A Picture of Emily

"A word is dead when it is said, some say.
I say it just begins to live that day." -- Emily Dickinson

As a big fan of Dickinson's poetry, I was excited to hear that they may have found a photograph of this famously reclusive poet. Emily's Picture

Until now, there has just been the one photo of her as a teen. This new photo shows her as a young twenty-something.

"They might not need me; but they might.
 I'll let my head be just in sight;
a smile as small as mine might be
precisely their necessity."

Too Many Books

I'm still here and I promise to post something soon. I've been busy with work (a good thing) and at night I've been busy reading. For some reason, a whole bunch of good books have come my way. I've been borrowing books on my Kindle from the library. I put my name on a waiting list for the more popular titles and invariably they all come in at the same time. Add to that the books I'm committed to reading for my two book clubs, and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed -- but in a good way. I'll report back soon on what I've read. Please don't desert me in the interim.

Bedtime Books

Are you, like me, picky about what you read just before falling asleep at night? Some books just seem to work better to ease me into a relaxed, restful place. I don't always choose wisely, however, and then I pay for it by tossing and turning and lying wide-eyed, staring at the ceiling, checking the digital clock now and then to confirm that "yep" I'm not getting any sleep.

I can't read anything too dark or depressing right before dozing off. My very favorite bedtime books were the Harry Potter books. Although, when the final book was published, I read it day and night, because I just couldn't stop.

Some other good bedtime books:

• Jane Austen
• Jan Karon
• Some mysteries -- not too violent or scary
• Georgette Heyer - Regency Romances
• Terry Pratchett

What about you? Do you read certain types of books before bed? Do you have any favorites?

A Book by Its Cover

One thing I miss when I read a book on my Kindle is getting to see the book cover. I used to roam the aisles of the bookstore and library checking the book covers to see if any spoke to me. And many times they did. It has been so long since I bought or checked out a book for its cover, though, that I would be hard pressed to recall which covers evoked that response. I thought about that today when I discovered a website that lists its writer's choices for the 50 Coolest Book Covers. 50 Coolest Book Covers

Recent book covers that I'm drawn to for some reason include:

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

What about you? Do you ever buy books based on the cover? Do you have any favorite covers?



Feeling Guilty

I'm feeling guilty because I haven't posted in such a long time. I have a good excuse -- working 50+ hours. But that doesn't make me feel any better.

I have managed to squeeze in some non-work-related reading, though, in the brief spaces of time when I'm grabbing a bite to eat or just before I doze off at night. In fact, as often happens in life, now that I have so much work, I also have several good books to read. The last time I went to the library, I learned that I could get library books for my Kindle. So I went a little crazy and requested more than I could read. Just as with regular library books, you get three weeks to read the Kindle version, and then it disappears from your e-reader. Several of the books I requested were on a waiting list, so I thought I'd be safe. But then they all started coming in just days apart. Once they're on your shelf, you have three days to download them or they go back to the "stacks." So now, in addition to my book club read "House Rules" by Jodi Picoult, I also have downloaded "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness.

Because I was working such long hours, I had to let another digital title go back -  as well as a hardcover book I had ordered. I really want to read both of these books, but I guess it won't happen just now.

Famous Authors Were Children Once, Too

I came across this link to a flavorwire piece and thought some of you might be interested, too. It shows the childhood homes of 20 famous authors. My mind, of course, immediately begins to wonder what if any influence living in these homes had on the authors.

While you're there, check out the photographs of twin sisters in the forest. Stephen King anyone?

20 Homes of Famous Authors

Reading Lull

Lately, I can't seem to find a book that I really want to finish. I get a third to half-way through and think "meh" -- just not interested. I don't know if it's the weather, or me or what. My daughter recommended "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline. So I read about half of it -- it's pretty video-game centric for my taste. I'll probably finish it eventually, but I decided to move on for now.  Next I tried "The Buddha in the Attic" by Julie Otsuka. This one's well written, but doesn't actually have really identifiable characters; it basically covers a whole immigrant population with hints about specific persons. It's hard to explain, so here's an example:

"They gave themselves new names we had not chosen for them and could barely pronounce. One called herself Doris. One called herself Peggy. Many called themselves George. Saburo was called Chinky by all the others because he looked just like a Chinaman. Toshitachi was called Harlem because his skin was so dark. Etsuko was given the name Esther by her teacher, Mr. Slater, on her first day of school. "It's his mother's name," she explained. To which we replied, "So is yours." Sumire called herself Violet. Shizuko was Sugar. Makoto was just Mac. Shigeharu Takagi joined the Baptist church at the age of nine and changed his name to Paul. Edison Kobayashi was born lazy but had a photographic memory and could tell you the name of every person he'd ever met..."

The technique is interesting, but as a reader who craves well-developed characters, it just doesn't satisfy me. One reason I love authors as diverse as Jane Austen, Tony Hillerman, and Terry Pratchett is because they create three-dimensional characters. Anyone who has read "Pride and Prejudice" quickly learns just what to expect from Elizabeth's silly mother and younger sisters. Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are so well drawn that after I finish the book I miss them as if they were friends who have moved away. Then there are the wacky Pratchett characters - Sam Vimes, City Watch Commander; Lord Vetinari; and, of course, Granny Weatherwax. What's not to love?

What to do? Reread a favorite? That's something I seldom do. Keep trying to find something I can really crawl into and disappear for awhile? I like that idea but I'm feeling gun-shy. Ah well -- I guess I'll just go clean the house and think about it some more.