An Irish Triad

The three most short-lived traces: the trace of a bird on a branch, the trace of a fish on a pool, and the trace of a man on a woman.

- Away, Jane Urquhart

more from Mr. Copeland

Heather: "Here's what I think: the five most unattractive traits in people are cheapness, clinginess, neediness, unwillingness to change and jealousy".

Douglas Copeland, Hey Nostradamus!

I don't know if I agree completely - but it is interesting to think about.

A parenting strategy I can get behind.

"Sometimes I think the only way to deal with turbocharged kids is to give them even more sugar and lock them in a room with a TV set. As I know zilch about kids, this is my first (and last) means of coping, and it seem to work just fine."

-Hey Nostradamus!, Douglas Coupland

This week in Books

Roots - Alex Haley
This book was really good. As I was reading it I really enjoyed it. But for whatever reason, after I finished it, it didn't seem as good in retrospect. My favourite part was definetely the first 200 hundred pages when the main character is still in Africa. It made me want to read fiction/non-fiction about Africa and learn about a wide variety of communities exist - both today and historically.

The autobiography of Malcolm X - Alex Haley, as told to by Malcolm X
This book was phenomenal. Seriously. I really really enjoyed it. It opened my eyes to a whole new dimension of African American thought, filled in many historical gaps in my knowledge, and more than that, was just a really compelling read of an exceptional individual. I am not usually one for biographies, so I really enjoyed getting an insight into the development of the thought of a truly influential man.

Blood Letting and Miracle Cures - Vincent Lam
This book won the Giller Prize in 2006 (I think) and it was widely thought to be deserving of a place on the short list, but as I recall, was a surprise winner. This book was great. I love fiction about doctors and hospitals, something that is so fascinating, but an occupation that I have neither the desire nor the aptitude to be a part of. Yet so crucial to modern human life. This book did a fabulous job of really getting into the minds of medical professionals throughout their careers and examined so many aspects of the human condition. The other thing I like about medicine is that it is so seemlessly multicultural, which is also reflected in the book. Four Stars!

book of the week

Bee Season

This is one of two books I will be profiling this week purchased at my local St. Vincent de Paul thrift store. The best way to buy books!

This was an entertaining story about a messed up family (aren't we all). It dealt with the differences between how a person is seen from the outside and how they are on the inside. It's main theme was about finding your place - identifying your role - in the universe. It was entertaining and made me think. But it was also a little pedestrian. And it was turned into a movie starring Richard Gere which I am totally going to rent.

The Stone Diaries - Carol Sheilds

This books won the pulitizer and was shortlisted for the Booker so it definetely has the pedigree. Overall it was very good. I enjoyed reading it. It was really well-written. But it just didn't do it for me. It didn't grab me. I didn't make me want to tell everyone I know about how great it was. I think part of the reason may be because it covers the entire life of a woman and the older she got the less I felt I connected with character and the less I cared about what I was reading. This could easily be because I am still so young that I could not appreciate the book in its entertity. That being said - I totally get why someone would fall in love with it.

As an aside...

I absolutely loved the Time Travellers Wife. I thought it was great. Really good story telling. And soon to be in a theatre near you starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana.

And without reading it I could tell you that I would not like Eat, Pray, Love. And after talking with a friend who read it - whose review was extremely similar to that over at "counting the things I know" my initial pre-judgment was confirmed.

book of the week

A month or so ago I was browsing through the used book store on campus (that sells consigned textbooks) looking to see if there were any books from an English class that I might like to read. I picked up two.

1) The Wild Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.

This book (for those of you who do not know) is the story of Mr. Rodchester's first wife (the mad woman upstairs in Jane Eyre). I have heard of it many times, as it is often read in English classes as it written back to Jane Eyre by an author from the Caribbean, and it is interesting to read from back and forth from the colonial power to colonies... anyways... it was good and I enjoyed it and I am glad I read it.... however it was no where near as fabulous as...

2) The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

This book, winner of the 1989 Booker Prize and turned into a move starring Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins is about a British butler and his relationship to the house and to the housekeeper. The book is from the point of view of the butler and it is amazing. Nothing happens in the sense of action-adventure - but it is such a moving, stirring, extraordinary exploration of the human condition. Not to mention the writing is outstanding (hence the booker prize). Now part of the reason I liked it so much might have been that going in I had no expectations. So if anyone out there decides to read, please don't have very high expectations because this book is definetely not for everyone. It was, however, totally for me.

Outlander

This post is dedicated to Linda, who I have never, and will never, meet.

So on the advice of the above, I decided to read Diana Gabalon's famous book "Outlander". It is the first (I believe?) in a series about Claire, a young woman who accidently managed to get herself transported back in time 200 years (so from like 1947 to 1747 or something like that). And she is torn between her love for her 1947 husband and her 1747 young dashing stranger. It's all very intense.

And I have to say - the book was fabulous. It was not the most well-written novel I have ever read, but it reminded me of Harry Potter insofar as the quality of the storytelling made up for any deficits in the writing.

(seriously - everytime the main character spoke, it was followed by "she said dryly" or "she said seriously" or "she said coquettishly" etc. which does not good writing make. There was also a lot of times she seemed to be showing off her vocabulary which ended up being distracting - but I digress).

So yes - the story was excellent. I used to read a lot more than I do now - and this is the first time in a while I finished an 800page book in less than a week (Harry Potter books notwithstanding). The only thing I didn't like was that there are very intense scenes towards the end which I maybe understand why she needed to put them in to demonstrate the depths of human despair and the power of human love - but they were too much for me. They were so disturbing that they took away, for me, from one of the best stories I ever read in a long time.

Again - like Harry Potter - she makes people who don't usually read fantasy suspend their belief. You really do believe that it is possible she went back in time, the way you really do believe there can be wizards. And though I would still rather be Hermoine than Claire, it would be pretty cool to be Claire.

I believe.

Thanksgiving

So today is Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving! I had one thanksgiving Turkey dinner on Saturday which was quite nice. Aside from that, I spent most of the weekend waiting on Devin hand and foot taking care of a sick Devin. Although as of yesterday/today he is now strong enough to go outside so I feel fairly confident that he is on the mend.

I hope everyone reading this had a lovely weekend. In the past five years I have only spent one Thanksgiving with my family. But I think that's the nice thing about Thanksgiving - of all the major holidays it is the most inclusive and the one where new traditions develop. For me, Thanksgiving is about creating community, unlike Christmas which I like to be the same, I like that Thanksgiving is sometimes different.

Also this weekend I watched the movie "The Departed". It was excellent. I hadn't seen it yet and it was really good. The acting was fabulous and it was super well directed and it made me proud of my Irish gangster hertiage (well - 2 out of 3). And a few weeks ago I finished "A Jest of God" by Margaret Lawrence. It was really really good. And really Canadian. And really introspective. And so honest. So that's my little Thanksgiving weekend arts review!

Margaret Atwood

I like Margaret Atwood a lot. I wrote a paper on her in 10th grade and one of my all time favourite books is The Robber Bride.

Today I finished Bodily Harm, Atwood's 5th novel from 1981. At the back of the book, under "about the author" it says "Margaret Atwood needs little introduction..." and that was 25 years ago! It's interesting since when I think of Atwood I don't think of her as being famous until well into my lifetime, which means in my mind she became famous when I first became aware of her (how typically self-centred). In any case, in Bodily Harm I can totally see the Atwood I know and love in the book, but I didn't enjoy it as much as some of her later work. I still have to read "The Penelopiad" and I want to re-read the Handmaids Tale (which I haven't read since 10th grade). So I started to think about what Atwood I've read. I've read some of Survival (her first non-fiction book about CanLit), none of her poetry and the following novels:

The Edible Woman
Bodily Harm
The Handmaid's Tale
Cat's Eye
The Robber Bride
Alias Grace
The Blind Assassin
Oryx and Crake

Which means I have not read:
Lady Oracle
Life Before Man
The Penelopiad
The Tent

Which suggests I have read twice as many as I have not read. Some day I will read them all. But I am in no hurray and they are not going anywhere :)

Happy....

Happy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Day!!

7 provinces in one month (how cool is that?)

Part I: Books
I just finished a book called between the bridge in the river, written by craig ferguson of the late late show and drew carey fame. I can't decide if it was "good" or not, but it was really really enjoyable to read - and really, what more can you ask from a book.

Part II: Trip things
For anyone who doesn't know, this Tuesday I am leaving on a road trip with my friend Alex. This is the first real road trip I have ever been on. We are driving from Toronto to the Maritimes and back again in 19days. I am super excited, and a little freaked out. But mainly super excited. We will be staying in Quebec City, Fredricton, Saint John, Charlottetown, Cape Breton, Halifax, Moncton, Quebec City (again), Ottawa and then finally Toronto. We will be staying in a mix of hostels and hotels (neither of us knows things about camping) and having picnic lunches, seafood dinners and pints while listening to fiddling music :)

last little while

who wears short shorts? me apparently. not on purpose I assure you.

I love martinis.

last weeks I drank three nights in row (note: not like in college - I just had one-two drinks - but still - this is highly irregular for me)

dulche de leche (sp?) = yum. However only in tall. grande is too much.

packing = fear

spending summer living with parents without a place of my own = potential nervous breakdown. I love my parents and we get along super well. but the summer? and maybe beyond? I have been home for the summer before. But man. man!!

I heart Iris Murdoch.

I am going to buy Craig Ferguson's book for my plane ride and sojurn in Calgary.

I love having flowers in my apartment. And I am sad to be leaving my apartment.

I giggle too much and at inappropriate times.

A few days ago I woke up from a dream, laughing, I was laughing so much in my dream I woke myself up. I only wish I remember what it was about.

I have had one flying dream in my life. I (irrationaly) envy those who have flying dreams.

Grotty is a word.

Sleep makes me happy.

Children of men is a good movie. But it wasn't fabulous. I am considering reading the book.

Today it was not nice weather wise. That made me sad. It has been super nice these past couple of days. Please come back sun. Please come back.

quote of the day

On life some generally: Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you.

On writing: RB: That is so true. Very often you need to get networked into "Don’t care." If we think that we must be erudite, intellectual, and must never be seen as foolish, you’ve really started out on the wrong foot as a writer. Most new writers do just that. It takes a lot of experience to learn that the gift I have to give is my foolishness. It’s the craziness of my ideas that make them interesting, make them worthwhile. Once we learn to relax and not to worry about how the reader, the editor, or the publisher thinks of us. Then we can get down to the interesting writing.

Richard Bach

most famously author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and author of "A Bridge Across Forever" my favourite book about love, fate and soulmates when I was a starry-eyed, daydreaming 13 year old.

At some point in the future I might actually post something that is not an image or a quote. In case anyone was wondering.