Hello, friends! It's a rainy day in CT. We're expecting very heavy rain, strong winds, and possible coastal flooding later this afternoon and into tomorrow. I'm keeping a close eye on the timing since we were hoping to go to New Haven for a performance of Handel's Messiah later on. We'll see...
The bathroom remodel is moving right along and we're very happy with the progress. They have been working six days a week (surprisingly labor intensive for such a small space) and we expect to be finished on Thursday.
Anyway, more time at home with contractors has meant more reading time. I'll have to worry about finishing my shopping later...
Recent reading//
by Colm Toibin, narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds
This short story, set in Ireland, is based on an actual mystical occurrence. Each year on the morning of the winter solstice, the ancient burial chamber at Newgrange briefly fills with light. Toibin has written a slightly magical tale based on local lore. It can be listened to in about an hour and is available free in the audible plus catalog.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Day by Michael Cunningham
"The only problem with Michael Cunningham’s prose is that it ruins you for mere mortals’ work. He is the most elegant writer in America."
Those are the opening lines of Ron Charles' Washington Post book review, and I think he nailed it. Cunningham's writing is remarkable! In fact, I started this book as a read /listen combination and almost immediately returned the audio. I wanted to savor Cunningham's words on the page. And the story and characters are every bit as good as the writing. If you're up for a pandemic novel, check it out. I rated this 4.5 stars and hope to write a more complete review later this week.
Current Reading//
Joan is Okay by Weike Wang
This is the January selection for the MMD book club. I'm nearly halfway through, but don't have much to say about it yet.
On the blog//
The Week Ahead//
I should spend a day or two finishing Christmas shopping, but instead I'll be home waiting for the countertop install, painter, electrician, and plumber. Looks like it'll be quick dinners and some evening shopping instead... but I may finish a book or two!
Assuming we finish the bathroom on schedule, we'll celebrate an early Christmas with our daughter and her fiancé next weekend.
How was your week? What have you been reading?
The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.
Day looks good. I've already read two pandemic novels and it seems I'm up for a third.
ReplyDeleteI hope the bathroom remodel continues to go well so that you can celebrate next weekend. Our family gathering will be Saturday, so we're celebrating early, too.
Joy - The pandemic figures into the plot more in Day than in some other novels... like Tom Lake. Plus the writing is remarkable. Enjoy your early Christmas celebration next week!
DeleteThe "mystical" event you mentioned intrigued me, so I checked the website for Newgrange, and it says: "A passage measuring 19m (62ft) leads into a chamber with 3 alcoves. The passage and chamber are aligned with the rising sun on the mornings around the Winter Solstice." Interesting. I like Colm Tóibín so I should read that.
ReplyDeletebest, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Mae - Yes, the annual light in the chamber has to do with the angle of the sun on the solstice, but Toibin spins a mystical story around it. I've enjoyed several of his books and short story collections. BTW, he has a sequel to Brooklyn coming out next year!
DeleteThe Shortest Day was good, I liked that one. I am committed to Coming Home by Pilcher next month as soon as I'm done whatever I happen to be reading in December. I just know there will be an overlap on some book into January. Finished Hello Beautiful and I enjoyed it, although it was indeed sad. Not a fan of Julia!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that rmodel, bet that will be exciting to have it all done soon. We have had severe stirms here and the wind chimes, at one point, stayed spinning in a circle and levitating!
Tina - At this rate, I'll be reading it into January, too! I'll probably start it in earnest after Joan is Okay. Hello Beautiful is one sad story, for sure. Julia was probably my least favorite of the sisters.
DeleteThe rain is really picking up now and I think the wind will start overnight... 60 mph+ on the coast. I can just imagine what your wind chimes are doing!
I remember reading Michael Cunningham's book, The Hours, many years ago. I remember thinking that the book was one of the best books I had ever read. I think I should look for Day.
ReplyDeleteI've got my fingers crossed for you that the remodel will be done in a timely manner!
Deb - I remember thinking the same thing about The Hours, so I went back and read his earlier novel A Home at the End of the World. Now I'm planning to read By Nightfall next year.
DeleteWe've remodeled far too many bathrooms over the years and, so far, this has been the smoothest... and smallest, lol. I'm hopeful it'll be done as promised on Thursday!
I resorted to a lot of online shopping this year, but I am finished. Hopefully I didn't forget anything or anyone, LOL! I hope your remodel is finished on schedule! Cindy from Cindysbookcorner
ReplyDeleteCindy - I ordered a couple of things online, too. Starting to think I should have done it all that way, lol!
DeleteRemodeling is always a crazy time. I hope all goes well and they complete everything on time. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteYvonne - It sure is... and I hope the on-time progress continues!
DeleteI have Day on hold with my library and I’m looking forward to reading it. I hope you love your new renovations. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteJodie - I hope you enjoy Day as much as I did!
DeleteInteresting about the Toibin--I just read an anthology called Christmas and Other Horrors, a December-holidays horror book :) and there's one with a fictional version of the mystical event. I'll have to check out the Toibin.
ReplyDeleteAmy - Interesting! Newgrange seems to be well know, but I hadn't heard of it before. I imagine many authors would write about a place like that...
DeleteI'm glad your remodeling is going well. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteKathy - They were back at it this morning!
DeleteI rather liked the Toibin myself -- bet it works even better in audio, though. 🤔
ReplyDeleteNicky - I've enjoyed several of Toibin's books and this was a nice change of pace. The audio was really well done.
DeleteYour stormy weather sounds like what we just experienced! Lots of rain, wind, and local flooding. We've had over 10 inches of rain since the beginning of the month! Thankfully, it's looking clear for the next few days. We're hosting book club here on Thursday and I really don't want it to rain.
ReplyDeleteI'll be interested to see what you think of Joan is Okay since I have the audio. I'm currently listening to Wrong Place Wrong Time and think it's very good. It would make a great movie or tv series.
I actually don't mind reading books set during the pandemic. Tom Lake used it as a backdrop, but Jodi Picoult's Wish You Were Here tackles it a bit more. Day sounds right up my alley!
Good luck with all the final reno work. I'm sure it will be nice to get back to your regular routine without having workers coming and going.
Les - Yes, this was the same system that originated on the west coast. The worst of it was just north and east of us where they even closed or delayed schools today. Hope you have good weather for book club!
DeletePandemic books haven't been a problem for me. In fact, I even seem to be drawn to them... so interesting to see how the many characters dealt with and reacted to it all. Wish You Were Here is still waiting on my kindle. I just realized that the beginning of the pandemic is coming in Joan is Okay, too!
The countertop when in today, and the painters finish up tomorrow. Hopefully still on track for Thursday as electrical and plumbing fixtures are installed. Yay!
JoAnn, glad your renovations are moving along swiftly. I do understand. Hope you guys get finished soon.
ReplyDeleteKay - I hate to jinx things before they're done, but this has been the smoothest project yet. We'll probably have them do the other bathroom next summer!
DeleteWell your promised weather sounds like what ours is going to be but short lived I hope. Love the cover of the MMD book club, hope you are enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteKathryn - Day is a tough book to follow, but I do like Joan is Okay so far. The weather is past now... not as bad for us as it was just north of here. We even ended the day with sunshine!
DeleteI hope your remodel is great when done. That's always nice to have accomplished. You have me curious about Day now. I have read the Joan book ... but not sure it made a big impact. Enjoy your week.
ReplyDeleteSusan - Day is well worth the read. Cunningham's writing is second to none! I'm halfway through Joan is Okay now and can totally see it not making much of an impact...
DeleteI'm glad the remodel is going well. I did almost all my shopping online, which I'm happy about because Walmart was chaotic today. I grabbed groceries and ran out of there as fast as I could.
ReplyDeleteAj - I was out shopping for a little while yesterday and could not believe all the people! Should've done more online earlier...
DeleteI meant to ask you, did you start Coming Home or are you waiting until January? I just finished my police procedural and was trying to decide on the Pilcher book or a library loan The Collected Regrets of Clover byb Mikki Brammer. Have you read that one? A friend read it and said it was thought provoking but i have SO many books from the library now. Hard to choose.
ReplyDeleteTina - I decided to wait until January... just can't face a 900+ page book when things are so crazy with the holidays and the driving to FL. I own the kindle version and the ebook is available without a wait on hoopla, so it's all there whenever I'm ready! It would be fun to read it at the same time as you.
DeleteI just saw a review of The Collected Regrets of Clover and it sounds good! Haven't read that one myself.
OK, great! I was planning to wait until January as well and I have so many digital loans from the library. I thought I’d try to tackle as many as possible. I’ll let you know when I’m between books in January and please let me know when you get back to Florida!
DeleteIt’s Tina, by the way. When I use my iPhone to reply, I always come up as anonymous.
I’m sitting outside with the dog, so that’s why I’m using my phone!
Tina - That sounds like a plan! We should be back by the first weekend, then as soon as I'm between books that will be next! Have a good day - I can't wait to sit outside again!!
DeleteI am really looking forward to reading The Shortest Day. I visited New Grange in 2009 with my daughter on a trip to Ireland and northern England, and I thought it was incredible. Not sure I am up for another pandemic novel, but I am always up for elegant writing, so I may check out Day. Good luck finishing up the bathroom remodel, and hope you did get attend the Messiah. Happy Holidays.
ReplyDeleteJaneGS - Save it for the solstice if you can. It will be even better since you've been there! The photos from their website make me want to visit... hope we can some day.
DeleteDay is, without a doubt, the most beautifully written book I've read this year. But it's also very much a pandemic novel, not like Tom Lake where the pandemic was mostly a framing device.
There was a problem with the toilet installation with the bathroom today... which was supposed to be the last step. They are delivering a new one tomorrow and the plumber ha promised to come back. Sure hope that's the case since my daughter and fiance are coming tomorrow. Sweating out the last minute details! ;-)
We did not get to the Messiah last weekend, but have hopes for another one Sunday afternoon. Hope you and your family have a happy holiday season!
I hope the weather smooths out enough for you to go to the performance and that the renovations go well! I hate waiting on contractors to show up and I'm never quite sure what to do with myself when they're there! I hope you're having a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - It's been a long few weeks with all the contractors around, but the final touches are going in today - yay!
DeleteI am woefully behind on visiting blogs, having my daughter home seems to have taken me way from anything reading/blogging/visiting. I am sneaking it in while she sleeps this morning. The remodel sounds exciting, I do love a re-do of a room!
ReplyDeleteHelen - It's great to see you any time you stop by! Enjoy the time with your daughter... enjoy the holidays!
DeleteI hope the weather has been ok and that all the remodeling is right on schedule so you can enjoy the holidays with your family! I haven't read any of the books you mentioned but very curious now about all of them!
ReplyDeleteIliana - We got a LOT of rain, but were okay as far the flooding goes. And the bathroom was completed just hours before our daughter and fiance arrived for our early Christmas... too close for comfort. Hope you have a wonderful holiday week!
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