quick update

[orchesis]

We bought skis last weekend (er, rented for the season) with the intention of going skiing BUT we couldn't get train tickets on a Sunday. Duh. So, our plans were thwarted temporarily. However, this only means that I am determined to go this weekend. I can't wait. I haven't really ever been skiing (holding onto Dad dragging me down a mountain at age

Comments

[smileforsuzy]

The Bell Jar is pretty good. I read it a long time ago. I think it's written well but the subject matter is obviously depressing. You should counteract it with a happy book too likeeee The God of Small Things.

[unheardpublic]

Haha! Words. Taken. From. My. Mouth.

THIEF!

I don't know about The God of Small Things (will look up later), but Tom Holt is an author with a few funny books under his belt. I just read "Valhalla" which was humorous (if you like mythology and gods playing tricks on mere mortals).

But yeah, I loved The Bell Jar. Sylvia Plath is extremely interesting and her sense of humor is very, very dark. A lot of people think The Bell Jar is extremely serious and depressing (and it is), but if you read it in the right frame of mind, you can see how much dark humor is in it. Of course, the right frame of mind comes from having experienced suicidal thoughts and hating the world, so you might have to do some soul-searching to get to that point...Either way, it's an amazing read.

Z

[orchesis]

hehe. Valhalla sounds fun! I'll have to Amazon it after I get through all the books I brought over from the States (I made one GIANT budget book run and picked up all kinds of good stuff). It's a good thing I'm in a happy place because from yall's reviews it sounds like The Bell Jar will be a wrist-splitter. Then again, I'm a fan of Joyce Carol Oates so I suppose I'm a little of a masochist in the author arena.

[orchesis]

cool. I'll check out The God of Small Things. Author?

Previous skiing experience

[anonymous]

It was more like..... Erin, it's gettiing late.....they blew the horn 20 minutes ago, we have to get to the bottom.... get on my back and I'll carry you down... NO, I'll do it myself.... fall, fall, fall..... Erin, they blew the horn 30 minutes ago, we have to get to the bottom and catch our flight.... get on my back and I'll carry you down....NO, NO, I'll do it myself.....fall, fall, fall......repeat until dark-thirty.

At least you took the ski school for some real training.

Re: Previous skiing experience

[orchesis]

hahaha...yeeeeah. hopefully this time around will be a little better :P

[thoughtsonitall]

What did you think of White Teeth? Most people I've recommended it to lately haven't liked it. I'm thinking about reading it again. I haven't read the Bell Jar but I've been wanting to so badly. I just finished the book I was reading, so maybe I'll pick it up and read it at the same time. We can get depressed about it together at the same time on opposite sides of the world.

[orchesis]

I loved White Teeth! It was my pick for our book club here, so I hope it went over well with everyone else. I really like multi-generational sagas, so obviously it was right up my alley. She just came across so eloquently and with the perfect tone from like 5 different perspectives. Very impressive and entertaining.

Get The Bell Jar and lets read it together. Looks to be a quick read, actually, so I'll have time to get through it on top of our book club book this month.

[thoughtsonitall]

I got it! And you should read On Beaty by Zadie Smith also. I love her. She made me want to write.

[orchesis]

HOORAY! I'm so excited now. I've read like 100 pages just during my train commute time and I can already tell you that you will love this. It's funny, dark, cynical, and totally insightful about a young woman's feelings about her career, marriage, etc. Super good.