Ahh, France. Wouldn't we all like to just take off to France and live the French life for awhile.
Busy weekend behind me with three major (for us, anyway) holidays in as many days. But I did manage to work in a lot of good reading. I am not quite done with my latest read, but could be soon, maybe tonight, if I get off the computer. So just a really quick tease about tomorrow's discussion.
I am working on The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn. This is a charming memoir of life after corporate, something with which I can surely identify. Having lost her corporate management job, Flinn decides not to waste time mourning over something she never really liked in the first place, cashes in her savings and heads to France to study at Julia Child's alma mater, Le Cordon Bleu. Not only do I feel like I am getting increasingly fat just reading this book, but as a lifelong francophile with a personal dream to live in Paris, I am very jealous!
More later, must read now!
A bientot!
Keep reading...
Sarah
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Young Adult Gold
Busy, busy time of the quarter, but I finally get a break to update on my latest read. Here are the stats for Running For My Life:
Author: Ann Gonzalez
Publisher: Westside Books
Date: 2009
My start date: 2/10/10
My finish date: 2/11/10
Now, many might be wondering at my decision to include young adult fiction in my reading. Well, first of all, yes, it is still a long enough work to be counted as a novel. This book was 234 pages, which is roughly the same as most of the novels. Some have been a little (or a lot) longer and some have been less. Obviously it is a quicker read that some others, but that is not necessarily a product of it being easier. Being still rather burned out on certain other required readings, I tried where possible during the earlier part of this week to ignore all responsibility and just read. Plus, this book was hard to put down! But, back to the question at hand. I do not at all feel that adults are too old to read YA lit. We were all teens at some time. We have all experienced those things. And a lot of these books have lessons that some of us still need to learn...
In the case of this book, the material is actually rather adult in many ways, I think. The story revolves around a teenage girl dealing with life after her mother succumbs to schizophrenia. On the one hand, she still has to deal with normal teenage life and wants very much to feel normal. If only everyday teen problems were the worst of it! Yet, she is dealing with conflicting feelings about seeing a therapist and being unsure how she can and should feel about a mother whom she loves and of whom she has fond memories, but who is now often violent and hurtful. The author infuses great depth into her main character, and is all the more believable because she can write from personal experience.
I especially recommend this novel for its target audience of young adults. I worked as a teacher in the public school system (not anywhere around Seattle, I didn't always live around here) and I think this book could really help a lot of the young people I worked with, and not just the ones with parents suffering from mental illness. There is a lot to identify with in general here.
I will say, this book was especially fun to read, because the author is also my writing class teacher. And no, that is not the reason I would recommend it. It really is a great resource for teens dealing with issues and learning to be ok with needing help. But, as I was saying, this is the first time I have actually known the author. I mean, sometimes if I really like an author I will facebook friend them (including some of the authors mentioned on this blog), but that isn't like I know them personally. In this case, if I had a question or a thought about the book, I could ask her in person. That really added to the reading.
So, my first YA of this blog and it was a really powerful one. Sometimes I like YA for pure entertainment, but this one really has a little something more. Don't be embarrassed to grab this one for yourself, but if you know a teen, any teen, insist that they read this one!
A few papers and presentations due in the next several days, not to mention the ever-present, never-ending Clarissa... But I have already started another memoir. This time I will be following a woman as she quits her day job and heads for Paris to study cooking! And I am sure I will be getting increasingly jealous. More on this one later!
Until then, keep reading!
Sarah
Author: Ann Gonzalez
Publisher: Westside Books
Date: 2009
My start date: 2/10/10
My finish date: 2/11/10
Now, many might be wondering at my decision to include young adult fiction in my reading. Well, first of all, yes, it is still a long enough work to be counted as a novel. This book was 234 pages, which is roughly the same as most of the novels. Some have been a little (or a lot) longer and some have been less. Obviously it is a quicker read that some others, but that is not necessarily a product of it being easier. Being still rather burned out on certain other required readings, I tried where possible during the earlier part of this week to ignore all responsibility and just read. Plus, this book was hard to put down! But, back to the question at hand. I do not at all feel that adults are too old to read YA lit. We were all teens at some time. We have all experienced those things. And a lot of these books have lessons that some of us still need to learn...
In the case of this book, the material is actually rather adult in many ways, I think. The story revolves around a teenage girl dealing with life after her mother succumbs to schizophrenia. On the one hand, she still has to deal with normal teenage life and wants very much to feel normal. If only everyday teen problems were the worst of it! Yet, she is dealing with conflicting feelings about seeing a therapist and being unsure how she can and should feel about a mother whom she loves and of whom she has fond memories, but who is now often violent and hurtful. The author infuses great depth into her main character, and is all the more believable because she can write from personal experience.
I especially recommend this novel for its target audience of young adults. I worked as a teacher in the public school system (not anywhere around Seattle, I didn't always live around here) and I think this book could really help a lot of the young people I worked with, and not just the ones with parents suffering from mental illness. There is a lot to identify with in general here.
I will say, this book was especially fun to read, because the author is also my writing class teacher. And no, that is not the reason I would recommend it. It really is a great resource for teens dealing with issues and learning to be ok with needing help. But, as I was saying, this is the first time I have actually known the author. I mean, sometimes if I really like an author I will facebook friend them (including some of the authors mentioned on this blog), but that isn't like I know them personally. In this case, if I had a question or a thought about the book, I could ask her in person. That really added to the reading.
So, my first YA of this blog and it was a really powerful one. Sometimes I like YA for pure entertainment, but this one really has a little something more. Don't be embarrassed to grab this one for yourself, but if you know a teen, any teen, insist that they read this one!
A few papers and presentations due in the next several days, not to mention the ever-present, never-ending Clarissa... But I have already started another memoir. This time I will be following a woman as she quits her day job and heads for Paris to study cooking! And I am sure I will be getting increasingly jealous. More on this one later!
Until then, keep reading!
Sarah
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Quick note on commenting
Ok, I figured out how to release commenting ability to any user, rather than the default setting which only allows registered users to leave comments. Enjoy!
I'm still here!...
Ok, WAY too long of a break,I know. Wow, Clarissa is an undertaking. Just to make my weekly reading assignments on that book, I have been reading six or more hours a day. And that is just on that book, we aren't even acknowledging what must be done for other classes, let alone the daily necessities of living. Good grief! Anyway, Clarissa progress update:816/1500 pages. The end is in sight! And, no more week long blog breaks, promise.
So, having hit a wall on Monday, at which point I concluded it was physically impossible to continue reading a single line more of Clarissa, I went on strike and dedicated the entire day to reading nothing but my pleasure reading. I covered over 300 pages and now am ready to talk about Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle. Some stats for you:
Author: Andrew Davidson
Publisher: Anchor Books
Date: 2008
My start date: 1/31/10
My finish date: 2/9/10
I believe that makes it the longest duration so far, and puts me behind, however, Clarissa....not to mention that this is also the longest novel I have read yet this year, being over 500 pages long. Not sure why I thought it a good idea to start a long novel in the middle of Clarissa, but...oh well.
During my week of absence, I thought about a LOT of topics I wanted to cover about this book, but I am not sure they will all end up in this blog. We will see what directions my thoughts flow.
First, this book is intense. No, I mean INTENSE. The very first scene puts you in shock due to the intensity and brutal quality of description. This is not an author to sugar coat things and the main character is not necessarily one to love. I don't think Davidson intends for you to like the character. This style continues throughout. In the beginning, I was horrified and almost disgusted by the direction things were taking. Warning: the back cover of this novel gives you no idea what you are in for! Which led me to two questions I am posing to the world in general, answer as you are inclined.
The first question involves the opening sequence. In my writing class, we discuss the two main camps of fictional openings. There are those who argue that you must have a shocking or exciting scene right away in the beginning in order to draw in your reader. This novel certainly falls into this camp. However, more recommended these days are those who argue that you must introduce your character and the problem before jumping headlong into something shocking, otherwise your reader doesn't really know who is who and what to look at yet. What do you think? Think on the books you have read and which is more comfortable to you. Or is it really a question of comfort? Perhaps it is discomfort that keeps you reading. Anyway, this book does not make you comfortable! But it works here, regardless of what the literary consensus on openings turns out to be. You will be hooked.
My second question involves offensive literature. What, if anything, is too far? Now, I should preface by saying that I am very hard to throw. Not much offends me. But this main character has a lot of problems and isn't shy to discuss them, nor is this character going to discuss things in pretty language. This is a to the point, facts are facts type of person. Unless you are really and truly unshockable, this character will get you, or at least cause you to raise an eyebrow. However, rude and vile as it may at times seem, again, it works here! This story would not work with anyone else! And I realized as the novel went on that it went both ways. Not only was the language and imagery of the bad rich and full, but the good is exquisite as well. I think I could best describe the writing as RAW. It doesn't let the reader sit there and passively experience the story. It reaches into you and strips emotion out, poking you and taunting you until you must react. Food is a big thing in this story and it is described in full. Love is the key focus of this novel and you can't help but dive into each love story (and there are several) ready to be swept away. The richness of description works well with the sarcastic style. While at times rude and offensive, the sarcasm at other points is just plain hilarious. When reading, watch for the funny add ins when the narrator is listing the foods served at a Christmas party. Read carefully here, don't start skimming. I had started skimming and when I checked myself and noticed a few things I ended up literally laughing out loud. Basically, just take the bad with the good and let yourself get pulled into the experience.
Just a quick note on the style similarities. This author mentions in his suggested reading and further information section that Susskind's Perfume is among his favorites. You can definitely see the connection in rawness with Susskind's work. I read that book in the German original and was so started by it that I often had to stop and double check words to make sure I wasn't misinterpreting something. If you like this raw and shocking style, which I admit at times I do, I highly recommend Perfume. It is a movie now, but please, please, read the book too. Movies NEVER do justice to the books. And this one is worth reading.
One final thought on this work for now (maybe I will come back to it another time, there is so much to say). One of my key qualities in a good pleasure novel is the escapist quality. Reading allows me to travel and see things that, quite frankly, I simply can't afford to see, or at least can't afford to now. And when there is the factor of different time periods, well, obviously no amount of money will ever take me there. Davidson did TONS of research, years of it in fact. He is very thorough. This novel is packed to the brim with stories in a number of countries, using a number of languages and traditions and myths. If you want a quick way to experience as many different things as possible, this is your pick.
Ok, one final final thing, I guess. I admit, I have not read Dante's The Inferno. The work is central to this story and while I fared just fine without it, I would imagine a richer experience if I had read it. In fact, I will likely reread this at some point after I read Dante. You can just tell it would make a difference. So, consider that.
So, although I still have around seven hundred (oh. my. gosh.) pages left in Clarissa, I have already started another novel. This time I am working in the Young Adult genre, which I am especially interested in at the moment because I am taking a course on writing for that particular audience. And what is especially cool about this book is that the author happens to be my teacher! (and yes, it is still pleasure reading, she didn't assign it or anything, I was just curious). So, check back tomorrow for some thoughts on Ann Gonzalez's Running For My Life.
In the meantime, keep reading!
Sarah
So, having hit a wall on Monday, at which point I concluded it was physically impossible to continue reading a single line more of Clarissa, I went on strike and dedicated the entire day to reading nothing but my pleasure reading. I covered over 300 pages and now am ready to talk about Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle. Some stats for you:
Author: Andrew Davidson
Publisher: Anchor Books
Date: 2008
My start date: 1/31/10
My finish date: 2/9/10
I believe that makes it the longest duration so far, and puts me behind, however, Clarissa....not to mention that this is also the longest novel I have read yet this year, being over 500 pages long. Not sure why I thought it a good idea to start a long novel in the middle of Clarissa, but...oh well.
During my week of absence, I thought about a LOT of topics I wanted to cover about this book, but I am not sure they will all end up in this blog. We will see what directions my thoughts flow.
First, this book is intense. No, I mean INTENSE. The very first scene puts you in shock due to the intensity and brutal quality of description. This is not an author to sugar coat things and the main character is not necessarily one to love. I don't think Davidson intends for you to like the character. This style continues throughout. In the beginning, I was horrified and almost disgusted by the direction things were taking. Warning: the back cover of this novel gives you no idea what you are in for! Which led me to two questions I am posing to the world in general, answer as you are inclined.
The first question involves the opening sequence. In my writing class, we discuss the two main camps of fictional openings. There are those who argue that you must have a shocking or exciting scene right away in the beginning in order to draw in your reader. This novel certainly falls into this camp. However, more recommended these days are those who argue that you must introduce your character and the problem before jumping headlong into something shocking, otherwise your reader doesn't really know who is who and what to look at yet. What do you think? Think on the books you have read and which is more comfortable to you. Or is it really a question of comfort? Perhaps it is discomfort that keeps you reading. Anyway, this book does not make you comfortable! But it works here, regardless of what the literary consensus on openings turns out to be. You will be hooked.
My second question involves offensive literature. What, if anything, is too far? Now, I should preface by saying that I am very hard to throw. Not much offends me. But this main character has a lot of problems and isn't shy to discuss them, nor is this character going to discuss things in pretty language. This is a to the point, facts are facts type of person. Unless you are really and truly unshockable, this character will get you, or at least cause you to raise an eyebrow. However, rude and vile as it may at times seem, again, it works here! This story would not work with anyone else! And I realized as the novel went on that it went both ways. Not only was the language and imagery of the bad rich and full, but the good is exquisite as well. I think I could best describe the writing as RAW. It doesn't let the reader sit there and passively experience the story. It reaches into you and strips emotion out, poking you and taunting you until you must react. Food is a big thing in this story and it is described in full. Love is the key focus of this novel and you can't help but dive into each love story (and there are several) ready to be swept away. The richness of description works well with the sarcastic style. While at times rude and offensive, the sarcasm at other points is just plain hilarious. When reading, watch for the funny add ins when the narrator is listing the foods served at a Christmas party. Read carefully here, don't start skimming. I had started skimming and when I checked myself and noticed a few things I ended up literally laughing out loud. Basically, just take the bad with the good and let yourself get pulled into the experience.
Just a quick note on the style similarities. This author mentions in his suggested reading and further information section that Susskind's Perfume is among his favorites. You can definitely see the connection in rawness with Susskind's work. I read that book in the German original and was so started by it that I often had to stop and double check words to make sure I wasn't misinterpreting something. If you like this raw and shocking style, which I admit at times I do, I highly recommend Perfume. It is a movie now, but please, please, read the book too. Movies NEVER do justice to the books. And this one is worth reading.
One final thought on this work for now (maybe I will come back to it another time, there is so much to say). One of my key qualities in a good pleasure novel is the escapist quality. Reading allows me to travel and see things that, quite frankly, I simply can't afford to see, or at least can't afford to now. And when there is the factor of different time periods, well, obviously no amount of money will ever take me there. Davidson did TONS of research, years of it in fact. He is very thorough. This novel is packed to the brim with stories in a number of countries, using a number of languages and traditions and myths. If you want a quick way to experience as many different things as possible, this is your pick.
Ok, one final final thing, I guess. I admit, I have not read Dante's The Inferno. The work is central to this story and while I fared just fine without it, I would imagine a richer experience if I had read it. In fact, I will likely reread this at some point after I read Dante. You can just tell it would make a difference. So, consider that.
So, although I still have around seven hundred (oh. my. gosh.) pages left in Clarissa, I have already started another novel. This time I am working in the Young Adult genre, which I am especially interested in at the moment because I am taking a course on writing for that particular audience. And what is especially cool about this book is that the author happens to be my teacher! (and yes, it is still pleasure reading, she didn't assign it or anything, I was just curious). So, check back tomorrow for some thoughts on Ann Gonzalez's Running For My Life.
In the meantime, keep reading!
Sarah
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Kindle
I finally have some spare time for pleasure reading and thus will not spend overly much of it goofing off on here. However, I had promised some links for people with Kindles, and have to touch on that subject.
I started to create a post with links to all of these books on Kindle. However, for whatever reason, the system that allows me to link to most other products in Amazon (including the Kindle technology itself), will not actually allow a link to the Kindle ebooks. Weird, I know. Only the classics will work, so some of the required reading I am doing shows up and I will post Clarissa for anyone interested. If you really just must have the electronic forms, I am sure the book links have a redirect option to purchase the same thing digitally.
One note though on the Kindle. By posting these links I am not saying I prefer the Kindle to any other reader. As a matter of fact, I use the Sony eReader, acquired from Best Buy and absolutely love it. However, many of my friends, family and so on use the Kindle and really love that system too. In short, I have no preference in regards to which electronic reading device you might choose to use. The Kindle links are solely a reflection of my use of Amazon on this blog, chosen for reasons previously explained.
That said, I will make a quick note on the topic of electronic reading devices. I struggled with this one. As you can imagine, I am obsessive about books. I love them and always have. The reading is not by any stretch the only aspect of the experience for me. I adore the books themselves: how they look (especially lined up on rows of shelves in my library, ahhh), how they feel, how they smell, all of it. I find sanctuary in bookstores and libraries. I cringe whenever I hear talk of reducing libraries in favor of electronic media. I truly cherish the book.
But...
Let's just take my of-late much discussed Clarissa. That sucker is HEAVY. And large. And if I am running errands and need to take my reading on the road, do you really think I want to carry it around?? No. You better believe I have the book on my eReader for back up. Trust me, it saves some trouble. These devices weigh nothing, fit in a purse or small bag and can store hundreds of books. When I have to fly across country (or worse still, internationally) I don't necessarily want to stuff six novels in my carry-on. (disclaimer: although such devices will make in-transit reading significantly easier, I must warn that no amount of nifty devices can remedy the horrors of air travel these days. A moment of silence for the good old days when air travel was fun and convenient...) Also, it is helpful that these things usually have the ability to change the size of the font, so people like me, who get motion sick at the drop of a pin, can blow up the font to a huge size and thus read while in transit or working out without incurring a headache or other undesirable malady.
Bottom line: nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING will ever replace the aura of the book. I think it will always be important and necessary. However, adding one of these devices to your library can only compliment and perhaps expand your reading pleasures.
I have rambled on far too long. Here is the link. Should I find a way to add the others at some point, I certainly will. Anyway, my reading calls!
Keep reading!
Sarah
I started to create a post with links to all of these books on Kindle. However, for whatever reason, the system that allows me to link to most other products in Amazon (including the Kindle technology itself), will not actually allow a link to the Kindle ebooks. Weird, I know. Only the classics will work, so some of the required reading I am doing shows up and I will post Clarissa for anyone interested. If you really just must have the electronic forms, I am sure the book links have a redirect option to purchase the same thing digitally.
One note though on the Kindle. By posting these links I am not saying I prefer the Kindle to any other reader. As a matter of fact, I use the Sony eReader, acquired from Best Buy and absolutely love it. However, many of my friends, family and so on use the Kindle and really love that system too. In short, I have no preference in regards to which electronic reading device you might choose to use. The Kindle links are solely a reflection of my use of Amazon on this blog, chosen for reasons previously explained.
That said, I will make a quick note on the topic of electronic reading devices. I struggled with this one. As you can imagine, I am obsessive about books. I love them and always have. The reading is not by any stretch the only aspect of the experience for me. I adore the books themselves: how they look (especially lined up on rows of shelves in my library, ahhh), how they feel, how they smell, all of it. I find sanctuary in bookstores and libraries. I cringe whenever I hear talk of reducing libraries in favor of electronic media. I truly cherish the book.
But...
Let's just take my of-late much discussed Clarissa. That sucker is HEAVY. And large. And if I am running errands and need to take my reading on the road, do you really think I want to carry it around?? No. You better believe I have the book on my eReader for back up. Trust me, it saves some trouble. These devices weigh nothing, fit in a purse or small bag and can store hundreds of books. When I have to fly across country (or worse still, internationally) I don't necessarily want to stuff six novels in my carry-on. (disclaimer: although such devices will make in-transit reading significantly easier, I must warn that no amount of nifty devices can remedy the horrors of air travel these days. A moment of silence for the good old days when air travel was fun and convenient...) Also, it is helpful that these things usually have the ability to change the size of the font, so people like me, who get motion sick at the drop of a pin, can blow up the font to a huge size and thus read while in transit or working out without incurring a headache or other undesirable malady.
Bottom line: nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING will ever replace the aura of the book. I think it will always be important and necessary. However, adding one of these devices to your library can only compliment and perhaps expand your reading pleasures.
I have rambled on far too long. Here is the link. Should I find a way to add the others at some point, I certainly will. Anyway, my reading calls!
Keep reading!
Sarah
Hazardous Reading
Just a quick "for fun" note involving tales of injury from Clarissa. This giant tome of 18th century intrigue weighs in at 3lbs, which doesn't sound like much until you realize that this is a book. Most novels are under a pound. So many of us have already complained of the dangers of reading this while reclining. We have all already experienced the joy of falling asleep while reading and waking to three pounds of epistolary greatness slamming into our faces. Today we had a tale from a classmate of being caused to fall when the book shifted in her bag and caused a loss of balance. Then there is the story of the student who began having nightmares that the book would never end. Seriously. All true tales. Come on guys, jump on the Clarissa bandwagon!
Speaking of which, I am thinking of doing a retelling of the Clarissa story as a modern story in blog/facebook form. Could be fun.
Back to class now...
Keep reading!
Sarah
Speaking of which, I am thinking of doing a retelling of the Clarissa story as a modern story in blog/facebook form. Could be fun.
Back to class now...
Keep reading!
Sarah
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Clarissa explains it ALL...
Well, I have made almost no progress at all on a new pleasure book because I have been reading around the clock on Clarissa trying to make the deadline on the first volume in time for class tomorrow. So, even though it doesn't count towards my goal, I figured I could at least talk about it a bit.
Some background information:
This giant of a novel was written by Samuel Richardson in 1747 and is among the first works to be considered a novel. Richardson's first work, the previously mentioned Pamela, generally holds the title of first novel. It is in the epistolary form, which means that it is basically just a collection of letters, well, a BIG collection of letters. The "editor" or narrator in this form doesn't break into the story much, if at all, you just move from one letter to the next and it tells the story. The style was all the rage in the 18th century, has come up a few other times in history, but really isn't seen much anymore. I mean, do we really write letters much these days? But I guess you can kind of compare it to the forerunners of blogs. This particular epistolary novel is told in letters between the heroine, Clarissa, and her friend, as well as letters between Mr. Lovelace, her suitor and his friend. Lovelace is the original playboy though and his goal is really to seduce Clarissa and remove her of the burden of her "virtue", a hot topic in the period. Sounds like a fun enough story, right? And it is! However, Richardson goes into perhaps more detail than needed. This book is 1600 pages, full size, not novel sized and has tiny print. If Clarissa had ever really existed and written to such an extent, her hand would have fallen off. So you really have to commit yourself to this undertaking. However, I am sure the feeling of accomplishment at the end will be worth it. I will let you know. Or, you can join in the crusade to complete one of the greatest works of fiction in history and work towards membership in a very elite group of people who can say they have read this important novel in full (and not the abridged). Should you dare to undertake this challenge with me, you are welcome to comment on here and I will even put up a wall of fame for those who finish. Book link below.
As to pleasure reading (not that Clarissa's claim to her virtue isn't entertaining) I have started the first chapter of a book called The Gargoyle. GREAT intro, we will see how it plays out.
For now, keep reading!
Sarah
Some background information:
This giant of a novel was written by Samuel Richardson in 1747 and is among the first works to be considered a novel. Richardson's first work, the previously mentioned Pamela, generally holds the title of first novel. It is in the epistolary form, which means that it is basically just a collection of letters, well, a BIG collection of letters. The "editor" or narrator in this form doesn't break into the story much, if at all, you just move from one letter to the next and it tells the story. The style was all the rage in the 18th century, has come up a few other times in history, but really isn't seen much anymore. I mean, do we really write letters much these days? But I guess you can kind of compare it to the forerunners of blogs. This particular epistolary novel is told in letters between the heroine, Clarissa, and her friend, as well as letters between Mr. Lovelace, her suitor and his friend. Lovelace is the original playboy though and his goal is really to seduce Clarissa and remove her of the burden of her "virtue", a hot topic in the period. Sounds like a fun enough story, right? And it is! However, Richardson goes into perhaps more detail than needed. This book is 1600 pages, full size, not novel sized and has tiny print. If Clarissa had ever really existed and written to such an extent, her hand would have fallen off. So you really have to commit yourself to this undertaking. However, I am sure the feeling of accomplishment at the end will be worth it. I will let you know. Or, you can join in the crusade to complete one of the greatest works of fiction in history and work towards membership in a very elite group of people who can say they have read this important novel in full (and not the abridged). Should you dare to undertake this challenge with me, you are welcome to comment on here and I will even put up a wall of fame for those who finish. Book link below.
As to pleasure reading (not that Clarissa's claim to her virtue isn't entertaining) I have started the first chapter of a book called The Gargoyle. GREAT intro, we will see how it plays out.
For now, keep reading!
Sarah
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