Books Left: 94
Current Book: Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

I’m behind again. This time it’s not because I left Wide Sargasso Sea in a plane heading to Michigan. This time I left it on a car heading to Michigan, and I was not in the car. Luckily, my parents own the car and were able to mail me back the book. I have it. I’m reading it. I don’t really have much to say about it right now. I’m still conflicted. I feel like it’s pushing a bit towards, “Rochester’s not the victim here, Bertha/Antionette is.” However, given what’s in the book itself, not just what I’ve read from Jane Eyre, I don’t completely see her as being victimized. I think that “who is the victim?” is the wrong question. I hope to have more on this once I actually finish the book.

In the meantime, I’ve gathered some interesting and hopefully amusing links over the past week:

The Brainstormer – A fun little do-dad that provides you with a plot archtype, a genre/time period, and a setting for stories, poems, pictures, comics–any creative outlet, really. It’s a lot of fun! Here are 5 random scenarios from the brainstormer (some of them make more sense than others):
“Letting Go” on a stuffy British pier.
“Rescuing a Loved One” on Al Capone’s oasis.
“Daring Enterprise” in an Eskimo hospital.
“Miracle” on a nuclear tree.
“Slaying of a Loved One” on a hippie expedition.

The Sketchbook Project – I’m hoping the brianstormer might help me with the sketchbook  project, which I recently signed up for. You sign up, get a sketchbook, fill it up by January, and then it goes on a “tour” of a few different US cities. You also get to pick a topic: mine is “…you’d be home by now.” So far I only have a few pages filled, but I’m hoping to share a few creations when I have more.

Will Independent Bookstores be the Last Bookstores Standing – This is a fascinating article about how bookstores are fairing against Amazon. While I love Amazon, it’s not quite the same as shopping in an actual physical bookstore, and I was sad when one of my local Borders closed (although quite happy about the sale, if you remember). I love independent bookstores, too. My favorite is Kramerbooks in DC.

Personal Library Kit – I need this. I’ve been loaning out books for years. I love sharing favorites with friends, and while I’ve always managed to get my books back without a fuss (I have good friends) it might be nice to make things a little more official.

Books Left: 94
Current Book: Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

One of the Borders near my office is going out of business, so everything was on sale today! It was bittersweet, because I liked the particular Borders, but mostly sweet. I ran around the store with the sort of glee normally found only in TJ Maxx commercials and that Shopaholic movie. Here’s my loot:

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty – I’ve been wanting to read this since it came out when I was in high school but for some reason I never did. As you can see from the bookmark I already started reading it. I think my experience reading it now is going to be much different than it would have been back then (I believe I was in high school or the early years of college).

Cleaving by Julie Powell – I’m not sure why, but this book interested me a lot more than her other book, the one the Julie and Julia film was based off. I think it’s because I read a review of this book that said it detailed a downward spiral in Julie’s life and somehow that sounded appealing.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender – I was so excited that they had this in stock: a new book by my favorite author! (I guess this is like finding cheap designer jeans that fit at TJ Maxx.) I really wish Bender would write another novel, but I am overjoyed to have this short story collection in my hands.

JavaScript: Pocket Reference by David Flanagan – I’ve heard amazing things about the plot! (Alright, you got me. It’s for work.)

Mystery Book CD DVD Item by ? [Not Pictured] – Borders had a sign up suggesting that we shop for Christmas gifts while everything was on sale. I was determined to be purely selfish in my purchases, until I found the perfect, ahem, item, for my dad.

Yes, this means I’m procrastinating on the project. I even have Wide Sargasso Sea here on my right, staring at me with the evil eyed stare that only a book you’re supposed to be reading but aren’t can give.