Author: christinestaffa

My life's journey has taken me from the streets of New York, up the Hudson Valley, to a little goat farm under Vermont's highest mountain.

Book Corner 2025.8

Heidi

by Johanna Spyri

(re-re-read)

So it’s a little over the top. If Johanna Spyri could have dialed it back just a little, it could have been the kind of classic suited for adults as well as children. What am I saying? This IS a classic and I’m trying to improve it.

Heidi is a little wood sprite. The world is enchanted to her; everything is alive, every tree and mountain and goat is an individual.

“[S]he made personal acquaintance with [the goats] all in turn, for they were like separate individuals to her, each single goat having a particular way of behavior of its own.” I can certainly vouch for the fact that every goat is an individual.

According to grandfather, the big bird of prey who lives on top of the mountain and croaks and screams is saying, “If you would separate and each go your own way and come up here and live on a height as I do, it would be better for you!” How I dream of living alone high in an Alpine hut, spending my time smoking my pipe and looking down over the valley.

Bob

First time was July 1986, with my boyfriend David. Bought me tickets for my 17th birthday. True Confessions tour with Tom Petty. I got a polinoidal cyst days before, but I made it anyway.

I went at least one other time with David. I remember people rushed the stage. I ran up too and saw Bob’s face. Frankly he looked a bit scared.

I went one time in college. I was between boyfriends and had no one to go with. Margaret suggested her friend Phil. He was Ken’s brother. I hadn’t met Ken yet. Ken was living in Pennsylvania. I went with Phil. It wasn’t a date. We thought he played good guitar.

I went once with Margaret. Bob sucked that night and Margaret didn’t like it.

I went at least once with Ken when we were dating. I remember the first time. It was in New Jersey. We played a game trying to be the first one trying to identify the song.

Then famously once I saw Bob in Burlington, Vermont, by myself. It was my first trip to Vermont. I was with Aunt Alice. Bob just happened to be playing Burlington that night. She didn’t want to go. I bought one ticket at Pure Pop and saw him at Memorial Auditorium. He was fantastic.

I went once at the Champlain Valley Expo on a triple bill with Willie Nelson and Mellencamp. Xopher came and didn’t enjoy it.

Finally I last saw him in 2017. I met up with Ken in Montreal to see him. Xopher came for the trip; Ken & I saw Bob and X went and did something else.

There may have been more times with David and more times with Ken that I don’t remember explicitly.

I think this ticket must have been the time with Margaret. $22.50, jeez.

Book Corner 2025.7

The Matter with Things

by Ian McGilchrist

The word “life-changing” gets thrown around a lot, by folks including me. But I feel after reading THE MASTER & HIS EMISSARY, and now this opus, that blinders have been lifted from me. I see my left hemisphere for what it is. I just wish I knew what to do with this newfound perspective.

Be it known this two-volume 600+ page work is partly responsible for me only being up to Book Corner 7 at the end of March. That and my new tendency to abandon books with wild abandon after significant investment. I’ve abandoned so many books halfway through lately.

Book Corner 2025.6

James

by Percival Everett

SPOILERS AHEAD. I was really disappointed with this, after how great ERASURE was. I couldn’t believe he dropped the parenthood bomb. Can writers really not think of any better way to give their narrative a “point” than to do a great big parenthood reveal? So boring! Plus, the beauty of the original HUCKLEBERRY FINN was how Huck came to see Jim as human through his own experience and moral reasoning. Not because he found out that Jim was his father! That changes his moral epiphany altogether. It becomes all about genetics. Parenthood. Race.

It was also tiresome how there was not single good white character in the whole book, living or dead.

James wonders towards the end whether white people are fighting to free the slaves merely out of “guilt.” What better reason would there be? What more or less does he want?

Profligacy

If Spending Money on Books, Yarn, & Wine Is a Crime, Let Me Be Guilty

We were out & about today. I spent money gratuitously. I bought yarn because I got a hankering (get it hank) to make a yellow-ish scarf because I totally am in danger of freezing to death due to a sore lack of scarves. I bought a book of baking for two because YES I have tons of baking books and YES I have tons of books on cooking for two BUT DID I HAVE A BOOK ON BAKING FOR TWO? NO! I also bought wine.