I finished reading Bolaño’s 2666 last night! I’ve been reading this big book since the end of December 2010. It has been a long and curious journey and I am still digesting so it will be a few days before I can gather my thoughts on the book. I liked it though and definitely want to read more Bolaño which is good because I have Savage Detectives and one other of his books on my shelf.
Because I work for a Catholic University I am at the beginning of a four-day weekend for the Easter holiday. I can’t say how glad I am about that. I will have school work to do including a field trip to a library to evaluate their humanities reference collection, but it won’t be all school all the time. Tomorrow is supposed to be a rainy day and I plan on spending a good part of it curled up with the cats and a book or two or three. I plan on beginning Gabriel Josipovici’s What Ever Happened to Modernism? I hope to also read the last essay in Moretti’s Graphs Maps Trees. And I think I will finally get to Euripides’ Alcestis, a play I had planned on reading back in February but somehow that just didn’t work out.
My commute/lunchtime book is currently Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde. I am enjoying it. The funny thing is though, since I am reading a print copy, one of my coworkers asked me today where my Kindle was. Speaking of Kindle though, have you heard the news that OverDrive, the company that offers e-book lending to libraries in the U.S. has made a deal with Amazon and they will soon be making Kindle books available for lending through the public library. Happiness!
That about sums things up for the moment. I am going to try to not spend much time online over my four days other than for school. I’m not going unplugged, just trying to limit myself so as to have as much time “away” from the computer and with books and hopefully the garden as possible. Time slows down when not on the computer and I want this four-day weekend to last as long as possible.
I was so happy to hear that I will be able to borrow books on my Kindle at the library! You are lucky to have the holiday off and have the chance to read. It sounds wonderfully decadent!
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Happy reading! Spring break just started for me a few hours ago and I’m loving it already! Limiting your time on the computer for the next four days sounds like a great plan. Enjoy! 🙂
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I didn’t realise you worked for a Catholic University – so did I for nearly twenty years. As a non-Catholic it was an interesting experience and I didn’t understand how different form other parts of the sector until I moved on.
The news about Kindle is great. I hope it follows over into the UK, although my local library system doesn’t yet do e-book borrowing of any sort.
I’ve been reading quite a lot of Euripides lately. (I played Hecuba in ‘Trojan Women’ at twenty and it put me off for quite some time.) I am fascinated by his slant-eyed view of everything. I don’t find it surprising that he won the top honours in his day only very rarely. I bet he was a really uneasy presence to have a round. The Edward Bond of his day, perhaps. What do you think?
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Yay for four-day weekends! Hope you have a lovely relaxing time. Are you reading GJ for the Wolves? I was sort of hoping to join in on that myself. It’s just the kind of book for a group discussion.
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Have a great long weekend! It is nice to take a break from being online–I’ve enjoyed it, but I have not (of course) managed to do all the little things I thought I’d be able to do because I am still working and still tired at night. Oh well. It’s been nice not having to plan out posts. Yay for finishing the Bolano! That is one one my reading list for this year (which I have pretty much ignored…have read only one book from….must get to work on that). Looking forward to hearing what you have to say about 2666!
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Kathleen, library borrowing for Kindle will be really nice. I hope it gets up and running soon. I checked my library last night but they still only offer ePub. I am hoping my long weekend will be a nice break. I like decadent 🙂
Vasilly, thank you! I hope you enjoy your spring break as well!
Annie, yup, it is a very interesting experience working where I do since I am not Catholic and frankly, not religious at all. It is a whole different world. Hopefully Kindle lending will make it to the UK eventually and to your library. As for Euripides, I’m just beginning him. I’ve only ever read Trojan Women and Medea and I liked them both. They seemed very forward to me in many respects when compared to Sophocles and Aeschylus. And from the introduction in the book I got from the library, he seems to have been quite the alternative viewpoint fellow. I’m sure I will have more to say once I get into the plays 🙂
Litlove, thanks! Yes, I am reading GJ for the Wolves. It does seem like an interesting book that will be good for discussion. Plus, it’s GJ!
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Danielle, thanks! Ideally I wouldn’t have to do any school over my weekend, but it won’t be long now when there won’t be any school at all on any of my weekends. Hopefully you will get to take a work vacation sometime soon. Finishing Bolano was huge. Now I just have to try and figure out what it all means!
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Have a wonderful reading weekend! I have a little bit of computer work to do but then I plan on staying off as much as possible,although I’ll post a garden update. Your weekend reading sounds great!
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Time slows down when not on the computer
I find this to be so true. What is it about computer time – it just flies by and suddenly your weekend is gone. Not that I don’t find the things I do on the computer worthwhile, but I’m trying to be more intentional about the time I spend online.
Enjoy your 4-day weekend! What a luxury. I’ll be curious about your thoughts on What Ever Happened to Modernism?.
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I have been working n 2066 for a few months now..I am struggling to get into it! Is it just hard to get into, or is the entire book a bit of a struggle?
Shades of Grey is amazing and I can’t wait until the next book comes out. Enjoy!
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Re: eBook lending: about time. I’ll admit that Amazon’s reluctance to adopt the Overdrive library system was the main reason I seriously grew to dislike their business model (I’ve since found other reasons to dislike it… alas) and also the primary reason I opted for a Sony as opposed to the Kindle.
I’ll admit, I’m really hoping this will lead to a shift towards more open format eBooks too. Maybe Amazon will finally ditch the proprietary format…? Mostly I’d just like there to be a larger variety of eBooks offered for checkout. Maybe all those touted Kindle users will finally make Overdrive as truly influential and useful as it can be.
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I hope you’re enjoying a lovely four-day weekend and have gotten lots of reading done. Easter weekend for a minister’s wife never means much reading, but we’ve had lots of fun with good friends and family members, and the books will be waiting when I’m done with all this.
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I hope you had a great weekend! Congrats on finishing the Bolano. He’s someone I should read at some point, although I’m not sure I’ll start with something quite as long as 2666. I’m impressed that you did! I’m looking forward to your thoughts.
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Is it OK if I very much envy you this FOUR day weekend?
I wish.
In the morning — it’s off to the salt mines with me!
Just two days ago I held that hefty Bolano book [2666] in my hand — it was in the remaindered section of the bookstore [thus affordable] — and reading the blurb, thumbing through the thing — it did look very interesting to me. The fact that you want to read more of this author, that is always a real good endorsement to me. From a reader I trust.
“Everything good to you AS YOU SLEEP IN TOMORROW,” he said to her, with nary a trace of bitterness….
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Ok, I guess the 4 day weekend is over by now but I hope you thoroughly enjoyed it! I’ve been practicing staying “unplugged” the past few days too and it’s a good thing to do every once in a while. Can’t wait for your review of the Bolano book!
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Did you have a good Easter? We Downunder always get 4 days holiday and it is always lovely because 1) it is autumn and so the weather is usually lovely 2) it is the National Folk Festival 3) my family always gets together for a dinner out in a restaurant in the countryside around our city. This year was no exception!
I hadn’t heard that about OverDrive. They are the main suppliers of eBooks here too, so I’ll be pleased if this deal is worldwide. Thanks for the heads up.
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Daphne, I didn’t get to read as much as I had hoped but I got to spend more time out in the garden than I expected so it all balanced out!
Emily, weird how time works while on the computer, eh? I got to start the Josipovici but wasn’t able to get far. But it’s good and I am looking forward to what all the Wolves have to say about it.
Hungrybookworm, the whole book is work but I found it rewarding nonetheless.
Bibliobio, I think Amazon ditching the proprietary format is unlikely, but you never know, it could happen with enough pressure from readers. Just the fact that they now have a deal with OverDrive is a step in the right direction.
Emily B, oh yes, I suppose it is a busy weekend for you. I hope you still managed some down time. Of course I didn’t get to read as much as I had hoped, but it was still a nice 4 days.
Dorothy, I don’t know why I chose 2666 as my first Bolano. I must be crazy 🙂
Cip, aw, thanks! My 4-day weekend was nice and makes me wish for another 4 days! 2666 is definitely an interesting book.
Iliana, 4-days all over 😦 Even trying to limit my computer time it went by way too fast.
Whisperinggums, that’s cool that you always get a 4-day holiday and that it falls at such a nice time of year for you. I hope you had a wonderful dinner with your family. Hopefully you’ll get Kindle lending at your libraries too!
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