Reading

Ok, we're back from the beach once again. When I've recovered sufficiently (and have downloaded the pics), I'll post about that. For now, I'll just set up this little word problem for you: There are two children. One is 3, and one is 1. If the drive from the beach is 4 hours long, and Mommy has only had 1.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night for the past 10 days, and an average of only 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep for the past 14 months, how long before she slaps Daddy for making her hold the Nalgene bottle between her knees, because it is too large to fit into the cup holders, which already contain a rotten sippy cup of juice, and a disintegrated paper cup from Moe's? Take your time. I think you can work this one out on your own.

Anyway, in one of my horrific wee hour rocking/nursing sessions, I found myself hazily reflecting on one of life's minor annoyances: the polite fiction of the "summer read," or the "beach novel"--you know, the sort of book that gets put on the front table at Barnes and Noble, the sort of thing that gets breathy reviews on NPR, and tends to make Oprah's book club reading list. It annoys me for two reasons. One, most of the books that are "beach novels" are pure T crap, and those that aren't are defiled by association, which is unfair. The other reason is that nobody can actually read at the beach. For one thing, it's too hot, and in my current reality, would be tantamount to infanticide.

A former coworker once said that his goal was to read 10 good books every year, and see 10 good movies. Since I haven't seen 10 movies in the past 3 years, let alone 10 good ones, I can't really respond to the second part. But I have tried to keep up with my reading, with varied success. Most of it happens in the bathtub or at other undignified moments. But these are some of the books I've read this year:

1. Landsman by Peter Charles Melman. About a Jewish guy during the Civil War--an extraordinary book. Better than Cold Mountain, in my view, and that's saying something. Totally satisfying.

2. In the Company of the Courtesan. About a courtesan (surprise!) and her servant during the 15th century in Venice. Very good read, very well researched, though so plot-driven it may not bear a second read in the near future.

3. Mothers of Invention. This is a set of historical essays on the role of women during the Civil War--also very interesting, especially if you're into that period. (Obviously I am.)

4. Dreams From My Father. I wrote about this already--if you want to know about Barack Obama, you gotta read this. If you love him for his views, you may end up hating his guts for writing better than you ever will.

5. The Heart of Confederate Appalachia. Also a good read, and has more specific information than #3, or at least more information that was new to me. It wasn't exclusively about NC, but did provide lots of information that made it easier to envision life here during that period.

6. Next by Michael Crichton. Predictably disturbing, though rather poorly written, compared to his earlier fiction. This one is about the limits of genetic engineering, and the issue of individual rights. Actually, his notes at the end of the novel are more interesting than the novel itself. I'm thinking he could spare himself a lot of trouble if he'd just write straight-up essays, though his publisher might not be too hot on the idea.

7. The Apprentice by Lewis Libby. You might not think it possible that a senior member of the Bush Administration would be sufficiently literate to not only read but also WRITE a book, but you'd be wrong. This little novel, set in Japan in 1903 (but curiously non-dependent on its setting) is a well-crafted gem.

8. The Rendezvous. If you're into Patrick O'Brian (who wrote the Master and Commander series), this will be a surprise--these stories are nothing like his novels. Very dark, very pessimistic, though humorous at times. Some are excellent, some are too heavy-handed. They're the sort of thing that Stephen Maturin would have written in his later years, if Diana hadn't thrown in the towel and married him.

There are others I'd like to discuss, but I'll have to break for now...hopefully next time I'll have some pictures!