In shamelessly bragging about my Christmas book haul, I completely forgot to mention the books I gave as gifts! For my mother:
Yes I know Glenn Beck is an obnoxious loudmouth who thinks the sky is falling but my mother loves him. The thought of him writing a novel boggles the mind but my mother enjoyed it and I guess it's always a good thing when people enjoy your presents. (She already owned Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine. So apparently Mr. Beck thinks he's Thomas Paine. Srsly?)So I'm at the Barnes & Noble register to purchase said novel and thereby line the coffers of Glenn Beck with my hard-earned money:
Cashier Guy: "This is a great book! You'll love it!"
Me: "It's a gift. I don't like Glenn Beck."
Cashier Guy: "Oh, I love Glenn Beck. But this is a great book even if you don't like Glenn Beck."
Me: "Okay."
My gift to my 14-year-old sister is of far superior literary quality:
She loved it and can't wait to read the sequel!As for my own presents, I am pleased to say that The Story of Zahra is completed and reviewed. Unfortunately, I finished it on New Year's Eve, so I'm not sure whether or not to count it towards my New Year's Resolutions to read more female authors and more non-European authors. What do you think?
Next up will be Philippe Soupault's Last Nights of Paris, which I'll be finishing today. Love love love it! It will be followed by Louis Aragorn's Paris Peasant, which is a sort of companion book. Both were published in the 1920s by influential members of the French Surrealist movement and involve an exploration of the dark underworld of Paris. SQUEEEEE! *plotz* How could I not love these books?
Also, as promised several weeks ago, I will try to get pictures posted from the Art Deco book I got as an early Christmas gift. Problem is, it's an oversized coffee table book so I'm not sure how the images will scan.
It's currently blizzarding out, so I can also get some True Blood in!
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9 comments:
If you read if after making the resolution, then go ahead and count it! Good idea to post about the books given as gifts - I bought quite a few this year. We're getting that lake effect, too... I'm staying home today!
The blizzard has died down but it's still snowing lightly. I stayed in all day too, except to walk the dog.
Why don't you photograph the Art Deco book? Or are their images available from the publisher in the media section of their website? Or you can email publicity directly and request hi-res images. I have had a lot of luck getting the images I want this way.
And as for that Soupault book and the companion? Well, talk to you in a while. Have to check them out.
Happy reading!
I would love to see those images if you can figure out how to post them! Have a great reading week.
Frances and Gavin: I just finished scanning in several pictures! Look for tomorrow's post!
Can't wait to see the images! And they will be so much more pleasant, I'm sure, than a picture of the cover of a book by Glenn Beck! :--)
That exchange with the cashier is hilarious. "Gravity's Rainbow is a great book even if you don't like Thomas Pynchon!" :-D
Rhapsody: Oh yes, definitely!
Emily: Actually, the cashier added that The Christmas Sweater had absolutely nothing to do with Glenn Beck's politics. But still . . . it's GLENN BECK.
I read the Christmas Sweater last year BEFORE I even realized who the author was. You are so correct--an obnoxious loudmouth says it all.
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