I could probably draw up a top 10 (or even top 20!) list of all the signs that show that I am still very immature for someone of such an advanced age, but this link right here probably sums them all up in a nutshell:
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1719818773
Happy Holidays!!
23 December 2007
06 December 2007
04 December 2007
Book clubs: chic or clique?
My friend Amory has recently moved abroad, to southern Italy. In a savvy move to meet other expats, a rare breed in Puglia, she accepted an invitation to join a book club formed by local American wives. After attending one meeting, she was summarily informed that in fact, there had been a mistake and the club was actually “closed” and no longer accepting new members. Mind you, there’s only 5 people in this book club. What the f***?
This sort of childish behaviour really aggravates me. Obviously, these boring women who apparently never graduated out of junior high school social interaction and would probably fail miserably on “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” were intimidated by Amory’s acute intelligence, comely youthfulness and general coolness. But to make things worse, Amory described the one meeting she attended. They talked a little about urinary tract infections but then concentrated on the book, with nothing stronger than coffee on offer. My mind was blown:
What’s the point of a book club if you don’t drink wine and talk about sex?
After 39 years of life, I am still frequently bewildered by the comportment of American adults.
Meanwhile, for all of you might not be in a book club, here’s what I’m recommending this week:
For reading in French: L’élégance du hérisson by Muriel Barbery. Sadly for the English-only crowd, this has not yet been translated, and that will be a daunting task to try to convey the brilliance, poetry and charm of this delightful, moving, beautiful, simultaneously funny and sad book. Muchas gracias to Lisa B for loaning it and recommending it to me. Barbery's first novel, La Gourmandise, which *has* been translated into 12 languages but not yet English as far as I can find on the web, is now on its way to me as I write thanks to Amazon.
For reading in English: Interpreter of maladies, stories by Jhumpa Lahiri. A collection of short stories that once I started, I couldn’t put down, staying up til 3 am to finish. I can’t recall if a short story has ever moved me to tears before, but one of her gems did. I can’t wait to buy her follow-up novel The Namesake.
This sort of childish behaviour really aggravates me. Obviously, these boring women who apparently never graduated out of junior high school social interaction and would probably fail miserably on “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” were intimidated by Amory’s acute intelligence, comely youthfulness and general coolness. But to make things worse, Amory described the one meeting she attended. They talked a little about urinary tract infections but then concentrated on the book, with nothing stronger than coffee on offer. My mind was blown:
What’s the point of a book club if you don’t drink wine and talk about sex?
After 39 years of life, I am still frequently bewildered by the comportment of American adults.
Meanwhile, for all of you might not be in a book club, here’s what I’m recommending this week:
For reading in French: L’élégance du hérisson by Muriel Barbery. Sadly for the English-only crowd, this has not yet been translated, and that will be a daunting task to try to convey the brilliance, poetry and charm of this delightful, moving, beautiful, simultaneously funny and sad book. Muchas gracias to Lisa B for loaning it and recommending it to me. Barbery's first novel, La Gourmandise, which *has* been translated into 12 languages but not yet English as far as I can find on the web, is now on its way to me as I write thanks to Amazon.
For reading in English: Interpreter of maladies, stories by Jhumpa Lahiri. A collection of short stories that once I started, I couldn’t put down, staying up til 3 am to finish. I can’t recall if a short story has ever moved me to tears before, but one of her gems did. I can’t wait to buy her follow-up novel The Namesake.
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