Most people bring fluffy books to the beach. I brought this:
I've gotten through the entire first part and will hopefully finish the second part today. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o is an absolutely fascinating figure and I'd also love to know more about his wife, Njeeri. When they returned to Kenya in 2004 after twenty-two years in exile, their high-security apartment was broken into and Njeeri was raped. (It is believed to have been a politically-motivated inside job.) She chose to speak about her ordeal publicly to help address the silence and shame so many women experience after sexual assault. I should have a post up on Petals of Blood sometime this week!
Emily is also to be commended for her excellent choices in beach reading.
Meanwhile, I still haven't received my requested copy of Lauren Conrad's L.A. Candy from the library even though it's been two weeks since I ordered it through the inter-library system. I AM READING IT SOLELY FOR THE HORRIBLE DARE CHALLENGE OTHERWISE I WOULD RUN SCREAMING. Look, I just want to get it over with. Why is this purgatorial waiting period being dragged out? Does someone like this book so much they don't want to return it? Or - gasp - is it that damn popular???
In other, better news: the July discussion date for the Non-Structured Book Club is coming up. This month's selection is Kenzaburo Oe's A Personal Matter. I regret to say that I may not be able to get a hold of that specific book so I may be reading another Oe work. So we'll see how that works out.
And now for your weekly link round-up:
Borges on Tolkien
A Fourth Book in the Stieg Larsson Series?
"Looking for my Body" Of Bodies and Borders (Part 1)
The Madness of Thomas Kincade* [sic]
So moustachioed dads are funny and all, but. . .
Unitasker Wednesday
* See also: this week's Wordless Wednesday.
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6 comments:
The date is July 30th right?
And I'm sorry that the Conrad book seems to be avoiding you..
First Cancer Ward now this. You women are killing me! :) Hope that Oe shows up for you in time for conversation on the 30th. Funny but could not find in bookstore but they had tons at library. Happy reading!
I think that is a great beach read choice and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it!
I can never resist taking inventory of other people's reading material at the beach! Will be looking for your review.
Haha, good to know I have a kindred beach-reading spirit, EL Fay!
Are you reading one of the other Oe books where he writes about his mentally challenged son? I read A Quiet Life last year and really loved it, and I know that A Personal Matter deals with related subject matter, as do many of his novels. And then he also has books like Somersault, which seem to be completely & totally different. In any case, he's a writer I'm looking forward to getting to know better - I was impressed with the one I read.
Iris: Yep, last Friday of each month.
Frances and Emily: It's late Monday afternoon and I haven't chosen an Oe book yet! I'll have to get on that right now.
Amy and JoAnn: I should be finishing it shortly. Hope you like my post.
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