Thursday, July 29, 2010

murdstone

Soon we leave for the Italian lakeside town of Tignale for vacation. I've been practicing my Italian curse words and most importantly deciding which books to take along. After all, it's pretty easy to pick out seven pairs of underwear, but which seven (?) books to bring is a decision that should be guided in part by deep consideration and in part by instinct.
Things are looking good, though, because I've finally gotten to work on my New Year's resolution, which was to read David Copperfield. For months I've been looking at it on the shelf and groaning nooooo. But, now at page 81 (of about 900) I have to admit it is a wonderful book, sad in its melodramatic dickensian way and also very funny. Of course it is not a difficult book, just huge. But my fear that is would be a musty old eye-roller was wrong. I love orphans and plump, sentimental maids whose buttons pop when they hug you. I feel just like this guy in The Twilight Zone.
Since it's the size of three books, it should keep me fed for a while. But I'll also take some short stories, and a couple back-up novels, including Cloud Atlas. Also Sebastian Junger's War, and Dorothea Lasky's Awe. This much is sure.

5 comments:

Kass said...

Ah, Burgess Meredith. I remember seeing that episode years ago. What a miserable ending. Be sure not to break your glasses on this vacation.

And don't say, "che cazzo stai dicendo? " too much.

NE said...

DC is my first and favorite Dickens book ever.

If you're going to Italy, read a book that's set there like Hemingway's A FAREWELL TO ARMS. War, yes, but romance, too. And what an ending!

ArtSparker said...

I have tended to reserve those Dickens bricks for the winter...something about hibernation. But I suppose a proper vacation involves lying around (about to you) in a physically inert state.

toniclark said...

Aw, I didn't even need to watch that TZ episode to know it instantly. I remember Henry Bemis and exactly how much pain I felt when I first saw that episode at age 11. Heartbroken. Have a great vacay. I must check out some of the books you mention (though certainly I have my own double-wide stack by the bed. . . .)

Kathleen said...

Cloud Atlas is on my to-read list, based on my sister's response to his first novel, Ghostwritten, which I will be able to borrow from her!

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