Bookman and I have had a lovely couple of days just hanging out and relaxing. We watched a couple of movies – Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close was one of them and it is surprisingly very close to the book. It cuts out a lot and some of the timeline is rearranged, but I was impressed by how well it stuck with the main plot. We also had some fun playing cribbage. I had fun anyway since I won both games but I shouldn’t gloat because Bookman will probably skunk me next time we play. And of course there has been reading.
Bookman has been reading and enjoying Stephen King’s latest and I have been mostly reading 2666. I’ve got through the first three parts and keep thinking I will write up a summary but when I try to summarize it I am stumped. It is the oddest book but I am enjoying it very much. Hopefully by the end I will be able to say what it is about.
Today we ventured out to Half Price Books for their 20% off everything sale. Maybe we weren’t in the mood, maybe it was the stock, but we couldn’t even spend $20. How sad is that? I still managed to find three books though:
- The Pickup by Nadine Gordimer. This is for my 2011 reading which I will post about later in the week.
- Ulysses by James Joyce. This is also for 2011. Thinking ahead!
- Footsteps: Adventures of a Romantic Biographer by Richard Holmes. I’ve been looking out for a copy of this ever since Dorothy read and raved about it and today was my lucky day!
My first week of vacation has gone pretty well. Now I am on to week two. The cats and I have got the routine figured out and all of the necessary reading accessories have migrated to the bookshelf ledge by the sofa. There are no special meals to plan, shop for and cook, no cards or letters to write except for a couple of thank you notes and nothing in particular that has to be done. Bookman, unfortunately, will be very busy at work, but the cats and I are looking forward to one big fat lazy week.
Oh, sounds soooo lovely. I am going to pick up Full Dark, No Stars , this week. Let me know what Bookman thought… I am wishing I took this entire week off. I only work two days, but still… enjoy your vacation!
I think Glenn Close & John Malkovich are both so deliciously evil in that film. Even though the ending is tragic and I’m always sad by the time it’s over, the beginning is just wicked fun.
I’ll be very curious about your thoughts on 2666! It is unusual, for sure. I loved it.
Enjoy your lazy week!
I have Gordimer in my sights for next year, and that Holmes book. The latter is one of my favourite biographers, so I am looking forward to reading an autobiographical work.
That is a little sad, but I have been browsing online for books to buy and I am a little afraid to spend too much at once because I like the idea of hoarding my cards and spacing out purchases over the next few months. Sometimes it’s better to choose just a few that sound really good than be a glutton. I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say about the Bolano as it is on my list for next year–is it something that you feel compelled to keep reading or did you have to make yourself pick it up? I’m alternately excited to read it but afraid I’ll be lost, too. Enjoy the rest of your break–I’m hoping mine is equally as lazy and goes really, really slow!
Sounds lovely Stefanie … I understand what you mean about reading a book you enjoy but not being able to coordinate your thoughts about it in your head. I’m sure you’ll manage it though in the end. Sometimes I just start writing!
Enjoy you big fat lazy week – and commiserations to the Bookman.
This sounds like an ideal plan
What is a game of cribbage?
Well you might ask, and I’ll let Stefanie answer. I’ll jsut add to the mystery and say that I was tickled when she mentioned this as it’s a favourite game of my parents, and is one that my daughter (now 23) will often pop over to play with them. They love it. Now, over to you Stefanie …
love this : ” the cats and I are looking forward to one big fat lazy week ” . Enjoy your vaca Stef
xoxo
Very interested to hear what you have to say about the Bolano. I adored the short stories of his that I read, but have never ventured further. I’d also like to read Footsteps by Richard Holmes, it looks wonderful! And I approve of your big, fat, lazy week, that sounds just delicious!
I was surprised at how little I bought as well! Oh well, the sale does go on all week and I may hit up another location
One lazy week sounds wonderful. Enjoy it!
Daphne, Bookman says he likes it so far but there are some disturbingly violent parts. I hope you two days of work go by fast!
Emily, they are delicious. I think Malkovich plays Valmont almost perfectly.
Anthony, perhaps 2011 will be a big blog year for Gordimer! I’ve not read anything by Holmes before but I have heard such good things of him that I am really looking forward to the book.
Danielle, I can understand your reluctance to binge with all your gift cards. I mean, what happens when they are all gone a new books comes out that you just have to have? The Bolano is easy to pick up and easy to read, just not easy to see where it is all going!
whisperinggums, yes, you are right, sometimes the only thing to do is just start writing and figure it out as you go. You say your daughter and parents like cribbage but what about you? It’s a great fun game!
Em, cribbage is a card game that is usually played by two people but can be played by 3 – 6 with some alterations. My dad taught it to me and my sister when we were kids and husband learned it when he was a kid too and between the two of us it is one of our favorite games.
Helen, thanks!
Litlove, Bolano is marvelous. I just haven’t figured where he is going with the book yet. I am trusting that by the end there will be some kind of payoff.
Iliana, LOL about trying a different HPB location!
I’ve played it a few times but not enough to be on top of it. My parents, hubby and I usually play 500 when we are together.
I am either very bad at 500 or my husband very good because since I’ve known him I’ve never won a game! So to keep there from being much grumpiness in the house, 500 as well as scrabble, which I have also never beat him at, have been banned
I don’t think I’ve ever come across this game. Our family play a game called “bouracco” (I have no idea how to spell it), which is at a cross between canasta and rami. The funny thing is that nobody has ever heard of that game; I don’t know where it came from, but it’s pretty good!
Yay — I’m so glad you found Footsteps! I hope you enjoy it. Have a wonderful reading week. I watched that version of Dangerous Liaisons recently thinking it was the one with Colin Firth in it. That was a mild disappointment
but I still enjoyed the movie very much!
Dorothy, I was so happy to have found it and it was a surprise too. The section I found it in was a second thought to look through. It would be disappointing to think you were getting the Colin Firth version and find it wasn’t so. Glad you enjoyed it anyway!
Oh dear, Scrabble is another game I play a lot – mostly online with my daughter and sometimes another friend but it was the game of choice with my mum, sister, grandma and great aunt when we were growing up. I often win, but not always, and same with 500. It would be awful to lose all the time I must say!
Ahhh… isn’t it nice to look ahead to a New Year filled with reading?
I have an entire SHELF I will be working on reading in 2011 — thing is, by the end of that year I will have some other shelf half-full of new stuff.
Is it OK if I vehemently envy the fact that you have yet another week of holidays?
For me, it’s back to the ol’ salt mines in the morning…..
Enjoy your time off. It sounds like it will be lovely to just stay home and read with the cats for your company. Too bad Bookman has to work!
whisperinggums, I am a sore loser and so is Bookman so we have to choose games that we are evenly matched at otherwise there is danger of grumpiness and pouting
Cipriano, I hope you will be giving a glimpse of the shelf of yours for 2011. And I am very lucky to have managed such a long holiday. I am enjoying every minute of it because who knows how long it will be before I get another like it?
Kathleen, thanks! I am enjoying my time off immensely. One of these days Bookman and I will both be able to manage a long holiday together.
LOL Stefanie … this made me laugh, and what better way to start the new year than with a laugh eh?
So glad to have provided a laugh!
“Maybe we weren’t in the mood, maybe it was the stock, but we couldn’t even spend $20. How sad is that?”
It’s not sad. Some days are just like that. Enjoy those moments when there is no vacuum that needs to be filled with the purchase of another book.
Having just come off a delicious book buying binge, I probably shouldn’t talk . . .
Cameron, you’re right, some days are like that. Next time I go I’ll probably come home with a huge stack.