Reading in Reykjavík

Originally published in October 2004, in 2 parts. Book 33 in my first 52 books challenge. Cover and illustrations by Edward Gorey A lot of people are familiar with Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats only through the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats . Many probably don’t even know these delightful verses existed long before Cats was composed. Ironically enough, the most famous song from the musical is not in the book: “Memory” was apparently based on some notes Eliot had written for more cat verses that were never published. As far as I know, these verses were originally written for the children of some friends of Eliot’s. They are often dismissed as being trivial and simplistic, especially in comparison with the sombre verses of The Wasteland . To tell the truth, I have never much liked The Wasteland , even if I did manage to get an ‘excellent’ for my smarmy essay about it in a modern literature class I took when studying for my B.A. degree in English. I much preferred Th...

Picking up where I left off in January, here is a blast from the past. I plan to post these on Mondays until I run out of them. I will correct them for spelling/typing errors and bad grammar and add formatting where I think it is necessary for clarity and reading ease, but will avoid editing them unless I think it's absolutely necessary. They do not necessarily express opinions I hold now. I may add comments to some of them. Originally published in July 2004, in 2 parts Book 24 in my first 52 books challenge. Compiled and edited by: E.O. Parrott Year published: 1985 Genre: Poetry, pastiche, prose Where got: Public library I came across this amusing little volume while browsing in the library. It’s a collection of humorous summaries of some of the famous literary works considered (by some) necessary for a person to be well read, and therefore splendidly suited for someone who is trying to read more. It includes summaries of works both by English-speaking authors and works that h...

Read to me - Jane Yolen Read to me riddles and read to me rhymes Read to me stories of magical times Read to me tales about castles and kings Read to me stories of fabulous things Read to me pirates and read to me knights Read to me dragons and dragon-book fights Read to me spaceships and cowboys and then When you are finished- please read them again.

Books in the windows, books on the floor, Books fill my shelves and block up the door. Books in my bedroom, books in the hall, Books on the tables and up against the wall. Books in the attic, books on the stairs, Books in the bathroom, books on the chairs. Books in the kitchen, books in my head, Books in the basement, books I haven't read. I'm cozy and content in my quiet world of books, I turn and read my pages in several little nooks. I am relaxed and happy in my comfy little nest, To read at least a book a day is what I love the best. I feel alive and happy with my eyes fixed on a book, I do my daily reading and sometimes forget to cook. Some may think that all those books are keeping me in thrall, It's true I will be old and gray before I've read them all. Thank goodness! Copyright by Bibliophile

Year published: 2001 Genre: Verse fiction Setting & time: London, second century A.D. The second From the Stacks challenge book I finish. The Story: Zuleika, daughter of Sudanese immigrants in Roman London, tells her story, all the way from a carefree childhood, to a marriage to a Roman senator at age 11, her friendships and empty life as a trophy wife, to her passionate and ill-fated romance with emperor Septimus Severus. Her affair with Severus is doomed from the start, but Zuleika regrets nothing and meets her fate with equanimity. Technique and plot: The story is told in first person and written in blank verse. The style is snappy and inventive, mixing together Latin and modern slang, references to Londinium and people and events contemporary to Zuleika with references to modern people, places and events. There is wild humour, especially where her friend Venus is concerned, but also pathos and sorrow and everything inbetween. Whenever she describes intimacies or sex, the...