tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post6814974577076064289..comments2023-11-05T03:47:33.710-05:00Comments on Arcane Matters: The Siren Song of a Good Mystery/Solving My OwnJenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01233972102418274980noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-34985257033069577172008-03-11T22:07:00.000-04:002008-03-11T22:07:00.000-04:00The photo of your girls, with Avery's hand on Made...The photo of your girls, with Avery's hand on Madeline's back, reminds me of my favorite photo of my sister and I, taken some 30'ish years ago. I am about five, stretched out on my stomach watching TV, with my chin propped up in my hands. My sister is one, sitting up beside me, but looking back at our father holding the camera, with her hand placed firmly on my back. <BR/><BR/>Her expression says only one thing...<BR/><BR/>"Mine!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-16474786535376426962008-03-09T20:19:00.000-04:002008-03-09T20:19:00.000-04:00I am desperate for a new book....would almost give...I am desperate for a new book....would almost give up my first born for onejudyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13787238003816041229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-62952606014446119902008-03-09T16:12:00.000-04:002008-03-09T16:12:00.000-04:00Awesome photo...it must be great to have a sister....Awesome photo...it must be great to have a sister. <BR/><BR/>Not a big fan of mysteries- lack the patience of seeing who the hell chopped up the victim.<BR/><BR/>ps. Screw the homophobic playground witch- What an a-hole. When these babies come into this mysterious world we can have a playdate.EGGS IN THE APPLEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07273882799927573425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-27852468061151042192008-03-08T23:25:00.000-05:002008-03-08T23:25:00.000-05:00holy crap, my baby (dob 5/29) weighs 15lbs, 6 oz, ...holy crap, my baby (dob 5/29) weighs 15lbs, 6 oz, has no teeth whatsoever, still falls over backwards when sitting up, and shows no signs of crawling whatsoever. go figure. she does babble a ton so that's good. amazing how different babies of the same age can be.whatthef*ckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06504688509955868945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-78806825283828830992008-03-08T15:45:00.000-05:002008-03-08T15:45:00.000-05:00That is an awesome story about the author. It tota...That is an awesome story about the author. It totally evoked a very strong memory for me.<BR/><BR/>Back in the day, we had one of the pre-cursors to the internet - CompuServe for anyone who remembers - on my dad's old Apple IIe. It had a miniscule black and white screen, and a HUGE dot matrix printer (with the holes on the side that you had to tear off), and while I mostly used it to write book reports (hello dork), usually making the title pages with my *favourite* font named 'Ransom', I also discovered the wonderful world wide web. <BR/><BR/>And, like you, used it to find an author. I loved the books of Cynthia Voigt and somehow tracked her down on there. I remember her little page so clearly, with her home (!!) address listed. I sent off my own beloved copy of Izzy Willy Nilly, with a long letter about how much I loved her books and what they meant to me, and questions I had about the characters, and how she came up with them. And then in a little PS note, I asked if she had any time at all (clearly if she had somehow gotten through that letter of mine...), I would love it if she could sign my book. And I enclosed some money (Canadian dollars) for her to send the book back (from the US!). <BR/><BR/>But she did. And included a long letter back, and inscribed the book, "to (name), who may or may not become an author, but will love words her whole life." I fell, fell hard for books, authors, and here I am now, about 18 years later, doing a doctorate in literature and film. And I still remember what it felt like to get a personal letter, from an <I>author</I> saying that my questions and ideas about her stories were just as fascinating as her novels themselves. <BR/><BR/>Anyway, I thought I'd include the story because despite it just being a book in the mail, I totally know that there is so much more emotion in that little gift. I don't have any good mystery suggestions right now, but see if I can think of something that is mystery-like but in a different genre. <BR/><BR/>Have you read Jhumpa Lahiri's new book? I didn't love the namesake but thought the stories in <I>Interpreter of Maladies </I> were remarkable and so evocative. <BR/><BR/>Did you read Chuck Palahniuk's kind of recent novel, <I>Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey</I>? Parts of it were really disturbing, but I LOVED how he played with the genre of autobiography, of biography, of the difficulty of telling a story of a life. I don't love all of his work, but there were some incredible twists of narrative, form, character in that one. Doesn't really fall into the mystery genre, per se, but the story itself had mini-mysteries throughout it all. <BR/><BR/>And Avery's hand on Madeline's back is the most adorable little moment. What perfect serendipity that you were there to catch it.fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00353444915466215552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-88469287805300331082008-03-07T16:12:00.000-05:002008-03-07T16:12:00.000-05:00Love, love, love that photo. Adorable.I would hav...Love, love, love that photo. Adorable.<BR/><BR/>I would have sent you the book myself, but obviously getting it (and others) directly from the author is ever so slightly cooler. Just a tiny bit.MsPrufrockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06533722219016814501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-44488275850251920762008-03-07T10:50:00.000-05:002008-03-07T10:50:00.000-05:00the brief wonderous life of oscar wao by junot dia...the brief wonderous life of oscar wao by junot diaz. <BR/><BR/>it is so very lovely.gold starhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00924669074969461237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-60815906600413657772008-03-07T10:29:00.000-05:002008-03-07T10:29:00.000-05:00How adorable is that picture?How adorable is that picture?Denisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03519732798505354256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-48973821638175034532008-03-07T09:05:00.000-05:002008-03-07T09:05:00.000-05:00They look like they are really thirsting for knowl...They look like they are really thirsting for knowledge! So freakin' cute. The twins cuteness... it's just too much sometimes, no?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-25477044774961889782008-03-07T08:30:00.000-05:002008-03-07T08:30:00.000-05:00Year of Wonders, Geraldine BrooksHorse Heaven, Jan...Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks<BR/>Horse Heaven, Jane Smiley<BR/>Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimanmanda Adichie<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the mystery rec. I've always like Michael Connelly and Elizabeth George<BR/><BR/>Yes, Avery's hand on her sister's back is precious.Blue Pearlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11519183871871435332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-30836503356486167842008-03-07T08:04:00.000-05:002008-03-07T08:04:00.000-05:00I am so geeked out that the author hooked you up l...I am so geeked out that the author hooked you up like that! Thank goodness it was a good book too.<BR/><BR/>I fell out of my reading schedule & need to get back to it. thanks for the reminder of how awesome a great book can be,<BR/><BR/>xoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-988962265617663341.post-68785275420739616252008-03-07T01:06:00.000-05:002008-03-07T01:06:00.000-05:00I agree, that it the cutest thing I've seen. It's ...I agree, that it the cutest thing I've seen. It's such a pity we can't always get all the cute things our kids do on camera in time. They really are cute.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com