Some things, books, rant, stuff, life, etc, blah-di-blah
Quite possibly the best book I've read in ages. It's not just that I adore books about books, though I do.
It's that Brooks took a true story about a rare ancient manuscript that should never have survived all it has, and created a story around it as compelling as the book itself. I was going to write a whole post about why illuminated manuscripts get me all hot and bothered, but perhaps another time. People of the Book traces not only a plausible fictionalized account of the Sarajevo Haggadah, it presents the rich and twisted history of people of Jewish and Muslim faiths throughout European history, and Damn! do I love stuff like that.
In other news, I'm pissy and twitchy today because I had one of those frustrating conversations last night about my hatey hate for both book and movie versions of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The (male) person with whom I was having this discussion couldn't even begin to perceive why I don't view Lisbeth Salander as some feminist icon (though she was the only character with any depth at all in both book and movie), why the rape scenes both angered and disgusted me as a feminist who is sick of seeing violence against women in her movie and TV (and novel) entertainment, why why why why why.
When children ask why, they are trying to understand the nature of the very complex world they live in. When adults as why, they are subtly judging your choices. Perhaps not always. I'm not saying my conversation companion last night was judging me, but he was, through his continued questioning, judging my perception of something. Let me make something clear. I do not ever mind debating an issue with someone. I don't. But sometimes I am tired of educating the men around me as to Feminism 101, and consider myself lucky when I can do it without being Mansplained. Whatever. Your Damaged Girl (tm) doesn't impress me, male novel writer and movie director. She was created to appeal to men who like their women vulnerable yet edgy, and women who want to believe that even if the worst happened to them, they would still be able to fight back. There is nothing unique about her, piercings and tattoos notwithstanding.
So I think I'll stick with reading for the remaining two weeks before school starts. I am attempting to be a good ally and read a couple of the recent novels published by SF/Fantasy female authors of color, so I've got The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and Who Fears Death (which, yes, has rape in it, but it's fucking relevant to the plot) on my nightstand.
It's that Brooks took a true story about a rare ancient manuscript that should never have survived all it has, and created a story around it as compelling as the book itself. I was going to write a whole post about why illuminated manuscripts get me all hot and bothered, but perhaps another time. People of the Book traces not only a plausible fictionalized account of the Sarajevo Haggadah, it presents the rich and twisted history of people of Jewish and Muslim faiths throughout European history, and Damn! do I love stuff like that.
In other news, I'm pissy and twitchy today because I had one of those frustrating conversations last night about my hatey hate for both book and movie versions of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The (male) person with whom I was having this discussion couldn't even begin to perceive why I don't view Lisbeth Salander as some feminist icon (though she was the only character with any depth at all in both book and movie), why the rape scenes both angered and disgusted me as a feminist who is sick of seeing violence against women in her movie and TV (and novel) entertainment, why why why why why.
When children ask why, they are trying to understand the nature of the very complex world they live in. When adults as why, they are subtly judging your choices. Perhaps not always. I'm not saying my conversation companion last night was judging me, but he was, through his continued questioning, judging my perception of something. Let me make something clear. I do not ever mind debating an issue with someone. I don't. But sometimes I am tired of educating the men around me as to Feminism 101, and consider myself lucky when I can do it without being Mansplained. Whatever. Your Damaged Girl (tm) doesn't impress me, male novel writer and movie director. She was created to appeal to men who like their women vulnerable yet edgy, and women who want to believe that even if the worst happened to them, they would still be able to fight back. There is nothing unique about her, piercings and tattoos notwithstanding.
So I think I'll stick with reading for the remaining two weeks before school starts. I am attempting to be a good ally and read a couple of the recent novels published by SF/Fantasy female authors of color, so I've got The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and Who Fears Death (which, yes, has rape in it, but it's fucking relevant to the plot) on my nightstand.