Sunday Coffee

This weekend I brought home the obligatory big bag full of ungraded papers. Those papers stayed in my bag until this evening, and now they are on the big worktable I use, just giving me the stink-eye.

I started reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest yesterday. I read the first two books in the series so long ago I can't remember (could it be two years ago?). Then I just didn't pick up the third book. I suppose I had teaching, and review obligations, and so on. Now I am in the mood for a palate-cleansing break from Literary Greateness. Once in a while I like to pick up a book that offers the kind of plot-twisty escape where you just don't want to put the book down. So that's where I've been today. Along with doing laundry and watching television without the sound. My husband thinks this is weird, but it is my favorite way to watch tv.

I'm some kind of throwback to another era apparently. I'd rather get absorbed in a book than in multi-tasking and social media. I feel tremendously guitly about minor infractions. I still believe in the concept of privacy. I have a Nook, but I also go to the bookstore and look at books. Even better, I love to go to used bookstores, and look at (and buy) books that have been owned and read (and scribbled in) by other people.

When I finish the Stieg Larsson book I have stacks of books I'm wanting to get to. Last weekend I picked up a Europa title by Seve Erickson called These Dreams of You. Europa books always have such beautiful design.

I'm more than a little behind in reviews. At this point I may just do a couple of multi-book review posts. I will be posting my review of Andre Dubus III's memoir Townie this coming week. There will also be an interview with Dubus coming soon (this is where I slip into fangirl mode-I can't help it, I think it is awesome).... I sent my questions to the publicist on Friday. I really loved Townie (my copy is so marked up), and I worked on those interview questions. They probably sound like they are written by an English teacher, but I hope I read as a reader and a writer.

There are several challenges I'm taking on this year. I think Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest will be for my Mount TBR Challenge, and I'm thinking about James Cain for the Smooth Criminals challenge. Oh, if only I could spend my days just reading and writing (throw a little drawing and painting in, and I'll be happy).

Oh, here's a cool thing before I go. Steve Himmer, author of The Bee-Loud Glade, is sending me a book. Just because I live on an island. It happened on twitter, and forget what I said about being from another era. So I'm looking forward to reading Steve's book (about which I've heard some good things). Not looking forward to Monday so much, but I'm always okay with it when it gets here. Can't wait to see the response to my interview questions from Andre Dubus III. And want to spend much more time reading than seems practicable for my life....