Thursday, March 25, 2010

Jane Bites Back

Finished Jane Bites Back last night. It was... funny! and entertaining! and actually well done, for this sort of thing. Making fun of Jane Austen sequels and spinoffs while being a Jane Austen spinoff is not easy to do, but this was a good little read. Jane seemed perfectly Jane-like, in a new sort of way. I did groan a bit when I realized there was a sequel already, but I am sure I will pick it up if I see it at the library. I'm such a sucker.

Monday, March 22, 2010

And other things.

Hey! Books! I'm reading some!

Finished:

Equal Rites.
I lost this one in the sofa, apparently, with only 10 pages to go. I had visions of having to pay the library $90 (or whatever unholy sum it would cost) for a $6.99 paperback. Jared found it when we were moving things for the carpet cleaner so I was able to finish it yesterday and save myself the unholy sum. Whew. Close call.

Bill Bryson's Neither Here Nor There.
If Bill Bryson published a daily log of his meals and bathroom usage I would read it. Stick him in Bulgaria and I think I've died and gone to heaven. That man brings The Funny and The Did He Just Say That? like nobody. I love every word. Love.


Up Next:

Crap, I have no idea. I never started that Jane as vampire book... I have a few other books at home I've been dying to read... and I got some good recommendations here and elsewhere. I'll start something tonight, for sure.

This is How Big of a Nerd I am:

So I obviously got very in to the Betsy-Tacy series back there. One of my favorite things was reading the real history behind the stories at the end of each book. Maud Hart Lovelace grew up in a Minnesota town and she based most of the series on her own life. Included in the biographical sections, with pictures (!), were a few fun facts that completely drew me in.

1. Maud (and thus Betsy!) was born on April 25th, 1892. I was born April 25th, 1982. Love sharing birthdays with people!
2. In their later years, Maud and her family moved to Claremont, CA. I live in Montclair about 5 steps from Claremont. I grew up around Claremont. My mom lives in Claremont. Etc. etc. This was way too exciting to me.

See? Nerd. Ahem.

After I finished all the books I tried to find out just where this Claremont house was. I know that her Minnesota homes are all on tours and easily located in guidebooks and websites and everywhere, if you’re a Betsy-Tacy fan. I couldn’t find the Claremont house though.

So, being me, I wrote to the President of the Maud-Hart Lovelace Society. I know. I’m a nerd. Shush.

She oh-so-kindly replied with the address, where she had found the address (The Besty-Tacy Companion, currently sitting on my bookshelf thanks to the LA County library, just waiting to be cracked open), and told me she would just love if I could send her a picture of it. Then she told me she thought the Claremont library might have more information for me (it doesn’t) because she knew that the local Society branch had donated a park bench years ago in her honor. Which is when I lost it, because I have totally sat on that bench while my kid ran around the library grounds, and I had always thought it was just a city bench with some plaque dedicated to Mayor So-and-So, and you get the point. I’ve been sitting on the Betsy-Tacy bench!!!

On our library outing that week I got all giddy at the sight of it, and then got all sad because I had forgotten my camera. But. I have a little trip planned for a free Saturday soon. Maud’s Claremont house (which is less than a mile from my last apartment) and the Claremont library bench. Just me and my camera, so I can send pictures to the Society president one of these days.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Lately

I finished The Light Fantastic this weekend, and moved on to Equal Rites. This third Disc book is about a young girl who ends up with Wizard powers, but Wizards are supposed to be boys. Cheeky monkey. I’m liking it. Almost done.

I also got a few books from the library to add to my stack of Library Books I Must Read Quickly.

I have a super nerdy story I must tell regarding my newfound devotion to the Betsy-Tacy books, but it must wait for a better afternoon.