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Aug. 2nd, 2006 08:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chelseagirlLibraryThing is the most fun and addictive thing ever if, like me, you like to make lists and obsess about books. Luckily you can only catalog 200 books on a free account, so I simply won't allow myself to get a paid account until after I have a more structured work schedule again, in the fall. 200 books -- that's like *one* bookcase, yeah? We've got seven in our tiny apartment, and that's with regular weed-outs.
Speaking of reading, here's my list for July. A bit thin, but with the dissertation/freelancing juggling, what I managed.
The Shadow Lines, Amitav Ghosh
Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee, Meera Syal
Throne of Jade, Naomi Novik
Paladin of Souls, Lois McMaster Bujold (book group)
Here They Come, Yannick Murphy
Shalimar the Clown, Salman Rushdie
Londonstani, Gautam Malkani
I'm on a quest to find a novel about South Asians in Britain (or in Britain and India or Pakistan) for a possible course I'm proposing. Several of these novels were candidates: The Shadow Lines was beautifully written but I didn't find it quite compelling. Still, I'm definitely going to read more by Ghosh. Londonstani, otoh, was a real page turner and also something I think students would really like, as it deals with a group of boys their age. There's a twist at the end that I either love or hate, depending on which angle I examine it from. The Syal book was more chick-lit-ish than her Anita and Me; a fun read though too Bridget Jones for the classroom.
Otherwise, the Murphy was a loan I might not have chosen and ended up really liking; it's about children of feckless artists growing up in NYC in the 70s. It's from the McSweeney's group, and they often irritate me, but this one really got under my skin in a good way. Plus I've got a thing for lost New York of all eras, including one that ended not so long ago.
My building is having a partial power-outage -- some of the circuits are running and some of them aren't. In our apartment, the one that's not working is the one that the air-conditioning, television and all of the kitchen run on. Fortunately, the very clever M. rigged up the essentials on extension cords, so that we do have a/c (though we are following the mayor's rec and keeping it to 78 -- 80 when I'm here alone), tv and refrigerator, and as our stove/oven runs on gas, the only thing we really can't do is cook after dark. Also, my computer is running; his is not. There were firemen here last night as apparently there was carbon monoxide in the basement. Of course, this happens while the super is on vacation and his brother (a super one block over) is covering. I'm just so afraid the whole grid's going to crash, building-wide or city-wide.
Speaking of reading, here's my list for July. A bit thin, but with the dissertation/freelancing juggling, what I managed.
The Shadow Lines, Amitav Ghosh
Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee, Meera Syal
Throne of Jade, Naomi Novik
Paladin of Souls, Lois McMaster Bujold (book group)
Here They Come, Yannick Murphy
Shalimar the Clown, Salman Rushdie
Londonstani, Gautam Malkani
I'm on a quest to find a novel about South Asians in Britain (or in Britain and India or Pakistan) for a possible course I'm proposing. Several of these novels were candidates: The Shadow Lines was beautifully written but I didn't find it quite compelling. Still, I'm definitely going to read more by Ghosh. Londonstani, otoh, was a real page turner and also something I think students would really like, as it deals with a group of boys their age. There's a twist at the end that I either love or hate, depending on which angle I examine it from. The Syal book was more chick-lit-ish than her Anita and Me; a fun read though too Bridget Jones for the classroom.
Otherwise, the Murphy was a loan I might not have chosen and ended up really liking; it's about children of feckless artists growing up in NYC in the 70s. It's from the McSweeney's group, and they often irritate me, but this one really got under my skin in a good way. Plus I've got a thing for lost New York of all eras, including one that ended not so long ago.
My building is having a partial power-outage -- some of the circuits are running and some of them aren't. In our apartment, the one that's not working is the one that the air-conditioning, television and all of the kitchen run on. Fortunately, the very clever M. rigged up the essentials on extension cords, so that we do have a/c (though we are following the mayor's rec and keeping it to 78 -- 80 when I'm here alone), tv and refrigerator, and as our stove/oven runs on gas, the only thing we really can't do is cook after dark. Also, my computer is running; his is not. There were firemen here last night as apparently there was carbon monoxide in the basement. Of course, this happens while the super is on vacation and his brother (a super one block over) is covering. I'm just so afraid the whole grid's going to crash, building-wide or city-wide.
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Date: 2006-08-02 01:15 pm (UTC)Just let me know and I'll call the guys to see what the situation is there powerwise - and if it's all good, I can tell them to give you the key.
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Date: 2006-08-02 01:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-02 01:37 pm (UTC)Like I said, just give me a shout if it gets to that point and I shall call home and get a report from the guys.
I know it's not like having full power at your own place with your own things aorund you -- as you say one can keep an eye on things at home and I can't offer relief for the feline amongst us (though I find cats extremely adept at managing this kind of thing with more grace than humans). But at least, if things get as hot as they say, you could be more comfortable for a time.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-02 03:44 pm (UTC)