This is the time of year when lots of people are sick with the flu. Not me. I’m sick with “book fever.” Do you know what I mean? There are so many books I’m excited about right now that I’m reading them all. You may have noticed the large number of book covers in my left side bar. Yes, I’m reading them all. I read about 40 to 50 pages in each one, depending on the time of day. My problem? I don’t feel like coming to my laptop to write about them.
I have three books I’m reading as part of on-line read-a-longs. Each one is rich and enjoyable in a different way. Today I want to tell you about one of them. I promise to write about the others soon.
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Heminway. Last year when I saw the movie Midnight In Paris, I vowed I would go back and read some Ernest Hemingway. It’s been a few decades since I read one of his books. When I saw that Staci (Life In the Thumb) was reading this book in a read-a-long, I decided to seize the moment. I quickly bought the book and joined the read-a-long at UnPutDownables. The read-a-long only lasts till the end of February, so if you want to join in, you’ll need to act quickly. (UnPutDownables also sponsors other read-a-longs during the year.)
This week, read-a-long participants read the first eight chapters in this memoir of Hemingway’s years in Paris. During this time he was trying to give up writing for newspapers and attempting to spend his working time on stories. He appears, at least in these first eight chapters, to be ambitious and eager, and somewhat awed with Paris and the people he meets there.
My favorite parts so far are when he talks about how he wrtites. For instance, he is disciplined enough that he will not stop for the day until he has his story completed or at least he knows where it’s going so he can start right up the next day.
Also enjoyable is Hemingway’s descriptions of people and where he walks about in Paris. There is a whole chapter on Gertrude Stein that felt almost like he was reporting on an event. I can already see that this book is going to lead me to reading others, at least something written by this interesting woman.
I’ll be posting for the next three Fridays about my progress through this book.
Wow, you do have book fever. If I had that many books going, I’d end up focusing on the one that grabbed my attention the most.
I so understand you wanting to read and avoid the laptop… have been feeling that way myself the last couple of weeks. Glad to hear you are enjoying A Moveable Feast. I read it around the same time I saw Midnight in Paris last summer. The two really complement each other. Keep enjoying your ‘book fever’, Margot!
I loved what you wrote in the discussion thread, Margot. I know absolutely nothing about Stein and you helped me get a better picture of her. I wish that I had visited Paris and could actually envision the are that he lived. I love the ladies on the discussion board…so intelligent and well-written. I will walk away from this book with a much greater appreciation because of sharing it! I’m so happy that you joined!
I love the ladies on the discussion board…so intelligent and well-written. I will walk away from this book with a much greater appreciation because of sharing it! I’m so happy that you joined!
I so love this book.
Joyfully Retired » I’m On a Reading Roll – just great!
I almost joined the read a-long because you and Staci had. But I’m still feeling the need for a bit of break from organized reading.