I've been conscribed into the new Typepad platform. While I'm sure I'll be used to it by the time I've written a few posts, I'm just a little irritated to have to adjust to all this new stuff. I liked the old ways of doing things. Remember Wayne's World: "we fear change"…that's how I feel right now. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating.
My computer had been on my sh*tlist for the last week. Firefox updated, and since that fateful moment, I've had problems with my gmail (can't get it from igoogle anymore) and Ravelry (can't open any messages). I realize it's more likely the internet service that is effed up, but I've never been over fond of this computer, so it makes me happier to blame it.
Grousing aside, I have a book review for you. I finished Paul Auster's Man in the Dark earlier in the week, and I'm so impressed. His Moon Palace has long been one of my favorite books, but I haven't loved any others I read by him. Sure, the writing is always solid, but they lacked the visceral quality that I admired in Moon Palace. That quality is back in his new, short novel. What makes this book so fascinating is not just the vulnerability of the characters, but the meta-story that is woven throughout. As the protagonist lies awake at night, he dreams up a story that he isn't actually writing…and in an alternate U.S.A., that story is reality. Even as Auster gives us that puzzle to play with, he gives us characters trying to handle pain and loss–the protagonist and his granddaughter nurse their suffering together by watching and analyzing films, with family history eventually emerging. Like Amy Bloom's Away, this novel has lingered in my mind since I finished it, always a sign to me of an excellent read.
My perpetual question: what are you reading?
Your blog. ;^)
You can opt out of the new TypePad compose thingy if you can’t stand it, my Bev. I think they designed it for people who are totally computer clueless.
xo
The Widows of Eastwick–interesting read, so far.
I love Paul Auster – his books always are intricate and fascinating. Have you read his Oracle Night?
Reading now: Sense and Sensibility. (Again)
🙂 my list of current reads is on goodreads… i have my nose in many books as I try to frantically finish nano and a class paper. i will add this one to the list for the future… it sounds fascinating.
sorry to hear your tech woes. I’ve been dropping everything this week. i
I did the Firefox update and I’m not getting the same issues…try clearing your cache…? If that doesn’t work, backup your Firefox (I *heart* mozbackup.org), uninstall it completely and reinstall it with a clean download (and make sure google desktop isn’t running when you do it, that messes stuff up all the time). Of course, odds are you already tried all this, know way more than I about puters and would like to tell me to shut up… ;op
As for reading, I’m listening to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and love it so far!
p.s. Coco is the cutest!!