Last month Nell gave us a sheet of discussion questions for The Glass Castle, and one asked, Which scene in the book is the funniest? I'm anxious for someone to remind me of any scene in this book that could remotely be called funny. I think it's a good, well-written book, and it isn't depressing. Hard to say exactly what it is. Most of it makes you furious at such parents! And even when someone gets what's coming to him, it isn't satisfying, because it's all so unnecessary. If Rose Mary's laissez faire life-style had been mixed with even a little love, it would have been better. If Rex's what-passed-for-love had not been focused on Jeannette only, and had a bit of humor in it, his drunken foulness might have been excusable.
What's missing in The Glass Castle is love. What's there is so subtle that it hardly meets the eye, just tugs gently at the heartstrings. I think Dinitia, and the other black girls at the swimming pool, supplied the most normal human touches. Maybe that scene was funny; I'll read it again.
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I'm almost sorry I read The Reverse of the Medal. I'm afraid the events destroyed Jack Aubrey's sunny nature. Which is the same as saying I'm afraid they destroyed Jack Aubrey.
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So, late yesterday afternoon I ordered a big pepperoni pizza, ate a couple of slices, then reclined on the sofa to read until time for Project Runway to come on at 8:00. The next thing I knew, I woke up and it was 4:30 this morning. I had slept all night on the sofa, about 9 hours, with a book under my head. Back in the 60s or so, there was a sleep-learning theory, where you could have a recording playing while you slept and you'd remember what it said. Between the TV going last night, and the book I was sleeping on, I should have learned something. Well, the sound wasn't on the TV, so maybe it doesn't work just by sleeping on a book.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Book Club Today
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1 comment:
I really like the sofa and the light fixtue. But I think that that type of fixture is too long for the area inside your door. I don't see how we could install it without some folks getting their heads bumped. But it would look great in the kitchen. Or perhaps it and one of it's cousins in the great room?
Think about a ceiling-mounted fixture that doesn't have a chain, and see if you can find any that are attractive.
As for the sofa and cats, here's what I would do. Get a young cat. Train the cat to use a post - I know it can be done! I think a cat could destroy that sofa. They have plenty of time to come up with creative ways to do it.
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