There hadn't been time in a long time to return to my shelf of books, but this morning I did. I felt like I do on those Saturday mornings when I leave in the near-dark for the Farmer's Market and stand (in advance of jostling crowds) before cases of fresh cheese, fat shrimp, silk chocolate, blueberry muffins. Rich. That's how I felt.
I pulled Elizabeth Graver's Awake to my lap and read again the last 50 or so pages—one of the finest renderings of maternal guilt and regret that I have ever read. I pulled down Julie Otsuka's When the Emperor was Divine and decided to read it all the way through again tomorrow, so that I could remember fully why I loved it so much a few years ago. I took Per Petterson's Out Stealing Horses into my hands, and resolved to read it again on Sunday. I returned to The Cellist of Sarajevo and remembered: Another book of multiple voices, masterfully done.
And then I started reading Ron Hansen's Mariette in Ecstasy, and oh my, truly. Have you ever seen so much poetry in a novel's opening lines? Almost like reading Carole Maso's Ava—every detail an awakening, a surprise.
For you today, then, from Hansen:
Crickets.
Mooncreep and spire.
Ears are flattened to the head of a stone panther water spout....
Tallow candles in red glass jars shudder on a high altar.
White hallway and dark mahogany joists. Wide plank floors walked soft and smooth as soap.
Wide plank floors walked soft and smooth as soap.
new posts in all blogs
By: Beth Kephart ,
on 11/14/2008
Blog: Beth Kephart Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Awake, The Cellist of Sarajevo, Elizabeth Graver, Carole Maso, Julie Otsuka, Mariette in Ecstasy, Ron Hansen, Ava, When the Emperor was Divine, Out Stealing Horses, Per Petterson, Add a tag
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: Carole Maso, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 1 of 1
By: Beth Kephart ,
on 11/14/2008
Blog: Beth Kephart Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Awake, The Cellist of Sarajevo, Elizabeth Graver, Carole Maso, Julie Otsuka, Mariette in Ecstasy, Ron Hansen, Ava, When the Emperor was Divine, Out Stealing Horses, Per Petterson, Add a tag
7 Comments on A Return to (some) Favorite Books, last added: 11/21/2008
Display Comments
Add a Comment
I love your picture today! It's gorgeous. How big it the actually planter?
I haven't read any of these, but they sound like great recommendations - thanks :)
I second PJ - what a beautiful picture! I hope you have lots of time for reading this weekend.
I know, I know. I hope I have LOTS of time for reading this weekend. Though I just got a jury duty summons that will mean I'll have to back a lot of work up into my weekends.
Best laid plans...
As for the photo, I must now declare the truth: The planter isn't mine. It's something I walk by every day. I think it is big as my whole house, but I'm not sure.
I'd love to walk by it!
Oh, that's perfect. I can feel them under my feet.
I'll want to know, Cuillean, just what you think....