pickJust based on the description, I would never have chosen to read this book. A man has a medical emergency and spends his protracted recovery, reflecting upon things that have happened in his life and literature that he loves? And yet, I absolutely loved the experience of reading it.
pickI loved this. The writing has a propulsive energy as sentences wind their way to interesting ends. It‘s strong and assured, driven by curiosity. There is a beautiful rhythm that keeps you reading. I found the hospital setting strangely comforting: time slows down and the narrator focuses on small details, observes a sparrow, reflects on Kathleen Ferrier singing Mahler. It‘s also a love story, with ups and downs that feel authentic.
I just received an email from LOA about a documentary about Gary Snyder, one of the last surviving Beats, & a character in one of the grimmest novels I have ever read in my life (Kerouac's Big Sur). This will be streaming this weekend. Think this will be of interest to you @leftcoastzen
https://email.loa.org/h/i/8AB1ACAB53E732ED
pickBrought this after @squirrelbrain review and then bumped it up the list after @BarbaraBB review this week.
Thoughtful, reflective, detailed musings on life,death and poetry after an emergency medical event. Beautifully written.
And rounding out the month of April, we‘re celebrating all things double…double the fun, double the #birthdaylove, and double the cake and balloons!
That‘s right! We‘ve got TWO parties to attend! 🥳🥳
We‘re sending our best wishes to you both @Branwen and @Oryx and hope that however you choose to celebrate, it‘s a fabulous day from beginning to end.
Happy, Happy Birthday Rebecca and Emma! 🎈🎈
🧚♀️🎉🧚♀️🎉🧚♀️🎉🧚♀️🎉🧚♀️🎉🧚♀️
pickThe narrator is hospitalized with a rare vascular condition. For days he‘s at ICU, not really knowing what‘s happening, though he knows it‘s serious.
Each medical detail is described, as is the narrator‘s view on life, his past and future.
And it‘s 2020 and COVID is everywhere. In the hospital, in people‘s attitude, in the protests in the streets. It took me back to those days and although it frightened me I loved this about the book. Very good!
Misty!!! What an amazing box of Happy to return home to after a looong week!! I adore everything so much and I can‘t tell you how much I‘m looking forward to reading “The Women!!!” Thank you for being the sweetest man ever, wonderful Friend that you are! Love you!
#Litsylove #BookLovers #HappyMail
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
I finished 13 books in March. Lots of middle grade and graphic novels, because that‘s all I could mentally handle. The Spear Cuts Through Water was my favorite, even though it took me two months to read. It was so worth the effort. Both of the Swifts books by Beth Lincoln were delightful. #marchwrapup
pickYears ago, I came across the poem “The Taxi” by Amy Lowell, and its final line has lived in my brain ever since: “Why should I leave you, / To wound myself upon the sharp edges of the night?” I‘ve meant to read a collection of her poetry ever since, but we all know how the TBR intentions sometimes go. So when it became apparent that in spite of my best intentions in January, I definitely wasn‘t going to get around to reading any (let alone all ⤵️
