flight paths discussion

with a salute to Ali Smith, who I am reading

I love Ali Smith

I haven't read any Ali Smith. So many books to read. There's definitely not enough time.

I'm starting this month with another graphic novel, Passing for Human: A Graphic Memoir and Sacajawea.

yes Ellie we know :-)
part of the reason I let myself go with the impulse. Curiously, when I entered as readung I was informed that I had read this back in 2015. If I did, it was another edition and regardless, I remember zip. I am enjoying it freshly, even though its a bit of a slog being challenged to think harder, deeper, wider.
Have you read this one Ellie? I seem to remember that Petra does too and probably most of our tourists. Possibly she is so well regarded because she is warmly provocative

When I wrote the above, Petras comment was not there. So I guess I remembered wrong But I do think ASmith is right up your alley. Im glad you are not bailing on Sacajawea

I picked up a graphic novel last week and am now on a graphic novel reading binge:

Let There Be Light
Passing for Human: A Graphic Memoir
Last Things: A Graphic Memoir of Loss and Love (recommended)
Our Little Secret

All of these are good & interesting reads. Last Things is a difficult subject but so well told by the author.

I've also started (barely) on Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds.

Big fun ahead I reckon, Petra. I am interested in Ducks, not on your list but I assume you've heard of it.
Otherlands fits well with my current obssession with all things Neolithic.
Did you ever get into the the Dawn of Everything?
And have you finished with Sacajawa?

what about Ellie?
And Ice preparing for retirement!
I am also wondering about how Mary Anne is enjoying it back east??

Sorry all:

I've been practically living at church getting ready for Easter--last night's vigil being the culmination--3 1/2 hours--but extremely beautiful and moving.

I've been reading Matthew Fox's Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic—And Beyond--she being one of my heroes--a little more of Julian & a little less of Fox would be better but it's pretty good.

Just discovered Ann Quin and read Berg, a strange but intriguing book--and am now halfway through Three which I am enjoying even more. And I also have discovered Deborah Levy, what she calls her "working autobiographies": Real Estate and The Cost of Living: A Working Autobiography and am waiting the read the third volume. Then on to her fiction.

Magdelanye, I'd also like to read Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands. The last time I checked, there was a queue at the library waiting for it. I should check again to see how the request list is doing.
I haven't gotten to The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity yet. It's still on my TBR list.

I have not finished with Sacajawea. I'm about 60% through. It's an interesting story but I don't know why she's so remembered and loved. The story seems to be written that she lived a good life, a very interesting life, but not particularly one of her own choosing. In that way, she's passive (through circumstances, not inner strength). I am wondering why History has written her as such an heroic person. Maybe I need to read another book on her life.

Ellie, I'm glad you had a moving Easter. It sounds like a wonderful, peaceful experience.

Today has been a day of distractions. Started here but had to look up Ann Quin, what a devastating end to a brave life. Is there a biography I wonder.

Ellie are you in the choir or some kind of Easter play? Curious about how one would go about getting ready....do you mean Lent?
I'm glad it gave you joy it sounds like.

I've been reading what turns out to be a christian book....I got it for the title
Survival Guide for the Soul
( i noticed you liked this Petra) and he does have some good things to say when not evangelizing.

Re Ducks it was same for me Petra. One day it will appear on the noteworthy shelf and I will grab it.
Did you ever get to the Thomas Moore? I finished it some while ago but I am still working on my notes. It's a bit arduous but so worthwhile. He always includes surprising perspectives and here is a rather amazing quote from Jung, who said in 1973 that a story is more important than a diagnosis. Moore says a diagnosis robs a person of individuality and complexity and "puts you in a pen with other people who have given up their individuality as well." I can imagine theres many who would disagee!

Just read an intersting novel by Ann Enright with an unreliable, unrepentent narrator followed by another by Nathan Englander whos hero is scrupulously, almost pathologically honest.
Now for the big news, just started Elena Ferrante's Incidental Inventions. Out of respect for her dislike of exclamation marks, I have 3 out. (wonder what she thinks of emojis)

Magdelanye, you were right about what I meant by "preparation"--I'm sorry I didn't mean to be obscure. I did mean Lent--in addition to giving up buying books (I buy way too many--and yet own so many unread books already) and speaking badly about others (I failed at the second--I had no idea how often I spoke negatively about others--especially other drivers on the road!), I spent a lot more time in prayer and meditation, went to church more often, focused more on "spiritual" reading (a vague term but I read such a variety of work that it's difficult to be specific).

I find Lent a powerful time of internal quiet and aligning myself with the suffering in the world (along with hope for its cessation or at least amelioration) but also intense so that I feel I can relax a bit when it ends.

Petra, what's the title of the Ann Enright book you're reading? It sounds interesting. And was the Englander good? (and if you found it interesting--what's its name?)

Also, thanks for sharing about Elena Ferrante--I thought I knew all--and read most of--her work but this one is new to me. I went immediately to Amazon: it's selling for only $2.99 (Kindle) so of course I bought it immediately (Lent is clearly over for me!)

I'm reading a fun mystery, The Writing Retreat (Julia Bartz). I'm half-way through the book and the mystery part is just beginning but I've enjoyed it immensely even without that--nothing terribly innovative (unlike the Ann Quin I'm reading) but well-written and engaging.

Also, as I mentioned, I'm slowly reading Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic—And Beyond--I just read a few pages at a time. I haven't even put it on GR since I don't know when or even if I'll finish it but I'm getting a lot out of even the little I've read. I may do a reread of her The Showings of Julian of Norwich.

been meaning to get on the laptop to give a linkable update but it's not going to be today I concede.
Ellie it was me reading the Enright...i think i sent you the link. It was more interesting than enjoyable, and same with Englander, actually. Probably because I never really got to care about the characters so no emotional connection.
What I did love was the Ferrante pieces-how great you found your own copy-its such a gorgeous book. I planned to discipline myself to a couple of essays a day- they are all the same short length- but that went out the window as I found myself reading "just one more" and I finished it this morning.
My admiration for this woman is high and this book really articulates why.
Just one thing struck me as so odd as to be almost discordant. I am sure this won't be too much of a spoiler so I'll quote:
The future that interests me is a future of absolute openess to the other, to any living being, to everything with the breath of life. p40
That sounds wonderful but wait wait! Has she unveiled herself? Isn't she still using the same pseudonim to protect her identity?

Luckily-well actually I planned it this way, I have her latest novel (I think) here waiting for me to begin.

the title! The Lying Life of Adults. I'm a bit nervous that it can't possibly live up to her ouevre so far.

anyone read it yet?

I did. I didn't finish it but I'm planning to go back. I didn't like it as much as her other work but there was a lot of great moments and I do think I will go back.

I'm looking forward to reading your reaction

Ive only just started but its a bit worrisome Ellie that you of all people DNF a Ferante.
Is she still incognito???

Also just started Rosemary Sullivan s bio of Gwendolyn MacEwan, Shadow Maker: The Life Of Gwendolyn MacEwen. I am not sure which of those women interests me more.

And I am doing a deep browse of Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist's Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations by Thomas L. Friedman

After posting here last night I had almost finished my review of A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail when it got lost in the phone. So today I have made an extra effort to get on the laptop and managed to successfully post a review of the AEnright.
I have got horribly behind on my reviews and its tempting to abandon the practice. Then I get a like for an old review of a book I had all but forgotten that really speaks to where I am right now.

I'm not used to coming here and finding so many comments! It's wonderful!

Magdelanye, I have not yet gotten to Soul Therapy: The Art and Craft of Caring Conversations. It's next up, though.
I started reading Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds instead (it was a toss up as to which to read first). But this book is not catching my interest. I'll give it a bit longer to see if it picks up. The author is too "intellectual" and makes the past dull (if you can believe that!), instead of intriguing and interesting.

re: "puts you in a pen with other people who have given up their individuality as well."
I would agree with this. When one is seriously ill, one is labelled by the illness and individuality can and is lost. Of course, an empathetic doctor would make all the difference, but most are so overworked that they focus on getting rid of the illness (a good thing) but don't always have or take time to look at the person (a bad thing). One does feel like one is part of the process and not a person. It can make one feel very alone during a difficult time. Friends and family are important to remind one of one's individuality.

I am still reading Sacajawea, which has picked up and gotten interesting again.
As mentioned above, I also started Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds and finding it a bit tedious. I'll give it another chapter or two to pick up before deciding whether to toss it.

Magdelanye, I write a quick review when I finish a book. Some are quite dull and short. I don't put a lot of analysis into my reviews. That would really slow me down too much and I wouldn't get to them.
I admire those who take the time & effort to include an analysis of thought, prose, ideas in their reviews. It's wonderful to read.

Petra, I'm so glad that you are back enjoying Sacajawea. Too bad about Otherlands, it sounded great. Well you will probably appreciate New Dawn all the more. I will be very intersted in your opinion of Soul Therapy and will wait to compare notes. Though i must add that I agree with your comments on diagnoses.

I spent most of the day working on my notes and reviews. That's great that you get to your reviews so promptly Petra though I had to snort when you described them as dull and short. I dont go in for a lot of analysis either but attempt to convey the essence and what stood out for me. It's awful hard to keep short.

Ellie I'm almost halfway through The Lying Life. I get what you mean. This has got to be the most truthful book about lies ever written

Magdelanye wrote: "Ellie I'm almost halfway through The Lying Life. I get what you mean. This has got to be the most truthful book about lies ever written"

What a great way to put it, Magdelanye!

I finished a book of erasure poems, The ms of m y kin by Janet Holmes--using the poems of Emily Dickinson to create a work criticizing the U.S. war against Iraq. I think her work might have been even better (I liked it a lot) if she had opened up to work that went beyond the political but it definitely worked and was interesting.

I also just started Margo Jefferson's Constructing a Nervous System: A Memoir. I've started it a few times but this time it might "take." I keep reading such great things about it that I wanted to give it another go.

just looked up both- how is it that i have never heard of these luninaies? Considering that I am a poet interested in conemporary poetry and poets, and that all their laurels indicate that thay have been around for a while, it does seem curious.
Do let us know how you fare with Margo.
You might be interrsted in the bio that I am engrossed in, despite the confluence with Ferrante. Or maybe the confluence is adding to it. Some of Ferrantes fire has leaked in to Gwendolyn MacEwan. I have her book of poems Earthlight on special loan from the library and her poetry is truly amazing.

I've also developed a bit of a fascination with the biographer Rosemary Sullivan who has a pretty remarkable bio herself.

Magdelanye wrote: "just looked up both- how is it that i have never heard of these luninaies? Considering that I am a poet interested in conemporary poetry and poets, and that all their laurels indicate that thay hav..."

Thanks Magdelanye: I will definitely look for her.

well well: I finished it, the Lying Life by our darling Ferrante, kind of brilliant and kind of distasteful. Theres lots to brood on but although I found myself at times glued to the page, more often I was throwing it down, like at the end.
It will be challenging to write a review.
Does anyone know Ferrantes identity yet?

Luckily, I have a blockbuster to read next that I grabbed from the new arrivals section of the library: Mercury Pictures Presents by the amazing Anthony Marra. Havent gotten into it yet, hooked on Gwendolyn MacEwan.

If Ferrantes wants to remain anonymous, I hope s/he can stay that way.
Imagine accidently finding out that your neighbour was Ferrantes! Could you keep such a secret from the World? Imagine being the only person to know his/her identity!

Well, I took Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds back to the library. It was sad to do but the writing style left me not wanting to pick the book up.

I'm listening to The Annual Migration of Clouds. It's post-disaster and the people no longer have technology of any sort. It's an interesting look at how the people are dealing with what we left them. I find the World that they live in interesting, in it's own way.

I think her anonymity was broken but I'm not sure.

Just finished Margo Jefferson's Constructing a Nervous System: A Memoir. I tried a few times in the past year but this time I did it--actually a quick read, just a few hours. Interesting book, kind of like reading jazz.

I've started Haruki Murakami's Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, which I read years ago but don't remember very well. They've made a movie of it--it's actually a story collection so I'm interested in how they did it. It's playing at an art theater in the Village and I'm planning on going to see it on Monday so I need to read quickly!

Then it's on to Demon Copperhead--I've gotten two copies of it as gifts (one on Kindle and one tree-book--the tree-book is gorgeous) and I've had them for months so I feel obligated. Also I really liked the first few pages.

I feel inspired to reread Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Again, I loved it but it's many years ago (30 maybe?) so I want to read it again.

Finally, I'm continuing with my procedural mystery, Gallows View which I read at night before going to bed.

Oooh, I really liked The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. It was magical and mystical, in a quirky way.

My favorite book by Murakami is still 1Q84.

wind up bird definately a favourite of mine too, also read about that long ago Ellie. To think I discovered him on my own just browsing in the Van public library. 1Q84 might be part of a 3 way tie with Wild Sheep Chase for ultimate fave. I want a sequel for 1Q
Lucky Ellie to see HM on the screen.

The Annual Migration of Clouds sounds familar by now but the reviews are enthusiastic. I checked the library and they have it so may just grab it tommorrow.
Too bad about otherlands

The Ferrante was brutal.

I am wondering whats up with the 2023 personal reading lists. Usually they start at the beginning of the year. I am managing to get out at least 4 reviews a week, but since I read 3 or 4 books a week its easy to see why I don't feel I am making much progress.

I loved 1Q84! A favorite of mine as well

The movie was very interesting, I'm glad I got to see it.

Magdelanye, in what way was the Ferrante "brutal"?

emotionally brutal

curiously, I could say the same thing about Shadow Maker, the biography of Gwendolyn MacEwan. Both the women, the fictional Giovanna and the real Gwendolyn, never really escape their troubled childhoods, the duplicity that lurked beneath a veneer of normal. Both of them were essentially abandoned in place and both, in spite of their obvious talent, felt they were defective, outside the common fold. The saddest tragedy of Gwens life was that she hardly ever felt safe. Her poetry is really amazing, that she managed to project such confidence considering

so Ellie can you tell us how a movie based on unrelated short stories actually works?
- this is one of the few books of his I havent read

Took a while to get into (was it me or the slow drawn out beginning) but I am finally enjoying Mercury Pictures Presents

Sorry no links....

Also! I got The Annual Migration of Clouds from the library as well as a new O Pamuk and completely on spec because i never heard of her before On the Curve: the life and art of Sybil Andrews

Hows the graphic novel binge coming along Petra?

Magdelanye, it rained so much lately that I missed a number of my jogs and my copy of The Annual Migration of Clouds expired. Audiobooks get returned to the library automatically, so I am at 79% read and waiting in a queue to get the book back. LOL!

The graphic novels have worked and I'm out of my reading slump. I have another one waiting for me to pick up at the library: Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography

I'm still reading Sacajawea. It's gotten more interesting but the book is not without it's flaws. I have to wonder why Sacajawea is such a known character. She's mysterious, I think, because her date of death isn't known and, therefore, her true life isn't. However, her truly known life was interesting and adventurous but not of her choice.

I have started the first chapter of Soul Therapy: The Art and Craft of Caring Conversations. It's not what I expected. I think I'm going to really like it.

My reading progress will be slow over the next month or so. Step-dad is staying with us and we've got a few appointments to deal with.

Magdelanye wrote: "so Ellie can you tell us how a movie based on unrelated short stories actually works?
- this is one of the few books of his I havent read

Took a while to get into (was it me or the slow drawn out..."

I'm also reading the collection the film was adapted from & it's very interesting (also to read stories that were later expanded into novels likeThe Wind-Up Bird Chronicle)--two of the characters based on different stories work for the same company; one character (one of Murakami's extremely passive, almost expressionless men) is used for several different stories (all with similar male protagonists).

It works

Reading Han Kang's new book, Greek Lessons. I loved her previous books, The Vegetarian: A Novel and Human Acts, both powerful although also profoundly sad and disturbing works).

Like The Vegetarian, this book also seems to be about refusal--in this case, a woman taking a class in Greek language becomes mute (the refusal to speak). The blurb says the teacher, who is struggling with finding what country he belongs to, is drawn to her.

And I'm continuing with the DCI Banks' series for fun. Now reading Blood at the Root. This seems to be the unusual, for me anyway, case where I like the tv series more than the books but even so, I'm enjoying the books on their own, if somewhat different, terms.

Petra wrote: "Magdelanye, it rained so much lately that I missed a number of my jogs and my copy of The Annual Migration of Clouds expired. Audiobooks get returned to the library automatically, s..."

Petra, Soul Therapy sounds very interesting. Since I'm currently reading so many books, with many on my TBR "soon" shelf, I'll wait to read your response to it after you finish.

well that sucks Petra as far as Im concerned re the snatching of a book you are in the middle of. Is this Audible? I get my audiobooks in disc format, renewable under the usual rules. But I am glad you are out of your reading slump and that you are enjoying the graphic novels, and, of course, that you are getting into the Thomas Moore. Yes, it was not what I expected either but he is often surprising. I am excited to be just about to start his book from 2015, A Religion of One's Own.

Today I finished Mercury Pictures Presents which after that slow start turns into another brilliant feat of perspective.

And the Gwendolyn MacEwan was magnificant

What I like about the Thomas Moore book is how he speaks about listening to the talker and seeing a whole picture, good & bad. A "seeing of the full picture" perspective of listening. A story is just part of a whole. See the whole = understand the fears/phobias/misunderstandings = allowing the soul to heal and thrive.

Magdelanye, I can renew an audiobook just like any other book, except when someone has a request for it. In this case, someone did (Boo!)...so I have to wait until they return it. I've put a hold on the book, so the person who has it now cannot renew it if they want to.
My library system now uses Libby. That's where I get my audiobooks from. It's quite handy. I can download the books right onto my phone.

I used to get audiobooks in disc format when I was commuting. It was perfect for that purpose. For jogging, it's not a good format. The motion makes them skip.

so that means you can listen on yr phone and dont have to read on it? I can listen but GR is all Im up for on a consistent basis.

I listen to books on my phone--Katie taught me how! Mostly I just listen when exercising. I'm not patient enough for audiobooks--I read so much faster than they go

Yes, with Libby app, the book gets downloaded onto your phone, through your library card and catalogue. It stays for 2-3 weeks (depending on whether there's a queue). You can listen at your own pace, on your phone.
You can also renew an audiobook on the phone if no one else has requested it.

Ellie, you can change the speed of narration on the books. At least you can in Libby. I usually listen to audiobooks at 1.5 to 2.0 speed, depending on the speed of the original narration.
Regular 1.0 speed is much too slow, I agree.

Thanks Petra, I'll try changing the speed next time I get a book

so Petra I'm glad you are enjoyng Soul Therapy. It seems quite different than his other books, less intimate maybe. Now that I'm reading a Religion of One's Own I am appreciating the details he shares that add an inspiring dimension. Like, he talks about his wife and family, and he demystifies his monastic background. And I love it that he plays the piano. I do get the sense that he revels in being a bit heretical.

With me Ellie I like how the pace of the audiobook slows me down. Its like being read to as a child. I've gotten better but really, it's the perfect cue for me to fall asleep.

These days Im listening to Voices in the Ocean. So far its mostly history and biology so Ive learned a lot about dolphins and the tragedy of their captivity but so far no songs

Magdelanye: interesting point--I'll have to try listening at bedtime