It's Monday!

What am I reading?

I am still reading....  "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"  not because I am not enjoying it, but because it dawned on me that I have bookclub  (Totally Lit) this coming Wednesday and I haven't even started the book!  It is our  'classic'  read month--we use the term loosely--and we are reading  GONE WITH THE WIND.  1101 pages.   49 hours of audio.   I decided on audio.  As I write this,  I have just finished 17 hours of the story.

Let me back track a bit---I wasn't going to read the book.  I have never read Gone with the Wind nor have I ever seen the movie.  It did not call to me.   The characters didn't speak to me.  An epic love story?  Uh....not that I haven't read love stories, but, like I said,  it just wasn't for me.
But then my good reasoning came back to me and I thought---it's what we chose for the book club, and I LOVE the book club, LOVE the members, LOVE the times we get together.  So on Saturday, I downloaded the book from Audible.com and began to listen to it.
Well, guess what?  I am sorry I didn't start sooner, because I am finding it a really good book.  It's interesting, it is a part of American literature, and the narrator is doing a wonderful job.   I do have to say that  the character of Scarlett, still is not one I love, but I do find her interesting.
I don't believe in changing the language of literature to fit into a more politically correct time,  so I would never want a word of Mitchell's novel to be changed, BUTTTTT......
the language bothers me something terrible.  It's vulgar to my ears.  I understand that is how they talked during that time  (and sad to say, sometimes now), but it wasn't part of my life growing up or now.   I'm talking, of course, of the racist language.  I cringe when I hear it.
But again...I am liking it and wish I had started earlier.  Book club is Wednesday night and I think the best I can do is 3/4 of the book/audio.  I'm going to give it my best shot tho.

This is what I said about the choice of Gone with the Wind on this blog last April:
I have never read "Gone With the Wind." I have no intention of ever reading Gone With the Wind, but for 2 things.

One is that a lady in my book club has chosen this as her 'book'. A re-reading of an old classic she says. I love and respect her. But I don't want to read "Gone". The second is that  Pat Conroy says it is the novel that shaped the South he grew up in. He says Gone with the Wind is a war novel, an historical romance, a comedy of manners, a bitter lamentation, a cry of the heart.....


he goes on.


I am resisting Gone With the Wind, with all my might. I do not want to read it. In my mind, it's a silly romance about a spoiled girl which takes place during the civil war. With tons of clichés.


I could be wrong. It's been known to happen. Quite often in fact.


I love everything about Pat Conroy's books. And I've often envied his friendships.


So...should I really read "Gone with the Wind" when it comes around in book club time?


Since I profess to love Southern Writers, will this be the ultimate experience for me? Or will it be as I thought... a silly romance about a spoiled girl, taking place during the civil war?


How funny.  It is all those things, but it's also ---interesting.   And good.   And the narration is great.

Another exciting part of book club on Wednesday is  our annual crowning!!  This year, we are having an appetizer contest and will crown
Ms  AppeTEASERher.   Last year,  we crowned Miss Hot Dish and the year before that  Miss Congealediality  (Jello salads).   Yes, we are just a barrel of fun.
I can't wait.

Of course,  It's Monday, What are you reading is hosted  by Sheila from  "Book Journey".  Check out her wonderful blog!

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The Musing Monday question for the week is:
What devices - if any - do you read books on? Do you find it enjoyable, or still somewhat bothersome? Or: If you only read the print books, why haven’t you chosen to read on any devices?

(Musing Mondays is a fun blog hop/meme hosted by Miz B at Should be Reading--another fun blog to check out)



My answer?   I use them all.  This was not always the case tho.  I used to be a book purist, but....  the Handyman said I was acting like an old fuddy duddy.
HE KNEW, that would get me!  Because I don't want to be an old fuddy duddy, grouchy, cranky....

Well read this blog post from last year:
and the bottom line is:
And guess what? I LOVE MY KINDLE!! I. Love. It. While I still do love a good paper book, there is something to be said for the convenience of having access to practically any book I want, at any time I want it, or any newspaper or magazine, or....I could go on and on. That and I can make the print as big as I need it to be ~grins~.


and as for audio books?  I love them too.   Last year, I participated in Audio book week and it was so much fun. 
I love audio books, because you can walk, and walk and and ride in a car for hours and still have/listen/read a book.  Audio just opens up the door to so many more books.  IF you don't mind being read to.... and I don't.

My first love tho is a printed book.  An old fashioned book....but.... technology is not stopping for any of us....it's best to embrace it.

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and just because I told you last week what I was listening to.....(it was Pink Martini), today I am listening to the Everly Brothers --All Time Original Hits.  My kids say I listen to weird music.  I'm actually listening to  Pandora and my Leslie Gore channel, in which the Everly Brothers are singing.
I like listening to music early in the morning. And in the afternoon too.   And any old time, I love the sound of  music.   So much more than having the TV in the background.
Now, it's Ricky Nelson!!

Yay!

Not weird music....just old music.  (for now)

These songs remind me of my parents.  They are old songs/artists even for me.

I would play my parents  old  45's and dance around my room listening to this music.

I like it even now.