I'm reading the final chapters of The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. Books don't usually bring me to tears, but some passages in this triology, especially this last installment, have had me dabbing continuously at my eyes (and blowing my nose). At first, I thought I was coming down with a cold, but I think it's just the book.
I am also doing the "50 in 365" challenge. The decades '08 challenge will help me to focus my reading so I have a more varied reading list (rather than a bunch of murder mysteries from the same three decades). Choosing a reading list was so very exciting. Of course, it is subject to change, but here is the tentative list. A lot of the books are already in my library or my parents' library - I just needed a little push of motivation to read them.The rules are simple:
1. Read a minimum of 8 books in 8 consecutive decades in ‘08.
2. Books published in the 2000’s do not count.
3. Titles may be cross-posted with any other challenge.
4. You may change your list at any time.
I'm two books behind behind in my 50 in 365 posts. On 15 Feb, I finished my second Nero Wolfe mystery of the year. Papa Miao recently sent me a box of goodies (i.e., books), and I was in the mood for more Nero Wolfe, so I chose Over My Dead Body (published in 1939). It was a great read - I can always rely on Archie Goodwin to tell an entertaining detective story. This one featured Nero Wolfe's(adopted) daughter from Montenegro, international intrigue, fencing, and, of course, murder.
Prince Tantra found a new favorite word to describe Lotus Batcat - "bughouse". Lotus likes (to eat) buggies, so he doesn't mind.
I have three other Nero Wolfe mysteries to read before I have to beg Papa Miao to send me more. But he also sent me several other books, including The Amber Spyglass, which I am currently reading.
I actually finished reading All Creatures Great and Small a week ago, but I'm only just posting about it. I've read several Herriot stories in the past, but always individually (as children's books or magazine articles). This is my second non-fiction book of the year (the other being Sir Rudolph Bing's memoirs). It is 499 pages long, but it felt much shorter because Herriot is such an excellent storyteller. The references to veterinary history were fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting in the Yorkshire Dales, perhaps because Herriot's own love of the region and its people was palpable on the pages. Some of the stories were sad and brought tears to my eyes, but they were nonetheless a pleasure to read. Herriot's compassion to his animal patients was equaled by his sensitivity to people. The story of his courtship with his future wife was humorous and sweet - though he passed over the wedding so quickly I almost missed it. My favorite story arch was probably of the pampered Pekingese Tricki Woo and his person Mrs. Pumphrey.
It was a delightful, uplifting book and I look forward to reading the next books in the series.
The Time Traveler's Wife chronicles the trials and tribulations of Henry, who has a genetic mutation that makes him time travel involuntarily, and his wife Clare. I won't bother to summarize the plot here, since I'm sure summaries and reviews abound. Just a few thoughts, then...
Henry and Clare's romance is the focus of the novel, but I find it unsatisfying and unconvincing. Clare is only eight (or so) years younger than Henry, but as an adult he time travels to her throughout her childhood. Why Clare, starting at age six, should devote her life to Henry is a mystery to me. For starters, I didn't find Henry to be a particularly likable character. He is basically an intellectual snob, which shouldn't be damning in and of itself, but it becomes a problem when it's the only defining feature of someone's personality. The only opportunity he has for character development comes when he first meets Clare in "real time". At that point, he is a dissolute alcoholic/drug user/womanizer. But as soon as he meets Clare, he abandons his former lifestyle with little or no conflict. Clare herself has no opportunity for character development whatsoever (I should amend that to say she does have one opportunity toward the end of the book, but she refuses to take it). She is eternally defined by her relation to Henry - as in the book's title. She is constantly waiting, always for Henry - the epitome of a passive wife with little ambition other than to be with her husband. Her relationship with him was in effect predetermined, which is perhaps one reason it lacks depth.
The novel wasn't entirely unsatisfying, though it was tedious and had the occasional unsubtle plot device. The narrative is non-linear, yet it flows well and is not confusing (the narration was well done). I must say it tends to melodrama, which does nothing to add to the depth of the characters' emotions. The time-travel concepts are convincing enough, and they touch on interesting issues, such as the nature of time and determinism/free will. Yet, I didn't find the book's exploration of these issues satisfying enough to counterbalance the unsatisfying character development.
On a more positive note, I think the book has the potential to make a good movie.
