Weird Start to the Month

 It's been a weird start to September. I usually post a book report around this time, but even my reading habits have been weird so far. I've been in a strange book mood and I've DNFed more books than I've read. Some of these were from the wee free library, some from charity shops, and some from the library. Then I picked up a lesser known Victorian classic and happily settled in. I have read a few books so far this month, but I think I'll save the reviews until the end of the month and do them all together. We had a slight mishap last week that was nothing serious, but has left me with back pain that is intense at times. Thankfully I can sleep and sit without the intense pain, but standing and completing some tasks take more time than usual.

A friend is stopping at the library for us today when she's in the area (it's in a different town), and she'll return books and pick up the ones waiting there for us, which is very kind. The same friend and neighbor came over to redo the hydrangea mirror frame. She went and found the deeply colored hydrangeas to cut because she knows they're my favorites. She used to live here and she created the frame a couple of years ago. I loved it then so when she was moving out in advance of our moving in, I asked her if the hydrangeas could stay since the mirror was staying. They were dry by then and a bit faded from their original color, but after the room was painted she put them back and said in the autumn she'd replace them. And so she has. I adore it and it makes me happy every time I look at it. I love, love, love those colors, which are deeper, richer, and more jewel toned in real life, as you can see from the close-up below.

Also making me happy is the book mail that came this week.

A few months ago, I found out that this book would be published on September 3. On that date, Bill ordered it--A History of the Novel in Britain by Philip Hensher. I expect this will send me looking for more books to read.

I'm eager to get into it, but it's quite a chunky hardback and Finn is coming to stay with us in a few days. This isn't a book that I'd like to be holding in awkward positions while he's sleeping on my lap, especially with my back the way it is, and I don't want to rush through it to finish before he comes, so I will continue being patient and look forward to reading it soon. 

I also got this one--Devils (aka Demons, or The Possessed) by Fyodor Dostoevsky:

I quite like the Wordsworth Classics as their supporting material is usually very informative. This isn't a Dostoevsky book I'd heard of until I read about it somewhere several months ago. Some people consider it his best work. I've read several of his novels, most recently The Idiot at the beginning of this year, and I've liked all of them, so I have high hopes for this one.

Finally, I got this book today--Felix Holt, The Radical by George Eliot. 

I think I'll be starting this one today. It wasn't even on my radar until last week when Bill was about to buy a book for himself from an eBay shop that he's bought from before. He said that he could get free shipping on a second book, so I might as well look through the shop listings to see if there was anything I was interested in. Not one to turn down an invitation like that, I went clicking around and came across this book. I'd heard of it but the title never stuck in my mind. George Eliot has been a mixed experience for me. I've liked some of her short stories and Middlemarch is great. I loathed Mill on the Floss. A few months ago I picked up Daniel Deronda in a funky little used bookshop in a tiny village near where we used to live but it promptly got packed away and I haven't read it yet. Anyway, my classics kick, which started 5 or 6 years ago, shows every sign of hanging around. I am not complaining. 😀

I hope things are good in your world and that whatever you like to read, you've got lots of it!

Share