Last Day

Today we visited the Old Manse, home to both the Emersons and the Hawthornes (at different points in time). Aside from the house tour, we spent a time discussing another revolution; that of the 19th Century authors who were centered in Concord.

I had the opportunity to play (just a bit...I don't play often and have very little memorized) an 1860's vintage Steinway parlor grand piano that was owned by the Emerson family.

We then treked to Sleep Hollow Cemetery. I'm glad I visited earlier. It was a bit crowded with all of us.

This afternoon many of us visited Orchard House, the home of Louisa May Alcott and the place where she wrote Little Women. Louisa had a very interesting life. I'm going to have to go back and reread her books.

Bye, Bye Borders

The announcement that Borders Books is closing has really distressed me. I've spent many, many hours roaming the aisles selecting and rejecting books. I will miss it's convenience, selection, events, coupons and discounts.

On another level, I fear the loss of books. What the economist on the news called "the E-book revolution" freaks me out. I like to hold books and turn the pages. Reading from a screen just isn't aesthetically pleasing. I have a habit of picking up old favorites and randomly choosing a page to start the story. I'll read a page or a chapter or the rest of the book. I also enjoy having books all over the house. So, I just don't see myself with an e-reader of some sort. And if the big bookstores have difficulty surviving, what happens to the small independent who has over the years narrowed the focus to particular genres?

I know this rambles. I'm just not happy. :(

The Guernsey Literacy and Potato Peel Pie Society

What a title! I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but it came highly recommended by my mother's pal, Becky. I had nothing to lose and a few hours, so I cracked it open and started to read. My eyes (sans glasses) finally gave out two hours later and I still didn't want to put it down! I was completely sucked into the story, which is 1946 on the English Channel Island of Guernsey.

This book is written in letter format which is a fun format to read because it requires some imagination. It's a little bit like hearing half a phone conversation. And it takes a really talented writer to pull it off; to make the characters so full that you don't miss the interaction. Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows did an awesome job.

Across Three Aprils

Okay, the title's a bit corny. For those of you who read and remember young adult fiction, it's a play on the past. There's a great book called "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt. Published in 1964, it's the story of a family and their experiences during the Civil War. What I didn't know until recently is that Irene Hunt used her own family history to write her books. Either way, the resonating theme to me as an adult is how each year has seasonal cycles, and each year is part of a bigger cycle. I think a part of my tween brain picked up on that all those years ago when I first read the book, but I couldn't have articulated it.

I spent some time today reading past postings. I wondered what had I written in April last year and in 2008. For some posts the title was telling enough. For other posts, I need a little more of a push. It's interesting to see how emotion comes through writing, even when I don't think I'm very emotional as I write. April 2008 was hopeful. I was looking for a new job and a new direction. Luckily I found the job, made the move , and started in a new direction. April 2009 started was bright, except for the unexpected and sudden loss of a wonderful cousin. April 2010 has been busy, and stressful. Where will the cycle be next year? What is to come in April 2011?

A Really Good Biography

I just finished reading a really great book, "Alice: Alice Roosevelt Longworth, from White House Princess to Washington Power Broker" by Stacy A. Cordery.

Sometimes I find myself drawn to histories and biographies. Sometimes they're not so great. I don't mean that the material isn't interesting, but some authors just can't fire the imagination. That is not the case with this book. Cordery presented such a complete picture of Alice Longworth. A woman who saw such a wide variety of experiences, and insisted on living life the way she wanted. Alice Longworth was a contemporary of my great-grandmother, and from what I remember about my granny, she had a similar "I'll do it my way" mentality. So, if you're feeling like tackling a big biography, check it out. It's worth it.