Even though, or maybe because, I haven't been feeling particularly well for the last few days, I immersed myself into reading, movies, and music last week more than I have in a while. And the college baseball I was able to enjoy via ESPN+ was the absolute icing on the cake. So not a bad week, considering. I finished up two novels, The Man Who Smiled and Mercury, along with a non-fiction title, An American Dreamer. Of the three, Mercury is by far the one I enjoyed most, but I should have more to say about each of them in the next few days.
So where does that leave me? Well, I finally started reading my library copy of Absolution, and what can I say...it's Alice McDermott, after all, a favorite of mine who seems to be knocking it out of the park again with this one. The set-up, at near 100 pages in, has been brilliant. I've also read the second of fourteen short stories in Joan Leegant's Displaced Persons collection, almost half of Henning Mankell's first Kurt Wallander mystery, Faceless Killers, and have been pleasantly surprised to find that Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn can still make me laugh out loud despite its rather grim plot. Camus's The Plague, however, hasn't been touched in almost three weeks now.
I'm still a little confused as to how the Kurt Wallander books have been published in this country. It seems like there are a lot of Wallander books out there, maybe even more than one series, including a series in which Wallander is a secondary character to his own daughter. Adding to my confusion, I do know that the books were not published here in the order in which they were first published in Sweden. Anyway, this is supposed to be Kurt Wallander No. 1 even though Kurt is already a rather gloomy old fart right from the first page.
If you read yesterday's post, you know that I'm on the verge of reassessing my reading plan - at least for a while - by purposely beginning to raid my own shelves for reading material while I still can. The way I figure it, I've let the books become more ornaments and reference material now than anything else, and that's not why I bought them, nor is it why I still treasure them. I dread having to downsize at some point, but I know it's probably inevitable for most of us. I don't mean to sound gloomy, because I'm not really feeling that way; it's more that I've always been a planner, and this feels like the time to come up with a new plan.
Here are the ones I'll be considering next. These are a mix of shelf books, library copies, and ARCs on hand:
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| Shelf Copy from 1971 |
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| Library Copy |
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| ARC On-Hand |
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| ARC On-Hand |
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| Shelf Copy from 1982 |
I hope you all have great weeks in every sense of the word, and I'll look forward to seeing you on the blogs...
I have only read the first two of the Kurt Wallander books, but I have at least the next three books on my shelves. I think that the list of Mankell's books (at least today) on Wikipedia is in order by date published in Sweden. Since I have read them so far apart I am not sure it matters about order, although I know that there are changes in his life along he way.
ReplyDeleteI would like to read Absolution but I probably won't get it any time soon. The subject matter is very interesting to me.
I would like to read more books by Anne Tyler. Anything I read by her is so long ago I don't remember, so it doesn't matter where I start.
I'm deep into the first Wallander book now, and the character is already very much like he is in the fourth book that I started reading Wallander with. Mankell's take on his home country is really, really dark. He must have been as depressed about it all as Wallander appears to be.
DeleteAbsolution is a really good story, and it captures the early sixties really well, especially the general naivete and gullibleness of the American public.
Anne Tyler has been a real favorite of mine for a long time. I have almost all of her novels in first edition copies, but haven't read the early ones in a couple of decades. I remember Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant as being one of the ones I most enjoyed...keeping my fingers crossed that I don't ruin the memories with a re-read.
I've lost the use of my pc at the moment, hoping my son-in-law will be able to fix it on Thursday. It's annoying because I use it for most of my blogging, plus interactions, a tablet doesn't really hack it for this 'oldie'. Which is why I'm missing friend's posts and not commenting as usual. I hope all is well, Sam? Have you heard anything about your medical tests? My husband's funeral is on Friday so this week is a bit of a strange one for me. I hear you about foreign series that don't come out in order, I got put off an Icelandic series for precisely that reason. It doesn't work at all when there's character development involved. Take care, Sam.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that you're having PC problems, Cath, and I really appreciate the extra effort you had to make on that tablet to stop by. I can imagine how you might welcome the distraction of the internet this week of all weeks. I hope it's an easy enough fix for your son-in-law to get you back up and running.
DeleteI see the specialist late tomorrow afternoon to get the final test results. Of course, that's likely to lead to more tests from a different specialist. At least, that's my take on where it all stands right now. It's all slow and frustrating still. Thanks for asking.
Will be thinking about you tomorrow, and hoping all will be good.
DeleteThanks so much, Nan. It's been such a long wait, that I find myself even dreading the appointment now. Mind tricks...
DeleteGood luck with your apt. today, Sam. I understand dread, I really do, will be thinking about you.
DeleteThanks, Cath.
DeleteAnother good assortment of books this week. Sounds like Absolution is off to a strong start for you. I really loved the way McDermott chose to tell this story. Huck Finn will never be a favorite (though I do like that cover) but I was glad to have it fresh in my mind before reading James. Are you planning to read that one, too? I'll keep an eye out for your thoughts on Mercury. Good luck with your doctors appointment and tests.
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying Absolution, for sure, but I would have been more surprised by not enjoying it - because McDermott is a terrific writer. I"m way back on the wait-list for James still, but I think a reread of Twain's original storyline will make James a lot better read for me. The comparisons should be more fun - and the similarities easier to spot. I have some pretty complete notes on Mercury, so I'm hoping to still be able to do a decent review despite having fallen behind on reviews lately. I'm three behind right now. Thanks for the good wishes.
DeleteLove Huck Finn and am eager to read James. I should give Huck a reread first, but we'll see. Such a long list of books to get through.
ReplyDeleteI have the audio book of Sociopath which you recommended, but haven't started yet.
As I slowly move up on the wait-list for James, I figured it would be good to reread Twain's version of Huck and Jim. Can't hurt...and I really love the book anyway, so it's been fun. I hope you enjoy the audiobook version of Sociopath. Is it narrated by the author?
DeleteDad Camp is one I kind of want to read, too. And I loved Huck Finn when I had to read it in high school. Haven't read it since, but maybe I should do a reread of it sometime. Good luck figuring out your new reading plan!
ReplyDeleteDad Camp just feels like something I would enjoy reading right now - based entirely on an early first impression of what's inside. I'm looking forward to it. Still kind of feeling my way when it comes to a longterm plan, but I do think the books I pictured at the end of this post up above sort of show what I'm aiming for.
DeleteKind of a mixed bag on the test results. All are in for the moment at least, and thankfully all the worst possibilities (the life threatening ones) have been eliminated. Now, though, I'm still faced with some kind of autoimmune system problem threatening my eyes, especially it seems, my left one. It's not the macular degeneration problem I've had for the last several years which was already scary enough to deal with. We've decided to give it another five weeks before I return for another test and a possible course of treatment that would at least treat the symptoms if nothing else. I did not get the sense of urgency from the doctor today that I did three weeks ago. She seemed to be somewhat relived by what the tests showed even though she's not the best communicator in the world. Looks like I'm in this for the long haul. Thanks to all for helping me cope with the uncertainties of the last three weeks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting us know, Sam, I was wondering how you got on. It does sound like a very mixed result but the doctor's reaction gives cause for optimism hopefully. You take care.
DeleteThank God!! I loved reading "all the life threatening ones have been eliminated". And nothing urgent.
DeleteI am cautiously optimistic now, Cath and Nan, because of the nature of what's been eliminated from all the possible causes of what I've been experiencing. Losing eyesight is the real threat, but the doctor assures me that the new problem can be treated simultaneously with my macular degeneration issues, so I'm hopeful that she can keep things under control in both eyes.
DeleteThat all sounds possible - the fact she says it can be treated. It really does sound that it will be okay. Lots of people have been worrying about you. Tom even said this morning he thought about you.
DeleteThanks for the update, Sam. If the doctor seemed relieved and you did not detect a sense of urgency, then that's good news. Take care.
DeleteThanks, JoAnn. I have to admit that the doctor's much more relaxed approach made me feel much better about what's happening.
DeleteNan, tell Tom I appreciate his concern. That's kind of both of you.
DeleteIt is very good to hear that there is nothing life threatening, but after that my biggest worry is always my eyes. Being able to read is so important to me, and I am sure to you too. Both my mother and my grandmother had severe vision problems in their later years so I have worried that it runs in the family. Glen has had problems with retinal tears in both eyes for about 20 years now, which affected his vision. He has had cataract surgeries and also retinal surgery on both eyes, but things are much better now.
ReplyDeleteSame here, Tracy. I cannot even imagine life without being able to read. That just doesn't compute in my brain, and it's definitely on the table now despite my doctor's assurances that she feels as if she's on top of things now Glad to hear that Glen was able to get some relief with his eye problems. it's really amazing what can be done these days, and how quickly it's all changing.
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