Weekly Wrap-up for Janaury 27, 2013: The Nightmare.

I had really big plans for this week-starting my new classes, beginning discussions on World War II and The Great Gatsby (I was SO EXCITED to talk about the green light).

All of that was thrown away when I came home on Wednesday to find Matt in bed shivering and looking horrible. I woke him up to talk to him and learned that he had been vomiting since BEFORE he went to work the previous day (Note: On Mondays and Tuesdays, we work opposite schedules. He goes to work at 4 in the afternoon and works through the night). So, Matt had been getting sick for over 24 hours.

I let him sleep for a couple hours, then woke him up with a hot bowl of soup. It didn't go well. He couldn't keep it down, and looking at him, I just knew something wasn't right. We decided to go to an urgent care facility a little down the road to get him looked at. I was concerned about his blood sugar level, since he is a type 1 diabetic. I was right to worry. After they got us into a room, I mentioned his diabetes, which got them moving (I should have mentioned it when we walked in). They tested his sugar and he couldn't even sit up. His sugar was at 402 (which is HIGH). Immediately they told me to take him to the hospital, so over to the ER we went.

After being admitted, they took us back almost immediately to a small room and got him hooked up to IVs, etc. His blood sugar was higher, he was still getting sick, and it was horrible. He was so dehydrated that they couldn't get into his veins to give him medicine and insulin. At one point, his blood sugar was so high (over 500) that when the nurse asked him to identify me he said, "I have no idea."

They made the decision to put him into the ICU after that, so we traveled upstairs. The meanest nurse told me to go "Wait somewhere" while they set him up. At that point, it was super late, I was alone, hysterical, and just wanted my husband to be okay. I may have lost it a bit in the waiting room, and eventually she came to tell me I could come see him.

It was so scary to see him hooked up to a lot of machines. They were worried about his heart rate since it was so high. But at least he was awake and talked to me a bit. The room had one chair, so I sat down and settled in for the night. I kid you not, that mean nurse told me at least ten times to go home (Matt agrees that she was really rude). I was not about to leave my husband alone in the ICU. Thankfully, another nurse brought me a blanket and tried to make me comfortable so I could sit with him during the night. I slept a little, but woke up every time they checked his sugar. At around 5, I snapped awake and Matt was awake too. He looked so much better, so we talked for a little while. I had to run home to feed the animals, call in for a sub, and sleep for a couple hours.

I was back by 9:30, and they decided to move him out of the ICU since his sugar level stabilized. At that point, it sank in he would be okay. From there, we spent the next two days waiting for his other levels to regulate themselves and getting some food in his stomach (he hadn't kept anything down since Monday night). He was finally able to come home Friday.

I am so glad to have him home. He feels a million times better, and it's great to see him looking like himself. He has a lot of bruises on his arms from all the needles and bloodwork, and the tips of fingers are bruised from them testing his sugar so much.

I feel really drained (emotionally) from everything that happened, but I am so grateful for my co-workers. They really helped me pull together lessons and make sure the subs were comfortable with my classes. The media specialist, a good friend of mine, stepped in and taught my history classes on Friday so the kids would have a break from book work.

The kids have also been quite sweet. I posted on my webpage that I wouldn't be in, simply saying my husband was in the hospital, and I've gotten some very concerned and sweet e-mails hoping he gets better.

I'm so happy to have such a warm and supportive group of people around me, but most of all, I'm glad Matt is home with me and on the mend.

Weekly Wrap-up for February 12, 2012: Lazy Days.

I'm feeling a little rundown today, so I'm not sure how long my little wrap-up post is going to be. Matt had a few of his guys friends over last night drinking and brewing beer (yes, brewing beer), so I hid in our bedroom most of the night and played on my Nook or read. Even with all of that, I stayed up too late and I'm feeling particularly cranky this morning.

Part of it is that every once in awhile my lungs act up. You might remember that I had two bouts of walking pneumonia last year (once in the Spring and once in the Fall). Ever since, my lungs will sometimes act up. I have a hard time breathing and my lungs feel tight-almost like I can't breathe out enough air. It is painful and uncomfortable and probably a side-effect from the illness. Anyway, they acted up last night so I spent a lot of the time in the bedroom concentrating on breathing.

And before anyone tells me to, I am calling my doctor tomorrow morning to see if I can get in. Perhaps there is something I can take to help, like an inhaler. I think that would be helpful, especially as I continue to work out (I've been having a hard time with cardio-my lungs start screaming at me after about 5 minutes on the elliptical-I've been sticking with low key workouts, mainly yoga).

In any case, since my lungs still feel a bit tender, I am putting off my cleaning job for today. I was going to tackle cleaning out and organizing our second bedroom, but I don't feel up to it and don't want to trigger another attack. Instead, I think I am going to catch up on some reading, since I really want to finish David Copperfield by Thursday, as well as some scrapbooking (working on my goals for the month). I also need to comment on all the Shakespeare Month posts, as well as pull a winner for the clothbound book. But, this should be a relaxing day.

This week I don't have any grand plans beyond finishing David Copperfield. Like I said above, I want to finish it by Thursday, then finish Roots, before moving on to Nicholas Nickleby for the rest of the month. I had intended on getting more read this month, but I read Dickens very slowly and since both of his books are chunky, they are going extra slow. We'll see what happens. :)

I hope you all have a good reading week. Let me know in the comments what you're reading and how things are going. I've been a little MIA from reading blogs and being on Twitter this week, so I feel like I've missed a lot. I hope to be a little more active this week!

The Last Little Bit of Jane Eyre.

When I'm reading, I keep a small stack of post-it tabs next to me so I can mark passages as I go. Often, I look back at the places I mark as I am drafting posts and wonder, "why did I mark this?"But going back to see what I have marked is a whole other journey. I can tell what kind of mood I was in when I was reading. Sometimes, words of inspiration were marked. Other times, I mark things that made me chuckle, or appreciate the skill of the writer in placing together such perfect phrases.

Sometimes I don't mark anything in a book. Sometimes, the idea of stopping to mark something hinders my enjoyment of it, so I just keep reading. It is an imperfect system, but it works for me.

I am talking about my marking skills to bring you back to a conversation about the lovely Jane Eyre, which I feel I need to write just one more post about. There was a particular passage that I loved so much that I have randomly picked up the book multiple times since finishing it just to read it. It is a passage that I posted on facebook out of love, discussed with my husband, and have simply savored over the last couple of weeks since setting Jane Eyre back on the shelf. This is the passage I am talking about;

"I have now been married ten years. I know what it is to live entirely for and with what I love best on earth. I hold myself supremely blest - blest beyond what language can express; because I am my husband's life as fully as he is mine. No woman was ever nearer to her mate than I am: ever more absolutely bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. I know no weariness of my Edward's society: he knows none of mine, any more than we each do the pulsation of the heart that beats in our separate bosoms; consequently, we are ever together. To be together is for us to be at once free as in solitude, as gay as in company. We talk, I believe, all day long: to talk to each other is but more animated and an audible thinking. All my confidence is bestowed on him, all his confidence is devoted to me; we are precisely suited in character - perfect concord is the result."

There is something so real in this passage that is simply speaks to me. I have not been married for ten years (a few months over a year now), but I feel like I completely understand what Bronte wrote here. I know what it is to live entirely for and with what I love best on earth. Shouldn't all couples feel that way?

I know that I am an extremely lucky girl, to have a man like my husband. He truly understands me and while we do have our differences, we have a great marriage that rests firmly on our love for one another. When Bronte writes, To be together is for us to be at once free as in solitude, as gay as in company. *sigh* I KNOW that feeling, and I love the Bronte captures that connection between two people who love each other so clearly.

I think that is what I loved most about Jane Eyre. Even with all of the twists and turns in the novel, it was, at its core, a novel about two individuals destined to fall in love and be with one another. The romantic in me loves that notion. I did feel that Rochester and Jane were suited and their passion fit their story. It makes my heart swell when I read that passage-knowing that through struggles and pain, they managed to remember the one thing that brought them together: love.

I am my husband's life as fully as he is mine.

Just another example of how powerful literature can be, and why we should all cherish these words.


Has there ever been a passage or line in a book that has stuck with you? What was it?

To My Husband.

I met Matt when I was 15 and he was 14. I was a sophomore in high school and he was a lowly freshman. We were immediate friends and joked around a lot. Now, people always laugh when I say this, but we met at band camp. Yes, band camp.

We were both members of my high school's marching band. Our band was very well-loved in the community because of how big and good we were. I know that is some places being in band is for the "nerds," but while we were most definitely nerds, our band was well-respected by our peers and community.

Anyway, it was at band camp that we met and became friends. We were happy to find out that we were also in the same band class (there were 4 levels at my school), so we sat next to each other the entire year. Matt was kind of goofy and was always cracking jokes. This was something that I later came to love. If there was ever a time that a funny one liner needed to be said, Matt was the one saying it.

That first couple of months was fun. We decided to go to Homecoming together on a whim, as we liked each other well enough. It was a fun night, but no sparks. We remained friends all that year and continued to hang out and get to know each other.

The following year, I was moved up to the top band, so Matt and I did not have class together. We also weren't anywhere near each other in marching band (the first year I met him we stood next to each other a lot), so our friendship kind of dwindled to a passing "hello" whenever we saw each other. The year passed with us growing apart.

My friend Amanda got it into her head that spring that she needed to set us up. So she did her best to bring us together at parties and movies. We eventually sprung up our friendship again, and I started to fall for him. In the year that we had spent apart, Matt had really grown up (and I do mean up. I was taller than him when I met him). He was older, more mature, and I can say it, cute. It seemed like it was forever until he kissed me (sorry mom), but when he did, I knew. I knew that I wanted to be with him and nothing else mattered.

We became boyfriend and girlfriend the summer before my senior year, and spent the year together. There were many phone calls until three or four in the morning just talking about whatever came to mind. There were a lot of movie nights spent on my family's couch. But more than anything, we just fell for each other.

It has only been Matt since then. He is my best friend and the person who truly understands me. He puts up with my "book habit," bad jokes, and my attempts at learning to cook. We still play music together once a week in a community band, and we're truly grateful that music brought us together.

It was a year ago today that we said "I do" and tied the knot. It has been a year full of struggles and small triumphs. But we survived and love each other more than we did a year ago. Every day I am thankful that I found someone who loves me so completely. He is a wonderful man and while not a reader, I love everything about him. :)

Happy One Year Anniversary Matt! Here's to....75 more? :)

On Being a Bookish Person.

I got into a conversation with my husband tonight that got me thinking about our differences. Matt is not a big reader. While he enjoys a few things, namely books about mountain climbing, adventures gone awry, and certain biographies, he is not a bookish person like I am. Every once in awhile he'll pick up a book and read in bed with me, but that it maybe, MAYBE once a month. He just doesn't see the merit in constantly reading.

On the other hand, I have always been a huge reader. Ever since I could read I can remember lugging books with me on vacations and to doctors' offices and to ballet classes. Books were a great escape for me as a child, and as a teenager. I have no problem turning the TV off and spending hours before bed reading my book, or looking at book blogs, or researching new titles. It is something that really comforts me.

We never really have problems because of these differences. I enjoy reading my books at night, and he spends time playing XBOX, or watching TV. We simply find value in different things, and having different interests is good for us.

Anyway, Matt came home from work tonight and was helping me finish putting books on my new bookshelves (more on that Sunday). I had already dragged some boxes out of the closet that stores my books and I was trying to decide which titles I was going to display, since there was no way all of my books could be out (that is a dream for another day). He was rolling his eyes out as I rejected some titles, but grasped some and held them close. He asked about some, so I told them what they were about, and so on. It was a funny conversation and made me think a lot on how those hundreds of titles have shaped me.

To Matt, many of those books are JUST books, nothing more. He can look at the image on the cover, or the author's name and feel nothing. I, on the other hand, look at a novel on my shelf and I can remember where I was when I read it. I can feel the pages in my hands, remember the characters, and remember who I was when I held it. Each of those books doesn't just contain the story the author wrote-they also contain a small part of me.

So when Matt suggested I get rid of some-namely the ones I was placing back in boxes-a small part of me was hurt. While they were not big enough or important enough to go on the shelf, they are still a large part of who I am. And getting rid of them would be painful.

Perhaps I have too much of an emotional connection to my books. But their covers and worn pages bring back a lot of memories, and define me. I can't wait until I can help my children discover them in the future; pass them on so they can have their own stories and memories for the future.

Anyway, I was curious, how do you all feel about your books and your reading habits?

Weekly Wrap-up for July 18, 2010: Birthday and More Books.

Another week has flown by and since it was spent on vacation, I feel like it has REALLY gone by quickly! I also had my 25th birthday on Thursday and decided to do a giveaway in honor of it, so I hope you will enter.

I spent most of this past week up north at my family's cottage in Gaylord. We spend a lot of time simply relaxing and doing nothing. I got a lot of "fun" reading done while we there too! I took One Hundred Years of Solitude with me to make sure I had the first half done in time for yesterday's post. I really enjoyed it and I look forward to reading the second half in the near future (hopefully this week). In addition, I decided to take a few light-hearted and fun books with me. I took books 7 and 8 in John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series (Erak's Ransom and The Kings of Clonmel) as well as all three novels in Sara Douglass' Darkglass Mountain trilogy, of which the third was just released.

It was really, really weird to be reading something not from my list. I flew through both of Flanagan's novels at breakneck pace and started in on Douglass. I am almost done with the 600 page first book of the trilogy, but I am loving it. It is nice to take a little break from the heavy reading I have been doing. But, I can't wait to get back to An American Tragedy which was shoved aside this past week.

While up north, I made Matt do a little book shopping with me at a glorious used book store in downtown Gaylord. My aunt had told me about it so I made it a point to go. It was a glorious little shop called The Book Swap. The owner was in and she was a lot of fun to talk to. Matt found a couple of books as well. I wish we could have spent more time in the shop looking around, but it was dreadfully hot and someone (not me) was a getting a little grumpy.

Anyway, here is what I found:


The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery. Believe it or not, this is really one of the only "children's books" on my list. In the future I plan on reading some more children's classics from my past as well as other recommendations, but this one should be coming up soon. And, believe it or not, I have never read this. I am really looking forward to it.


Therese Raquin by Emile Zola. Back in December I fell in love with Zola's Germinal so I am going to make it a point to read Zola's works (eventually). I read some mixed reviews of this one during the Classics Circuit Tour, but I have a gut feeling I am really going to enjoy it.

The Earth by Emile Zola. Well...I couldn't pass up one Zola for another and I was having a hard time deciding between the two. This one ended up coming home with me as well and while I don't know as much about it as the previous title, I think it is another title I will like.


Sapphira and the Slave Girl by Willa Cather. I found this in a random hidden pile and the glorious cover called to me (seriously, isn't it awesomely 70s?). It is one of Cather's lesser known works and I am insanely curious. This title is also hard to find so I had to snatch it up.


Lucy Gayheart by Willa Cather. This is another lesser known Cather novel and it shared the same glorious cover as the previous (I could not find a picture and our camera is currently dead, but believe me, it is just as awesomely 70s as the previous).

After I found the Cather novels Matt was getting grumpy (told you it wasn't me), so we headed out in Alpenfest and enjoyed the rest of our day downtown. These new editions are going to find their way onto my shelf in the near future!

I hope you all have a great reading week!

Weekly Wrap-up for July 11, 2010: Book Plans and Acquisitions.

It was a decent week after we hit the mid-way point. I fortunately had two of the four days of the heat wave off so I spent them blissfully in bed with the air conditioning working hard. I was grateful I didn't have to go and work (I work outside, so when it gets really hot, it is super nasty). I also feel slightly better, but still tired. Mono is different for everyone and I certainly have the fatigue and muscle aches!

We've been getting ready to go up north tomorrow, which we are both really excited for. We both need a break and it will be wonderful to sit out in the sun (or sleep) and read some wonderful books. Matt is planning on making me go fishing, but he agreed I can just accompany him on the boat and read while he fishes. We'll see though!

On Thursday we might be making a trip up to Mackinaw Island, which is about 45 minutes north of my family's cottage. I haven't been up the island since I was 2 or 3, and since Thursday is my birthday, I wanted to do something fun (I'll be turning 25). There are also some new bookstores in downtown that my aunt was telling me about, so I think we are going to have to do some more book shopping.

I have gotten quite a few books over the last week or so. I got a good chunk for my birthday from my parents and brothers and sister, and some I bought with a gift card another relative gave me. I also just out and purchased one since I am planning on bringing it with me next week.
Here is what I have added to my shelves:

I had asked for 6 or so titles to finish the first two sets in the beautiful Penguins Classics series (the picture shows the full set of three different printings. The third printing is available yet in the U.S.). This made me so excited as I love the vintage feel of this set and I am so glad that I have a bunch of great titles on my shelves. The books I now have are: Emma, The Odyssey, Treasure Island, Lady Chatterley's Lover, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Great Expectations, Wuthering Heights, Sense and Sensibility, Cranford, Tess of d'Urbervilles, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Of those pictures, two of these books are now out of print. Apparently they only printed a limited number and only in the U.K. Those are Madame Bovary and Crime and Punishment. The rest of the collection will be out in September and it includes: The Hound of the Baskervilles, Oliver Twist, The Woman in White, Shakespeare's Sonnets, and Little Women. You can guarantee that I will try and add them to my collection as well!

I also wanted to add another Steinbeck and this title has been hard to find in my local bookstores. For some reason, they carry almost every other Steinbeck but this title!

The Winter of Our Discontent is a favorite of my brother-in-law so I am curious to see if I am going to like it or if I will forever banish Kyle from giving me suggestions. I have already two Steinbeck's for my challenge, Of Mice and Men and Travels with Charley in Search of America. I felt indifferent about Of Mice and Men, but I loved the other. I'm not feeling up to tackling Grapes of Wrath quite yet, but I think this might be a good solution to get a Steinbeck fix. And I have a feeling I am going to like it a lot anyway.

I also was excited that they had the Penguin edition. I love the sleek black look of Penguin Classics and while they cost more than some other editions, they look so pretty on a shelf. Because yes, buying books is all about putting them on display, isn't it?

I thought I had a copy of Virginia Woolf's Orlando somewhere, but when I went looking, I couldn't find it. And since I have been craving some more Woolf (I love the lyrical tone to her writing), I wanted to read this title.

I ended up buying a new copy that matches the others in my Woolf set. I had an older edition that was far less pretty anyway, so this cover is fine with me. But when I got home and checked my list, Orlando wasn't on it! It looks like I won't be reading it to fulfill my 250 titles, but I'm glad I have a new copy anyway. I know I'll get to it eventually since Woolf is a favorite of mine.

I also picked up another Woolf novel, A Room of One's Own. This one I haven't read before, so hopefully I enjoy it. At least this one counts for my challenge! The other novels by Woolf I have to read are Night and Day and To the Lighthouse. I already read and reviewed Mrs. Dalloway about a month or so ago.


I have been in the mood for some wonderful Greek writing, so when I saw this on a display, I grabbed it. The edition of The Odyssey that I love most is Fagles translation. He really knows how to make the story come alive, so I know that I will benefit from his translation of Virgil's The Aeneid. And yes, translation DOES matter.



Sara Douglass is one of my favorite fantasy writers. She is a great world-builder and I am fascinated by what she has created. The Infinity Gate is the third in a trilogy (the other two titles are The Serpent Bride and The Twisted Citadel) that I have been anxiously waiting for. I haven't read any of the books. I always try and wait if I can for a series to be finished before starting it if it is by an author I really love and cherish. That way I can fly through it and be absorbed all at once. All three of the books are making their way up north with me and they will be part of the "fun reading" I am doing up north as part of my glorious vacation time.



My last new buy was the newest book in John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice Series. I love this series more than anything. It is fun and action-packed. And while it is certainly YA, I love every word of it. I bought the 7th book in the series, Erak's Ransom back in January when it came out as well. Both that one and this title will be making their way up north as well. I might even bring the 6th book, The Seige of Mackindaw with me as well.

Anyway, those are my newest additions and if Matt has anything to say about it, they will be the last for a little while. I still have plenty of unread books on my shelves,

And speaking of shelves, Matt couldn't figure out what to get me for my birthday, so we settled on getting another book shelf (yay!) so I can put more of my books on display. I currently have one shelf in our bedroom that houses all of my classics, but I would love to display some of my favorites on another shelf. The rest of my books are in boxes in one of our closets. I own about 1200 books, so you can imagine how when I say the closet is full of books I am not exaggerating. But it will be awesome to have more out and within reach.

Happy Reading everyone!

Weekly Wrap-up: June 20, 2010.

Well, this week was not much better personally than last week was. Coming off of the break-in to Matt's car, Matt had to have some work done in his mouth that resulted in him being in bed all day Wednesday. We're both hoping that next week gets better.

Speaking of the break-in, we both wanted to say a huge thank you for all of your kind words last week. We can't get out of our lease until the end of October, but we are definitely moving to another area that is nicer. We're both ready for a change and at least we have learned our lesson about looking a little more closely at location when we rent and buy in the future. I think we were just too excited about moving out and getting a place of our own that we were only focused on the inside of the apartment, and not all of the factors outside.

With the hot weather, work at the parks has been busy, but enjoyable. A lot more people are looking for cheaper options to spend time with their family, so the parks are booming. Our attendance is way up, which is great! In times when the economy is hard, things like public parks get cut and sold off (a very real fear in my city), so it makes us happy when people come out and use the park! The only downside to this weather and working outside is that I am now the proud owner of a glorious farmer's tan. I wear jeans to work (no matter how hot it is) and a t-shirt under my Ranger shirt, so my arms and face are about 10 times darker than the rest of me. I wore a skirt last night and there was a drastic difference!

In book news, a friend gave me a gift card to a bookstore that she wasn't going to use, so I made good work of it and ordered a few more books off my list. Here is what I got:


The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. This is actually one of my all-time favorite novels, but my copy was ruined when I lent it out. I decided it was time to replace it and found this edition. I liked the cover far more than any of the other editions (I think it fits the mood of the book better). Sometimes, it IS all about the cover and I am happy with my choice.

Ulysses by James Joyce. Joyce is a writer who intimidates me so I am not sure how soon I am going to get to this monstrosity. I think I might start with a smaller work (The Dubliners) to get myself used to his writing style. I'm not sure why I have this intense fear, I just do. Some writers are just scary. I had this same fear of Dostoevsky, but both of the books I have read so far (Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov), I absolutely loved.

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. After finishing Gone with the Wind, I really feel like I need to read this other famous interpretation of the South. I'm guessing I'll read it sooner rather than later. A huge part of me feels kind of guilty for never having read this before, so I best remedy that!

Pamela by Samuel Richardson. Back in one of my college classes, my professor joked that we were lucky to be escaping Richardson's Clarissa, which he made his previous class read in a week's time. Ever since then, I have been more than a little frightened of his work, but I should probably get it over with. This is the smaller of his two books on my list, so I am hoping (like Joyce) to wean myself in.

The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I just LOVE the cover of this edition and imagine my surprise when I saw they have all of the Holmes novels in similar covers. Eventually I am going to have to get my hands on them (I am currently reading from a HUGE collection of all the Holmes stories and it is super heavy). I figured I might just get Doyle's work over with in the near future so it is another author I can cross off my list.

I managed to get through a few things this week! I flew through the last eight chapters of Cranford and I am so excited about the final post for the read-along. I also read the third section of Gulliver's Travels in preparation for the next post. I also read all of Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev for my Classics Circuit post on Thursday. It was a PHENOMENAL book and I cannot wait to gush all about it. I'm just sad that it was his only title on my list. I also started The Red Badge of Courage and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, but neither is holding my attention. I think I may have to set them aside and find something else in the meantime.

I am finding that I am loving the Russian authors more than I thoughts I was going to. They just seem intimidating, but they really aren't that bad! Granted, I haven't tried Tolstoy yet, but I think I just need to dive in and see how I fare with him.

This week I plan on finishing up Gulliver's Travels for good. I also need to get cracking on The Inferno. Other than that, I am not sure what I want to tackle. I guess I'll have to see what grabs me!

Happy Reading!

Sunday Salon: June 13, 2010.

Matt and I have had a rough day today. We woke up to find out that Matt's car was broken into last night. His driver's side window was smashed to pieces and things were thrown everywhere on the inside of his car. His car was also broken into back in January, when we were gone on our honeymoon, so this hits twice as hard. The first time his stereo and speakers were stolen. This time it was his golf clubs.

It is a shame that people have to resort to stealing. I don't understand that and I don't think I ever will. I also can't believe that someone would be okay with damaging someone else's property. Now we have to get him a new window so he can drive his car around.

We are both concerned about safety and have decided if we are still in Michigan, we are definitely moving to a different apartment complex. In addition to the break ins, we've had some issues with our neighbors and the area in general, so it will probably be better.

In good news, my friend Jenny got married yesterday on her grandparents' farm in Ann Arbor. It was super warm and humid, but she looked beautiful and was so happy. I have known her since the first grade and she stood up in our wedding, so I was glad we were there.

In reading news, I did not have as successful a week as I had hoped. While I finished The Hound of the Baskervilles, I didn't start the other Holmes novel. I did read both The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, which was a great time, but I didn't even touch Gulliver's Travels or Cranford. I guess you know what I'll be reading before the read-along posts!

This week the goal is to finish both Gulliver's Travels and Cranford to finish up my posts. Then I really need to read the Turgenev for my Classics Circuit post. And perhaps start the Inferno. But we shall see!

Sunday Salon: June 6, 2010.

Wow. Is anyone else in awe that it is June already? This year is flying by and I kind of want it to slow down so I can enjoy it a little more!

Things this week have been a little chaotic. Matt and I got back into the swing of being at work full time and to be honest, we didn't see each other much until Thursday night. It was the first time all week that we were both home, so I went into major cleaning mode and we got this apartment back into sparkling condition (not going to lie, it needed it).

I finally had my much needed days off on Friday and Saturday and I spent a lot of time just relaxing. Of course, I did some reading, but I also played some Wii-something I haven't done since before the wedding! I enjoyed playing games and giving my mind a little break from some heavy reading, but a part of me felt guilty I wasn't doing something slightly more productive with my time.

I also finally went and got my hair cut for the first time in 6 months and elected to dye it darker. I am loving the change and Matt likes it to. It certainly makes me look different, but in a good way. Now the color matches my eyebrows and since I have fair skin, my blue eyes are popping! I forgot how good it felt to look put together.

In reading news...

I finished Gone with the Wind to make it seven completed books in May. I have a lot to say about that book in particular, so I am excited for those posts to go up. I have also been trying to get ahead for all of the lovely read-alongs I am participating in. Of course, I have the two I am hosting: Gulliver's Travels and Cranford. I managed to finish the first section of each and have my posts reading and waiting to go up on the assigned days. I am especially looking forward to discussing dear old Gulliver. It is such a fascinating and exciting book.

I am also participating in a read-along of Dante's The Divine Comedy. I haven't read any of the three parts (Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso), but I am really looking forward to it. If you are interested in joining as well, you can sign up here. The first post over the Inferno isn't until the weekend of July 2-4, so you have plenty of time to read with us! The other two sections we'll be reading in August and September, so you could even read along with those if you would like.

There is also a new poll up for read-alongs in July. Please vote if you are interested in joining us. I think I will make it a monthly goal to always have at least one read-along going a month, and I would love to have as many people join as possible.

I am also participating in the new Classics Circuit tour and my post is due on the 24th over Fathers and Sons by Turgenev. If you are ever interested in participating in a tour, you should definitely go and check it out. It is a great way to get some exposure to classics you haven't heard of, or that you have been meaning to get around to. For me, it is just an excuse to get more of those classics out of the way.

This week I have a couple of big goals. I really want to finish Gulliver's Travels and Cranford so I can have my posts up and ready to go on the dates assigned. I also need to finish The Hound of the Baskervilles so I can keep this Sherlock Holmes thing going (I honestly just want to be DONE with Holmes so I can move on and cross another book off my check-list).

From there, I am not sure what I'll move on to next. I might start working on both Turgenev and Dante, but there are some other things lingering on my shelf. Perhaps I'll pick up a short play or another little something to get myself going a little farther. I am off from my 100 books this year pace by about 14 books. If I want to be caught up by the end of June, I have 14 books to read. It could happen, but only if I pick up the pace a bit.

Anyway, I hope you all have a great week of reading!

Sunday Salon: March 21, 2010.

I had a really great week this week! One of the biggest accomplishments was getting caught up on the piles and piles of laundry that were taking over our bedroom. It is so nice to have clean clothes to wear! But I am amazed at how much laundry two people can have.

Tuesday night was the return of our community band after a 2 week break. Matt and I both play (trumpet), so we were glad to get back into the swing of things. We have some great music this half of the semester and I am pretty excited. We're playing a piece inspired by Whitman's poems! I have mad love for Whitman, so I am really into the piece we're playing. I even have a solo!

Wednesday was St. Patty's Day, so we had grand plans (this is where it is nice to not be working). Unfortunately I woke up with a nasty migraine, so after nursing me for a bit Matt met some friends for breakfast and early beverage consumption. Thankfully by the time they returned here I was feeling better. We all hung out for awhile until I went to work from 4 to 8, then partied some more after. It was great to see friends and family and just relax. Also, it was gorgeous outside so the windows were wide open and we all enjoyed some fresh air.

Thursday was also a great day. We slept in before cleaning up from the night before. Thursday night I got to meet Carrie Ryan! I also picked up some extra copies of her books for her to sign and for me to give away! It was a great experience and I really need to make it a point to go to more book signings. I love hearing writers discuss their writing process and the stories behind their novels. It is simply fascinating. Carrie was especially wonderful and offered great insights to up and coming writers.

Last night we were originally going to travel into the "thumb" of Michigan to my in-laws' cabin for a maple syrup making party, but I woke up with a sore throat and came home from work with those dreaded white spots in my throat. Matt decided to stay home and nurse me, which was a wise decision since our power ended up going out!

In book news...

Earlier this week I got a newsletter from Penguin Classics announcing the release of more titles to their Hardcover Classics line. I mentioned in an earlier post how I am desperately want all of these editions. In general, I really like Penguin Classics. They are well done and beautiful editions. And these gorgeous hardcovers are no exception. I own the editions of Wuthering Heights, Cranford, and Tess of D'Urbervilles, but I really want all of them (Note: If anyone wants to butter me up, please buy me these. Thanks.). Here are the five new editions:

Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Emma by Jane Austen

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence

Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson

The Odyssey by Homer

I would like one of each, thanks! I personally love the new edition of The Odyssey, I just love the color and the image of the waves, but each one is beautiful. I would love to have all of them on my shelves. If you want to see the whole line, here is the place to look. I should probably add here that Penguin has no idea who I am, so I am not specifically endorsing their products for them. I just love them!

I also had a pretty good reading week. I finished Lord of the Flies, which was an odd little book. I also read Death of a Salesman and Misanthrope. I am also working on number 55 on the original list, which is the "Complete" Sherlock Holmes novels and stories. It is a huge task, but I am working on the first novel, A Study in Scarlet. To get through all four novels and 56 short stories will be a long process-bear with me! I have The Cherry Orchard by Chekov on my desk, as well as The Picture of Dorian Gray. To be fair, I'm not sure what is up next. I think I might have a long visit with my bookshelves to see what pops out.

I am probably going to work on finishing up the Lost Challenge in the next couple of weeks. I only have two more books to read for it, but I am not sure which. I have these four titles to choose from: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, and The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. Any suggestions?

I also need to work on completing two Dumas novels for the Classics Circuit. I am going to read two novels for the circuit, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, so I should get going on those.

It seems like I have a lot of reading to take care of in the next few weeks!

Happy Reading everyone!

Under the Weather.

I want to quickly apologize for not getting around and commenting this week. I have been feeling ill since Sunday afternoon. My fever finally went away late last night, but I still have a horrid cough and a stuffy nose. It is making thinking a little difficult and Matt is getting frustrated because I don't feel like cooking all the time, so he has to. :) But I have been cuddling with the cats, sleeping, and reading, so I am on the mend.

Luckily for you I have enough posts written to get me through the weekend. I hope to be back in the full swing of things by then. I have some interesting posts to write and I am working out the final details on my first EVER giveaway. I am pretty excited about it. And you should be too.

So don't be upset I haven't come around! I promise to be back in full swing soon enough!

Happy reading all!

Illness, Slaughterhouse-Five, and Sparty,

I have been feeling very under the weather since Sunday. When I am ill, I tend to get a little forgetful and scatterbrained. Matt might say I am like that all the time, but it gets pretty bad when I don't feel good.

I also get whiny and demanding, which Matt bore the brunt of last night when I made him go out and buy grape popsicles because my throat hurt at 11 at night.

But that is another story.

I have yet to start reading Slaughterhouse-Five since finishing The Shipping News late Sunday night. I have only managed to read a page or two before my mind wanders elsewhere. I last gave it a try yesterday afternoon. I set it down somewhere and this morning I could not find it anywhere. I also could not find Sparty (our kitten).

Matt had left this morning for class while I was still asleep and usually Sparty comes and cuddles with me once Matt is gone. But I could not find him, or my book, anywhere.

Then it dawned on me that the second bedroom door was closed. We use that bedroom as our office. I opened the door to find my book and Sparty in the same place.

(I should note here that our wall is covered with car posters, and the leopard print monstrosity is a Snuggie Matt "won" at work. So this picture is a whole lot of PAZAAM! in regards to color and pattern).

It seems as though Sparty found a great place to sleep and it was on top of my book. I did attempt to remove it, but Sparty got a little possessive of his new bed, so I let it be.

Needless to say, I am giving up on Slaughterhouse-Five fow now and I am reading something different.

The kitten wins...for now.

Thursday Treat #9: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer.

I am not a huge non-fiction fan. I read it sporadically if the subject is something I am really interested in. I guess you could say I prefer the made-up worlds of fiction as opposed to reality; and there is really nothing wrong with that.

But my husband loves non-fiction. I have never seen him read a book that wasn't based on fact (granted, he reads FAR LESS than I do-maybe a book/year). He is especially interested in these types of discovery and disaster books. So when Matt said he was interested in reading Into the Wild I immediately bought it for him, trying to show some encouragement in hopes he would read more.

I was slightly familiar with Krakauer before I bought this for Matt. I read Into Thin Air the year it came out and loved the straight-forward account of the Mt. Everest disaster.

Needless to say, it took Matt a long time to get through this novel, so I ended up purchasing it on CD to listen to in the car.

If you know nothing about the story, Into the Wild depicts the life of Chris McCandless, a young man who after graduating college, disappeared into the Alaskan wild to love off the land. The book follows his journey from the moment he disappeared and gave away his savings to charity, to his time working for a company in the plains, to his hitchhiking journey up the California, to his eventual hike into the wilds of Alaska.

Krakauer dives deep into the life of Chris, who seemingly had everything going for him. What drives a young man away from civilization and into the wild?

The story is heart-wrenching and I found myself sucked in to Chris' struggles. Krakauer's writing is objective, but helps explain why someone would run away from everything and everyone they knew and loved. Krakauer also goes into some detail about other examples of people living away from civilization, but none of those stories grabbed in quite the same way.

I also love that Chris was a huge literary geek. Some of the few objects he kept with him were his books that inspired him. I love that Krakauer really hit on this and explained his love of literature and how it saw him through.

There was also a movie adaptation recently. And while usually I am of the school of thought that movies always fail to live up to the book...the opposite might be true in this case. The movie is beautiful, and the soundtrack is amazing. If you are not up for reading the book, you NEED to go and get the movie to watch-you won't regret it. I should also point out that the film stars Kristen Stewart....before her Twilight fame and she is actually pretty convincing! Chris is played by Emile Hirsch, who is an excellent actor.




*Like I said, I have also read Into Thin Air, which is also excellent. I full recommend either of these!*

Book 18: Personal Reading Experiences.

As I finished The Dollmaker in the quiet of the apartment, I got to thinking yet again about why I am doing this. I was inspired because of a lack of meaning in my own life and with nothing worthwhile in store for myself. I was depressed and upset with myself for not being able to land one of the few teaching jobs in Michigan this past year. And while I interviewed in a lot of different places and was fortunate in some districts to be selected for an interview out of THOUSANDS of applicants; it was hard knowing that I still wasn't good enough.

It has been a rough road since then and in some moments the only thing that has really kept me going and kept me motivated is this; my writing and my reading. A lot of people don't understand how people who read so much can spend so much time doing so. They don't see how we can lose ourselves in another time and place and in other people's lives. For many, reading is just a chore and something they have to do. They get no enjoyment from opening pages and transporting themselves into another world.

I am sad for those people. Without books I am sure I would be feeling far worse about myself now than do. I am drawing comfort from the worlds I have been in, and gaining advice from my new mentors-writers like Arnow, Steinbeck, Forster, and Homer. They have become people that I am starting to become intimate with. They understand me on a far deeper level than those school administrators could ever possibly understand me.

Which brings me back to my beginning thoughts. Why am I doing this?

I am forcing myself through a list of 250 titles that I hopefully would have gotten to at some point in my life. Rather than wait, I am diving in head first and plowing through them one after the other. Starting this, I think I merely wanted to help myself. Reading these great works would inevitably help me become a better teacher and a better person. I would be learning from the greats and I would have a greater handle on literature as whole.

But it has become more than that. As I finished The Dollmaker I realized that I am learning far more than I thought I would, and that this experience is truly changing me. I have learned so much from these teachers. At times, I feel as though I am not expressing the depth of what I have read. Their words are speaking to me, sometimes across centuries and often across oceans. They have become my mentors and I feel as though through their work I am changing to become a much better person.

Everything they write about puts my life in perspective. Yes, things are rough right now. I am only working 15-16 hours a week making a little more than minimum wage. I don't own my own car, but am borrowing from my parents while we save up. We have some debt and Matt is still finishing school. At times, it seems like too much. I broke down in the car on the way to meet up with some friends Tuesday night because the weight of responsibility seemed like too much. Life catches up with you and sometimes you wonder, "how much more can I possibly handle?" Then life hands you another curve ball, like we got Wednesday when we found out that Matt's mom's new puppy was attacked and killed by a pit bull in front of her eyes and nothing could be done about it. Life throws you challenges and how you tackle them determines how things turn out.

Perhaps I am getting preachy, but again, as I finished The Dollmaker it all snapped into perspective. I remembered that my life could be worse and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I won't be unemployed forever. Eventually a school district will see me for the amazing teacher I know I am. Matt will finish school. We will pay off our debts. Justice will be found for Lacey needlessly being attacked by a vicious dog, and soon, these horrible feelings of despair will disappear. Life moves forward. And I have a wonderful and loving husband by my side who laughs with me and holds me when I need it. He supports everything I do and won't let me fail.

And I found all of that in the pages of a book. So when people say to me, "Why do you read so much?" or "Why are you doing this?" I can point to myself and say, "Reading has saved me."

Sure, it sounds completely crazy and obsessive, but I know it to be true. Words and stories are as much a part of my life as is Matt, or our cats, or our own memories. I take in these stories and they become a part of my own experience, my own history.

Perhaps the reason why I am doing this is so that I can hopefully inspire someone else to see reading and books as deeply as I do. They are not a hobby, or a waste of time, or something to turn to in boredom or when the power goes out; they are my friends, my family, and my mentors. Without them I would be lost.

And when I am done with this, I can add 250 more members to that list.

Sometimes all we need is a little reminder of what we're doing and where we are going to get our heads on straight again. And I think I am headed down the right path again.

Book 18: Tragedy.

There are scenes that you can come across in reading that really just chill your bones. I read such a scene in Germinal back in December. It so shocked me that I had to set the book aside and mentally get over the images before I could go back to reading that novel. I also had a huge urge to talk about it with someone, so Matt was the lucky recipient of my ranting about the disturbing images that plagued my mind.

Sometimes, the chill and feel of a book can offset you. I feel that way with The Dollmaker. From the beginning, the reader knows that pain and heartache are coming. When the first tragedy happens, you think, "Oh, things must be getting better after this." Then the next thing happens and you think, "The author can't do anymore to this family."

But she does.

And it seems like she is overdoing the tragedy that this family feels, but you have to step back and look at it all in a broader scope. The whole era the novel is set in (World War II) is a tragedy. Mothers and sisters and wives received letters that their husbands and sons and brothers were dead or missing constantly. Arnow relives that fear in the novel and the characters. They are living within a tragedy and are merely victims of circumstance.

So when the great tragedy strikes in the middle of this novel, you feel so deeply for the characters. I got to this scene late at night when Matt was sleeping and the cats were curled up on my chest.

I teared up.

I rarely get moved to tears by anything that is not directly related to my own life. Even then, it takes a lot to drive me to tears. So I am not one of those girls who cries during sappy movies, or who gets emotional reading most books.

So when I say I teared up reading about the pain of the Nevels family, it was a powerful amount of pain. And it was well-written.

And while I am only halfway through the novel, I know that Arnow is going to throw more into the lives of the Nevels family and the people living near them in the projects of Detroit. And where some writers through all this angst and torment into their novels to try and make them more appealing (I am currently thinking of those sappy Sweet Valley High novels I used to read), Arnow is not using tragedy as a way to rev up the reader. Instead, she is using it as a reflection of the time period.

I love the era of World War II in America. In college, I took a couple of classes on the era to fulfill requirements for my history degree. For one class, we had to interview an individual who lived during the time period. I was matched up with an older lady who lived in Lansing in an assisted living center. She lived in Detroit during the war as a little girl. Her father fought overseas in Europe and her mother and three older brothers all worked for the factories in Detroit. Her stories were very similar to the experiences Arnow shares (Arnow also lived in the projects during the war) and this woman also painted a very tragic picture of life on the home front during the war.

When I was interviewing this woman, I remember feeling the tragedy of the era. Everyone left back thought the world was coming to an end. Boys were being drafted into the military and being shot. There were food and gas shortages. To those left behind, some questioned whether it would be better to be "over there" fighting as opposed to staying home and waiting.

I can feel this pain and tragedy in Arnow's novel. She has captured the heart of the times.

It is simply beautiful.

I'm Getting Married!

Well, it is here (finally). On Saturday December 26, 2009, I am getting married to my fiance Matt, who I have been with for almost 7 1/2 years. It has been a long time coming.

With all of the events leading up to the wedding, Christmas, and everything else, I know I won't be here. That is obvious since my last post was last Tuesday. So, I won't be writing here until the New Year when we get back from our honeymoon.

Have a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and wonderful memories. I know that I will be making many wonderful new memories with Matt.

See you in 2010!

Book 14: Inspired by Sawyer.

“Hell of a book. It’s about bunnies,” Sawyer to Kate in Lost (Episode: “Confidence Man” Season 1).

Matt and I have been watching a lot of Lost recently. When the show first went on the air, I made an effort to watch it, but only got through a couple of episodes. At the time, I was in college and had an irregular schedule so I always forgot to watch it. Besides, I am not a huge T.V. watcher anyway (I’d rather read), so I just plain forgot about it.

I ended up buying the first season on DVD when it came out with the intentions of watching it before the second season aired. I got all the way to four episodes before the end. Then the writers made me angry by removing a character and I refused to watch any more.

But Matt is a huge Lost fan and the last season starts up in January. So, we are trying to get through 5 seasons before then (which I highly doubt will happen). And I actually really love the show. It has quite a few sci-fi elements in it, which I love. It also has a ton of literary references in both the titles of episodes, to things characters say, to the books that surround the characters.

And the first book that appeared on screen was Watership Down by Richard Adams. It appeared in the hands of Sawyer, which threw me for a loop. But, knowing the writers of Lost, I know that there is some significance to everything they have chosen. On the cover of the book it says, “The timeless classic novel of exile, courage, and survival.” Where else would you find those things than on an island?

(And since I have seen a few episodes from other seasons and I know a few of the tricks, it was definite foreshadowing when A Wrinkle in Time popped up a few episodes later).

Anyway, I owe it to Sawyer that I chose Watership Down as my next book. Mostly because I also want to read about bunnies. Also, I love the fact that a popular T.V. show is making such amazing literary references. So, I am taking one of their subtle nudges and going with it. I am also sure that reading it will give me further insight into the mysteries that surround Lost and so when we keep watching, I can make little gasps of realization instead of Matt because for once, I will make a connection that he won’t.

(On another side note, it is infuriating to watch a T.V. show with someone who has already seen every episode. Especially when they give things away).

On to the bunny rabbits.

For anyone who is interested in the literature in Lost, here is a link to a Lost wiki (yes, there is such a thing) entry about the literature and literary references throughout the series: http://lost.wikia.com/wiki/Literature

Sunday Salon: December 6, 2009.

This has been an incredibly busy week for me, thus, the lack of blogging. I have been trying to make an effort in the last few weeks to reach out to other bloggers, but sadly, I am lacking the time. With the wedding only being 20 days away (eek!), I think it is too much to ask of myself to devote the few minutes I have of free time to searching out other book bloggers and networking a bit. So, that will have to wait until the New Year.

I have spent some time this week reflecting on this past year. This has truly been the roughest year I can remember. A lot has happened to make this a very emotional year, and it isn’t even over yet! I know that 2010 will have a lot of great things in store for me, so I am excited to get there. With that being said, once we are back from our honeymoon, on the 4th, I will definitely find myself with more time on my hands to devote to blogging. For the couple of months I have been here, I have loved it. It is nice to know that I have my own place here. Sometimes it is hard, knowing that my blog is not where I want it to be yet, but I know that in a few weeks, it can be. So be prepared for insanity once the calendars change to 2010.

Anyway, back to this week. Like I said, it has been kind of crazy. I finished all my Christmas shopping, with the exception of my grandmother and Matt’s step-dad. I also have been calling our wedding vendors to set up appointments and get everything finalized. I have a few more phone calls to make in the morning. I am hoping by the end of this coming week to have everything mostly set.

RSVPs have been flying in. We are up to 181 confirmed guests for the wedding, which is excellent. We’re hoping to hit the minimum number of 225 for the room so we don’t have to go crazy money wise, but if not, we already know what we’re going to do to upgrade. There are still 90 people yet to RSVP, so keep your fingers crossed.

I also went for a practice run of my bridal hair yesterday, which turned out beautifully. We discussed a few small changes for the big day, but I am really happy with the stylist and her work.

Last night, Matt and I headed to downtown Detroit for a concert as a requirement for one of his classes. The concert was held in the historic Fort Street Church (go here for more: http://www.fortstreet.org/). It was a beautiful church, built in 1855. When it burned down, it was rebuilt in 1877. It is a gorgeous building and we got to sit in the upper ring, looking down on the main floor and the front of the church. The performance was of Handel’s “Messiah.” For anyone not music minded, “Messiah” contains what it called the “Hallelujah Chorus” (picture clouds parting and light beaming down while a choir sings, “Hallelujah!”). It was a wonderful performance, if long, and we both really enjoyed it.

Today was spent packing up some things to move over to the apartment and then moving all those things into our apartment. Officially, all of my books are now moved in, all 1200+ of them are stacked in boxes in the closet. That closet is officially stuffed to the gills with books and some other items. Remind me to take a picture to show you the madness. The only books I kept here are a stack of 15 or so to see me through until we can purchase some bookshelves. We also moved over a bunch of other items. I am amazed by how much stuff I have accumulated. I have gone through a lot, but there are still a few things left to clean out—mainly some bins in our basement FULL of stuffed animals. One goal for the week is to go through them and decide which ones I don’t want, which will be many, and donate the rest. I am hoping to find some homes and shelters in nearby Pontiac which will take them for needy children.

In reading news, I am still in the middle of Germinal. I honestly haven’t had time to read, even though I am so close to finishing it. Honestly, there was a scene which kind of tore me up a bit so I stopped reading it last night in favor of sleep. Don’t fear, however, I have a lot to say about the book, which will all be forthcoming.

Goals for this week are to finish Germinal and to start something new. I’m not sure what I’ll grab, but I know that it won’t be a play.

Happy Reading!

Sunday Salon: November 29, 2009.

I wish I would have posted this on Sunday, rather than late Monday/early Tuesday morning.

Like many of you, I had a busy weekend with family and food. My stomach still hasn’t recovered from all of the stuffing and turkey. It was good though. My younger sister came home from college and I got to spend some time with her in her new car.

Matt, my brothers, and some close friends drove down to Chicago for his bachelor party. From what I have heard, they had a great time and drank a lot. When he got back Sunday evening, he was tired, so we relaxed a little and watched Lost. I never really watched it, so he is getting me into it for the last season that is airing soon. I have to say that if I had been watching from the beginning, I probably would have been mad to not know the answers to everything.

Anyway, like I said, it was a good weekend.

In reading news, I managed to hit my goals for last week. I finished The Bluest Eye as well as The Stranger (post will be forthcoming). I also managed to start Germinal by Emile Zola (again, post forthcoming) and at the time of writing this, I am well into it. It is a 500+ page book, so it might take me a little while.

The goals for this week are to finish Germinal. I’m not quite sure what I am going to read next, but I think I might read a play or get into a Steinbeck novel. We shall see…

Happy Reading!