Books?

marjorie says...

Well, I’ve been buying books since November 7!

I picked up another copy of Orientalism by Edward Said. I also picked up Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis. I've been floored by her essays but have never had them in a book of my own. Now I do. Additionally, I purchased Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center by bell hooks, another amazing thinker.

In addition to those, I've been on a Vampire kick. Yes, that's right, a Vampire kick. No need to get too serious! First I picked up The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova, which I haven't liked half as much as I thought I would. The concept is pretty intriguing and it does provide quite a bit of historical information, but at times it reads like a tour guide. Still, that book has really gotten me fired up to read other bloodsucker books, so I picked up Salem's Lot (which I've never read believe it or not) and a “Vampire Sextette” of novellas--erotic vampire novellas that is. I’m a little disappointed in that one--not very erotic or scary. Oh, and I also tried to read one of the Anita Blake series last month because they are all the rage. I picked up the most recent in the series, Incubus Dreams, and can't even finish it -- it's that bad. Hamilton has lost the thread--it's pretty clear to me even if I haven't read the others. This book perfectly illustrates the problem with series.

I also picked up three books by Simone de Beauvoir. Following a recent conversation with someone else who likes Vampire books, I thought I would reread All Men are Mortal (not about Vampires but the character *is* immortal-it's an existential freak-out, or at least was when I was much younger). The Mandarins is chockfull of characters based on people who SdB ran with (such as Sarte and Nelson Algren) and I've always wanted to read it but have never gotten around to it. It's interesting to note that All Men are Mortal is dedicated to Sarte and The Mandarins is dedicated to Algren. And, since we might as well throw a little straight up philosophy in there, I also picked up the Ethics of Ambiguity.

Oh…you mean, what books am buying for others?? Hmmmm…

Well, here’s what I have in mind:

I figured I'd pick up a book by Richard Bach for Vicki: Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah (you aren't reading this are you?). It seems like a good book for her right now.

For J.D. I'm either going for Chomsky on Anarchism or some kind of book about Gramsci. I'm still looking.

For my mother, not sure that I will get her a book, but I may. If I do, it will probably be a big book of crossword puzzles.

I probably won't get my dad a book, but if I do, it will probably be some kind of anthology on pop culture.

As for myself, if someone were to buy me a book, I'd most like to own The City and The Grassroots, by Manuel Castells. But good luck finding it.

Also on my list are Iceland's Bell by Halldor Laxness and Strong Motion: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen.