Sunday, January 4, 2009

Sunday Salon

A lazy Sunday ahead.

My plan for the day is to organize and put away the books I got for Christmas, and continue reading a couple of things I have going at the moment- Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day, The Funeral Party and Money and the Way of Wisdom. That last book is something I'm reviewing for a professional journal and I've vowed to finish it this week so I can write the review and be done.

I'm reading The Story of French right now as well and finding it fascinating. I just finished the fourth chapter, on the creation of the Academie Francaise, a French cultural institution which maintains and monitors what's called bon usage, or the "best" French- but their version of French is like an official version that doesn't necessarily reflect French as it's spoken. The members of the Academie are revered and respected but according to the author of The Story of French, the dictionary that the Academie produces is not respected by lexicographers for its omissions and purism. It's very interesting. I'm going to try to read it more consistently so I don't lose the thread.

What are you reading right now that's fascinating you?

10 comments:

Ellie said...

The French book sounds really interesting...I take French, so maybe that's one for me to read!

bermudaonion said...

I don't understand how you can read so many books at one time.

Katherine said...

I read Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day last year and LOVED it! Can't wait to hear what you think of it.

Audrey said...

Miss Pettigrew (the book) was just delightful...I hope you enjoy it! I liked the movie, too, but the book was even better.

Anonymous said...

Is 'The Story of French' readable by a casual reader? It looks interesting, but I don't want to be ploughing through mud.

Candy Schultz said...

Several books on codebreaking in WWII, smallpox and vaccines, the emerging plagues, the retreat at Dunkirk. These I am enjoying. Also I am plodding along with Revolutionary Road.

Marie Cloutier said...

booktrash- The Story of French is plenty accessible. It's actually a lot of fun.

Candy Schultz said...

Oh dear I shall have to look into these diaries.

Irish said...

Sounds like you have some interesting reads on your end table right now. =)

wisteria said...

Sounds like a fun day. I made curtains that I promised I would finish before I went back to school. I have one window hung. One to go.
I did read a little too.
Happy New Year.