Feeling my Irish

mir — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 12:42:07 -0600

Happy St.Paddys day everyone. Here are a few pieces of Irish literature for you to sink your teeth into. If you aren't into reading about the Irish then I hope you are out drinking green beer and rubbing short people on the head for good luck. If you sometimes wonder what all the fuss is about, check out The Gyspy librarian's round-up of St.Paddys day information.

I have been sick as a dog for about 2 weeks now. It's just easing up now, no more coughing and horking leprechaun coloured blobs of lung matter. Phewf.

While I was sick I did a lot of reading, but not a whole lotta blogging so I will try and give you a good bunch of links to check out since I feel I have been remiss in my duties.

First, the best three books read while lying on the giant orange settee on a neo-citron drip:

Her Body Knows - David Grossman. Two short novellas about love and death by an Israeli writer. Very smart very concise writing about complicated feelings. Clean not maudlin, and powerful.

The Horn of the Lamb - Robert Sedlack. By a Canadian author. Bittersweet and funny, the story of a hockey player's journey back to selfhood after a near death brain injury. Also about sheep farming and revolution Canuck-style.

Personal Velocity - Rebecca Miller. Before there was the movie there were seven incredibly crafted short stories about seven very different women. Go read it. It's like a well-mixed gin and tonic for the intellect: Bracing, acerbic, but also lovely, elegant and relaxing. The writing is reminiscent of Virginia Woolf in the artful character descriptions.

Okay enough about my reading habits what are you ladies up to...

Over at booklust there's a great post on short essays in print. It's true that one doesn't usually curl up with a good book of non-fiction. But since reading the shorter work of both Miller and Grossman, I find myself enjoying authors who exploit the economy of language, as opposed to it's richness.

Booksquare has two posts on the Dan Brown copyright trial. IMHO The Da Vinci Code was bar-none one of the worst books I have ever had the ill-fortune to read. However I agree with Booksquare's analysis of this particular trials impact;

We don't think it would be overstating the case to say if Brown were to lose this battle, it would have a serious impact on authors, painters, musicians, and filmmakers everywhere.

A bunch of nifty links via Scribbling woman. So many I can't really find a way to integrate everything in a way that makes sense Her are my two favorites:

A carnival of bent attractions over at Transcending Gender. Good score! A blog about transgender issues. Double good score, a carnival about the subject to boot!

Acephalous wonders about how people introduce themselves on their blog.

What do we say when we begin to blog? After an exhaustive survey this afternoon, I'm happy to inform you that, generally speaking, the answer is nothing. But damn do we ever do it self-consciously.

I would go take a look at my own first entry way back in 2004 but I would probably cringe from embarrassment.

Okay I think I am outta juice for now, sorry I was away for so long and happy to be back. I'm off to see if they still sell green milkshakes up the street.

xoxox

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Feeling my Irish