C. was here this morning. She will be jetting off to Palermo tomorrow. Helen is already on the slopes of Mt. Pelion. Both will be back soon. Alexander and Ketki will be here for the great transfer — Cramond to Drummond Place— on Friday. And I’ll have Wafa, and my dear cat. I am nevertheless feeling slightly anxious and bereft.
I have no more news for you of Lenny in London.
Knitting progresses well. I have embarked on round 44. It’s looking wonderfully sculptural.
I have made a practice, for a good few years now, of making a note of the books I finish reading. It is depressing, looking back, to see how many of them I have no memory of at all. Never mind that, for the moment. Today I finished The Favour by Nicci French, and when I went to inscribe it, was horrified to find that I didn’t finish anything in September. I doubt if that has ever happened before. Most recent reading, according to the record, has been re-reading: Jane Austen and Ruth Rendell, primarily.
Wordle: again I have something to say which I must suppress until tomorrow. We were three-four-five today. Threes for Mark, Thomas, Theo and Ketki. Fours for me, Roger and Alexander. Poor Rachel needed five, bogged down, no doubt, by the responsibilities of additional grandmotherhood.
I keep a record of the books I read and, yes I can't remember the books shortly after I record them.
ReplyDeleteI must remember to make notes on books read. I used to do it with 3x5 cards in a little box. Now most everything is in the computer, but I have a number of nice little notebooks and can use one of them for book notes. I will have to look at my Kindle to remember the names and authors.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jean, for mentioning this.
Wordle in 6 for me today. I had the last four letters in the right place and kept guessing the wrong first letter! So frustrating, as usually I get it in 3 or 4.
Sarah in Manhattan
For a while I was using Goodreads to record my book read, this year I couldn't be bothered until this month I felt the need to record 2 books that I enjoyed very much. Very different in character: the Edinburgh Skating Club, Michelle Sloan; a Winter Grave, Peter May. Do look them up.
ReplyDeleteI finally just finished watching Il Gattopardo (Burt Lancaster) after hearing about it on here for many years. I found the whole historical context puzzling, but was greatly enlightened after watching the Special Features interview with the professor explaining Sicilian history on my library-DVD. My main take-away is that it was interesting/grand as an epic film, but surely much more rich of a story when encountered in book form with the unrushed character development! (Which always seems to be the case -- I recently read Wizard of Oz for the first time, despite being very familiar with the film... I'd absolutely no idea that so much of the sweetness had been filtered out so that the glories of TECHNICOLOR could better shine forth!!)
ReplyDeleteNOW I finally understand why your sitting next to the real-life Tancredi on your Italy trip was so exciting and am belatedly thrilling along with you!
Elizabeth in Oregon
Best wishes for the triumphant return to Drummond Place!
ReplyDeleteI don't often make note of which books I have read, though I do list the ones I buy. Rarely, I am annoyed enough by a book to make a note that I have discarded it, and why. I have found that being in a book group (online) makes me pay more attention to nuances I would otherwise miss. I reread about as often as I read a new book, but the to-be-read pile is large. And yes, it is somewhat disheartening to realize that I know I have read a title but can't recall anything about it. Still, I usually score well on those "100 books you should have read" lists.
I keep a list of books I want to read, then cross them off when I actually read them. There are so many coming down the pipe that remembering the ones I have interest in reading get forgotten if I don’t write them down. weavinfool
ReplyDeleteIt never occurred to me to write down what books I have read. (The Agatha Christie section as a teenager would have been exhaustive). Just the sheer enjoyment of reading them was enough. On the other hand I should write down what I Want to read, but again, it feels like a burden, adhering to a list. So off I go on my merry random way, reading whatever pops up in my memory/interest of the moment/seems intriguing on the NYT best-seller list, etc. Listening to you all now makes me feel downright irresponsible, but I probably won’t change. Love hearing about everyone’s reading habits, though. It’s the social historian in me. Hope your transition back to Private Life goes smoothly, Jean. Chloe
ReplyDeleteThis year I started a sort of bullet journal, I have a section for books I’ve read and one for want to read/recommended. It’s the first time I have ever done that! I usually have notes on books recommended or on my library list, but never this organized! Chloe, I just read my first Agatha Christie this year! Starting with Miss Marple in order.
ReplyDelete