Piano Lessons: Music, Love, and True Adventures

So I am very excited because this is the 1st book in my four year marriage that I have read before my lovely wife! One of my former English teachers (who I later worked with while teaching junior high) sent this to me because she thought it would be something that I would enjoy. The book is written by Noah Adams who is the host of NPR's All Things Considered. Adams reflects on one year of learning how to play the piano. He decided as an adult that he wished he knew how to play the piano. He loved the sound of the instrument and had always enjoyed interviewing pianists during his career at NPR. On a whim he decided to buy a $11, 000 dollar Steinway piano without knowing how to play a note.

Because I teach music, it was interesting for me to hear a beginner's reflection on learning an instrument. I also loved the background knowledge he gave about many different pianists, piano makers, and instruments. Several times during the nights that I was reading the book I wanted to get up and play the piano and experience some of the things he was talking about. I particularly liked this book, because of my interest in music, but I would recommend it to anyone, including my wife who is yet to read a page.

Quite a Year for Plums

I just borrowed Quite a Year for Plums by Bailey White from Aunt Nancy. I have been sick so I think I may have missed some large sections. The reason I think I may have slept through part is that the last scene has a character named Lucy in it and I don't remember a Lucy being in this book. Ah well. I really enjoyed the parts I didn't sleep through, especially the 2 crazy old ladies Meade and Hilma. They really appreciated the out doors.

I also read recently 13 Moons. It is FANTASTIC. Go read it immediately. I wish I had not returned it to the library so promptly because nothing short of an excerpt can do it justice. Here is a video of Charles Frazier talking about this book and other things. You can click on "open tools" to skip to the topic you would like to hear.

Madeline L'Engle

Madeline L'Engle died yesterday. I'm including the link to the NY Times article, if you are interested.

"A Wrinkle in Time" affected me in ways that few other books have. I still have nightmares which include scenes from that book. I was never able to read any of her other books. I think I began "A Wind in the Door" and had to stop, because the nightmares were too much to take. I also think she installed in me a deep seeded fear of suburbia.

That said, I loved "A Wrinkle in Time" because it was so vivid for me. I probably won't re-read it, though.

The End of the Affair

Oof, this one took me some time and it never took hold on me the way I thought it would. I haven't read any Graham Greene before this, and I'm not sure I'm interested in picking up any more, if this is the way it's going to be. (I'm open to suggestions if someone would like to convince me otherwise.)

The story is narrated by a guy who has just been left by the woman he has been seeing, who is cheating on her husband. The guy and the husband happen to be friends. The narrator is angry, bitter, and vindictive. (How romantic!) He proceeds to alienate and abuse everyone in site, including taking a few stabs at Catholicism for good measure.

I think the only reason I finished the book is (well, I'm not working for one) I saw it being referenced in ways that confused me. Also, there was a movie made about it with Ralph Fiennes and Julianne Moore, not that it makes the book any better.

Why is this a classic? I'm confused.

On the plus side, it's very short!

Children's Books

Anyone read Sheep in a Jeep? It's great. So many children's books have great rhythm and stories. I miss just great story telling. Anybody know of some adult fiction with a plain ol' great story?

how sad is this

I just saw this article on the Yahoo! news.

In other news, I finished two books that I began long, long ago. One was Linda Gordon's "The Great Arizona Orphan Abduction" and the other was Elena Poniatowska's "Tinisima."

I was supposed to read Gordon's book when I was in school, so you can see that it's taken me a while to get through it. I did like it, but it's dense, and chock full of endnotes. So, if you are looking for a history lesson, it's a good one. If you are looking for a relaxing evening, not so much.

"Tinisima" is a fictional account of the life of Tina Modotti. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about Tina Modotti to separate fact from fiction, but it was a good book anyway. Poniatowska is an exceptional storyteller. I'm going to make an effort to try and read some of her books in Spanish. If you are new to Poniatowska, I would recommend "Massacre in Mexico" as your first stop.

Summer Reading

First of all sorry no pictures. My scanner died. I did add links so you can see them on Amazon.

Well, it's been eclectic through the move. I had to turn in my library books and pack my books so I've just been reading whatever was around. I have read several things in the last couple of days. First, I discovered Anita Brookner and I read her Hotel du Lac. I really enjoyed her writing style although it was not a light summer read. It was a little more thought provoking. The book is from the perspective of a female writer who is weighing the options of being in love or being comfortable. It won a booker.

Ok, then I got to Pam and Earl's in Olathe and I started reading off of their shelves. I read 2 REALLY REALLY good books that you are going to want to run out and borrow right away. First is Water for Elephants. I have been reluctant to read this book because I assumed it would have a sad ending. It seems like contemporary fiction tends to have sad endings right now just because it's popular. Well this one has a great ending AND an exciting story to get you there.

The other book I have been reading at Pam and Earl's is Drop Dead my Lovely. It is just hilarious. A hermity book seller is reading Sam Spade novels when a stack of books hits him in the head and he wakes up believing he is a private eye. And the way he talks is so funny. Everyone thinks he's a nut case. Here's a little teaser for you:

"You're kidding with that suit, right?"
Oh, yeah. She also had opinions.
Which is generally jake with me. I'm not going to bust a clavicle patting myself on the back for it, but it so happens I approve of women having ideas of their own. When you consider the fact that women are the only minority that outnumber men, it makes the whole package easier to swallow.
I'd put an ad in the Village Voice for a part-time receptionist and she'd shown up before the press run was dry. Turned out she was an actress--yeah, I know: who isn't?--in need of a day gig between classes, auditions, and nervous breakdowns. Or is it nervous breaks-down? Court martial, attorney general, time immemorial, Nutty Buddy--some words are like people. The get perverse in the plural. From times immemorial, after courts martial, attorneys general traditionally enjoy Nuttys Buddy and have nervous breaks-down.
"I'm dead serious," I said. "It so happens I take great care with my appearance. And everything else, angel."
"Um...Pete."
There it was. That "um." I'd been hearing it all my life. The party of the second part was about to pop some frequently asked questions. "What? You're on the air, kid."
"Seriously. What's up with you?"
"Come again, doll?"
"That. The way you talk. With all these 'dolls' and 'angels.' And these zoot-suity clothes. And the hat. This whole hard-boiled thing. Are you serious or what?"
"Yeah, people ask me that all the time."
"So? What do you say?"
" I say I'm just a guy trying to stay clean in a dirty world. I'm a professional, and I wear what the professionals wear. Anybody who doesn't like it can send an e-mail to their congressman."
Stephanie suddenly looked sly. She said, one con artist to another, "Come on, Pete. You can tell me. This is a put-on, right?"
"Lady," I said, "you're looking at a man who doesn't do put-ons. Why? In self-defense. Because life as we know it is a put-on. The more you learn about the world, the more they change it into something else while you're in bed reading The New Yorker. The more convinced you are that you know the score, the bigger the pie they're baking to hit you in the face with out on the street. All a mug can do in a world like this is be a deliberate as possible. In everything."

The whole book is this great. Also, he is the worst P.I. I have ever read about. Love it!

Well, since Uncle Paul is deviating with some action - I think I will add a little chick reading! I barely have a chance to read so when I do it is strictly for FUN! I think mostly because you can pick up a book after a week and remember what is going on.

The last book I read was "Hot Stuff" by one of my favorite chick writers Janet Evanovich. I doubt you learn much from this book, but it is still fun to read. If you are in the neighborhood, my mother was going to drop it off at grandma's house.

the death of a library card

I canceled my library card today and it was more painful than I expected. Not only did I cancel my card, but I also returned the book I had been holding on to (way past the due date) because I still thougth I could finish it. I paid my fine and withdrew my request for a book (Savage Detectives). I had forgotten about the hold on the Savage Detectives, so that was a sad surprise.

AND THEN, the librarian proceeded to cut my library card into tiny little pieces with a pair of scissors, right in front of me! It was awful.

No time for reading. We'll see how many books I can find in English after the move.

Lee Child

I'm deviating from the intellectual mode of this blog and inserting some action. This guy's protagonist is Jack Reacher, a drifter. He is ex-military MP and owns and carries nothing but his toothbrush (though he does have a bank account he accesses occasionally). He ends up in fortuitous situations that cause me a lot of excitement. His first is killing floor where he drifts into a town and immediately is charged with murder. I think my favorite is Dye Trying where he walks out of a store and bumps into a lady who is being abducted at the time so they just take him along. All of his are exciting, especially for those of us with wandering spirits.