“Jesus, Mary, Muhammad and Vishnu, how good to see you Richard Parker!”

"The Life of Pi" by Yann Martel is one of Auntie G's absolute most favorite books, with good reason.


I like bragging that I read it (starting with a couple chapters at JoBeth because I was waiting for my nerd friends to come back from the graphic novels) a waaaay long time ago. This has, however, lost effect since I didn't really seem to remember why I liked it so much. 


For one (1), it is simply a great story, with stories in stories.

Two (2), the way in which it is written has a very old timey feel, I find, of explaining things so well that you can truely see them. This book is full of things for the senses.

Three (3), with all the tragedy that goes on, it still manages to be uplifting. I was constantly amazed at the voice of the narrator (i.e. Pi) and his outlook on all that he went through.

Four (4) it is the very best when reading it. Holding on to the feeling it gives you is so wonderful. When it ends... it just ends.


Lastly (no number), and this is not really positive or important, but rather a peeve... I don't think any illustrations fit that of the boat. It was bigger. That bugs me, but I still love the cover (which drew me to it in JoBeth) and I recommend it. Am I preaching to the choir here? Do you guys have anything more constructive to say about it?

Dear Tina Fey,

Thank you for Bossypants, the audiobook.  I was listening to you this morning while I was running, started laughing, couldn't catch my breath and almost ran into a mailbox.  Perhaps I should not have interrupted my reading/listening of the Evolution of Bruno Littlemore, a novel narrated by a chimpanzee which has yet to make me laugh, to start Bossypants.  Clearly, I should think twice about driving whilst listening.  I haven't had this much fun since Broadway Nights.  Now, if I can just figure out how to download the .pdf so that I can see the white denim suit.   

Sincerely,

G. Mathews

Baby's First Audiobook

I finally did it!

At long last! Success!! I conquered an audiobook AND Everest!

I knew that I had to be a Williamson girl deep down and have felt so out of the loop with my non-audiobook-listening. Poor Isabug downloading audiobooks, but never actually listening to them. What a loser. Anyway, can I join the club now?

Onto the details. How? Why? When?

After entering the Frankfurt airport at an early (Claire even drove me!) 9:45am I proceeded to my gate where they basically lock you in with no options of food or drink and one TV. I parked myself in front of the TV that had no sound and watched some news while debating how I could bide my time. As it turns out I was a little tired of Wicked, having listened to it repeatedly for the past month with no break while I was in Germany, so scrolled through my boring music selection. Finally I decided to check out the audiobooks and lo and behold but I saw Into Thin Air. "Smart thinking, Isabug." I said to myself. I have always wanted to read it and this was my chance. I quickly pressed the play button and my journey began. I listened and listened and listened. I listened while I watched the Royal Wedding that appeared on the TV shortly after.. I listened as we boarded the plane.. I listened as the man in front of me obnoxiously sang along with his iPod on the phone (WHO DOES THAT?!?!)... and I listened in spite of having over 20 movie selections, most of which I had been waiting to see (King's Speech anyone?). Thankfully, I had a 7.5 hour flight so it was pretty much over by the time we landed. Maybe that's the key to my audiobook plight - listening all at once?

In any case, I loved it. Loved it. Loved it. I want to listen to it again and again.. although now that I'm back in New York I'm afraid that my audiobook listening days may be limited. Darn you loud subway riders and the need for no distraction so that you get off at the right subway stop. Yes, that happened this morning. I walked from 53rd and 5th to work...surprisingly for the first time ever! I don't know if I'm actually a changed person yet, but at least I have conquered one audiobook. Hello Williamson girls, I'm here!

ibooks...

Ok, while I realise we blur the lines of "reading" a lot on this blog in favor of listening, I'm still not sure if an ibook really counts more than an audio book, especially if you are reading it off something the size of your palm (David would have the advantage there... huge mitten wearer)... and I'm off on a tangent already. The point I wanted to get out here is that I know many of you dear readers have handy...cell phones ;) and most classics are available FO FREE!

I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but COOL. Jane Austens, Jane Eyre, Huck Finn, etc! I haven't read a full book per se, but rather SHERLOCK HOLMES which is FREE/awesome. I recommend it for everybody.

This example even contains an ibook ihave (Winnie the Pooh) and one I've listened to but not "read"... (House Rules)!

I am going to look for more Sherlock Holmes now. I like them because they're not so long, so you're not looking at that little screen forever, and because they're great.


EDIT: speaking of blurring the lines, I have not found more Sherlock Holmes yet because "The Warblers" apparently have an album!!!!@!@$#@$Q

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

I finished a book!!!  Okay, it's an audiobook but still I am in fact making a blog post about a book*.  And, it's a Simon and Schuster book.  Isabug, have you met Kathleen Grissom?  Can you get us all invited to her house?

I picked up the Kitchen House based on a recommendation that said, "if you liked The Help, you'll like The Kitchen House."  I did, in fact, love The Help and I really liked the The Kitchen House but I have to say the comparison would be that a.  they are both historical novels about "domestic help", b. one of the Kitchen House narrators is a narrator from The Help audiobook.   But, really the comparison for me pretty much ends there.  Very different theme, very different writing style and The Kitchen House isn't remotely funny.  What the Kitchen House does have for it, is a good story line about an indentured servant, Lavinia, living in Virginia at the turn of the 19th century. 

Dancealot and I have both read it and agreed that we liked it a lot but poor Lavinia has really rotten luck.  In fact, I think she might have been quite at home in The Series of Unfortunate Events books.  But, try it...it's on audible, if you know what I mean.






*I read a paperback Jodi Picoult book in February but I'm not sure that counts and I finished another Outlander series book which took me most of January and February.

March (book?) Madness...

I'm actually checking on this one (though I have not officially filled out a bracket, I have still partaken in the voting up till now ;)

What I Want 2 Read Next...

Yum. I think I could handle a book like this. Easy, comfortable, minimal and ohhh sooo good-looking!