In the High Peaks
















Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Wilderness Explorations, Wimbledon, and Wishing for More Time to Read!

A superb wilderness exploration today with three people who know plants of all stripes inside and out! The dewpoint was in the low 70's (considered oppressive humidity by our meteorologist friends) and the heat was in the low 80s, but we managed to explore a wild area for four hours. I'm a dedicated wild plant student, but have so much to learn. My companions are so knowledgeable, I enjoy following along, snapping photos, and try to learn as much as I can. Rare wild orchids! Vividly colorful slime molds! Lots of fun. If you have any interest at all in the wild plants of the northern New York State region, visit one of our companions' nature blog at Saratoga Woods and Waterways. Gorgeous photographs!

Yes, Wimbledon is occupying our evenings and then some. Crack out the champagne. We want our Wimbledon picnic to be as close to the real thing as possible. Go, Andy Murray! Okay, I have a weak spot for Djokovic as well. On the women's side, the most enthusiastic players I've seen have been Marion Bartoli and Sabine Lisicki. We'll have to see. But if it's Independence Day, it's Wimbledon at our house.

Reading. No time today, but I'll be continuing my read of The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud before I fall asleep.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Have you read this remarkable debut novel, published quite a few years ago now? I've read everything else by Patchett but this debut, so I'm going for it soon.

I need to post a definite list of the books I'm reading this summer. I don't want it to end. July-August live on!

6 comments:

  1. Pleased to "meet" you, via Danielle. You and I are in the opposite positions with Ann Patchett; I started with Bel Canto and have read everything except, I think, Run. I especially enjoyed her non-fiction book about her friendship with Lucy Grealy, but I always enjoy what she takes on. I hope you enjoy BC as much as her others.

    Claire Messud's novel is in my immediate stack, and I expect I'll begin on the weekend; I've been meaning to try her for years, and this one just seems like the perfect launching point. I hope I enjoy it as much as you have. Thanks for posting the link to the NPR inteview; I'll check it out after I'm done reading.

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by! I've read Run, I enjoyed it, it spoke to me, but not profoundly, not the way the memoir about her friendship with Lucy Grealy moved me. I loved that memoir!
      I thought State of Wonder was my favorite book of the summer of--was it 2011? I think so. (?)
      Ken, my husband, read Bel Canto years ago and hated for it to end, so I'm quite sure I'll love it.
      Best wishes,
      Judith

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  2. I've read all of Ann Patchett's books and seem to be in the minority when it comes to Bel Canto - it's actually my least favorite of her novels. It's been years, but at this point I'm wondering if it could have been me/my mood at the time. Like Buried in Print, I thought Truth &Beauty was amazing and went on to read Lucy Grealy's Autobiography of a Face immediately afterwards. Very interesting to read the story from two perspectives.

    I'm in awe of The Woman Upstairs at the moment. There has been no time for reading this holiday weekend, and I can't wait to return to it later tonight.

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    1. You know, JoAnn, I've found The Woman Upstairs to be a very slow read--not because the writing is difficult, but because it is so full of ideas and emotions. I was only able to read it one hour at a time, and then my brain had to take a rest.

      I'm so interested that you read Lucy Grealy's memoir right after Truth and Beauty. I was tempted to, but as usual, other books were soon to be due at the library, and I moved on. I still want to read it, however.

      Judith

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  3. I've only read State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, which I liked.

    However, I've heard raves from friends, about Bel Canto, including by one who stresses the good writing. I keep looking at the title on my TBR mountaineous list but I will read it, soon I hope.

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    1. I inhaled State of Wonder as if I were there in the Amazon. Absolutely loved it. Probably one of my top 3 favorite books of 2011.

      I'm not sure when I'll be tearing into Bel Canto, but hopefully by late July or early August.

      Thanks for stopping by!
      Judith

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