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The Sunday Salon
This is my first Sunday Salon post and I’m so excited to get started. Thanks very much to Jen from Devourer of Books and my other favorite bloggers for gently nudging me to get started.
This week I was able to complete reading two books: Castaway Kid by R.B. Mitchell and Pattern Recognition by William Gibson. Definitely two very different books. Of the two, I liked Castaway Kid the best. I will save my thoughts for my reviews, but there was a lot of Pattern Recognition that went straight over my head. I would like to say that it all came together at the end, but not so much. I need to train myself to read books like Gibson’s in order to get the most out of them. I’ll be posting these reviews next week.
I wrote two reviews last week as well: The Four Seasons and Surviving Ben’s Suicide. Writing my review for The Four Seasons was difficult because there really wasn’t that much that stuck out to me to write about. It was a pleasant read, but easily forgotten. Surviving Ben’s Suicide was equal parts difficult and cathartic. All I can say is that there are the most generous and kind people out there in the book blogging world and I am so happy to be part of it.
Today, I probably won’t have much time to read until my children are in bed. Emma had her first friend visit for a sleep over last night and I am wiped out. They had a great time playing and it reminded me of those times I slept over at my friends’ houses. Those are always good memories. I am looking forward to Emma’s social life expanding as she enters kindergarten two weeks from tomorrow. We got a letter from the school system yesterday and Emma’s kindergarten teacher’s name is Mrs. Reynolds. I hope that her teacher will have as big an impact on Emma that Mrs. Riester had on mine. I know that Allison won’t be that far behind, either.
When I do get to reading today, it will have to be Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Robert Maturin.
I got this book for free from Penguin Classics under the agreement that I would read and review it in 6 weeks from receipt. It arrived on July 12th, so I don’t have much time left. This book was automatically selected for me when I entered their giveaway. This would not have been the classic I would have chosen and the cover pretty much freaks me out. I’m about 20 pages in to this 600+ page tome. It’s slow going because there is about three references on a page and unfortunately I am not the kind of reader who can just let those go by. Hopefully the story will eventually pick up. I really would rather be reading The Last Queen by C. W. Gortner or The Seamstress by Frances de Pontes Peebles. So, I’m keeping those books on my nightstand to drive me along. I’m also promising myself a professional pedicure as a reward for following through on my obligations. In this case, free books are not free. 
That’s my life in reading today. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s going on in your world.
Comments
18 Responses to “The Sunday Salon”
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Ann Darnton (Table Talk)
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 3:31 pm1Reply to this comment.Welcome to the Salon. I agree that Gibson’s work isn’t always the easiest to come to terms with but he is worth the effort I think. Good luck with your classic. I think that might just have had to be put to use as a doorstop if it had landed in this house!
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Meghan
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 3:37 pm2Reply to this comment.You know, I reflected on another blog that I’m actually grateful I missed out on the free Penguin Classics. So many people ended up with ones that they are mystified by and really dread reading! I hope yours gets better.
Best of luck to Emma on her first day of kindergarten in two weeks!
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Andi
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 4:33 pm3Reply to this comment.Welcome to The Sunday Salon! It’s always great to see a new “face.”
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ajennell
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 4:40 pm4Reply to this comment.Just wanted to welcome you to The Sunday Salon! I hope the experience is a good one for you.
Happy reading,
Amber -
readerville
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 6:37 pm5Reply to this comment.Welcome to the Salon! It’s about time…
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Shauna
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 6:38 pm6Reply to this comment.Let me echo the others in welcoming you to the Sunday Salon!
I agree, the cover of that book is quite frightening; I’m interested in hearing what you think of it!
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Shana
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 7:42 pm7Reply to this comment.Hee, hee … that cover totally freaks me out, too. I’m excited about reading The Last Queen, too. It’s our September book club pick, though, and we’re talking with Mr. Gortner via speaker phone, so I’m afraid to read it too far ahead of time … I don’t want to forget any of the details.
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unfinishedperson
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 7:57 pm8Reply to this comment.Welcome to The Sunday Salon. Yikes is what I have to say on almost all of the books you’re reading. Do you read anything happy? Just wondering.
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Anni
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 8:12 pm9Reply to this comment.welcome to the TSS;)
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Literate Housewife
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 9:14 pm10Reply to this comment.Thank you all for such a warm welcome to Sunday Salon! I’m really glad I took the plunge. Like readerville said, it’s about time. Best of all, I’ve found some really wonderful new blogs. I’m just thrilled.
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LOL about making Melmoth a door stop. It’s about heavy enough to be one. The story is finally starting to kick in a little bit. We’ll see. I still am wondering what I’ve ever done to Penguin Classics…
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unfinishedperson, I haven’t really thought about whether I read happy books or not. Recently I certainly haven’t. You’re right about that. The Four Seasons was pretty pleasant, but that’s about it. I might have to look into that. Hopefully The Last Queen and The Seamstress will break the mold. -
literaryfeline
Posted: Aug 10th, 2008 at 11:59 pm11Reply to this comment.Welcome to the Sunday Salon! I’m so glad you’ve decided to join in.
I do hope that the Charles Robert Maturin book picks up. That particular book giveaway/review opportunity seems to be a hit and miss with readers.
I hope you have a great week.
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donstuff
Posted: Aug 11th, 2008 at 1:50 am12Reply to this comment.The cover was a bit disturbing. It reminds me of the everyday sights at the middle school when I was a principal.
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pumpupyourbookpromotion
Posted: Aug 11th, 2008 at 9:11 am13Reply to this comment.Found your blog in a google alerts today and I have to tell you, you won’t be disappointed in C.W. Gortner’s book, The Last Queen. We’re sending him out on a virtual book tour next month…let me know when you post the review and I’ll link it to his tour if you can have it done before September ends. Love your blog, btw. ;o) I must find out what Sunday Salon is all about…I’ve seen it come up in quite a few places…interesting!
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Devourer of Books
Posted: Aug 11th, 2008 at 2:16 pm14Reply to this comment.The Last Queen is fantastic, but it isn’t exactly happy. Juana’s life sucked pretty much as badly as did her little sister’s, Katherine of Aragon. They both got screwed over by their husbands and their dad. On the other hand, they were both amazingly strong women (probably took after their mother), so maybe the book isn’t that depressing after all.
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M
Posted: Aug 11th, 2008 at 10:10 pm15Reply to this comment.Welcome to the Salon!
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rantsandreads
Posted: Aug 12th, 2008 at 3:59 pm16Reply to this comment.I’m curious to read your review of the Seamstress. I read it a few weeks ago, and I just couldn’t get into the author’s writing style.
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Matthew
Posted: Aug 12th, 2008 at 9:34 pm17Reply to this comment.Interesting! I’ve my eye on The Seamstress at the bookstore. I’m looking forward to your thought on it.
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Literate Housewife
Posted: Aug 12th, 2008 at 10:30 pm18Reply to this comment.I think that reading a book can make you happy even if the story isn’t happy itself. We’ll see if that’s true coming up this month.
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Thanks, M!
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Oh, say it ain’t so about The Seamstress. I’ll keep an open mind when I read it. In comparison to Melmoth, it might be a walk in the park.
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