Books!

With all this time to read, you're probably expecting that i've plowed through a great many books in the last two weeks. I'm sad to say it ain't so. My textbook reading does take up a fair amount of time, though it's a pretty easy read for a text book. The class is on using theory in general (I still haven't really figured out what they mean by that), but our first text is about medieval European history. It's called The Civilization of the Middle Ages and is by Norman Cantor. It's a popularly published book and I actually quite recommend it if you've got an interest in this area. My only knowledge of medieval history prior to reading it was due to my father-in-law's encouragement to read Eco's The Name of the Rose and Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael books. (The latter I recommend without hestitation - the former - it helps to have the background FIRST.) At any rate, Cantor has an easy narrative style that uses larger-than-life personages from various periods to carry the story along. While I still stumble around some on what Papal doctrine said what, he's given me a much better understanding of European history than I had before.

The other volumes on which I've spent my time have been much less edifying, I must admit. I devoted most of a day and a box of kleenexes to some excellent trashy drivel, Nora Roberts' Chesapeake Blue; followed by another day on Diana Gabaldon's escapist romp Dragonfly in Amber (skipping some of the most unpleasant parts - ah the joys of selective rereading!). Today was given over to Elizabeth Peters' latest (?) Amelia Peabody book, Guardian of the Horizon. I was quite delighted to find that in the library yesterday. Now if they would only hurry up and get the latest Stephanie Plum book, Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich in, I'd be most pleased. I reserved it yesterday though, for the princely fee of 1 euro. So maybe soon.

Noticing some decidely low-brow trends in my reading list? I must admit to being a disciple of the read for pleasure school. Someday I should give Foucault's Pendulum or somesuch another go, but it's just so satisfying to zip through a fun, easy read. Aside from my trashy fiction, I just got a book from the library on tips for travelling the world. It's from 1997 which doesn't seem so long ago until you get to the section where he says that email is not a very useful way to communicate with people back home. It may yet have something useful to say. We shall see.

And now to start a new book. I did actually get something a little more intelligent out yesterday - a book by Annie Proulx, the author of the Shipping News. here's hoping it's worthwhile.