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Last (*mumble*), I went to Michigan for my brother's wedding. (When I started writing this, it was "last week," but now it's fast approaching "last month," and I am finally just going to post it even though it isn't really done and never will be done, so I will be able to post about other stuff.) I'm happy about the marriage. I'm glad to see my (newly extended) family so happy. But, in the unlikely event anyone in charge of such things is reading this, let me register my strong preference for elopements.
On this trip, I only had to spend one day preparing for the wedding in my mother's house. After that, we were supposed to go to the hotel where the wedding would be held, to be near all the out-of-town guests (and away from the clutter), surrounding ourselves with a joyous frenzy of wedding preparations for 3 solid days. Some people regard such frenzies as joyous, or so I am given to understand. As it worked out, my mother drove back and forth between the wedding hotel and the house, searching for critical wedding-preparation material that had been lost in the household clutter. This gave me time to read.
I also found some of the wedding guests happy to talk about books. (My mother's interests aren't the only ones that run in the family, thank goodness.) I could bring a paperback to most of the events that involved bridesmaids sitting around waiting in heavily decorated groups (other than the wedding itself, obviously.) It occurred to me, on talking with assorted cousins, and bridesmaids, and friends and relatives of my parents, that there are an awful lot of Haddassah chapters with book clubs. I went so far as to wish _Farthing_ had been published, so I could point them to it. I talked to people who belong to several such organizations in different places, and they all seem to be looking for thoughtful, interesting, books with Jewish Themes that inexperienced readers can recognize while standing on one foot and drinking herbal tea. And Feminist Themes for equally inexperienced readers to recognize while standing on the other foot. But not always the SAME handful of themes. The experience didn't approach Worldcon, obviously,...but it was better than cornering wedding guests to try to tell them about that damn albatross.
So, what did I read? I re-read Kay's _Lord of Emperors_, having re-read _Sailing to Sarantium_ on the plane. Then I found Nevil Shute's _So Disdained_ buried among my father's old books, and grabbed it when my mother wasn't looking. It's re-reading, technically, but I don't think I understood it very well the first time through. (When I was in high school? Middle school? I certainly didn't remember much of it.) I also read _The Lost Steersman_, which finally worked its way to the top of my to-read pile, after I read the first two Kirstein books this winter, and found it at Boskone. This weekend turned out to be the *perfect* time for me to go back to that way of thinking. And it went beautifully with _So Disdained_. I finished off the weekend with Ruth Rendell's _A Sight For Sore Eyes_, lest the sentimental synergy of the Kirstein and the Shute overwhelm me.
Spoilers. No, really. Spoilers. I like re-reading at least as much as the first read, so I blow endings out of the water with spoilers. If that doesn't bother you, go ahead ... ( Read more... ) And so the question is asked and answered, what connects a person to community, to family, to home? In the clumsy context of _So Disdained_, it's simple: when Maurice loves his wife in England and wants to protect her, that means loyalty to England. That's enough for him. But it can't be enough in the Steerswomen's world, where principle trump people. Or at least they seem to, halfway through the story.
On this trip, I only had to spend one day preparing for the wedding in my mother's house. After that, we were supposed to go to the hotel where the wedding would be held, to be near all the out-of-town guests (and away from the clutter), surrounding ourselves with a joyous frenzy of wedding preparations for 3 solid days. Some people regard such frenzies as joyous, or so I am given to understand. As it worked out, my mother drove back and forth between the wedding hotel and the house, searching for critical wedding-preparation material that had been lost in the household clutter. This gave me time to read.
I also found some of the wedding guests happy to talk about books. (My mother's interests aren't the only ones that run in the family, thank goodness.) I could bring a paperback to most of the events that involved bridesmaids sitting around waiting in heavily decorated groups (other than the wedding itself, obviously.) It occurred to me, on talking with assorted cousins, and bridesmaids, and friends and relatives of my parents, that there are an awful lot of Haddassah chapters with book clubs. I went so far as to wish _Farthing_ had been published, so I could point them to it. I talked to people who belong to several such organizations in different places, and they all seem to be looking for thoughtful, interesting, books with Jewish Themes that inexperienced readers can recognize while standing on one foot and drinking herbal tea. And Feminist Themes for equally inexperienced readers to recognize while standing on the other foot. But not always the SAME handful of themes. The experience didn't approach Worldcon, obviously,...but it was better than cornering wedding guests to try to tell them about that damn albatross.
So, what did I read? I re-read Kay's _Lord of Emperors_, having re-read _Sailing to Sarantium_ on the plane. Then I found Nevil Shute's _So Disdained_ buried among my father's old books, and grabbed it when my mother wasn't looking. It's re-reading, technically, but I don't think I understood it very well the first time through. (When I was in high school? Middle school? I certainly didn't remember much of it.) I also read _The Lost Steersman_, which finally worked its way to the top of my to-read pile, after I read the first two Kirstein books this winter, and found it at Boskone. This weekend turned out to be the *perfect* time for me to go back to that way of thinking. And it went beautifully with _So Disdained_. I finished off the weekend with Ruth Rendell's _A Sight For Sore Eyes_, lest the sentimental synergy of the Kirstein and the Shute overwhelm me.
Spoilers. No, really. Spoilers. I like re-reading at least as much as the first read, so I blow endings out of the water with spoilers. If that doesn't bother you, go ahead ... ( Read more... ) And so the question is asked and answered, what connects a person to community, to family, to home? In the clumsy context of _So Disdained_, it's simple: when Maurice loves his wife in England and wants to protect her, that means loyalty to England. That's enough for him. But it can't be enough in the Steerswomen's world, where principle trump people. Or at least they seem to, halfway through the story.
