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Jul
27
The Sunday Salon
2008 at 10am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
Finally, a Sunday morning with no plans, no obligations, and nothing to do but sleep in, sit around in my jammies (which I will do for most of the day), and enjoy some quality snuggle time with my husband and the pooch. It seems like every weekend of the summer so far, we’ve either been out of town, had people visiting us in town, or had plans that kept us really busy.
It’s so nice to be able to slow down a bit, and this couldn’t have come at a better time, since the coming week is going to be crazy for me as I prepare for a back-to-school event at our store on Thursday night, the Breaking Dawn midnight release party on Friday night, and helping my brother- and sister-in-law move on Saturday. Whew! I’m getting tired just thinking about it.
Despite all that’s been going on, I’ve done some good reading this week. I learned all about the history of sex research and just how far Mary Roach will go for a good story in Bonk (read my review), and I took a musical trip down memory lane with Rob Sheffield, whose book Love Is a Mix Tape (review here) broke my heart and caused me to reflect on the music and relationships that are most important.
I’m almost finished with The Inheritance of Loss, and while the writing is quite beautiful, I’m having a hard time getting through the middle chunk of the book…but more to come on that later. Has anyone else read this? What did you think?
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Definitely The Queen of the Road. It looks like you’ve been reading enough about sex lately with a book called Bonk. So definitely skip that one, and of the three Queen of the Road looks like it would be the funniest. Go with that. Of course, let us know what you decide.
Nice blog. I will have to visit again
I’ve read The Sex Lives of Cannibals and it’s fantastic (my review: http://www.book-blog.com/2004/07/the_sex_lives_o.html). I’ve got Assisted Loving but haven’t started it yet. It looks good! Maybe if you read that next I will too!
Have Bonk on wishlist and The Inheritance of Loss on the TBR pile, But now added Love Is a Mix Tape
My Blog
You won’t go wrong with SLofC, but I’m itching to know what you think of Queen of the Road….
I found ‘The inheritance of Loss’ hard going as well and I so wanted to enjoy it. Perhaps that was part of the problem, I was expecting too much.
I bought The inheritance of Loss long time back. Just never got around reading it.
SS 1: Review of Shelf Monkey
SS 2: List of acquired books
I enjoyed “Queen of the Road,” but I want to hear about “Sex Lives of Cannibals,” so that’s my vote.
I read The Inheritance of Loss back in May and while I did have a hard time getting started (first 50 pgs were pretty slow going as I recall), I completely loved this book. I think the main “character” of the book is really the struggle that involved all those different people groups; I thought she illustrated the fact that places/countries/regions mean different things to different people based on their beliefs, cultures, and lived experiences. I loved how the sisters, Sai, and the two white guys hung out and understood each other, even though they were so culturally different. I also loved how she drew a clear line in relationships, for example, Sai had a very close relationship w/the cook, but only at home…the relationship just didn’t work in other scenarios b/c even though they lived “together”, they didn’t really live equally. Same problem w/ Sai’s relationship w/ the boyfriend. I do think Desai smacks you over the head w/ her “agenda,” but at least she’s not sneaky about it. It’s a story about immigration, globalization, and transnational issues and I think the “story” element of the book was engaging enough to get people interested in the deeper issues. So, not a “summer/beach” read, but I thought a very important book.
Also, I vote for the sex cannibal book, how could I not?!
rabbitreader: I like your suggestion to think of the characters’ struggle as one of the characters of the book. It helps but still doesn’t “make it” for me…I’m glad, however, to hear a thoughtful response from someone who did love the book so I can feel somewhat reassured in the judgment of those Booker prize deciders.
Glad my opinion did not offend…I was afraid you would disqualify me from the Gargoyle contest, but I had to try to offer something redeeming for those who are thinking of reading “Inheritance.” I’ve had The End of Poverty in my stacks since December, but haven’t gotten around to it yet…I look forward to what you have to say about it as I’m sure you’ll get to it before I do!
rabbitreader: I would never disqualify someone from a contest just for having a difference of opinion…isn’t this all about the open exchange of ideas?