book nook
Some things I have read lately:
Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Here is an excerpt (count those clauses!!):
But she's extraordinarily attractive, he thought, as, walking across Trafalgar Square in the direction of the Haymarket, came a young woman who, as she passed Gordon's statue, seemed, Peter Walsh thought (susceptible as he was), to shed veil after veil, until she became the very woman he had always had in mind; young, but stately; merry, but discreet; black, but enchanting.
The whole novel is written like that; each sentence, in, and of, itself, is written with so many clauses; one almost cannot bear to keep up with it; taxing, but rewarding; interesting, yet pretentious.
(Was that a good imitation?)
The Fire-Raiser by Maurice Gee
Good.
Women In Love by D.H. Lawrence
Don't bother. My lecturer even apologised to our class for setting this work - it is rather impenetrable. The characters are interchangable. I see his point, but I don't like it.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by John Safran Foer
I didn't quite finish this, because I was annoyed at the way he wrote. I felt like he was trying too hard. Jeremy tells me the ending is sad/good, so perhaps I'll soldier on.
various Margaret Mahy novels, other Maurice Gee novels, online newspapers (NZ Herald, guardian.co.uk)
I'd love to read more, but my time has been taken up with all the required readings.
The bookiness of this entry was inspired by having afternoon tea with my friends from Uni, Lesley and Claire, and talking about so many different books. Actually for 2 and a half hours, we just talking passionately about books we love (Faulkner, Gee, "The Time Traveller's Wife" ) and books we hate (anything by Dan Brown, Marian Keyes, 'chick lit', etc). And cardigans.
Newsflash of some import:
I've been re-reading some old entries this evening, and I've decided that the time has come:
I'm going to start a new blog, on another site.
As soon as I figure out how to save some of the entries that are particularly memorable (especially around 2003 and 2005), then I'll publish the link to my new site.
And that's about all, really.
Oh yeah, one last thing. Jeremy and I have a house! We will be living in sunny Melrose, which for those who know Wellington is on the hills above Kilbirnie/the airport. It's a sunny little one-bedroom house, built above someone's garage. Tons of room; brand new (well, two years old); great condition; lots of skylights; balcony that looks out over Lyall Bay - I will take photos next week. We are going to have a book nook!!
I'm off to Auckland for a few days. I was going to go on Friday night, but I managed to change my flight to Thursday morning (6:30am!), so I will be there for about four days. I'm glad I managed to change the flight, because I was going to have to get four days' worth of activities and planning into one and a half days. !
Will update next time with photos.
Until then,
- Hannah
P.S. This guy still cracks me up. (sometimes) - comic 1
P.P.S. And after all this time, this comic never gets un-funny
P.P.P.S. And this one
Here is an excerpt (count those clauses!!):
But she's extraordinarily attractive, he thought, as, walking across Trafalgar Square in the direction of the Haymarket, came a young woman who, as she passed Gordon's statue, seemed, Peter Walsh thought (susceptible as he was), to shed veil after veil, until she became the very woman he had always had in mind; young, but stately; merry, but discreet; black, but enchanting.
The whole novel is written like that; each sentence, in, and of, itself, is written with so many clauses; one almost cannot bear to keep up with it; taxing, but rewarding; interesting, yet pretentious.
(Was that a good imitation?)
Good.
Don't bother. My lecturer even apologised to our class for setting this work - it is rather impenetrable. The characters are interchangable. I see his point, but I don't like it.
I didn't quite finish this, because I was annoyed at the way he wrote. I felt like he was trying too hard. Jeremy tells me the ending is sad/good, so perhaps I'll soldier on.
I'd love to read more, but my time has been taken up with all the required readings.
The bookiness of this entry was inspired by having afternoon tea with my friends from Uni, Lesley and Claire, and talking about so many different books. Actually for 2 and a half hours, we just talking passionately about books we love (Faulkner, Gee, "The Time Traveller's Wife" ) and books we hate (anything by Dan Brown, Marian Keyes, 'chick lit', etc). And cardigans.
Newsflash of some import:
I've been re-reading some old entries this evening, and I've decided that the time has come:
I'm going to start a new blog, on another site.
As soon as I figure out how to save some of the entries that are particularly memorable (especially around 2003 and 2005), then I'll publish the link to my new site.
And that's about all, really.
Oh yeah, one last thing. Jeremy and I have a house! We will be living in sunny Melrose, which for those who know Wellington is on the hills above Kilbirnie/the airport. It's a sunny little one-bedroom house, built above someone's garage. Tons of room; brand new (well, two years old); great condition; lots of skylights; balcony that looks out over Lyall Bay - I will take photos next week. We are going to have a book nook!!
I'm off to Auckland for a few days. I was going to go on Friday night, but I managed to change my flight to Thursday morning (6:30am!), so I will be there for about four days. I'm glad I managed to change the flight, because I was going to have to get four days' worth of activities and planning into one and a half days. !
Will update next time with photos.
Until then,
- Hannah
P.S. This guy still cracks me up. (sometimes) - comic 1
P.P.S. And after all this time, this comic never gets un-funny
P.P.P.S. And this one