Booktalk on a Sunday 4

Today I want to forget time. I'll wrap myself in travel tales, fairy tales, stories from close, stories from far away, poems, prayers, the stack of paperbacks on the side table, waiting to take me east of the sun, west of the moon. Why is it that books can give us such comfort, such joy. I can live without new clothes, I don't need a modern car or new furniture. But can I resist a bookstore if I pass one? Can I resist buying a book or five if I don't resist the bookstore when I pass it?????

Our oldest son har gone back to Australia and the big office in the House in the Woods is again mine. I have my travel books and my art books here, I have my spiritual books, my collection of National Geographics, and it is slowly filling up with other books as well. Tomorrow I plan to tidy my desk, finding space for the piles of books which are growing. The desk will feel empty without my comfort friends, but I need the space for some writing project I have to work on....The desk will soon enough fill up with piles of new books. Books which will enrichen my life with memories and stories.

I had planned to make Chocolat last all Lent, but again I have been mesmerized by Joanna Harris' writing and have already finished the book. I have continued to my next Joanna Harris though, Five Quarters of the Orange, which fits perfectly well for the second week of Lent, my orange week. I have read it before and know I will enjoy my reread. Some people find Harris' books too dark. I can understand why they do, but for me they are not dark but words and stories helping me to see deeper into humans, our dark sides as well as our brighter sides. Now it seems like Lent will be a period to read again all my Harris books. And in my orange mood I am on my way over to amazon.uk to buy her French Kitchen, A Cookbook.

The comments and e-mail I have got since my last booktalk have given me several good book recommandations. Linda tempted me by mentioning The Mermaid Chair, and after several e-mail to and from Paris discussing the book with her, I ended up ordering the book. I read The Secret Life of Bees some time ago, but didn't put it quite on top of my list, though I know alot of people do. It is translated into Norwegian, but I prefere the English version. Now I look forward to start reading about Jessie in South Carolina.

I started several "red" books last Sunday, and have finished none of them yet, so more new books will not be put on top of my pile yet. The coming week is winter break here in Trondheim. The girls are off school, and days are quieter for me at work. I had actually planned to take the week off, but now I will have to work at least the three first days. Thursday (or Friday) we are heading for our cabin though, and hours and hours of reading time are waiting for me there.

Venezia.

The Floating Book, which I mentioned last Sunday, is a thick book and will still take some time to read through. I still do have another Venice recommendation for this week also, "Venezia. Il carnevale" glorious photos by Francis Glorieus. I bought the book in Venice during carneval last year and have it on display all year long on my special Venice table. I can't find this book on amazon, but here is a link to Glorieus' webpage. The book I have is the second one shown. And I have a link to some great Venize photos taken my Merisi's Vienna for Beginners. Enjoy your Sunday!

The first photo today is from Northumberland/England, the second is Cueros working on her mask shop in Venice.