Outlander

... or "How ______ always shows up in the nick of time!" (more or less...)

So - to try and be objective, this is an interesting mix of beautiful Scotland, time-travel, history, violence, lust (this is NOT for MR), and love. I also think there were some interesting introspection on faith (though there was more at the end of the book, which is of course the last thing I heard... ahh... I'm afraid to say anything to give anything away, but...)... but "objective" charades aside...

This book is so long! OMG. And there are MORE OF THEM. While I did enjoy listening to it, it is probably the longest audiobook I've EVER heard and it could have ended a million times and when it finally did, I was like... what? Now? Ok... Now I have, of course, seen that there are sequels (Auntie G? Have you read them?)... when did Madam Gabaldon ever have time to look anything up (or date, for that matter)? Truth be told, I was relieved when it was over. I would recommend this if you have a LOT of time on your hand and are feel like something that might look like this:



but better, with history ;) And possibly the Loch Ness Monster.

Administrative Peddie...

Peddie has been administrated. I was the all-powerful blogmaster but have shared leadership with the Peddie and the Bug. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility.

The Cheese Monkeys, by Chip Kidd

Isabelle proudly gave me this book I think two Christmases ago ("I actually spent money on it!") and told me about how this guy is such a good graphic designer and now he wrote a book. I spent a lot of time perusing just the cover with all it's tiny words written on the edges, and deciphering what was written on the edges of the book when it's closed. I finally read it within the past 7 days (and I think I'm being generous... I read it fast) and can recommend it as a crazy college thinking humerous in-between book. Don't get me wrong, it requires READING, but it's kinda broken up. I'd love to hear Auntie G's take on it.

I will also add that at the same time (during the past 7 days, not literal same time... that would be hard) I have been listening to "A Thousand Splendid Suns"... most of which was last night whilst making necklace models out of silver spray-painted paper, thread, glue, and corks! But I digress... the book: wow. I feel like you've all probably read it already, but what a story. I'm going to have to agree that the female Afghan perspective hits a little harder.

And I finished "Rumo" but that was right before Katie got here (who is MY favorite cousin right now)!

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

I wish I could tell you what page I'm on in Water for Elephants but I can only say that I'm about 10 miles in and a lot of flowers planted and weeds pulled. I guess that puts me somewhere in Chapter 4 or 5. But this book had me at Chapter 2.

I've been meaning to read Water for Elephants for at least a year, maybe even two. It came highly recommended by several friends and I've even had it on my iPod for ages to listen to and just didn't get around to it.

Actually, I started it once but the book has two narrators (which I discovered once I finally got past the first chapter) and the first narrator -- an old man of 90 or 93-- was so difficult to listen to that I stopped reading. And, when I say difficult, I mean that it was hard to hear his voice over the treadmill I lost interest after about three minutes and switched to something else.

Anyway, now I'm captivated and can hardly wait to go for a run, pull some weeds or fold some laundry so I can go back to the Depression and join the Circus with Jacob Jankowski. While there's a bit more sex in this book, okay a lot more since Life of Pi has no sex, it has a quality to it that reminds me of that book.

Choices

Here are your choices for the Poll over yonder -->

Girl Who Played with Fire

Reading this now.

Halfway through.

Really like it.

One word of advice for those of you who have not read it - DO NOT read the flap on the hardcover! I just so happened to look at it while reading yesterday and the part that I had just read (yes, I am HALFWAY through the book) was on the flap. Quelle bizarre! Anyway, that kind of made me feel like I wasn't as far along in the book as I thought I was. On the bright side that just means more to read!

Peddie have you started #2? I know Gwennie is done with it. Also, I'm planning on seeing the movie for Girl with the Dragon Tattoo this weekend! Yippee!

FLATLAND

Flatland is, indeed, a Romance of Dimensions... I'm not actually sure if it's in print anymore because I know Dad had to search around for it while I was in high school (for myself my classmate/neighbor). Btw, backstory is I'm working on a design project for a necklace right now involving a picture of Isabelle in her wedding dress, letting Lucy in, and I've now reduced it a bit to shapes, which is what brought me to Flatland (and maybe Big Bang Theory reminded me of it).

A long book is it not, but it does take some time to grasp certain elements. I really like it... it's good to help out your inner geek into some good ol nerdiness and fine old style writing. Here's a better blogger sum-up.