Sunday, April 3, 2011

Sunday Salon: It's Almost Feeling Like Spring

Well the weather's been a little milder these past couple of days (ignoring Friday's snow storm) and I've been enjoying this weekend very much. Yesterday my husband and I went shopping for a bunch of things and today we're finishing up some preparations for the week ahead. Tomorrow he's giving a talk at one of the synagogues I used to work for, about the Snyder v. Phelps case; it should be a great evening. I'm really looking forward to it.

Today? Today I'm off to the gym first thing and then hopefully I'll have time to read. I tried to read Talia Carner's Jerusalem Maiden, which I was given by LibraryThing from their Early Reviewers program. Bo-ring. It's one of these very by-the-numbers girl-from-ultraconservative-religious-group-rebels books. I put it down after two days. It's not horrible- it's just not for me. I'm trying desperately to knock off some review obligations; I read Atiq Rahimi's A Thousand Rooms of Dream and Fear and now I'm reading Funeral for a Dog, which is weird and funny and different. After that I need to read a Booker winner for my challenge, probably J.M. Coetzee's The Life and Times of Michael K. I can't wait for that!

Things are a little slow on the bookish-events front; I haven't really been keeping track of who's been coming around for readings. With the spring getting going, I need to find out what's coming up. The biggest thing on the horizon for me is the Newburyport Literary Festival, where I'll have the honor of being on a panel about book blogging, along with Kevin of Boston Book Bums, Dawn of She is Too Fond of Books and Sarah of Archimedes Forgets. That's coming up at the end of the month and it should be great.

That's it for me. What's going on with you today? Reading anything good? Or bad?

More Sunday Salon here.

15 comments:

Harvee said...

Have fun on the book blogging panel! Still waiting for spring...

Anonymous said...

Friday's storm missed us! I'm really ready for spring weather to be here permanently. I'm hoping to curl up with The Bee Loud Glade later today. Maybe I'll even be able to sit on the deck and read in the sunshine!

Enjoy your day!

Susan Hemann said...

First time visiting your blog. I love to read. Mostly non-fiction, it is hard to find a good fiction book. Any suggestions?

rhapsodyinbooks said...

The Newburyport festival sounds great! And you're so good to get yourself to the gym everyday! How cool that your husband is giving a talk where you used to work. I actually thought of him the other night, because my husband and I went to a talk, and the speaker (who was not a lawyer) kept saying "I.P." and no one in the audience even asked what he meant -makes you wonder! Is that common knowledge now or did it just pass everyone over?

Sandy Nawrot said...

I really pray for spring to come for those of you up there. You have had a beastly winter. Well, while you guys were getting the snow, we were recovering from the effect of that front down here with the winds, rain and tornadoes! What a mess. Good for you for putting the boring book down. I don't have that kind of courage. I am self-punishing that way.

Vasilly said...

Our book festival is coming up at the end of the month and I'm pretty excited. I can't wait to hear more about the book blogging panel once it happens. I haven't seen spring yet but summer made a short stop a few days ago. It was so hot. Now it's cold and I'm pretty happy about it! Have a great Sunday!

Anonymous said...

Sadly, I had to Google Snyder v. Phelps. I didn't know what it was by that name. However, after Googling it, I imagine that would be an interesting discussion.

As for what I'm reading, I'm still working my way through the Harry Potter series. I'm on No. 4 and still enjoying it.

Alyce said...

How exciting that you get to be on the panel at the festival! Things have been warming up a little bit around here too. Today it's in the forties, but we had one day last week that almost reached 70 and it set all sorts of records (and we finally got our front lawn mowed). :)

bermudaonion said...

Our weather has been crazy, but the days of snow are behind us for the season.

What an awesome line-up for the panel - y'all will represent us well!

Anonymous said...

I am so ready for spring weather! We're officially on spring break this week, but the weather hasn't really felt like it. There is a bit of blue sky out there right now, though, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Hope you find a good read for your next book. :)

Zibilee said...

I also got Jerusalem Maiden, and I am sorry to hear that it's not a good read. I am not really looking forward to it now. This month has been going slowly with the reading, though I did just finish 2 books in the last week. I fell off the reading horse sometime in January, and haven't managed to get back up yet. So, so cool about the panel. I hope that you will share all the details when you get back!

JaneGS said...

The panel definitely does sound interesting--good luck with that!

J.M. Coetzee is on my must-investigate list. I'll be interested to hear how you like the book.

Anonymous said...

Spring is upon us, and the flowers and trees are in bloom showing off their loveliness.l

Kathleen said...

Congratulations on your upcoming participation on the panel!

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