Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Summer has come between me and this blog, not to mention between me and work. I was all settled Sunday morning for a long writing session after a four-mile walk when we got a call from our friends who have a summer place on a lake in southern Rhode Island. Needless to say, we dropped everything and had a delightful time paddling, swimming, and eating until six in the evening.

My young friend declared he's off to see War of the Worlds tomorrow. As long as most of the reviewers don't pan it, I hope I can convince Ken to go. In preparation, I dropped into Brookline Booksmith today to pick up a copy of the book. I was so happy that the Modern Library paperback is only $5.95. When was the last time you had a guiltless book purchase? Only 182 pages, too, so I should have no problem finishing it by next week. The only other book I've read by H.G. Wells is The Time Machine, which, by the way, is a fun movie to see again and again. Made in 1963, it stars Robert Taylor and Yvette Mimieux, among others. Ken and I saw it again about a year and a half ago, and I think I enjoyed it just as much.

Westwood Library emailed me to say that they have Leeway Cottage, Assassination Vacation, and Specimen Days waiting for me. Too many books!!! All are "high in demand" titles, unfortunately, so renewals are out of the question. How did I get so unlucky that all three came in at once? A reading Fourth of July holiday is fine with me, which may work out because Ken has alot of computers lined up for tune-ups this weekend. I'm sorry I'm not providing links to these yet, but I will when I get them into the house!

I discovered a little gem in the young adult section: When I Was a Soldier by Valerie Zenatti. This title has been translated from the French, and is a novel/memoir of Zenatti's experiences in the Israeli army as an eighteen-to-twenty-year old in the early 1970s. I seized upon it, because I remember as an eighteen-year-old during the Vietnam War being shocked/curious/horrified by the fact that Israeli girls not only went into the army, but were prepared to defend their country. In any case, Zenatti's account is exceptionally well-written, fast-paced, and short (if your time is tight these days), and I recommend it highly. I'm so glad that the Bookslut reviewed it, which serves to prove that YA novels are not just for kids!

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