So, I got close yesterday; here`s the rest.
Several other things absorbed my summer. One was walking, which I did for two hours on most days. Before you start looking back on the photos to wonder why I don;t look like I`ve lost weight (and I haven`t), the two hours included three rest stops. That started when I got back to walking in June, after having been sick all of May, and it has just continued. I listen to books (mostly, although sometimes the radio) when I`m walking, so I keep listening as I sit on a bench and knit a few rows, to catch my breath. It has achieved ritual status now, and will probably continue until I head back to the desert. (You know me and my rituals...)
The other thing that has absorbed my summer has been my relationship with Mariah. As some of you know, we have known each other for over 40 years, but had a falling out last year. We always make allowances for our friends, but after her partner left her, I found the need to make allowances greater, and my willingness to do so less. So, we were civil, but distant. This year, my financial circumstances having changed, I asked her to repay moneys I had expended on her behalf. I had always intended that expenditure as a gift, but, well, as I said, circumstances changed. Rather than paying me back, she called a lawyer. That has definitely ripped the fabric of friendship beyond repair. In the end, most of the money was paid back, but it consumed the summer. And I find the whole thing very sad.
Well, it`s done now.
Aside from that, I have found myself amazingly content. Old friendships have developed, and new ones begun. I never seem to lack company when I want it, for the theater or the opera or the movies, and even the occasional walk, but am fine with my own company the rest of the time.
Oh, and the other thing I have done a lot of this summer is read. I`ve tried to keep a running list, but I am sure I`ve missed some. But here`s a partial list anyway, not necessarily in the order read....
Stephen Greenblatt: The Swerve: How The World Became Modern. It`s about Poggio, a humanist in the 15th century who found a copy of Lucrecius The Nature of Things mouldering in a library in Germany and brought it back into the world. I had read a previous book of his, Will in the World (about Shakespeare). He is a fascinating writer, making the unreadable readable. Recommended to me by friend Tom, who never steers me wrong.
Schoenbaum: Shakespeare`s Lives. Also recommended by Tom, a book about the many books about Shakespeare and his plays (and, of course, their attribution) since the 16th century. At 500 plus pages I found it a page-turner, believe it or not.
Michael Wolff: Siege; Trump Under Fire. As it sounds. I am fascinated by this stuff. A good read.
Veronica Heley: Murder by Suggestion. A bit lighter fare. I like this new development; a lot of the publishing houses are dusting off mystery authors from an earlier age and republishing their offerings, putting a new author out there for devouring.
Jared Diamond: Upheaval. Don`t bother. His Guns, Germs and Steel a decade or so ago was great; everything else has been down hill.
Margery Allingham: The Crime at Black Dudley. Another new-to me author, to add to my growing list of authors to look for.
Donna Leon: Unto Us a Son is Given. Another author, new to me, who I will be on the lookout for.
Erik Wilson: Everything Trump Touches Dies. This book is hilarious. Written by a life long republican and lobbyist who loathes Trump. Read it!
Fleishman is in Trouble. I heard it reviewed on thr radio, but didn`t catch the author`s name. I then saw it front and center in the library. I still don`t know the author`s name (as I recall, it had too many consonants) but worth reading if you can find it
T.C.Boyle: Outside Looking in A previous book, The Tortilla Curtain, was recommended by friend Bill. In my mind, it is still the best, but Boyle is interested in such weird and wondrous things, all his books have fascinated me. (He is one of those I would ask to dinner if I could ask 3 people to dinner...)
Ian McEwan: Machines Like Me. Another prolific author with an inquiring mind. He`s the author of Atonement, Chesil Beach, and many, many others. Considering this was about a robot and artificial intelligence, topics about which I don`t care a whit, I was surprisingly captivated by it.
Magda Szabo: Iza`s Ballad. I am making a concerted effort to read writers from countries I do not know much about (broadening my horizons and all of that). This one came my way by means of an airport bookstore - a surprisingly good one - and, being about old age as well as other things, was a good read.
Barbara Kingsolver: Unsettled. An author I no doubt don`t need to introduce. Her usual good read.
Ian Rankin: In a House of Lies.
Peter Robinson: Careless Love
Louise Penny: One Eyes Man
The above three are no doubt also well known to you mystery fans out there. I am a great fan of all three, and am trying to read them all.
Susanna Gregory: Intrigue in Covent Garden. Also a familiar name, and a good read (you can imagine why the name caught my attention).
Nathan Englander: Kaddish.Com As many of you know, I have given up my Jewish card. That normally extends to not reading about Jews (Lord knows, I have done enough of that in my lifetime anyway). But the title fascinated me, and I was not disappointed.
J. Jefferson Farjeon: Thirteen Guests. Another one of those revived authors (see above). I enjoyed it.
Rohynton Mystery: Such a Long Journey. I od`d on Indian authors for a while, but I was due, and this was a good one.
Edward Lue: The Retreat of Western Liberalism
David Goodhart: The Road to Somewhere: The Populist Revolt and the Future of Politics
As noted above, I am fascinated as to how we got where we are, and these are two well written explanations.
Kieran Setiya: Midlife; A Philosophical Guide. A bit late for me, and not terribly profound in any event. Give it a pass. And, finally,
Avon Willsmore, Under The Table: The Case Against the Blue Team. About cheating by the Italians at the world championship bridge games in the fifties. It was way over my head in many ways, but fascinating nonetheless.
So. pretty eclectic, no.
Just a little bit more. Went to Seattle last week for a bridge tournament last week (some of the - few - most expensive points I have ever earned). But while I was there, I did go to the Seattle Opera`s performance of Rigoletto. It is certainly in my top 10 favourite operas. The music was, as always, glorious, and the singing and acting very fine. I could have done without the feminist slant the director put on it, though.
So, there you have it. My life up to the present. I have unearthed my camera, and will start carrying it around again, so I can document the glorious weather in the remains of the summer. I`ll be back anon.
Several other things absorbed my summer. One was walking, which I did for two hours on most days. Before you start looking back on the photos to wonder why I don;t look like I`ve lost weight (and I haven`t), the two hours included three rest stops. That started when I got back to walking in June, after having been sick all of May, and it has just continued. I listen to books (mostly, although sometimes the radio) when I`m walking, so I keep listening as I sit on a bench and knit a few rows, to catch my breath. It has achieved ritual status now, and will probably continue until I head back to the desert. (You know me and my rituals...)
The other thing that has absorbed my summer has been my relationship with Mariah. As some of you know, we have known each other for over 40 years, but had a falling out last year. We always make allowances for our friends, but after her partner left her, I found the need to make allowances greater, and my willingness to do so less. So, we were civil, but distant. This year, my financial circumstances having changed, I asked her to repay moneys I had expended on her behalf. I had always intended that expenditure as a gift, but, well, as I said, circumstances changed. Rather than paying me back, she called a lawyer. That has definitely ripped the fabric of friendship beyond repair. In the end, most of the money was paid back, but it consumed the summer. And I find the whole thing very sad.
Well, it`s done now.
Aside from that, I have found myself amazingly content. Old friendships have developed, and new ones begun. I never seem to lack company when I want it, for the theater or the opera or the movies, and even the occasional walk, but am fine with my own company the rest of the time.
Oh, and the other thing I have done a lot of this summer is read. I`ve tried to keep a running list, but I am sure I`ve missed some. But here`s a partial list anyway, not necessarily in the order read....
Stephen Greenblatt: The Swerve: How The World Became Modern. It`s about Poggio, a humanist in the 15th century who found a copy of Lucrecius The Nature of Things mouldering in a library in Germany and brought it back into the world. I had read a previous book of his, Will in the World (about Shakespeare). He is a fascinating writer, making the unreadable readable. Recommended to me by friend Tom, who never steers me wrong.
Schoenbaum: Shakespeare`s Lives. Also recommended by Tom, a book about the many books about Shakespeare and his plays (and, of course, their attribution) since the 16th century. At 500 plus pages I found it a page-turner, believe it or not.
Michael Wolff: Siege; Trump Under Fire. As it sounds. I am fascinated by this stuff. A good read.
Veronica Heley: Murder by Suggestion. A bit lighter fare. I like this new development; a lot of the publishing houses are dusting off mystery authors from an earlier age and republishing their offerings, putting a new author out there for devouring.
Jared Diamond: Upheaval. Don`t bother. His Guns, Germs and Steel a decade or so ago was great; everything else has been down hill.
Margery Allingham: The Crime at Black Dudley. Another new-to me author, to add to my growing list of authors to look for.
Donna Leon: Unto Us a Son is Given. Another author, new to me, who I will be on the lookout for.
Erik Wilson: Everything Trump Touches Dies. This book is hilarious. Written by a life long republican and lobbyist who loathes Trump. Read it!
Fleishman is in Trouble. I heard it reviewed on thr radio, but didn`t catch the author`s name. I then saw it front and center in the library. I still don`t know the author`s name (as I recall, it had too many consonants) but worth reading if you can find it
T.C.Boyle: Outside Looking in A previous book, The Tortilla Curtain, was recommended by friend Bill. In my mind, it is still the best, but Boyle is interested in such weird and wondrous things, all his books have fascinated me. (He is one of those I would ask to dinner if I could ask 3 people to dinner...)
Ian McEwan: Machines Like Me. Another prolific author with an inquiring mind. He`s the author of Atonement, Chesil Beach, and many, many others. Considering this was about a robot and artificial intelligence, topics about which I don`t care a whit, I was surprisingly captivated by it.
Magda Szabo: Iza`s Ballad. I am making a concerted effort to read writers from countries I do not know much about (broadening my horizons and all of that). This one came my way by means of an airport bookstore - a surprisingly good one - and, being about old age as well as other things, was a good read.
Barbara Kingsolver: Unsettled. An author I no doubt don`t need to introduce. Her usual good read.
Ian Rankin: In a House of Lies.
Peter Robinson: Careless Love
Louise Penny: One Eyes Man
The above three are no doubt also well known to you mystery fans out there. I am a great fan of all three, and am trying to read them all.
Susanna Gregory: Intrigue in Covent Garden. Also a familiar name, and a good read (you can imagine why the name caught my attention).
Nathan Englander: Kaddish.Com As many of you know, I have given up my Jewish card. That normally extends to not reading about Jews (Lord knows, I have done enough of that in my lifetime anyway). But the title fascinated me, and I was not disappointed.
J. Jefferson Farjeon: Thirteen Guests. Another one of those revived authors (see above). I enjoyed it.
Rohynton Mystery: Such a Long Journey. I od`d on Indian authors for a while, but I was due, and this was a good one.
Edward Lue: The Retreat of Western Liberalism
David Goodhart: The Road to Somewhere: The Populist Revolt and the Future of Politics
As noted above, I am fascinated as to how we got where we are, and these are two well written explanations.
Kieran Setiya: Midlife; A Philosophical Guide. A bit late for me, and not terribly profound in any event. Give it a pass. And, finally,
Avon Willsmore, Under The Table: The Case Against the Blue Team. About cheating by the Italians at the world championship bridge games in the fifties. It was way over my head in many ways, but fascinating nonetheless.
So. pretty eclectic, no.
Just a little bit more. Went to Seattle last week for a bridge tournament last week (some of the - few - most expensive points I have ever earned). But while I was there, I did go to the Seattle Opera`s performance of Rigoletto. It is certainly in my top 10 favourite operas. The music was, as always, glorious, and the singing and acting very fine. I could have done without the feminist slant the director put on it, though.
So, there you have it. My life up to the present. I have unearthed my camera, and will start carrying it around again, so I can document the glorious weather in the remains of the summer. I`ll be back anon.
No comments:
Post a Comment