january round-up

[birdgirl_1107]

I didn't exactly plan on it, but once little_tristan and I started in on re-reading the entire Anne of Green Gables series, I found myself in a re-reading frame of mind. And since, when it's bitterly cold out, there isn't anything more cozy than curling up with a kitty on your lap and a book that you know is going to be good, I devoted the entire month to doing

Comments

[catyah]

when it's bitterly cold out, there isn't anything more cozy than curling up with a kitty on your lap and a book that you know is going to be good,

This is most certainly true. :-D

I'm hoping to spend my snowy weekend as my userpic shows, except with cats in it. And I entirely agree about the 'book you know is going to be good'. One of my favorites for a snowy day/weekend is Stephen King's The Shining for a variety of reasons, but I don't know if it'll get to it this time! I'm about halfway through The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (great fun!), and then there's The Round House (both library books), and thanks to Oddmonster's recent LJ post, I've found Mr Catyah's copy of My Lobotomy. And the library has five more books waiting for me!

(So many books, I had a hard time deciding which userpic to use -- Books Cats Life Is Sweet, Drowning In Books, So Many Books So Little Time... so Pajama Day it is.) :-)

[birdgirl_1107]

That's awesome that you have so many books to choose from this weekend! I am finally getting around to tackling my five (yes FIVE!) TBR piles. It'll take more than one snowy weekend to get through them but I am hopeful of making at least a little progress.

I keep forgetting to comment on Odd's My Lobotomy post. Sounds like an absolutely harrowing story.

I think the pajama day icon is perfect for a snowy reading weekend. :)

[namaste27]

I need so badly to hide away with some books

[birdgirl_1107]

Ah, sweetie. If you feel you need to, I hope you will. Do you want me to fake a doctor's note for you? "Judy is under doctor's orders to spend the weekend curled up with a good book and ignoring the world. [illegible signature]" I would do that for you. *hugs*

[namaste27]

lol, yes I will take one Dr.s note please.

[birdgirl_1107]

check your email. :D

[akikotree]

Harry's reaction to being kidnapped was one of my favorite parts of "The Blue Sword". I was just so *proud* of her for not making a fuss, but accepting the situation and comporting herself with such dignity. There was a little passage I'm not going to remember exactly because I don't have the book in front of me, but it was when Harry is first brought into the camp. She walks into the king's tent and she smiles at the guard at the door, and surprises the heck out of him. There's a line where he thinks something like 'she looks like a queen in her own house, not a girl who has just ridden on a strange horse for 3 days'. Ha ha, I loved that.

I also loved the whole part about Harry's education in the hidden valley learning to fight. I always like stories that show people gaining new skills :) And yes, I liked Robin McKinley's writing style in this book too, even though it was a little unusual.

[birdgirl_1107]

I was just so *proud* of her for not making a fuss, but accepting the situation and comporting herself with such dignity.

Yes, this, exactly! Dignity was the word I was looking for. It's more rare than one would think among heroines. Also you get top marks for using "comporting herself" so naturally in a sentence. :D

I also like reading about people gaining new skills, especially when it's a one-on-one relationship of teacher to student. No inter-student dynamics to get in the way.

[akikotree]

Its funny you should mention that dignity is rare, even among heroines. I agree with you, but casting my mind back over some of my favorite books I find that many of them are ones with dignified leading ladies. I think its one of the aspects that make me like those particular books so much! I'm thinking of Cimorene, of Alanna, Diane and Kel, of Hermione, Sybel, Tenar and of course Elizabeth Bennett.

And I just like reading "learning" books or "school" books in general, especially if its either a boarding school or a swordsmanship school :D

[birdgirl_1107]

That's interesting that dignity could be seen as the defining characteristic of your favourite heroines. I'm going to have to think about whether my favs fit that mold. Snark might trump dignity for me. I'm so shallow. ;)

I just read a fun series (Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan) which featured a magickal cross between a boarding school/rehab centre/ashram sort of place. And there were swords. You might like it. :) Not that either of us needs any more books on our TBR lists ...