Hello friends and happy March?! February has pretty much been a blur. It's high season around here and we've had a full house all month! Both daughters with their partners, my sister and BIL, and now my SIL have all visited. It been great spending time with everyone, but didn't leave much time for reading.
On the renovation front, we finally made it to the top of the painter's list. They were here most of last week and our downstairs is starting to look livable again! They should finish this week, then the electricians will be back, with cabinets/vanity after that.
Recent reading//
by Alexandra Lapierre, translated by Tina Kover
I purchased this book months ago with a birthday gift card and was excited when MMD book club chose it as a February "flight pick" to go with The Personal Librarian. This book was longer, more literary, and more detailed. After reading the author's notes, bibliography, etc, I think it is the more accurate portrayal. Plus there were photos! The Morgan Library & Museum has an upcoming exhibition on Belle Greene's life. I'm hoping to read this biography before visiting.
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Sula by Toni Morrison
I've only read a couple of Toni Morrison's novels and wanted to squeeze in one more before the end of the month. Sula is short, just under 200 pages. It tells the story of two close childhood friends and how their relationship devolves over the course of a lifetime, even as an inexplicable bond remains.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Current reading//
We Are the Brennans by Tracy Lange
This is the March pick of the MMD book club. I enjoyed it back in the summer of 2021... enough to do a quick reread prior to discussion. I'll finish within the next couple of days.
Up next//
Recitatif by Toni Morrison
I brought this tiny hardcover home from the library last week and will set aside some time to read the short story today. Zadie Smith's introduction/discussion is actually longer than the story. I've been advised to read the story first!
The week ahead//
My sister-in-law will be here for another week. There is talk of a short trip to Key West, but I will likely stick around here while the repairs continue. That means that I'll finally get some time to read!
How was your week? 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.
You have been so busy with visitors. It's wonderful to have people in our homes, but I am also glad when the quiet returns. A series of Toni Morrison books is always a good thing so enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHelen - I should have a couple of quiet days if my husband and his sister go off to Key West to see their cousin. Somebody needs to stay behind while the work continue, right? (-;
DeleteHappy March! I'll bet you had a great time with all of your visitors. I hope the weather cooperated. Hooray for the continued renovations, too. I'm sure you'll be happy to have that all behind you.
ReplyDeleteI've only read a couple of Toni Morrison's books. I may give Sula a try since it's under 200 pages. We Are the Brennans has been on my list for a while now. I think I'll request it from the library. I've been reading a lot of mysteries/thrillers, which are fairly quick and easy reads. I picked up Day by Michael Cunningham from the library yesterday and will start that in a day or two. Also reading Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, which has been in my TBR bookcase for decades!
Enjoy your beachy weather. We're currently getting snow!
Les - It has been so good to see everyone! The weather was a little too cool for the beach (other than walks or bundled up at sunset) but perfect for pickleball. I still can't play because of my knee, but the 'kids' have had a lot of fun. Today we've got some beach weather.
DeleteIt seems like my last few books have been have been harder, so We Are the Brennans has been a nice change of pace. I really liked Day and loved Cunningham's writing, plus it was such an interesting way of looking at the pandemic. Under the Tuscan is an oldie, but goodie for sure. I've gone on to read a few of Mayes' other books.
Hope your snow doesn't stick around too long!
JoAnn, I've just gotten back into pickleball once a week, but I'm hoping to bump it up to two days a week now that I feel like my knees can handle it. I'm also doing yoga three times a week, which is wonderful. Lots of good stretches and working on balance. Hope you can get back to PB soon!
DeleteThanks, Les. I'm not too upset about it yet since our HOA tennis/pickleball court is still in rough shape post-Ian. They will be digging out the old one and starting from scratch within the next few months. Think I'll have to bike for a while instead.
DeleteGetting your paint and repair jobs done must be a huge relief after all these months of trying. I wish you luck with the final stretch! And some good reading while waiting for the workers to do their work.
ReplyDeletebest, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Mae - I am SO glad the work is finally getting done... and am perfectly content to sit around and read as it happens! ;-)
DeleteHappy March! I Hope you are able to get time to read. Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cindy! Hope your month is off to a good start.
DeleteThat's great that your house renovations are moving along. Good luck with everything.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne... so glad it's finally happening!
DeleteGood to hear that your home renovations/repairs are moving along. I feel for you - ha! Hope you get some fun reading time this week. Take care!
ReplyDeleteKay - I know you understand the frustration... it happens when it happens and there's not much I can do to change that! Fingers crossed everyone shows up this week! Ha!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed Belle Greene. As much as I like fiction, sometimes the real story is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteJoy - You've got that right! The best part about reading two different fictional takes has been comparing and contrasting the two approaches. I'll need to wait a few months before picking up the biography though.
DeleteI am sure you are delighted to see the progress made on your home repair. I can understand why you might want to stick around home while these are ongoing.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see the exhibition on Belle Greene after reading about Belle Greene's life.
Deb - I'm sure I'll post about the Belle Greene exhibit when I get there!
DeleteThat's great about the painters being there! Woohoo. You're getting things done, congrats. I need to see the Belle Greene photos. The Lapierre book sounds good. I did listen to Recitatif once and recall Smith's intro went on for a long while. It's a short book. I hope you enjoy some reading days ahead, you deserve some. That's a lot of visitors. Good luck to your sister with her knee surgery. After a few weeks she should be on her way. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteSusan - There are several photos of Belle Greene on the Morgan's website, if you want to take a look. I ended up reading Recitatif and thought the story itself seemed like an interesting experiment for the reader. Followed up with Zadie Smith's commentary... she's so intelligent, but I think I need to reread it.
DeleteHard to believe it's already March. You've been so busy already this year, it all must seem like a blur to you. That Toni Morrison short story you mention surprises me for it having been published as a standalone that way. I don't think I've ever heard of a book of any kind where the introduction was longer than the text itself. That's wild.
ReplyDeleteSam - . I read Recitatif and think Morrison's story almost reads like a racial experiment. Zadie Smith's commentary (longer than the story) is very intelligent and scholarly. Pairing the two and marketing it separately probably made financial sense, especially when it was such a hot-button issue in early 2022. Glad I finally read it.
DeleteYou are in the right state for visitors fleeing winter in the upper states. Palm Beach is calling to me right now. Hope you get more reading in.
ReplyDeleteHarvee - LOL, hope you get to Palm Beach soon!
DeleteSounds like you have been quite busy. I've never read Toni Morrison. Her books do sound interesting. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteKathy - I think The Bluest Eye is the only other Morrison novel I've read, though I've tried Beloved several times and never made it through.
DeleteVisitors are great, but they do consume all the time. Enjoy your books! Great renovations, too. Here are my WEEKLY UPDATES
ReplyDeleteLaurel-Rain Snow - Visitors take a lot of time and energy, for sure. As much as I love having everyone around, I do miss my reading time...
DeleteI’m glad to hear your renovations are going well! Enjoy your books and have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jodie. Hope your week is off to a good start.
DeleteIt sounds like you are getting to enjoy a lot of quality family time. :-) I will have to look for Belle Greene as it does sound good. I really liked Sula when I read it too. I hope you do get that time to read you are hoping for! I always have high hopes for my reading in March, but it's always so busy . . . We'll see how I manage this month. I hope you have a wonderful week, JoAnn!
ReplyDeleteWendy - Yup, lots of family time! March has been a good reading month for me the past few years, so I'm hoping this will be the same. Fingers crossed!
DeleteHow nice to have so much great family time! Sometimes reading has to take the back seat. Thanks for the info on the Morgan LIbrary upcoming exhibit on Belle da Costa Greene. I am planning a trip to NYC in late October so it will be on the must-do list. I've never actually read anything by Toni Morrison--it's nice to see she has some short stuff.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I hope your trip overlaps with the exhibit opening! We actually had a membership to the Morgan when one of my daughters lived farther downtown... now they're both on the UWS, so we don't get down there as much. Fall is a great time to visit NYC!
DeleteAh, knowing you'll get some solid reading time is the best. Hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nicky. Looks like Thursday and Friday will be my days - can't wait!
DeleteYou have much going on with visitors and repairs. Both are good things for sure :-) I used to have a copy of We Are the Brennens and lost it. That alone is a mystery as to how I lose a book but it's still on my radar.
ReplyDeleteAfter Three by Perrin I will move on to Ask Again, Yes or The Captain's Daughter.
Tina - Lol... can't tell you the number of times that's happened to me! Usually I've loaned the book to someone and it never made it back to me. Will be curious to hear what you think of Three. Fresh Water for Flowers is on my shelf back in CT and I need to read that first! Ask Again, Yes was a favorite the year I read it - so, so good!
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