photo courtesy of Symphony Space
Hello, friends. Happy fall!🍂🍁 It's been an action-packed couple of weeks and we are on the way back to NYC for the second consecutive weekend. Last week my daughter and I went to see Ann Patchett at Symphony Space, where Patchett was in conversation with her friend, writer Patrick Ryan. It was amazing! Ann spoke on a wide variety of topics including friendship, writers workshops, Tom Lake, several of her backlist books, the writing process, research, and then she answered audience questions, too. This was my first live author event since the pandemic, and I can't wait to attend another.
This weekend is all about wedding dress shopping for our oldest daughter. (Twin A is getting married next month, Daughter #1's wedding is in September 2024.) The groom's parents and sister are also in town this weekend. We have appointments at three bridal shops, with a brunch scheduled in between. While the ladies shop, the gentlemen have their own agenda... and college football surely figures into it! We'll all be together for dinner in the evening. It's going to be a great weekend.
Recent reading//
True Biz by Sara Nović
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
I rated it 4.5 stars, but my thoughts on this one are complicated. Look for a review this week.
Current reading//
When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash
This is the October selection for the MMD book club. I'm about a third of the way in now.
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
I bought this while book browsing in NYC last weekend... isn't that cover irresistible? The audio is available on hoopla, so now it's a read/listen combination. I'm halfway through and enjoying it very much.
On the blog//
The week ahead//
I'm past due for a quiet week and hoping this will be it. We have no appointments scheduled and no travel plans... and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep it that way!
How are things with you? What have you been reading lately?
The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.
Weddings are so exciting! I'm going to check all your books out. Have a safe trip!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vicki. We took the train in despite the rain and floods today... wedding dress shopping tomorrow! Very exciting!
DeleteI'm so glad you got to hear Ann Patchett speak. I just finished Tom Lake this week, and now I want to know more about the book. I wonder if Patchett will be at the Texas Book Festival this year.
ReplyDeleteWhat You Are Looking For Is in the Library is on my list for fall reading.
Good luck with all the wedding fun!
Yes. She will. [11/11] Texas Book Festival, Austin, TX (with Elizabeth McCracken)
DeleteDeb - Ann Patchett is an absolute delight ... we enjoyed the event so much! I hope you get to hear her in Texas next month.
DeleteLove all your books and the trip to NY for bridal shopping and brunch sounds exciting. Hope you don’t see any water/street floods while you’re there
ReplyDeleteHarvee - We saw some flooding on the way in from the train (Amtrak). Glad we chose to get in that way as both Metro North trains and many subway lines suspended service. There was SO MUCH rain Friday and Saturday, but thankfully no flooding in the area where we were staying.
DeleteI have What You Are Looking For on hold at the library, looks good. That's fun to be able to see an author talking about writing and books!
ReplyDeleteHave fun with the wedding shopping!
Tina - I'll probably finish What You Are Looking for is in the Library later today... it is very Japanese and a delight to read.
DeleteI've got The Covenant of Water and What You Are Looking for on hold at the library and am looking forward to reading both.
ReplyDeleteClaudia - They are both really good reads, but completely different in every imaginable way! Hope you enjoy them :)
DeleteHope the dress shopping goes well and everyone has fun.
ReplyDeleteMark - We had a great time and the selection is narrowed down to two dresses!
DeleteWedding dress shopping - how fun! Ann Patchett was here last week and everyone who went just raved about her. I haven't seen that Library book before, but now I must have it!
ReplyDeleteStacy - We had such a good time shopping for the wedding dress! I'll finish the Library book today... it was a perfect train read.
DeleteWhat You Are Looking For Is in the Library sounds delightful.
ReplyDeleteIt takes work to get a quiet week, doesn't it? I wish you luck in achieving your it!
Joy - I think I'll get a quiet week. Today is for catching up, but my calendar is pretty empty for the next several days. Hooray!!
DeleteI see that Ann Patchett will be speaking here in L.A. in November. This is when I wish I had some bookish friends in real life because I don't have a car and I am too scared-y to take the subway and a bus by myself, at night. The bus stop is right across the street from the venue so it would be perfect, if I had a bookish friend to go with me. Dang it. lol
ReplyDeleteEnjoy wedding dress shopping and brunch! How fun!
YES, that book cover with the kitty is irresistible! I hope it's a good book.
Jinjer - I don't blame you for not wanting to take the bus and subway alone at night... no way I'd do that either! The wedding dress shopping will be a day I remember forever. So much fun! I'll finish the book with the kitty cover today, it's a sweet book!
DeleteI hope you have a wonderful time with all the wedding build up festivities. How great that you can all come together to participate. I also hope you get a quiet week.
ReplyDeleteHelen - Weddings have changed so much over the years... definitely a lot more expensive and a lot more involved!! It has been a lot of fun though. Looks like my quiet week is really going to happen - yay!!
DeleteSounds busy but also wonderful. Enjoy spending time with family and shopping. Your books look good too. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteKathy - All of this wedding stuff has been a whirlwind... but in the best possible sense! At least I got some reading time on the train.
DeleteWhat a remarkable weekend that must have been, one you will long remember. I would love to see Ann Patchett in a live interview some day because she's a real charmer when she's speaking about books, her writing, and her bookstore.
ReplyDeleteSam - There were moments this weekend that I will remember forever! And it was good to spend time with our daughter's future in-laws, too. I've been to quite a few author events over the years and Ann Patchett's was one of the best... she is just a delight.
DeleteI saw the Library book in our library, and I am the first one to take it out. Hazel was delighted with the idea that it had library in the title, and it was in the library! And how wonderful to see and hear an author you love.
ReplyDeleteNan - It really is a delightful book! I have just a few more pages to finish up tonight, then I'll be passing it along to my my mother and sisters. Ann Patchett is the best!
DeleteHow excited you must be to go dress shopping with your daughter and well all the to-dos with the upcoming wedding! And, what a fun author event! I haven't been to one in years either so I'm looking forward to getting back to that. Hope you have a calm week with lots of great reads!
ReplyDeleteIliana - The last two weeks have been so exciting and so much fun, but I'm glad for a chance to regroup quietly at home! Today after my walk, I plan to make soup and a quiche, clean a little, and read. Such a welcome change of pace :)
ReplyDeleteHappy fall to you, too! I'm quite envious that you got to see Ann Patchett. She was in Portland (Oregon) in early September, and a few of my friends and I toyed with the idea of going, but it's almost a 3 hour drive, so we would have had to make it an overnight trip. That would have been fine, but then a couple of the gals couldn't go, so we decided to just skip it. I've watched a few videos of her (with Lindsay Lynch, from Parnassus), so I feel like I've almost seen her in person.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you had a fun time with your daughter on the search for her wedding dress. Hope you'll share a photo or two after the big day.
I'm looking forward to reading Verghese's new book later in the year (or maybe once it comes out in paperback), so I'm eager to read your review. Also, Wiley Cash is a favorite, especially on audio, so I'll have to look for this new one! For some reason, when I saw the cover, I thought it was another new book by William Kent Krueger. I'm behind with his books, too.
We're relaxing in Sooke, BC for a few more days. Loving our time on Vancouver Island. I spent a big chunk of my day sitting by the creek, which feeds into the river, watch the harbor seals cruise up and down the river as I read Fellowship Point. I've been reading this book forever, but now I don't want it to end. It's turning out to be a favorite in spite of its slow start.
Hi Les, it's good to hear from you. I hope you're enjoying what's left of your road trip... the photos have been gorgeous, especially those bear photos! The wedding dress weekend extravaganza was excellent. So many memories. She has it narrowed down to two dresses now and just the two of us will go to try them both on again when we're in NYC for wedding #1 at the end of the month.
DeleteWe were home all week this week and I finished 3 books, so reviews are the top priority this week... plus The Covenant of Water, too. When Ghosts Come Home is my first Wiley Cash novel, but it's now his newest. It's from 2021, I think. William Kent Krueger does have a new book out ... funny you mention him because I seem to confuse the two also!
I read Fellowship Point last year (?) and have very fond memories, especially of the two older women. It did take a while to get into and was a little long in the middle, but overall a wonderful novel. It was hard to leave the characters after spending so much time with them!