Tucson was
lovely, warm and sunny. I had less
reading and knitting time than I had anticipated because G’s courses ended at 12:30 rather than 6 as he had originally
thought. This gave me less time for
personal pursuits, but more time for hiking, touring, and sitting with my
beloved. Who can complain about that?
I did get some reading completed; the bulk of it at the gym
on the exercise bicycle. I picked up a
trashy novel on the way out to Tucson,
Danielle Steele’s newest paperback, ImPossible. It was perfect bicycle reading; it kept me pedaling. I would probably have grown bored and started
skimming if I were sitting by the pool or in the room reading this but on the
bicycle it was just enough to keep me going, and easy and mindless enough to
prevent my having to stop and think.
I admit to a closet addiction to Danielle Steele novels;
they are not the kind of thing an intelligent, discerning, rather
intellectually bookish woman is supposed to admit to reading. But then I have always believed that the
mingling of the high-brow with the low is what makes life bearable and
interesting so I suppose I should not be ashamed. I believe I have read them all, since the
first one, read when I was in college. They aren’t, for the most part, keepers, and it is kind of embarrassing
to admit that I love them so… the sappy romantic in me coming out, even though
I have little tolerance for most romance novels.
After the romantic escape I moved on to SELF MADE MAN by
Norah Vincent. This was also good for
the bike, and also good for just sitting and reading. It is both a very entertaining and thought
provoking book. Ms. Vincent’s
observations made me reflect on men and women and how we perceive and
mis-perceive each other. It made me
think a lot about men, but it also made me think a lot about women, not always
in a flattering light, but not negatively either. It is a very interesting book. I think everyone should read it just because
it will make them think and each person’s reactions to Ms. Vincent’s points
would be an opening to a more understanding world. I can’t even say that women especially
should read it, because men could find points to ponder here as well. I am not sure that these are points that all
people are ready to ponder however.
As for more serious reading, I am still slowly working my
way through Fast Food Nation, and I started Collapse. Both of the books require a truck-load of
thinking and reflection time and are slow-going, not because they are slow
reads, but just because I find my mind wandering and thinking about so many
points. This discussion is probably best
put off until later however.