excuse My Daughter, but as it turned out, I had completely forgotten my previous order. So instead, it was the Leverage Soundtrack CD and Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link. I'm not complaining.

I didn't have too much time for reading, since I was trying to write. (Please note the word "trying," since it basically sums up the last couple of days. But at least I was able to listen to the Leverage CD while I wasn't writing.)

In any case, I did manage to read the first couple of stories and so far, I love it! I've just had a long, long day, so I'm looking forward to snuggling up with Magic and a cup of tea before bed.

The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake

I finished reading The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake. I'm still not sure how I feel exactly. I liked them, but I think I need more time to digest. My favorite of the stories was probably "Time and Again," which was, in my opinion, the creepiest of them, or maybe "The Way It Has To Be."

Ever since I started to read them, I've had the niggling feeling that the folksy Appalachian tales were somehow familiar or reminiscent of something I've read before. I just can't put my finger on it. I even tried doing a little research to see if anyone else thought the same. Apparently, no, because I couldn't find what I wanted.

In any case, what I found most interesting, was how much texture Breece Pancake's stories have, especially because of how young he was when the stories were written. Not that I'm saying you have to be older to write well, but obviously life experiences add to what you have to say. It just felt as if Pancake shared more in his stories than he would have been able to experience and absorb in his few years.

They were well worth the read, so you may want to check them out.

To Read or Not To Read Bolano

So I got this book at the library, 2666 by Roberto Bolano, 896 pages of book.

I want to read it. It came highly recommended by somebody or other. As I may or may not have mentioned already, I've been feeling guilty that everything I've read in the last few years is at a grade school level. It's a shame really, because I could read before I hit kindergarten. When I was in third grade, I read at a seventh grade level; by seventh grade, I was at college level. Now I'm a dunce.

Anyway, in my last trip to the library, at the last minute before I headed to the check out, I grabbed the Bolano. I've just left it sitting on my bedside table, because I've felt so daunted by it. I mentioned that it has 896 pages, right? Plus, it has this tiny, tiny typeface. Also, it was translated from Spanish. I'm very nearly terrified of this book. And yet.

Just the other day on Twitter, I came across this site, BolanoBolano.com, where they are planning to have a group read of 2666. It looks like it might be fate.

2010; The Year of the Books

Lately, I've been thinking about how marriage has dumbed me down. I'm not blamng my husband, really, but I used to read. Of course, I'm much busier now than I used to be, but I do still find time to read a little. But basically everything I read now is at 8th grade level. You know, Harry Potter, Twilight, Vampire Diaries. Sure, I have my genre, but that doesn't mean that I only like sci-fi or fantasy. I used to love to read historical books, some fiction and some non-fiction. I can remember reading textbooks about medieval architecture and crazy stuff like that.

Since it's the start of a new year, it seemed like a good time to make some changes. For one thing, I plan on blogging more, both here and on my TV blog, and I plan on reading more. Of course, I also plan on thinking more about losing that 100 lbs I need to lose, too. I didn't quite start that exercise program on New Year's Day, but maybe tomorrow. ;)

I did, however, start reading several books. Yay for me! I have already completed one, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Predators and Prey (Season 8, Vol. 5) graphic novel. Alright, clearly not a serious tome, but still, I did read something.

I am also currently reading The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake. Yes, you read that correctly. I'm about half way through right now and I'm still not exactly sure what I think. The stories are interesting, at least one was pretty creepy, but in a good way, and overall they have a folksy feel. Pancake set his stories in rural West Virginia and he wrote them as though he were uneducated, which he definitely was not. Sadly, he took his life when he was only 26. This book was published posthumously from his published and unpublished stories.

On the non-fiction side, I'm reading The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, Leonard Mlodinow. I'm really enjoying this one way more than I thought I would. I'll take a stab at explaining it, but I'm not sure I can do it justice. Words like statistical, mathmatical, analysis, problem-solving all come to mind. Think historical background meets gambling. No, that's not right. Anyway, it makes for much easier reading than you think.

Plus, I was able to take out lots more good reads at the library. So at least my year is starting out right.