Red-letter day: I finished the second volume of Proust's Remembrance of Things Past. While In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower wasn't as satisfying overall as Swann's Way, it did provide the patented Proust moments of awe, as well as some genuine chuckles.
I also am almost finished with a New in the Stacks read: The Beautiful Cigar Girl by Daniel Stashower. Part biography, part murder mystery, this nonfiction read details the convergence of a scandalous murder with Edgar Allan Poe's life. The murder inspired a work called "The Mystery of Marie Roget." I had no idea that Poe was orphaned then raised in a wealthy family, whose patriarch cut him off when he was a young man. Interesting, quick read...and whets my appetite for Poe. May have to find a way to work him into the Horror Story Short Challenge in October!
Now, with a clear conscience, I move onto Cervantes and Don Quixote! This is going to be a doubly satisfying challenge, insofar that I get to read a great novel AND it sort of preps me for a trip to Spain I am taking in November. Two whole weeks of vacation, from Barcelona to Madrid, with a very likely stop in Morocco. Hola!
9 comments:
Woo hoo! Congrats on finishing volume 2!
Your trip sounds like it is going to be fantastic, LK! Can I come in your suitcase?
Congratulations on finishing Proust!
Daniel Stashower's book interests me. I recently read an article in Mystery Scene about Poe's influence on the mystery genre. I had known some about his past, thanks to a Linda Fairstein legal thriller if you can believe it. I did some research on him after that to learn how much of it was true.
Good luck. I have been reading Don Quixote for seven years. This time, I made it as far as the bit where the priest decides to burn his books and ends up filching them - no, it's not very far in, is it? Shameful.
Congrats on finishing the Proust! And I look forward to your thoughts on Cervantes. Lucky you for getting to go on that trip to Spain!
Madrid is great - my husband and I went there last February and ate our way through all the little neighborhoods. Good bookstores too!
Felicitations on finishing the second Proust!
Hurray on Proust! Progress! Which reminds me that I need to finish up the one I'm reading too. ;p
I envy your Spanish trip. I'm totally seduced by the whole Spanish thing. Do share with us your little vacation if you can.
Your trip sounds incredible! I keep thinking I will read Don Quixote too but summer is about to begin and I'm not sure if I will make it or not!
Thanks, everyone! I am looking forward to the challenge of DQ...and will definitely try to post from Spain once I'm there.
I'm just glad someone else is just starting Cervantes. I've got several books on the go at the moment and feel bad about starting another. But I do want to join in with everyone because it looks a lot of fun!
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