tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258294992012-01-29T19:00:33.761-04:00. . . a bibliophile's blog . . . an online paean to the printed page and the bound word. (And maybe films will be mentioned. And art. And food. And life in general.)Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.comBlogger7051100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-48729885775607967592012-01-29T15:45:00.002-04:002012-01-29T15:46:05.716-04:00

I read a good number of Goose Lane books* over the course of a year.  Usually, one or two of them make it on my top reads list. You've probably already noticed me recommending or lauding or getting enthusiastic about something Goose Lane every so often.  So when I was told they were launching a new website, complete with promotional sales, I thought I'd let you know so you can take advantage, too

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-48991963883996741922012-01-25T15:14:00.000-04:002012-01-25T15:14:21.730-04:00

Something for those of us who love (are addicted to) lists:  Lists of Note And something for those of us who like reading what good writers have to say about writing: a  quick, but good interview with Valerie Compton (author of Tide Road). I've been reading steadily but eclectically lately.  Most recently, Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose and Simon Pegg's Nerd Do Well.  Both

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-91902178618672042342012-01-16T13:59:00.001-04:002012-01-16T13:59:23.038-04:00

Currently Listening To: various Sarah Harmer tunes Recently Read and Almost/Sort of Enjoyed:  Mnemonic: A Book of Trees by Theresa Kishkan.  While a memoir organized around significant moments connected to particular trees sounded like a good idea, it failed to make itself feel significant to this reader.  There were sections where the obvious love of language and nature made it transcend

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-66188687767483770172012-01-14T16:30:00.000-04:002012-01-14T16:36:39.913-04:00

I happened across a reference to an Emily Dickinson poem, and had to read (and then share) the rest of it: Some keep the Sabbath going to Church -- I keep it, staying at Home -- With a Bobolink for a Chorister -- And an Orchard, for a Dome -- Some keep the Sabbath in Surplice -- I just wear my Wings -- And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church, Our little Sexton -- sings. God preaches, a

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-44614807983611456402012-01-12T15:48:00.000-04:002012-01-12T22:49:01.824-04:00

It's been a theatrical kind of week, I think, what with reading two plays in a row . . . I'm not sure what put me in the mood for Chekhov and Stoppard, but in the mood for them I was and ended up reading my way through The Cherry Orchard and The Real Inspector Hound.  Perhaps it was all that talk about plays and theatre in Tam Lin? Or perhaps I'm just itching to get out and see a good performance

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-49368700092082349042012-01-11T08:00:00.000-04:002012-01-12T22:53:52.474-04:00

 ... since I posted a favourite (or any) poem. So I thought I'd begin again this year with a great, if obvious, one . . .  Let Me Not To the Marriage of True Minds by William Shakespeare Let me not to the marriage of true minds  Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove:  Oh, no! it is an ever-fixéd mark, That looks on

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-51872091343099745392012-01-10T14:20:00.001-04:002012-01-13T20:47:39.200-04:00

I love books that reference, include, and/or generally make use of great works of literature within their narratives.  It's one of the reasons I love Byatt's work so much (though not the only reason). I feel like I'm being exposed to a great library of thought and imagination every time I dip in.  Pamela Dean is another author who makes the inclusion of great works a part of her narrative.  Her

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-22968371883575311092011-12-31T17:00:00.000-04:002011-12-31T17:00:00.709-04:00

I'm not sure I stuck to any of my reading goals this year, but that's not particularly unusual.  I'd intended on reading more nonfiction, more Atlantic Canadian poetry and fiction, and I'd planned to be more selective in general.  I'm still too often responding to that 'compelled to finish every book I start' weakness, which is a big time waster.  That habit must be broken!  There are great reads

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-16491173051631520902011-12-30T12:30:00.000-04:002011-12-30T12:30:04.865-04:00

Since I came across this meme a couple of years ago, it's become something of an annual fixture.  So, as usual, here is my wrap-up-the-year meme -- 1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Track (via the fascinating realm of the medical ultrasound) the growth of the Little Inkslinger and anticipate his/her arrival in this great big wild world.   2. What countries did you visit?

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-5763502413073503452011-12-29T17:00:00.000-04:002011-12-29T17:02:00.915-04:00

Relaxing with family, playing board games, eating peanut brittle.  There was even a light dusting of snow that arrived just in time for Christmas. Our low-key Christmas was certainly enjoyable despite some of the (temporary) restrictions that go along with my current health.  I even somehow found time in between the trimming, eating, and wrapping paper-ripping to finish reading John Le Carré's

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-79379428779990954402011-12-24T15:30:00.000-04:002011-12-24T15:30:02.180-04:00

Image(s) courtesy VintageHolidayCrafts.com Wishing each of you a holiday filled with good food, good reads, and great people.

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-58726671146135213052011-12-23T14:47:00.000-04:002011-12-23T14:47:14.527-04:00

You know how when you come across a book that is a pleasant surprise, is so much better than you were expecting (not that you were necessarily expecting something terrible), you have a tendency to find yourself growing extra enthusiastic about it?  Recommending it to friends and family with a 'it's so much better than you might think!'  Well, this was one of those books.  A friend handed it to

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-6338924405529363432011-12-20T19:10:00.001-04:002011-12-20T19:10:23.704-04:00

Now THAT'S a novel!  I've just finished what is just about the best Canadian novel I've read this year.  It's That Forgetful Shore, Trudy Morgan-Cole's story about two friends whose seemingly linked life paths diverge in the aftermath of educational opportunities and economic concerns, WWI, and the inevitable twists and turns of individual choices and secrets.  Kit and Triffie, from a small

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-53526293053576406702011-12-12T18:19:00.000-04:002011-12-12T19:20:26.610-04:00

Due to my last two reading choices (see below), I'm thinking of interesting books that are about/set during or feature Christmas and thought I'd work up a list.  It's proving harder than I anticipated: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens  (the most obvious choice!) The Story of a Plush Bear by Laura Lee Hope (A number of the toy books by Hope either begin with or involve Santa Claus and his

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-54408124019918450932011-11-30T15:30:00.000-04:002012-01-12T22:54:30.820-04:00

I've been rereading Love's Labor's Lost lately . . . and (despite the critics) I love Branagh's film adaptation:  

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-52147362569569846392011-11-30T14:30:00.000-04:002011-11-30T14:55:37.170-04:00

Before 11.22.63, I'd only read one Stephen King novel.  And it wasn't one of his typical suspenseful/terrifying tales, either.  It was a mystery. Short, quick read.  Good writing.  I rather enjoyed it.  This one -- 11.22.63 -- was not short, nor was it a particularly quick read, but it makes the second enjoyable King novel I've read and I just might find myself reading more of his stuff in future

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-1182138554675956642011-11-17T23:48:00.000-04:002011-11-18T00:02:28.632-04:00

For some reason, my reading inclination has furnished solely 19th century fare this past week.  Mystery, science fiction, children's lit.  All written and set in my favourite century to read from.   First, the mystery.  With as many twists as a winding road up the side of a steep mountain, Anna Katharine Green plots the course of the mysterious and ill-fated happenings at the ironically named

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-23563959186438440112011-11-10T15:20:00.000-04:002011-11-11T15:28:58.852-04:00

Currently Listening To: Currently Reading: Paris 1919.  Still.  But enjoying it quite a bit now.  I'm almost halfway through, reading about the contention over how much to make Germany pay. Recently Read and Enjoyed:  The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent.  While it took me awhile to get into the story, once in it turned out to be an interesting account of the Salem witch trials (

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-19246804614999911872011-11-08T13:33:00.000-04:002011-11-08T13:36:08.328-04:00

It seems fitting that with Remembrance Day coming up on Friday this should be the week I found time to read The Return of Captain John Emmett by Elizabeth Speller.  Set in the aftermath of the first World War, the novel follows Laurence Bartram as he attempts to track down what exactly contributed to the seeming suicide of his school chum, and fellow war survivor, John Emmett.  It's a mystery

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-39952190916554263642011-11-03T15:23:00.000-03:002011-11-03T15:23:10.262-03:00

In between sips of water (which I wish were sips of lovely peppermint tea), while listening to BBC3 and enjoying some November sunshine, I bring you the following bits of this and that currently occupying my lazy thoughts. Because I'm slowly making my way through Paris 1919, this caught my attention . . . a short interview with the Canadian author Margaret MacMillan for Canada Reads 2012.

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-4383530221198005162011-10-30T19:18:00.001-03:002011-10-30T19:18:22.364-03:00

It seemed a good day to embark on some Victorian reading (inspired by my rereading of Possession which evokes the Victorian period so wonderfully) and I chose to go with some John Ruskin: The Pleasures of England, a series of lectures he gave at Oxford in 1884. Filled with strident, oft heavy-handed opinions that sweep with intended majesty and authority over the topics of art, religion, and

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-51069025964673119252011-10-28T15:03:00.001-03:002011-10-28T15:06:30.018-03:00

Currently Listening To: Bach's Italian Concerto Currently Reading:  I have embarked on yet another delicious reread of A.S. Byatt's Possession.  It seems to me that no other author currently writing can engage both the imagination and the intellect in just the same way, with the same power, as Byatt.  I'm in the midst of those glorious, breathless letters between Christabel LaMotte and Randolph

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-84947304214926161892011-10-25T01:04:00.000-03:002011-10-25T01:04:14.760-03:00

So it's that time of year again.  The time of year when pumpkins get carved, candy is procured for little tykes in costumes, and Mr. Inkslinger drags up all the scary movies he can find for our evening perusal. Tonight's offering was the 1954 sci-fi/horror film Them!  And it was rather fun, really.  The premise: it all starts in the desert of New Mexico around, about the test site for the atomic

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-22393677442736057882011-10-19T18:25:00.001-03:002011-10-25T01:07:19.999-03:00

When Mr. Inkslinger first suggested that I would enjoy reading the renowned American food writer M.F.K. Fisher (1908-1992), I hesitated to jump in and test the waters.  I'm not sure why. I suppose I hadn't, at that point, read any books devoted to eating, food, and the social aspects thereof and wasn't sure it was my kind of reading material.  I wasn't really a foodie by any stretch of the

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-91237422506902702612011-10-16T18:45:00.000-03:002011-10-25T01:05:54.657-03:00

Thanksgiving feasting has come and gone around these parts and the leaf colours are deepening towards winter.   I love this time of year, but to avoid more whining about my not being able to get out enough to fully enjoy (breathe in) the autumnal glories I will concentrate on the moments of beauty I can enjoy: A neighbourhood beauty spot, for example.   And books, always books.  

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-32727288308117774702011-10-07T17:37:00.000-03:002011-10-07T17:40:45.869-03:00

Currently Listening To: Saint-Saëns, Carnival of the Animals Recently Read and Enjoyed:  Besides the pile of children's books I'm making my way through, I've been reading quite a few Anna Katharine Green mysteries (still!).  What a deft hand at plot is Green!  Dark Hollow is the most recently read Green.  It was so well-paced and the characters so compelling.  So glad I stumbled across Green by

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-84237161346386416322011-10-06T15:49:00.002-03:002011-10-07T17:41:25.891-03:00

Growing up, my knowledge of Laura Lee Hope (a.k.a. The Stratemeyer Syndicate) was limited to a handful of books.  I'd been given an old copy of The Story of a Plush Bear when a child (hand-me-down from my older sister) and I'd happily indulged in a few Bobbsey Twins books from my school library (the 'purple editions' of the Bobbseys, I should say).  I'd enjoyed them as sweet, simple stories with

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-91582729143578064512011-09-27T13:00:00.000-03:002011-10-02T16:29:09.487-03:00

"'Inspector Drewitt, you see, is really an intelligent man.  But a mediocre amount of intelligence is sometimes most dangerous.  It does not take one far enough.'"  Miss Marple, The Tuesday Club Murders by Agatha Christie.

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-38962160014010507692011-09-26T16:01:00.000-03:002011-09-26T16:01:26.316-03:00

I've been reveling in some good old mystery reading lately.  Doesn't September, with the skies and temperatures changing, seem like a good time to cozy up with a good, formulaic puzzle of will and intention?  I think so.  The kind of month during which a good, crisp apple and a warm, snuggly blanket are pleasurable requirements. Maybe some Bach playing in the background (if one doesn't become too

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-31298318963392950502011-09-19T13:30:00.000-03:002011-09-19T13:30:00.901-03:00

Currently Listening To:   Dinah Washington. Specifically, September In the Rain.   Currently Looking Forward To:   1. Just in time for the (hopeful) arrival of the littlest Inkslinger is this fascinating-looking volume for youngsters penned and illustrated by Emily Martin.  Oddfellow's Orphanage!  I'll be grabbing up a copy, that's for sure. 2.  More A.S.Byatt!!! Yay!  Ragnarok: The

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-88647362398232064652011-09-18T01:30:00.001-03:002011-09-18T01:30:21.090-03:00

I first started reading The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim about eleven years ago, on a trip to London with my family. It turns out, however, that reading about Italy when you're travelling to and around London, England doesn't ultimately captivate. At least, it didn't captivate me. I'd long loved the film version of the novel (one of my all-time favourites) and vowed to eventually give

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-38275698432900324292011-09-05T15:53:00.000-03:002011-09-05T16:19:02.780-03:00

I'm not really sure what I expected from Kostova's The Swan Thieves.  I knew it would be different from The Historian.  I just wasn't prepared for how different.  The pacing of story, the exposition of character, all felt different as I was reading.  There was the same lovely prose, but because the voice telling the story was different the style of the writing felt different as well.  I'm

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-70027993398510323362011-08-26T13:06:00.001-03:002011-10-02T16:29:43.413-03:00

"I should probably say again here that I don't like to resort to the Internet, even now, and was less tolerant of it then -- what will we someday do, I always wonder, without the pleasures of turning through books and stumbling on things we never meant to find? That happens during Internet research, of course, but in a more limited way, to my mind.  And how could anyone consent to give up that

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-64235231822232282852011-08-24T16:02:00.000-03:002011-08-24T16:02:00.463-03:00

I wasn't really raised on nursery rhymes.  Nor fairy tales.  I didn't really read either until I was well into my teens.  Though I was well acquainted with Beatrix Potter, and I may have come across The Billy Goats Gruff while in hospital as a child (do all hospitals have children's libraries in the playroom?), and I seem to remember somehow hearing about The Gingerbread Man, generally my

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-28067267698654855782011-08-22T17:57:00.001-03:002011-08-22T17:59:00.134-03:00

Currently Listening To:  Amélie-les-crayons Currently Reading:  The pile of books beside my bed was threatening to spill over, so culling was in order.  I stuck to the books I'm actually dipping into on a daily(ish) basis.  There's the on-sale Jasper Fforde Mr. Inkslinger brought home for me during the early days of a nausea-riddled June.  I began it, felt a bit seasick, and abandoned it.  But

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-31351983037161183222011-08-17T22:48:00.000-03:002011-08-17T22:48:40.919-03:00

A Georgette Heyer birthday ebook sale (at Sourcebooks, but also available at Amazon)? Yes, please!!!  Too good to pass up. The self-inflicted moratorium on ebook buying must make room for exceptions such as these.  Now, which ones shall I indulge in: The Quiet Gentleman Corinthian False Colours Or should it be one of her mysteries? A Blunt Instrument Footsteps In the Dark And so many more

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-70159955247631020322011-08-17T15:22:00.000-03:002011-08-17T15:22:50.460-03:00

I'm so glad Thomas at My Porch hosted International Anita Brookner Day in July because, even though I missed it due to those waves of nausea that were plaguing me for about three months, it put me on to a great new-to-me author and that inspires endless amounts of gratitude!  Even though I'm late (and, therefore, won't go into too many plot details as you can read much better synopses and reviews

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-43342286361512956602011-08-16T15:06:00.001-03:002011-08-16T15:06:00.775-03:00

 Quiet days, quiet destinations to local parks, some quiet reading. There can be healing in quiet, if I'd just let my restless, work-a-holic self benefit from it.   And, fortunately now that the morning sickness has mostly left (whoever thought to call it morning sickness? It's more accurate to call it all day sickness), the open pages of books with their lovely lines of words, words, words

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-23254172145743514162011-08-15T17:33:00.000-03:002012-01-12T22:54:55.091-04:00

I try to fit in a few graphic novels every once in awhile, and this latest one to come across my reading hours is a bit of fun.  Kill Shakespeare involves a whole herd of Shakespeare's characters let loose upon a so-so narrative to either track down and kill Will Shakespeare or protect him from those who are attempting to kill him.  It's fun, sometimes clever, sometimes annoying, and ultimately

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-28350421035711486402011-08-13T16:08:00.000-03:002011-08-13T16:08:47.498-03:00

Oh how I miss the summer. And it's still happening, it's just happening without me. Alas.  I'm still stuck indoors (for the most part), 'resting' and 'exercising' the leg as required.  Without going into too much detail (as medical details always seem either tiresome or frightening), the leg situation became more complicated (involving a clot and my lung) and it will take quite awhile to get back

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-32786707101157753892011-07-07T16:07:00.001-03:002011-07-07T16:08:38.498-03:00

In late May, and before the leg injury really got as bad as it was going to get, when it was still just mildly annoying, Mr. Inkslinger and I took a quick, low-impact trip to Lepreau Falls to look at an easily accessible, but still quite lovely, waterfall.  It boasts observations decks that make it easy to take pictures and appreciate the views (even if there are some areas that could use a bit

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-69949917130336830312011-07-04T20:30:00.000-03:002011-07-04T20:30:03.769-03:00

Celebrations!  Those are the days that make the ho-hums disappear faster. They can be little celebrations -- my sister and I used to make up our own holidays when younger with days like Puddleduck Day and Narnia Day -- or big ones, like Independence Day and Canada Day.  These past few months, we've kept all of our celebrations small due to a few health issues (it mostly involved a leg injury

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-3950586637464557372011-05-23T15:22:00.000-03:002011-05-23T15:22:08.684-03:00

Music:   I'm probably the last person in the galaxy to get an iPod . . . but there it is. And now I've joined the bud-sporting set.  To be perfectly honest, I've nothing against Apple or iPods in general. I've rather longed for a music-playing device that would (theoretically) last longer than the sadly cheapish lemon of a mp3 player I had a few years ago (it didn't even last out the year).  What

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-82705848183422687822011-04-27T14:54:00.000-03:002011-04-27T14:54:04.658-03:00

I've mentioned my admiration for Laurie R. King's ability to recreate an authentic-feeling Sherlock Holmes in her Mary Russell series before, but each time I read another instalment in the series I seem to be blown away all over again.  I've just finished Locked Rooms and (as I say virtually every time I finish a Mary Russell novel) this one might be my favourite of the series (that I've read so

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-80888612396449654412011-04-18T19:47:00.000-03:002011-04-18T19:47:56.728-03:00

One of the few nice things about being bedridden with a nasty bug?  Re-reading 84, Charing Cross Road (I was inspired to do so by this lovely post).  And now I want to watch the film again, but need to replace my old (now unwatchable) copy before I can. Alas. Until then:

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-12166043678212111422011-04-13T20:40:00.000-03:002011-04-13T20:40:06.510-03:00

There's nothing like a cold to make one appreciate a good Britcom even more.  Diverting, comforting, not unintelligent, funny without being too silly. What more can one ask when one just wants relax and feel better? This week, since I've been mostly bed-ridden with one nasty, nasty cold, I indulged in some Britcom viewing, specifically As Time Goes By . . . all of the episodes I could get my

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-9021859455577503502011-04-13T19:34:00.000-03:002012-01-12T22:55:30.908-04:00

1.  The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters.  What an intense tale!  And what a narrator. It made for quite a few hours of positive spookiness while reading late at night.  Another hard-to-put-down book.   After reading about the crazy family in The Thin Man, I was pleased to become acquainted with another 'crazy' family in The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. Of course, there's more to it than

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-9566277911684417572011-04-07T12:51:00.001-03:002011-04-07T12:52:33.440-03:00

Anita Brookner Day Now . . . which novel should I choose first?

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-7776627384973176172011-04-06T14:04:00.001-03:002011-04-06T14:07:08.912-03:00

Currently Listening To: Mumford & Sons Currently Tempted By:  As you've probably noticed, I tend to shy away from book challenges and all things related thereto.  Since I do a lot of reviewing away from the Overdecorated Bookcase, I wanted a blog that was unfettered, not tied to any requirements/restrictions/whathaveyou.  Of course, that having been said, sometimes a list of books or a tasty

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-52719777057136768322011-04-05T14:28:00.000-03:002011-04-05T14:28:18.951-03:00

Now I must read Laurie R. King's Locked Rooms sooner rather than the later the novel seems to have been relegated to on my must-read list.  Having just finished (and enjoyed) Dashiell Hammett's The Thin Man, I find that the author makes an appearance in King's aforementioned novel. Of course, I don't really need another reason to want to read King's Russell novels (love King, love her character

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-4946815171817270602011-03-25T18:08:00.001-03:002011-03-25T18:12:18.836-03:00

If there's one Canadian novel everyone should read this year, it has to be Valerie Compton's Tide Road.  The masterful handling of mood and perspective is just dizzyingly good . . . the story begins in sadness, shock, with a claustrophobic feel to the perspective of the main character, Sonia.  And then, as the story and Sonia progress through desperate grief and gloom, the narrative blossoms into

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-40432688345633129872011-03-17T18:51:00.000-03:002011-03-17T18:51:25.163-03:00

Having just finished A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (the third and most recent in the Flavia de Luce series), I must admit to a little bit of Flavia fatigue.  Or perhaps I just wasn't in the mood for our intrepid child heroine?  Either way, I found the novel interesting, but it failed to excite my imagination in the same way The Sweetness At the Bottom of the Pie did. Alas.  

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-51197400783242315362011-03-04T16:42:00.001-04:002011-03-04T20:37:45.544-04:00

My life, at present, could be defined in terms of project piles.  There are four staggering piles of books to be read, reviewed, or commented on.  There is a pile of poems to be read and commented on. A manuscript needing the same. Two writing projects of my own that I'm steadily working on (one prose, one verse), and the usual piles of dishes, clothes, etc., that need washing. All mounting

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-44460180516493882632011-02-23T13:43:00.003-04:002011-02-23T13:43:00.445-04:00

Margaret Atwood presentation (with much humour) via the fascinating C'est la vie: And . . . just for fun (via my lovely cousin-in-law:

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-55995760709551233302011-02-22T18:29:00.000-04:002011-02-22T18:29:57.601-04:00

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book of personal essays about books when I began reading it . . . other than a great deal of writing about the love of books in their physical, tangible form. But what I found within the pages was so much better than I could have expected. Bound To Last: 30 Writers On Their Most Cherished Book. The title gives away the agenda: a book promoting the lasting

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-59452197215668198562011-02-22T16:47:00.006-04:002011-02-22T19:21:23.821-04:00

While filtered sunlight decorates (with the help of the curtains) the walls and floors of our somewhat toasty house, I'm still shivering from the weekend.  On a blustery, chill-infested Saturday evening of rainy snow and snowy rain, Mr. Inkslinger and I braved the icy puddles and took a sojourn to ye locale bookshoppe.  And books were had by all.  (pardon the grainy photos, the camera is on the

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-32965931894160988602011-02-17T17:47:00.000-04:002011-10-02T16:33:08.697-03:00

"To love someone else enough to forget about yourself even for one moment is to be free." Jeanette Winterson, The Passion.

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-34741828235108703942011-02-11T12:03:00.000-04:002011-02-11T12:03:47.165-04:00

Came across this via Biblibio's interesting post: And, further, I believe the reason this approach doesn't seem to work as well for music sales is the general lowering of quality.  Unlike books, a lot of the music one 'borrows' (via YouTube, the radio or by catching MTV or MuchMusic*) is often, in my opinion at least, not worth actually purchasing and adding to one's music collection. One

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-5848044337775055202011-02-03T13:31:00.002-04:002011-02-03T13:31:00.535-04:00

Reading Henry James, loving his convoluted prose: The vast, square, clean apartment was empty, and its large clear windows looked out into spaces of terrace and garden, of park and woodland and shining artificial lake, or richly condensed horizon, all dark blue upland and church-towered village and strong cloud-shadow, which were, together, a thing to create the sense, with everyone else at

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-40254796125517515352011-02-02T19:12:00.000-04:002011-02-02T19:12:09.052-04:00

While the snow swirls its wildcat flakes around the window, I'm comfortably ensconced in a warm office . . . listening to the hum of a working computer (bless it!) and trying to read my own handwriting (scribbling notes for novel-writing late at night does not always make for a productive day . . . most of my writing time today seemed to disappear while I was squinting over them).  Perhaps

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-52058462787468677132011-01-27T17:34:00.000-04:002012-01-12T22:56:21.387-04:00

Currently Listening To: Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata Recently watched and LOVED:  The King's Speech.  No wonder it's been nominated for all those Academy awards. It doesn't take itself too seriously and yet, at the same time, is incredibly moving.  Subtle, gentle, a virtually perfect film!  I especially loved Helena Bonham-Carter's interpretation of the Queen Mum.  Great blend of determination,

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-56148940382031595962011-01-21T13:30:00.000-04:002011-01-21T13:30:35.334-04:00

You know the kind of day.  The kind of day that promises well during the first few moments but quickly spins awry. When you find yourself receiving bad news that surprises and saddens.   In 1999, my sis and I were in grad school and sharing an apartment in a character-laden Edwardian-era building.  It was what we hoped would be the first in a long line of interesting living spaces for

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-22778971229505206112011-01-18T12:32:00.000-04:002011-01-18T12:32:16.395-04:00

I keep promising myself that when I don't like a book, I'll just put it down and not endure another two or three hundred pages out of the misplaced notion that since I've started it I must finish it.  Have I kept my promise to myself? Not often enough! Case in point: Joyland by Emily Schultz, a 2006 novel by the writer who more recently penned Heaven Is Small.   Schultz knows how to write a

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-58248985906746786372011-01-17T14:12:00.001-04:002011-01-18T12:31:45.182-04:00

"The idea of a vampire was to me absurd. Such things do not happen in criminal practice in England." Sherlock Holmes. After finishing The Historian, I turned to the next story in The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes and which do you think it was? Yes, "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire." After a chuckle, I settled in for the read.   Another quote: "It has been a case for intellectual deduction

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-70766067023314802772011-01-16T13:31:00.000-04:002011-01-16T13:31:23.773-04:00

Wow. That was something!   I just finished reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and I loved it.  I was immersed in the scenery, the story, the characters (Kostova is strongest when describing scenes . . . made me want to jump on a plane and explore the places for myself).   There were a few lapses in the middle (I thought the almost complete absence of the daughter -- after all that slow,

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-3316345459399548462011-01-11T23:02:00.001-04:002011-01-24T12:50:59.877-04:00

I'm having an ongoing (if late-starting) love affair with many things Sherlock.  Reading through the various stories and novels, augmenting same with Laurie R. King's great novels, has been and continues to be a wonderful experience. One of those can't-believe-I-haven't-done-this-before kinds of things.  And I like books about books, books about literary characters, and (sometimes) books in which

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-18433410539682115472011-01-10T18:16:00.000-04:002011-01-10T18:16:25.042-04:00

A new year always brings new books . . . but the books that have been waiting to be read deserve some of the action.  One of my New Year non-resolutions (I don't make resolutions) is to make a dent in the TBR pile that has been mounting on my desk/bookshelves/floor. To whit: The recently purchased Waters novel is on the list, as is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova . . . which has been on my

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-3033055312235364622011-01-06T15:27:00.000-04:002011-01-06T15:27:56.471-04:00

A gem of a book! From One Green Field by Edward Thomas: "A great writer so uses the words of every day that they become a code of his own which the world is bound to learn and in the end take unto itself." And "Thinking of ourselves in a great wood or field of flowers ever so long ago, it is hard not to exaggerate whatever give-and-take there was between the spirit of the child and the vast

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-53293895516452227742011-01-04T20:07:00.000-04:002011-01-04T20:07:10.021-04:00

The holidays may be winding down, but the cupboards/fridge/freezer are still full of holiday goodies (perhaps overbaking was involved?).   My grandma's cake on Mr. Inkslinger's grandma's china. It's definitely time to relax with some tea, cake, and a good book (currently reading a delightful little book titled Flights of Fancy: Birds in Myth, Legend and Superstition).  Isn't the cover

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-80572624005445406492011-01-04T17:19:00.003-04:002012-01-12T22:50:11.349-04:00

Currently Listening To: Orlande de Lassus (because he was mentioned in the Sherlock Holmes short story I'm just finishing up) Recently Read: A handful of great books. Holiday reading . . . yay!  Among them was George/Douglas Fetherling's Rites of Alienation (I am becoming such a staunch admirer of Fetherling's writing), which is a great collection of haiku, Tom Stoppard's typically (for

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-3577020014717258632010-12-31T16:28:00.002-04:002011-01-01T00:35:40.081-04:00

My goal this year was to read a wider range of books from a variety of genres (I also wanted to make a dent in my Atlantic Canadian reading list) . . . and to include more nonfiction.  I'm not sure I ever really manage to stick to my goals.  New books attract my eye and off I go in another direction, but I think I have read a wide range of books .. . just not as many in as many directions as I'd

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-36924913811971018292010-12-30T12:09:00.001-04:002010-12-30T12:12:10.235-04:00

Looking over the past year's ups and downs seems to go with the season. Since I came across this meme a couple of years ago, it's become something of an annual fixture.  So, as usual, here is my wrap-up-the-year meme -- 1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before? a). went waterfall hunting b). acquired a home of our own 2. What countries did you visit? Outside of my imagination

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-9563018693495519092010-12-28T13:11:00.001-04:002010-12-28T14:39:18.885-04:00

Inspired by a post at Compulsive Overreader, I've been re-reading Anne of the Island.  And loving it all over again.  I haven't read it in years . . . and it does make for such lovely holiday reading.  The use of dialect, the overblown descriptions, the humour!  Montgomery sure knew what she was doing.  And I've long admired how she sneaks little bits of subversive theology into her Anne

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-20898544714569131262010-12-24T13:09:00.000-04:002010-12-24T13:09:26.539-04:00

Our Hatchepsut . . . 'helping' us decorate the tree. Here's hoping these holiday wishes find you just where you want to be with the people (and books) you love. 

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-81371329307155950142010-12-23T11:21:00.001-04:002010-12-23T11:21:00.418-04:00

Imagine an attractive book filled with images and voices of a particular time and place, particularly Newfoundland in the first half of the 20th century.  A book of voices that evoke laughter, lumps in the throat, goosebumps, and thought. Images that intrigue and speak black and white volumes.  Then imagine that it's even better than you thought at first and you'll know why I enjoyed Nico Rogers'

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-7513384475205629082010-12-22T21:33:00.000-04:002012-01-13T20:48:46.853-04:00

As the house is taken over by wrapping paper, ribbons, flour and sugar . . . As the chaos of Christmas prep turns into the chaos of Christmas celebrations . . . As the wind whips round the upper story of our house, it seems like a good time to contemplate a topic introduced to this reader by a post at the ever-interesting A Work In Progress:  a list of favourite comfort reads.  What a lovely

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-20040914134280548832010-12-21T15:21:00.000-04:002010-12-21T15:21:57.842-04:00

Having said I would write more about Trudy Morgan-Cole's The Violent Friendship of Esther Johnson I did what has become something of an increasingly bad habit with me: nothing.  I became wrapped up in finishing War and Peace (which I have just finished) and completely forgot to post more about Morgan-Cole's lovely novel.  Which is a shame, because it's such a worthy novel. What I really enjoyed

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-90013338603066470742010-12-13T13:15:00.000-04:002010-12-13T13:15:00.968-04:00

(meme via the ever fascinating Curious Reader and the always engaging So Many Books) 1. Aslan (Chronicles of Narnia).  Because he's not a tame lion.  But he is good. 2. Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice).  Yes, she and I would have had to fight over Mr. Darcy (he may be fated for Lizzy, still . . . ), but she's all about sisterly love, family loyalty, and integrity.  A good friend to have

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-4907527377288022122010-12-09T13:47:00.016-04:002010-12-11T00:27:36.991-04:00

Listening to: Annie Lennox singing Christmas songs!  Recently Watched and Enjoyed: Two films in particular. The first is Gran Torino (2008). This is the second directed by/starring film of Eastwood's that I've seen and absolutely loved. So, of course, I'm going to have to see them all (for better or worse, or until I can't take any more westerns).  His performance in Gran Torino is so moving,

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-79474919028506841002010-12-08T00:03:00.000-04:002010-12-08T00:03:14.124-04:00

What struck me about this collection of poems, virtually from the first page, was the vibrant use of language, the diction, the way the words seemed to jump and clash and do all manner of linguistic hijinks.  McCarthy has an almost unerring sense of the apt image (aural and visual) -- "The White Forest" is particularly arresting -- she catches sound and sight in her lines, wedding the unexpected

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-18159964754676933092010-12-06T22:28:00.001-04:002010-12-06T22:29:45.529-04:00

Since serendipitously coming across Catherine's blog, Juxtabook, on the book blogging hub  Book Blogs, I've found her to be such a reliable source for good reading suggestions!  Once I noticed that our reading tastes overlapped often enough, I decided to take a look at some of the books I'd never heard of before that were mentioned on her site.  Case in point:  Darkmans by Nicola Barker.  It's on

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-79168720123191968782010-12-01T19:35:00.000-04:002010-12-01T19:35:03.198-04:00

It's not just that when the snow flies, it also lingers, and it's not that there are no more birds flocking on wires, lawns, and rooftops, it's the quality of air that confirms winter has decided to start its (usually) too-long relationship with us.   Words freeze in little gusts, and while the moon hanging low over our new roof illuminates a small family of deer picking their slow way across a

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-26142886592001726172010-11-22T18:21:00.001-04:002010-11-23T01:26:32.968-04:00

P.K. Page.  I'm reading her poetry at the moment and it is like being doused in ice water (in a good way)!  Like waking up to a crackle-snow morning in January when everything is frozen to perfection.  Senses fully awake, imagination engaged, and the world magical once again.  That's what it's like to immerse oneself in a Page collection for an afternoon.     And then I found this NFB film

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-86946592552769579212010-11-18T18:29:00.000-04:002010-11-18T18:29:55.110-04:00

Since taking this picture (our new neighbourhood is just full of lovely little areas to walk), the leaves have all fled . . .  or in the process of fleeing along gutters, swirling across the road, swept up by tires and the wind.  I love this time of year, the transition between fall and winter.  November is a great month for walks and much musing. And reading.   I'm still in the midst of War of

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-89492852088676731902010-11-15T15:09:00.000-04:002010-11-15T15:09:22.705-04:00

How did it arrive at mid-November already? The sky looks winter this morning (clouds all quilted up), and it feels like a good day to snuggle down with some tea and story.  Or maybe a good day to catch up on some blog-reading and post-writing. Currently Reading (or, even more precisely, Imagination Fully Engaged With): War and Peace by Tolstoy.  It took me a bit to become fully immersed in this

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-75765792682770957832010-11-05T13:17:00.011-03:002010-11-05T13:17:00.676-03:00

Another novel about Mary Anning.  Yes. But so much better than Tracy Chevalier's.  Now that's not to say I didn't like Chevalier's novel Remarkable Creatures, because I certainly did.  But Thomas's Lyme Regis, her Anning, are better realized, more fully developed. This novel about Mary Anning focuses on her connection with Henry De la Beche, gentleman and geologist.  He's beyond her in class

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-73097882311891613412010-11-03T16:43:00.000-03:002010-11-03T16:43:35.909-03:00

What I liked most about Barbara Pym's A Glass of Blessings was just the slow steep of it.  It hung about in my imagination in a gentle, subtle kind of manner. Not intrusive, but present.  Like one of the tea gatherings Pym describes so well, the novel was nothing if not civilized and elegant.  And sad. And funny.   The narrator, Wilmet Forsythe, disappointed and unoccupied, involves herself in

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-31900414764113204222010-10-29T16:59:00.001-03:002010-10-29T17:07:01.587-03:00

I was going to post some of my thoughts while reading Barbara Pym's A Glass of Blessings (which is such a good read), but I just finished reading this post at My Porch and can't think of anything more important than sharing a link to it. 

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-47912199489796539932010-10-27T16:54:00.002-03:002010-10-27T16:57:29.804-03:00

Even though it was a slightly frustrating beginning to the week (computer decided to stop working whenever it got bored . . . which, it seems, was quite often), complete with rain-soaked days and an irritable cat (she's still adjusting to the move and not liking the three levels much . . . she's always lived on just one level at a time), it's also been a week filled with interesting reading and

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-89414433109051871982010-10-22T13:24:00.002-03:002012-01-13T20:49:48.710-04:00

It's not Tuesday anymore, and I don't normally participate in weekly meme postings, but this one caught my attention (via Bibliophiliac):  Top Ten Fictional Crushes.  It's just so enjoyable spending some time thinking about this topic . . . Here's my list (which is, inevitably, a list-in-flux): 1.  Shakespeare's Hamlet.  Sure he's a little angsty and it's true . . . he does have some

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-88759707034901974412010-10-22T13:23:00.000-03:002010-10-22T13:23:00.252-03:00

Just the stormy kind of view that inspires poetry (either for reading or writing) . . .  The Sea and the Skylark by Gerard Manley Hopkins On ear and ear two noises too old to end Trench—right, the tide that ramps against the shore; With a flood or a fall, low lull-off or all roar, Frequenting there while moon shall wear and

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-12237269609586108752010-10-20T14:00:00.000-03:002010-10-20T14:00:49.445-03:00

It's not as if I needed any more books to read right now.  I'm in the midst of making my way through some good reads from the TBR shelf, but Mr. Inkslinger decided on a trip to the library . . . and how could I not go with him? And, once there, how could I not bring home a book?   I chose to go with a Barbara Pym.  I haven't read any Pym and though this isn't the one I'd intended on reading first

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-32761600290709940182010-10-18T17:44:00.000-03:002010-10-18T17:44:40.468-03:00

I love Lisbeth Salander.  I really do. I wouldn't personally do much of what she does and I may not agree with her opinions at times, but that doesn't stop me from just loving this character. How did Larsson do that? Create a character who is totally antisocial, rather disturbing in many ways (her tendency towards violence and revenge, for example), and make her completely engaging? Whatever else

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-18347019602226796282010-10-15T13:29:00.001-03:002010-10-15T13:29:00.423-03:00

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater."  J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring.

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-38308816934751887652010-10-13T17:21:00.000-03:002010-10-13T17:21:31.041-03:00

I was hooked from the first paragraph of Nicola Upson's Angel With Two Faces.  The opening line: "The horse hit the water at a gallop, fracturing the early morning peace which hung about the lake."  Now, really, isn't that just a great way to begin a mystery?  I thought so too.  And it just gets better, more complex, more disturbing (and even moving) from there. The story begins with the death

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-4652000273858658012010-10-12T12:38:00.001-03:002010-10-12T12:53:07.875-03:00

I finished reading it a couple of months ago and have been stymied as to how to describe it other than, well, as one of the best works of literary fiction to come out of Canada in years. I know that's a big claim, but there it is. George Fetherling's recent novel Walt Whitman's Secret is a surprise of a book. Written in an authentic-sounding 19th century voice for much of the time, the

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-61127546843245998072010-10-11T15:10:00.000-03:002010-10-11T15:10:28.769-03:00

Having spent so many of my formative years in the U.S., it was a little strange to return to Canada and start celebrating Thanksgiving a month and a half early (or so it felt at the time), but I've since become accustomed to it and now revel in the warm, family traditions accompanied by those flame-like autumn colours.   This year we welcomed family to our new home for Thanksgiving dinner! . . .

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-51003702582034713542010-10-09T16:07:00.000-03:002010-10-09T16:07:13.058-03:00

Now that the office and library are shaping up in our new house it's beginning to feel like home.  And having Internet access at last doesn't hurt either . . . I've been in book blog withdrawal. Before I organize my thoughts for some catch-up posting, I had to share this cute little creature . . . a recent hike with my sister occasioned an encounter with a fox, a couple of porcupines (including

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-41918951135917012732010-09-27T20:56:00.001-03:002010-09-27T20:57:52.383-03:00

I can't wait until our new home has internet access. It has a sweet little settee (passed down from Mr. Inkslinger's grandparents), and three lovely new bookcases, and even a new book or two (I couldn't resist!), but no internet.  So I've been missing things . . . I've been reading like the dickens, though, in between tidying up boxes, organizing books and dvds, staring aghast at our lovely,

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25829499.post-63356566636299721802010-09-17T19:22:00.000-03:002010-09-17T19:22:13.708-03:00

There's nothing like a good book after a long day spent with a drippy paintbrush (especially if a certain someone accidentally dripped paint on another certain someone's just-painted wall). So, without further ado . . .  I recently finished two mammoth-sized tomes of varying enjoyability: Drood by Dan Simmons and Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay.  I have to say the latter was (by far . . . oh so far)

Inkslingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10525674673162053186noreply@blogger.com6