Hello friends, and Happy Sunday from Florida! It's been pretty quiet on the island this week. Many of our friends and fellow residents travel north for the summer months, and the summer vacation crowd has yet to arrive. We went out to brunch yesterday (to beat the Mother's Day rush) and were seated right away!
We enjoyed several beautiful evenings at the beach last week. Low tides, a nice breeze, good shelling, and not too buggy - just perfect! I'm hoping for more of the same this week.
Recent Reading//
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
This book has been on my shelf for years, but finally moved to the immediate TBR pile ahead of our summer trip to Santa Fe. I love Cather's writing and her gorgeous prose is on full display here, especially in descriptions of the southwest landscape. Her pen is practically a paintbrush! This is a slow, meandering, episodic novel. Light on an actual plot, it still manages to convey the life stories of two French priests in the southwest desert... and the ending moved me to tears. It's not my favorite Cather novel, but it may be the most beautiful.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Celadon Books, 2021
This novel was a page-turner! It begins with Jacob Finch Bonner, a once promising young novelist, now in the midst of a writing slump and teaching at an obscure MFA program. There he encounters the most arrogant student ever... who happens to have an amazing plot idea. Several years later (and still struggling professionally) Jake realizes that that novel has never been published, learns that the student is dead, and decides to use that plot idea to write the book himself.
There are some interesting questions raised here. Who owns an idea? Who gets to tell a story? What about cultural appropriation? I did not read the 2023 novel Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, but understand it addresses similar issues.
I've read four books by this author now and while The Latecomer remains my favorite, this was solid 4-star read... though not quite 4.5 stars. (Do I really need quarter stars now??) I'm excited to read the sequel, entitled The Sequel, coming this fall.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
CURRENT READING//
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
I'm experimenting with a longterm nonfiction read. Instead of reaching for my computer first thing in the morning, I spend about 30 minutes with this book and my coffee - found reading time, if you will. After a week, it's starting to feel like a habit. I've only read 90 pages so far and have over 800 to go. It's going to take a while, but Goodwin is both an excellent writer and wonderful storyteller!
I'm hoping to start another book later today, too. I have three library ebooks to sample... hopefully one will stand out.
The week ahead//
We'll be packing, cleaning, and loading the car ahead of our drive north at the end of the week. Most of the hurricane repairs are done, except for a few small things to finish up when we get back. I probably won't be around much for the rest of the month, but will try and check in around Memorial Day.
How was your week? What are you reading?
The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
Isn't nice to be able to enjoy the island in the off-season? Tourism is starting up here on the coast, so we try to go out mid-week and to restaurants that take reservations. So many of our favorite places don't, so we save those for the winter months. Our weather has greatly improved and we hit 81 the other day. Unbelievable! I went for a long beach hike with a friend yesterday and am hoping to get out today and listen to my audiobook while I walk.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Cather paints a vivid image with her prose. I remember reading My Antonia and Death Comes for the Archbishop for a Great Plains Lit class (at UNL) and being able to envision her settings without any trouble at all. Lovely! Here's my review for DCftA. Oh Pioneers! is probably my favorite of hers. This link will take you to my reviews (and photos) of everything I've read by her.
Glad you enjoyed The Plot! I have The Latecomer on my nightstand to read later this month. I gave up on A Little Life... :(
Happy Mother's Day to you!
Les - Off-season is a wonderful thing! Our coastal CT town and surrounding areas get much quieter after Labor Day. So glad you're finally getting some beautiful spring weather.
DeleteThanks for your reviews to the Cather novels. O Pioneers! is my favorite, too, but there are still a few more I haven't read yet.
I hope you enjoy The Latecomer... it's on my all-time favorites shelf!
I'm impressed with your reading of Team of Rivals. You have come up with a perfect way to read it, too, I think.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing a little about The Plot. It sounds very intriguing.
Deb - I've read a couple of Goodwin's earlier books and really like her style. This one I've avoided because of it's length, but think I've finally stumbled on a manageable way to get through it!
DeleteQuite a few bloggers have been reading Willa Cather’s novels lately. It’s been ages since I read one; maybe it’s time to go back to this classic author. I think I read them before I ever traveled to the Southwest, so it might be interesting. “My Antonia” was the most recent that I read, and it’s set elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI hope all your road trips go well.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Mae - I've noticed that Cather is having a moment lately too... that's good to see!
DeleteI like that your first 30 minutes of the day are reading this book. It's a nice slow way to enter the day. I tend to go right onto my phone, but that's more jarring.
ReplyDeleteHelen - I was itching to pick up my laptop the first few days, but now I'm actually looking forward to reading with a cup of coffee instead.
DeleteWilla Cather is wonderful. I've never read this one; I will have to pick it up! Have a wonderful week reading!
ReplyDeleteSherry Jolly - I really like Cather, too, but this one seems different from her others. Besides the location, it is very, very slow... but definitely worth it by the end.
DeleteIt's always good to find a new nook of reading time. I will read the Cather book sometime - glad for your review of it. I listened to the Plot on audio in 2021 and thought the twist at the end was a good doozy. Good luck with your packing and gearing up for the drive north. Enjoy your trip.
ReplyDeleteSusan - The morning reading is working out pretty well for now. I hope I can keep it up while we're on the road, but it may not be possible... sigh. I'm curious to see what Korelitz will do with The Sequel!
DeleteSounds like another busy week for you guys. I really love Team of Rivals (and most everything else Goodwin has written), and I'm betting you will be intrigued by all the brilliance on display from Lincoln. He was really a master politician at times. It's a long one, but well worth the time invested, I think.
ReplyDeleteSam - Team of Rivals is really a fascinating read, and I'm enjoying how Goodwin begins the book with parallel biographies of the four soon-to-be rivals. When we lived in NY, we were close enough to Seward's home to visit several times over the years. I knew the basics about Lincoln and Salmon P. Chase, but next to nothing about Bates. Years ago I read her book about The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys, and also No Ordinary Time. So far it seems like she's gotten even better over the years!
DeleteTeam of Rivals is a great choice to start a nonfiction reading habit. Your morning routine sounds cozy!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joy... this routine is working far better than expected. Just hope I don't lose too much momentum while we are on the road.
DeleteMany people here have already gone up north too. It's been warm here, but no storms so I'm happy :) I hope you have a safe trip!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne.
DeleteWell nnow I need to grab that Willa Cather book! I liked The Plot too and agree, The Latecomer was a page turner. It will be hard to beat that one by Korelitz.
ReplyDeleteI finished The Woman Upstairs and plan a review, just started The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue. My Kindle needed a charge and I had to go find a place to do it when the power was out. I do feel fortunate as people in the surrounding area had torando damage and well...we were lucky.
Will chat wit you soon!
Tina - The news footage from that area looks pretty bad... so glad you were not in the middle of that! My daughter read The Rachel Incident not too long ago and liked it. I've also heard that the audio version is really good. That Willa Cather book is slow, so read it when you're feeling particularly patient!
DeleteI have Willa Cather on my want to read list. I somehow have never read anything by her. I think one of my slow reads this year might be one of her books. I hope you're having a great week!
ReplyDeleteWilla Cather is a wonder--I read Death Comes for the Archbishop a long time ago, probably prepping for a trip to Santa Fe as well! Enjoy your trip--one of my favorite places to visit, but it's been awhile.
ReplyDeleteThe Plot sounds terrific--I like the moral conundrum. I will put it on the list.
Team of Rivals is excellent--love Doris Kearns Goodwin, and I am thinking of a reread of this myself.
I think your way to tackling a long non-fiction is excellent. I always try to have at least one non-fiction going.
Anonymous - (Judith?) It's been a while since I last read Cather, but even the quiet style of this one reminded me why I love her books. The Plot was a very good read and now I'm ready for The Sequel, but if you haven't read it, I think The Latecomer was even better. Team of Rivals is excellent already, and I'm only 150 pages in. I also enjoyed No Ordinary Time and The Kennedys and the Fitzgeralds by Goodwin... she is such a talent!
DeleteActually me. Not sure why I was anonymous!
DeleteJaneGS - Gotta love blogger! So much is a mystery...
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