The scene: 8 AM Sunday morning, relaxing in my favorite chair with a hot mug of coffee. The entire house is silent… bliss.
Reading: I recently finished two books - Cheerful Weather for the Wedding by Julia Strachey and Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (reviews coming soon). After a few days at literary loose ends, Jill's review of Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt caught my attention and I downloaded the ebook from the library. At the halfway point, I'm wishing I could stay home and finish it this afternoon.
Listening: I spent six hours in the car on Thursday and got a good start on The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. Let me tell you, I seriously disliked Eat, Pray, Love and had no intention of reading (or listening to) this one, but Penguin Audio sent me a review copy… and it's narrated by Juliet Stevenson! I took another audiobook with me (just in case), but the story drew me in right away and Stevenson's narration is excellent.
Blogging: I have several reviews to finish before the end of the year, as well as my 'best of' lists. We will be away for a couple of weeks in early January and I'm considering a blogging break during that time.
Watching: Very little television and no movies this week, but I can't miss Syracuse University basketball!
In the kitchen: After hosting Thanksgiving dinner for eighteen, not much else happened in the kitchen. I wrote a Weekend Cooking post about the turkey leftovers and tried one new recipe for Chicken Enchilada Soup, but will wait on serious holiday baking until the girls are home. It's a lot more fun that way!
On today's agenda: A quick trip to a vineyard in the Finger Lakes this afternoon to pick up the holiday wine for my husband's office, then heading to my sister's for Dad's birthday celebration.
What's on your agenda today?
I'm trying to decide if I'll do a best of list this year. To be hones, my reading year was not as great as years past have been. I'll probably do one during winter holidays, but I'm in no great rush this year.
ReplyDeleteJames - I started making my 'best of' list this afternoon and it's going to be harder than I thought. Half were from my TBR pile … very encouraging for the Triple Dog Dare!
DeleteGlad you are enjoying The Signature of All Things as I just bought the Kindle ebook and am looking forward to it. I liked the movie, Eat, Pray, Love but haven't tried the book.
ReplyDeleteHarvee
Book Dilettante
Harvee - Hope you like The Signature of All Things, too. I disliked the whiny tone of Eat, Pray, Love as an audiobook. That's probably why I never saw the movie.
DeleteA visit to a vineyard sounds like a wonderful way to spend a Sunday! Hope it's warmer in your area than it is here. :)
ReplyDeleteCarrie - It's been in the 20's all day, but I'll take a trip to the vineyard in any weather ;-)
DeleteI have not yet read a Gilbert book. I have the Signature one, but it isn't calling out to me to give it priority! :--)
ReplyDeleteJill - I'm thinking not reading Eat, Pray, Loves may allow you to eventually start her new book without prejudice ;-)
DeleteHappy birthday to your dad! It's a good week for dads - mine will be 85 on Friday!
ReplyDeleteAUdrey - Definitely a good week for dads! I hope yours has a very happy day, too.
DeleteOh yes, Wolves is an amazing book. Not necessarily a stellar audio (the narrator sounded so down it reminded me of Eeyore) but the story and characters are gorgeously drawn. I'm also interested in what you thought about Me Before You!
ReplyDeleteSandy - SInce Jill reviewed it in print, I went for the kindle library download… guess that's a good thing. I thought Me Before You was great! Listened to about half of it before Thanksgiving then, with no prospect of time alone in the car, bought the paperback to finish in print. I'll be reading more Jojo Moyes!
DeleteIt seems that Gilbert is winning over a lot of people with her fiction who didn't like her memoirs at all. I may have to pick it up after all...in audio!
ReplyDeleteLisa - The audio production of Signature is wonderful! Juliet Stevenson is a favorite narrator… not sure I would have even picked it up if had been anyone else.
DeleteHope you enjoy your Dad's birthday celebrations.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love making my 'best of' lists at the end of the year, it's always fun looking back on the books I've read over the year.
Sam - And I enjoy reading everyone else's lists just as much as making my own…. always end up adding a few more books to my wish list, too!
DeleteMy local bookseller has been raving about the new Gilbert so I'm not surprised you're loving it.
ReplyDeleteKathy - I wasn't expecting to get so involved in the story so quickly… even the botany parts are interesting!
DeleteI LOVED Tell the Wolves I'm Home -- enjoy
ReplyDeleteDiane - I'm really loving it so far, too!
DeleteI managed to finish The Signature of All Things today -- a great way to spend a Sunday!
ReplyDeleteJoy's Book Blog
Joy - Wow, that's great! Think I should be able to eek out an hour of listening time today…fingers crossed ;-)
DeleteI have heard good things about Me Before You.
ReplyDeleteSheila - Me Before You was definitely as good as everyone says!
DeleteTell the wolves - cool cover - will use for my Full House challenge in 2014!!
ReplyDeletejmisgro - That's great! It's also a really good book, too - enjoy!
DeleteCheerful Weather was so boring to me! I love the cover though and feel as if maybe my mood at the time was not right for reading it.
ReplyDeleteTi - I didn't mind Cheerful Weather, but am glad it wasn't much longer.
DeleteYou keep adding more and more books to my tbr list! ;-)
ReplyDeleteVasilly - Sorry ;-)
DeleteI cannot wait to see what you have to say about Me Before You! It was my surprise of the year, I think.
ReplyDeleteAndi - I didn't think Me Before You would live up to expectations, but it did!
DeleteI actually liked Eat, Pray, Love, so I have been looking forward to this new book by Gilbert. I can see how this would be a good book for a car trip.
ReplyDeleteLooking to reading and writing end of year lists--it's always fun to reflect on the reading life :)
Have a good week!
JaneGS - I think I would have liked Eat, Pray, Love more in print. The whiny tone of the audio really grated on me! Started working on my year end list, and so far it bodes well for the TBR Dare!
DeleteLooking forward to your reviews. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pat!
DeleteOh, hum. Now you have me seriously reconsidering the Elizabeth Gilbert book. I wasn't going to read or listen because of my reaction to E,P,L (same as yours)
ReplyDeleteBeth F - I've managed to listen to a couple more CDs this week and am still enjoying it… wonderful story and the narration is superb!
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