More musings of a random nature to regale you with on this not quite an average Monday day. We are anticipating a visit from Hurricane Sandy; blustery gusty winds and likely power outages. I have all my electronic devices fully charged and am ready to tweet and comment as much as I can until all is calm again.
LOTS to chat about (since I still don’t have a book to review!)
Since last post, I made a pie. A plum pie that I found in the Better Homes and Gardens latest magazine. I even tried the vodka trick in the pie dough! But I must have worked it a bit too much, because I found it tough. THAT could also be blamed on the cup of gluten free flour I incorporated. But the pie insides were heavenly and I must say, plums are WONDERFUL to work with – cut in half, easily take out the pit, cut the halves into quarters and throw ’em in. See why I hate making apple pie? I really do not like peeling and slices apples…
I have fallen completely in love with Tolstoy’s epic Anna Karenina! I have less than 100 pages/few hours to go; should get it done today. And if we have power tomorrow, I will try to write a review.
It’s MENAGE Time at Citizen Reader’s, once again! I love her book menages. This round, we celebrate Shirley Jackson. I have already reserved the library copies of Jackson’s memoir Life Among the Savages, her short story collection Just an Ordinary Day, and a bio Private Demons by Judith Oppenheimer. Discussion to be the week of December 3.
Which means that I now have Bleak House to listen to, The Casual Vacancy to read (for my ‘real life’ book club) and now two selections by and on Shirley Jackson. I so wish I could participate in the Count of Monte Cristo over at The Estella Society but I just can’t commit to that much! I cannot!!
On Saturday, I attended the Boston Book Fest and had a fabulous time being ‘literary-minded’ with my friend Holly. We had the fortune of meeting up with Laurie of Bay State Reader’s Advisory for the session on The Short Story: featuring Junot Diaz, Jennifer Haigh and Edith Pearlman.
“Sometimes we want stories that confirm our lives and sometimes we want stories that distort.” (may not be word for word but quote by Junot Diaz. He was great, by the way. Actually this was my favorite session of the day and I cannot wait to read ALL of these authors. Note: I have read Oscar Wao…)
We enjoyed lunch together at the Boston Public Library Courtyard Cafe and then split up each to our own interests. I caught the Iliad session with Madeline Miller, the author of The Song of Achilles. Have not read this nor the Iliad (nor Odyssey! – I am clueless to all these myths and gods and ancient stories, alas.) Softdrink praised The Song of Achilles (click for her review) and so I, too, want to read it. Ms. Miller is sharp! And she reminded me of a good friend of mine who lives in Chicago. My friend Holly was turned away from the Brits and Books session (too crowded!) and so attened the one on the Economy – she said it was fantastic! Laurie will have to chime in on the Fiction and Religion session with Tom Perotta. I then ran off to the Edith Wharton: Real and Imagined event but was too late for a chair; sitting on the floor didn’t suit me. I admit, I skipped out a the question-time but do want to read the books featured: Irene Goldman-Price’s My Dear Governess, Jennie Fields’ The Age of Desire and Francesca Segal’s The Innocents. First, I need to read Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, I suppose… I was attracted to this session because I am currently caught in the time frame of the 1870s with Anna Karenina. As Bonjour Cass so eloquently put it in a tweet, “There’s nothing New Englanders love more than tragic stories about New Englanders.”
That’s not all! We were treated to a hug and a smile from Dawn of She is Too Fond of Books. She was working the Women’s National Book Association Booth. Holly and I both keep saying we should volunteer at BBF. Maybe next year.
“The Iliad is football. The Odyssey is baseball. Think about that.”
– Quote from David Elmer. He is a Harvard classics prof and was the facilitator to Ms Miller’s book talk.
HIdeinWhitetoSkipLine
Happy Halloween!!
Care's Books and Pie 
Your plum pie sounds divine. And you’re loving Anna Karenina! That is so great! I am not planning on re-reading it before I see the movie with Kiera Knightley, because that would be setting myself up for possible disappointment, you know?
I just want to see the costumes and the lavish luxurious settings.
I’m so glad you’re loving Anna Karenina. It’s such a powerful book. I was expecting a simple love story, but it was such an exploration of faith and personal growth, etc. I really want to read The Song of Achilles too.
Well, you knew it had to be more complex if it was almost 1000 pages!
The pie sounds wonderful and so does the book festival. I love you in the witch’s hat.
Thanks!
As someone who hates baseball and loves football, The Iliad, and the Odyssey, I say to David Elmer: NUH-UH.
Hey you — Be safe!!
After reading one Shirley Jackson book a couple months ago, I now want to read everythingggg by her. So good. Glad you had fun at the BBF–I keep considering volunteering too but haven’t gotten around to it. I really should!
Of course, I’ve read The Lottery and I enjoyed We Have Always Lived in the Castle. We will have to meet at next year’s BBF or maybe some other book event?
Looks like lotsa fun before the storm! Hope you’re staying safe and warm and dry!
Safe, warm and dry. And no school again (not that I had to go anyway…)
I love the sound of plum pie, but have never had one. I can just see that filling, though – purply, juicy, oozing with wonderful sweetness. The Boston Book Festival sounds like such fun. Stay safe, Care!
Not sure I had ever had a plum pie before, either but it was SO EASY. I think I might have to cut the cloves – it was rather spicy in that regard.
Hope you’re safe up there my dear!!!! That pie looks DIVINE!!!!! And so glad that you enjoyed yourself at the book festival 🙂
All safe and sound. Really, it wasn’t as bad as I expected. We only lost power for a few hours which means our elec co must have been hyper prepared. Although, I am rather surprised school was off for these 2 days – but then, I don’t really know the condition of the rest of town.
First of all, so happy that you made it through Sandy relatively unscathed! How did the boat do?
Next, you are so stinkin’ adorable!
And finally, so much yummy deliciousness…in the pie realm and the bookish realm! I think if I made a plum pie for Rich he would worship me forever. 🙂
I just pinterest-pinned the Plum Pie recipe! Do you pinterest?
The boat was touched by the rising waters/waves but was not rocked off its stands so we are O.K. The marina said it was close – only one boat shifted/floated and they were able to secure it.
HOORAY about the boat! And yeah, I do pinterest (though I’m sort of a slacker), so I’m off to repin you. 🙂
I missed this post yesterday somehow. I have only gotten as far as transferring my Boston Book Fest photos from my phone to my computer, so I am wicked impressed! (And I forgot to take one of you guys!) Plum pie looks delicious even though I’m still not sure how I feel about plums.
OH! I meant to link to your blog! Will fix that right now…
I read a few of the more recent comments and see that your boat survived. Excellent! I’ve seen many photos of the destruction but so far, the folks I know came out unscathed (for the most part).
The pie looks great. I miss pie-crust. Gluten free pie crust is not worth making. Just can’t get that flakiness.
I have made a gf pie crust that turned out awesome but when I attempted to recreate it another time, it failed. It was still tasty and texture wasn’t horrible but it shrunk considerably!
that pie looks amazing 🙂 anna karenina is in my opinion one of the best books ever written! i’m scared about the upcoming movie due to keira knightley but I loooove that book beyond all reason.
I am not worried about the Keira Knightley version – I just want to see the costumes!
Glad to have found your blog. I hope you are safe from Sandy.
Hope Sandy was kind to you! Sounds like a great bookish event. And you won a book in my giveaway (The Marriage Plot). I don’t think I remembered to e-mail you about it. I will be getting it in the mail shortly.
cute costume! hope you survived sandy without much loss. my friend edie does an online bookclub & she began w odyssey. She did VLOG posts that I thought made it interesting. plus, she’s just fun. 🙂 http://www.lifeingraceblog.com
“The Iliad” is football? Well, I’ve never been sure about trying “The Iliad” but if it’s football, I may just have to try!
You’ve had so many fun (outside of Sandy) going on! I’m just hopping over to say hi and have a nice weekend!