Welcome to Litsy!

It‘s become a new tradition for me, reading slow books set in cold climates during our annual end of summer beach week.

This short novel was my #bookspin for February. I'm not sure I quite know what it is about Tove Jansson's books that appeals to me so much. These characters made me want to revisit the Moomin books. I assume that Jonna, like Too-Ticky in the Moomin stories, was based on Tuulikki Pietilä. If you like The Summer Book, I think you'd like this, too.

Artistic and deceptively simple, this is about work and creativity and love. It‘s a slim novel of interconnected short stories. This has been on my TBR shelf for a couple of years, but thanks to #BookSpin I can now move it to my Read shelf! This was my #DoubleSpin pick ✅

My finds today. 😊 Looking forward to them all!

I‘ve been wanting to try one of Tove Jansson‘s books for some time, since I see Litsy friends enjoying them.

This was a very short novella in stories about a friendship between two artists. Maybe more than friendship? The stories are little peeks at conversations about working artist‘s lives, island life, and nature.

I had to adjust to the style, as it‘s translated and didn‘t feel natural at first. But I did enjoy it.

This was my #bookspin.

My #bookspin and #doublespin books are about as different from each other as they can be this month. I‘m excited to dive into them! Thank you @TheAromaofBooks 🥰📚

Under promoted women from Europe

#12booksof2021 #4thbookof2021 #April

As Ali Smith says in her introduction to this novel, “it‘s about nothing much, and yet about everything.” Lovely minimalistic prose, a semi-autobiographical story of two women, an artist and a writer, as they work and live alongside each other. To me it was a story of art and love. I‘m each vignette, small acts mean so much, and the ease and companionship of their friendship was so special. Quiet and lovely.

#midyearfaves #day6 of 10

As Ali Smith says in her beautiful introduction to this novel... “it‘s about nothing much, and yet about everything.” Lovely minimalistic prose, a semi- autobiographical story of two women, an artist and a writer, as they work and live alongside each other. To me it was a story of art and love. Small, simple acts mean so much, and the ease and companionship of their friendship was just so special. Quiet and lovely.

Lovely to read this quiet, contemplative book of stories on this stormy afternoon. I understand why it is a classic, a peek into to the lives of two artists that live and work together. In their time they were seen as companions but it seems so obvious that they love and care for each exceeded the false boundaries of the time. #ReadingEurope #Finland

Reading outside while I can, supposed to start raining again this afternoon. #Sweeden

As Ali Smith says in her beautiful introduction to this novel... “it‘s about nothing much, and yet about everything.” Lovely minimalistic prose, a semi- autobiographical story of two women, an artist and a writer, as they work and live alongside each other. To me it was a story of art and love... in each vignette, small, simple acts mean so much, and the ease and companionship of their friendship was just so special. Quiet and lovely.

I do so admire how vividly Jansson draws characters with sparse language.

The story of 2 women, a writer & an artist, living together for decades. Each chapter outlines just a bit of their personality and their adventures- both day to day and traveling- together. Despite it being such a short book, all the important matters are outlined. It seems to be somewhat autobiographical & from the start of this book I thought often of my great-aunt, Edith Lewis, the companion of Willa Cather for decades. An author & an editor.🔽

So true. Do you even notice those pictures you hung on the wall a year ago? You‘ve got to move those puppies around!

I can definitely appreciate Jonna‘s attitude about work. 🤣🤣🤣. @vivastory @BarbaraBB

It takes some time to get used to the relationship between two artists, Mari and Jonna (mainly because of the sparsity of words Jansson uses) but when I did, I loved it. They have lived and worked together for so long, and are not always loving towards eachother and yet they are - so very much.
Nature, art, aging, jealousy, repetitiveness, death: each story touches upon subjects that add to their joint journey. Together apart. Or apart together.

#FairPlayBR21

I thought Jonna was pretty annoying up until this point. If this isn‘t love, what is?

This translated novel is such a beautiful love story between Mari and Jona that apparently has resonance with Tove Jansson and her longtime partner Tuulikki. It is written in such a stark, spare lovely way. I thoroughly enjoyed it! #queerbooks

3⭐️ Fair Play is the adult version of The Summer Book 😃 Both are of similar tone and atmosphere; but instead of granddaughter & grandma relationship, it‘s about two aging artists who live together - they support one another despite the on-off squabbles. This is my third Jansson, and my favorite is still The True Deceiver 🥰

Curling up with this sweet little book. #queerbooks

Friday night! I want to read this tiny book... but I am sleepy 😴😅🤣

Day 4 of #7Days7Covers

Tagging @Michelle_mck 🤗 7 of your favorite covers each day for a week, no explanation needed. Tag a Litten each day to join in

Tove‘s story about her relationship with Tuulikki.

This lovely semi-autobiographical book consists of short episodic vignettes of the lives of two older women, Jonna an artist and Mari a writer. It‘s about aging-“time running out”-and about giving the ones you love space to grow.

“They never asked,‘Were you able to work today?‘ Maybe they had 20 or 30 years earlier, but they gradually learned not to. There are empty spaces that must be respected...”

Two quotes from this lovely book:

“She began to celebrate a solitude of her own, peaceful and full of possibility. She felt something close to exhilaration, of a kind that people can permit themselves when they are blessed with love.”

“There is no silence like sitting in a fog at sea and listening.”

While the kids in NYC are at work this week we are spending a few days at the Del. shore. It‘s been foggy and quiet.

It's easy to see the parallels between Tove Jansson and Ali Smith who wrote the introduction to this translation. They both build characters or of tiny, innocuous and perfectly observed moments. These vignettes are the perfect coalescence of this skill and Jansson's calm, clear often spare prose runs deep. In this intimate portrait of a relationship she reveals complexity as much through hints and absences as what is said and it's beautifully done

I work a couple of Sundays a semester. Today is one one of them. Reference services typically aren‘t in high demand so I will get to do some reading! Should be able to finish up Fair Play 😊

These are a collection of related stories surrounding two "artist types" who have lived together for years -- little slices of life or vignettes if you will. I enjoyed it but I'm not sure if I want to read any of her other books. I already own The Summer Book so I will give that one a try before I make my final decision on my feelings about this author.

Finally getting around to this little book. Jansson published Rent Spel (its original Swedish title) in 1989, when she was herself in her mid-seventies.

This is a series of vignettes about the relationship between two women artists. Their relationship is close. They support each other and play off each other in their creative pursuits. I liked the relationship between the two women and the direct writing. 3.5 ⭐️

Starting this one over breakfast. Looks like it should be a quick read. I'm trying to finish up all my library books before I leave for vacation, so I hope to get through this one today.

Today's #libraryhaul is 🔥🔥🔥. I went to pick up two holds and found two more that were begging to go home with me.

I had the enormous honor and joy of recording an episode with @ReadingEnvy for her wonderful podcast. Jenny is a lovely human and we had a lot of fun discussing some great books! Give it a listen here: https://tinyurl.com/yc5lkmsj

This lovely novella-in-vignettes is my choice for #HomebytheSea. Many of the stories are set in the remote island home of a pair of quirky artists. The book is centered on the idiosyncrasies of their personalities & relationship—it's a wonderful book!

#RockinMay

My nightstand queue. Three are ARCs so I have to discipline myself even though I SO want to read Fair Play right now.

There is so much under the surface in these simple stories about a pair of women who've cultivated a life together and individually, loving and working. This little novel told in brief vignettes is keenly self-aware, leaning into auto-biographical. In 100 pages, Tove Jansson brought me to tears and laughter. I can't recommend this highly enough or do it justice in a review. Read it so we can discuss it!

"The train arrived. There he was, one of the first to alight, long and thin in a huge black coat, no hat, his white hair fluttering in the wind. Even without his carnation, Mari would have known this was Wladyslaw, such an utterly odd bird. But she was surprised at how old he was, really old. All Wladyslaw's letters seemed written with youthful intensity, full of overblown adjectives."

Downtown with Tove this lovely morning.

When the introduction of the book is so good, you can't even come up with a predicate for the sentence describing it... Okay, Ali Smith, I'm in.

There is a lot of red in this stack of #coolspines. These are from my recent #nyrb order from their winter sale. I may have gone overboard, but I got a free tote bag! 😬

#riotgrams