by Normal Maclean
I picked this up because I read that it was about Montana. I have a soft spot for Montana ever since I visited Bozeman and Yellowstone. I pictured the grand canyon of Yellowstone throughout all of this.
The story, though – haven’t we heard this one before? Troublesome kid brother?
by Paula Hawkins
If I had a dime for every time someone in this book made a bad decision. “It doesn’t feel right to say these words out loud” but of course she does. “I’m ready to hang up the phone, but” of course she doesn’t. I shouldn’t go buy a drink, but I do, I shouldn’t trespass and spy and lurk, but I do.
There are three women in this story and two men. The men are both awful. The women are all awful decision makers. Actually there are four women, if you count the bit part of Rachel’s flatmate Cathy, who probably makes the worst decisions of them all, since she tolerates the awful Rachel who pukes on her carpet. And there are three men, if you count the bit part of the red-headed man Rachel can’t recall how she knows from her drunken stupors. That guy is the only decent specimen of the male sex.
Oh well. It was supposed to be a mystery/thriller, not a character study. It was fairly exciting. Just, of course, not my kind of book. Obviously another book club pick.
1/16/91 (age 21 1/2)
It gets a bit challenging now for many years as I began writing backwards.
“i love myself enough to surround myself with beauty! i’m really getting into this aesthetic-decorating-beauty-sensuous thing! what fun.”
8/2/90 (age 21)
“perhaps if cody took a very short vacation i could get back in order better. he’s distracting. well if i start going to school we’re going to be together much less. it’s amazing how i can’t stay upset at him (unless he’s asleep). i can’t help but (heart) him. if someday i find a decidedly anti-sexist attractive appealing male w/intelligence will my (heart) for cody fade. my need for him probably will. it (heart) will probably go the way of whatever that feeling was i had for he-whom-i’d-care-to-forget. but now is now.”
I won an award. I won two awards.
“Chris, thank you for being an amazing technical lead. You have mentored all the new team members and keep the older ones in line. … Your leadership and knowledge have helped this team grow immensely. Lourdes and I are very much thankful for your contributions, leadership, and forward leaning thinking!”
and a small one, arguably more meaningful, as it was from a peer:
“Thank you for ALL your support and guidance. Really appreciate it !!!”
It is one (two) of those awards I get to shop for. I am feeling jewelry again this time.
10/25/89 (age 20)
“A) now you may note that i stupidly left out the highest priority, scheduled activities, which includes everything documented on the Class Schedule & the Snoopy Calendar. let’s talk about how to conduct yourself at some of these activities.”
eek, let’s not, 20-year-old me, what are you over-thinking!
First blooms on my Xmas cactus noticed the day after Tgiving. Good job Xmas cactus! Way to start the holiday season right on time and NOT too soon!
by Nicola Griffith
Hard to follow. But an impressive piece of work. Felt very true to 7th century. The only anachronism that jumped out at me was mention of a ‘mosquito’ (preferable would have been ‘midge’ or ‘gnat’). The concept of “gemaecce”, two women in a formalized friendship, had me searching the internet, and led me to the author’s blog. Her tiny author bio, and the book’s appendix, had already given a glimpse of her personality and voice – she seems super fun and clever.
7/18/88 (about to turn 19)
“well i’m back & i wonder how i’m going to cope – i almost said with this day, but i have to remember not to think in terms of days. how to cope till wednesday, how to cope with this moment. this morning’s therapy did nothing. well right now things are bad & your mind is not thrilled. it’s officially noon! i need some sugarless peppermint bubble yum real bad but i don’t have any. when your mind is not thrilled you’ve got to go on anyway. do what you believe right. relief is in sight!”
4/3/89 (age 19 1/2)
“there was a powerful flaming 4th-dimensional wind pummeling through space on an infinite inter-galactic voyage. it roared between & among the stars & through orbits & around planets & moons. it plunged through suns & skimmed celestial surfaces.”
This was the beginning of an extremely 19-year-old-wrote-this story I wrote.
Tytania 