Here are the books coming with me on my journey:
— a Georgette Heyer – I can’t even remember the name of it. That’ll be the first book I read.
— Time and Again
, by Jack Finney. Believe it or not, I have never read it – and I know it is on many people’s favorite books EVER lists. Including this dude. He used to rave to me about it, waxing nostalgic, telling me the entire plot in exquisite detail … finally ending his ecstatic monologue with the lame, “You just have to read it.” I have a copy of it … but I have not read it yet – I think because for a long time I was afraid it would just remind me of that dude – and it would also be too yukky to read the book and NOT be able to talk with him about it. I think those days of pain are done now, though. (David: whaddya think – are they??) So I’m VERY excited to read the book.
— A Room with a View (Bantam Classics)
, by EM Forster. I’ve read it before, but years ago. I remember loving it. I need some writing inspiration, and Forster is awesome.
— Passionate Sage: The Character and Legacy of John Adams
, by Joseph Ellis. Passionate Sage is Ellis’ biography on John Adams, my favorite one of “those guys”. I love Ellis’ work – and I’ve read all of them except for this one (and his one on Washington). Can’t WAIT.
— Cary Grant: A Biography
, by Marc Eliot – I just received it from the wonderful Peteb!! Such a surprise! Cary Grant! A huge biography! LOOK OUT.
Quote in the beginning of the book (and I do not find it hyperbolic in the slightest – In my humble opinion, he is indeed the best there is.)
“He was the best and most important actor in the history of the cinema … The essence of his quality can be put quite amply: he can be attractive and unattractive simultaneously; there is a light and dark side to him but, whichever is dominant, the other creeps into view … He was rather cheap and too suspicious … he was, very likely, a hopeless fusspot as man, husband, and even father. How could anyone be ‘Cary Grant’? But how can anyone, ever after, not consider the attempt?” — David Thomson
Really excited.
One can never have too much Cary Grant.
Have a great vacation, Sheila.
Note to self: Must read The Whole Equation.. dammit.
What, no Jordan? Hmmph. ;)
Good for you! A Room With a View and Time and Again are great choices!
Ah, the Cary Grant biography. I read that a couple months ago, partially because of you. I saw it and immediately thought “WWSR? (What Would Sheila Read?)” Of course, it’s not the first Hollywood biography I’ve read, so I know my own free will was involved somehow. Just to be safe, I steered clear of the history section, lest I end up with a book on Hamilton or Adams.
You are going to LOVE Time and Again, I promise. There were so many times while reading it that I thought to myself “Sheila would adore this book.” I can’t believe I never emailed you about it. The sequel “Time after Time” is next on my reading list.
It’s definitely in my top ten books EVER. (I wrote about it in the URL on my name.)
Michele – woah. Your post blew me away. I am so so excited to read it.
Georgette Heyer? Oh, bravo Red! (Gives me hope that my Regency Romance fetish isn’t as shameful and sordid as I’d thought. Perhaps I might be able to set a toe in polite society again, eh?)