Very nice award!

Amanda over at Daydreams and Wanderings has kindly sent me a Humane Award --- isn't she cool?

"This small little green award is possibly the most special. It's passed onto those kindhearted bloggers who take the time make comments and show their support."

I'll be thinking about who to send a little award on to on in the next few days, but suffice to say -- she has really made my week.   Lately, I've been feeling a little low (although it's possibly just due to the weather), so this was just what I needed to get me energized.   :)      Thank you, Amanda!!

In addition to brightening my day, her post has now opened my eyes to some other great blogs out there that I've added to my "follow" list!

Marvelously Slothful

I treated myself this weekend to some uninterrupted reading (ok, I put in 2 loads of laundry -- but that doesn't really count).   I had taken a day off of work to use up some extra time, so I was able to whip through the usual housework, and then kick back in our library at home, and settle in with some nice re-reading.   Today, I spent more time reading than I thought I would because I was trying to keep the house quiet (husband wasn't feeling too well), and it just felt so decadent to sit and do nothing but read.  I have to admit, I don't always treat myself to just sitting in the chair with a drink and a soft throw and a good book -- it feels like I'm on vacation when I do, and I always feel a tiny bit slothful and wicked......

This weekend, I re-read Margaret Atwood's The Robber Bride, Ann Packer's The Dive from Clausen Pier, and Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Dreams.   There's just something restful and comforting to sometimes re-read a book; I know what's going to happen, so I feel it's ok to sometimes skim to favorite parts (this sometimes feels slightly naughty, as well).   It's also nice to just re-visit a favorite story, or favorite character -- it's like talking to an old friend you only see every few months.   I happened to pick up Clausen Pier because I just wanted something to read before bed, and wound up remembering how much I liked parts of it (not really the main character, but I do enjoy the descriptions of sewing - something I have no idea how to do).   Animal Dreams was my Sunday reading -- it's a rainy, grey day here, and I felt like I needed a little Arizona.   Plus, I really like this book - it's another one that I've read many times over.

Tomorrow, it's back to the real world -- but the past few days of reading have been just the break I needed.

The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood

I just treated myself to a re-read of one of my favorite books: Margaret Atwood's The Robber Bride.   I think this is my 9th or 10th time through this book, and I gulped it down, as I always do.   I looked for a summary I liked, and on Amazon.com, found this one from the publisher: 

Exploring the paradox of female villainy, this tale of three fascinating women is another peerless display of literary virtuosity by the supremely gifted author of Cat's Eye and The Handmaid's Tale.

This book was published in 1993, and seemed to receive varying reviews: some people found it one of Atwood's less well-written books, while others weren't as wild about it.    Obviously, since I have re-read it so many times, it's one of my favorite books by this author.   I think part of what I really enjoy in this story is how the characters are written.   The three main characters, Tony, Roz, and Charis are completely different, and are unified in friendship only because of their mutual enemy, Zenia (more about her in a moment).  Every time I read this book, even though I know the story, and the outcome, I get completely caught up in these three characters.   Tony's passion is the study of war, Roz is a tough businesswoman, and Charis is floaty and new-Age-y (see what I mean about them being completely different from one another?).    It's like having many stories within one story, and each time Zenia enters a story, things get really interesting.   Zenia is almost unbelievably bad, but I find her fascinating.   We don't get the story from her viewpoint, which is fine: she'd be a completely unreliable narrator.  And, it keeps her a mystery.  

Beyond the characters, I think the other thing I love so much about this book is Atwood's writing.   I find that the way she crafts sentences and phrases is so well-done; it's like art.   Here's an example:  "It takes time, because Tony has no single clear image of her mother.  The memory of her is composed of shiny fragments, like a vandalized mosaic, or like something brittle that's been dropped on the floor."  (p. 135)   
         "She can't see the lake from here: the mist blots it out.  She makes an effort to find the mist beautiful - everything made by nature should be beautiful - but succeeds only partly.  The mist is beautiful, true, it's like solid light, but it's also ominous: when there's mist, you can't see what's coming."  (p. 201)

I relish so many parts of this book; every time I read it, I know what's coming, and I can't wait to get there, to gulp down the sentences, to experience the stories again.   Each character is written in a way that is so true to them; from the two quotes I included above, it's clear they are from two different women.   And the way that Atwood describes each of them, including Zenia, makes them completely real to me.     This story might not be everyone's cup of tea, and certainly, I don't love every single book that Margaret Atwood was written.   This is just one of my favorites, so I'm sharing. 

It's official !

This doesn't have to do with books, but every so often, I like to throw something different onto this blog ---

I share my house with my husband and four bunnies.  All of our bunnies have come from House Rabbit (we have a long history with them) and we finalized Pixie's adoption today.   We've actually had her since late July, 2009, but it's taken a long time for her to bond with McManus.   However, I'm just too fond of her to keep her in foster status, so we filled out her adoption contract today.   Now, she's officially ours!   She's the one on the right side in this photo (McManus is the one on the left).  

Veracity by Laura Bynum

I finished this book a few days ago, and have been turning it around in my mind ever since.   This is another book that I ordered for our library's collection, and then put on hold for myself (yes, most of my books come from the library -- it's one of the little bonuses of seeing the review journals, etc. and getting to actually order things).

If you haven't already seen something about this book, the short summary is this, taken from the inside flap:  "In the tradition of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Laura Bynum has written an astonishing debut novel, a bold and incendiary vision of a chilling, all-too-plausible future in which speech is a weapon and security comes at the highest price of all."  
         And from the back cover, a quote from Elizabeth Moon: "A remarkable book, thought-provoking, horrifying, and yet hopeful."

And here are my thoughts:  I think this is a book that many people should read, not just because it is well-written, not just because the main character is intriguing and compelling, and not just because the story is creative.   I believe this book should be read simply for the concept it presents of a future where the power of speech is chipped at little by little, resulting in society living under a suffocating blanket of terror.    If you've ever read Orwell's 1984, you are familiar with the lists of un-words, the concept of thoughtcrime.  Laura Bynum's world is one where if a single word is spoken, there can be terrifying repercussions (rape and torture at a minimum).   Little by little, words are forbidden, creating Red Lists of the unspeakable that tighten the screws tighter and tighter around the society.    I found this book nearly impossible to put down, and several times, I forced myself to slow down while reading it so that I could really digest what was happening in the story.  As a lover of words, it's difficult for me to imagine a place where even speaking a word such as "heresy" is enough to justify someone assaulting you.   However, I couldn't look away from this book, even when I was horrified, because of the very hope that Elizabeth Moon mentions.  The main character is strong, and I needed to know what was going to happen to her.    I also kept thinking about words I use all the time, and take for granted; this story has made me appreciate the power and beauty of language (and made me determined to broaden my vocabulary on a regular basis).       This is definitely a story that will (hopefully) resonate with many readers, and one I plan on re-reading again.

Some of my favorite words, right now:  contemplate, perplexed, fantastical, fluidity, effervescent, ethereal, heresy, veracity.        and cinnamon --- not only a favorite word, but a favorite spice of mine!

Cool giveaway over at one of my favorite blogs ---

Amanda over at one of the blogs I love to visit, Daydreams and Wanderings, is having a very cool giveaway --  she's shooting for 100 followers, and has not only a book available, but also an original bookmark she has created.     She just posted on Teaser Tuesday about Veracity -- a book which I am currently in the middle of, and had wanted to post a teaser on, as well.

Definitely check out her blog -- she always has some interesting books she's reviewing, as well as some really nice original art.    :)

Teaser Tuesday!!

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading and it asks us to...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I really wanted to give a teaser from the new book I'm halfway through, but I forgot to grab it ---- so instead, here's my teaser from another book I'm starting today:

"Secrets and lies were inevitable given the inequalities.  Sometimes, they were part of the job.  'Mrs. Woolf is not at home,' servants frequently lied as they got rid of unwanted guests."

            p. 140    Mrs. Woolf and the Servants by Alison Light