Category Archives: Blog Updates

I can’t think of a decent title right now. News?

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woman-reading-in-black-gown-small1.jpg

Did I say I was making some sort of comeback with Armchair BEA?  I can’t say it worked well since the only post I published for the event were on the themes for Day 1. After that I simply could not find the time, and muster up the energy for meaningful posts.

Another failure.

But I’m not feeling down, for I have gained something in the past week — the incentive to read again, if only a wee bit a day. I got into an interesting conversation with a principal of a new school. She is also a good friend and expressed interest in taking me in the moment I was ready to work once the children are both in school. The syllabus this school follows is an international one, and the standard of English taught here is incredibly inspiring. I decided I had better read and read and read because once, IF, I begin working again, I doubt I’m ever going to find the time to do the kind of reading I can do now. That, plus, I can’t be a good teacher of English Literature if I’m not at least fairly well-read, right? Right.

So, I’m now on page 91 of Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell. I have just updated my classics club list. And I’m incredibly excited about having something to motivate me to read in spite of how demanding my boys are of my time.

If any of you have any suggestions of good titles for me to read post-1950 please do suggest. I’m very poorly read where these last few decades are concerned.

P.S. – My anime frenzy has, thankfully, died down, though I am still watching a few, albeit slowly.

On my reading break, anime frenzy, books read, and other miscellaneous things.

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These long breaks have become quite frequent for me, it would seem. I was so sure that I wasn't going to be a mom who gave up reading just because she had to look after her kids. I have heard so many friends and aunts talk about how they haven't picked up a book for years and years because their children keep them too occupied. I figured, though, that if one was determined to read one easily could. I suppose that is still true, but I'm not as determined as all that. Reading ought to be for pleasure (unless I'm reading for studies) and right now I am too tired to find pleasure in reading. Reading a page a day doesn't work with me. It takes me so long to get into the mood and rhythm of a book; and coupled with having to leave everything I am doing hanging every few minutes while I see to one or the other of my sons, reading simply isn't an option. It takes me more than double the time to cook a decent meal only because my children need my attention. So, in order to relax I have taken to scouring Youtube and re-visitng one of my guilty pleasures — anime.

Until a month ago it had been years and years since I had watched Japanese anime. My sister and I were (are still) avid fans, and we used to watch so much of these, discussing them over meals, on our way to school and back, and at night before going to sleep. I decided to re-visit them as an alternative to reading because they don't really require much effort from a tired mind, and they're fun. I have to admit I've been watching quite a LOT of it this past month-and-a-half. I've been re-watching some old favourites and discovering new ones. This phase doesn't look like it's going to die out any time in the immediate future. (I say phase because I tend to 'get into phases' a great deal.)

Out of curiosity, are there any anime fans out there in this book blogging world? Have you anything good to recommend to me? I'm not particular about genre if they have a good plot and wholesome story.

Back to what I've been doing instead of reading…I've also been working on a few cross stitch projects that I'm hoping to gift to family next month. Progress has been slow, but I'm confident they'll be ready in time for the gifting. Then there's all the excitement over getting my older son ready for school. I'm also thrilled that he has begun to enjoy Sunday School and I'm looking forward to taking him to Vacation Bible School this summer! I'm going to be super busy during that time, but I know I won't mind it one bit. :D Then there's the vacation with my parents that I am very excited about — fresh air, slow life, folks to talk to besides my babies…yay!

I have decided to take a break from reading for at least a couple of months or so. Like I say, I'm not much inspired to pick up a book these days because I'm either too tired or don't have the necessary time to read. I don't know if this would mean complete abstinence from books. Knowing me, the moment I say I'll do something I won't do it, and vice versa. :-/

In the meantime, a quick update on what I read last month — I finally finished the Anne of Green Gables series. I devoured Rainbow Valley and Rilla of Ingleside, and oh, I had so much to say then, I don't know if I'll remember it all when I'm finally up to writing the commentary! But I just loved reading this series, and hope to get back to it in another couple of years or so. Also, I never forgot the whole Classics Spin Challange. However, I did try my best to read Black Beauty and simply couldn't go any further than chapter 18. The reasons?

  • I am not an animal person
  • the book is an autobiography of an animal (the sort of thing we used to write in the 4th grade!)
  • too simplistic in style and nature for an adult (or so I personally feel)

So, I decided to give it up. IF I ever get back to it, it will only be because my sons are interested in horses and have asked me to read it to them aloud. This book is getting crossed off my classics list! Sorry…I haven't the patience for it. :(

 

Last month I acquired a couple of books from a sale that I finally decided to give to my mom –

  • Redemption by Leon Uris (sequel to Trinity)
  • Taj by T N Murari (about Shah Jahan and the love of his life)

I hope to get to these some day….hope… .

 

On challenges, read-alongs and other things.

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“Lady Writing a Letter” by Thomas Faed

A Play Challenge
Having begun on the first of this month, Let’s Read Plays is a year-long event hosted by Fanda of Fanda Classiclit and Dessy of Craving for Books. It runs from 1 November 2012 till 31 October 2013. The girls came up with this idea in order to encourage folk to read plays, especially those by Shakespeare. There is a monthly theme to use as a guide. Listra of Half-filled Attic has come up with a monthly meme for these plays to encourage participants to think about their plays a bit more and to share experiences and opinions.

The Hobbit Read-along
Wallace at Unputdownables has a read-along of this Tolkien favourite happening at her blog in November and December in preparation for the first movie. Discussions have begun today, and I’m really looking forward to sharing opinions with others about this book. If you would like to re-read The Hobbit or try it for the first time, please do join in! The schedule is very laid back and easy to keep up with.

What I’m Reading Now

  • The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan — I’m done with the first part, and have just begun part two. I’m really enjoying this read. I thought, once, that I’d done this in college. But I’ve realised that what we did then was a mere excerpt. It’s a powerful book that really makes you think and self-examine your faith.
  • Commedia: Inferno by Dante Alighieri — I’m reading this with a goodreads group. I have as yet only finished Cantos One and Two. (I think the group has reached Four.) However, I’m in no hurry, especially as I am eager to jot down my thoughts on this blog after each canto. I’ve yet to get those couple of posts up….hence the delay in my reading. So far the reading has been fairly easy, though I anticipate much researching of the political issues of that era in order to fully comprehend what Dante is saying.
  • Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare — I’m reading this for the challenge mentioned above. November’s theme is that of Shakespearean tragedy. I’m half way through Act Two and already have a post up for Act One.
  • The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien — This I’m reading for the read-along mentioned above. We’ve finished the first two chapters for this Friday’s opening discussion. I intend reading this slowly with the group since my priority this time around is not to read the book itself (I’ve read it a countless number of times) but to take pleasure in talking about it with others.

Other Blog News

  • I’ve done away with my other blog, On Plays and Verses, since I find I don’t want to spread my reading out after all! To tell the truth, I blog to be able to interact with other readers and my reading is almost directly influenced by the interaction. I find a lot of encouragement in communication and it seems unfair to ask folk to subscribe to more that one blog of mine just to keep up (especially when they don’t have to).  Hence the decision to scrap the blog.
  • I am keeping my separate list for plays and verses for The Classics Club.
  • I have set up a few pages for my “Personal Projects” which include completing all Shakespeare’s plays, logging my progress on the Epic Verses I read and reading those works that inspired Tolkien’s Middle-earth and characters under Tolkien’s Inspiration.

So, that’s it for now! :)

Back after one more addition to the family!

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Rustic Civility by William Collins (1833)

It has been 18 days since God has blessed my husband and me with another little baby boy. While my recovery has been slower than it was after I had my first baby, baby number two is proving to be absolutely no problem at all and therefore my recovery process is not really hampered by sleepless nights. Since I’ve been feeling fairly good the last couple of days, I figured I would pop into the blog and let folk know the news. :)

I’m also looking forward to blogging again. I didn’t think I would be back so soon after the delivery, but it would seem I need something to distract me while I recuperate. Since my last post here I have read two more books — Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini and Venetia by Georgette Heyer (a favourite book to re-read). I also have reviews for Little Women and Far from the Madding Crowd pending. When I shall get to these depends on how I am feeling in the next few days.

In the mean time, I’m gearing up to read a few plays in November along with Fanda and  Dessy who are hosting a year-long play-reading event. While the focus of this event is on Shakespeare, there is room for the exploration of other playwrights. For details on this event I would suggest you head over here. I’ve been going through my Complete Works of Shakespeare and I’m considering reading Romeo and Juliet, Othello and/or King Lear to fit in with November’s theme of tragedy. All my thoughts on these plays and any others I read will be journaled in my blog meant solely for plays and verses/poetry. I call it On Plays and Verses. In fact, I have a whole new Classics Club List just for this blog and am hoping to use this Let’s Read Plays event to strike off as much as I can from that list.

I’m also looking forward to reading The Divine Comedy along with one of the Goodreads groups I’m a member of. We shall be reading it from tomorrow till the first week of December and I’m really excited about it. I only hope I might be able to complete it and take an active part in the discussions that promise to be packed with interesting insights.

Apart from these I’m continuing my reading of the Anne series. In fact, I’m currently reading Anne of Windy Poplars. I also hope to finish John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress before the year is out. I guess all of this sounds like a tall order for one who has just had her second baby, but it never hurts to be a little bit ambitious, no? :D

A quick update.

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On the Bank of the Seine by Claude Monet

This is just a quick post to let all those of you, who have been commenting on my blog and reading my posts, know that I’ll try and catch up with my responses by this Thursday. I’ve generally been feeling a bit down and I have a cold in the head, not to mention I’ve been preferring to read these past few days rather than blog.

An update on my reading status this month, so far. (I don’t know when I’ll be able to do something like this next.)

  • Done reading Little Women. The discussions posts can be found here. The review post for the Classics Club will be up by tomorrow or Thursday latest.
  • Done reading Far from the Madding Crowd. The review will be up by Thursday latest.
  • Have finished reading 5 short stories by M R James for the October read-along at Jean’s blog. I intend stopping at these first five.

With the first two books I’ve completed 10/50 of my list for the Classics Club.

And…that’s it. :)

On why I’ve been generally quiet round the blog.

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On what I’ve been up to these past few days.
Remember how I said I wanted out of all the challenges I’d signed up for by the beginning of this year?

Well, I’ve been having a ball!

Since getting rid of those cumbersome challenges, I’ve been reading whatever I want, whenever I feel like it. I spot something random, and if I want to read it, I read it. No restrictions at all! As a result, I’m done with six books so far, all of them as different from each other as they could be. And none of them (save one) originally part of any of the challenges I signed up for. As a matter of fact, five out of these six are e-books.

I realised that I spent a great deal of time at the computer even when I had nothing to do or I didn’t feel like doing anything on the internet. Hours would just slip away without being noticed, and by the end of the day I would feel wretched because I had done absolutely nothing with it! So now, in the last few days, I’ve relieved my maids off a few of their chores and taken over my kitchen completely. As a result I’m busy in there for most of the day, and when I take a break all I want to do is just read. I like to spend time at the laptop as well, right? So, e-books were a good idea, and that’s how things have been this past week. And yes, I feel so good about it.

Of course, I’ve been reading my Shakespeare, some short stories (I’m on a bit of a role there too actually!), a few pages at a time of Roots, and Les Miserables (I’m a bit behind on this one, but I think I’ll be able to catch up soon).

As regards my responding to comments.
I apologise for my tardiness. Like I said I’ve been so involved in reading I haven’t had the inclination to even check in on my blog. I hope to be able to respond to all your comments, both on this blog and at Reading Shakespeare, by Monday.

On my posts regarding the Shakespeare authorship question.
I’m down with a general introduction and the speculations about Marlowe. I intend to have my posts on Bacon and de Vere up before the end of this month. So those of you who were interested in this intrigue, do not fear! :D

On why I am backing out of several challenges and where my next guest post is at.

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I’ve been thinking about it the last few days, and I’ve decided that I really do feel encumbered by all the challenges I’ve joined. While I do enjoy this sort of thing, and I do find myself reading works I would otherwise always leave for ‘later’, I find that I’m always thinking of my next read in view of the challenges I’ve signed up for. I look at something new and I think hey! I’d like to read that! But then I pause and decide not to simply because I’ve several ‘challenge’ books to read.

So…

I’ve decided to give up on these challenges this year, and just enjoy myself. I want to be able to read anything as and when the mood takes me. As things go, I already have a personal goal of whittling down my TBR stack. This stack includes almost all of the works I have mentioned under these various challenges. This ‘ban’ of sorts, does not include the read-alongs I’ve joined. I’m likely to join more read-alongs this year, should the mood take me, and also mini/short term challenges like the RIP Challenge later on this year, and Irish Short Story Week in March.

Therefore, the only events I’m sticking to that I have signed up for so far are:

Whew! I feel like that’s a load off my chest!!

In other news:

Cathy at Kittling: Books will be posting, later today, a guest post of mine on her weekly feature “The Scene of the Blog”. In this feature, bloggers talk about and ‘show’ their working space, and, perhaps where they keep their books. I’ve done the same, of course. So, if you’re curious to know what my working space is like just hop on over and read about it at Kittling: Books! :)