You might have noticed The Sunday Salon has been a bit under the weather of late. Last Sunday my Google Reader was completely devoid of posts, but Debra bribed the gremlins, so I am hopeful today's post will travel to feed readers far and wide. I've really come to appreciate and depend on this weekly ritual. While there are some Sundays that I am either too busy or uninspired, more often I find myself -- sometimes as early as Wednesday -- thinking about the upcoming Salon, and what I'd like to write about.

This weekend finds me wallowing in a truly excellent book: Wallace Stegner's Angle of Repose. I've not read Stegner before, and I chose this book because of The Pulitzer Project (it won the prize for fiction in 1972). I have to admit when I checked this book out of my local library, I blanched at its 550+ pages. Having recently read an equally hefty prizewinner, Wolf Hall (read my review), I wasn't sure if I was up for another chunkster. But I was hooked before I'd read 20 pages! The narrator is Lyman Ward, an historian confined to a wheelchair who decides to write his family history, beginning when his grandparents settled in frontier California in 1868. His grandfather, Oliver Ward, was a mining engineer; his grandmother Susan, an artist and writer from the East Coast. The family history is primarily a story of their marriage and the events that held them together. The prose is beautiful, whether Stegner is describing the rich California scenery, or portraying Lyman's emotions and infirmities.

Wikipedia defines angle of repose as "the maximum angle of a stable slope determined by friction, cohesion and the shapes of the particles." Um, that's not helpful (and physics never was my thing). However, Wikipedia's article about this book says, "the title is an engineering term for the angle at which soil finally settles after, for example, being dumped from a mine as tailings." That's a little better. Oliver Ward worked in mines across the American West, and given the nomadic lifestyle required of his profession, I can see how the angle of repose would be an apt metaphor for this novel.

It will take me a few more days to finish Angle of Repose, but I'm also thinking about what's next. I have one timed reading challenge left in 2009, the (Another) 1% Well-Read Challenge, so I think I'll wrap that up with A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, by Marina Lewycka. Following that I have a couple books from my stacks that I'd like to read. But that's a subject for another time. I'll be back next Sunday with thoughts on Tractors and anything else that comes to mind.

Where is your reading taking you this weekend?
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Join The Sunday Salon here.

This week has been all about women's literature -- at least, that's what has been front and center on my reading radar. I've come across several interesting items worth sharing with my Sunday Salon friends today.

In last Sunday's post, I mentioned the Women Unbound challenge, simply as something I found tempting and was likely to sign up for. Do you know, after publishing that post I couldn't get the challenge out of my head? I realized there are loads of books already on my shelves that would qualify, not to mention all the great suggestions I've seen from other participants. About an hour later, I had signed up and posted my reading list for the challenge! As the week progressed, I kept thinking about this challenge, about women and society, about the relationship between power and gender ... I could go on. Clearly I needed to get something out of my system. So, I posted the start-of-challenge meme, and read my first book of the challenge: Antonia White's The Sugar House (read my review). Antonia White wrote a series of autobiographical novels published as Virago Modern Classics. The first, Frost in May, was the story of a young girl educated in a convent in the early 20th century (reviewed here). This was a pretty classic boarding school novel with strong Roman Catholic overtones. In the second novel, The Lost Traveller, the girl finishes school and takes a job as a governess. The "girl as governess" theme is a common one, but The Lost Traveller was less about the governess experience, and more about the protagonist's changing relationship with her parents, and her own growth and independence (reviewed here). The Sugar House continues in that vein, as she gains more experience with romantic relationships, and begins to discover her own sexuality. I've found each book well-written and thought-provoking, and am looking forward to reading the final book, Beyond the Glass.

This week also marked the opening of an exhibit at The Morgan Library in New York City: A Woman’s Wit: Jane Austen’s Life and Legacy. I learned of it through Austenprose, who wrote this excellent post. My teenage daughter is quite an Austen fan, and is also really excited about this exhibit. A day trip to New York is ever so doable for us (much easier than visiting Austen's homeland!), so I'm hoping to fit it into our family schedule, perhaps over the Christmas holidays.

And finally, after you read this post you must immediately visit Belletrista, where the second issue has just hit the press. Belletrista is a celebration of women writers from around the world. I crowed about the first issue in a Sunday Salon post back in September, and have found the second to be just as rich and delightful. Having just finished reading Wolf Hall, I especially enjoyed Carolyn Kelly's The Man Booker Prize and Other Musings. And the reviews ... oh my. Let's just say my wishlist is growing exponentially thanks to Belletrista -- it's a good thing Christmas is coming! This issue also includes features on Nobel winner Herta Müller, the Giller Prize, Ugandan writers, biographies of women writers, holiday shopping suggestions, and the "new and notable" section. I've already decided that one of my 2010 reading goals will be all about reading books reviewed on Belletrista. My greatest challenge will be narrowing down my choices!

Well that's the week that was. Today promises to be rather busy with humdrum chores, and a bit of work that needs doing before the actual workweek begins. I'm sure I'll manage to slip in a bit of reading, too ;-) What are you doing and reading today?

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The Sugar House
Antonia White
255 pages

This is the third in Antonia White's autobiographical series of novels. In two previous works, Clara Batchelor came of age through convent education and a job as a governess. The Sugar House takes place in 1920, when Clara is 21 years old and working as an actress with a touring company. Her naivete is evident from the start, when jokes about two gay actors go right over her head. Clara shares rooms with an older, brassier actress named Maidie. She also pines after Stephen Tye, an older actor she met prior to leaving on tour. Stephen is full of empty promises and strings Clara along for a while. When the inevitable happens, Clara turns to Archie, a former love who has turned up after a long absence. Clara met Archie while working as a governess, and was even engaged to him for a time. Archie has changed over the years, and not necessarily for the better. Eager to escape theatrical life and yet remain independent from her parents, Clara is blind to Archie's flaws and agrees to marry him. Almost immediately, the couple find themselves severely in debt due to a general unwillingness to live within their means, and exacerbated by Archie's drinking problem. He pours money into hare-brained schemes that go nowhere, and she loses confidence in her own ability to earn a living either by acting or writing.

As Clara and Archie's relationship deteriorates, Clara's depression worsens and she retreats into a bit of a cocoon. Two chance encounters help her emerge from the chrysalis with greater self-awareness. She is no longer a girl, but a woman desirable to other men. The novel concludes with a number of loose ends, but Clara is poised to exercise her independence in completely new ways. The Sugar House reinforces Virginia Woolf's view that that a woman needs "a room of her own" and an independent income, while also highlighting the importance of sexual discovery and independence. ( )

Last weekend I joined the Women Unbound challenge, and I've been thinking about it all week! In particular, I've been meaning to post my response to the challenge meme. The organizers graciously asked, "before you even lift a book, though, please take some time to fill out the meme below." Oops. I've nearly finished my first book. Please forgive me! I wanted to do this when I felt relaxed, and had time to put some thought into it.

1. What does feminism mean to you? Does it have to do with the work sphere? The social sphere? How you dress? How you act?
Wikipedia's article on feminism is useful here. I grew up in the 1970s, when feminism was in its second wave. It was all about equality and wiping out all forms of discrimination. The Equal Rights Amendment was a very big deal. This period certainly shaped my personal definition of feminism, which was largely about the workplace. When I entered the workforce in 1984, my antennae were "live," ready to pounce on examples of discrimination. As it happens, I have been fortunate to spend 25 years working for a company that, while far from perfect, has never given me cause to complain about discriminatory practices. And because I personally felt secure, I was able to broaden my definition as feminism's third wave came about. Today I see feminism as more all-encompassing. It concerns the rights of women in all countries, all social classes, and in all aspects of our lives. Feminism also encompasses women's history and theology. So much of what we've been taught in these areas has been presented from a predominantly male point of view. I love learning about the role of women in history, dating all the way back to Biblical times.

2. Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?
I think my response to the first question pretty well answers this one!

3. What do you consider the biggest obstacle women face in the world today? Has that obstacle changed over time, or does it basically remain the same?
There are numerous obstacles, which vary by country & culture. I'm very concerned about women who have little or no protection from abusive environments or relationships. I'm concerned about women who cannot choose their life partner. I'm concerned about flawed legal systems that fail to protect women. I'm concerned about lesbians who cannot form lifelong legal partnerships (I have equal concern for gay men in this area). While these modern-day obstacles differ from those of greatest concern 10-20 years ago, equality and civil rights are foundational to all of them.

Now I'm fired up. I think I'll go finish my first book of the challenge!

Le Grand Meaulnes
Alain-Fournier, translated by Frank Davison
205 pages

Le Grand Meaulnes is a romantic coming-of-age tale, a story of friendship, love, and loss. When Augustin Meaulnes arrives at a small French school, he is befriended by François Seurel, the 15-year-old son of the headmaster. François looks up to Meaulnes, who is two years older and both a dreamer and a rebel. The boys nickname him "Le Grande Meaulnes" which the translator explains is similar to the English phrase, "good old Meaulnes." One day, in an act of bravado, Meaulnes gets hold of a carriage, heads off on his own, gets lost, and ultimately finds himself at a very strange wedding feast. There he encounters the most beautiful woman he's ever seen: Yvonne de Galais. The feast breaks up rather abruptly when the groom's fiancee decides not to go through with the wedding. In the confusion, Meaulnes is separated from Yvonne, and he vows to find her again. He embarks on a quest of sorts, leaving François behind to finish his studies. The search for Yvonne takes a circuitous path involving François, a number of other colorful characters, and unexpected connections with the groom from the wedding feast.

Le Grand Meaulnes was Alain-Fournier's first novel. Sadly, he was killed in World War I in 1914, just two years after publication. His writing is beautiful; I was instantly transported back to 1890s rural France, where women dried their linen by draping it over the bushes, and men engaged in vigorous debate in the local cafe. The weather and scenery were described in vivid detail, further immersing me in the world of François and his friend Meaulnes:

And now, to swoop down from a hill-top into the hollows as if on wings; to see a blurred landscape far ahead divide and make an aisle for you and burst into leaf as you passed; to slip through a village taking everything in at a glance ... Only in dreams had I been wafted on such delightful flights. (p. 139)

While there were parts of this book I found a bit bizarre, and others that were slow-moving, overall the writing was so wonderful that I enjoyed it a great deal. ( )

Details, including challenge rules, are posted here on a beautifully-designed challenge blog.  There are three levels of participation:

• Philogynist: read at least two books, including at least one nonfiction one.
• Bluestocking: read at least five books, including at least two nonfiction ones.
• Suffragist: read at least eight books, including at least three nonfiction ones.

Eligible fiction books should take "a thoughtful look at the place of women in society." Right -- I have about 100 Virago Modern Classics that I haven't read yet (and I'm still collecting!).  So this challenge is a nice overlap with my perpetual Virago challenge.  The non-fiction category includes "books on feminism, history books focused on women, biographies of women, memoirs (or travelogues) by women, essays by women and cultural books focused on women (body image, motherhood, etc.)."  I have been reading far less non-fiction lately so while this initially sounded more difficult, as I wrote this I realized I had qualifying books already sitting right on my shelves!

So, I'll join the Suffragists.  Here's my list, which is most definitely subject to change (links to reviews included as books are completed):

Fiction

1. The Sugar House, by Antonia White (review)
2. Crossriggs, by Jane & Mary Findlater
3. The Judge, by Rebecca West
4. Virago Modern Classic, TBD
5. Virago Modern Classic, TBD

Non-Fiction:

1. At Large and at Small, by Anne Fadiman
2. Eleanor of Aquitaine, by Alison Weir
3. A History of Their Own: Women in Europe from Prehistory to the Present Vol. I, by Bonnie S. Anderson & Judith P. Zinsser

I'm pretty tired of rainy weekend weather, but if there's a silver lining it's the ability to curl up in a chair and read. And thanks to the time change in the US, I was up earlier than usual (so much for grabbing that extra hour of sleep). So why not spend the hour blogging? It's time to look back on October, so here's the month that was:

• 6 books (66 YTD)
• 1,768 pages (19,892 YTD)
• 2 written by women
• 3 Booker Prize winner
• 1 Pulitzer Prize winner
• 0 Virago Modern Classics
• 1 from the "1001 Books you Must Read Before you Die" list
• 0 from a "new" country for my Reading Across Borders and Lost in Translation challenges

And what did I read?

• Empire Falls - review ( )
• The Snow Goose - review ( )
• Disgrace - review ( )
• Rites of Passage - review ( )
• To the Lighthouse - review ( )
• Wolf Hall - review ( )

This was an average month in terms of quantity, and not bad at all for quality. The Snow Goose was a surprise, because as a children's book I hadn't expected it to be as moving as it was. I was most excited about Wolf Hall, the 2009 Booker Prize winner, and it certainly lived up to expectations.

I also finished the Book Awards III challenge, which involved reading 5 books representing 5 different awards (read my wrap-up post here). I only have one more timed challenge in progress, but I've been tempted to start another: the Women Unbound Challenge. So much of my reading centers on books by women authors, finding ones that fit the "women's studies" theme shouldn't be too difficult. I haven't officially signed up yet, but I'd be crazy not to. Look for my challenge post soon.

Normally when I finish a book I dive right into my next read. But Wolf Hall is the kind of book that hangs around in your consciousness for a while. I finished it Friday night and I still have Cromwell on the brain. However, I did take a brief dip into my next book and sometime later today I will truly commit myself to it. I'll be reading Le Grand Meaulnes, a French coming-of-age story (translated into English). It was the debut novel for author Henri Alain-Fournier. Sadly, he was killed in action during World War I. After just 20 pages or so I can feel myself getting into the rhythm of this book, and am pretty sure I'm going to enjoy it.
Where is your reading taking you today?

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The Book Awards III Challenge ran from July 1 to December 1, 2009.  I finished on October 31.  This is one of my favorite challenges, because it complements several of my other reading goals.  In the original Book Awards Reading Challenge, I read Booker and Pulitzer winners like there was no tomorrow.  For Book Awards II, I read 10 books representing 5 different awards. 

Book Awards III was a shorter challenge than its two predecessors, requiring only 5 books.  But the catch was, they had to represent 5 different awards!  Fortunately there are lots of literary prizes to choose from.  Here's what I read for this challenge:

1. Home, by Marilynne Robinson (Orange Prize) - review
   
2. Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout (Pulitzer Prize) - review
   
3. The Long Goodbye, by Raymond Chandler (Edgar Award) - review
   
4. Disgrace, by J.M. Coetzee (Booker Prize, Commonwealth Writers' Prize) - review
   
5. Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel (Booker Prize) - review
   

Favorite Book of this Challenge:  If I had to choose just one, it would be Home, which I rated 5 stars.  However, both Olive Kitteridge and Wolf Hall were excellent 4.5-star reads.  I highly recommend all three of these books.

Least Favorite Book of this Challenge:  The Long Goodbye.  Although I don't read mysteries often, I don't dislike the genre.  But this book did nothing for me.  I found the characters unlikeable and the women were portrayed as stupid blonde stereotypes.

What I learned from this Challenge:  Since the challenge required reading from several different awards, I had to diversify beyond my usual Pulitzer, Booker, and Orange Prize winners.  I discovered the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America.  And, thinking ahead to future Book Awards challenges, I'm looking forward to exploring prizes awarded in other countries.  Canada's Giller Prize and Australia's Miles Franklin Prize are just two possibilities.

Thanks to Michele (3M) for hosting this great challenge!

Wolf Hall
Hilary Mantel
532 pages

I was thrilled to get my hands on the 2009 Booker Prize winner within just a few weeks of its US release. The first ten pages included a detailed cast of characters and a Tudor family tree, a sure sign I was diving into a rich, detailed saga. I hunkered down and was hooked from the first line, uttered by Walter Cromwell to his young son Thomas: "So now get up." From this point -- lying dazed and bloody on the pavement -- Thomas Cromwell rises to become one of King Henry VIII's most trusted advisers. The opening scene inspired him to leave his alcoholic, abusive father and go abroad, even though he was only about 15 years old. Over several years Cromwell became an astute accountant and lawyer, and the trusted adviser of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who held the post of Lord Chancellor in Henry VIII's early court. When Wolsey fell out of favor with the King, Cromwell was savvy enough to stay out of the fray and position himself for greatness. Thomas More then became Lord Chancellor and campaigned against English Bible translations, most notably those by William Tyndale. Cromwell, as the King's chief minister, engineered the political hocus-pocus which allowed Henry to divorce his first wife Katherine and marry Anne Boleyn. This could only be done by establishing Henry's independence from the Catholic Church. More refused to accept this, and was executed.

But Wolf Hall is more than just a tale of political intrigue. Mantel takes the reader deep inside Cromwell's mind and heart. Far from being an unfeeling politician, Thomas Cromwell was a most human protagonist. He rose well above his lowly birth, and was not just literate but multi-lingual. He moved with ease among dukes and royalty, but never forgot his origins. And while he was a savvy negotiator, he also showed compassion, especially to those like More who would lose their lives as part of the English Reformation. Cromwell was also intensely devoted to his family, providing for nieces and nephews as well as his own children. As his wealth and influence grew, he was able to broker advantageous marriages for his family that continued to move them up in society. Almost single-handedly, he changed the course of history.
The fate of people is made like this, two men in small rooms. Forget the coronations, the conclaves of cardinals, the pomp and processions. This is how the world changes: a counter pushed across a table, a pen stroke that alters the force of a phrase ... (p.499)

The novel ends in 1535 on a high note: Henry VIII was still married to Anne, and Cromwell was at the peak of his career. And yet, anyone with even a passing knowledge of Tudor history knows of Henry's mercurial behavior. Both Anne and Cromwell would eventually fall out of favor. But that's a story for another novel, one that Mantel has hinted she intends to write. I can't wait. ( )

To the Lighthouse
Virginia Woolf
209 pages

This classic Virginia Woolf novel is such a "mood piece." Comprised of three major sections, To the Lighthouse is predominantly a portrait of the Ramsey family and its influential, beautiful matriarch. Most of the "action" (and I use that term loosely) takes place at a summer home off the coast of Scotland. Part 1 is a "day in the life" of Mrs. Ramsey, whose house is chock-a-block with visitors. She is a constant presence, caring for the youngest of her eight children, keeping a watchful eye on her moody husband, meddling a bit in young romance, and ensuring both timely, well-prepared meals and the general happiness of her guests. The tempo is slow, the imagery evocative, the overall feeling ethereal.

Part 2 is a short section called "Time Passes," in which the next ten years unfold in factual narrative. And yet this section, which unveiled a number of significant Ramsey family events, had a surprisingly emotional impact. This was followed by Part 3, with the Ramsey family once again at their holiday home, picking up the pieces of a life gone somewhat awry. The youngest children, now teenagers, accompany their father on a visit to a lighthouse near the island. They are filled with teenage resentment, pent up over years of somewhat tyrannical paternal rule. Their emotions ebb and flow like the waves lapping at the side of their boat.

And what happens, exactly? Not much. And yet, somehow, I was entranced by this family's life, from being made up of little separate incidents which one lived one by one, became curled and whole like a wave which bore one up with it and threw one down with it, there, with a dash on the beach (p. 47) This is a book best read, and re-read, and savored to glean new details and insights each time. ( )

Hello everyone!  It's been a cold and blustery weekend which usually makes for good reading time.  But it's also been a busy weekend, with lots of little things to get done.  And I had my bi-weekly volunteer shift at the local bird rescue as well.  So with all that I'm just now sitting down to dash off my Salon post.

Did you miss my post last week?  There was a gremlin in the Yahoo pipe.  A million thanks to Debra for sorting it out.  I think the post eventually came through on Tuesday.  So, what did you miss?  I chatted a bit about a recent read, Empire Falls, raved about a moving children's book, The Snow Goose, and teed up my next two reads which were both Booker Prize winners:  Coetzee's Disgrace, and Golding's Rites of Passage.

Now here we are a week later, and I'm pleased to say I have finished both of those books.  I'm not a huge Coetzee fan, but I liked Disgrace more than expected (read my review).  The Golding was a bit better.  Similar to Lord of the Flies, Rites of Passage profiles an isolated microcosm of society (in this case, they are "isolated" on a ship bound from England to Australia).  I realized just a few pages in that I'd seen a BBC dramatization of Rites of Passage a couple years ago.  It was quite true to the book, and I also enjoyed Golding's writing.  You can find my review here.

Last week I also patted myself on the back for being quick to reserve the 2009 Booker Prize winner at my library.  Wolf Hall was released in the US this week and I was #5 in the queue.  On Friday I logged on to the library system, not expecting much, and found that my reservation was already "in transit"!  This means I might have it in my hands in the next few days, perhaps even tomorrow!!!  This is great timing: not only am I dying to read it, but I'm going to be travelling next weekend and it will be great to lose myself in a good book en route.

Even though I finished Rites of Passage just yesterday, I can't sit idle waiting for my library request.  So I started Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse this morning.  It will probably take me 'til about page 50 before I get into the rhythm of her language, but I so enjoy her writing.  And my past seven books have been written by men -- very unusual for me -- so I'm happy to be reconnecting with the feminine voice.  And who better than Virginia Woolf?

What are you reading this week?

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Rites of Passage
William Golding
278 pages

When Edmund Talbot leaves England on a ship bound for Australia, he begins a journal dedicated to his godfather and patron. In it he records details of daily life and detailed descriptions of the passengers and crew (many of whom are quite interesting characters). He takes pride in learning maritime vocabulary; that is, once he has overcome extreme seasickness. As a member of the educated upper class he remains at arms' length from most of the passengers and views events with amusement and a certain detached superiority. His social interactions are limited primarily to Summers, an unusually well-spoken officer.

Also on board is a young parson, the Reverend James Colley. For reasons that go unexplained until the end of the book, The ship's captain despises the parson from the outset. Colley persists in currying the captain's favor, and also attempts to befriend Edmund. Edmund initially tries to support the parson, encouraging services to be held on ship. But he is ultimately repelled by Colley's over-eager attempts at friendship. Eventually the tension surrounding Colley reaches its climax, and when Edmund finds a journal written by Colley, the narrative point of view shifts. The voyage is recounted for the reader, pointing out details Edmund had missed, and highlighting Edmund's own role in the conflict.

I liked Golding's technique of telling this sea tale through the two journals. The strengths and foibles of both men were clearly portrayed, and the journals brought the voyage to life with vivid detail. Golding also offers a candid view of the English class structure, which is as present at sea as it is on land. In fact, there is an entire subculture on ship -- the crew and "the emigrants" -- that the reader is barely exposed to, since neither Edmund nor Reverend Colley would mix with them.

This book is the first of a trilogy which was made into a BBC dramatization, To the Ends of the Earth. The story in Rites of Passage was the best part of the dramatization for me, and even though it was familiar I still enjoyed reading this book. ( )

Disgrace
J.M. Coetzee
220 pages

This is another test, trying to help Debra figure out why some TSS posts aren't being picked up by Yahoo Pipes.  Like, for example, my original October 11 Sunday Salon post and a test post on Monday.

This is only a test !

I'm testing something.  Seems like my October 11 Sunday Salon post didn't get picked up by the Yahoo Pipes widgety thingy that normally broadcasts these posts.  Just thought I'd try again to see if this one makes it through.

If you subscribe directly to this blog, then you would have seen it.  If you read it through the Sunday Salon feed, you might have missed it.  You can find my post here.

Hello everyone, I've just returned from a nice family day out.  Indian food is one of our absolute favorite things, and today our collective tummies were craving curry.  But we don't have an Indian restaurant close to home.  Daughter #1 to the rescue:  she had a considerable amount of babysitting money burning a hole in her pocket, and reminded us that our favorite Indian place is just a couple miles from a mall.  So we did a bit of teenage girl clothes-shopping, and then hit the restaurant and stuffed ourselves.  Dinner will definitely be a catch-as-catch-can affair today!

I'm hoping to spend the evening curled up with a book.  This week was a busy one and I didn't have as much time for reading as I would have liked (is there ever enough time?!).  I did finish Richard Russo's Empire Falls, a deserving Pulitzer Prize winner (read my review).  At 483 pages, it's a long-ish book, but I found myself with some inexplicable difficulty reading more than, say, 20 pages at a sitting.  It wasn't until about page 400 that I realized why.  My reading "stamina" improved immensely when I put on my reading glasses!  About a year ago my contact lens prescription was adjusted and this allowed me to do without reading glasses for a while.  But age has crept up on me again.  Sigh ... !

After Empire Falls I slipped in a short read: a children's book called The Snow Goose.  This incredibly moving novella inspired writer William Fiennes to follow North American snow geese on their spring migration, a subject he wrote about in his memoir, The Snow Geese.  Both the memoir and its inspiration were 5-star reads for me.  The novella also evoked strong emotions and memories from my childhood.  I vividly remember a television dramatization of The Snow Goose, in an era of only a few channels and infrequent re-runs.  It was terribly sad, and yet I loved it.  I hoped it would become an annual TV tradition, like A Charlie Brown Christmas.  But it was not to be; I never saw it on TV again, and it's never been released on VHS or DVD.  So it was a real pleasure to read the book, which evoked the same strong emotions & tears as the film. My review of The Snow Geese (memoir) can be found here, and my review of The Snow Goose (novella), here.

Next subject: if you follow literary prizes, you'll know the Booker Prize was awarded this week.  This is one of my favorite prizes, and I was very happy to see it go to Hilary Mantel for her novel of Tudor England, Wolf Hall.  I'm envious of my English friends who read through the longlist in the two months before the winner was announced.  Wolf Hall isn't even available in the US until Tuesday!  Yes, I know, I know, I could have ordered it from The Book Depository (free shipping worldwide!), but I have a real aversion to buying new.  Fortunately, my county's library system is on the ball.  Minutes after hte prize was announced, I logged on to find they had a few copies on order, and four people had already lined up to read it.  I added my name to the list as #5.  I've been patting myself on the back ever since, because there are now 39 people on the waiting list!  I should be able to get my hands on a copy within a couple of weeks ... woo hoo!

Meanwhile, I'll be keeping myself busy with a couple of other Booker Prize winners.  At the moment I'm reading J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace, the 1999 winner, and finding it more interesting than I'd expected.  Next up is William Golding's Rites of Passage, which won the prize in 1980. I'm making pretty good progress towards completing the winners list, although I won't cross the finish line until next year.  But that reminds me:  if you're interested in reading Booker Prize winners & nominees, I invite you to join my perpetual challenge, The Complete Booker.  New members are always welcome, even if you don't want to commit to reading the entire list.  And between the winners and nominees, you're sure to find some great literature.  Hope to see you there!

Best wishes for a great week of reading ...
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Every time I write one of these wrap-up posts, I marvel at how quickly the time is passing.  It's now autumn in Pennsylvania, my favorite season.  I'm closing in on my reading goals for 2009, and really enjoying it.  Although I have to say, September wasn't the best month for me.  I read a lot of books, but had a run of several mediocre reads.  So I was feeling pretty grumpy when towards the end of the month I read William Fiennes' wonderful memoir, The Snow Geese.  My grumpiness disappeared, and I felt motivated to read again.  Isn't it funny how a single book can do that? 

Well, this being a wrap-up post, it's time for some statistics.  If that doesn't interest you, just scroll down to the end for a bit about what I'm reading now.  But if you're a numbers geek like me, read on for my September stats:

• The Curate's Wife - review ( )
• Jamaica Inn - review ( )
• My Cousin Rachel - review ( )
• Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha - review ( )
• One of Ours - review ( )
• The Long Goodbye - review ( )
• The Snow Geese - review ( )
• The Uncommon Reader - review ( )

• 22 books, 60 YTD
• 6,651 pages, 18,124 YTD
• 15 written by women, 41 YTD
• 4 from the "1001 Books you Must Read Before you Die" list, 14 YTD
• 2 Booker Prize winners, 7 YTD (2009 goal: 12)
• 5 Orange Prize winners/shortlisters, 9 YTD (2009 goal: 8)
• 2 Pulitzer Prize winners, 4 YTD (2009 goal: 6)
• 4 Virago Modern Classics, 8 YTD (2009 goal: 10)
• 0 from a "new" country for my Reading Across Borders and Lost in Translation challenges, 6 YTD (2009 goal: 10) ... I kind of gave up on this goal during third quarter
• 7 "just for fun" -- not associated with any particular reading goal!  I've read 21 YTD.

• Home - review ( )
• Rebecca - review ( )
• Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout - review ( )
• Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates - review ( )
• The Snow Geese, by William Fiennes - review ( )

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