If I seem a little scarce... is it a book review?
I have something wonderful. Yesterday we got tax refund. I went out and bought a Kindle. Big expense for me, but the rest is for bills, and we can get textbooks on it. Now I don't have to feel so left out, and can read all those downloads.
Right away I put on Moby Dick, and Wind in the Willows. (Both free! How great is that?) Somewhere I had mislaid my hard copies of those books. Can't believe I would be so short sighted as to put them in storage.
Anyway, i jumped right in with 'Call me Ishmael.' (Saving mole and rat for after, if I'm not tired by then of messing about in boats, which I may well be.)
I had read MD years ago as a young teen. I remember wallowing in the language, but had not realized how funny it was. The whole interaction at the Spouter Inn had me giggling last night. Ishmael and Queequeg are so funny together. Do you guys remember the scene where Q is out trying to sell his shrunken heads, but can't because the New Bedford shrunken head market is saturated? Or the part where Ish is in Q's closet trying on his clothes? Or the cuddling in bed scene? Or the part where they arrive in Nantucket, and get lost and won't ask for directions?
Also it is nice to hear New Bedford described as a lovely place full of stately trees. It was hit hard in modern times, the mills on the Acushnet river were all outsourced, and nobody would describe it as lovely now.
So I am reading and laughing, and wiggling with delight, and every so often I have to go do something useful because the words are just too much. Son is 20, and has not read Melville. He says he is intrigued.
Someday, when I get my head into the fresh air again, I might ask for download reccs.
In the meantime, I am, indeed an altered toad!
Right away I put on Moby Dick, and Wind in the Willows. (Both free! How great is that?) Somewhere I had mislaid my hard copies of those books. Can't believe I would be so short sighted as to put them in storage.
Anyway, i jumped right in with 'Call me Ishmael.' (Saving mole and rat for after, if I'm not tired by then of messing about in boats, which I may well be.)
I had read MD years ago as a young teen. I remember wallowing in the language, but had not realized how funny it was. The whole interaction at the Spouter Inn had me giggling last night. Ishmael and Queequeg are so funny together. Do you guys remember the scene where Q is out trying to sell his shrunken heads, but can't because the New Bedford shrunken head market is saturated? Or the part where Ish is in Q's closet trying on his clothes? Or the cuddling in bed scene? Or the part where they arrive in Nantucket, and get lost and won't ask for directions?
Also it is nice to hear New Bedford described as a lovely place full of stately trees. It was hit hard in modern times, the mills on the Acushnet river were all outsourced, and nobody would describe it as lovely now.
So I am reading and laughing, and wiggling with delight, and every so often I have to go do something useful because the words are just too much. Son is 20, and has not read Melville. He says he is intrigued.
Someday, when I get my head into the fresh air again, I might ask for download reccs.
In the meantime, I am, indeed an altered toad!